If you're a baseball diehard - and I consider myself to be one - you know that a Major League season is a long one. You know that there will be hot streaks and cold streaks. 7 games? Of 162?! I can't say it's meaningless, but it's less than 5% of the season. It's worth less - percentage-wise - than one NFL game.
Diehards tell themselves and each other and anyone else who wants to listen that 7 games are a drop in the bucket of an MLB season, especially when you realize that even the best teams will lose almost 15 times more than what the Tribe has already lost come the end of September.
So what's the big deal that the Indians have only won two games in a week? In the big scheme of things, aren't we overreacting to 4 losses?
The problem with diehard baseball fans is that they can't wrap their heads around those who are not diehards. (And vice versa) Many look down their noses and roll their eyes at those who consider the season to be going down the drain when so much baseball is left to be played.
These are the same guys that complain about attendance, the guys who use detailed statistical analyses to understand the game they love, only to look at one stat - season attendance - to judge those around them who don't view baseball as hallowed as they do.
Oh, they can tell you that, while the Indians lack scoring, they lead the league in runs scored on flyballs hit with less than two outs and a runner on second in July when batting against right-handed relief pitchers from Wisconsin on days when the humidity is lower than 70%. But then they say, "Cleveland fans are bad fans who don't care even when the Indians are in a legitimate playoff run, and I know this because I took annual attendance, divided it by 81 and have a number. Also, I will completely ignore television ratings."
Yes, fellow diehards, you're kinda that annoying.
I am a diehard, too, and I know that seven games mean nothing. But I am still disappointed. I waited SIX MONTHS for them to start playing meaningful baseball; listened to national pundits get tight in the pants over this team; watched them beef up the lineup a little bit; and talked about the young guys still in the minors......only to see them start 0-4 in the Central Division. Ugly losses.
Yes, guys, we're disappointed to see them start off the season one game out of last place. And to see that "vaunted" pitching staff surrender 29 runs in the past four games. And it doesn't mean we're not good fans or understand the lack of implication in the grand scheme of things.
Yes, guys, we're disappointed to see them start off the season one game out of last place. And to see that "vaunted" pitching staff surrender 29 runs in the past four games. And it doesn't mean we're not good fans or understand the lack of implication in the grand scheme of things.
I'll be honest, I doubt there are many diehards who aren't quietly disappointed as well. They may not be setting the whole season on fire over it, but it sucks to get so excited only to be rewarded with such a dud beginning. Now, the Indians will turn this around and go on a hot streak and we won't really remember the dog days of....Easter. But this start is disappointing.
Casual fans, who only hear the noise put out by ESPN, are coming in with high expectations. No, they don't know how to pace themselves, but neither should they be scolded for wanting to see this team legitimately mean something and not just be a "gosh, I hope we go on a hot streak the last two weeks of the season in hopes of getting the second wildcard spot" team.
Sports, as a whole, is about passion. Why else would we care about people we don't know, doing something we can't do, playing for something that will never have any tangible meaning in our lives regardless of the outcome?
2-5 sucks, plain and simple. Yes, it's a minute part of the season, and, no, I don't think this means that they are never going to win. But I understand the casual fan that does. If you're so concerned about the fans, these are the ones you need to be thinking about. We diehards will be there come rain or shine. And at the end of the day, we all care about how the team plays.
So I feel it's okay for all of us to say, "This poor start sucks."
So I feel it's okay for all of us to say, "This poor start sucks."
0 comments :
Post a Comment