I scoffed, at the beginning of the baseball season, at Lou Pinella’s insistence that for the Cubs, this year, it was “the season of hope.” Because, frankly, the Cubs were atrocious in the month of April. And May. But now, with six games left, the Cubs have a three game lead in the National LeagueContinue reading “On Cautious Optimism”
Category Archives: Baseball
On Last Night’s Baseball Game
I won tickets to last night’s Aberdeen Ironbirds game. They’re a short-season Class A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles in the New York-Penn League, owned by Cal Ripken, Jr. I remember when their stadium was built — I lived outside Philly at the time, and I’d pass it on I-95 when driving down to BaltimoreContinue reading “On Last Night’s Baseball Game”
On Baseball Fun
While the Cubs and the Brewers flail in the National League Central, I’ve won tickets for tonight’s Aberdeen Ironbirds game. The Ironbirds, as some readers might not be aware, are the minor league baseball team based in Aberdeen, Maryland, and owned by Cal Ripken. I won tickets to the second game of the season backContinue reading “On Baseball Fun”
On Joy In Wrigleyville
Is there a better sports writer than Frank Deford? Deford has a weekly segment on NPR’s Morning Edition, where he waxes poetic on current events in sport. It’s just just the way DeFord puts the words together but the inflection of his voice that makes his weekly segment compelling listening. This week Deford turned hisContinue reading “On Joy In Wrigleyville”
On Opening Day
WGN refers to the Chicago Cubs this season as having “The Season of Hope.” Yeah, after today the Cubs need hope. If you can’t beat the Reds, it’s gonna be a long season…. :/
On Fixing the Wild Card
Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig has a concern: he wants to make things more difficult for the wild card teams in baseball’s post-season. “While the first round of the playoffs is likely to stay a best-of-five series, wild-card teams might find a tougher road next season, commissioner Bud Selig said Friday.” Wild card teams have beenContinue reading “On Fixing the Wild Card”
On Baseball's Losing Ways
Wrote Garrison Keillor recently: It dawns on me that my Minnesota Twins do better if I’m not there cheering for them. I leave town and they have a big winning streak. I go to a game, and our pitcher gets in trouble right away, our clutch hitters hit into double plays with the bases loaded.Continue reading “On Baseball's Losing Ways”
More Things That Happened on My Birthday
After using Wikipedia to research the doings on my birthday, today I’ve decided to use Today in Baseball History to do the same. 🙂 Events 1947 – The Dodgers win 4-2 over the Pirates as Jackie Robinson swipes home for the first of 19 times in his career. 1955 – Washington rookie infielder Harmon KillebrewContinue reading “More Things That Happened on My Birthday”
On Sammy Sosa
In some way, this is sad: Sammy Sosa has rejected two contracts with the Washington Nationals. Neither was a guaranteed contract, perhaps minor league work, not more than a million dollars for a single season. As I said, in some ways, sad. Sosa likely feels that his past performance should inform a future contract, butContinue reading “On Sammy Sosa”
On the Cubs and the Nationals
While I’ve been a fan of the Chicago Cubs for a very long time, I’ve never actually seen the Cubs. At least, not in person. Last year my sister suggested that, perhaps, I could go and catch a Nationals-Cubs game in Washington. Of course, she suggested that the day after the Cubs had a three-gameContinue reading “On the Cubs and the Nationals”