My neighbors have dogs.
Not just a couple cute, shaggy, tail-wagging mutts from the local pound, but a kennel filled with hunting dogs. Loud, hungry, and annoying dogs who start barking at about 5 each morning.
We live on a farm and by “neighbors,” I mean the people who live about a half-mile away through an old field that has too steep a drop to a creek bed to ever be a real pasture. (To reach these neighbors by road, you would have to drive out to the main road, take a right, and then another right, and then another right. By road, they are about five miles away. But, through the field, they’re much closer.)
I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure there are about 63 rabid wolf-hounds in that kennel and they haven’t eaten in days. They would probably chew your arm off if you got too close.
They don’t bark all the time, but when they do, they all do. They’re loud and their noisy discontent travels through the pasture like a storm cloud that opens up right over our house.
Some days they are louder than others. Like right now.
Embed from Getty Images
Last night in the AL Wild Card game, the Baltimore Orioles lost to the Toronto Blue Jays, the team that no one loves from the country that doesn’t even like baseball.
They lost in the 11th on a three-run homer.
The Orioles season is over.
Those damn dogs are rattling the walls of our house right now.
Sometimes on the weekends when the dogs are especially depraved and hungry, you can hear the dude over there yell at them. “SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!” There is momentary silence and then the barking gets even louder. Every single time. He yells at the dogs and they just start barking louder. If I’m sitting on the porch, I’ll sometimes look over at Hell Hound House and say – just a little louder than the last time – “Yeh, dude, that’s still not working.”
The Orioles made some mistakes last night. Their bats were cold and, sure, O’s fans will spend the next five months second-guessing the decision by Manager Buck Showalter not to bring in their Cy Young-deserving closer Zach Britton, who, we are 100 percent certain, would not have given up a three-run homer in the bottom of the 11th to the Blue Jays (a team that, I think I’ve mentioned, no one even likes).
Oh, wait … the dogs just stopped barking. Just like that, it’s quiet again.
But, my heart is still going to be sad for awhile.
The Baseball Bloggess 
I watched that game and was rooting for the Orioles. The end reminded me of the way the White Sox’ 1983 dreams were suddenly dashed by a Tito Landrum blast. There was nervous tension one moment, stunning realization the next. It all was over very quickly! On to next season we trudge…then and now..😳
“Trudge” is the perfect word for me today. Trudge, trudge, trudge. Ah well …
My deepest sympathy. I was so looking forward to avenging 1966.
v
Now there is a long memory for you…
The 50 year anniversary … it was so storybook! Sigh. Now, I just have to sit and think about how much I really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really dislike the Blue Jays.
I’m sorry about your O’s. Know that I was pulling for them. You’ll excuse me now while I switch my preference to Cleveland. Toronto? No way. As you say, just who can feel good about pulling for them?
Even though our O&B arrangement is over, I hope that we can get at least half of it, starting with tonight in NY.
I do not want to imagine the dog scene. That sounds like an uneasy situation – just one more person oblivious to others imposing his messiness on those around him. A rural version of the rattling car at the stop-light blasting loud and obnoxious music on a quiet Sunday morning.
Thanks, Bruce. My heart is sad today … but I’ll rally for the other Orange & Black tonight. The Giants have two former University of Virginia players on tonight’s roster — Javier Lopez and Jarrett Parker — so I’ll wear my UVA cap and wave a rally towel tonight for Los Gigantes!
I had to get up at 5 this morning so didn’t stay up to watch the whole game. I went to bed shortly after that Toronto fan threw the beer can at Kim. (another reason not to like Toronto). As I settled in to bed I took one more look on my MLB AtBat app. It was still tied in the 9th. I said a little prayer for the O’s as I shut it down for the night. Prayers get answered so inconsistently! Those one game wild card play in games are emotionally brutal. Hang in there, Jackie. I feel your pain. Funny how dogs seem to bark louder at times like this….
I love the one-game Wild Card. I hate the one-game Wild Card. Ahh well, better to have played and lost … then to … whatever.
I’m still pretty steamed about the beer can thrown at Kim. (This is the second time a Blue Jays fan has thrown beer at an Orioles outfielder. Never seems to happen anywhere else.) Also, afterwards, Adam Jones, other players, and some fans nearby said there were racial slurs being yelled at Kim, Jones, and Bourne throughout the game. I thought Canada was supposed to be a kind, gentle, and courteous place? Grrrr … I feel a crabby anti-Blue Jays blog post bubbling up.
