We have been spoiled.
]
The one downside to always getting what you want is when you start to believe that it lasts forever. It becomes scary when one begins to believe there is no light at the end of the “I always get what I want” tunnel. After awhile, some even begin to think they deserve it. That's a great place to be if you can make it last. For most, however, life settles in and smashes that fantasy to pieces. Ask Tiger Woods.
As Angel fans, we have been spoiled.
When Arte Moreno bought the club in 2003, the change was felt
immediately. From the broad smiles at the press conference to the sombreros he had
everyone
wear, it was clear that good days were ahead.
Moreno infused Angel fans with
excitement and
optimism; no small task for a group of fans whose team had just won the
World
Series.
He lowered beer prices (which I understand is a popular beverage at ballgames), approved the signing of Vladimir Guerrero, attended games
regularly and
mingled with the paying customers. Most
importantly,
he empowered his staff to bring consistent winning baseball to the OC.
The Angels before Moreno were hit or miss season to season. They had great runs in 1979, 1982
and
1986 but they were horrible in 1980, 1981, etc.
Under Moreno, they have
been a model of consistency
having won five Western Division Championships with only one losing
record during
his tenure. That came in Moreno's first year as
owner. Angel fans know that if they make their way to the Big A, they
are
going to see one of the best teams in baseball coming out of the home
dugout.
This year, however, the team seems to be mired in mud.
There is no worse place to be in sport than to be stuck in mediocrity. Obviously, being good is best, but I'd rather my team be really bad than
mediocre. At least when your team is bad there is hope for the future
and
good draft pick position to help you retool. There is a sense that
things
will get better, and I would take that over having to suffer through two
wins,
one loss, one win, two losses, bleh.
That, however, is where we find the 2010 Angels, 26 games into this
season. The Angels are good, but not great. They win, but don't
dominate.
They play, but don't excite.
Mediocrity sucks!
The saving grace in all this is that the AL West is following the Angels
lead. The Seattle Mariners, pre-season favorites to win the division,
look lost. Cliff Lee's recent announcement that he might go the route
of
a college basketball freshman phenom and be “one and done” in the
rainy city can't be good for clubhouse chemistry. The Rangers of Texas
look to be what they have always been: all hit, little pitching.
The Athletics, well, Billy Beane can take solace in knowing that Brad Pitt
is
playing him in the Moneyball movie.
All it will take to pull ahead in what is now the mild, mild West is a
six game
win streak. None of these teams seem to have that in them. Maybe
things will change for the Halo's. Maybe they will ride on the
shoulders
of a player who suddenly gets hot. Maybe they will acquire a
significant
contributor via a mid-season trade like when they pulled the trigger on
Mark Teixeira.
Maybe in the Angels' case, mediocrity is temporary.
Maybe.
