How to Cope With a Losing Season: Angels 2013 Edition

There was so much expectation coming into this season. The Josh Hamilton signing, Mike Trout trying to replicate if not surpass his historic rookie season, another year of Albert Pujols, hopefully a more comfortable Albert Pujols this time around. It was World Series or bust in February. Now, my days are filled with looking at reverse standings to see where the Angels will fall in next year’s draft and brushing up on the amateur baseball ranks to see what the draft is going to be like in 2014. It’s a sad existence.

After a decade of being an elite franchise, the Angels are slowly but surely turning into the American League version of the New York Mets. Except, Mr. Moreno can’t claim that a Ponzi Scheme has hamstrung the organization. Just lots and lots of bad luck, injuries and underperforming. And now with the Angels at 48-56, 14 games out of first place in the AL West and nine games out of a Wild Card spot, I think it’s time that we grabbed some chairs, formed a circle, and talked about how we can cope with this failure of a season.

Lower Your Expectations

Don’t stop cheering for the team, just, temper what you expect from them. I literally laughed out loud (LLOL, if you are of the text-speak ilk) when Geovany Soto hit his walk off home run. Geovany Soto. Wow. No loss surprises me anymore. Thankfully, this team isn’t a bottom-five team like the Astros, Marlins and Cubs, but if you are still holding out hope for a playoff spot, well, my hats off to you. And you can have my supply of heartburn medication. You are going to need it more than I will.

Root For Individual Accomplishments

Mike Trout besting Rogers Hornsbys‘ age-21 season fWAR of 9.4. Jered Weaver having another season with a sub-3.00 ERA. If C.J. Wilson keeps pitching the way that he has been for the last month, he could reach the 20-win plateau. There are still positive things to root for 2013. Be excited for those things. General negativity can be like a poison, and being positive is the antidote. Let a little sunshine in through the rain clouds that is this season. Vitamin D is good for you.

Adopt-A-Team

Personally, I’m adopting the Pirates, and I’m sure my Grandfather would approve. They are mere percentage points behind the Cardinals in the NL Central and look better than they did last season at this time. This could be their year! It’s good for baseball when bad teams turn things around and become a contender, even if it is only for one season.

Just don’t let it be the Dodgers. We can’t be friends if you are cheering for the Dodgers.

See. There’s three ways to cope with a losing season. And it’s three ways to save you money on Tums. There’s only so much heartbreak a fan can take, and if you haven’t hit that breaking point just yet, you can use this guide to see you past the rough transition into apathy.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get geared up for the Angels push towards a playoff spot. Do as I say, not as I do.