Chapter 60.4: David Halberstam

Another writer whose work I admired has passed. David Halberstam, who seemed as comfortable writing about baseball as he was writing about history and politics (especially war), was killed in a car crash outside San Francisco.

When I heard about this unexpected tragedy, I couldn't help but think of his book 1964, which discusses the changing mores of major league baseball as civil rights issues rose to the forefront of American consciousness. He contrasts the lily-white Yankees, whose aging, almost exclusively white players were on their descent, with the St. Louis Cardinals, who were a far more diverse team than the Yankees with black stars and a more exciting brand of baseball, playing in what was still a southern-style city.

As that particular nonfiction work is about much more than baseball, Halberstam was more than a simple scribbler. He was a true journalist in all the best meanings of the term. I had hoped to meet him, interview him, perhaps have a beer and talk about the game with him. Instead, I'll have to read more of his books to get to know a bit more about the man and the times in which he lived.

Chapter 60.3: Maine-Lining

I like the way this kid is pitching. That Kris Benson for Jorge Julio (and we'll throw in John Maine) trade is looking better by the day.

Chapter 60.2: Hot Girl

I sat next to a hot girl today on the PATH train. Physically hot. As in warm. Yes, she was attractive too, though I didn't see much of her face. (It's not considered polite to stare at a stranger from a distance of about six or seven inches.) As I got on the train -- lucky to catch one of the earlier trains, which are often less crowded and therefore plentiful with open seats -- I noticed the attractive girl and the spaces beside her. Usually, I want an end seat, but I suppose most people do, and they were all filled. My second choice is toward the middle, to give the folks on the end some elbow room. So, I ended up next to the hot girl.

Once the door was closed, I felt her warmth beside me and noticed the lack of warmth on my other side. I opened my book of Donald Barthelme short stories and continued to read "Lightning," which I'd started on the NJ Transit train. It's about a divorced magazine writer who's doing a piece on people who were struck by lightning; it's a tale about falling back in love and how it changes your life. I chuckled to myself often as I read. The next story was called "The Cathechist," which is a conversation between two priests, one of whom goes to the park every day to see a woman. The previous day he'd ended up hearing her confession, but he longs to feel her beside him, as she stands with her hands in the back pockets of her trousers.

There's a nice little section:

"And the lady's husband?"
"He is a psychologist. He works in the limits of sensation. He is attempting to define precisely the two limiting sensations in the sensory continuum, the upper limit and the lower limit. He is often at the lab. He is measuring vanishing points."
"An irony."
"I suppose."

The hot girl with the black and white hi-top boots and the black leather bag that contrasted the whites of her french manicured nails left the PATH at 9th Street. Funny, the train didn't seem much colder once she was gone.

Chapter 60.15: Wow!

Ok, I'm surprised. I've got several inches of water in my basement. This is a problem. Not what I expected to be dealing with.

Chapter 60.1: Lighten Up

I awoke to the expected rainfall: a steady, soaking rain that our ground probably needs. There's been a lot of talk about this nor'easter -- some are saying it'll be the worst in twenty years. I doubt it. I've seen lots of rain storms, including a few hurricanes that flooded regions of New Jersey near where I live, and I'll be surprised if this rises to that level (pardon the pun).

There's a good article on Weather.com that keeps things in perspective.

That said, I'm on first aid duty today, and I anticipate it to be a busy day. I've already had one call (not weather related, just a general illness), and I suspect there's an accident or two to come. Not that I'm looking forward to them! I could go all day watching movies and reading and writing till 7 p.m., thank you. There won't be too many baseball games on today, so it's a nice day to stay inside and just vege out. The good Lord willing, people will remain safe in their homes and I won't have to venture too far afield. Stay safe, people.

Chapter 60: Random "If"

While checking out some baseball news, I noticed that on this date two years ago Aaron Heilman pitched a one-hitter. Any Mets fan knows that not only is Heilman one of the best eighth-inning set-up men working in the game, but he also desperately wants to be a starting pitcher.

