Astros 8 Rangers 2

Say magic. Say new uniforms. Say Rick Ankiel hits a three-run homer. Rick Ankiel— remember, the way every ball he threw that year went over the catcher’s head, remember when he disappeared to the minors, recreated himself as an outfielder for the Cardinals. Once we hated the Cardinals, but now— a new league, the mystery of the DH. Carlos Pena saying, already, how great to beat our new rivals. After the game the dugout filled with Drake’s “Started from the Bottom.” If Lance Berkman knocked against the clubhouse door now, said I want to remember what it was like in here, there would be no answer. 

JUSTIN CARTER is an MFA candidate at BGSU & the co-editor of Banango Street. Recent work appears/ is forthcoming in The Bakery, Hobart, & Red Lightbulbs. He sometimes blogs about sports & poetry at http://justinrcarter.tumblr.com.