Game Thread 32 & 33. August 29, 2020 3:10 CDT. A’s @ Astros

PEACE

The Astros did it last night. They joined the growing movement of athletes and sports franchises using their public forum for political advocacy.

To many, this is an act of courage. These people believe that it is both the right and the duty of athletes to use their influence to bring about positive change in society.

Many others have a different opinion. They believe sports should be a “no-politics” zone, a kind of hobby where ordinary people can find a diversion from the serious side of life. Others disagree with the political message and object to having to support a team that has thrown in with political views to which they object.

Judging by the comments in last night’s game thread, now removed, the civil war that seems to be emerging in America was being waged full scale here at TCB. It is to be expected that people here would be full of opinions, and the Astros themselves made baseball a political issue, so that you CAN’T discuss baseball without discussing politics.

Well, we’re going to try.

Many who objected to the gesture the Astros made last night may indeed follow through with their promise to quit their fandom. For those still with us let’s try once again to talk about the game, the season, the non-political stuff about baseball that all brought us here in the first place. Surely you know, in your more lucid moments, that the political opinions you express on this site are not going to change anyone’s minds, and probably just engender a biting retort.

So if you can’t keep your politics to yourself, go somewhere else where political discussion is the main subject. Here we talk about batting averages, ERA, WAR, xFIP, xWOBACON, and what a truly great person Jose Altuve is.

Here, we are all Astros fans. We love our team, and we love each other. If we disagree, it’s whether Forrest Whitley is going to be a bust. Yes, the Astros did something on the field last night that many strongly praise, and other strongly object to. For the sake of our friendships here at TCB, let us simply agree to disagree, and talk about the other stuff. Let us be an example to the others out there that we can have different opinions and still love each other. Let our love of baseball bring us together, as it was meant to do.

As one of my original mentors here at TCB once advised me in my early days during a heated row on one of the threads:

PEACE.