I Bleed Orange and Black

I was inspired yesterday. I'm rarely inspired but seeing the lowly Baltimore Orioles sweep the Boston Red Sox inspired me. I'm a baseball fan and for the past two years I've been following and rooting for the New York Mets. I picked them because there was always the chance that they could go to the playoffs but it wasn't guaranteed like the Red Sox who seem to go every year. Alas the last two years have been disatrous for the Mets. Last summer was the worst summer of my life and watching the Mets lose game after game in a bewildering number of ways didn't help.
Things are slightly better now but the Mets (despite winning nine in a row) are destined for fourth or at worst third place in the division. I actually hate all of the pitchers except for Mike Pelfrey. And I don't have much fondness for any of the hitters. I still root for them and want them to win but I can only do it from afar. I can no longer watch the games. This past weekend was horrible and seeing the Mets lose 10-0 and 11-5 to the Phillies reminded me too much of the horror of last year. So goodbye Mets, for now...
Now on to a new team. I can't root for winners like the Yankees and Red Sox. I can't root for joke teams like the pirates or Royals. I only get two teams on my tv on a regular basis (I like watching at least 80% of the games because that's what a true baseball fan does) Nationals and Orioles. Three years ago I watched most of the Nationals games because I like the National League style of play. I had just started watching baseball and didn't realize that at that point in time the Nationals weren't meant to win. They were just building. Three years on they're getting better but they're still not meant to win. Maybe three years more and they'll be in a position to win.
The Orioles have been bad for the past 4-5 years, never winning more than 74 games in a year. This year they declared they were playing to win. Which is nice to say but hard to do. I think they've won five games so far. I watched the first game where the bullpen gave the game away that they were about to win. It was heart breaking and it was the first game! So it was with great surprise I saw them sweep the Red Sox this weekend and the determination and patience I saw on this team was great. The Mets are fatalistic, they play down to their potential. They have one of the highest payrolls in baseball but win less games than the Marlins who have the lowest payroll in baseball. The Mets have great expectations and fail every time. The Orioles have nothing to lose but want to win.
I would hope that describes myself. I'll be watching the Orioles take on the Yankees on television tonight. My brain says they're going to get slaughtered but my heart says they're going to win.
That's how I feel every day- I know I'm not going to win at this game of life but maybe just maybe if I try and keep trying every single day. I can beat this thing. God I hope so. Go Orioles!