Which makes me wonder, if instead of pitching that one-hitter against the Florida Marlins in 2005 he finished with the first no-hitter in Mets history, would he be a reliever today? I doubt it. Mets fans would call up WFAN after Willie Randolph and Omar Minaya insist on sending him back to the bullpen and clamor for them to let the kid start. "C'mon Mad Dog," they'd say, "we're talking about the only pitcher in Mets history who's ever thrown a no-no for the Mets!"

And Chris "Mad Dog" Russo would say, "It's a fair point. What do you think Mike?" And Mike Francesa (who is much better on football, in my opinion, than baseball. But he's knowledgeable in both) would say, "He's a good pitcher, but he's much more effective when hitters don't get used to his unique delivery and learn to lay off his hard sinking fastball."

But he would have started last year. Perhaps they don't acquire Orlando Hernandez as a result, keeping Jorge Julio for the bullpen. And who knows how many games Julio would have blown last year if he were our man in the eighth. Imagine if...

Ok, this is getting boring already. Suck it up Aaron, you got a win last night, and you're on the best team in the National League, I don't care what those goofs in Atlanta say. And forget about Jimmy Rollins for now.

Chapter 59.95: For the Eternally Young and Easily Riled

I still intend to write more on Kurt Vonnegut, but in the meantime I'll let this opinion piece in the New York Times whet your whistle.

He says not only what no one is saying, but also what — as a mild young person — you know it is forbidden to say. No one nourishes the skepticism of the young like Vonnegut.

And this remembrance by Harvey Wasserman also conveys some wonderful insights to the writer, including this very personal memory:

He and I met [at a speech in Columbus, Ohio] many years ago. ... Not knowing me from Adam, he was gracious enough to give me his home address.

Out of the blue, I sent him a book-length poem about the passing of my parents. I was shocked when he called me on the phone about it. I asked for his help in finding a publisher. He said to publish it on my own, and gave me advice on how to do it, along with a blurb for the cover.

From then on we talked by phone. His conversation was always friendly, funny, insightful. When last I asked him how he was, he replied: "Too fucking old!"

Chapter 59.9: God Bless You, Mr. Vonnegut

Toward the end of last night's local news, it was mentioned that Kurt Vonnegut has died. Long one of my favorite writers, Vonnegut is an American classic. I've not read everything he's written, but I loved Cat's Cradle and the stories from Welcome to the Monkey House. Many of his works seem locked in the Cold War era in which they were written, but I believe a clever screenplay writer could adapt them to today's audience -- especially today's.

In fact, I believe today's audience needs to read Kurt Vonnegut to develop a better sense of perspective about the world in which we're living. I intend to expand upon that in a follow-up post, either here or on The Elephant's Bookshelf, where one of my first book reviews was about the Monkey House.

Here in New York, the sky is crying. So it goes.

Ad astra, Kurt.

Chapter 59.8: Softball Season

Because I feel like it, I'm going to post this photo from a league championship game I played in a few years ago. (Yes, that's me hitting.) The new season will begin soon.

Chapter 59.7: Don't Imus

What an idiot! Don Imus, who has surrounded himself with others who are funnier than he is, finally got some comeupance for opening his mouth without thinking. Sure, he's done good things with the Imus Ranch (though I personally have questions about some of the information on his organization's Form 990; for example, where is the donated air time for his radio telethon placed? It obviously isn't considered a fundraising expense, but the non-cash amount of public support revenue is only $4,005 in fiscal year 2006, and that doesn't equal 28 hours of airtime on WFAN). But a person's charitable acts do not completely trump his words or actions.

The women of the Rutgers University basketball team deserved better treatment than they received. They had a fantastic season -- better than expected -- finishing with a loss in the national championship game.

