There’s no denying that 2020 has been arguably the most
difficult year I’ve ever lived through. Dealing with a global pandemic while
hobbies are shelved, and uncertainty runs rampant is quite the mental ringer.
Add in the unexpected loss of a parent and the Minnesota Twins have seemed like
nothing short of a bright spot through the clouds.
I remember back in March; I was sitting at Pott’s Sports Café
on the 12th as Major League Baseball put a halt to Spring Training.
The night before Rudy Gobert and the Utah Jazz threw the NBA into a pause, and
not long after college basketball would follow suit. For months Major League
owners and the MLBPA engaged in an ugly, extremely public, dispute between
finances and resumption. How would the sport go on, and more importantly could
it?
Fast forward to where we are now. Another lockdown is being
instituted across the country. Thanksgiving isn’t the same, and the family prognosis
for Christmas doesn’t look great either. For four months this year though, we
had baseball. It didn’t always go smoothly, and leadership was lacking at
times, but there was a season and there was a World Series Champion. For that,
I am thankful.
The Minnesota Twins played one of their best season’s in
franchise history during 2019. They set power records and looked like a team to
mess with come October. While that didn’t come to fruition, so much promise remained
for 2020. Despite having that all taken away, even a small sliver of normalcy
was experienced during a 60-game sprint. Minnesota wasn’t as dominant as
expected, but a second straight division title is nothing to scoff at. The
Postseason woes continued, but opportunity was there once again.
During this week that’s normally spent eating good food with
better company, the most important reminder is that it’s a time of thanks. I’m
thankful for my health in a time when so many others are less fortunate. I’m
thankful for the amount of time this change in situation has allowed me to
spend at home, enjoying my family, seeing my kids grow on a daily basis. I’m
thankful that there’s been an opportunity to slow life down and reflect. And
yes, as silly as it may seem, I’m thankful that we had baseball.
As the calendar eventually turns to 2021, I can change that
word of thanks into hope. I look forward to a renewed sense of normalcy. I am
hopeful that there’s an ability to make the yearly voyage down to Fort Myers
for Twins Spring Training. I am hopeful that we get 162 games to dissect what
should again be a very good baseball team in Minnesota. As so many things hang
in the balance, I’m thankful for the opportunities provided to this point, and
hopeful for what’s ahead.
Baseball doesn’t define our lives, but it’s an extremely
substantial part of mine. It was a light in what has otherwise been a very dark
year, and I’m thankful for that. Being able to enjoy the sunshine once again in
person, hoping on better times ahead, it’s yet again a child’s game that
provided an opportunity for warmth.
