In 2003, I spoke prophetic words to my young family at the start of the MLB season: "I'm really going to get into it this year. Really immerse myself; watch all the games, keep score. Really have fun with it." My team, the Florida Marlins, would go on to have the most unlikely of seasons …
Offense and Defense
The wife surprised me by putting on the MLB Network in the bedroom last night in lieu of her usual fare of murder investigations. I'm always amused at how people can make a living by putting on a nice suit, sitting at a table and talking about sports, but there they were, ranking the best …
Denials
Just as we have come to expect the occasional announcement of professional athletes implicated in illicit drug use, designed to enhance their athletic performance, we should come to expect the denials that follow. Today, the Miami New Times broke a story about a DEA investigation of a Miami clinic linked to illegal distribution of human …
The Offseason
Since I just decided recently to take up this task, mostly because I like writing, making websites and am returning to MLB after a one-year hiatus, I hadn't given a lot of thought to what I will be writing about. I certainly don't plan to engage in game summaries or analysis of off-season roster moves …
Baseball Writers throw a Shutout
1+1=2. There's not much room in that equation for debate or discussion. There are no square circles. That pretty much speaks for itself as a factual position statement. Other things, like whether chocolate ice cream is better than vanilla (it isn't), are subject to opinionated debate. Have your opinion by all means, but come to …
Where are you From?
This is one of those routine questions that a person shouldn't stumble over attempting to reply. Yet I always do. It ends up being a drawn out, rambling mess of an answer that likely makes the acquaintance who asked it wished they'd mentioned the weather instead. I was born in Manhattan, which isn't really a …
New York City: Birthplace of Baseball
On a cold, cloudy Manhattan day in November of 1963, 7 days before JFK was assassinated, I was born. While I didn't know it at the time, baseball, the game I would come to love in a few short years, was born just a few miles away. Rounders, town ball, and variations of stick and ball games were …
Wins and Losses are Lousy Pitching Stats
There are only two 20-Game Winners in MLB late into the 2010 season. Two more have a chance to finish with 20 Wins. This has long been a touted milestone for a Starting Pitcher (SP) and with good reason; as a SP your job is to keep your team in the game by minimizing the …
The Haters
I often wonder why people spend so much time and emotional energy hating something. It would appear a much more productive and enjoyable use of someone's time and effort to be positive about something you love instead. Baseball, and certainly Major League Baseball, has its haters. I have had the same conversations with The Haters …
The One Curse Left Standing
Baseball lore is an important part of the game, especially when teaching kids about baseball. As a youth baseball coach, I've told countless kids the stories of the Black Sox, the Bambino and the Billy Goat and I can assure you the rapt attention I get from those stories dramatically surpasses the attention I get …
Joe's Blog 