I dread this day, I really do.
Each year it's different and it comes under different circumstances. Lately, it's come MUCH earlier, which is a good thing. But overall, it's still pretty depressing that it comes at all-- and that it almost always arrives well before the end of the summer.
I have officially hit the point in the 2008 season where the individual games don't matter to me.
Anyone who has read my posts this year knows that I am far from doom and gloom right now. I actually like the general young core of the team, and for the first time in awhile, I have some faith in the direction of the organization. So, with that in mind, I certainly still CARE about the Reds and how our young players progress and I certainly have interest in what moves they make, etc..
But, in the end, baseball is about the games. And we've hit that point in the season where a win brings me no joy and a loss brings me no pain. Just playing out the string....always stinks, even if the circumstances might be a little better this year.
Obviously, I knew MONTHS ago that the Reds weren't winning the World Series. And it was also pretty clear that the Reds weren't making the playoffs, given the division they play in. But I still wanted to see them enter into at least the fringes of a race... maybe get above .500 and just assert themselves a bit.
I thought this 10 game homestand following the AS break represented our last chance at doing anything interesting this year. But with a 5-5 record at best, it's pretty clear that there will be no such run.
I'm not crushed by any means. Like I said, I never had any hope of the Reds actually making a serious playoff run, but I was hoping for a tease at least.
On the bright side....this is the last weekend until early February that there won't be actual football games to watch
Still, it stinks.