Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Chronicling Irrational Superstition


Recently, my wife and I had noticed that since being in attendance for Jered Weaver's No Hitter, we had not actually watched the Angels win a game.  Any time we attended a game or watched it on television, the Angels would lose, any game we missed (for one reason or another) the Angels would win, without fail since May 2nd.  So we put this to the ultimate test... we stopped watching the Angels.

Day 1 - After losing to the Athletics the previous day, not only was watching our team depressing (they were on a 3 game losing streak against San Diego and Oakland... brutal), but we had noticed the track record of our watching the games over the last month.  So we agreed that until the Angels reached .500, we wouldn't watch another game this season.  Result: Angels win, 5-0 (Oakland).

Day 2 - Well, those were some nice results on day one.  But this study is going to take further testing until we get some solid results.  Result: Angels win, 3-1 (Oakland).

Day 3 - Hey, this team is playing cohesive baseball, Albert Pujols has hit some home runs... Mike Trout continues to be the most exciting young player in baseball... well, this test is starting to sting as the team is finally becoming watchable, but hey, its pretty clear now that they are winning because we aren't watching.  Result: Angels win, 3-0 (Seattle).

Day 4 - Ok, We now really want to watch this team play baseball... we are fixing the rules... When they finally lose, we can watch them again... that was put to the test almost immediately, when the Mariners were winning for most of the game on Friday night... you know, before the great comeback the Angels made in the 9th.  Result: Angels win, 6-4 (Seattle).

Day 5 - Now the 3-day weekend has set in... surely they will lose at some point so we can watch the game on Memorial Day, right?  Well, not today.  Pujols homers in his 3rd straight game, plus Alberto Callaspo hits a pinch-hit grand slam.  That was probably fun to watch.  Oh Well.  Result: Angels win, 5-3 (Seattle).

Day 6 - Ok, the Sunday day game... right before a plane ride back to Anaheim to face the Yankees on Memorial Day.  There is no way they win this game, right?  Well, Morales and Trumbo had other plans.  It wasn't as exciting as the last couple games, but they have just swept 4 games in Seattle.  Result: Angels win, 4-2 (Seattle).

Day 7 - So, I can't watch the game on Memorial Day? Fine. I've got to catch up on Mad Men anyway.  I like our chances tonight with Weaver on the mound.  But it is the Yankees, and you never know with them in town.  My Mother is a lifetime Yankees devotee, and so I got some text updates during the game.  The early 3-0 lead, Weaver leaving the game with a bad back... oh boy... this is where the wheels fall off our season.  My experiment has taken a deadly turn for the worse.  Well, 13 runs later, it's tied up 8-8 in the bottom of the 9th for Trumbo.  He hits the walkoff bomb and the Angels have won 7 in a row, reached .500 and have begun to pull away from the bottom of the pack in the AL West.  Sure, we are still 6.5 back of the Rangers, but only 2.5 back of the second Wild Card spot (new to the league this year).  This is getting silly.  Result: Angels win, 9-8 (New York Yankees).

So, here we are, Day 8 of our experiment, and we have both agreed that even though the Angels have reached .500, we can't watch this club until they finally lose and break this winning streak.  So, I don't really know what I'm rooting for most... the streak to continue (and my odd superstition continues to work), or for the streak to end so I can finally watch this team play baseball.  Because they are finally playing like the team we thought they were when it was assembled in December of last year.

1 comment:

  1. Josh - My suggestion is to not live your life by superstitions... WATCH every game you can because you're missing out on a nice run. If the Angels should lose the game you end up watching - you can blame me.

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