We are a mere three days away from opening day of the MLB season. I love baseball, always have and always will. In honor of opening day, I am going to talk about the top nine reasons why I love baseball.

First off, let me give a little back story. I am the youngest of three kids. My older brother is four years older than I am. He has played baseball since the beginning of time (or at least since the beginning of my memories).

When I was younger, my mom had to haul me along to the games because I was too little to stay home by myself. By the time I got old enough to stay home, I discovered that I loved watching my brother and his team (it may or may not have been because I decided all his friends were just so dreamy). I have been around baseball my whole life, and I love it.

There are about a thousand reasons to love baseball, but these are my top nine.

9. Baseball has its own foods. You eat good food and good snacks around baseball. Hot dogs slathered in fixings, peanuts, cracker jacks, sunflower seeds and Big League Chew. Good stuff.

8. You can watch baseball and multi-task.

7. Baseball is the ultimate challenge. To hit a small ball with a round club coming at you with extreme speed is miraculous. Another amazing feat is to be able to catch and field that same ball coming at you.

6. Baseball is a summer sport. I can watch baseball and get the tan I desperately need.

5. Baseball has a ton of statistics. Runs, RBIs, hits, doubles, triples, homeruns, strikeouts and stolen bases, the list goes on and on. All the stats add to the success and comparing of different athletes. Numbers make sense to me and it helps illuminate the game.

4. Baseball has the longest running season. Baseball starts in March or April (depending on if you count spring training. I do) and ends in October. That is 8-12 months MLB in the season.

3. Baseball is America’s pastime. Back in the olden days baseball was a glimmer of hope during war and depression. It is as American as the Fourth of July and apple pie. It’s a game that embodies the American spirit.

2. Baseball has the best history and legends. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Henry Aaron, Jackie Robinson are all legends. The Boston Red Socks breaking the Curse of the Great Bambino is a fairytale. It also has the greatest fields like Wrigley Field, Fenway Park and Camden Yards (all places I want to visit before I die).

My top reason why I love baseball is . . . no shocker here . . .

1. Baseball has the best looking athletes. All athletes are pretty good looking, but baseball players are by far the best. Basketball players are too tall and oftentimes too skinny. Football players are often times too big and too bulky (yes, that is possible). But baseball players are right in the middle and perfect. It helps that baseball players have sexy uniforms to enhance their features. Baseball players are the hottest, hands down.