I love baseball. I love baseball in a way which is possibly a little strange. I don’t like toxic masculinity, I don’t really like playing sports, yet baseball. Baseball is boyish and whimsical, it’s strategic and skilled, it is a long slow game with fast bursts of action. Baseball is summer in America. It is the dreams and hopes and excitement of the Boy, as he opens a new pack of cards, or when we turn on the radio in years past, to listen to the whoever is playing that day win or lose, pitch and hit, in the rhythm of warmer weather and bluer skies. Goodbye Spring! Hello Summer. Except opening day has been getting earlier and earlier…but it is ok this year. I am in California and in California it is usually summer anyway.
I have the live updates in a background tab. I want to see how my Giants do. Today is a confusion, I am not up to speed. Players have moved teams, I still can’t make sense of the Darvish trade to the Padres, and it doesn’t seem quite real yet. Last year didn’t exist for me. I couldn’t get excited about a season cut short. It felt forced and fast and artificial. I am not hoping for much better this year.
I have had to switch allegiance from the Cubs to the Giants. I can’t not support the hometown team. I have to admit I am a little apprehensive about our pitching, but today it all feels possible. It all feels like this year might not be so bad after all.
If anyone wants to join a fantasy baseball league, and accepts the fact that it is the only time I might get a little competitive, I could be persuaded. I will probably allow myself the occasional rant as the season gets underway. I’m still rooting for Angels double threat Shohei Ohtani, to get over that Tommy John and be the player we all know he can be. I like Joe Maddon, the Cubs lost a good manager there.
Buster Posey, Brandon’s Crawford and Belt are making historic tenth career opening day starts, which is lovely. They join some very rarified company, including Willie Mays. Starting against the Mariners this evening, Gausman takes the mound. I know he doesn’t get a lot of love, but I actually think he is a great pitcher, and about to hit a real good stride. In true baseball tradition, I guess I just jinxed him…sorry Gausman!
Here’s to some perfect games!
The Giants threw it away in the 8th…it was a massacre. Gausman was an absolute beast, pitched so well, so many have given up on the guy but he is absolutely solid – he gave up a sac fly, they took him out. the score was 6-1 going into the 8th…the next guy – whose name I wont mention as I’m too upset – threw it away in a flurry of walks and just awful pitching. Giants lost 7-8. Gausman deserved better than a no decision!
Today I hope we have the joy of seeing Bauer fuck up.