I always forget how complicated the rules of many sports are until I have to explain them to a child. Even something as perfect as baseball has so many edge cases.

Careful not to fall into the nerd trap of stats and prediction models...I?ve said too much.

SPORTS!

Perfect is not the word I would use. baseball has relatively simple rules that make sense and still manages to be the most boring thing humans can do. It makes sense in the context of the 1800s, before fun had been invented. baseball is marginally less dull than looking at a fireplace.

Football manages some excitement, but has rules clearly written by a very drunk, very crazy person.

Basketball splits the difference. It's sort of exciting and the rules mostly make sense.

I guess you have an opposing opinion on baseball.

Things that make baseball great:
* No clock generating arbitrary tension
* The defense controls the ball
* Every player plays defense and offense (except P/DH when applicable)
* The regulation dimensions skirt the edges of human capability, but have been unchanged for over a century. See the continued close plays at 1st, and the challenge of hitting a fastball.
* Every park has its own unique outfield dimensions which changes the likelihood of home runs and extra base hits.
* Every play action is objectively measurable.
* The greatest hitters in the sport are only successful 1/3 of the time.

It?s a smaller game which requires more specialized talent from its players. I think I get why you don?t like it, and I think it?s the very reason I do.