Baseball is a romantic sport because one moment it snaps your heart in two, the next aflutter with hope.
Take what has transpired in Met land as a prime example:
Injuries seemingly have sabotaged a season, leaving fans thinking of changes and lamenting of what might have been. Then the St. Louis Cardinals, the former hated rival (some still hold grudges from 1985) arrive, and if not for Joel Pineiro’s gem, a four game sweep may have been in the Cards.
Three out of four, ‘aint bad, and coupled with the Rays’ Revenge of the Phillies, the Mets are so close to first place they might stub their toes. This underscores that patience is a virtue, especially applicable for loyal fans. The meandering baseball season has been dubbed “a marathon, not a sprint,” for as long as the game has existed.
Who would have imagined when Carlos Beltran headed off to the disabled list recently to join (too) many of his teammates that “First Place” would be uttered by the downtrodden faithful? Maybe Nick Evans carried some fresh air inside his travel bag when he arrived from Binghamton.
Taking to him last weekend by the indoor cage, as the skies unloaded, and his enthusiasm was infectious. He was obviously “pleased to be home.” Soon enough he delivered a thank you card to the fans at Citi Field; a home run and huge two-run double.
So you never know what twists and turns a baseball season has in store. One minute you are holding hands, the next arguing about whose head has to be removed. If the Mets can merely tread water until the infirmed return, and the trade deadline nears (that allows Omar Minaya to deal from strength), and the Phillies continue to oblige, who knows what ending the script has on it’s pages.
Patience and flowers-just because, is requisite for being a sane Mets fan these days.
