As you might imagine, it was while watching Ted Lilly pitch that I thought: Man, I’ve got to bring the blog back. I suspect Ted Lilly inspires those sorts of feelings in many people across America.
What’s the deal with this guy? Here it is, a Major League Baseball playoff game. He’s a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, one of the most famous sports teams in all the world. He’s on national television, or whatever TBS is these days. Then, Lilly gives up a monster homer to Chris Young. And, like that, he turns into a third grader. He throws his glove to the ground. He pouts.
How is this acceptable? If I saw my six-year-old daughter doing that, I would take away her computer privileges for at least a week (this now appears to be the most ruthless thing a parent can do to a child — sort of the punishment equivalent of grounding a child in 1977). Wouldn’t it have been great if right then, right after Ted Lilly threw the glove to the ground in disgust, suddenly a tall figure walked out of the stands, walked to the mound and just took the baseball away and pointed to the dugout?
Dick Stockton: “What’s he doing?”
Ron Darling: “I think Lilly is getting grounded.”
Dick Stockton: “Speaking of grounding, hey, you know how some impressionists sound more like the person than the person himself. FrankTV is coming to TBS this fall.”
Anyway, Ted Lilly wasn’t the only reason I wanted to get back to doing the blog. I got an email the other day from my friend and idol Scott Raab, who has many more important things to do with his life. And HE’S writing a baseball blog. I mean this guy writes about important things like, you know, Dennis Kucinich, and, OK, that’s a bad example. Point is, if Scott can find the time …
And yes, I just missed it. I have just signed on to write a book about the 1975 Cincinnati Reds — well, it’s really about more than that, it’s about competition and America and the pursuit of greatness (no it isn’t, I just put that in there in case the publisher checks in — and hope, I guess, that publishers don’t read inside parentheses), and I think I will need this blog to help keep me centered.
So here’s the deal: This blog may be a little more widespread than The Soul of Baseball. It may be a little more out there. It will definitely have more Bruce Springsteen reviews (coming up!). But unlike the Soul blog, this one will not be a crass and blatant attempt to get you to buy my book The Soul of Baseball. No, this will be a crass and blatant attempt to get you to buy my book The Soul of Baseball AND pre-order The Machine: Rose, Bench, Morgan and the Great American Ballclub. It’s not available yet (should be out in the beginning of 2009) but you can start saving up for it now.
And in return, well, hey, as Paul Newman said at the end of The Color of Money: “I can’t believe I won an Oscar for this crap. This has to be like my 34th best performance at best.”
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21 Comments, Comment or Ping
Vegas Watch
Welcome back! This is awesome.
Oct 5th, 2007
Ben
Great to have you back, I really enjoy reading your writing.
Oct 5th, 2007
Tim
Woo-hoo! Glad you’re back to blogging — and feel free to blog about whatever the heck you like. I’ll keep reading.
Oct 5th, 2007
Derek
Thank goodness you are back. Something to look forward to in the mornings again…I really missed you Joe!
Oct 5th, 2007
John-Paul
Joe, this makes my week, and if it wasn’t October, it would make my month. One of the things I love about baseball is its tradition and history, and there’s nothing quite like picking up the paper to read your latest column. But it’s nice to be able to give you feedback and get a response too, like so many of your readers were able to do with the soul of baseball blog. Thanks for bringing back the blog, even if it will kill my productivity.
Oct 5th, 2007
Unsilent Majority
Paul Newman, Marty Scorsese, Denzel Washington…they all work.
Oct 5th, 2007
Mike
Joe,
As a long time reader of your KC Star columns, I’m thrilled to get to read your work online, too!
Oct 5th, 2007
Graham
good to have something decent to read again while i should be working.
Oct 5th, 2007
Stephen
Wonderful to have you back Joe.
Oct 5th, 2007
Sal
I echo welcome back!!
I know on the other blog you had mentioned that certain book ideas would not have mass appeal, especially with your NY publishers. I was wondering how a book on the 75 Reds got the green light.
I am a KC guy, but I have always enjoyed my times in Cincy, so it’s not that I am anti-Cincy. (Although the Great American Ballpark is about as colorless of a new park as you will find. It is a cookie cutter new park.)
Oct 5th, 2007
Cody Jarrett
It’s easy to SAY you’re back. I want to see some commitment. I want to see two or three postings on the day before a column is due. I want a review of this evenings American Royal festivities, plus a preview of the Chiefs, and maybe a little snarky something about Mark Funkhouser’s wife, and I want to see it all by noon tomorrow. Then I will believe you are back.
You should check out what that Zorn kid does for the Tribune in Chicago. When you can keep up with him, then you shall be a man my son.
Oct 5th, 2007
Jeff
I’m glad your back too. I missed your posts especially during the spectacular NL ending. Welcome back!
Oct 5th, 2007
Jason
Great to have you back - but that was a short entry! If you’re guaranteeing length or money back, you’ve gotta deliver…
Oct 6th, 2007
Scott
Joe: Happy to have you back. I know the real reason you came back.
You regretted the missed opportunity to write about the Mets epic collapse.
I am actually a Met fan who lived through the late 70’s, so I am a glutton for punishment. I also believe you have a good friend who is also a Met fan so I am sure somewhere along the line you will add your own comments on the most spectacular collapse in baseball history.
Oh yeah a book on the 75 Big Red Machine is great. That was a great that won an amazing World Series.
Oct 6th, 2007
George
Great to see you back in the blogosphere, Joe. It didn’t take long for you to get bookmarked, and I’ll be checking every day. I swear I’ll buy a book, as soon as I can get near a bookstore/get a real address.
Oct 7th, 2007
Minda
Joe,
Stephen King once (allegedly) said something to the effect of, “I could publish my grocery list and it would be a NYT Bestseller.” If you blogged about your grocery list, I’d still read, and link to the post, and e-mail all my family members about this great new piece of writing.
Glad you’re back in the blogging world!!
Oct 8th, 2007
Kerfeld
Joe! Welcome back! My buddy told me that you were back with a whole new blog. Great stuff.
Oct 9th, 2007
bosordsjc
“So I’m always looking to consolidate. It would certainly help my schedule if, instead of spending so much time despising BOTH LaRussa and the Yankees, they could be together in one easy-to-loathe package.”
This is precisely the same thought I had when I heard this rumor.
The added bonus would be if the hiring of LaRussa drove Posada and Rivera to sign elsewhere (Slappy McBluelips is going to the highest bidder, so I suspect he’s staying put). Then the Mets could sign both of them, hire Torre, bring in Bernie Williams to fill the Julio Franco role, and make things REALLY interesting in NY.
Oct 11th, 2007
Deaner
I’m really excited about the Reds book!
Oct 11th, 2007
kansantonio
Terrific post as expected from a terrific writer–KC, I’ve said it before but it bears repeating: you’re getting, a couple-three times a week, to read the best sports columnist in the nation, so consider yourselves blessed. In Jopo’s keen prose even the history of sports in Cleveland is a thing of beauty, and thus, pace Keats, a joy forever. A tip o’ the Kangol to a splendid writer then! I’m honored to get to read it.
Oct 13th, 2007
Chris
Joe,
I second what many have already said: it’s great to have you back. I kept going back to the Soul of Baseball blog, hoping beyond hope that you might have one or 2 more entries in you. So, stumbling upon this new blog has truly made my Monday.
The only thing that is more exciting than the blog, is the news that you’re doing your next book on my beloved Reds. As much as I’d like to read your sometime-to-be-written work on Stan Musial, I’m thrilled that the 75 Reds are going to be your next subject. I can’t wait.
Keep up the good work!
Oct 15th, 2007
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