If this experience has any positive result, I hope it's that these women and their coach are recognized for their humanity and intelligence as well as their physical abilities on the basketball court. They will have proven that they can handle unprovoked adversity as well as the expected pressures they face. God willing, they will pass along their knowledge and strength to their successors at the university and their children and families.

As for Imus, I hope he loses sponsors. I hope his forgettable show fades into the background and political office seekers will find somewhere else to get their message to mass audiences. Time to ride off into the sunset, Don. If your legacy will be helping children in need, start helping some more and do it full-time.

Chapter 59.6: RIP B.C. Creator

Johnny Hart, the cartoonist who created B.C. and co-created the Wizard of Id, has died. Longtime standard fare in the Sunday comics and the daily strips, B.C. is perhaps best known for its tendency toward theological statements. This got Hart into hot water sometimes, but I think he should be applauded for not being afraid to express his beliefs in a very secular world. Sometimes his message got misunderstood, but I don't think he meant to offend.

Personally, I stopped finding B.C. particularly funny a while ago, though he had occasional good strips. But it has remained a distinctive comic strip, and apparently his family will continue it into the future.

Chapter 59.5: Do I Hear Five?

My Mets are off to a fine start, with each starter going fairly deep into their games and the bullpen providing the necessary stops. I'd love to see Tom Glavine shock his old fans in Atlanta tonight by defeating the Braves and his old golf buddy, John Smoltz. A 5-0 start would put the Mets two games above Atlanta. Not a bad opening week, if it happens. But a long season still ahead of us.

Chapter 59.4: Increasingly Jaded

The more I hear and read about what our current administration is doing -- whether it's the Justice Department problems, the state of the war in Iraq and our inability to quell the Taliban in Afghanistan, or the Katrina response in '05 -- I find myself wondering whether this country will ever recover from the debacle of George W. Bush's presidency. I remember being concerned about the state of the world's affairs during the Reagan era, and I still consider President Reagan the Father of Modern Homelessness, but somehow this period is more frightening.

But what is worse is I haven't seen anyone else step up and demonstrate the capacity to remedy things. I have no faith in Rudy Giuliani or John McCain, I don't believe Barack Obama has the experience to lead our nation yet. And while Hillary Clinton has many of the qualifications, I'm not convinced she can lead us through what may be one of the darkest periods of our nation's history. John Edwards, who I believe has many fine qualities, also is faced with difficult family issues. I know I'd be distracted if, God forbid, something potentially fatal befell my wife.

America may be on the verge of a new series of mediocre presidents who serve one term and are barely remembered for any lasting, positive achievements 20 to 25 years later. And some may be vilified, cast into political perdition like Nixon or Hoover.

The greed of corporate America and the willingness of sycophantic middle class investors to jump on the same bandwagon in the name of seeing their portfolio improve are well on the way to destroying the American Dream. Pensions will evaporate, and several million Baby Boomers will find themselves destitute, clamoring for help from their friends and neighbors, from the government, from the charities they supported when they still had jobs. And it won't be enough.
Having learned of the actions of the current administration -- the phone tapping of American citizens, the blind eye to torture in prisons we control, the disregard for human rights of "enemy combatants" -- and watched the smug attitude toward the middle class and the poor (some of whom may actually have voted for the current administration), I find myself increasingly jaded.

What we need as a nation is a rebirth -- a sense of renewal and freshness, like after a strong spring rain. Instead, it remains cold, wintry, with little hope in sight for a healthy future. Is this the darkness before the dawn?

Chapter 59.25: Ouch!

For a Democrat to be taken behind the woodshed by the Washington Post in an editorial is bad enough, but when that Democrat is the Speaker of the House, it's even worse. Speaker Pelosi's standing has been given a major shove by the Post, which called her move in Syria "foolish."

If she's not careful, she'll find herself with an insurrection on her hands, and I don't mean in Iraq.

