All is (Almost) Right in the Baseball World

The Yankees finally clinched their postseason appearance last night after a difficult September of baseball. I was on the edge of my seat many times, waiting for the magic number to hit zero, but either the damn devil rays would end up winning a close game in extras or Mo would uncharacteristically blow a save. It all came to an end last night, when they beat the blue jays and secured their spot in October.

Of course, the season isn't over yet, and while I'd definitely prefer the AL East crown, I can appreciate the idea of resting the starters and getting them physically and mentally prepared for the long road to come. Bring it on!






In other baseball news, Cincinnati is actually an exciting place to be right now. The Reds clinched their first playoff appearance in 15 years.



I'm not really a Reds fan, but I'll root for the home team as a National League favorite. I'm not fair-weather enough to go out and buy a t-shirt or anything, but I'm super excited for all my Reds-loving friends who are just over the freaking moon that their team is FINALLY in the playoffs. I want to go out and give them all giant hugs. Selfishly, I'm also hoping that the World Series showcases the Yankees and the Reds, so that the pinstripes will come to town.

15 years is a looooong time to wait for October baseball. In that respect, I've definitely been spoiled as a Yankee fan. Toddler Charlie will be spoiled, too. It's easy for people to forget that the Yankees sucked (and sucked BAD!) for most of the 80s and early 90s. I lived through that, minus a brief stint when 8-year-old me decided that I wanted to be a blue jays fan because it was a "pretty bird" and my favorite color was blue. (Thanks to my uncles for setting me back on the right path there!) But other than that, my time as a Yankee fan has been smooth sailing, especially when I was in high school and college, where I depended on those consecutive postseason appearances as a matter of pride and connection to my hometown friends and family.

Yankee baseball is a touchstone for me. Something that lets me feel close to the family that I miss so much on a regular basis. The texts back and forth as the innings tick by, the frustrated vent-session emails the morning after AJ takes the mound, and the late-night celebratory phone calls when they get a W after postseason games. My phone starts ringing in the 9th inning and doesn't stop until everyone has called to share the joy: brother, sister, mother, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandma. That's just how we roll. It's so far beyond just a game to us. It's a way of life, it's a point of togetherness, it's a common thread that spans the miles and the generations. And I'm so excited to pass down that excitement and togetherness to my toddler.