with the New York Mets, Yoenis Cespedes declared: God willing,

Cubs fans know well the space between hope and disappointment. After all, they have been waiting for this day for 71 years -- a lifetime.What happened in the space of those seven decades? Baseball unionized. Baseball became racially integrated. Ballplayers broke records. And the Cubs never made it past the playoffs.Something else happened in that space. Gargantuan legends grew from one goat, and each year proved, for the Cubs at least, that a curse was real.By making it to the World Series, the Chicago Cubs have shown us how quickly things can change and let us believe that perhaps nothing is doomed after all.Baseball can be a slow game to watch, but it offers us something that other sports do not. In its slowness, it offers us space.The space of baseball is what makes superstition possible; there is room for story. There is time for each player to settle into their body before the pitch: the batter adjusts his gloves, the pitcher collects his thoughts, the outfielder inhales.Then, action -- the bat hits, the glove catches, the ball falls. Hope and reality collide in the moment between the pitchers throw and the batters swing. For the fans, those seconds before the ball lands can feel like tension, and spectators become almost still as they wait.Of course, we never experience true silence, especially not at a major league baseball stadium, where every pause is a moment for commercialism to offer us something, for a T-shirt gun to explode into the stands, for an organ to resound.Yes, there is more noise these days than ever. Yet underneath the roar of a crowd is something like silence. My brother attended Saturdays pennant game, and he said he was so caught up in the electricity of the crowd that he forgot to open his peanuts until the third inning, and everyone stood for the entire game.This essay is not about silence; it is about pause. Between the pitches are pauses that help all restless bodies to be still, even for a moment.It is in the stillness that we learn to pay attention. Cubs fans have taught us to be unwavering in their dedication. For 71 years, they have watched as their team struggled. Then, suddenly, the spell is lifted; maybe there are no spells, after all.This lifted curse could be the spell-breaker we need in order to see that the world has enough magic, that anything is possible. Its exhilarating; it has the underdog feeling of March Madness, the triumph of ancient mythology. What will happen if we pay attention to it?We will learn that nothing is permanent, and that things are always possible, and changing. We will become so captivated by the energy of a game that we will be present for it. We will forget to open our peanuts.When we watch the World Series this week, we can remember that no matter how bleak it looks, there is always chance for the spell to be broken.Carrie Ann Welsh is a writer based in Wisconsin.? Calle Jarnkrok Jersey . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night. Wholesale Predators Jerseys . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. http://www.cheappredatorsjerseyschina.com/ . PAUL, Minn. Craig Smith Jersey . Badenhop was 2-3 with a 3.47 ERA in 63 relief appearances for Milwaukee this season. He is 18-20 in his career with three saves and a 3. Youth Predators Jerseys . Miller finished in two minutes, 6.09 seconds, one day before the first medal race on the Alpine schedule. The 36-year-old American also turned in the top time in Thursdays opening training session. NEW YORK -- Having finalized a $110 million, four-year contract with the New York Mets, Yoenis Cespedes declared: God willing, I will finish out my career with this team.Mets general manager Sandy Alderson quickly interjected: God willing, and a no-trade clause, by the way.Acquired by the Mets at the July 31 trade deadline in 2015, Cespedes helped the team reach the World Series, became a free agent and signed a $75 million, three-year contract that allowed him to opt out after one season and $27.5 million. The slugger hit the open market again, then agreed to a deal that calls for a $22.5 million salary next year, $29 million in each of the following two seasons and $29.5 million in 2020.This is the third time that we have acquired Yoenis in the last 17 months, and it appears that two legal separations have only strengthened the marriage, Alderson said at a Citi Field news conference Wednesday evening.Cespedes was the second free-agent regular retained by the Mets this offseason. Second baseman Neil Walker accepted a $17.2 million qualifying offer.The video board on the wall in the interview room featured a photo of the Cuban outfielder and the hashtag YOGotHim, a variation of last winters GotYoBack.New York was 52-50 when it acquired Cespedes in 2015, finished 90-72 and reached the World Series for the first time since 2000.This year, the Mets were 47-38 when he injured his right quadriceps on July 8, then went 13-23 as he hobbled and spent time on the disabled list. After he returned, the Mets closed with a 27-14 surge to finish 87-75. They made the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the second time in team history.When Yoenis Cespedes plays for the Mets, the Mets win, Alderson said. With all of the analysis and mathematics that litters professional baseball today, thats a pretty straightforward statistic and compelling one that I think everybody can understand.Cespedes had 31 homers and 86 RBI in 132 games this year as the Mets earned a berth in the NL wild-card game, which they lost to San Francisco.The way Im treated, just the way the fans support me and this team, it really makes this place feel like home, the two-time All-Star said through a translator.Obtained from the Detroit Tigers in 2015 for pitcher Michael Fulmer, the AL Rookie of the Year this season, Cespedes had 17 home runs and 44 RBI in 57 games with the Mets down the stretch, helping them reach the World Series for the first time since 2000.ddddddddddddThis year, New York drew nearly 2.8 million to Citi Field, its highest home attendance since the ballparks first season in 2009. The teams live SNY broadcasts averaged 264,000 viewers, the networks best since 2008. Cespedes star power was pointed out by his agent, Brodie Van Wagenen.He got a nice book from Brodie that showed us all the back pages, Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon said. New York wants a winner. He obviously makes us win ... and he obviously put butts in seats.While the previous agreement between Cespedes and the Mets was reached in January, talks had a much faster pace this offseason.Both sides had a desire to have this thing resolved sooner rather than later, Van Wagenen said.But a no-trade provision was essential to Cespedes.Ive experienced that now several times with Oakland, Boston, Detroit and then coming here, he said. I didnt like that feeling of just when I was starting to get comfortable with a team that I could be gone.To ease the strain on his legs, the Mets now intend to play Cespedes strictly in left field. Previously they used him in both left and center -- he was playing center field when he strained his quadriceps this year.It will help keep me fresh throughout the season, he said.Cespedes was criticized by some for playing golf while hurt. The Mets didnt press for any restriction on the links, but Alderson did offer: There is no free club membership in the contract.Game notes Cespedes didnt engage a question about the death of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro. Thats just not a topic Im ready to speak about right now, he said. ... With a crowded outfield that also includes Curtis Granderson, Jay Bruce, Michael Conforto and Juan Lagares, the Mets will explore possible trades. They are looking for bullpen help. Weve come a long way from no outfield to an overcrowded one, Alderson said. ... To open a roster spot for Cespedes, the Mets traded pitcher Logan Verrett to Baltimore for $50,000. Verrett, a 26-year-old right-hander, was 3-8 with a 5.20 ERA in 12 starts and 23 relief appearances this year. ' ' '