A Lesson in Humility

In the bottom of the 5th inning of last night's playoff game between the Yakult Swallows and Yomiuri Giants, the Swallows manager pinch hit for the starting pitcher, who had just given up a two-run home run in the top of the 5th allowing the Giants to take a 2-1 lead.

"It's too early to pull him," I said to my buddy and fellow Swallows fan, Bowen Roozewell, who nodded in agreement.

To our surprise however, the pinch hitter smacked a line drive into center field for a single and the crowd went wild.

"Holy shit," I said to Roozewell during the celebration. "I guess I was wrong. It turned out to be the right move after all."

Unfortunately, however, the pinch hitter was left stranded on base and the Swallows relief pitcher in the top of the 6th went on to give up two more runs in the blink of an eye, giving the Giants an insurmountable 4-1 lead.

"Holy shit," I said to Roozewell as the Giants fans cheered. "I was wrong about being wrong. The starting pitcher should have definitely stayed in. Don't I feel like an idiot."

And there you have it. For perhaps the first time my life, I was wrong. Wrong about being wrong. What a humbling experience.

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