The Sports Version of Political Theatre

You've got to love the tried and true methods baseball writers use to write about nothing. Even funnier is that its gone on so long that "baseball people and players" know all the things you're supposed to say to answer particular questions that are basically non-responsive while still saying enough words for the writer to do his story (the king of this who crosses the border from forgivable custom to unforgivable insincerity is ARod). It is the same things every offseason and spring training about how so-and-so super free agent is poised to bring his new team to the playoffs, injured pitcher so-and-so is poised for a comeback after a year off after t.j. surgery. Young stud muffin prospect so and so is poised to force his way onto the squad with a big spring training.

Another way to examine this is to tivo every MLB game postgame interview and compare what all the winning team interviewees say. They all say the same things they're trained to say for most conceivable situations, 'I'm going to disneyland!' Like any fan, I'm pumped up for the excitement and hope a new season brings. I hungrily eat up and wholeheartedly believe such fluff because I want to. It wouldn't be baseball if it weren't for the predictable press and player sentiments at the closing of a failed season of, 'maybe next year'. I like the offseason ramblings because it's more about...
Maybe this year.