Thoughts For A Sunday NIght - Easter should NEVER be this stressful

Easter is one of the most joyous days of the year for kids.  Candy, easter egg hunts, playing with siblings, relatives and friends.  Laughing and having a good time.  For most Christians worldwide it is also a joyous time, arguably the most joyous day on the calendar.   Sports shouldn't have a huge part on that day, maybe as a fun diversion after the the fun and joy.  

I think I have heard or read Francona saying that there is no such thing as a crucial game in April.  Well, given the stakes for this game:

• Winning the season series with the Mariners
• By so doing, winning the playoff tiebreakers over the Mariners
• Building a little momentum and putting us 2 games over .500 with the Yankees coming into town
• Getting Zach Plesac out of the trench he had sunk into after last year and his first start this year.  
• ending a 2 game losing streak, both of which were heartbreaking losses where our starting pitchers pitched good enough to win 
• Ending a streak of a couple of games when the offense just flat out sucked when we needed it the most.

This game, to me, was the most crucial of games that you could ever had in April when you consider all the tangibles and intangibles riding on its outcome.

And it was beyond stressful.  I yelled at the TV when Naylor didn't stick out his hip to get a walkoff HBP in extras.  I yelled at Rosario for not doing the same an inning later where a plunk on his elbow pad would have ended the game and then screamed at him (and the umpire) for taking that 3-2 strike at (or below) the knees.

This team could have folded up in the bottom of the 9th, in the 10th, in the 11th or, out of total exhaustion, in the 12th.  But no.  They were led by their leader who, once again, made the perfect baserunning play to win the game.

They won this game, making the 3-1 series win in Seattle look much less like a fluke and reiterating how closely matched these teams are, especially when you consider that they are running this tractor trailer with two blown out tires (Bell and Zunino).

After the gut-wrenching results Friday and Saturday when we had GREAT crowds, the Guardians finally put it all together in front of a few thousand people (by the 9th inning).

More later on the week in the minor leagues when I get time after Easter dinner and festivities tonight.  But, that dinner will taste a lot more sweet with this 7-6 win today.