Some things in life are bad
They can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you're chewing on life's gristle
Don't grumble; give a whistle!
And this'll help things turn out for the best...
And so it comes to an end. Soon, 161 games will be in the books, and then it'll all finally be over: the disappointment, the frustration, the heartache, the anger, the finger-pointing, and the general unpleasantness. And that was just the Game Threads. [rimshot]
Yeah, it's been a pretty bad season in Toronto, and nobody associated with the team -- including players, coaches, management and fans -- has been happy with how it's gone. Personnel changes, both of the playing and coaching variety, likely will begin as soon as the last out is recorded this afternoon. The Expos and Brewers, virtually deadlocked with the Jays in the overall standings, will help determine today whether Toronto picks 4th, 5th or 6th next June. In short, few people will be sorry to close the door on 2004.
But there were still more than a few bright spots in the darkness -- the blossoming of Orlando Hudson, the maturation of Ted Lilly, the unanticipated contributions of Jason Frasor, and so forth. September allowed the team to show off a glimpse of a promising future, the heroics of Gustavo Chacin and the impact of Russ Adams, and these will accompany fans throughout the long off-season. You won't find much support for the proposition that this team will lose 90+ games again next year; yes, players underperformed, and maybe a .500 record was the likeliest result even coming out of spring training, but the fact remains that this team had way more than its share of bad luck in 2004.
So if I may suggest, there are a few things that Blue Jays fans should do today. First, give a standing ovation -- at the ballpark, in the local sports bar, in your living room, wherever you are -- when Carlos Delgado makes his last appearance in a Toronto uniform this afternoon. Let there be no talk today about defence, about salaries, or about no-trade clauses. Instead, stand up and salute the best player in Blue Jays history as he takes his curtain call; give him everything you've got.
Second, make sure you appreciate this, the final Jays game of the year: they may have frustrated or outraged you this season, but you and I both know you'll miss them when they're gone, and you'll eagerly anticipate their first re-appearance in Dunedin next spring. No one ever said fandom was easy: it demands patience, loyalty, optimism and a certain degree of forgetfulness. But if you can endure this season and emerge in 2005 ready to root for the home team again, you'll have passed a key crucible and will savour the eventual victories all that much more. Fans of the '77, '83, '87 and '91 Jays can attest to the fact that daybreak is always worth the long night.
And third .... always, always look on the bright side of life. Peace out, Bauxites.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20041003123032999