Can you believe 2007 has come and gone already? It's amazing how the older you get, the faster the years seem to go by. Maybe that's just me, but when I was in school the year seemed to take forever. Now I blink and I'm another year older and my daughter will be a surly teenager before I know it.
Regardless, I have a few New Year's Resolutions to offer.
First, I'm working hard on getting myself in the mindset for a last place team. It's been a long time since I cheered for a team that finished in the basement, but the A's definitely seem headed in that direction this year. Although who knows what kind of team Texas might be. It's taking a lot of meditation for me to get in my happy place before the season starts. I'm just going to have to think about the joys of watching Buck and Barton and perhaps watching our own Brad Ziegler potentially get a shot with the team this season.
Second, I have to trust Billy Beane more than ever. I enjoy following the A's minor league system quite a bit, but I don't pay nearly as much attention to other team's minor leaguers. I'm always checking in on our players, but not so much on who else is a top prospect other that who John Sickels and Minor League Ball tells me who to pay attention to. So when the A's front office lets my favorite pitcher walk last offseason and then trades my new favorite A's pitcher this offseason, I'm going to have to rely on that faith to get me through this. I know Beane is as competitive a person as there is, so I understand that he isn't trying to be terrible. No one is going to lose more sleep over a horrible team than Beane. No one. So I understand that the bigger picture is that the team is getting set up for a much better future by restocking a barren farm system. It's just not always easy to feel that way when you're so emotionally invested in a team. I can already hear my family making snide comments about the A's and how bad they are going to be. Ugh. It's tough to lose hope on winning a division before the calendar has even changed to the new year.
Regardless, I expect 2008 to be an incredible year. I suppose it will be like watching a new colt learning to get its balance and trot. Hopefully we'll be watching a thoroughbred in no time. It's just going to be awkward at first.
Happy New Year to you and your loved ones, AN!!! Hope to see you at AN Day 5 in 2008.
