EN ROUTE TO KANSAS — It’s 4:10 a.m. here at the San Francisco airport, and I’m somehow awake, but I have only vague memories of how I got here or anything that has happened in the last two weeks. I think I’ve hit that, “There is no past, there is no future, there is only the next event,” stage of the book tour. The next event is a flight to Salt Lake City, then a flight to Kansas City, then a drive to Topeka. What’s done is done. What’s to come is to come.
Let's change MVP to MOP - most outstanding player. Then we can give the prize to Ohtani and not be troubled that he failed to finish the season and that his value was solely in keeping the Angels out of last place.
The fewest games played by an MVP winner, who was not a pitcher, and did not win in a shortened season, was by Gabby Hartnett in 1935. Hartnett played in 116 games (the Cubs played the full 154 and won the pennant). He batted .344 / .404 / .545, OPS .949, OPS+ 151. And he played catcher in only 110 games, the others were pinch-hitting appearances. All-Star. AVG was third in the NL, OBP was fourth, SLG was fifth. OPS+ was third. He didn't lead in anything and his counting stats don't rank well because he played only 2/3 of the season, but he delivered the goods. So, worth mentioning.
I know it’s not up for a vote (or is it?), but I don’t need to know what Katie the Prefect is doing today. I love that story. And the fact that she magically appeared, performed a gigantic tiny good deed, and then faded into the crowd is just too perfect to mess with.
“And when I would hear the men in town talking among themselves and trying to pin him down to a definite past, I would smile quietly to myself. For a time they inclined to the notion, spurred by the talk of a passing stranger, that he was a certain Shannon who was famous as a gunman and gambler way down in Arkansas and Texas and dropped from sight without anyone knowing why or where. When that notion dwindled, others followed, pieced together in turn from scraps of information gleaned from stray travelers. But when they talked like that, I simply smiled because I knew he could have been none of these.
He was the man who rode into our little valley out of the heart of the great glowing West and when his work was done rode back whence he had come and he was Shane.”
As one of the select few (maybe 100 people) at the Substack party last night, thanks to Joe and Substack for a great night. In San Francisco, at any group event no matter how small, there is always 1 Yankee fan and 1 Dodger fan. Oh Well. And Joe, it is CLEARLY Tim Lincecum over Matt Cain on the Giants' Mt. Rushmore. Ask ANY Giants fan. You yourself compared him to Satchel Paige. Nobody ever compared Matt Cain to Satchel. I love Matt Cain, but it ain't close. I'll have that debate with you any time, and I guarantee, you'll lose...
Thanks again. Just a great, great night. Liz is right, pal - you're living your best life right now.
My job as resident Frank Thomas apologist is to remind everyone about The Big Hurt in 1994. In 113 games, he hit .353 and slugged .729, with 38 homers and 101 RBIs. He walked 109 times and scored 106 runs, leading the league in both categories.
Katie the Prefect is one of my favorite things I've ever consumed, in any medium. I will gladly read a follow-up on where Katie is now in her life, and what has transpired since.
That said, a large part of me doesn't want to know! The interaction that Joe captured all those years ago in Harry Potter World was so perfect. The impressions he painted of Katie form such a paragon of enthusiasm, patience, wisdom, empathy positivity, and wry humor -- it almost seems an impossible standard for someone to maintain.
Unless Katie is out there saving endangered baby seals from fishing nets, nursing them back to health while reading them WWLB, her life post-meeting Joe's daughter will seem like a let-down, at least in my head.
Being a Blue Jays fan, and having been at 2 of the games this week (including last night), I have to say that while very disappointed in the Jays’ showing, I couldn’t help but be extremely impressed with Corey Seager. Had he played more games he would definitely be in the MVP conversation.
The last time he posted the article in 2022 the header said people who knew Katie had made her aware of the story. So someone, somewhere knows how to reach her.
Vin did the walking first pitch, coming down and handing the ball to Sandy Koufax. He also once went to the mound with a microphone, said he'd hurt his arm after he started to wind up, asked if anyone could come in out of the bullpen, and out strode Fernando.
Do you remember what month and year the Katie encounter took place? I live in Orlando and have a ton of friends who are Universal Team Members, I might be able to discover if anyone knew her and still does.
He's still a legit #2 in MVP race, but while Seager's offense is otherworldly, his defense is horrific, mostly his range. Maybe he and Jung could flip next season?
For whatever reasons, many times when I find myself in a casual conversation and don’t quite catch what someone said, I wind up nodding and smiling agreeably, hoping I’ll eventually pick back up on whatever their train of thought was. Then later I wonder what I was agreeing with. Thankfully it’s never come back to bite me yet, at least as far as I know.
Hopefully you didn’t sign yourself up for translating the book from Norwegian to English, Joe.
