Today is likely the last day big league baseball will be played at the Oakland Coliseum.

It looks like the A's will relocate. Supposedly, they're headed to Las Vegas, but not for a few years.

Reportedly, they will spend the next couple of years in Sacramento, but not all the details have been worked out there either. Who knows what's going to happen.

I don't watch much baseball anymore, but I still keep up with a lot of the news. It's sad, because it was a gigantic part of my life for over four decades. After the corona craze of 2020, I was optimistic that things would change in sports for the better. Optimism, as per Spengler, is cowardice.

I should have known. Sports, and professional baseball in particular, have only gotten worse.

Most years, I would watch hundreds of baseball games. This year, I may have watched two games in their entirety—not two-hundred, but one plus one equals two—and that might be generous. Maybe two or three dozen innings this season. That's it.

I had to turn off the All-Star game after a few innings because the game and the broadcast were such a travesty.

However, thumbing through 𝕏–Twitter last night, a fellow who has been part of my enjoyment of baseball ever since I can remember posted:

Steve Stone @stevestone

This historic season is coming to an end. There is a great deal of work to be done this offseason. As most of you know I am an employee of the White Sox and I’m also a fan of our Sox. I want to come back and we’re working on the details. I want to be here when we’re good again

I have been with Stoney since the early 1980s, watching baseball day-in and day-out on WGN when he was a member of the Cubs broadcast team. Nearly every afternoon I heard from Steve Stone. This man was and is a huge part of my life.

In 2005, Stoney went across town and became part of the White Sox team.

Long story short, Stoney's tweet (a simple Call to Action for all the marketing folks out there) got me to tune into the ballgame this morning. In the second inning, Stoney announced that he just signed a contract extension to stay with the Sox through the end of his career, whenever that may be. He's 77 years old and still going strong.

Having not watched much this year, his new play-by-play partner is not particularly good—certainly no Harry Caray or Hawk Harrelson—but Stoney's enthusiasm for the game and a historically bad White Sox squad is encouraging.

One more loss, and the Sox clinch the record for the worst record in baseball history. As I write, the Sox exploded for 7 runs in the bottom of the 5th inning and look to move their stay of execution to the last series of the season in Detroit where the Tigers are looking to clinch a playoff spot with a couple more wins.

I can't believe I tuned in to a game between two horrible teams. The visiting Angels are worse than those A's-in-Limbo and the Sox have been nothing short of pathetic all season.

But I did it. It is okay. I don't plan on doing much more of it, though I'll probably watch the World Series as always.

It's nice to have baseball back, at least for an afternoon. Better late than never.

[Insert :cry: emoji.]

As always,

Brian

P.S. – Steve Stone started with the Cubs in 1983 and that was the first year I remember collecting baseball cards. On my own baseball site, I have an homage to that year (the 1983 Fleer baseball card).

We're currently revamping the site, but you can check out O'Leary Baseball here:

You'll also find a link to our free e-book Run at Thunder, where we examine the intersection of baseball and the pioneers of the Oregon Country.

Baseball and Oregon were once two of the sturdiest pillars in my life. No longer. I am not optimistic that they will be again.

But I am hopeful.

Sox win 7-0 and sweep the series.

A's are up 3-0 in the 5th as I hit send.

[Insert :cry: emoji.]