Winning's Sweet

Forget anything else. Forget a couple of wild pitches and a few too many walks. Likewise forget that a few too many walks are probably preferable to being taken deep in the estimation of Serious, Lifelong Baseball Fan. Forget the general inability of bad baseball teams to hit quality, e.g., above-average MLB pitching to the tune of producing runs. (Lady luck aside in the form of incredible defense, it should be noted that the Astros scored one 1 earned run in 6 innings off the Bucco starting pitcher. Likewise, please note that the Buccos managed one unearned run in 7 innings off Oswalt.)

Sure, you should remember Nyjer Morgan's beautiful catch that saved three runs (a key example that baseball is a team game). You might nod your head and smile at Matt Capps doing what he does best--throw strikes, get outs, and get those outs nice and fast while actually being allowed to earn a save.

But seriously--forget Shawn Chacon coming into the game and doing what he does (give up a run, but at least without relinquishing a lead). Forget Marte actually getting taken deep. Forget Freddy Sanchez making an error at a very inopportune time (neither of which are actually common occurrences).

Instead, I'll leave you without any in-depth analysis, any comments that bad baseball teams playing a close game with each other made me crazy at several points in the game (due to various "do not remember" incidents named above), and just offer this lovely thought: Winning is sweet.

Oh, and also this: Doug Drabek and Bob Walk reminiscing? Call me a completely unrealistic optimist, but I'm kind of hoping this Bucco team, in coming seasons, with, of course, "missing pieces" added and with the further development of certain young players (cough, pitchers, cough), could make the same kind of turnaround that happened when the losing of the mid and late eighties turned into the winning of the early nineties.

Truly, winning is sweet, and winning games leaves me with (cynically, realistically, probably still delusional) dreams of continuing to experience this sweet feeling that comes from my team winning baseball games.