I'm usually not zeroed in on the countdown to the first day of practice (at least from a fan standpoint; when you've worked as a sportswriter for this long you were usually assigned day one stories for high school football, college baseball or college basketball practices. Yes, it's pretty meh work) But I must admit that today's reporting to Phoenix for Oakland Athletics' pitchers and catchers provides optimism for Green and Gold fans. And it hasn't been that way in a long time, anticipating A's baseball quite like this build-up that figures to grow even stronger as Opening Day approaches.
When pitchers Tommy Milone, Jarrod Parker, Ryan Cook and Sean Doolittle break bread today with new catcher John Jaso, A's fans will have hope. While I have discovered in my own personal life hope is important, it can also be frustrating, confusing and ultimately depressing. Thus, hope can be a dangerous gamble and then a letdown. But it's OK to have high hopes for these Athletics.
Why? In a nutshell: This was such a fun team in 2012 you couldn't but help but fall in love with the Bernie Lean; the pies; the unlikely final week sprint past Texas to win the A.L. West; the Balfour Rage;
the simplistic joy of watching a team that when all signs -dollars and sense- pointed to failure instead proved poignant and inspiring. Maybe 2013 will be even better. Isn't that what the coming of spring is supposed to create among baseball fans? The 2012 A's made a skeptical, battered and disillusioned fan base believe again, even if the stands remained mostly empty until late September and early October. Now, can they do it again? Can the still modestly paid Athletics overcome what looks like an average infield, what remains a questionable overall lineup, not to mention the Angels' opening of the checkbook again to throw bags of money at a familiar anti-hero from past American League West gunfights. Josh Hamilton may now wear a Halo on his cap, but to the A's, he remains the black-hatted bad guy. Can Oakland's chemistry, young and unflappable starting staff and splendid bullpen hold off the budget is no object Angels.
Is this Oakland's time to capture a few more of the Bay Area's hearts? Admit it, Athletics' fans: We're jealous of the Giants. We're sick of the Giants. We want to feel like fans of the Giants. We want to get on this winning it all jazz again. Nineteen-eighty-nine feels like 1989, a long time ago. We want those 2001, 2002, 2003 seasons where the A's seemed to be in position to win World Series but melted down in division series heartbreak, avenged. We shouldn't feel bitter about that Game 5 loss to Justin Verlander and the Tigers last October. I was in the stands that night too, and the raucous applause saluting the losing team should be embraced and not mourned as the end of a deliciously shocking season. But we also want it to be the beginning of something even more special in 2013.
When pitchers Tommy Milone, Jarrod Parker, Ryan Cook and Sean Doolittle break bread today with new catcher John Jaso, A's fans will have hope. While I have discovered in my own personal life hope is important, it can also be frustrating, confusing and ultimately depressing. Thus, hope can be a dangerous gamble and then a letdown. But it's OK to have high hopes for these Athletics.
Why? In a nutshell: This was such a fun team in 2012 you couldn't but help but fall in love with the Bernie Lean; the pies; the unlikely final week sprint past Texas to win the A.L. West; the Balfour Rage;
the simplistic joy of watching a team that when all signs -dollars and sense- pointed to failure instead proved poignant and inspiring. Maybe 2013 will be even better. Isn't that what the coming of spring is supposed to create among baseball fans? The 2012 A's made a skeptical, battered and disillusioned fan base believe again, even if the stands remained mostly empty until late September and early October. Now, can they do it again? Can the still modestly paid Athletics overcome what looks like an average infield, what remains a questionable overall lineup, not to mention the Angels' opening of the checkbook again to throw bags of money at a familiar anti-hero from past American League West gunfights. Josh Hamilton may now wear a Halo on his cap, but to the A's, he remains the black-hatted bad guy. Can Oakland's chemistry, young and unflappable starting staff and splendid bullpen hold off the budget is no object Angels.
Is this Oakland's time to capture a few more of the Bay Area's hearts? Admit it, Athletics' fans: We're jealous of the Giants. We're sick of the Giants. We want to feel like fans of the Giants. We want to get on this winning it all jazz again. Nineteen-eighty-nine feels like 1989, a long time ago. We want those 2001, 2002, 2003 seasons where the A's seemed to be in position to win World Series but melted down in division series heartbreak, avenged. We shouldn't feel bitter about that Game 5 loss to Justin Verlander and the Tigers last October. I was in the stands that night too, and the raucous applause saluting the losing team should be embraced and not mourned as the end of a deliciously shocking season. But we also want it to be the beginning of something even more special in 2013.
No comments:
Post a Comment