Foe or Hero

T.R Sullivans, "With 10 Ks, Darvish breezes past Yanks," he discusses Yu Darvish's phenomenal performance against the Yankees when he led the Rangers to a 2-0 victory. Being up 3-0 since he came out as the pitcher for the Rangers, he has been the talk of the season, his career and game performance growing with each new competitor to come his way. While the article mentions how his teammates are excited about his talents and having Darvish as part of their team, also how they are beginning to adapt to his playing style to work together better as a team, over all he is under the spotlight of the team at the moment, being placed under that "hero" title.

When ever there is a new athlete on a team, they are automatically placed under the microscope and put under harsher scrutiny than their team mates because they are in the trial stage. When they perform to peoples standards, or above, they are then placed under this hero title. It's like the Tebow period where "tebowing" become a dictionary word, and fans looked up to him for his unique playing style and personal morals. Darvish is being put under the same pressure and a similar spot light. Now the question is, does this early pressure and spotlight cause these athletes to break, will it cause Darvish to break, or can Darvish continue his incredible streak and break through the trial period?

As mentioned in "Mythology," we have now created a myth about Darvish being the Rangers future, being their and our hero, but what if his performance starts to deplete like Tebow's? People forget that by putting them in this spot light during the trial period, we are putting more pressure on them and raising the odds of continual failure once that winning streak is broken. We forget that they can't win everyone and automatically change that spotlight to a negative connotation when they finally do lose. The real hero is the athlete who can come back through the negative.

Baseball Players; Heroes or Foes?

        Jenifer Langosch confirms fans biggest concerns; Chris Carpenter is almost guaranteed to be on the disabled list starting out this new season. Kyle Lohse is said to be the new starter for April 4th, followed by Adam Wainwright on the 13th, and Lance Lynn could possibly become his permanent 5th rotation replacement. In her article, "Carpenter shut down; Lohse to start opener," she uses most of the page to discuss Carpenter's bizarre injury. It could be a disk out of place, or it could be nerve damage which he has suffered from in the past. His practices have consisted of weakness and discomfort as his pitching skills are, at the moment, failing to be what they once were.
       One question that arose for me when reading this article, was why is the whole article focused on an injured player who is unable to benefit the team, and not the players who will now be starting, and what the season may look like with a new starting pitcher. Yes, it is devastating that his career could be effected or ended by this, and as humans we are curious what has happened and how he will be, but if Baseball is the subject, shouldn't the game be the most important thing to discuss?
      Wrong. Just as Barthes discusses in his book Mythologies, we have made the players symbols of importance, of greatness. They are our heroes and when they are injured, it shows us that even the "great" can be brought down and hurt and it has a much larger effect on our personal lives, than if we just saw them as baseball players. Baseball is no longer just aboutthe game, but having something to depend on to give us hope, to gossip about, and the players become people we can idolize. Just like in moneyball, the player is a price, the player is role model, the player is an object, as opposed to just a human. The article doesn't focus on the upcoming starters and a very exciting season for them, because one of our heroes has lost his immortality and that has become what is important and what the fans will care about, as opposed to the game.

Here Batter, Batter, Batter!!

             In his article, No Rust for Mo in Flawless Spring Debut, Bryan Hoch creates the image of an American super hero as he plays out Mariano Rivera's possible last season. The forty-two year old has been playing in the major leagues since some of his colleagues were still in high school. Though they are saying this could be his possible last season, as almost all sports writers must mention at some point, Hoch reminds us that Rivera is still in incredible condition as his spring debut displays his incredible mid-season physique.  He then goes on to discuss his inconceivable talent being premiered at this spring debut.
           "Rivera induced a Ty Wigginton flyout to right field, a Lou Montanez lineout to center field and a Hector Luna groundout to third base in his 14-pitch appearance, kicking off a season that many have speculated could be Rivera's big league farewell tour." His command over the ball is considered to be one of the best in the league, and most players are honored to be able to go up against it, or catch that pitch. He is in control, he is a warrior as he can produce such talent after so many years of being part of the league, and he is rewarded of his years of heroism with a standing ovation. Just like the book Mythology discusses, his original title as just a baseball player, has been displaced by this new meaning of an empowered human being.
           There is nothing saying or giving us reason to care that Rivera is still playing such an incredible game at the age of forty-two, or that it could be his last season, or that we should care what type of pitches he can throw, like the Ty Wigginton flyout to right field. We care about these things and make then news worthy threw giving him this position of heroism. He is someone to idolize for young baseball players, or anyone that thinks their age can stop them from succeeding in doing something they want to do. His importance comes from this need for someone to compare to, someone to give us hope for ourselves, an idol, a hero. Take out this human need for something greater to look up to, and all you have is a baseball player playing a game.

