If you got to live inside a video game world, which one would you choose?
I love sports, and I sometimes have dreams at night where I’m on a baseball diamond, standing at the plate with a bat in my hand, facing a nasty big league pitcher. I take his best stuff, his laser two-seam fastball, his biting slider, his knee-buckling curve, and I go yard with them. Upper deck, baby! In my dreams, right? lol.
Truth is, when I was younger, baseball was everything to me. I was hoping to make it to the big leagues, or at least have an opportunity to try out or something, just like my grandfather had.
He had the chance to pitch for the Detroit Tigers, but WWII had other plans for him.
I used to be really wrapped up in an online video game called “MLB 9innings 2o26.” It’s really in-depth, and there are players from all around the world and different clubs you can join.
I had three teams at one point, and I was in three different clubs. One of those clubs I ran and managed. Each club has a WhatsApp group and Discord. Your team and club have rankings. One of my teams was ranked 601 in the world, and the other 1025. And my one club “2hi2hit” was one of the elites. We were top 50 in the world.
Guys are constantly buying, selling, and acquiring new teams. It takes a lot of skill, time, and knowledge of the game to build a great team. The top teams are worth thousands of dollars. There’s big money in it. Some of the top players are spending $25-$50K a year.
I had a budget of about $100 a month that I spent on the game, and all my spare time went into playing, managing the club, recruiting, putting together rosters, and giving advice to all my guys in the club.
You battle other clubs, there’s tournaments, and all kinds of other stuff. It’s a big deal.
The year before I started blogging, I got sick and was unable to keep up with my daily stuff on the game because of my health. So I gave control of my teams and my club to some of my friends, and they took over for me.
Then, after a while, I just realized that I was wasting my life on this game. I decided to stop playing and use that time to blog.
I could have sold my teams and made a few thousand bucks. But I decided to give them to the friends who had been running them for me while I was sick that year. I just felt it would have been a dick move for me to yank them out from under those guys and sell them after all the time and effort they had put into them.
I still talk to everyone on WhatsApp. We’re a close bunch of guys from all over the world. But most of my club members are in the US and Canada. I’ve known them all for about five years now. Many of them get together and meet up and do things, like going to real games of their favorite teams and stuff or just hang out.
It’s definitely more than a video game. Baseball is life for them. ⚾️
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Above images are some of my team and club logos. We designed and made our own.
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© 2026 Bryan Loia Hudson. All rights reserved.
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Baseball is cool. I like to go watch games instead of just seeing then on television.
Oh yeah! I feel ya. It’s so fun going to the ball park and watching a game. Such a great experience.
Always a good time
Indeed 😎
There is a whole online sports world! Sounds like it was quite a bit of work! My husband was involved with fantasy football leagues back in the 90s. Lots of time spent on it but his payouts were crazy some years.
Yeah the online sports world is crazy for sure. Many of my friends and club members also play fantasy football and baseball every year. I’ve done it a few times. But not every year like my friends do.
I actually thought hard about this one for my Peony site and not being a video gamer came up with nothing. 😢
I do love the photo ❤️
Lol I feel ya. I almost didn’t write about it. Then I thought… ehhh might as well lol. I commented on one of your peony ones from the other day.
Thank you btw
Kingdom Hearts.
Thank you friend
Hey Brian. I’m 6’8 and was a left-handed pitcher. I know exactly what you mean by more than just a game. Labrum tear and a bummer surgery that didn’t help my arm left me without dreams I had to stop pursuing in reality.
I was so heartbroken that until recently, it really was tough to watch as someone who enjoys watching baseball, no longer as a baseball player myself. But it’s all good now haha. If nothing else I keep my fingers crossed that, come season time, The D-Backs win a few games at least.😄
Oh wow bro, your one of those tall lefties. Like Randy Johnson. The Big Unit 😁. Sorry to hear about your arm man. I feel ya.
I’m a 6ft righty. I was a pitcher also but played many other positions and had a good bat. But I kinda wore my arm out early on, by the time I was 20 I had some bad elbow troubles and pain when I tried to throw with any velocity. I stopped pursuing as well. I continued to get together with friends and different groups and play some for fun over the years. Then I did organized softball for awhile but It’s been about 5 years since the last time I played.
That’s cool your a D-Backs fan. I hope they win more than a few games for ya next season 😁 I was born and raised in Georgia, so I’ve always lived or died as a Braves fan lol since I was a little boy. I’ve been through all the highs and lows with them 😄
Thanks brother. I appreciate you checking out my story and sharing 😎
Hey likewise brother! Thank you also for taking the time to chat about your experiences out on that field of dreams. Some of the best memories I’ll probably have. Grateful for that. And go Braves! I had a buddy back when who was a loyal Braves fan so that’s pretty cool. Wishing you decent evening my friend.😊
You’re welcome… Go D-Backs and Braves! Let’s get those stinkin’ Dodgers and Yankees 😄😎
It’s good that you love sports, Bryan! I bet you’re good.
Thanks Tim… well I’d probably say that I excelled at sports more than any other thing. I was always super athletic. Baseball and Football especially. And others as well but I’m not that great at basketball or soccer lol but I can still hold my own in them. I have a good jump shot, just not the greatest at driving the net and crossing over in the dribble 😄
You’re welcome, Bryan. 😊 It’s wonderful that you were so active in sports. I was active in tennis and baseball as a boy.
Oh that’s great Tim! What positions did you play? Tennis is tough man! That’s another one that I’m not that good at.
I was the shortstop in baseball. My gym teacher in grade school was an ex-professional tennis player and taught it to us.
Oh wow that’s so cool. If I wasn’t on the mound, I was at short also. I played outfield also. Yeah tennis is one of those sports where it’s best to start young and have a pro teaching you. That’s awesome. I bet you were good at it.
I did okay at shortstop, Bryan, pretty good at tennis.
I admire you tennis players, I think tennis and golf is two that are really tough. It’s good to start early in life and get some good lessons and instructions on how to become good at it
I like racquetball tho
Now, in my old age, I don’t do sports.
Lol I feel you. I’m 53 now and I don’t play like I used to. I’ve slowed down much in the past 5 years. I have to be easy on my knees especially.
I agree that baseball is so much more than just a game as for me Cricket is. The Gully cricket made so many lifelong memories for me, I will never forget them. I made first friend while playing cricket and I’m still in touch with him. How special that your gaming community turned into such a loyal group of friends! A wonderful and heartfelt post, Bryan!
Hey Prateek. Man I think cricket is such an interesting sport and alot like baseball. Occasionally I will watch it online. It’s so cool to watch. I imagine it’s fun to play also. And yes it’s great gaming community indeed. Thank you buddy 😎
Sports is one bonding activity. I admit to that. 😊
Man, I love sports too. I like Soccer/Football actually and it’s nice and exciting to see players who are passionate and talented inside the football field⚽ 🥅 and when I was a Little boy, I used to play at Primary and I was a Striker, my sister once purchased Soccer boots, I think they were Gold but Man, I liked them and I left Soccer in High School and when I was 15 I think, I started writing essays and I was good at them especially History subjects and that was when I realised, Writing was my passion and I never failed English and that’s when Blogging came to my life, I thank God, I discovered blogging because I love my Blog and this WordPress Community of Writers such as you Bryson Loia man✨
That’s awesome brother! I bet you were really good. ⚽️… I enjoy your writing also. You’re a talented man. Thanks for reading my post and sharing. Have a good day my friend 😎🙏