This was a long offseason. For as forgettable and unwatchable and frustrating the previous couple of seasons have been, baseball is comfort that, for eight months a year, gives and gives without asking for anything back. It has has long stretches of boring and intense bursts of excitement, it has heroes and villains and rivalries and companionship. It can be infuriating at points, heartbreaking at others, and we constantly hold onto hope for the unlikeliest of outcomes. Baseball is an escape from the realities of our busy lives while also mirroring them. The moment the Cubs celebrated on the field following the final out of the 2016 World Series, marking the end of a long season, a disquiet appeared and followed my soul as the feeling of comfort that baseball provides was left behind.
Hahn and Alcantara Kick Off A's 5th Starter Competition
