Before Game 7

I haven't written about baseball this season, something that hasn't occurred for 18 years. I've had health problems this year and it has prevented me from writing or being able to focus on having a consistent schedule. However, through my health challenges, I did pay attention to the team.

I am trying to get this out before game 7 because I don't want my feelings to be influenced by the games outcome. The anticipation and the unknown are enough of a an influence on my feelings that the elation of a win or the sadness that would come from a loss and the end of this season would be too much.

To say that this team and its success has been a blessing in one of the more difficult years of my life can't be understated.

People are saying it a lot but there is something about this team.

Ernie Clement is makes jokes about their success being from the power of friendship but his deliberate cheesiness isn't masking that these guys genuinely seem to care about each other. I would argue that most MLB teams that spend a whole season together have some sort of chemistry, some sort of relationship. Sometimes it's toxic and it's clear that it's toxic and sometimes it's not so clear and things come out later that illustrate how it truly was and how a narrative was created to cover it up.

I don't know these guys: I am not in this clubhouse, I am not in any kind of proximity to them but the only way I can describe what this is is non-toxic masculinity.

There's footage of Vladimir Guerrero Jr making friendship bracelets with his daughter and him arriving to Game 7 in a Team Canada Marie-Philip Poulin jersey. There is David Schneider making jokes about Addison Barger sleeping on his couch that are cheeky and vaguely homoerotic that is sweet. David Schneider has also used Pink Pony Club a queer anthem for all the fans to sing as his walk up song for a good portion of the season. There is a lightness here. A good space being created.

Obviously, I want this team to win this World Series. I am a fan and I have been a fan for decades and and much of my creative output of the last 18 years has been inspired by this franchise.

But I also releases part of me wants them to win because I want this kind of wholesomeness to win out. All over media right now there are images of masculinity that is negative, that is cruel, that is violent, destructive and racist. We live in a very bad time.

I want this friendship, sweetness and good vibes to succeed. I want men to be successful when they can be this positive this friendship positive. It’s a 36 year old who seemed past it having a miraculous year; it's a rookie who started his season in A ball and exploding on the biggest stage possible while his parents cheer him on; it's the face of the franchise signing a deal to stay and setting records in the postseason. And it's the veteran destined for the HOF having one more shot at glory, screaming all the way.

I am not thrilled that they didn't win Game 6 because the momentum was with them and the game was lost in a very unlucky, strange way. This created some disquiet in me.

But doubt aside, this team has earned the championship in all the ways a team can.