The Dan Auerbach-Soundtracked 2017 MLB Season Preview

By Ryan O'Connell on 04/03/2017 • ( 0 )

Let’s play a game. You want to play a game? I kind of do.

Today is Opening Day for Major League Baseball. Although I suppose yesterday was. But today feels like Opening Day and for the majority of teams and their fans, it is. I love Opening Day. It means baseball is back, it means winter is ending and summer is close. It means fresh starts, new beginnings and endless possibilities because the baseball season is roughly three years long and anything can happen during such a long time.

There are no shortage of baseball previews out there – predictions, thoughts, power rankings and the like. I would also like to do some sort of baseball preview, but I would like to do so in a way that is unlike the other ones out there. And that’s where the idea of a game comes into play.

Last Thursday, Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys and the Arcs, released “Shine on Me,” the first song from his upcoming solo album Waiting on a Song. It’s Auerbach’s first solo effort since 2009, when he dropped Keep It Hid. While the idea of new music from Auerbach is exciting, it unfortunately also muddies the water when it comes to the increasingly uncertain future of the Black Keys. In April of last year, when the Keys’ last album Turn Blue turned two years old I debated the band’s future on UPROXX. Any uncertainty was due in large part to Auerbach’s work with the Arcs with whom he released an album with in 2015. I couldn’t help but feel that the band’s best days were behind them. The Arcs was such a departure on so many levels from the Keys that I just couldn’t imagine Auerbach abandoning a diverse and multi-talented band like the Arcs to return to the stripped down and somewhat limited, albeit awesome, Black Keys.

It’s like this: you spend years living in apartment, even trading up and living in a better apartment, but then you have the opportunity to move into a house, one with a yard and a garage and a guest bedroom and a kick ass deck. Once you taste that expansive, house-life, you can’t realistically be cool with going back to an apartment, no matter how great of an apartment it is. Auerbach is living that house-life. I don’t see him giving that up anytime soon.

His new album, if this song is any indication, takes his musical tastes and style in further away from the gritty, blues rock of the Keys. “Shine on Me” is some sweet as sunshine, Nashville-tinged pop. The song is happy; a mood I don’t think I would have ever associated with the Auerbach’s music. Yet moods aside, the song is fantastic. I love it. I love it so much that I can’t stop listening to it and if I’m not listening to it, I’m humming it.

So here’s the game: I’m going to listen to “Shine On Me”…again. It’s like, the fifth or sixth time today. During the time it’s on, three minutes and eighteen seconds, I’m going to write thoughts, predictions, hopes & dreams about the 2017 Major League Baseball season.

Ready?

Giddy Up America’s 2017 MLB Preview

Let’s go.

I don’t think the Cubs will repeat.

But I guess they could.

Repeating seems hard.

That’s what she said.

I think they’ll be in the running, though.

The same goes for the Indians, Red Sox and Dodgers.

I never rule out the Cardinals.

Also for the Rays.

Baseball has some great young talent. I feel like they should ~~exploit~~ market that more.

I love the Red Sox outfield.

I hope the Phillies aren’t terrible.

I hope the Yankees are terrible.

Baseball should eliminate some teams. I don’t know who. Maybe the Marlins.

I have a hard time believing the Astros will be good. But then again, I don’t follow team’s prospects in a way that would make me believe something like the Astros will be good. So take that for what you will.

I’m more comfortable with a Red Sox/Cubs World Series this year.