the baseball diaries

"it's never too late I heard you say, how can we turn and go away, I'm staking my claim to some degree, but don't bring this secret home to me..."

Big in Japan!

Baseball's second day in the Land of the Rising Sun saw a rebirth of sorts. From the lost and found bin of the baseball world emerged a man, I think it's safe to say, we all thought was as through with baseball, as baseball was with him. That man is none other than former Angels pitcher Bartolo Colon. Yes, he is still alive, and doing well apparently, as he started for the A's, retiring the first 13 batters he faced. He went 8 and allowed the single run the M's could muster. Bartolo freakin' Colon. Quite impressive! Another standout for the A's today was Yoenis Cespedes, a new youngster to the team, hit a two run shot in the 7th to put the A's up for good. Yoenis. "Yo-eh-neece"? "Yo-anus"? How do you pronounce it? Anyway, wait until both these teams get a load of the Angels!!

Speaking of the Angels, they're in a spring training slugfest with Kaci, Hurley having started but quickly diminished. He allowed 7 earned in 3 innings. Yeesh. Angels are up, however, 11-8 at the time of this post.

The Angels opener is one day closer, can't wait!

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"It's better to live than to know, better the noise that we love and hate, remember the moments we loved, whenever I feel like I'm in a state!

There used to be a way but there ain't no more, tell me why because we need it, I used to run away but I can't no more because I feel that I can't beat it! There used to be a way but there ain't no more..." From Tighten Up by Electronic

Broken Promises

Not so long ago, a trio of young impetuous hooligans made a commitment. LHTBJ was to be a daily relief amid the darts of mortality. But men are no better than men and after Creation comes the Fall and a promise is broken.

But it is Spring, when life renews, when color surrounds, when love is the air. And by wonderful design, Baseball renews when Life renews. Baseball breaths deeply the verdant hues of hope. Hope against hope. Faith. The specter of contentment haunts. And deep play is enjoyed until the death of day in the Fall. Then we are heartbroken, as if we know that we came that close to fulfillment. Spurned, we wait. Madly, but willingly. The darkness lifts, and then we do it all again next season. For those with eyes to see, Baseball is like life like no other game.

The darkness has lifted. The darts are clearly seen in the painful, restoring light of the Spring-sun. Life has returned! The joy of Baseball haunts! LHTBJ is back!

Gentlemen, it is Spring! Let us play the men this season until the inevitable Fall.

the baseball diaries

The Baseball Diaries by the numbers:

7 - Days before the season starts on American soil, having already started in Japan, a 3-1 victory for the Mariners over the A's
4 - Hits Suzuki had in the opener
2430 - Games in a MLB season, so there's plenty of opportunities to catch our favorte passtime

But let's get to the real numbers:

$240 Million! For the bat of Albert Pujols, who in the mind of Artie Moreno, Mike Chocha, and Brian Miller, and Angels fans the world over will deliver a World Series Championship to Anaheim once again! Yes, I believe it too. Yes, that's a lot of money and a long commitment (10 years), but hey, guys like GM Juicer and Vernon "0-4" Wells were not, and/or are not, bringing anything here. All they did was collect paychecks and my boos.

Plus we finally have a healthy Kendry(s) Morales back, a pitching rotation to rival the best in the league, and hope for a return to the glory days which were not that long ago.

Also, how 'bout that Amarista kid?! He's putting some good bat to ball and making solid plays, unlike Trumbo's airmail specials. The Angels open the season on April 6th vs. the Royals so I hope they work out all the kinks by then. I mean, let's be honest, this will be a tough season with every team in the league gunning for them after the huge off-season signings of Wilson and Pujols. An error free weekend sweep of Kaci would be a nice start!

More numbers you ask?

$2 Billion - What Majic Johnson (not Santana) and his friends paid to own the Los Angeles Dodgers. I just threw up a little bit in my mouth...
110-52 - What I predict the Angels record to be as they win the AL West and go on to the post-season.

And perhaps the saddest number of all: 900 - Days since I last wrote a baseball diaries. May that never happen again...

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