Today is the lowest point in the summer.
If your a baseball geek like I am, it's rock bottom.
You may not be aware but, there are no Major League Baseball games being played today, in the third day off of the All-Star break.
Monday was the home run derby, which is a nice and fun event, if you're 10. And Tuesday's All-Star game, with 40-plus players on the roster, and pitching changes every other inning - just doesn't fill that baseball fix.
I love the mid-summer classic, don't get me wrong. To see the best players of the American League, take on the National League's finest is something that is great. The game they play is baseball, but it really doesn't have the same feel. Even in the middle of July there are pitching matchups that are reminiscent of late October. And even now, every games counts in the race to the postseason.
You may be an international sports fan and are asking me to turn my attention across the pond on my day off. But the events are not sufficient fillers for our national past time.
The Tour de France has certainly lost its luster for Americans without Lance Armstrong. When its on an obscure TV network, and you have to wake up at 7 a.m. to catch the Blaye-les-Mines to Lavaur stage - I'm going to take a pass on that.
One of the better stories this summer has been the U.S. women's soccer team. I do enjoy my fair share of headers, and overtime shootouts, but it can't replace the crack of the bat, and the web gems on Baseball Tonight. Plus, waking up at 10:30, for a night owl like me, doesn't appeal either.
Those two events, cycling and soccer - is it. They are the best events the wide world of sports has to offer today.
So what is going to fill my darkest day of summer? I will be listening to talk radio, and have to endure more NFL lockout updates on how the players and the officials might be moving closer to an agreement. Add in the NBA lockout talk which makes this summer's baseball-less day even worst.
One tip to endure this Wednesday, is take a good look at the standings. In the AL Central, the beloved Twins are sitting six and a half games back. Which for them is not bad considering the bevy of injuries they've had to put up with. Taking into account the track record the Twins have on making ridiculous runs at the postseason in early August, makes any good Twinkies fan hope for another shot at October.
On this day off, please don't go too crazy digging up sabermetrics, BAIP, WAR, or AVG/OBP/SLG. But if you need your baseball fix, you can show up at the Surrey baseball field and watch the Minot Metros take on Grand Forks.
Enjoy the day off from baseball, and be thankful that it's only one day out of the summer.
(Kevin Mehrer is a sports writer for the Minot Daily News, he can be reached via e-mail at kmehrer@minotdailynews.com)