Could We at Least Win the Little One?

I was reading a recent issue of Sports Illustrated yesterday in which the feature piece centered around Mark Buehrle. The by-line to the story suggested that his perfect game a few weeks ago was quite possibly the best moment of the MLB season thus far. I can't argue with that assessment one bit. Being an Indians fan (actually, that's only a half truth, but we'll deal with that another time) I had no problem rooting for Buehrle to get the perfect game as I followed it online. The drama was high, and the action was right down to the wire as DeWayne Wise made what I consider the catch of the year in the ninth to save the perfect game. I couldn't get enough of the highlights of the game and how the crowd reacted as they got closer to the twenty-seventh out.

As I wondered why I thought this was such a great moment, despite the fact it came from a Cleveland rival, it hit me: I was jealous. Here were the White Sox, only a few games over .500 and vaguely holding onto playoff hopes. The White Sox were in the playoffs last year, and the World Series title of 2005 is still fresh in the mind of their fans. The minute Buehrle completed the perfect game, it gave the Sox fans an unforgettable moment in a season that ultimately may be forgettable. His no hitter in 2007 was a memorable moment in a lost year for them. It seems everywhere I look around baseball, even the most destitute teams have given their fans something to smile about during a down year.

Except the Indians. The team hasn't had a no hitter or perfect game since Len Barker tossed one in 1981. As I thought about not getting any type of memorable moment out of the Indians the past two years as they slipped into oblivion, I remembered a quote from television character Al Bundy:

"I've never even won the little one!"

This quote was said to Terry Bradshaw on an episode of Married With Children where Bundy's high school was naming its field after Bradshaw, simply to spite Bundy. Al, in a heart to heart talk with Super Bowl champion Terry Bradshaw pleads his case and eventually reduces Bradshaw to tears as he realizes he's won the big one multiple times, and here was this man who had tasted no success in his life. This quote is perfectly representative of the Cleveland Indians and their fans. There is no title coming to Regressive Field any time soon. Definitely not as long as the Dolan family occupies the owner's box.

I'd love to at least see a no hitter break up the doldrums of this dying season. But with this bunch of stiffs taking the field on a nightly basis, I'd settle for Jake Taylor catching pitches from Ricky Vaughn at this point. At least that would have fun and personality to it.