Baseball....I Do miss You

This blog is called 'Year Without Baseball' because I was sure that it would be the only thing I missed when I left Miami. In that former life, which now seems to be quite distant (In a galaxy far far away even), I had season tickets to the Marlins. Every home stand Friday and Saturday, there I was in the upper deck with my Baseball Friends. I loved going to the games, it was certainly the high light of my week. I used to get so excited at the games, that I would frequently lose my car in the parking lot--because I failed to note the section before running up to the gate.

One of them emailed me today--"Hey, how's it going?" I certainly haven't forgotten about them, and I've been following the scoreboard. It's been harder for me to watch the baseball live and it's hard to follow just stats. I haven't been able to get my live access MLB.TV subscription to work over here, and I don't have the time to watch the games either. I haven't watched a baseball game since the 3rd of May. I haven't gotten all twitchy about it either. I thought I loved the baseball on a strictly professional level. Turns out it was more personal than that. Baseball culture is as important as the game itself.

A professional baseball game is replete with ritual and pageantry. There's the opening lineup, the first pitch, the little song that each home player gets before their at-bat, the seventh-inning stretch. And, if you're lucky enough to live in the Miami area, the Marlins take it to a whole new level. They have the Mermaids who are the only major league baseball cheerleaders in the country (or in Canada for that matter). And because those Marlins have to be cutting-edge in order to draw such massive crowds as they do (up to 300 some nights) they also formed the Manatees this winter. The Mantees are their Fat-Guy dance group. God Bless America.
So, I do miss baseball. I miss the excitement of coming over the ramp and seeing the stadium against the sky, I miss the way the grass smells, I miss the breeze from left-or-right center. I even miss the crummy Saturday concerts. (seriously? Brett Daniels or whoever from Poison? No one likes you anymore if the only gig you can get is at a Marlin's game, that's like the number one sign your career has been over for at least 15 years--if the Marlins can afford your booking fee).

But I digress, the whole point of today's installment is--I miss my baseball friends, so here's a "shout out" (MTV style) to all of them. You guys are the best! Bill, I hope you're throwing an extra peanut at Toddle Pert these days for me. Dave, uhh good luck with your dirty jokes, I almost miss those sometiems. Adam and Evan, glad to have some calmer forces sitting in front of me, and Adam: I haven't seen your tennis player yet, but when I do I'll tell him you said Hello. And to everyone else: Are you keeping score? How is Amezaga these days? Tell him I said Hello.

Confidential to Alfredo: Kisses.