bewize

People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. ~Rogers Hornsby

And so the Braves' season has ended. I have to say, I have never in my life been more crushed about a defeat than I was on Sunday night. There were about 50,000 other fans who all stared at Brooks Conrad as he made yet another error and dashed our post-season hopes into the dirt.

I was angry and bitter.

But, I remembered about an hour later one very important fact - I love Brooks Conrad.

So, to you, Mr. Conrad, I say these words - Thank you for everything you did so well for us this year and as for the rest, let us not speak of it again. You are a class act and we are proud of you.

With those who don't give a damn about baseball, I can only sympathize. I do not resent them. I am even willing to concede that many of them are physically clean, good to their mothers and in favor of world peace. But while the game is on, I can't think of anything to say to them. ~Art Hill

I find myself excited about the next two weeks of baseball. I don't really care about any of these teams, though I find myself cheering for the Rangers at the moment.

I feel fairly certain that the World Series will come down to the (Damn) Yankees and the (Damn) Phillies again. I am equally ambivalent about both of those teams. I think that if the Yankees can't win the series with a payroll 3 times the next closest spender, then they have a lot of problems.

I think the Phillies are the best team in baseball right now.

I will admit to the fact that I will be cheering the Phillies on like nobody could believe against the Giants. I am hoping for a sweep. *nods*

But, this is the time for enjoyment of the game and amazement at the players and memories of hot dogs, beer, dirt, sweat, cheers, triumph, tears and defeat, because whatever else it is, baseball is a hell of a game.

I stood in the stadium Sunday and Monday with the knowledge that I already possessed a World Series seat in Atlanta, Section 101, row 10. But the actuality of that might have killed me with the awesome. Instead, I cannot help but be so unbelievably proud of my team.

We were utterly decimated with injuries the last part of this season. We had 2 players on the field the last night that began (and remained) on our original roster. We used more minor league players than any other team and we still gave the Giants a run for their money.

Well done, boys, well done.

And to Bobby Cox - I will truly miss you. Truly. You've done an amazing job and you should be proud. I will see you in Cooperstown next summer, sir.

Now, I shall begin planning our Spring Training trip. If anyone would like to go to Florida for a weekend in February and see a lot of baseball, let me know. We're going to try and take a group.

Say this much for big league baseball - it is beyond question the greatest conversation piece ever invented in America. ~Bruce Catton