Roki Shohei Shota

 hALF-HEARTeDLy HoPEfUL BaSEbALL HAiKUs

Roki Sasaki 

might be joining the Blue Jays

if not the Padres...

Could be nice to see

the great Shohei Ohtani

outduel'd by a friend.

Shota Imanaga–

The Throwing Philosopher–

notwithstanding.

Dearly departed in 2023

Several MLB greats died in 2023 

(along with one of our dearest friends - A.D.)

Here is a commemorative lineup. 

 

Starting Pitcher: Vida Blue

Reliever: Tim Wakefield

Closer: Willie Hernandez

 

 

 

C- Tim McCarver

1B- Nate Colbert

2B- Eddie Bressoud

3B- Brooks Robinson

SS- Dick Groat

OF- Alex Cole

OF- Frank (Joseph) Thomas

OF- Frank Howard

DH- Sal Bando 

PH: Vic Davalillo

R.I.P.

Achiever memories

2020 DM Finals

 

Gleaning meaning from the gleaming autumn light

 "That final upflare of stubborn and dying summer upon which autumn, the dawning of halfdeath, had come unawares" 

- Faulkner, Light in August

Breathe through your eyelids and take it all in. Those melancholic moods triggered by an ever-paling midday sunlight struggling to shine through gathering grey clouds as thin and wispy as the yellowing leaves of birch trees auguring another halfdeath, another decline. 

A reminder of what the fall used to feel like back home, full of brisk bright crispy air ripe for running with the ball, back to school, new classes, new friends, new teachers to tease, new tunes to play on a tape deck in need of repair, sleeping in on weekends, free from the summer job, dwelling on getting that girlfriend, getting laid, breaking free while still broke, learning to toke, dance, and party. Having fun. 

Forget about baseball. The dog days of August long gone, college football's pageantry and the patriotic pull of the NFL now take precedence on weekends. 

You tried to fight it once, fight the oncoming fall. Clutching on to the summer pastime long past its prime, your oldest friend going along with your hardball glee agreeing to play catch in the park downtown after sharing in some shrooms. Having a catch in the waning daylight, menacing clouds started to swirl in the distance and along comes a father and son to play with the pigskin on your grounds, on their terms; it is their season. You sense this. Yet, you resist the transition from baseball's gentle summer ease to the tough and rough rituals of a toxic masculinity, refusing to give ground to the brutish game and its aggressive acolytes. Flinging flyballs to my friend, chasing down the return throw and flicking the glove out at the last second to feel it plummet right into the pocket. A playful grace, effortless; short sprints and soft hands...long, bounding strides belie a stylish elegance and perfect timing. Side-arm throws. Grounders. Backhand stabs. The shoestring catch. Shagging flies with a crow's hop thrown in for good measure. 

We're staying right here and we're playing baseball. The father and son and football encroach further upon our sacred ground. Menacing looks are exchanged.

The ominous clouds overhead portended confrontation, conflict, disaster. 

But then the magic of the mushrooms sends us peacefully on our way, to a Jamaican jerk party, where we bestowed an entire case of Hercules IPA upon the party guests, much to their delight.

Random, Remarkable Stats: more SB than SO in a single season

Only 74 times in history!

*since 1947 (minimum 502 PA)

1949: Jackie Robinson (Brooklyn Dodgers)

PA: 704

SB: 37

SO: 27

 

1951: Nellie Fox (NYY)

PA: 706

SB: 16

SO: 12

1970: Matty Alou (PIT)

PA: 718

SB: 19

SO: 18

1984: Tony Gwynn (SD)

PA: 675

SB: 33

SO: 23

 

1986: Tony Gwynn (SD)

PA: 701

SB: 37

SO: 35

1987: Tony Gwynn (SD)

PA: 680

SB: 56

SO: 35

1989: Tony Gwynn (SD)

PA: 679

SB: 40

SO: 30

1995: Tony Gwynn (SD)

PA: 577

SB: 17

SO: 15

1980: Rickey Henderson (OAK)

PA: 722

SB: 100

SO: 54

1982: Rickey Henderson (OAK)

PA: 656

SB: 130

SO: 94

1983: Rickey Henderson (OAK)

PA: 622

SB: 108

SO: 80

 

1985: Rickey Henderson (NYY)

PA: 654

SB: 80

SO: 65

 

1986: Rickey Henderson (NYY)

PA: 608

SB: 87

SO: 81

1988: Rickey Henderson (NYY)

