Let’s assume the Indians’ World Series run brought a lot of new fans to baseball in Northeast Ohio and that they are confused by early developments this season.

These folks are probably amazed by the length of the season as compared with football, soccer, or even basketball. So they might ask: How significant was that wonderful domination of the Texas Rangers? And what are we to think of the two terrible performances against the Arizona Diamondbacks?

The answer is that baseball is a sport of long, dramatic buildups, more like a season of soap operas than a single night at the real opera. It’s more like the Great Wall of China that goes on for miles, one brick at a time. It’s not a snazzy shopping center frequented by people who actually know what “snazzy” means.

No baseball team goes undefeated, as do some football champions. You won’t see the best baseball team win more than 70 of the first 82 games, as the better NBA teams do. There is an axiom, very often true, that every team wins 60 games for sure, loses 60 games for sure with the remaining 40 games deciding their fate.

So this is a time to look for trends that might last long enough to be significant.

Is Yan Gomes‘ frustration at bat an indication he will repeat his awful batting of last season? Are the torn calluses really to blame for Corey Kluber‘s slower fastball or is something more fundamental at play? Will Francona weed out ineffective relief pitchers before they do too much damage?

Meanwhile, we can relax knowing it’s just April and be aware that there will be plenty of midcourse corrections to come.

Notes:

Jason Kipnis had one hit in three at bats for the Akron RubberDucks.
Lonnie Chisenhall is not in the Columbus Clippers starting lineup today. He was 4-4 Saturday.
Shawn Morimondo was pounded for seven runs in 3 1/3 innings Sunday for the Clippers.