Baseball 2020: Fall Frenzy

I was skeptical when major league baseball announced its plan to play a sixty game “regular” season and then the “Fall Frenzy” playoff format. Really, I thought. What with all the craziness of 2020 – Who cares?.

The season

began July 23rd, with the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers being featured on ESPN. Because those are the two marquee teams of the sport. My brother came across the divide, and down the mountain, to watch the games with me at my apartment. Because we’ve a long, fun, attachment to the game. Which I wrote about last year about this time.

In addition, my son and step-daughter had hooked me up with a smart TV and access to the mlb.com network. So I could enjoy all the games from home. And I did! That was part of my new routine (which I’d worked out with my psych-girl) to help me cope with the isolation, anxiety, and loneliness of the pandemic.

The Playoffs: Fall Frenzy

is the most exciting, engaging entertainment I’ve ever experienced. It’s true. Fall Frenzy is billed as “4 days, 16 teams, the best of 3”. No doubt, the tag line is a take-off on March Madness – the NCAA basketball playoffs. I get it. Again, I was skeptical. Brackets, really?

The First Day

of Fall Frenzy was Tuesday, 29 September. It corresponded with the first debate of Election 2020. I was so excited for it all. (Too excited?)

Monday night I had bad dreams and thoughts. Suicide ideation psych-girl would call it. So all day long I drank. Whiskey and beer. Then to ease the stress, I listened to, not ballgames, but calming sounds (per psych girl); and napped.

The Magnificent Yankees

won! In grand, Bronx Bomber style. However, after waking from my booze fueled nap, I remembered the debate. After the Yanks had a substantial lead (7 – 2), I changed channels to the debate. Which turned out to be a big mistake.

I, like many others, felt assaulted. Because of that I changed channels – back to baseball.

Baseball is Best

might well be what I want to be remembered by. Crazy? Sure. Book worthy? Sure.

Out of Gas

though? I might be. Too much whiskey? Too much thinking? Past my prime?

Baseball

though … ? Is better than ever. Check it out.

Go, you Magnificent Yankees.

Addendum

Friday morning. Apparently, I failed to execute this post properly last Friday, the 2nd of October. (My bad. Probably because of whiskey consumption.)

Now, a week later, Fall Frenzy continues with all but one division series decided – that of the Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays. Game five is tonight. Winner goes on to play the Houston Astros (or as my brother calls them, the Trashstros). His team, the LA Dodgers, are the favorite to claim the World Series championship. The Dodgers will test their metal against the Atlanta Braves.

Baseball will take the weekend off. Then the two league championship series will begin Monday the 12th. Those series will be ‘best of seven’. However, those potential seven games will have no days off between games.

There has never been anything like this before for sports. There used to be order and rest, before 2020 and the coronavirus pandemic. Now, chaos abounds. Fall Frenzy, indeed.