Rangers/Rays ALDS Pick 'Em

I’m not actually following this series. In fact, outside of Cliff Lee starts, I doubt I will watch any of it.

A quick disclaimer: I am not retarded. No, nothing here will actually change the performance of the AL West, or the Seattle Mariners, in real terms—obviously, because the AL West teams aren’t playing, and no amount of games in which a team doesn’t play can improve their performance.

I guess your question, though, sort of strikes at the heart of what it is to be a sports fan. It’s not like I don’t have plenty of good books to read, family to catch up with, or work to do. It’s an agonizing form of entertainment, when you think about it. So I don’t know why I care. But to the extent that I do, I’d prefer one outcome over the other. I have no influence over this, of course, and it has no real effect on me or my various loved ones. Either outcome has no effect on my health, security, or pocketbook, so I don’t really care.

The part of me that cares, though, wants Mariners successes to be recognized outside of Mariners fans, and not simply skipped over while waiting for the next AL East team to do something interesting. I guess I feel baseball would be a whole lot less fun without other teams and other fans also clamoring for accomplishments. And when their teams have a day in the sun, most will applaud, and some will try to shit all over it for any reason handy because it wasn’t their team standing up there.

It has happened to the Mariners before, and it will happen again. I remember folks lessening how amazing the 2001 season felt because the Mariners played in the AL West. So, you know, it’s not like its a real accomplishment. Like if the Yankees did it.

Like somebody planning revenge years ahead of time, in the meantime living through absolute shit, I want it to be perfect when it happens. Especially after the 162 games we were just put through. So, I look at two teams playing each other, and I care about neither of them. But, one of them, might, maybe, provide this entirely bullshit intangible fringe benefit that may help partially validate my future hypothetical fandom (if the Mariners can keep me. I only have one more season of arbitration).

Plus, hey, Cliff Lee.

It will literally have no effect on that at all, no matter what happens. It is not possible in any way for it to have an effect on that. So, while we have no skin in the game, lets try and nail the consolation prize’s ugly cousin.