The Yankee Hiatus

It is officially that time of year- when circumstances become so frustrating that watching a full Yankee game is literally impossible for at least five days.

This happens at least twice per season, and twenty-seven games into 2009, I'm there. Since Monday, Yankee fans have had to endure rain, waiting, poor performance against a scrappy opponent, and eventual defeat in a contest that lasted way too long. Basically, it was like Vietnam.

(I'm reading this amazing book right now, and really, nothing was like Vietnam.)

The funny part is, there have been inspiring (and seemingly game-changing) moments in these losses. On Tuesday, Joba rebounded from a poor start, dominated the Sox lineup, and generally had everyone pumped. Last night, Teixeira finally got a clutch hit to tie the game at 3 just before the skies opened up. But the emotional momentum fizzled, and we lost. Catharsis weakened into stasis.

I won't rehash the litany of reasons to doubt the character of this team. Read yesterday's post if you're curious. Suffice it to say, I need a few days to recover my love for baseball, recover my perspective on sports in general, and recover the memory of how to watch a game without wanting to damage an innocent television.

This doesn't mean I'll stop being a fan over the weekend; I'll still read the box scores. If the stars align and I happen to check the status on ESPN.com during a close game, I might even turn on the tube and watch a key moment. But otherwise, it's R & R time. Maybe I'll do something educational, like go to a museum or learn the name of the climbing vine that covers the fence by the community garden.

More likely, I'll just watch basketball.