Anyone else feeling bummed?

[JaxRed]

I'm the opposite. I'm stoked !!

[klw]

I am getting excited. One thing that interests me is how the game will look with no fans in the stands. About a month ago I watched a german soccer game and it looked odd, no fans, no noise, it felt like I was watching a rec soccer game. Recently the EPL looks and sounds better. There is piped in crowd noise that you are used to hearing and the stands have banners over the seats so the stadium doesn't look baren. I will be interested to see if the Reds pump in some crowd noise over the broadcast or not.

For those folks who watch with the sound down to not hear the announcers, the lack of game noise won't be much of an adjustment.

[CaiGuy]

Baseball is almost back.

So no.

[Phoenix2]

I may not miss a single game this entire shortened season.

[Falls City Beer]

Not as excited. I agree. Baseball is about being there.

[klw]

As Reds fans we should be excited as this is the first time the Reds have been tied for first in late July in at least 7 years.

[EnglishRed]

The last several years I have watched every Reds game either on tv live or on the dvr or in person. I may not be the biggest fan but Reds baseball has been a big part of our lives in my household. 5 months ago I was worked up about how I was going to watch since DISH dropped FS Ohio. I was planning on witch games I would go see in person. I was excited about the new additions and was feeling optimistic that we had a legitimate playoff team.

Now we are just a few days away from the much anticipated start and I don't really seem to care. Thinking about just listening on the radio. Really asking myself why I should give them one penny of my hard earned money. Why patronize the millionaires and billionaires? Can't even go to a game in person. If the Reds did win there would be the asterick for the bastard season. The crying and whining from the millionaires about how they are separated from family. The foolishness of excessive testing an quaranteening of young, healthy people. Empty ballparks. The general fear in society. I love baseball. I have been watching a youth summer league locally. No one wearing a mask except catchers. No one getting paid . No protocols. No whining. Just kids happy to be playing baseball while the world goes crazy around them.

Totally get this feeling. I'm pretty tired after working through a pandemic, but luckily the UK football season restarted, my team won the league and even though for their first game back I wasn't enthusiastic, when we got promoted I was crying and screaming like a child. The only thing that was sad was it just wasn't the same without the wall of noise, the chanting, the baiting of away fans. I just wanted to be there, so I think when the season gets going, you'll feel the same. It was surprisingly not as bad as I thought without fans even with English football where fans are loud throughout the game.

[Bunting Bad]

I have been watching some travel ball tournaments to pass the time. It is enjoyable to see kids play for the pure joy of playing. I really like seeing that kid who just hustles every play, shows knowledge of the game, and is humble. I miss baseball and can't wait until it starts.

[Nasty_Boy]

Man, I am not bummed at all... The only thing that I am even a little cautious of is that there is still a chance this season is interrupted. I am very much looking forward to watching the home team play baseball over the next 2 months.

Baseball has been the only somewhat normal thing I have been able to do since March. I was able to coach a handful of games this summer and watch my 16 year old play a 30 game American Legion schedule... Being at a ball field and watching the game has been such an escape. It has definitely kept me from going crazy and allowed me and the wife to social distance a little. Lol

[MR X]

Dish network screwed me out of half a season last year. I'm pretty excited getting to see at least something this year and I'm gonna take advantage of it while I can. Countless times over the years I'd complain about having to listen to Thom, then Dish took away that option. This year some virus has taken away most of another season. I'm taking an advantage of what I'm given and will watch even if they're getting blown out.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Tonight, even an exhibition, was fun to watch.

[Wonderful Monds]

I would be glad if it were just 3 months of spring training, but yeah this isn’t a “real” season, whoever wins the World Series this year wont be a “real champion”

[15fan]

Personally, 2020 has been pretty rotten. I’ll skip the details because they are irrelevant in the grand scheme. Doing our best to keep chins up at our house, but it’s a struggle as I know it is for many many others right now.

I love baseball. Even though I don’t get to watch it very often, it brings joy, calm, and a sense of normalcy at a point in my life when there is far too little. Scanning a box score, watching a few innings of a game while I clean up from dinner, having my daughter rattle off some stats about players for her favorite team...I need that now more than ever.

It’s going to be a weird season. But I’m not going to get hung up on that. I’m going to appreciate a nicely turned 5-4-3 double play, the way a pitcher sets up a hitter for a strike out, or the sweet sounds of leather popping and the crack of the bat.

2020 has taught me that nothing is guaranteed. Time is precious. Joy can be elusive. But happiness is a choice. I’m choosing to let baseball, despite all of its clunkiness in 2020, make me happy. I hope all of you are able to make that same choice.

[Edskin]

I would be glad if it were just 3 months of spring training, but yeah this isn’t a “real” season, whoever wins the World Series this year wont be a “real champion”

Yes they will be. I speak from experience. The Redskins (not anymore now of course) won the Super Bowl in both 1982 and 1987. Both of those season were shortened due to a players strike. In 1982 they only played 9 regular season games and then had expanded playoffs. In 1987, they played 15 games but three of those were played using replacement players.

I can promise you that neither of those trophies shine any less bright than the “normal” one that they won in 1991. As a matter of fact, 1987 was my personal favorite. And anyone that knows football also knows those were great teams with a great coach anyway. History has treated those teams just fine.

Yes, it will be weird for sure for whoever wins this year, but it will still be a greet and worthy accomplishment. All teams are playing under same rules. Everyone knows the games matter more this year and I imagine the intensity level and approach will reflect as much. No asterisk for me.

[foster15]

I'm not excited either. Though, baseball doesn't excite me that much anymore other than opening day and late in the season if Reds are in contention.

I really think this season is nothing but a season for passing the time because this 60 games or whatever it is, is not MLB. It takes at least 120 games to separate contenders from pretenders. Especially pitching staffs. A lot of team can have a staff that looks like all Clayton Kershaws for 60 games but they eventually will fall back to what they really are.

I do have a question as my lack of excitement for this season means I've not kept informed on the nuances. How are teams handling replacing players due to injury or ineffectiveness? No minor league baseball so what happens if a team needs additions, especially in September where they are way behind the curve in being in baseball shape?