Curing the winter baseball blues
Yesterday at 08:00 AM
Stuck inside with nowhere to go, the post-holiday yearning for baseball is in full swing.
We all seem to be sitting here, silent at times, some of us stuck in the cold of the East Coast. It's dark, we are spending way too much time inside, and here I am, wondering what life possession I would give up to watch the Yankees play a random Tuesday game against the Twins.
The post-holiday stretch for baseball fans is full of waiting. Waiting to see if another player will sign and how the final version of the roster will look before spring training, but also waiting for that glimpse that baseball is around the corner. Right now, we are not close to that turn, firmly stuck in one of the quietest times of the offseason, where nothing feels urgent as we sleepwalk until pitchers and catchers begin reporting. All that could change with one signing, but the gaps between significant news feel like a black hole. Give us a one-year deal to taste what it is like to feel connected to this team again! So what should we do? What is the best way to cope with the reality that the winter blues are in full effect?
Well, the easiest way is to go down a rabbit hole to get your baseball fix. Old Yankees highlights are my go-to. I tend to find my way to YouTube and delve into walk-off home runs and meander my way to big playoff moments, final outs of World Series, and the occasional no-hitter. What you end up realizing is how much you have forgotten. Maybe this is a product of getting older or the simple fact that your brain can only hold so much baseball knowledge, but the nostalgia of reliving these highlights is enough to get me by. I always seem to land on the Raul Ibanez game-tying and walk-off home runs in the 2012 ALDS, but I also love the Matt Holiday walk-off from the 2017 comeback versus the Orioles. Managerial toss-outs, particularly the old-school ones, are also fun videos to explore. Take a look at this classic one from Don Zimmer, with a cameo from a young Joe West:
I know that most of you are thinking, why not watch football, hockey, and basketball to pass the time? Trust me, I do, but maybe it is the overall yearning for warmer weather or the feeling of being outside more regularly that makes me miss baseball. I have talked in the past about the routine that baseball sets — a daily structure that is ingrained into our lives. Without it, we find ourselves trying to plug the holes left behind when there is no baseball.
What we are left with are stopgaps and temporary time fillers, which are not all bad because there is always room for growth in our spare time. For example, player evaluation is not exactly my forte. However, Statcast bios fascinate me and have become a go-to whenever I want to try and learn something new about a player. I like to use the winter to pick up on new things in a game that is consistently evolving — something as a fan I could look for in the coming season or new ways I can enjoy the game. There is also great information and fun articles consistently posted throughout the winter on the homepage.
Whether you spend it creating a better version of your baseball self by delving into stats or mindlessly scouring the internet for fun highlights, the winter is meant to be enjoyed or tolerated in any way you see fit. The baseball season will be here eventually, but for now, we have to find ways to pass the time until those warm spring days come again.
