Sports, especially MLB baseball, are a beautiful roller-coaster ride.
They can take us to incredibly satisfying highs, but are also capable of ruining your day, too.
Fandom is like that: it is not rational and is based on pure emotion.
The teams that move us have this powerful effect on our mood.
These mood swings that are entirely dependent on how our squad did in a pivotal game (or just a game, period) were represented and personified in a young man watching the Houston Astros – Seattle Mariners game at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday.
It wasn’t just any regular clash: it was Game 1 of the American League Division Series between two divisional foes that don’t like each other.
In addition to that, it was the first of a best-of-five series, so there isn’t much margin for error.
Sports Can Affect Our Mood In A Hurry
The Mariners dominated the game for seven innings.
Heading to the eighth, they were up 7-3.
This young Astros fan certainly wasn’t enjoying himself.
The emotions of the #postseason personified. pic.twitter.com/ohJHtSgEjh
— MLB (@MLB) October 12, 2022
However, Alex Bregman hit a two-run homer in the eighth to cut the deficit to two.
An inning later, Yordan Alvarez hit a huge three-run walk-off home run that turned the two-run deficit into an automatic 8-7 win.
It was the most impactful play in postseason history, carrying a Win Probability Added (WPA) of over 90 percent.
You can see in the video how our young friend recovered his best smile and mood in a hurry.
It’s actually a wholesome moment and a reminder of how we all suffered and smiled when we were kids following our favorite teams.
Sports are full of highs and lows, and the young Astros fans certainly experienced both on Tuesday.
