Posted by
Josh Todd on Monday, October 06, 2008 8:18:38 PM
An old ballplayer—the Legend, as he was known—returned to the old Ball Club for another go at a World Championship. He stealthily led the Ball Club into the World Series, its first appearance in eight years.
In the Series, the Ball Club faced a youthful expansion team, nicknamed the “Baby Bombers.” The Bombers had only been around for about four years, but they had been a big item in the baseball world. It went without saying that the Legend and the Ball Club had a monumental task ahead of them.
Baby Bomber players were fierce, willing to get down in the dirt to play with anyone. They even played dirty baseball.
On the other hand, the Legend—the Ball Club’s leader—didn’t seem to have any fight in him. He gave a rousing speech after the League Championship Series in which he lauded his mates to “Come fight with me!” Yet, he seemed timid, somehow, unwilling to exploit obvious Baby Bomber weaknesses.
For instance, Bomber infielders were meek on double play chances when opposing base runners slid hard into second base. They also defended the bunt poorly. Bomber hitters couldn’t hit fastballs on the inside part of the plate. And Bomber pitchers had control problems, relying on the opposing batter’s willingness to swing at pitches out of the strike zone.
Yet, the Ball Club wouldn’t slide, bunt, throw inside, or take a pitch.
In essence, it seemed as if the Ball Club was hoping for the 3-run homerun, or errors on routine grounders from Baby Bomber fielders, or other Cardinal sins on behalf of the youthful club. It didn’t help that the umpires were swept up in the Baby Bomber hysteria, at times calling the game to the Bomber’s favor.
Still, the Legend and his Ball Club made it to Game 7. But what will they do?
Likewise, I ask the same question of John McCain. Barack Obama and the Democrats have clear weaknesses that McCain simply refuses to exploit—Bill Ayers, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and many others. Sadly, if the Legend refuses to slide, and McCain refuses to call ‘em like they are, what happens to the country?