The world is in a crazy, messed up place right now.
There’s the Middle East with the Syrian circus and a soon to be nuclear Iran.
In this country we’ve got Biblical-grade floods creating islands in Colorado,
and deranged men waltzing into supposedly secure military facilities, whipping
out shotguns and killing people. We have a completely dysfunctional federal
government about to officially run out of money while simultaneously trying to
implement a 3000 page health care law that no one, and I mean NO ONE
understands. So what’s on my mind today? Baseball, baby!! There are pennant
races afoot, so the end of the world will just have to wait until October.
Can the Nationals do the impossible and come from
beyond oblivion and sneak into the playoffs as a wildcard? Probably not, but its
baseball, so one never knows. All season long the Nationals just haven’t
clicked. They’ve seemed tentative, tight, as if the burden of expectations was
too much for them. Then, out of nowhere, back in early August, it was as if
they all looked at each other and said, “What the hell, we’re out of it now, so
let’s just go have some fun.” Since August the 9th they are the
hottest team in baseball. Just last night they swept a double header from the
Atlanta Braves and are only 4 and a half games back.
Then there’s the American League wildcard race where
four teams are still battling for the last spot. After 150 games, these four
teams are still separated by a mere 3 games. The Cleveland Indians, Baltimore
Orioles, Kansas City Royals and the New York Yankees are slugging it out every
night as if every game was the seventh game of the World Series. It’s been
spectacular baseball. Watching the Red Sox utterly dominate the Yankees down
the stretch, to watch the aging Yankees fall victim to a pulled muscle here and
a stiff neck there has been something close to heaven for me. I believe the
word is Schadenfreude, a word so rich
in all the wrong human emotions that it could only come to us from the Germans.
Experiencing pleasure from observing the misfortune of others is not a healthy
place to live long term, I know. But for these last few weeks, watching the
Yankees crumble has been like renting a fabulous house at the beach. I don’t
intend to stay here forever, but what a fabulous vacation spot!!