Morneau Back on his Feet?

Justin Morneau, the Twins first baseman, suffered a concussion in July 2010, taking till this years spring season to reach a place where he feels near 100% again. In his article, Morneau Encouraged, Feels no Symptoms, Rhett Bollinger discusses Morneau's significant progress as he gets back into the full workout routine, preparing for a strong season. Morneau had previously stated when he first obtained his concussion that if his concussion-like symptoms continued, he probably will no longer have a career as a baseball player. Fans went crazy, blowing up his twitter with concern for his health, profession, and continuance to be a part of their American experience. Most of Bollinger's article focuses on Morneau's amazing progress with his injury, and reassuring words to his fans that he never fully expected to retire, and that was not truly on his mind, he just had to consider what he would do after baseball if that were the case. He also emphasized the proof of Morneau's progress as he discussed Morneau's home run, and long drive during a live batting practice, that was hit without being told what was coming. The article is a way to reassure fans that they are not losing a hero, Morneau will continue to have a place in the American past time and their dinner conversations. It may be curious to some that something as simple as a player possibly not being able to play again would be worthy of its own news article, however they forget what the sport, and a players role in it means to the overall American culture. Like Barth states in his book, "Mythologies," baseball is given this new sign or significance as we give a story to the game, and meaning to whats happening. Focusing on the game, making it part of your life provides stability in life when most things in life are unstable and chaotic. Feeling connected with the player not only gives you something to talk about, but you feel like you know him, you are truly devastated by what happens in his life, even though you don't know him. Like in Coover's, "Universal Baseball League," His main character becomes so attached to these fake characters in his made up game, that his personal life is actually effected. It becomes a story when we give meaning to who he is, what his role is in a game that has become a story of life, and when your emotions can actually be effected by what happens to a baseball player.

Fantasy Leagues- Coover Style!

Al Doyle's, "Putting Together a Reality Team,"is based on helping baseball fans who indulge in fantasy leagues, put together a team like the big league norm. Doyle gives a few pointers on how to form a collection of higher-level players, in comparison to what he considers regular fantasy football rosters, consisting of 25 men with diverse talents and skills, leaving defense forgotten. He bases his advice on the conclusion that there is too much fantasy, and not enough reality to create a well-rounded roster. He gives some very direct guidelines to accomplish this.
Have:

• one hall of famer
• do not have five aces in the starting rotation
• an outfield of All-stars at every infield position
• back of the roatation starters
• middle relievers
• utility players
• You are allowed anyone who appeared in a major league game anywhere between the 1800's to the present. 

 He then continues to explain how to arrange your team, it's plays, and specific moves that will be most accomplishing, such as, "Go with as few as nine arms if you like complete games and dead-ball era workhorses, or do your best Tony LaRussa impersonation and have a 13-man staff complete with two LOOGYs. Since I'm in favor of complete games and four-man rotations, my ace is one of the most durable starters of the live ball era." This article stood as a great reminder for the role myth plays in baseball. I was automatically taken back to Coover when reading this article as it gives directions to taking baseball from game form, and creating a reality of it within your life, and giving it a story. These men making fantasy rosters, and plays, consider it their team, they are the couch, the players are their men, yet really, it is all fake. When you say our team won, or I can't believe my team lost, it is not your team. The Yankees won, you watched. The players belong to their specific teams and themselves, the fantasy league creator, is just a fan. I take this back to Coover as his book, "The Universal Baseball League," depicts a man who has moved his own life into a baseball game that he has created, and only he plays. He is the only actual living, breathing human within his reality, yet he is depressed at the loss of one of his players. He talks about them with people in his actual reality, and throws away his job and realistic friends for a game ruled by dice, and players that don't exist. Just like Coover creates a man who lives in his "league," Doyle is giving advice on how to create your own story and altar reality. As he describes the perfect big-league compared to the 25-man roster, he creates a story for men interested in fantasy leagues. He helps them to become better "coaches," and how to manage a team, and how to lead your team to victory. It makes you part of the game, not just a viewer of it.