Ted Berg on SNY.tv writes a great column of how he came to forgive Ron Darling for a formative moment in a Mets fan’s life. Darling discusses how even the best teams and players can falter at the most inopportune times, and how for all our endless analysis, “Baseball games and seasons are often decided by good timing or dumb luck”.

Darling not only reminded me that anything can happen in baseball; he demonstrated that baseball is as redeeming as it is damning. That he could move on from his bad start in 1988 and the Mets could move on from their tragic finish in 2007.

The Mets, and Darling, broke my heart too in 1988. It was the first time I felt real, soul-aching pain as a fan of my beloved Mets. It was like the first time a girl broke your heart and you never forget that feeling.

I too have since forgiven the Mets, and Darling, and its what allowed me to get some perspective about last year. Baseball is a funny game, and nothing is promised to you, no matter how perfect things appear to be. 

There are moments of great joy and tremendous pain, but winter ends, spring begins and we start all over again.