The reason that this is a concern of mine is that sometimes words thrown out in conversation can come back to haunt you. We've all been there, you know when you say something off-handed and think to yourself what an idiot you sounded like. Well that was me back in June.
The story goes that my wife and I traveled to Washington in early June for a nephew's wedding. Knowing that there would be an opportunity to catch a ball game I gladly went. The Red Sox were in Baltimore that weekend and the Reds were in DC playing the Nationals. Ordinarily the choice of a Red Sox game would be a slam dunk. However, it had been hinted that the Nationals would be calling up Strasburg and we decided to catch the Friday night game at Nationals Park.
The rumors were that Strasburg would be pitching that night so there was a sold out crowd. This was as good a marketing ploy as New Coke back in the day. Of course the Nats wouldn't call him up on a Friday night with a first place club in town, why not bring him up on a Tuesday against the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates and push the crickets out of their seats for the night. There you go: two sell outs for the price of one rumor.
Anyway, before the game started my wife and I went into the Nationals merchandise shop to kill some time and maybe get a souvenir. Interestingly enough the best sellers on the racks was the merchandise of guys that were still in the minors, including Strasburg. Knowing a good bargain when she sees one Liz asked me if I wanted to get a Strasburg shirt? And then it happened.
To all you Nats fans out there, I apologize but I said to her what I felt. After I said "Let's not get carried away. Let's see how he does first. I wouldn't want to get a shirt of someone and then they blow out there elbow in a month."
As soon as I said it I cringed and thought to myself 'Did I just say that out loud?'. It felt like everyone in the store heard me. Of course they couldn't have but I couldn't help but think of what I said as soon as Strasburg started shaking his arm after throwing that pitch in Philadelphia.
If anyone in that store did hear me they are probably thinking that maybe my cynicism had something to do with this injury. So I apologize to those individuals, but seriously I had nothing to do with it. Now if I could just convince myself.
