Rounding Third: year one
I need to start this off by saying (writing) that when Gavin Craig approached me (instant messenged me) about this idea — starting a web-zine stocked with writers drawn from our group of quirky, nerdish pals and their quirky, nerdish pals — my biggest worry was making sure I was producing content as interesting, and … Read more
When asked to officiate a wedding, this is what a baseball fan comes up with
We’re here today to celebrate the union of Laura and Ben, and provide witness to their enduring partnership. Partnership. When I spoke with Laura and Ben about what they wanted me to say today, that’s the one word that came up again and again. And, as far as I’m concerned, we can’t talk about partnerships … Read more
Harry Potter and the evil empire
Two weeks ago, in a corner suite on the fourth floor of the very lovely Hotel Rouge in Washington, D.C.’s tony Dupont Circle neighborhood, I lay on a king sized bed, finished my quinoa/ dried berry / green leaf lettuce / dinner salad, and read the last ten pages of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s … Read more
Watching the watchmen
The first round of the State Farm Home Run Derby lasted two hours. Despite running 3 miles in the gross humidity just before it started, I decided to tweet it — I toweled off first. Between my own disgusting scent and the presence of the vile Chris Berman (on television — not in my home), … Read more
Pandering with p-words
Self-evident fact number one: women like sports, and as such, we watch sports on television. And, yeah, we get that far less than zero percent of all advertising or promotional marketing is aimed at us. Which is fine. I don’t need a pink Detroit Tigers cap, or a pink baseball shaped keychain, or a pink … Read more
What we talk about when we talk about ball
Something special is happening right now. Alex Avila is flirting with. 300, the first Tigers catcher to hit so well since Lance Parrish. In fact, he took a turn at third base just to keep his offense in the lineup during interleague play. If life were fair, he’d be the undeniable starting catcher for the … Read more
Five ways of looking at Ryan Raburn
1. He’s a mediocre hitter who heats up as the season wears on but doesn’t really seem to learn much as the years advance. To wit, his strikeouts have been nearly dead even with—or eclipsed—his hit total every year he’s recorded stats in the majors. Despite having played alongside some of the best hitters in … Read more
Because even The New York Times noticed
Last week, my friend Zack sent me a link to the New York Times bit about the lack of legendary nicknames, a subject I meditated on way back at the beginning of this column’s career. The Times, of course, picking up on something that’s been written better and with more nuance by people who actually … Read more
The case for Alex Avila
What’s in a beard? If you’re a hockey fan (as I am) you know that a playoff beard is part of standard lore, and you probably looked forward to seeing the usually clean-shaven Steve Yzerman slowly become a bit scruffier, or the perpetually stubbled Brendan Shanahan turn into a grizzly bear overnight. The Tigers are … Read more
0-1
Last night, my Monday team, the MIRS Muckrakers, played like the Detroit Tigers. By that I mean the Detroit Tigers of the Alan Trammell era—the Alan-as-manager era, when I just wanted to hug (and gently smack) him when he would lament, post-game, “We just had that one bad inning.” For us, it was the first … Read more
