Is This Thing On?

Time to warm up the engines again.  The moment has come to end another dry spell.*  That's why I'm starting slow (with a post that will probably have a longer asterisk than actual content).  MLB's Fan Cave has completed its first year and is currently open for applications for 2012.  Apparently the format will be slightly different as well.  They seem to be planning to accept a handful of applicants and implement a reality show format where contestants get voted off every so often.  Honestly though I'm not concerning myself too much with those details... I like to be surprised.  Point is, there's a higher chance of being selected.

*As usual I've done some soul searching to determine the cause of the lastest one, and not surprisingly, many of the usual suspects have emerged: (1) Sadly, when your team is disappointing, there is less motivation to write about them, or the sport in general.  However, I will say that, as was noted over at Redleg Nation, this team wasn't just disappointing.  They didn't just finish below .500 like so many Reds teams of the last decade.  They severely underachieved, and at no point looked like they would be any threat to the central division title.  They looked lifeless and disinterested, and digging deeper into that just seemed cruel and unusual.

(2) I find that it's much easier for me to write during the offseason than during the season.  I think this is because not as much is happening in the offseason.  The internets are less saturated (are there degrees of saturation?).  Additionally, something else I noticed more than ever this season... I found it increasingly difficult to do analysis on a day to day basis because one day of baseball is like the blink of an eye.  How different, really, is one from the next.  Alternatively, analyzing an entire season is where real trends emerge.  It allows us to evaluate our teams and make decisions.  If you'll notice, it's really incredible how much perceptions can change from May to September.  Personally, I like to just watch and enjoy the games, rather than try and break down every minutia.

And (3), this was really only an issue in September and October, but who knew the Bengals would be relevant?  I certainly didn't.  After last year I almost thought my interest in the NFL would disappear entirely.  The Bengals were dreadful, and I was pretty sick of all the concussions and violence and "it's football, be a man" talk that was going on.  Turns out my football convictions aren't very strong, and rooting for a team without T.Ocho and with two standout rookies is unexpectedly refreshing.

Oh, and there's a (4)... I've been attending to some family stuff since July and really, finding free time to write about baseball was extremely difficult.

Anyway, as Poz would say, sorry, I'm back.  And so, consider this the start of a new non-dry spell, with posts upcoming about whatever I feel like writing.  Until next time, go Reds.  Do something.  Please.