Someday we’ll look back and remember that 2011 was what it was all about

Tomorrow the Cincinnati Reds begin another season. It’s difficult to say what will be the exact outcome when the dust settles.

I’ve ranged from excitement to paranoia and everything in between in the last few days when thinking about where to predict the Reds in the standings for 2011. There aren’t too many seasons in my lifetime in which the Reds were being picked by unbiased writers around the nation to represent the NL in the World Series.

There’s something a little uncomfortable about that. I remember 2000 all too well–the year that the Reds snagged Griffey Jr. in the offseason and were picked by Sports Illustrated to take the baseball world and make it theirs. Things just never seemed to gel that season and the Reds lack of tangible pitching doomed their fate.

This year, the Reds pitching got slammed all spring long. Many will say that it doesn’t matter what you do in Arizona’s altitude-happy air and that the standings only count in April. But it’s a fragile thing when you’re trying to be a contender. The Reds are like every other team out there who will be playing a lot of meaningful ballgames in 2011. They’re not without their chinks in the armor and they’re far from perfect.

All that said, someday you and I will look back (if you’re a Reds fan) on the times of the present when they’re the times of the past and say ‘boy we had it good then’. This is what it’s all about if you’re a baseball fan. It’s all about the ride up through the ranks, the climb, the ascent. It’s about the window just opening and acquiring the final pieces to get to the top. No matter what becomes of the Reds this year, the window will remain open and unless there are extreme acts of misfortune, they should be good for the next few seasons.

The core is great, as strong as it’s been in my lifetime. There’s no guarantee that the Reds will win this year but there will be a lot of excitement and big time drama. Isn’t that what sports are all about? The entertainment, the anticipation, and the excitement.

And at the end of the day–you could be a Nancy and pick these guys to miss out on the playoffs like I was going to do. But as I laid in bed last night I talked myself out of it and decided that for once, it’s time to believe in my team. For once, it’s okay to be a ‘homer’. The 2011 season could be the best of my lifetime–and that’s counting 1990. Why not the Reds? It’s not like people in San Francisco had it all together last season or the Tampa Bay Rays had it all back in 2008. Staying in the mix and getting hot at the right time; along with the ever important ‘chemistry’ factor, can take a young group a long way.

And for 2011, the window is just now being opened. It’s going to be a wild ride filled with wild times and we’re just lucky enough to be along for the ride. Soak it in and try to enjoy it. These days won’t last forever.