If you're like many parents who find baseball too complicated to follow, don't worry – you're not alone. Some parents often tell us that they just can't figure out the game.

But when you look at how baseball originated and is so popular in the U.S., it's clear that Americans generally aren't big fans of overly complicated sports. For example, many complain about soccer, not understanding why a bunch of players are running around in shorts and chasing a ball.

But here's the thing: no sport is really all that difficult once you've seen it in action. You just need to take a step-by-step approach and break it down.

Breaking It Down: The Essentials

A baseball game lasts for nine innings. So, if you understand how the first inning works, you'll be able to follow every subsequent inning. It's like understanding the basic structure of a song—once you get the first verse, you can handle the rest.

Here's a sample scoreboard showing how the scores are updated. Every time a player successfully runs around the bases and returns home, it counts as a "run." These runs are added under the "RUNS" category on the scoreboard.

Each inning is split into two halves. The home team defends first in the top half, and the visiting team takes their turn at bat. Then, they switch in the bottom half—home team bats, and visiting team defends. So, to understand any inning, just focus on the first half of it.

The game starts with the pitcher throwing the ball. To understand what's going on, all you really need to do is focus on the pitcher and the batter's duel for the entire half inning.

Warm Up: Pre-Game Highlights

Let's take a closer look at a specific game to help make sense of the process. We'll use Game 7 of the 2017 MLB World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros. The Dodgers' home field is a massive stadium located on the edge of downtown Los Angeles, resembling a Roman-style arena.

Before the game starts, the broadcasters usually show interviews with both team managers. In baseball, the manager is the head coach, while other coaching roles like hitting coach, pitching coach, and defensive coach are also called "coaches." All coaches wear the same uniform as the players—there's none of that coach-in-a-suit business you see in football or basketball.

The First Pitch and the Basics of the Game

Now, let's get to the exciting part: the actual game! After the pre-game ceremonies, the first pitch is thrown, marking the official start. In this case, we see two Dodgers legends, aged 91 and 81, throwing out ceremonial first pitches. It's a common baseball tradition to have celebrities, athletes, or even community figures throw the first pitch of the game.

Once the game begins, the pitcher throws to the batter, and the batter has three chances to swing and hit the ball in the strike zone. If the batter doesn't hit the ball after three strikes, they're out. If the batter does manage to hit the ball, the defense has a chance to catch it and throw it to the right base to get the runner out. After three outs, the inning is over and teams switch between offense and defense.

The starting pitcher for the Dodgers in this game is Yu Darvish, a Japanese player of Iranian descent who has had an incredible career. Before the game started, they showed his stats for the postseason. One of the key stats is “Innings Pitched (IP),” which tells us how many innings a pitcher has played. For instance, “1 2/3 IP” means the pitcher has faced a few batters but was pulled before completing two full innings.

The Lineup and the Gameplay

As the game continues, we see the Houston Astros lineup—each of their nine players will take turns hitting the ball. In baseball, each team has a fixed batting order that's determined before the game starts. The first three players are usually the most reliable hitters.

The scoreboard will show the current count of balls and strikes. The pitcher's speed and pitch count will also be shown, giving you a real-time update of the game's progression. For example, if a pitcher throws a ball at 95 mph, you'll see that information on the screen.

Offense and Defense: The Battle of Wits

As the game unfolds, each team will try to score runs by hitting the ball and running around the bases. In baseball, you've got to pay attention to things like stolen bases (when a player advances to the next base without a hit) and strategic sacrifices (like when a batter deliberately hits a ball to advance a runner).

For example, in this game, the Astros' first batter hits a double and reaches second base. Then, with the next batter, there's a defensive error, and the runner advances to third base. The game is full of these little moments of strategy and skill. At one point, the batter hits a pitch, and the base runner steals third, moving closer to scoring.

The Key Stats to Watch

As you get more comfortable with the game, keep an eye on important stats like “RBI” (Runs Batted In), which shows how many runs a batter has helped score through their hitting. You'll also see stats like “HR” for home runs, which tells you how often the batter hits the ball out of the park for an automatic run.

Another fun stat is “Strikeouts” (K), which shows how often a batter misses the ball completely and gets out on strikes.

Summing It Up: The Essence of Baseball

To wrap it all up, once you understand the key modules of a baseball game, everything else becomes much easier. A baseball game is just a series of mini-battles between the pitcher and the batter, with each team trying to maximize their runs while limiting the opponent's opportunities.

Each team gets 27 outs during a game, and the goal is to use those outs strategically to score as many runs as possible. A team's success is determined by their ability to get on base, advance runners, and score when they can. Meanwhile, the defense is trying to prevent runs by getting batters out.

By the end of the game, if you understand these basic principles, you'll be able to watch each inning and get into the rhythm of the game. As the innings pass, you'll start to feel more familiar with the flow, and baseball will soon make sense.

Ready to dive into a full nine innings of action? We hope this breakdown has helped you feel more comfortable following the game. With time and practice, you'll be able to watch and understand every pitch, swing, and play. Enjoy the game!