Allow me to explain my feelings and my fandom as it relates to the Cubs. I think youll understand. Its like being in a romantic relationship. And right now Im angry with them because I feel betrayed. I expected them to be better this year- a friend and fellow fan and I had discussed how maybe theyd be like the 2022 Orioles. I predicted 79 wins and didnt expect a playoff race. But they lured me in. I was all for them, hanging on every pitch, addicted again to the chase. Then they started playing badly at the worst possible time and this team I had come to believe could go to the playoffs sputtered out of control.. I thought "Damn they sucked me in again!" They had done that so many times before and they did it again. I went and recommitted to a baseball relationship with the Baltimore Orioles I have had "on the side" for decades.. This was everything I had wanted from the Cubs.
The Orioles would swat sweet nothings over the wall and romance me with thrilling defense, attractive pitching lines and uniforms featuring my favorite color. I was ignoring my other team,only hearing rumors that they were continuing to struggle their way out of the success that had been such a surprise.
. I was wistful about my other baseball relationship and what couldve been. But the Orioles were being everything that the Cubs were not. They were winning games they had to win, beating teams they had to beat and flying as high as the bird for which they are named.
The view from the top of the league is a stunning one. I hadnt seen it up close since 2016 and it was the kind of baseball joy a fan relishes. As the Cubs flailed and failed,the Orioles had overcome the perennial contention of the hated Yankees, silenced the historic Boston team and when it really counted,with first place on the line,they turned back their closest pursuer,Tampa Bay. Actually winning when it was a must!
I still have an interest in The Cubs but Im still feeling silly for letting them make me believe what the April version of me did not.
If the Cubs make the playoffs ( though I admit I cant see it) , Ill be rooting for them with lower expectations. They are not the fiery comet coming to scorch the baseball atmosphere to become the game's biggest surprise. They cant win the pennant and advance to baseball's biggest stage just as we suspected they wouldn't in the spring. They weren't supposed to achieve glory but the flirtation with it now has given rise to the question "Will this year be a success if the Cubs dont make the playoffs?" In spring the answer was probably yes, but in the autumn the answer is no.
Though I allowed myself to be disappointed by the Cubs as Ive been for the majority of their seasons,Ill never stop being a fan ...Im just a fan who wants to see north side excellence on a daily basis. That and a style of play that is steady. Short losing streaks,winning the games you must and rising to the occasion. Its wait til next year for the Cubs again,even though they're on the right track.
Yet in Baltimore, the young Orioles have blossomed and it is THEY who are baseball's biggest story. They may not win it all but as the second best team in the sport, they're more than a crush for me. They're an orange crush. Go O's!
No comments:
Post a Comment