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Why do the righteous suffer the bullpen?
In the Book of Job, a parable of the Old Testament, God wagers with the Devil that Job, a pious man of great wealth and love, would love him even if he were to lose the things that made him happy. He allows the Devil to strip him of his family, his wealth, plague his body with boils, burns his house down. Job still blesses God, believing that his piousness is not something that can only be when he is rewarded. Eventually, God is satisfied that Job’s faith is true and he has won the wager with his adversary. He restores Job’s house, his wealth, and he sees his family for generations.
The Book of Job, like many stories within the bible, is likely a fable (in fact the truthfulness of Job is a point of discontent in the church itself). A story to teach a lesson that suffering is not unique to those who commit sin. That righteousness is not an inherent trait to those that are successful. That is the way that religious teachings would like the interpretation to be told, at least. The world has suffering for which we cannot understand and the book inscribes to teach us that God has a plan for all of it. The book is often quoted at Jewish funerals or in times of great tragedy.
In a darker interpretation, and one that I came to the conclusion of on my first reading, is that God is not just. He is toying with Job, a man who loves him, simply to win an argument. The lessons beyond it that could teach people to not cast out those who are suffering are well intentioned but never spoken by God himself in the tale. Job is a just man who has earned his wealth while also believing it to be what God has intended for him, stripping him of it didn’t teach him the lesson at all. What lesson was to be taught of Job? He never gives up his piety.
At one point in the story, Job concludes that God is unjust. This argument is pushed back on by his friend to say that suffering is way for God to open Job’s ears to revelation. Revelation to what? Job is pious! The story has always spoken to me of a very cruel God, one that would rather be right than just. My agnostic/atheist upbringing is certainly part of this analysis, no one is without bias, but if the Book of Job asks the reader the question “Why do the righteous suffer?” and the answer is “because God had a bet with the devil.” Then why am I to believe he is a deity with which I should be faithful? Why should I believe in his divine wisdom? Job believes in it because he doesn’t know the true reason. But we do! And we just note that sometimes God ruins your life because he was annoyed someone would say you’re too happy?
Which brings us to the Rockies bullpen.
Over the course of six home games, the Rockies bullpen entered with a lead or in a tie game four times. The Rockies lost two of those games and needed a walk-off grand slam to secure one of the two wins. The bullpen gave up 16 runs, including 12 (!) in two games to the Rays.
Why do the righteous suffer the bullpen?
In the exploration of sports fandom, the idea of “ceding control” is one of the top explanations of why people do this. Here is an event that you cannot impact in any way yet dictates your emotions. With so much of your life being something you are trying to control, perhaps it feels good to watch something that you know you cannot. A baseball relief pitching appearance is perhaps one of the biggest examples of moments you are giving up all power. When the team you cheer for has a shitty bullpen, no lead is safe. Five run lead in the ninth? That will be gone. Six run lead in the fifth? Yeah, best of luck. There is no lead, no amount of time, nothing that doesn’t feel like it will bring you pain and heartbreak.
As Justin Lawrence, Jalen Beeks, Nick Mears, and Jake Bird cede run after run to the Rockies opponents, it is nothing short of human to ask if a just God would allow this type of thing? Why do we suffer in the name of a lord that doesn’t love us? Are we not pious? Do we not give our penance to the lords of baseball? Why are we cast out in the names of sinners?
If the lord is to allow suffering regardless of devotion, that is understandable. If he is to say that our faith is not based on reward but based on believing in his divine wisdom, then fine.
But I will not stand by a God that tells me that a bullpen must surrender seven runs in two innings.
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