It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I know, I know...too many baseball posts of late. But it's hard not to get excited, especially since we live in a city that will play host to some of the games later in the month (hopefully way later in the month). Granted, if I were a betting man (which I'm not), I probably wouldn't put many chips on our chances (same old story: pitching wins the World Series, and we don't have much), but you never know in baseball's "second season" - anything can happen.

Maybe it's because October is my favorite month or it's just the weather changing, but I love this time of year - with or without the playoffs (and even the World Series). The colors are beginning to appear, another bountiful harvest is taking place on our family farm, and people everywhere tend to enjoy the transition from summer to autumn. It's just a great time.

The beauty of it all, of course, is it's just better with baseball. One October several years ago, Megan and I watched nearly every playoff and World Series game Fox broadcasted. She always had some project she was working on; I was recovering from a long day at the Glen. We ate lots of popcorn, drank lots of Coke, and cheered both for and against the Yankees (let's be honest: you can't really love baseball and hate the Yanks - just something about those pin stripes...).

As it was last year, this October is going to be tricky for us to watch for a couple of reasons: one, we're too cheap for cable, so we don't get ESPN at all, and only get a fuzzy Fox in our basement apartment; and two, it's not like we don't have other responsibilities (studying, teaching, parenting) we need to attend to during the afternoons and evenings the games are on.

Still, the joy of baseball in October is that, if and when we have a spare moment (and can actually get the channel to come in), odds are there's going to be a baseball game on, one that a whole lot of people here in St. Louis (as well as throughout the country) are watching closely. Call us nostalgic, but this takes us back to when such shared experiences through one real-time medium made us feel more in touch with others than we sometimes do now.

So here's the question: Who are you picking to win the pennants and the World Series? Get your predictions in now. And go Cardinals.

Comments

[Renae]

I'm not nearly the fan you are, but I do enjoy the playoffs... maybe it's just an excuse to set aside my work for awhile and watch TV. The only major drawback is having to watch all those awful commercials on Fox. How do you tell your kids they can't sit and watch a baseball game with you because the ads are so heinous?

[tonia]

I knew deep down you had to have some love for the Yankees. I'm saying Yankess all the way! But then again, I always say Yankees all the way. My predictions are never based on stats, just my unwavering love for "my teams," which doesn't include the Redbirds. Don't ban my IP address...please! It's the red uniforms. I have difficulty cheering for any team wearing red. Don't know why.

[Craig]

On the rare occasion when I get the little ones to sit still long enough to watch a game with me, they are as quick to tune out the commercials as I am. I'm not sure which specific ads you're referring to, Renae, but around our house the girls react more strongly to the annoying Ford and Chevy ads (and their repetition) than they do other stuff (mostly Fox commercials for their TV programs, which are more strange than enticing to them). I may be more the fan, but you may be more careful.

Yeah, I like the Yanks...and I don't...and I do. The cynic in me says that, if it's all just a game of moneyball (loved that book, by the way), then the Yankees play it as well as anyone. The purist in me, though, roots for the underdog, so that's when I cheer against the pin stripes. It's a good thing Yankee Stadium is so monstrous - not sure all the egos would fit otherwise.

[Renae]

Mostly the ads for the Fox shows, I guess, although from a post-season of old I remember lots of ads for that niggling "ED" problem and that Hardee's ad with the gal on the bucking bronco. Here's hoping Hardee's has moved on.

[Craig]

Come on, Renae! Megan and I love the "ED" ads (our kids are too young to get them yet). Something about the "see your doctor if condition persists longer than four hours" line that we just can't stop smirking about...

Never seen the bucking bronco ad, but we'll be careful with what Hardee's comes up with to replace it. Thanks for the heads-up.

[Serven]

Baseball in the blood. Yes. And the Tigers are 5-0 still.

[Craig]

For those following along, that would be the Mizzou Tigers, not the Detroit Tigers (who are going to lose to the Yankees in three games).

[Renae]

Clay has divided loyalties... the Cards need to *lose* tomorrow in order for him to use his tix on Sunday... in the second chance lottery he got tix for two games: a division series 2nd home game and a division series 3rd home game (which was a long shot anyway and I guess the Cards made those tix unusable about 2 weeks ago?).

It reminds me of the Incredibles family cheering on Dash to run fast, but oh, not too fast... lose the race but make it close! (But then win on Sunday!)

[Jess]

"Cause it's root, root, root for the Cubbies...if they don't win it's a shame..."

[Craig]

Well, Jess, I guess it's a shame, 'cause they didn't win.