Friday Rewind: Up in the Air
I was amazed by Mike Trout last year: Exactly 119 games...40 homeruns.
Let's change MVP to MOP - most outstanding player. Then we can give the prize to Ohtani and not be troubled that he failed to finish the season and that his value was solely in keeping the Angels out of last place.
The fewest games played by an MVP winner, who was not a pitcher, and did not win in a shortened season, was by Gabby Hartnett in 1935. Hartnett played in 116 games (the Cubs played the full 154 and won the pennant). He batted .344 / .404 / .545, OPS .949, OPS+ 151. And he played catcher in only 110 games, the others were pinch-hitting appearances. All-Star. AVG was third in the NL, OBP was fourth, SLG was fifth. OPS+ was third. He didn't lead in anything and his counting stats don't rank well because he played only 2/3 of the season, but he delivered the goods. So, worth mentioning.
I know it’s not up for a vote (or is it?), but I don’t need to know what Katie the Prefect is doing today. I love that story. And the fact that she magically appeared, performed a gigantic tiny good deed, and then faded into the crowd is just too perfect to mess with.
“And when I would hear the men in town talking among themselves and trying to pin him down to a definite past, I would smile quietly to myself. For a time they inclined to the notion, spurred by the talk of a passing stranger, that he was a certain Shannon who was famous as a gunman and gambler way down in Arkansas and Texas and dropped from sight without anyone knowing why or where. When that notion dwindled, others followed, pieced together in turn from scraps of information gleaned from stray travelers. But when they talked like that, I simply smiled because I knew he could have been none of these.
He was the man who rode into our little valley out of the heart of the great glowing West and when his work was done rode back whence he had come and he was Shane.”
As one of the select few (maybe 100 people) at the Substack party last night, thanks to Joe and Substack for a great night. In San Francisco, at any group event no matter how small, there is always 1 Yankee fan and 1 Dodger fan. Oh Well. And Joe, it is CLEARLY Tim Lincecum over Matt Cain on the Giants' Mt. Rushmore. Ask ANY Giants fan. You yourself compared him to Satchel Paige. Nobody ever compared Matt Cain to Satchel. I love Matt Cain, but it ain't close. I'll have that debate with you any time, and I guarantee, you'll lose...
Thanks again. Just a great, great night. Liz is right, pal - you're living your best life right now.
Any chance Bill James conversation will be recorded so out of towners can hear?!?!
I think it’s obvious that for the first pitch you should wear a Quisenberry jersey and throw the first pitch submarine style.
Consider that a Brilliant Reader Challenge.
My job as resident Frank Thomas apologist is to remind everyone about The Big Hurt in 1994. In 113 games, he hit .353 and slugged .729, with 38 homers and 101 RBIs. He walked 109 times and scored 106 runs, leading the league in both categories.
Have you spotted anyone reading your book on the plane?
Katie the Prefect is one of my favorite things I've ever consumed, in any medium. I will gladly read a follow-up on where Katie is now in her life, and what has transpired since.
That said, a large part of me doesn't want to know! The interaction that Joe captured all those years ago in Harry Potter World was so perfect. The impressions he painted of Katie form such a paragon of enthusiasm, patience, wisdom, empathy positivity, and wry humor -- it almost seems an impossible standard for someone to maintain.
Unless Katie is out there saving endangered baby seals from fishing nets, nursing them back to health while reading them WWLB, her life post-meeting Joe's daughter will seem like a let-down, at least in my head.
Being a Blue Jays fan, and having been at 2 of the games this week (including last night), I have to say that while very disappointed in the Jays’ showing, I couldn’t help but be extremely impressed with Corey Seager. Had he played more games he would definitely be in the MVP conversation.
The last time he posted the article in 2022 the header said people who knew Katie had made her aware of the story. So someone, somewhere knows how to reach her.
Vin did the walking first pitch, coming down and handing the ball to Sandy Koufax. He also once went to the mound with a microphone, said he'd hurt his arm after he started to wind up, asked if anyone could come in out of the bullpen, and out strode Fernando.
Do you remember what month and year the Katie encounter took place? I live in Orlando and have a ton of friends who are Universal Team Members, I might be able to discover if anyone knew her and still does.
He's still a legit #2 in MVP race, but while Seager's offense is otherworldly, his defense is horrific, mostly his range. Maybe he and Jung could flip next season?
For whatever reasons, many times when I find myself in a casual conversation and don’t quite catch what someone said, I wind up nodding and smiling agreeably, hoping I’ll eventually pick back up on whatever their train of thought was. Then later I wonder what I was agreeing with. Thankfully it’s never come back to bite me yet, at least as far as I know.
Hopefully you didn’t sign yourself up for translating the book from Norwegian to English, Joe.