PA: 647

SB: 93

SO: 54

1989: Rickey Henderson (NYY/OAK)

PA: 674

SB: 77

SO: 68

1990: Rickey Henderson (OAK)

PA: 594

SB: 65

SO: 60

1974: Lou Brock (STL)

PA: 702

SB: 118

SO: 88

1986: Vince Coleman (STL)

PA: 670

SB: 107

SO: 98

1960: Maury Wills (LAD)

PA: 559

SB: 50

SO: 47

1962: Maury Wills (LAD)

PA: 759

SB: 104

SO: 57

1965: Maury Wills (LAD)

PA: 711

SB: 94

SO: 64

1983: Tim Raines (MTL)

PA: 720

SB: 90

SO: 70

1984: Tim Raines (MTL)

PA: 718

SB: 75

SO: 69

1985: Tim Raines (MTL)

PA: 665

SB: 70

SO: 60

1986: Tim Raines (MTL)

PA: 664

SB: 70

SO: 60

1990: Tim Raines (MTL)

PA: 538

SB: 49

SO: 43

1980: Dave Collins (CIN)

PA: 613

SB: 79

SO: 68

1983: Rudy Law (CHW)

PA: 551

SB: 77

SO: 36

1992: Kenny Lofton (CLE)

PA: 651

SB: 66

SO: 54

1994: Kenny Lofton (CLE)

PA: 523

SB: 60

SO: 56

1995: Kenny Lofton (CLE)

PA: 529

SB: 54

SO: 49

1999: Tony Womack (ARI)

PA: 684

SB: 72

SO: 68

1975: Mickey Rivers (CAL)

PA: 672

SB: 70

SO: 42

1983: Alan Wiggins (SD)

PA: 585

SB: 66

SO: 43

1984: Alan Wiggins (SD)

PA: 692

SB: 70

SO: 57

2001: Juan Pierre (COL)

PA: 683 

SB: 46

SO: 29

2003: Juan Pierre (FLA)

PA: 747

SB: 65

SO: 35

 

2004: Juan Pierre (FLA)

PA: 748

SB: 45

SO: 35

2005: Juan Pierre (FLA)

PA: 719

SB: 57

SO: 45

2006: Juan Pierre (CHC)

PA: 750

SB: 58

SO: 38

 

2007: Juan Pierre (LAD)

PA: 729

SB: 64

SO: 37

 

2010: Juan Pierre (CHW)

PA: 734

SB: 68

SO: 47

1972: Joe Morgan (CIN)

PA: 680

SB: 58

SO: 44

1973: Joe Morgan (CIN)

PA: 698

SB: 67

SO: 61

 

1975: Joe Morgan (CIN)

PA: 639

SB: 67

SO: 52

1976: Joe Morgain (CIN)

PA: 599

SB: 60

SO: 41

1976: César Cedeño (HOU)

PA: 635

SB: 58

SO: 51

1977: César Cedeño (HOU)

PA: 598

SB: 61

SO: 50

1980: Miguel Diloné (CLE)

PA: 566

SB: 61

SO: 45

1987: Harold Reynolds (SEA)

PA: 584

SB: 60

SO: 34

1959: Luis Aparicio (CHW)

1960: Luis Aparicio (CHW)

1961: Luis Aparicio (CHW)

1963: Luis Aparicio (BAL)

1964: Luis Aparicio (BAL)

1980: Ozzie Smith (SD)

1985: Ozzie Smith (STL)

1986: Ozzie Smith (STL)

1987: Ozzie Smith (STL)

1988: Ozzie Smith (STL)

1992: Ozzie Smith (STL)

1988: Barry Larkin (CIN)

1995: Barry Larkin (CIN)

1992: Lance Johnson (CHW)

1993: Lance Johnson (CHW)

1995: Lance Johnson (CHW)

1996: Lance Johnson (NYM)

2014: Jose Altuve (HOU)

2001: Ichiro Suzuki (SEA)

1993: Luis Polonia (CAL)

1985: Brett Butler (CLE)

1982: Damaso Garcia (TOR)

1996: Eric Young Sr. (COL)

Random, Remarkable Stats: Dave Cash, 1976

 Dave Cash - 2B

                                                                            1969-1980

 PIT/PHI/MTL/SD

 

1976  Phillies

PA: 727

SO: 13

3B: 12

SB: 10

CS: 12

2B: 14

GIDP: 16

Henry "Hammerin' Hank" Aaron

 

R.I.P.