Beating a Dead Horse

July was a mirage.  I’m beginning to think the month didn’t exist.  As every commentator, fan, and armchair manager has stated, the Twins basically pretended to make a run at the point in the season when it could hurt the most.  Going 16-13 in July, up to the non-waiver deadline, the Twins gave the illusion that we might recover this year.  I was on the “best-recovery-in-history” bandwagon far longer than was reasonable.  I just couldn’t believe this season was happening.  I clung to the belief that #itshappening.

By contrast, August was 7-21.  I attended three August games, all losses.  It’s painful to think the Twins (and their fans) have to put up with it for 18 more days, or 16 more games.  Although I’m a fan who still catches the game when I’m able, it’s no longer with the expectation of any enjoyment.  It’s purely out of loyalty for the team that I know exists somewhere underneath the rubble of this season.  It’s surreal.

Rather than re-hash the scraps that have been left by others wiser than I, here are some of the favorite facts and frivolity I’ve come across in the last week or so, and the surmises I’ve made:

·         Chuck James’ Sep 11 tweet of “Feels good to be at home with the family, but would love to still be playing” seems incredibly anticlimactic after his Sept 4 tweet of “No luck this year on a sep call up. Hope for better luck next year. Maybe the twins will let me go, so mabe another team can give me a shot.”  Sorry, buddy, but if you’re an (almost) 30-year-old pitcher who hasn’t had much more than a season in the big leagues, I wouldn’t suggest insulting the team that still has you on the payroll.

·         Also regarding Chuck James:  If I were a player and the Twins couldn’t find a place for me as this season crashes and burns, I’d start looking at a new career.

·         Although a shameless Mauer fan, even I was chagrined that the boys weren’t able to come up with any homeruns in between Joe’s #2 & #3 on the year.  (Thank you http://twitter.com/#!/RhettBollinger for tweeting that fact.)

·         It’s a testament to the Twin’s respect for Cuddyer that his wrist hasn’t earned him a trip to the DL.  It's also a testament to the fact that we have called up anyone who might be able to pass for a major league player at a Halloween party.

·         I disagree with most of the commentators I have heard; I do think the majority of this season’s problems were related to injury.  The injuries might be caused by related, inherent problems.  However, we have a team that, when healthy, would be quality.

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As a final note, I want to put this in the context of “real world” important things.  I wrote this post on September 11, 2011, ten years after our nation’s tragedy.  As I read repeatedly in the September 11, 2001 coverage from the  MLB archives, in the end, baseball doesn’t matter.  To all of the heroes, recognized and unrecognized, thank you from the bottom of my heart.