Chapter 59.2: Game Two

Crain's Business is reporting that the Mets' second game of the season garnered a 4.3 rating, which people are quoted as saying bodes well for the Mets and their SportsNet New York network. I must admit, I'm pretty excited about the season, and I hope my prediction of the Mets not getting to the World Series is wrong. Personally, I'd love to see a Mets/White Sox series, and I suspect much of the country would too. Jose Reyes, David Wright, Carlos Beltran, et al. versus Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome, and Joe Crede and the other south-siders? Seems like a nice matchup to me.

Not only would it be excellent baseball, but it would have nice symbolism, in my opinion. The Yankees are considered the aristocracy in New York, and despite nearly a century of losing (and the White Sox 2005 championship), the Cubs are the favorite sons of Chicago. But to have these two teams from the country's top two cities compete in the World Series ... it would warm my middle-class heart.

Of course, both teams spend more money on salaries in a year than I'll see in my lifetime, and I can't afford to go to too many games. So having a decent broadcast is a nice plus as I root, root, root for the Metsies.

Chapter 59.1: Back to Bangers 'n Mash

The news that Iranian President Ahmadinejad has pardoned the British naval officers who his country allege invaded their waters and that he has bestowed honors on the Iranians who captured him strikes me as a direct insult to the British people. Ahmadinejad is not stupid, and he's aware that the British are weary of seeing their troops in Iraq fighting a war that most Britons don't believe in. But I wonder whether they're so dismayed by the war that this incident and Iran's response doesn't spur them to soldier on with increased resolve. Time will tell.

Chapter 59: The 2007 Season

Finally, the season is beginning. Tonight, the Mets take on the World Champion Cardinals in a rematch of last year’s NLCS. And without further adieu, here are my thoughts about which teams will be playing whom in the playoffs when October baseball begins again.

NL East:
Jimmy Rollins is right about one thing, the Phillies are going to be right in the heart of things. Their starting rotation has depth and they’ve got a lot of power in the lineup, most obviously the 2006 MVP Ryan Howard. But they’re much more than just him. Chase Utley is a solid ballplayer and potential MVP candidate himself. They signed Freddy Garcia to join a solid staff with Brett Myers, Adam Eaton, and especially Cole Hamels.

Of course, the Mets are the team to beat. They have a lineup that is tough to beat. What concerns me is the pitching – specifically the starting rotation. I’m fine with Glavine, but he’s going to the Hall of Fame as the best #2 starter in history. From his days with the Braves and his better years with the Mets, he’s been strongest as the second starter – behind Greg Maddux, behind John Smoltz, and behind Pedro Martinez. He’ll work hard to pitch as well as he can and the team will rally behind him, and it’s possible that he’s a better #1 than two-thirds of the other starters out there, and he’ll always pitch his heart out. For six innings. And he’s probably the strongest starter on the Mets, with the possible exception of John Maine. To me, Maine is the key for the 2007 season, if he pitches as well as I think he can, then the Mets will be fine. If he falls on his face, they’ve got a lot of problems.

The Braves don’t have the horses in the staff, and I foresee the Marlins having some growing pains. Behind Dontrelle Willis, their staff is more potential than proven ability. Anibal Sanchez threw a no-hitter last year, but that’s one game. The Marlins could end up winning the division, but I really don’t think they’ll do better than third place – if that. The Nationals are simply awful, and that’s all I’ll say about them.

In the Central, I think the Astros have regained their stride. After Roy Oswalt, they have Jason Jennings, and while Woody Williams may be on the downside of his career, he should still be capable of 10-12 wins. And their lineup (especially in their ballpark) has a lot of power. Carlos Lee should find the stadium to his liking and Lance Berkman now has a true bat to protect him in the lineup. Craig Biggio is now a nice complementary player at best, and Morgan Ensberg needs to prove that he wasn’t just a flash in the pan.

