It’s not April anymore. That was the go-to explanation/justification for the struggles of the Red Sox. Now that the calendar has turned, many feel it’s open season on the Sox. I say that as long as it is spring, we’ve got some time. The baseball season is long. There will be ups and downs. Problems in summer will sink you. Problems in spring aren’t fun, but you can recover.
As a fan, it is ok to whine a little. To worry and to wonder are just a part of the whole experience of supporting a team from the stands. There is no need to belittle, to boo, or to bash, however. Let the competition trash us and the “analysts” pick us apart. Let Francona whip the boys into shape and let Epstein make any necessary transactions. Our job as fans is simply to “root, root, root” for the Red Sox!
We fans may be frustrated, but think how the players must feel? Of course, they have millions of dollars to comfort them, but they don’t play only for the salary. They play for pride and honor as well. Our players who are struggling right now don’t want to be in hitting slumps, missing the plate, or committing errors. And I’m sure hearing angry and critical comments from the people who support them doesn’t make it any better.
I once got a fortune cookie that read “Be an optimist. There isn’t much use in being any thing else.” That may be too naive for “real life,” but in the world of sports fanhood, those are words to live by.
Go Red Sox!
