The 2012 baseball season is over. The postseason ended with a bit of a boring thud as the San Francisco Giants swept the Detroit Tigers for a World Series victory.
The biggest bats for the Tigers really didn't come through as the team struggled to score runs during the series. Ace Justin Verlander also got his team off to a bad start in game one. They hit a slump at just the worst moment of the season, while the Giants battled back from series deficits all postseason long and peaked at the right times.
Oh, and maybe the biggest head-scratcher? Former Twins bullpen guy Jose Mijares is now with the Giants, so he's going to be getting a ring. Crazy.
The end and no beginning
Anyway, the end of baseball has meant two things for me. First, the end of baseball until next year, obviously. Secondly, it's been a harsh reminder that I now don't have hockey to turn to. I'm the most devoted sports fan to these two sports, which works out well because then I have sports year-round with just a little overlap.
Not this time.
The National Hockey League usually starts up its regular season in October, but nothing has been happening since the players are locked out. Games were canceled through the end of October, and more recently, through the end of November.
Not too long ago, there seemed to be some optimism that an agreement would happen between the owners and the NHL Players' Association, only to find out that it pretty much went from bad to worse. I thought we could at least count on the league starting up again by the first of the year for the annual, outdoor Winter Classic. It's an event which could be a big money maker lost.
Get it done
I just want hockey back. I can tend to shy away from the business side of sports. It can just make me crazy as a fan if I were to think about all the money involved. Plus, I'm not all that good with numbers, words are more my style. Bottom line? Get a deal done so the NHL can stop this tailspin it's in. On a national level, the NHL is arguably not in the top six for major sports interest.
The last NHL lockout was in 2004-05 and it wiped out the entire season. I fear that might be what we're in for again. It's disappointing and frustrating for the niche of hockey fans out there. And it certainly kills the NHL's reputation, one locked-out day at a time.
So much promise this season
What's particularly frustrating this time around for fans in Minnesota, is that this could have been the season where the Wild make a strong run for the playoffs. The team made a blockbluster deal July 4 when they signed not one, but two, superstar players in Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. It was awesome. It got people talking about hockey and the Wild - in the summer - in a state where the Vikings and Twins are usually the focus.
Now, all that momentum is gone. Who knows when (if?) fans will get to see those two in Wild sweaters this season, along with the rest of the team.
I'm no business gal, but the two sides better get a deal worked out. This girl needs her hockey fix.
Opening day for baseball isn't until April.
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