In just a matter of days we’ll actually have some baseball to watch. Rejoice! Admittedly, the games won’t matter, but it’s a start, right? It will certainly make a nice change from feeding on scraps of non-news, or trying to predict the future, via the medium of numbers, in a bid to win a fantasy league.
In the meantime, here’s the latest instalment of the baseball news that really doesn’t matter. Just think, a week from now, this column may even have some proper baseball content! I wouldn’t count on it though.
In the comments section of last week’s missive, BaseballGB’s scoring stalwart, Joe Gray, had evidence of one player not in the “best shape of his lifeâ€. Chicago Cubs’ Carlos Silva is a little portly, it seems. With my addiction to curry and cake (rarely eaten together I hasten to add), I can relate.
Silva’s manager, Lou Piniella, is now in on the act, getting on our rotund hero’s back with this choice quote:
“Silva is a hard worker, there’s no question about it. He might be a hard eater (too).”
Poor Carlos, don’t get upset. It just means there is more of you to love, that’s all.Â
Meanwhile, across Chicago, more dieting news as Bobby Jenks loses 25 pounds after giving up the booze. He says, “Everything is brighter. You are not waking up with this film over your head or in front of your eyes. You feel cleaner.†Good for you, Bobby, but if you were waking up with stuff over your head, I think you just weren’t doing it right. Or maybe too well, thinking about it. I’ll stick to my pint of mild, if that is what the kids call ‘partying hard’. That is what they call it, right?
After last week’s Field of Dreams reference (shamelessly pilfered from a conversation with my Significant Other, much to her understandable chagrin), we settled down to watch another baseball-related flick, Brewster’s Millions. There we see the fictional Hackensack Bulls have a railroad track in the outfield. Ludicrous. In fact, even more ludicrous than John Candy as a catcher, I thought. But I have since discovered a bizarre outfield is not the preserve of eighties films. Oakland prospect Michael Taylor has this week been talking about chickens on the field whilst playing winter ball in Mexico. Now that could liven up a dull game, eh? Just watch Carlos Silva doesn’t try eating one.
Fifteen years ago baseball fan Mark Roth sent a baseball card of the Kansas City Royals’ Kevin Appier to the man himself, to be signed. A week ago the card, finally signed, was returned. It’s a long time to wait, but it’s great that Appier has clearly found the time in his retirement to tackle the backlog of fan mail. Still, I wouldn’t recommend sending anything time-sensitive his way, just in case.
Finally, what do you get for the Cincinnati Reds fan in your life who has got everything? How about bidding for a spot in their 2010 team photo? Or maybe you could buy it for a Cubs fan or Indians fan, and they could reveal their allegiance just as the photo is taken. And then run, I guess…
That’s all from me, this week. As always, any comments, feedback or brown envelopes stuffed with cash are most welcome. Or if you read any wacky stories this week, do let me know.
Have a good week, until next week.
3 comments
‘Cakes and curry with Carlos’. Maybe there’s a TV series in there for him if his baseball career has hit the rocks.
Well, I’d certainly watch it.
I sense I’ll be keeping a close eye on Slim Silva this season…
Might be hard to miss him!