Okay, I've been a disillusioned baseball fan for about 3 years now. I love the game, and its entire history. When I went to games, I didn't watch the boat race, didn't watch the moose. Didn't watch anything except the game. And I scored it too. Saw Bosio get his no-hitter after Vizquel barehanded that nasty top-hitter just inside his side of second base, and threw to first for the 27th out. I taped Ken Burns Baseball when it first came out, and still watch it from time to time. Even played fours years of amateur ball in my thirties (blowing out my right ACL in the process), because I love this game so much. But, up until recently I stopped listening to the game, buying books by baseball people like Bill James. I gave up, because baseball has gotten so GD greedy, turning into this mediamonster event of personalities. I don't even want to get into, it hurts too much. Anyway, I gave up on baseball. There was still the history, still AAA, still Little League, but the Majors, they weren't about baseball anymore, so much as entertainment & money.
Then came the Mariners of 2001. GD, where the hell did they come from??? These guys are the past coming back to do some serious ass-kicking. This team brings to mind McGraw's Giants of the teens, and the Dodgers of the sixties. The Mariners of 2001 are baseball incarnate. They are superb pitching, superb defense, intelligent hitting and running. Simply put, these guys are a little window into baseball's past, showing just how good it used to be.
I just watched tonight's game against the Indians at Safeco Field on FoxTV. 4-1, Mariners. When it was over I couldn't help but laugh. The pitching was awesome, totally dominating. Not by velocity, but by placement and changing speeds. The at-bats were steady, supportive, and definitely came through in the clutch(Ichiro hits .490 with guys in scoring position - four-frickin'-ninety). The fielding was stellar, including a near triple play started off by Boone. Moyer and Charleton both pulled off excellent 1-3s off difficultly hit balls. Mclemore did an excellent 6-3 off a grounder, just getting Lofton on the throw. Yeah, all I could was laugh. It was like watching something goofy, silly. Like David stomping on Goliath.
Well, I'm watching baseball again, because in a sport filled with athletic entertainers there is one team with Men at Work. And as long as the Mariners continue their work, for better or worse, I'll be watching.
[ 08-25-2001: Message edited by: leonid ]