Baseball, 2012

It's baseball season again, time for a comment or two about my two favorite teams. Like first love, my love for the Boston Red Sox will last as long as I do, but in the past half-dozen years I've also developed a liking for the Colorado Rockies. I can't say it's better the second time around, but it is fun to live among other people who share your passion for the same team.

Ah, Red Sox! You'd think after the World series wins in 2004 and 2007 that the angst and self-doubt so prevalent for so many years in Red Sox nation would have dissipated and we could be like other baseball fans - often rude and obnoxious but satisfied with our team's prospects and willing to accept an also-ran, at least on occasion. Like Rockies fans maybe.

But no, it is not to be. Two weeks into the season, with 150 games to go, we are weeping and wailing over a four and seven record, and a drubbing at the hands of the Texas Rangers. Normal fans might just look at a defeat of that magnitude and shrug - if the team isn't ready to play nose to nose with the big boys, then it simply isn't going to be a good year and we'd better get over it.

But Red Sox fans clearly expect things to straighten out right away. David Ortiz, Adrian Gonzalez and Dustin Pedroia are hitting, Ryan Sweeney has chipped in very nicely, Cody Ross has contributed, but where's the rest of the batting order? How long, oh Lord, must we wait for Carl Crawford? Will Jacoby Ellsbury's shoulder heal in time for him to contribute? What about Andrew Bailey's shoulder, come to that? Will the real Josh Beckett stand up? And what can we possibly say about a relief pitcher like Mark Melancon with an earned run average of 49?

Meanwhile, the opera that is the Sox churns on, with Bobby Valentine and Kevin Youkilis in the featured roles. Was Bobby trying to motivate Youk, or has he just lost confidence in him? Does Youk want out of Boston? Will they trade him to make room for Will Middlebrooks? Oh, the humanity.

And what of the Rockies? Every Coloradan  knows that miracle finsihes can happen after the wonderful September of 2007. But everything about the 2012 season points to mediocrity. There are two great stars on the team, Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez. The supporting cast includes Todd Helton, clearly on the downside but still a capable player, and Michael Cudyer, Dexter Fowler, and Marco Scutaro, all good major league talents. The pitching looks like a nightmare, however. Jeremy Guthrie will win a dozen and lose a dozen, strictly on merit. Jamie Moyer, the ancient one (thirteen years younger than I am) will provide some help but clearly is not a long term linchpin, and the younger pitchers in the starting rotation have shown little sign that they're ready for prime time. Jorge de la Rosa is due back from surgery by June, but it'll be too late to make much difference this year. The Rockies will sink like. . . you guessed it. They'll battle the Padres to stay out of last place.

So relax, everyone. Take a chill pill, as my students used to say. If it is not to be in 2012, there's always 2013. Or 2014. Or on and on until we're dead or no longer care, whichever comes first.