Athletics at Pirates

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Since my return to baseball fandom, the A's and the Pirates have not played each other.

Some background:

I grew up a Pirates fan. The Pirates near misses at a World Series berth in the early 1990s is the reason I despise the Braves.

A few years ago Lady Steed and I moved to the East Bay and unexpectedly conceived a baseball team. Since then, I have listened to so so many A's games on the radio.

What I don't know is if I have, as Sexton describes, fully converted from my old faith. And if interleague play didn't exist, I would still be waiting.

I wish I were.

The boys and I went to Grandpa's house yesterday to watch the first game in this three game series.

I was conflicted the entire game. I was always cheering for the team that seemed to be slightly less advantaged in the moment or cheering for the team that was making an amazing play (eg). I didn't know how I wanted the game to end until the end of the eighth and the Pirates were down by one. I wanted Balfour to break the record and keep his streak intact so, sorry Bucs, the A's needed to win.

You may have noticed that I've linked to more A's stuff and dropped more A's names. With no Pirates games on the radio around here, I just know the A's players better than the Pirates crew. And so it's just easier for me to cheer for Sogard than Marte.

But both teams are at the top of their divisions! They both need to stay there! But even splitting the games (were that possible in a three-game series) isn't good enough to stay there: they both need to continue their wellll above-500 winning ways.

So right now, as I type, Gerrit Cole. Love that rookie. And Dan Straily sits waiting to stand back up. They're both pitching so well.

I swear.

If they meet in the World Series, I may end up getting institutionalized.

At least, either way, I know to wear yellow.

I got to stop typing and start listening.

There will be no rewriting today.

Oh! Hey! Moss just put the A's ahead. Cool. Darn it.