Off to Fenway
I just landed in Boston (for a much anticipated vacation in New England) and decided to start with a game at Fenway. My goal this year was to see baseball games in five different parks and after tonight, I earn that badge. I won’t sully the commercialism of baseball by listing the corporate namers of the parks, but my five pack includes the Giants, Mets, Yankees, Mariners and now Red Sox. Yay for me (and for having pretty mundane goals)!
Of course, when I bought these tickets a few weeks ago, I thought I’d be watching a game phoned in by both sides. A September Red Sox/Orioles game? Apart from an early burst out of the gate, Baltimore hasn’t contended all year. And ever since they signed Adrian Gonzalez at the end of 2010, the Red Sox have been the pre-ordained AL team to beat (calling them the Phillies of the AL would only make Monteiro even more obnoxious so I won’t go there).
Instead, the Red Sox are in danger of joining arguably the worst list a team can be on in Major League Baseball. The late season crash list:
The 1964 Phillies, ‘69 Cubs, ‘78 Red Sox, ‘87 Blue Jays, ‘95 Angels, 2007 Mets and ‘09 Tigers are just a few of the teams that never got to taste the postseason after it appeared to be a mere formality.
My rule when I visit another stadium is that I go with the home team unless I have a pony in the race. Alas, I don’t really have enough allegiance to the Yankees anymore to care and so I’ll probably be cheering on the boys in red tonight. But inside, I’ll be pulling for the Orioles. Partially because their colors are the same as the Giants. But mostly because as the Giants struggle to climb back into the race, I’d love the karmic balance of another team crashing and burning. And since the Phillies have already clinched their place, the Red Sox are the best I’ve got.
