April Love

I may be too old to be a Cubs fan.  My heart just may not have the stamina to stay with them this year.  So far I got my blood pressure up just reading how Kerry Wood blew the first game.  Two days later the same story.  I am old enough to have been an already grown-up woman when Kerry burst upon the scene as a rookie, threw a record-setting 20-strike out game as a Cub, then got injured, had surgery, was off, came back, went away and was someone else's problem for a good long time.  But no, here just 2 years ago the Cubs GM (since fired and gone away to be someone else's problem) gleefully brought him back to Chi-town.  He failed as a Closer and was sent to the Purgatory known as Middle Relief.   Blah blah blah and et cetera.

Today I avoided watching the Cubs game even though I thought I'd be able to get it on TV.  Instead The Player and I went for a walk at Parklands.  The wildflowers are wild right now, running purple and blue mostly throughout the woods.  Spiderwort, phlox, larkspur, bluebells, violets.  A few red trillium (not yet stinky like carrion thank goodness) and shooting stars to round out the pallet. 

On the way home I realized the game would still be on, so I turned on the radio.  It was the bottom of the 8th, Cubs up 2-1 and then 3-1 and finally 4-1.  Starting pitcher Jeff Samardzjia still in the game and came back in to pitch the ninth.  The announcers, The Player later noted, used the term "insurance runs" about 4 times too many.  Jinx!  The Cubs pitcher got the first 2 guys out easily.  Then facing the third batter, gives up an easy ball to the shortstop.  Game should be...should be...oops, throwing error on Castro.  E-6.  Ok...the pitcher is still doing fine and should just go on, not his mistake but...no no No NO!  Here comes the new (inexperienced) manager Sveum to the mound.

Ok at this point I think the announcers have put the term "insurance" to bed and the color man can only speak in mono-syllables.  Miracle of miracles Sveum leaves the starting pitcher in.  Whew!
But as it turns out he's thrown off the poor guy's rhythm.  Next batter gets a home run and now it's 4-3.  The play-by-play announcer says something like this (I'm paraphrasing The Player's comedy routine after the game now, because I was so twisted up in a knot that I could not listen at all.)

It's a beautiful day, blue skies...the batter swings.
uh-oh looks like trouble.

Color guy:  Yes. (complete monotone)

Playbyplay guy:  Well, now he'll be bringing in Marmol in relief.

Color guy:  Yes.  (completer monochrome).

Me:  ARghhhhh. 

So, as it turns out the Cubs Closer, Marmol, did walk one guy then made the last out.  I couldn't listen, but The Player promises me they won. 

I think it might be time for me to start watching something for grown ups who don't want to have high blood pressure.  The Cubs in April might be for heartier and younger souls than me.