It always takes me a while to adjust to the offseason, and the following poem seemed especially appropriate.
Baseball and Classicismby Tom Clark
Every day I peruse the box scores for hours
Sometimes I wonder why I do it
Since I am not going to take a test on it
And no one is going to give me money
The pleasure’s something like that of codes
Of deciphering an ancient alphabet say
So as brightly to picturize Eurydice
In the Elysian Fields on her perfect day
The day she went 5 for 5 against Vic Raschi
Tom Clark, “Baseball and Classicism” from Light and Shade: New and Selected Poems. Copyright 2006 by Tom Clark, Coffee House Press
I do not share the growing resentment of the Red Sox. Yes, their payroll is huge and they are darlings of the East Coast media establishment, but consider the kids on this team -- Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury in particular-- who played such a key role in the Series. And Mr. Matsuzaka was certainly not paid millions for his bat (he had never had a hit in either the Japanese or American big leagues), but got a key single with the bases loaded. And there's the lovable David Ortiz, whom the Twins let slip away, silencing the network 'experts' with his solid defense. Even Julio Lugo, a low-profile, middle-of-the-payroll infielder, contributed.
I tip my battered old Twins cap to the Red Sox.
I was starting graduate school in Providence, RI, in the fall of the memorable 1986 World Series. As someone who watched in horror as Calvin Schiraldi threw a wild pitch during an intentional walk (something that even I could do, actually), I'm happy for the Red Sox.
ReplyDeleteYou can always placate any concerns you might have by reminding yourself that they are still not the Yankees.
ReplyDeleteOr the Braves, for that matter.