Earlier this baseball you may have read my blog Apple Pie + Baseball = America where I made the suggestion to all Americans to have a relationship with my favorite sport. Baseball. I followed my own advice and have been following my Detroit Tigers religiously since the first pitch of spring training. every day that I have been home during game time I have had them on TV. If I was driving somewhere during the game I would play the game on the radio. I have laughed, cried, screamed at and celebrated with my boys of summer for 162 games during the regular season, and now even more intensely for 10 games in this playoffs. I have been able to invest more time to the game this year because I don't have a job for one, and second, my cable company included MLB network in our programming package. When I found THAT out, I had a smile on my face for a week straight. countless hours have been spent this season watching replays and checking league standings. This relationship with a game has become an obsession and that is becoming more and more apparent as the Tigers proceed further in to the postseason.
To set the scene. The Tigers find themselves down 3 games to 1 to the Texas Rangers in the American League Championship Series. Game 5 is tied 2-2 in the bottom of the 6th, and I am trying to distract myself with games on my laptop as best as possible while the game is playing on the TV in the background. scared that if I move from my spot on the couch I will jinx any progress we have made. With the promise of the top of the batting order due up this inning I focus purely on the game. Raburn reaches base ahead of Miguel Cabrera. I find myself on the edge of my seat willing Miggy with every ounce of my being to make something happen... The Baseball gods hear my pleas and Miggy hits a ground ball down the third baseline that HITS THE BASE and bounces over the third baseman's head and trickles out into left field. I find myself on my feet yelling at Ryan Raburn "GO RYAN!! GOOOO!!" and telling myself that if he doesn't score I am gonna break his knee caps. The realization sets in as I notice my mom at the computer just staring at me..... I might have a problem.
The intent of this baseball season was to believe in something that could be great. It worked. This season has been fantastic. But as my team get closer.... and closer.... AND CLOSER to the end goal I guess I have to ask myself the question, What if?? What if something fantastic happens? What if we fall short of the end goal? WHAT IF??? Well... I don't have an answer for those questions. BUT what matters to me right now is that I don't have to answer EITHER of those questions yet. my boys are still in it to win it. we are still down one game in this series but the air left in this fans lungs are reserved specifically for those late inning rallies, defensive gems, and walk off wins that are yet to come.
I have heard from a few people this season that I get into the games and let them effect me and my mood. Even my mom has made the observation that I am addicted. Wouldn't you feel an investment after dedicating your free time for over 6 months to something. I may have an emotional attachment to this game, this season that seems unreasonable, but I am still in it and ready for something great to happen. Go Tigers!
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