Our disgusting national pastime

Watching the Mets flame out yet again this past weekend on a new large screen, high definition television, it occurred to me that baseball has got to be the most disgusting sport of them all. Where else can you see grown men spitting every five minutes for three hours straight? And, let's face it, when it comes to disgusting habits, spitting has got to be near the top (in my estimation it's more disgusting than picking your nose or scratching your crotch or ass because at least those nasty habits are self-contained; it may even be more disgusting than belching and farting as well, depending on the intensity and smell). And with the breakthrough of high definition television, not only is the spitting right in your face and more vivid than ever, but you can now discern what exactly is being spit up: saliva (usually in short foamy little spurts), sunflower seeds (in a virtual fireworks-like display from the mouth--can someone explain the appeal of sunflower seeds for me? Why not just take some salt and pour it in your mouth?), and tobacco (the most disgusting of them all, especially when the pitcher is doing it since the camera is trained on him for a good part of the game). One of the most shocking moments of yesterday's game for me (aside from the Mets' collapse) occurred when the umpire removed his mask to join in the spitting orgy (his gob was so copious I suspected it included part of his lunch).