But if I’m a Tigers fan right now, I’m trying to watch the games free of context, sans the script and the box scores. I’m looking to lose myself in something less definitive than wins and losses, something less concrete than productivity. Forget on-base percentage and ERA, I want a game, an at-bat, a pitch sequence or a play in the field, to take place in a vacuum.

I want to be able to project all sorts of hopes and fantasies onto it. I want it to mean something in my mind that it doesn’t really mean in the world. I want to cozy up to its resemblance to a thing that winners do, and take comfort there, tell myself things are better, or will be better, or might be better some day.