My Oh My! Baseball is back and I love it. I’m so thrilled that baseball season is here. There are a few factors that make this new season tough for me, but nonetheless, my eagerness for this years’ season remains strong.
1. The Loss of a Legend & (Pseudo Family Member) – This will be the first baseball season I will ever experience without my voice of summer, Dave Niehaus. He passed away this off-season on November 10th due to heart failure. I was surprised by how his death affected me. It felt as if I had lost a close family member. I grew up listening to Dave call Mariner games when our family was in the car, on vacations, working in the yard, and as I fell asleep at night. His grandfatherly voice will forever be linked in my mind to Mariners baseball, and for that matter, baseball as a whole.
2. The rebuilding of the Mariners – Seattle was recently ranked by Forbes Magazine as “America’s Most Miserable” sports cities. What an honor. Especially when you consider that it’s the second year in a row we’ve won that distinguished award. This Mariner season promises to be a tough one as the team rebuilds with young, developing, and inexperienced talent. Wins will likely be few; playoffs barely even possible. But hey, it’s baseball and you never know what may happen.
Despite the fact that this will likely be a rough season for Mariner fans, I still am really pumped to see baseball return, here are a few reasons why:
1. Taking my family to the ballpark – Safeco Field is a beautiful park and I love taking my wife and kids to games. I love the beauty of the baseball diamond, the atmosphere, the sights, the smells (minus garlic fries), and the sounds of the game. Baseball is a joy to my senses. Not to mention, this year we will celebrate (my son) Lincoln’s first game!
2. Baseball is a social game – Whether you’re at the stadium, watching on TV, or listening on the radio, baseball is a great way to relax and socialize with people. I anticipate many summer nights will be spent relaxing with family and friends with baseball in the background.
3. The promise of a fresh start – It’s weird and slightly disappointing entering another baseball season with so little hope of success. Yet, baseball has a unique way of getting your hopes up. Spring Training tends to lie to you, making you believe that somehow your team stands a chance. Sure enough, I’ve bought into the propaganda. If enough things go right, and a few things go wrong for other teams, we could have bounce back year. I guess that’s why they say every year, of every fan, and of every team, “Hope Springs Eternal.”
Well that’s all I guess. I love baseball and am happy it’s back. At the bottom of this post I’ve picked the division winners and the world series champs and I invite you to join me. Simply comment on this post with the same format I use. We’ll revisit our picks at the end of the year.
There’s only one more thing to say…
…Play Ball!
AL WEST: Oakland Athletics
AL CENTRAL: Minnesota Twins
AL EAST: Boston Red Sox
AL WILD CARD: Tampa Bay Rays
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NL WEST: Colorado Rockies
NL CENTRAL: Cincinnati Reds
NL EAST: Philadelphia Phillies
NL WILD CARD: San Fransisco Giants
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AL CHAMP: Minnesota Twins
NL CHAMP: Philadelphia Phillies
WORLD SERIES CHAMP: Minnesota Twins