Disclaimer: In the natural course of blogging, I may get on rants regarding baseball. I am a hard-core baseball girl and just can not help myself between March and October. Yes, I am a Diamondbacks fan. While I respect many other organizations, Arizona is where my heart is. There. You have been warned.

My little brother is 16. He has never really been into baseball. Let’s say he just lacks the attention to detail needed to appreciate the game. But bless his heart, he tries. He and I get along so well, but I am afraid of his rationale. Besides flippin’ football, baseball has been the topic of his conversations in the last few months. Between the 2007 NLCS and the Mitchell Report, I have been unable to discuss Baseball with a whole heart; he is starting to unnerve me! He has been talking more about baseball in the last few months than he has in his entire life, to date. What is the topic of baseball he discusses (as baseball has many different topics to divulge in)? His favorite team. He does not have a favorite team and he is trying to “pick one.” In January. *Insert Rolling Eyes*

Now, I am not sure what exactly the reason is for picking the worst part of the baseball season to “pick a team.” But on thinking, it could be a number of reasons: It could be because I have moved back to Yuma and have brought the Wonderful World of Baseball into the forefront of his life, (at least when he is with me); It could be because of a natural, yet subliminal, envy of my father’s and mine relationship through baseball; or the fact that the Diamondbacks made it to the playoffs and he is trying to be more a part of my life. Or, he could just enjoy watching my eye twitch every time he brings it up.

Just after the 2007 World Series, he wanted to be a Rockies devotee. As difficult as it is for me to say this, I could have respected that choice…if it weren’t for the timing. After sense somehow prevailed in his futile quest, he decided to be a Devil Rays admirer. I still find that venture amusing. Around Thanksgiving time, he was a Pittsburg Pirates supporter because he liked the Pirate logo. In early December, he was a Padres enthusiast because of all the stories our dad and I have told him of their glorious Spring Training Days at Ray Kroc. Just before Christmas he was a San Francisco Giants hanger-on…until I threatened to ruin his Christmas and take back all of his gifts…after I disowned him, (the eye twitch was uncontrollable at this juncture). At New Year’s, he was an Oakland A’s enthusiast, (as an Eric Byrnes fan, I found this somewhat tolerable). Last week he was an Anaheim Angels disciple. This week, we are back to the Pirates.

In all fairness I must explain that my little brother does love football. He takes any opportunity to school me in the sport, with a blatant disregard for my lack of interest. He is a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan. As someone who would rather pluck her eyebrows than watch football, I could honestly care less what team my bro likes…as long as there is reason in his choice. The reason? He likes the logo. Personally, I am not satisfied with that answer. But it is football, so I can not argue with him.

I can easily tell you where every football team is from, if I can remember them all, but I don’t know who their starting Quarterbacks are or how many Super Bowls they have been to. I lack the ability. However, I will fight him at every turn until he can give me a good reason for liking a baseball team. The only decent answer he can give right now is Arizona. Not because of my persuasion, but because he lives here. They are the home team. That is the most genuine reason anyone can give for loving a team: it is their home team. Quite honestly, I do not care (…really), what team my bro chooses as a favorite baseball team until he actually watches half a season!! Otherwise, I do not believe he has a genuine opinion.

Is this what people do when they become fans? I can understand how people become fanatics about a team, in any sport, when they understand the stats, the weaknesses and strengths of individual players, the chemistry of a team, what works and what doesn’t, on top of following franchise procedures. But can someone honestly call themselves fans when they do not understand any of these things? Can Real Fans be based on a logo? This could be just some major form of egoism on my part, but it drives me crazy when people insist on calling themselves fans of teams they have no clue about.

I am trying my hardest to keep my little bro out of that category. So far…???