Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Enlightening Tim


Each day that we follow our beloved team brings new enlightenment. That's really why we do all this blogging stuff, isn't it? I'm sure not contributing to this wonderful journal in order to preserve the details of the season for posterity. I do it to learn about MYSELF and my relationship to MY TEAM. So what did I learn? I yearn for the ability to predict performances, yet I'm too irrational to pull it off. Let me explain...
As always, I like to prepare myself before Tim pitches. With a little effort I came across these factoids:
1. Tim owns a perfect 6-0 record in May, with a .211 avg against
2. He is also perfect against Atlanta, 4-0 with a 2.70 era. Last year he won twice giving up 3 runs in 15.2 innings.

Based on this I was sure of one thing: Tim was going to LOSE!! Makes sense, huh? I guess it is reverse logic; if it looks too good it probably is too good. I suppose all I'm trying to do is protect myself from HUGE expectations. But COME ON, Tim was pitching! Didn't matter, I was sure we were in for trouble. Even I was impressed by my pessimism.

Of course, I was wrong. Tim was, well Tim. He dominated the Braves again: 8 innings, NO RUNS, 5 hits, 2 walks and 8 STRIKEOUTS. His ERA is down to 3.03 and his record stands at a nifty 4-1. His record when given 3 runs or more is a sweet 23-1. The guy is the real deal and we all know it.

His performance was, in fact, quite predictable. So why wasn't I capable? Will I ever get over my irrational fears and be able to prognosticate? Is my insecurity clouding my judgement? Does judgement even matter?

Comment Starter: What predictive indictators do you use? Anything scientific, or is just mystical (Zo?) and irrational? What's the BEST PREDICTION you have ever made? Any current predictions you would like to share? .....oh yeah, you can talk about the game too.
photo credit: ME! I took this on our last trip to Bandon, OR

5 comments:

Zo said...

Speaking of predictions:
Mark O'Connor, summer, 2008: "No democrat will win the presidency for 50 years." Spoken at the Black Sheep Pub, Ashland, Oregon.
Jon Parsons, summer, 2006: "Schwarzenegger is toast." Spoken at Fade-Away Bluff, Weed, CA.
Sorry I am away or I would look up the exact dates.

M.C. O'Connor said...

The best prediction I ever made? "The Giants will beat the Angels in six games."

I stopped making predictions after that. (If life does not fit your world view, it is the world view that needs changing. In other words, the universe is not weird--our paradigms are just lousy.)



A good writer is an expert on nothing except himself.--John le Carré

M.C. O'Connor said...

OK, OK, I stopped making BASEBALL predictions!

Brother Bob said...

In '54 I predicted the Giants would sweep the World Series. My mother, an Indians fan, then stuck me with a diaper pin. I think she did it on purpose.
I stopped making predictions after that.

Anonymous said...

In the summer of 2002, I said I was going to "go" to the World Series on my 50th birthday. Of course that meant the Giants. I was there, and we lost that day, Tuesday. I learned again to add "win" to my prediction. SIR