Dear Flaco,
Let’s see. With baseball season right around the corner we can use it, the game of baseball, to illistrate my point.
So, let’s take the Minnesota Twins; my favorite team. It goes without saying that I want them to succeed. And to be clear, to succeed in this case is to win games, to win more games than all the other teams in their division. In fact, I would say that all Twins fans want them to succeed.
So, okay, now, Ron Gardenhire is the manager, and, basically, he gets to decide things as they relate to the team. He gets to pick who plays and where. He decides if we’re going to steal, or bunt or move the defense. So, let’s say, for the sake of argument–only to make a case that is over the top silly, that Gardenhire has stated publicly that he is trying to get me, Pino, to anchor the starting rotation, take the mound on opening day and then continue on, taking the ball every 5th day for the rest of the season. I would bet that every Twins fan, literally, every single one of ’em, would hope, pray, call into sports radio and launch blogs that Gardenhire would FAIL in his attempt to name me that starter.
Sadly for Twins fans around the globe, Mr. Gardenhire has immense cache and has influence over even the GM, the guy that ends up deciding if Gardenhire gets to stay in his office. And, in the end, wins out; Pino is the Opening Day starter. Unbelievable.
Picture Opening day if you can. The sun is shining bright over a thick green field. The sounds of peanut vendors and calls of “Cold Beer” fill the air. Anticipation grips everyone. And then Pino runs to the mound. At that moment, the manager’s “hope” has turned into reality and Pino is really going to pitch. And all those Twins fans put the past behind them and are pulling for Pino to do what no one thinks he can; win the game. Against all reasonable expectations, the Twins nation has gone from hating this guy to actually pulling for him to win.
See. See how that works? While in the “this is my plan phase”, all of creation wants The Manager to FAIL in his attempt to implement his solutions and plans for the team. But once those ill advised solutions are reality, the whole of the fan base really really hopes they succeed.
Unless.
Ahaa, there had to be a “but”.
What if there was another way? What if Pino was not the last pitcher in the Twins organization and there was another option? One that could still be implemented. One that had a significantly better chance of benefiting the team in the bigger picture, as in, winning the Division. How does that change our story? Well, it would go like this….
In the minors there is a fireballer that is dead on can’t miss straight up money! He is ready and how. All the world thought this kid was a shoe in to make the team, and in fact, all real baseball experts have said he could win the Cy Young. But, there is one thing, he has a contract that states if he isn’t in the majors by the 10th game of the season, the Twins have to release him. Remember, this is the Real Deal and Pino, well, Pino is 40 and never pitched a game in his life; no brainer.
Twins fans in every chair are hoping, actually expecting and pulling, for Pino to struggle so mightily that The Manager will come to his senses or, failing that, that the GM will remove him from Office so that the Kid can be brought up from the minors and drive the team to the Pennant. Yes, that’s right, the fans are actually pulling for The Blessed Manager’s policy, now enacted, to fail. Because by failing in the short run will save the team in the long run.
And THAT, my dear partisan friend, is how a Twins fan finds himself hoping that the Manager Fails to implement an idea, and failing that, might actually find himself pulling for some short term losses.
Take me out to the ballgame……
Love,
-pino
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