Looks like we're allowed only a Woody or a Willy - one dirty name per team, perhaps. I would've taken my Willy over a Woody any day.

Thank you for the support here - y'all are too sweet.

Honestly, I'm more angry than sad right now. I think it truly hasn't hit me yet because I've hardly been upset about it. It must be this wretched offseason feeling, where I can't even remember what it was like to flip on the TV and see my boys playing that heavenly game. Then again..."my boys"? No Andy. No Willy. Possibly no Roger. Carlos Lee? Woody Williams? Jason Jennings? Not literally speaking, of course...but who the heck are they?

Then I realized, this is baseball. Now it is. I haven't been a fan long enough to know what it used to be like, but I can see well enough that baseball is losing some of the magic it had. Money has always been a part of it, but I think it's only about the money now. The Boston pitcher deal, that devil Scott Boras, millions and millions for people to play a game, these stupid bidding wars and holding out for more cash. Does anyone play just because they love to play? Craig Biggio is one of the very few that come to mind. He's spent almost twenty years with the same club - he plays consistently, never assumes "superstar status," does stuff for the community, and has always been loyal to Houston. Top notch player in my book.

I didn't even mean to go off on that in this rant. Losing Willy made me upset simply about the business of baseball, and that, I should've expected and learned to deal with by now. Just in three years of following baseball, we've gained and lost so many players, and it's getting more and more difficult to see them go. No, it truly isn't personal, but I'm always going to make it personal for as long as I'm a fan. Contract stuff like with Andy - that's tough, too, but not as much as a trade where Willy was torn from us with no real decision on his part. People kept saying he was taking too long to come around. He's had some trouble on offense, but he was promoted straight from AA - regardless, he's a hero on defense and speed. Roadrunner, King of the Hill (in CF)...he was the little engine that could. And I HOPE he keeps up all that he's done so well at, and that he keeps getting better and better. I want them to regret it. Those insensitive jerks.

Again, I'm not sure why I'm not more sad, but I think I'm just focusing more on the anger and disgust right now. It's not "real" for me when I'm not seeing any of them anyway. The sadness will come Opening Day when Willy's not out there with the rest of the boys.

I'm changing my avatar to Colbert (my offseason obsession), and I'm making a special spot for Willy in my signature, so he will always be remembered.

Retired Number:
Willy Taveras - #1

#1 in the game and #1 in our hearts.