Of course, the Cardinals come in as the defending champs, but I find it hard to believe that they can even make the playoffs with Adam Wainright and Braden Looper in their starting rotation. The Cubs? I’d love to see them take the division, which really seems up for grabs. While their lineup appears strong – especially if Derek Lee stays healthy – they need to maintain a strong starting staff in order to truly compete. The team that could possible slip past and surprise people in this division is the Milwaukee Brewers. They have some decent starting pitching. If Ben Sheets remains healthy – and Chris Capuano, Jeff Suppan, and Dave Bush behind him – then their young hitters like Rickie Weeks, Bill Hall, and perhaps even the aging Geoff Jenkins might help propel this team into a serious playoff run.

In the West, the division seems wide open. The Dodgers have the strongest looking staff, and the Padres’ is good too, even if they’re counting on David Wells for 10 or so wins. The team that leaves me confused is San Francisco. They have the overpaid but talented Barry Zito, and if he pitches as well as he’s capable, he might be enough to keep the team in contention. And Zito isn’t alone. Matt Cain will either be a stud or a dud; I don’t see him as a .500 pitcher. Noah Lowry on the other hand may very well be exactly that. Perhaps Matt Morris will regain his stature, but I think he’s a bad-end-of-the-rotation guy now (see also Steve Trachsel). But the rest of that team is simply getting old, and I don’t think they can hold off the Dodgers or the Padres, and the Diamondbacks have the potential to jump into the fray. I doubt the Rockies have much of anything, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Clint Hurdle ended up looking for a broadcasting gig before the season ends.

AL
In the East, the Yankees start the season with Carl Pavano on the mound. Who’da thunk it? That won’t last forever, of course, and he’ll be on the DL eventually and when he falls by the wayside, we’ll probably see someone like young Phil Hughes get called up to join the aging veterans Andy Pettitte and Mike Mussina, who are both still capable of keeping their team in the thick of the pennant race. I like what the Red Sox have done with their staff, and it might be enough to catapult them ahead of their perennial rivals from the Bronx, but if not, I think they’ll still be in the playoffs. I’m confused by what the Devil Rays have done in the off season. The Japanese third baseman is supposedly adjusting well, and they’re going with BJ Upton rather than Jorge Cantu, who had been the subject of trade rumors over the off season. Seems like they should have traded Cantu, since they’ve sent him to the minors. His value is probably plummeting as I type. The Orioles could be the feel-good story of the season. If I'm to believe what I read, the pitchers there are starting to gell under the tutelage of Leo Mazzone, but any staff that has Steve Trachsel, who will unfortunately be more remembered in New York for his poor playoff performance than the years of sturdy pitching he gave the franchise.

In the Central, the more I look at the Twins, the less I like them. After Johan Santana, I don’t have much faith in their pitchers. Can anyone expect 15 wins from a pitcher named Boof? Matt Garza went to AAA with a chip on his shoulder, so let’s see what he brings back with him to the majors when he eventually gets recalled. The White Sox still have capable pitchers and their hitting’s not bad.

As for the AL champion Tigers, however, I think they’ll remain in the thick of the division throughout the season, but a lot will depend on whether Jeremy Bonderman, Justin Verlander, and Nate Robertson come anywhere close to what they showed last year. Their entire season will fall on the shoulders of their starting pitchers.

The AL West should be the most exciting off all. The Angels have shown lots of improvement, and the A’s still have a few good horses in their staff. The Rangers are improved, and while I can’t base it on anything concrete, I think they’ve found a strong manager in Ron Washington. Willie Randolph showed that strong coaches can become strong managers; let’s see if Washington has what I think he has.

My predictions:
NL East: Phillies
NL Central: Astros
NL West: Dodgers
Wildcard: Mets

AL East: Red Sox
AL Central: White Sox
AL West: Angels
Wildcard: Yankees

Division series:
NL, Mets beat Astros
Phillies beat Dodgers

AL, White Sox beat Red Sox
Angels beat Yankees

Championship Series
NL: Phillies beat Mets
AL: Angels beat White Sox

World Series:
White Sox beat Phillies