Still we watch

It’s been very tough being an Angels fan this year.  If you’re one – you know.

Watching the Angels try to score runs these days has been one of the most frustrating experiences of our baseball watching lives  We think; we believe and more than anything – hope that every at bat that takes place with runners in scoring position is going be the one that is going to be the start of something great. 

We say to ourselves, “This is it… the offense is going to come alive and go on a tear without ever looking back.”

Forty-two games in and we’re still hoping. 

Roughly one fourth of the season is done and here we are.  The Angels rank 25^th out of 30 teams in runs scored.  They are next to last in the American League, ahead of only the Oakland A’s – but it’s close; 153-150 and guess who the Angels play over the next three days?

This can’t go on.  Things have to change.  We are about to lose our minds.

We go from thinking that things are going to change any moment to hoping they will any day.  From believing this is the inning to – hoping for it to change next inning.  It doesn’t end.  It’s a nightmare that we can’t wake up from.

We walk around in a funk.  We want to punch a wall. 

And yet… we still watch. 

We wait.  We hope.  We might want to stop watching, but some of us just can’t turn away.  We really want to be rewarded for our faithfulness.  It has to be coming, right?  We want to taste the fruits of victory because losing and losing some more has been a bitter pill to swallow.

If you’re an Angels fan and you’ve come to the point of not being able to watch, I understand.  Still, I bet you check your phone even when you’re not watching live.  You’re looking for any little reason to be drawn back in.  Thinking about the struggle is too painful, but you’re keeping hope alive in your own little way.

If you’re an Angel fan who continues to hang in there despite it all, I applaud you.  I’m right there with you.  You’ve tried everything from lucky charms to strange rituals.  You think… “Maybe if I eat this or wear that“ and it’s to the point where you’re running out of ideas.

I know.  You’re tired of saying “Maybe tomorrow.”  You’re really tired of your Dodger fan friends and the fans of any team that’s doing better than yours.  You avoid the subject of Albert Pujols all-together.  You wince when people try to blame Mike Scioscia.  It seems like every time you experience a little bit of joy – it’s followed up with more frustration and pain.

This isn’t fun.  It wasn’t supposed to be like this.  How can this be happening?  Reading this blog post probably isn’t helping either.

What do you do? What do WE do?

We focus on Mark Trumbo and Mike Trout.  We wait for Torii Hunter to come back.  We embrace every moment that Jered Weaver is on the mound.  And… we wait; like a dog waiting by the door for his master to come home; we wait.  We stare off into the distance and we wait for the next game, the next at-bat and the next pitch.

This is either going to be the most frustrating season of our baseball watching lives or one of the greatest ever.  This team doesn’t have mediocrity written all over it.  It has greatness written on it and if they should fail – the failure will be catastrophic; even monumental.  It will be beyond our comprehension and understanding and it may even drive us mad.

I’m betting that doesn’t happen.  I’m trying to think ahead to a happier time; a time when we can look back at these first 42 games and know that we didn’t give up and that we watched our team overcome adversity. 

The next two weeks are huge.  When they are over one-third of the season will have been played and we will no longer be able to say “It’s early.”  Seven games this week against the A’s and Mariners and then three with the Yankees and those stinking’ Rangers.

Its go time folks.  The Angels have to trim some games off the eight game deficit they’re facing between now and the time they face Texas.  This is what we are clinging to right now.  We want a chance because deep down inside, we believe that if this team gives itself a chance – good things are going to happen.

I believe.  Yes, I do.  It ain't easy, but baseball isn't supposed to be easy.

Who’s with me?