I hate feeling like this. Unfortunately, my coping mechanism is to go into "ignore" mode. Ignore the post-game interviews, ignore any social media posts, and even ignore the game results. I just pretend it's not happening...even though I know it is. As far as my approach to tonight's game, I may start off watching the game but I expect to drift to Internet gameplay/scoreboard watching on MLB.com. I won't actually watch the game if we go down. We have to be up and then I will rewind the buffer to watch how we got there. I just get so mad if it is in my face all the time. It's bad for my health. The most disappointing thing so far in this series is the Astros have kind of been their own worst enemy with the errors. Aside from that, they are getting no luck at all. And, yes, the Rays defense is making plays albeit some of them are being way overblown as to how great of plays they are. It's mostly Astros hitting hard balls to where fielders can make plays on them, i.e. bad luck. It's not like we're whiffing every time. I just can't shake carrying around this "pissed" feeling. It's a credit to the Astros that I expect them to be winners and, when they're not, I have a hard time accepting it. The pitching has been good enough. And, that's the real travesty of all this.
something about runners left on base and the astros in the playoffs is akin to watching a horror movie
I think when I hit I believe it was 45 I just kind of grew out of letting it affect me mentally and physically. Maybe 2017 helped with that I'm not sure but now when the games are over, no matter what sport, I just move on because there always seems to be something I have to work on or take care of in life. Now I hear you on the "ignore mode". The social media stuff is so goofy/negative I can't take it seriously. These boards are really the only social media I frequent. At any rate, hang in there and lets try and get ONE tonight.
The Rays have put on an analytics workshop on how to employ shifts. Their placement of defenders on each and every one of our batters has been perfect. I'm obviously irritated at the fact that we have been hitting balls on the screws all series with zero results, but it's also been incredibly impressive watching Kiermaier, Adames, and Wendle put on a fielding clinic. Meanwhile, it's been equally frustrating watching Altuve **** the bed time and time again on routine grounders that extend the inning each and every time he ****s up. But, it's also been impressive watching the Rays capitalize on every single mistake we make. We give them a millimeter, and they stretch it out to a foot and a half. I hate being down 3-0, but the Rays have earned this.
No JV. No solidified closer, 5th man or bullpen. No Yordan. And only 4 wins from the WS. You cant take that away.
The older I get, the less of a homer I become and just appreciate sports in general. TB is definitely a team that is rare in the fact that they're good and the team/fanbase are not a bunch of douchebags. Cant hate em.
It's hard to hate this team. Can't fault them for playing excellent defense or taking advantage of our mistakes. They are very lucky too but that's baseball. Sometime one team gets all the breaks.
What I dont like is even if the Astros won the whole thing, it would be dismissed as a fluke (short season) Any other team wins it, thats not the case. I hope they put up a fight today like the last 3 games. Win tonight. Early games the next 2 I believe. Anything can happen.
I have no doubt if the Stros won it all this season there will be all sorts of caveats put on it. There are people claiming that we've been cheating this playoffs..
Never been so frustrated as I have been with this series ... it has taken a combination of amazing defense by the Rays (credit to them), amazingly bad luck, and the Astros botching amazingly simple plays (deserve to lose) in order for us to lose these 3 games. So frustrating to be down 3-0, when we could easily be up 3-0. But it is what it is. Only consolation is that knowing we could easily be up 3-0 means that winning the next 3 is very realistic. In they words of Kevin Millar, "Don't let us win tonight". Let's go get this game and somehow get it back to Valdez and Mccullers with a chance to shock them.
I hear you completely on that. I do let it affect my health too. I get grumpy and I'm in a bad mood around my wife sometimes after an Astros loss. I will say this, I've learned to care a little less about the outcome over the years. It definitely wasn't this was back in say 2015, 2016. I've had to work on it and let go. I'm still a huge sports fan and want the Astros, Rockets and Texans to all succeed, but I spend more time doing other stuff now and it's healthier for me. Getting married and starting to have a family has helped put things in perspective for me too. Having a house, fixing things up around it. Having a dog, being occupied with her and walking her. Healthier stuff for me. It's just not worth damaging my relationships over sports. Even though I'm on this board BECAUSE I love sports so much. It's a hard balance sometimes.