Ahh, well … your Cubbies look calm, cool, ready … and due. I’ll send some prayers up your way, Jan, and hope you get to enjoy a good long run in October!
I feel you, from out here on the coast, and I’m hoping not to share your sadness after the Giants/Mets game, this evening. I was so hoping for an “all black and orange” series, just for the heck of it, but it was not to be. There is solace to be found, it’s true, in the offseason speculations and trades, but for now, all we can say is, “Wait’ll next year!”
Thanks for what you do.
Thanks, John … I’m glad I’ll still have a little orange-and-black to cheer for tonight. Plus, the Giants have two University of Virginia players on their roster — Javier Lopez & Jarrett Parker — so I’ll wear my lucky UVA cap for the Giants tonight. :)
On a positive note–it was a great game. I’ll be pulling for the Dodgers to win the WS as I have no allegiance to any A.L. team left standing except perhaps Cleveland.
I think I’ll just pull for any University of Virginia alums who are playing (with the Orioles ouster, there are still six left in the playoffs, including Chris Taylor of the Dodgers, 2 Giants, and 2 Indians). “Anyone but the Blue Jays” has been my motto ever since Cito Gaston was their manager … and I’ll just continue to roll with that.
Oh BB you know I was thinking of you last night. Sigh. I know its un-American, but I can’t stand dogs. Maybe your other favorite black and orange team will make it tonight! Hopefully, the dogs will be quiet. :)
My heart is still sad, Maria. I know yours is, too. Sending you an Oriole hug through the ether. :)
Tough heart-breaking loss! And I guess when it rains, it pours. Like you said, though, we still have fall ball, and February will be here before you know it!
-Mike
First game of UVA’s Orange & Blue World Series is Tuesday … can’t wait!
Baseball… it breaks your heart sometimes. Sorry about your Orioles :(
Thanks, Precious … stupid baseball!
I’m late here, but you. already. know. I’m still in my feelings. Thankfully, I did not stay up after the game with a bottle of booze, just waiting for the dawn…
I think one of the worst parts of this post-season is that in every late-inning of every game so far some managerial decision about whether to bring in their closer — and if they do or if they don’t — brings the broadcasters right back to Zach Britton in the Wild Card game. How can the break on my heart heal if they keep scratching the scab off of it?
Exactly!
> the Toronto Blue Jays, the team that no one loves from the country that doesn’t even like baseball.
Third highest average attendance in 2016 (http://www.espn.com/mlb/attendance/_/year/2016) ;)
Hi, Mo! Awww, I’m just teasing the Canadians (as an Orioles fan, it’s something I’m required to do). It is odd though that Blue Jays fans are often called the worst in baseball, which doesn’t make sense because Canadians are generally so nice. As far as attendance, among the cities with have major league teams Toronto’s population ranks at #4, behind New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago — and those three cities support TWO major league teams. So, Toronto should have higher attendance than teams from smaller populations, including Baltimore, Minneapolis, Cincinnati, etc.
Ha, all in good fun :)
It’s sad to get all the bad press lately (stupid beer can throwers). There’s definitely some bad eggs in Toronto, which ruin things for everyone.
Bad eggs are everywhere. And, I kind of think that Toronto took the beer incident much more seriously than perhaps many other major league cities would. So, as I told one of my Canadian friends who felt personally responsible for the incident, don’t apologize. If I had to apologize for every embarrassing thing done by someone in the United States, I wouldn’t have time left for baseball!
Actually, I observed the Toronto fans to be civil in the Indians playoff series. My condolences to Oriole fans. I still question why team trusted Ubaldo Jimenez in pressure packed playoffs.
As crazy as this sounds, Ubaldo carried the O’s to the post-season. He got hot at exactly the right time. Asking him to come out of the bullpen wasn’t unheard of, and as Buck explained it later, he thought that both teams were settling in and he believed he would need someone to eat up more than just one inning. Still, we are all disappointed that Zach Britton didn’t get the opportunity to pitch. Disappointed? Sure. But, I still trust Buck Showalter, one of the smartest managers in the game.
I was pleased that the Blue Jays fans were fine for the rest of the post-season. I think there’s a little more animosity that comes out (on all sides) throughout the AL East, but I’ve been quite surprised by how seriously the team — and all of Toronto — took the beer-tossing incident. I don’t think there are many other teams that would have been so dogged in their efforts to find the culprit.