How to survive Thanksgiving as a baseball fan

The meaning of Thanksgiving is self-explanatory. It's a day to celebrate all that we're thankful for in life, with the added perks of gathering with friends and family to share laughs, eat turkey sandwiches and watch wall-to-wall football coverage.

All of that sounds really good. Unless, of course, you're a diehard baseball fan craving nachos, hot dogs, peanuts and, well, actual baseball, If that's you, Thanksgiving will do little to satisfy those cravings. Instead, as everyone around you breaks the ice with football talk and gathers around to watch the seemingly endless hours of Phil Simms commentary, you'll only be reminded how far removed we are from the World Series, and how far we still are from spring training.

The reality is, dedicated fans of our national pastime are firmly entrenched in no man's land, and there's still no light at the end of the tunnel. It's all about getting through another day, and in this case there's no escape from football's powerful clutches. Unless you follow these few helpful tips, of course.

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Play Scrabble

Or Monopoly. Or Candyland. Really, any board game will suffice. As will any of those addicting games on your phone. But you don't want to isolate yourself too much. Chances are this is the only time you'll see some of these good people all year long, so it's good to be as social and interactive as possible. With that in mind, Scrabble would be my game of choice. It allows room for catching up, and believe me, nothing will consume your thoughts quite like losing to your 10-year-old cousin who knows words you still haven't learned.

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Spend it with Joe West
He's a baseball guy, after all. And if you're lucky, you might get thrown out of his home by halftime of the Bears-Lions game.

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Watch MLB Network

About not isolating yourself too much, forget it. If you can find a TV and the MLB Network is available, pull up a chair and put up your feet. All morning long they'll be showing classic World Series films from the early 80s. The afternoon will feature "The Jackie Robinson Story." In the evening, it's a movie marathon with "For The Love of the Game," "Rookie of the Year" and "The Benchwarmers." Sure, we'd all prefer more classic games on the Network, but you could do worse for a side dish of baseball.

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Offer to wash the dishes, walk the dog and babysit the children

Ha, yeah right. Next.

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Catch up on Big League Stew

Maybe you've had a busy week and haven't heard about Yasmany Tomas signing with the Arizona Diamondbacks yet. We've got you covered. Boston Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington, for one, has been extremely busy. We have in-depth analysis of the Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval signings as well, along with a look ahead to what might be next on Cherington's to-do list. Will it be a trade? Maybe. If so, here are 12 guys we think could change uniforms by next spring. 

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Give in and join a fantasy football league
This isn't a sign of weakness. It's an investment in occupying time and staying in touch with friends, with an admittedly strong chance of misery if you're ultra-competitive. Though it takes a deeper commitment, it will consume your thoughts for hours at a time, especially when it comes time to decide between Jay Cutler and Tony Romo. Thankfully, we have plenty of good people to help you with those decisions. But perhaps most importantly, playing fantasy football almost guarantees a greater interest in Thanksgiving football.

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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813