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absolutely fascinates me. It is a huge part of what I called the serendipity of baseball, and what you say SeattleNative57 is in my experience true in a way that far exceeds any other sport. And I've been watching sports since the early 1960's.
When I got married in 1982 I used to exclaim this to my wife several times every season as we, living then in Southern California, watched Dodgers games on TV. (As an aside, my wife once came up with THIS priceless gem: "We'll be needin' fewer balls and more strikes!" when Tom Niedenfuer was pitching in relief.) Every season, year after year, this phenomenon continues.
Patience is rewarded. While sorely trying patience, baseball is a game for the patient.