Today Is the First Day Of Winter

by louismg on Oct 30, 2008 4:40 PM PDT Comment 25 comments

All you budding meteorologists and dayologists might try and say Winter doesn't officially start until December, but as far as I'm concerned, it's all darkness, starting today, until Spring Training.

Last night, as the Phillies piled on one another in what looked like an elementary school pileup of "Smear the (insulting adjective goes here)", only with 200 pound bodies, I turned off the TiVo and started to make preparations for what will be a long hibernation period, as we baseball fans will go starving, snacking only on minor sports and petty contests like the Super Bowl and March Madness until the crack of the bat and thud of the catcher's mitt snap us back awake.

For the next few months, we are really in the worst part of the calendar year. You know, I was doubtful that this so-called financial crisis could really slip from recession to depression, until I realized there would be no baseball and got depressed myself.

After the very visible publication and aftermath of Moneyball, some of us have said that the games themselves aren't actually Billy Beane's and the A's favorite time of year, and they may enjoy the baseball draft and the Hot Stove League more. But as a fan, I'd rather sit in the rain to watch a sloppy blowout against the Mariners than be reloading the transaction wire on the Web. I'm a fan to see the games, to sweat out every strike and bloop hit, to debate the merits of speed, fielding and if there is such a thing as too many strikeouts.

Even if I hadn't been rooting for the Rays in this year's World Series, which I was, I didn't want baseball to end last night, because every year, when the lights finally go out on the last game of the season, I know the future is bleak, full of cold, darkness, and silence.

How many more days until pitchers and catchers report?

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How many more days until pitchers and catchers report?

What? Don’t you know? :)

by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Oct 30, 2008 4:43 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Seems appropriate that it rained today.

A dreary start to a dreary winter.

by whiteshoes40 on Oct 30, 2008 4:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Before March Madness...

http://www.springtrainingonline.com/features/master_schedule_cactus.htm

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Oct 30, 2008 4:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The A's just released their schedule today

Tickets on sale Nov. 17

A’s Spring Training 2009

by Soaker on Oct 30, 2008 5:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

SPRING TRAINING!!!!!!!!!!

If I don't comment on your comment how will you know you are completely wrong? -Rocktopus

by pam5981 on Oct 30, 2008 10:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You had me at

But as a fan, I’d rather sit in the rain to watch a sloppy blowout against the Mariners than be reloading the transaction wire on the Web.

This may be inappropriate, louismg, but I think I might love you. Seriously though, wondrous use of the pen, my friend.

Now, as much as I will surely miss baseball (my first and truest love), I say this with significant trepidation that there is someone else to get me through these dark months. Of course, as has been the case for many years now, the Raiders manage to make me miss my A’s that much more.

Sigh.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Oct 30, 2008 5:14 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

+1...

just replace Raiders with “Whiners”…I mean “Niners” and you stole the words right out of my mouth, my friend.

'That's something we do...thirteen hits and not score'-Terrence Long

by DyeLongJustice on Oct 30, 2008 9:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thank you, 67MARQUEZ

I thought some might agree with my lament.

More than just ANtics: http://www.louisgray.com/live/

by louismg on Oct 31, 2008 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rain. Bleakness. Sadness.

I’m not sure Bleakness is a word, but I don’t care. I miss baseball. and 67marquez has it right on. “Seriously though, wondrous use of the pen, my friend.” (my reply boxy thingy doesn’t work…)
I’m glad AN “knows no offseason,” otherwise this offseason truly would be terrible.

{sobs}

Awww… Unicorn's optimistic. And a cheeseball. That’s cute. ~Whiteshoes40

by #14fan on Oct 30, 2008 5:45 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The Premier League is in full swing and we're at the mid point

of the NFL season. Why the need to get depressed?

You do follow other sports than baseball, right? ;-)

by OldhamA on Oct 30, 2008 5:49 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

no.

Awww… Unicorn's optimistic. And a cheeseball. That’s cute. ~Whiteshoes40

by #14fan on Oct 30, 2008 6:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not to mention, college basketball is about to start up

I’m excited to see what Mike Montgomery makes of Cal… and Stanford should be interesting, in an “explosion in a septic tank” sort of way, at least…

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Oct 30, 2008 8:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let's go UCLA!!!!!

'That's something we do...thirteen hits and not score'-Terrence Long

by DyeLongJustice on Oct 30, 2008 9:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I can't wait to see Jrue Holiday!

FUCK SC!

Eveland rocks! Eveland rocks! Somewhere Drew Carey just smiled.

by miggyk2 on Oct 30, 2008 10:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

couldn't have said it better myself

'That's something we do...thirteen hits and not score'-Terrence Long

by DyeLongJustice on Oct 30, 2008 10:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pretty funny that you mention the first day of winter,

here in Sacramento, it truly is the first day of winter, as we have received our first storm of the year and is currently raining. As far as the rest of the year, I’m sorry that you can only get into this one sport, as for me I will be enjoying the many others until the Green and Gold take the field next year.

by mattman on Oct 30, 2008 6:38 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I hear you man.

Walking home from school after a mid-term was not the highlight of my week. I might have to buy a parking pass after all.

Eveland rocks! Eveland rocks! Somewhere Drew Carey just smiled.

by miggyk2 on Oct 30, 2008 7:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Unitrans!!!

'That's something we do...thirteen hits and not score'-Terrence Long

by DyeLongJustice on Oct 30, 2008 9:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll say it again

The excitment and build up of the offseason is enough to entertain me until ST arrives. To me that’s the hardest part of the year, having to be teased with games that are meaningless without any promise of major transactions possibly taking place.

"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin

by Helloooo 1st on Oct 30, 2008 7:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs