Monday Stream of Consciousness: August 9, 2010

This makes me deeply happy. It also makes me want to hug Tito:


Well, I got my wish: on Friday evening, the Sox ensured that we would not get swept. The next two games were...ummm... Yeah. But here's the thing: I love this team. I am baffled by the people who reach this point in the season and declare "Time for football, I guess!" I cannot wrap my brain around a) opting for glorified football practice purely for the sake of revenue over, you know, *actual* regular season baseball, and b) acting like watching your team, in any sport, only matters when it looks like you might get to the post-season. Maybe I'm just more addicted than your average fan, but I thought being a true fan came with the understanding that you stick with your team from Opening Day til final pitch of the season, no matter the outcome. Sure, I want us to win it all. (Duh.) But even if we don't? (And with the 2010 version of this team, the reasons go beyond excuses, given the rash of *key* players to spend time on the DL.) I want every last second of baseball that's left before the dry leaves whirl around empty ballparks, and I am left with nothing but counting days til February, while I wait for Sunday to roll around again with another dose of football. I want to enjoy the fleeting moments of my favorite baseball player's career. I want to cheer with the Sox when they win. I want to be able to say "well, there's always tomorrow" when they don't, while this season still *has* a baseball tomorrow. I want to marvel at the fact that this team has done what it has with the slapped together stew of half-broken veterans, walking wounded, inexperienced kids and the random journeyman. (I also really want Pedey back, like, yesterday.) I understand the frustration, because if willing a team to win & yelling at the tv made any difference? We'd be World Series winners every year,and I could manage that singlehandedly. But I won't ever understand a "fan" who rolls their eyes at me for not changing the channel or giving up on the season, on this team*. I hope I am never so spoiled that I only want to watch winning seasons & not take immense joy in the game being played today. Even if the only thing worth enjoying is watching Mike Lowell manning first base--thankfully in Boston laundry--or Tim Wakefield make Nick Swisher (hee! Swish-a-licious!) look foolish with a relief-inning knuckleball. Because Lord knows that tie Jon Miller wore meant my eyes bled for that entire ESPN Sunday Night Baseball broadcast in addition to my ears, and there is never anything enjoyable about that.

*Just to clarify, I do not include those who rail in frustration during a specific game, swearing that they can't take anymore, wondering why they bother, but are always right back again the next game, hoping & pulling for their team.