Countless other, more eloquent observers have noted -- ad nauseam, frankly -- how insignificant the world of sports was suddenly rendered by last week's terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.
What person possessing a semblance of abstract thought can argue? Yet sports remain part of the fabric of our everyday life. And that life, even as we mourn those so horrifically and senselessly lost, goes on. As it must.
Still, it is not the same, and perhaps never will be. Fear. Anger. Uncertainty. Determination. We're feeling -- and will continue to feel -- all of those emotions and many more.
And that includes baseball's players, managers, coaches and officials. In lieu of the usual Power Rankings, here's a sampling of their thoughts and observations from this past, tragic week:
CNNSI.com's Power Rankings
|
Rank |
LW |
|
Team |
1 |
1 |
 |
Seattle Mariners
"You're not going to bring the greatest country in the world to its knees by sneaking up and hitting it in the head from behind. I would think if you had a chance to ask one of the people who got killed what they wanted us to do, they wouldn't want us to close up shop." -- Reliever Norm Charlton.
|
2 |
2 |
|
Oakland Athletics
"I know New York is going to do its very best to make sure the playoffs don't get interrupted. There will be security checks everywhere. They're not going to let terrorists ruin that city or the playoffs." -- Outfielder Johnny Damon.
|
3 |
3 |
|
New York Yankees
"A neighbor of mine went down to the World Trade Center and they let him start digging. He wanted to do what he could. I guess what we can do is play and hope it's a distraction." -- Manager Joe Torre.
|
4 |
4 |
 |
Houston Astros
"Nothing like this has happened in our lifetime. Hopefully, things will get back to normal. With something of this magnitude, it's going to take a while. Time has to heal it." -- Pitcher Shane Reynolds.
|
5 |
5 |
|
Cleveland Indians
"This is something that affects every one in the country, but I think it's going to be good to get back out there and play baseball. I think Tuesday is going to be very emotional." -- Shortstop Omar Vizquel.
|
6 |
6 |
|
Arizona Diamondbacks
"I don't know if I've hugged my kids any tighter. ... I'm just glad I was able to be there. Unfortunately, I've had to field questions from 4- and 6-year-old kids on what has happened. But that's what my responsibility is first and foremost, for my kids." -- Pitcher Curt Schilling.
|
7 |
7 |
 |
San Francisco Giants
"I think it's funny that something like this has to happen for people to come together. Why wait until now? Why can't it be like this all the time?" -- Outfielder Marvin Benard.
|
8 |
8 |
 |
St. Louis Cardinals
"Sports are a diversion, entertainment. ... I never like it when we're included in essential things. We're not essential. I don't care how intense or serious I get about the Cardinals playing in October. I'm not nuts." -- Manager Tony La Russa.
|
9 |
9 |
 |
Atlanta Braves
"It's going to be weird going home and not seeing the twin towers there. It hasn't really hit me. When I get back there, that's going to be the real test." -- Pitcher Jason Marquis, a Staten Island native.
|
10 |
10 |
|
Los Angeles Dodgers
"I don't care if it was this weekend, Monday, next week or the week after that. That first day is going to be hard whenever. Hopefully, we have the mind-set to go out there and perform the way we know we can, and not throw away what we've accomplished over the last few weeks. But there's no way you can't think about what's going on. Just no way." -- Second baseman Mark Grudzielanek.
|
11 |
11 |
|
Chicago Cubs
"It's going to be difficult, but what can you do? This is my job, this is my life. I've got to be strong, because that's the only way you can show the whole world you're not afraid." -- Outfielder Sammy Sosa.
|
12 |
12 |
|
Philadelphia Phillies
"I don't think this season will ever be the same. I don't think anybody wants it to be the same." -- Third baseman Scott Rolen.
|
13 |
13 |
 |
Minnesota Twins
"I thought today was good. Guys were talking trash again." -- Catcher A.J. Pierzynski after a three-hour workout Sunday.
|
14 |
14 |
|
Boston Red Sox
''I was bemoaning missing all those games in a row. Then I realized it really doesn't mean a hill of beans. It was brought into perspective that we're just playing a game to entertain people.'' -- Manager Joe Kerrigan.
