I guess I know my fandom is strong when I get angry all over again each time I hear in great detail, just how bad Hendry screwed up this offseason. It's not news to me, obviously, but just hearing it again, and especially with DeRosa homering twice last night for the Redbirds sends a painful twitch throughout my back. If I can still get this pissed off about it, I guess it's better than being numb, which is how I felt after the 2004 season. That said, I'm not sure which season angers me more - 2004 or 2009. We expected great things in 2004 after the awesome 2003 playoff run, just like we expected good things this year. At least this time, unlike 2004, I won't let it numb me and send me away from baseball for a few years. I think the intrigue of the unknown with Ricketts taking over may give me some optimism, maybe not for the immediate future but hopefully down the line. Does anyone else feel this sense of optimism or is it more anticipation? I guess I'm feeling a little of both for it will be the unknown. I also just hope five or ten years from now, we're not sitting here thinking that we were crazy for wishing the Tribune away with all their vast resources and money (ok, maybe not anymore with the sad state of newspapers these days).