I haven’t talked about baseball in these parts for a long time. Mostly because — and I wish I could explain why — I’m not as enthralled by my team, the Braves, as I once was. Perhaps it’s my proximity to RFK and the Nationals. The Braves are predictably and monotonously good-but-not-great once again this season; I’m resigned to the fact that they’ll disappoint, like they always do, this post-season. Why get excited?
At any rate, Mike W., a tried-and-true Red Sox fan, has been giving me a hard time for not mentioning how close the playoff races are in both divisions. In the AL, only the Angels have clinched; they’ll likely play the ChiSox. Then it’s looking like the Indians would play either the Yanks or the BoSox — but really, it’s anyone’s game, what with things knotted up with just five games to play.
Over on the NL side, the Braves and the Cardinals have clinched playoff spots, and Atlanta will probably play Houston, with the Padres squaring off against the Cards.
So there you have it. My reluctant and (if I may say so myself) rather uninspired baseball post. Sorry. I’ll try to kick-start my enthusiasm in the coming weeks.