|
15 |
15 |
 |
Anaheim Angels
"So it takes a little extra time to travel, big deal. I've always believed you can never be too safe. This [tragedy] has opened everyone's eyes even wider to an issue that was already out there." -- Outfielder Darin Erstad.
|
16 |
16 |
|
Chicago White Sox
"The guys requested we pray as a team. I prayed for everyone involved, that God would give grace and that miracles would take place as far as rescuing people. That it would bring everyone together. That we'd help one another." -- Outfielder Chris Singleton, on leading a team prayer before Saturday's practice.
|
17 |
17 |
 |
New York Mets
"People like to talk bad about New York. But when something bad happens, no one comes together like us. And when we take the field, I'm sure our hearts will be here in New York." -- Reliever John Franco, a Brooklyn native.
|
18 |
18 |
|
Toronto Blue Jays
"I've been thinking about it two, three days now. The national anthem will be very special." -- Manager Buck Martinez on the Jays' first game back, Tuesday against the Orioles.
|
19 |
19 |
|
San Diego Padres
"This was an attack on all of us and affects all of us. It's not a time for baseball to be talking wins and losses and home runs. It's time for us to be with our families and reflect." -- Outfielder Tony Gwynn.
|
20 |
20 |
 |
Florida Marlins
"The first few days, I just sat there and wept. I was sobbing for days. ... It just floors you. It knocks you out. I just want this season over with. I've got a ton of things I want to do. I want to send clothes, shoes. I want to make a donation." -- Outfielder Cliff Floyd.
|
21 |
21 |
 |
Texas Rangers
"We had a 13-hour bus ride to Seattle and then plans changed. It became a 30-hour bus ride. Nobody complained at all. We all got on the bus and we were ready to go." -- First baseman Rafael Palmeiro.
|
22 |
22 |
|
Milwaukee Brewers
"I don't fear that anything will happen at a ballpark but it's always in the back of your mind. That's probably going to be the one thing that the fans and the players will have to get over." -- Relief pitcher Mike DeJean.
|
23 |
23 |
 |
Colorado Rockies
"I'll have my intensity but all of our thoughts -- it will be only natural for them to drift off." -- Pitcher Denny Neagle, on baseball's scheduled return Monday.
|
24 |
24 |
|
Montreal Expos
"I don't mind playing there. I just don't want to fly in or out of there. I would ride a bus because no one is really confident about flying in or out of New York. That'd be my vote. I think it will be safe playing the games and staying in Manhattan. It's just flying in and out." -- First baseman Lee Stevens on playing at Shea Stadium.
|
25 |
25 |
 |
Cincinnati Reds
"I definitely cried. It was tough to be there without tearing up. It also made me feel better." -- Reliever Danny Graves after attending the teams' weekly prayer service.
|
26 |
26 |
|
Detroit Tigers
"There are a lot of times that we can treat an at-bat like life or death, or treat a particular game or a particular inning that way. We seem to take our failures very hard. What's happened in our country, fresh in the back of our minds, might curb that emotion." -- Second baseman Damion Easley.
|
27 |
27 |
 |
Kansas City Royals
"This is different, this is not routine because of what has happened inside our borders. It used to be the international flights you had to worry about." -- Manager Tony Muser on the team's nervousness before flying to Cleveland for a series with the Indians.
|
28 |
28 |
 |
Baltimore Orioles
"In a perfect world. I'd like to celebrate the end with the people who've been with [me] the whole time. But I'm a little numb to the whole situation. Those things take care of themselves. Right now, it's hard to get psyched up about that." -- Cal Ripken Jr. on his retirement farewell tour.
|
29 |
29 |
|
Pittsburgh Pirates
"I'm like everybody else. I don't have any words to even describe how I feel. It's very disturbing. You can't concentrate on baseball or anything else at a time like this." -- Catcher Jason Kendall.
|
30 |
30 |
 |
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
"My shades will be down. I won't be looking at anything." -- Pitcher Tanyon Sturtze on flying to New York next week to play the Yankees.
|
