Aug 11, 2008
News from America comes in slowly and hazily, in part because of the time difference, but also because of the irritable and ever-changing nature of the Chinese Internet. It’s funny now, you will click on a Web site. Say Fire Joe Morgan. Well, at first, when we first arrived, the Fire Joe Morgan Internet page would immediately crash because, of course, the Chinese government famously loves Joe Morgan. Big Red Machine indeed.
Well, now it’s different. Now, you will type in the Web ... Read More
Jul 31, 2008
There are so many things you can learn playing Strat-o-Matic baseball (or some other table top baseball game). I used to play a lot when I was in my young 20s, back when I lived in Augusta, Ga., and was not married and got dumped and could not afford to do anything else. We would have intense, marathon Strat-o-Matic sessions, long into the night -- there would be hard feelings and yelling and thrown pencils and busted friendships and all sorts of ... Read More
Jul 16, 2008
So, while semi-watching Yankee Stadium refuse to die late last night, I did a quick calculation: It seems I have seen Major League Baseball games in 16 dead ballparks in my life. I, um, you know that’s a really depressing statistic. That should be one of the questions they ask on those medical forms they have you fill out before you see the doctor. Are you allergic to any medications? Is there a history of high blood pressure in your family? How ... Read More
Jul 10, 2008
Bill James wrote an essay in his Gold Mine that I particularly love ... it talks about how he sort of lost his passion for Craig Biggio at the end of his career. Bill, you probably know, absolutely loved Biggio, perhaps more than he loved any player since Amos Otis. And I think he felt that way because Bill saw greatness in Biggio that other people refused to see.
See, Biggio in his prime was the king of beating you with little ... Read More
Jul 8, 2008
I’m feeling strongly now that “pixifood” could be my word-adding legacy. I’m very proud of the concept, to be honest -- the food that tasted beyond delicious as a child and tastes like lightly sugared motor oil as an adult. The pixifood concept came from my watching my wife try -- and I use that word loosely -- try to eat cotton candy at a ballgame. Since she is the inspiration for it, I’m giving her the word (it’s better than flowers) ... Read More