Feeling Sick and Missing Baseball

I sit in my bed writing next to a half-peeled organic orange, a pile of used Kleenex and a blank screened TV which hasn’t been turned on since the end of the baseball season. January is a tough month. The holidays have come and gone, it’s cold and Spring Training is still 46 days away. For some reason I’m always sick in January. Last year I was bed ridden with the flu, and this year’s viral onslaught has taken over my family’s winter vacation. Perhaps it’s because of the stress of the holidays which have taken a toll on me physically and emotionally, or maybe it’s just because I really need some baseball in my life.

It’s a bit harder for me to get through the winter since I’m exclusively a baseball fan. Others can turn their attention to football, basketball or hockey while baseball is in hibernation. For me, the other major sports just never have made me fall in love with them like baseball has. Sure, I root for my alma mater USC, but I just don’t feel the same excitement watching touchdowns as I do watching homeruns sailing over the center field fence of Dodger Stadium.

Clayton Kershaw may enjoy some offseason NBA action. Me? Not so much. Photo: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The bright side is that I’m not writing about Michael Young while sick like I was last year. The Dodgers had extended the veteran an offer to man their bench during the offseason.  While Young was mulling his retirement, I was blowing my nose. The Dodger bench going into the 2014 season was a big question mark. We didn’t know that Justin Turner would turn out to be phenomenal, and Brendan Harris and Justin Sellers were still in the running. What a difference a year makes.

Sudafed and Dodger Dogs don’t necessarily mix, but I’m definitely ready to move on to Cracker Jack and nachos from turkey and cranberry sauce.

I need my medicine. The crack of the bat, the smell of fresh-cut grass and the voice of Vin Scully upon the air waves. In the offseason when you’re sick, you have to rely on episodes of Top Chef and reruns of I Love Lucy to get you though the evening. If you are lucky enough to get SportsNet LA, you can re-watch some of the classic Dodger games to get a quick Dodger fix in. Clayton Kershaw‘s no-hitter always makes me feel better.

Nightly Dodger games give me something to look forward to during the season. Like going to the movies, it is almost a temporary escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Sometimes it’s necessary to take those three hours in the evening to unwind and immerse oneself into America’s pasttime. Better than any scripted drama or comedy, more thrilling than an episode of Breaking Bad, and full of comforting nostalgia, baseball is the quintessential American leisure pursuit.

Live Feed

Call to the Pen

Whether I am playing, watching or writing, baseball is a therapeutic outlet for me. Sure, writing everyday about the Dodgers can get exhausting and frustrating at times. Writing about the abrupt end to the season last year or about Dan Haren‘s career path aren’t exactly making me rush to my laptop in joy this offseason. Yet, baseball gives me a purpose and rudder which steers me to create something on a daily basis which I really love sharing with you.

Even during these dark and ill days of winter, I am excited to not only see my sinuses clear up but also to see that gorgeous Arizona sky next month when the Dodgers begin arriving in Camelback Ranch. Here’s to a healthy new year and a swift return to baseball.