John Grisham hits one out of the ballpark!

I was finally able to set down and read the new offering by one of America's Greatest Writer [John Grisham], "Calico Joe". The Baseball related storyline of this new book is a story that all people can relate to and enjoy. It contains comprehensive [although fictional] Baseball Game details, as well as Disfunctional Family plot-lines that cause the reader to tear up and think about people they know in reality. I also caught a few good belly-laughs in this book. It's a great story and it's told in a way that keep the reader interested, by traveling back and forth in the protagonist's mind to the point where things went wrong, and the point where he was trying to 'right' them.

I'd recommend this book for all sorts of readers. Baseball fans, as well as people who barely watch the sport. It can be read by teenagers, and pre-teens, as well as mothers, fathers, grand-parents, and grand-children. All sorts of people will enjoy this well-written story with a mixed ending. This book is for everyone who ever wanted to right a wrong, for everyone who ever 'had a catch' with their father, for everyone who ever 'missed a catch' with their father, and all those in-between. The book is fairly short. It took me about 25 hours to complete reading from start to finish, among my other 'things to do' in that time.

Head-Hunting in Detroit this season?

I am NOT naive. I know that Pitchers throw at Hitters. Happens every day. Happens on every team. Sometimes it seems to "come out of no where" [to the home viewer] due to bad blood for comments and actions not seen by the TV cameras or heard by the Microphones. What I do NOT understand is why when a pitcher throws directly at a batter's head, not once, but twice in a single at-bat, he is NOT thrown out of that game?

Detroit Tigers vs. Boston Red Sox game on Easter Sunday [no less!]. Lefty Phil Coke came in and threw at the head of Adrian Gonzales [went behind him, but looked obvious!] Then, next pitch, he hit Gonzalez in the shoulder. Umpires seemed to move on, like it had not happened. They awarded the base to Gonzales, who walked slowly to First, staring at the Pitcher. Given that Gonzalez had homered his last time up, the Manager, Bobby Valentine, came out to complain. Crew-Chief [2nd base] Umpire Dan Iassogna agreed and warned both teams. Valentine came back out. But there should have been an ejection. He clearly threw at the head of Gonzales with the first pitch, and missed. So, he tried another one up high and tight and plunked Gonzales on the shoulder [very near the head].

I know that hit-batsmen are a part of the game, all teams do it, most times they get away with it. But, usually the pitcher throws at the back-side of the hitter, or the leg. To throw one at the head is rediculous. To throw 2 pitches in a row at a batter's head should be automatically an ejection, and ultimately a suspension and fine from MLB.

Wierd to see both at the bottom!

The Red Sox and Yankees usually end up with pretty good records. No matter whether they start the season 6 and 0 or 0 and 6. But, usually one of the other is in the Division Lead in that first meaningless week of April. So far this year, the Yankees and Red Sox are a combined 0 and 6. Feels wierd to have Baltimore and Tampa Bay on top of the Division with Toronto not far behind. Starting Pitching appears to be the culpret for at least one of the perenial Division Leaders. Red Sox two pitching stars, Josh Beckett and Clay Bucholtz gave up 7 runs each over the weekend, claiming their velocity was there, but location was not. Sounds like Spring Training needed to be worked at a bit harder. Yankee hitters did not seem to be able to get out of their own way in their series against the Tampa Bay Rays, or is Tampa's pitching just THAT good? Only time will tell.

Even John Grisham's mind is on Baseball

Spring Training brings everything into alignment with America's Game: Baseball.

Even one of America's greatest writers has Balls and Strikes in mind as we move

into the next Season. This Book should be kept on the shelf of all real Baseball

Fanatics [and John Grisham readers].

The pain has waned - it's Spring-Training again!

Another Season of Major-League Baseball is about to start. For Spring-Training enthusiasts, it has started already. Practically a month has passed since Pitchers and Catchers reported for the start.

Are you ready for some BaseBall?

Still Shell Shocked

It's been a week since the most memorable 90 minutes of Baseball Played happend in front of my disbelieving eyes. The Red Sox lost in the most bizzare manner [the Whole month of September, really was a lost month for them - at 7 and 20] and the Tampa Bay Rays won in incredible fashion. Coming back from 7 runs down in the 8th inning to over-take the Yankees in extra innings and sink the Red Sox into their own mire.

Still shell-shocked about the whole thing, really.

Various Sports writers have written items, now, about discord in the Red Sox locker-room for the 2nd half of the season. Hind-Sight being 20-20 and all. But, Now, Terry Francona has been given his walking papers. Theo Epstein might be interviewing for a higher-level job at the Chicago Cubs. All things Red Sox have kind-of ground to a halt.

The Rays have already been exiled to the off-season, due to 3 losses against the Texas Rangers in the ALDS. The Yankees were pushed to the Brink in their series against the Detroit Tigers and that will get decided tomorrow night.

I have switched over to full-time watching and caring for Football for the next 3-4 months. Not sure what The Hot-Stove or Spring Training will bring. Will wait and see. - Need to get some much needed sleep, now, from the frantic Baseball watching of September!

Updated: 10/07/2011 - All I can say is that I'm glad THE EVIL EMPIRE was knocked out of the play-offs, last night. Makes things a bit easier to live with.

Giants needed Beltran?

Did the SF Giants need Carlos Beltran to repeat in the National League [and the WS]? You bet your butt they did! Just look at the Powerful hitting [and pitching] lineups they are likely to face. Philadelphia with it's triple threat pitching rotation and it's powerful hitting lineup. Forget about those potent American League offenses [ie: Red Sox, Yankees, Texas, etc]

The Giant's offense is generally considered the 3rd worst offense in Baseball. They are lucky to be over .500 [let alone 16 games over .500!]. Their pitching is solid, but their hitting has been suspect. They have just been lucky, so far, to be where they are. They have the prospects, they have the salary capp space. So, why not make a splash in the Pre-Deadline trade-market?