The Substitute Blogger

Whenever the subject of pretty much anything comes up, there is always the request of “Name your top five….” Then we have to listen to somebody’s boring analysis on his or her list. I’m going to mix things up a bit here and do it differently. I’m going to jump right into the boring analysis without your request.

Baseball Books:

A subject that has been done to death, but no one ever gets it right… until now.

5. The Wrong Stuff by Bill Lee

I think it’s been mentioned before here on this very blog, but it needs another mention even if it has. There is very much a New England bias here. If you suffered brain trauma and root for some other team, by all means skip this and exchange it with Ball Four by Jim Bouton. But for the rest of us, this is it. There have been a lot of books about seventies baseball but the information gets lost by the end of the book. By connecting players to stories and anecdotes, The Spaceman makes that information stick. Oddly, considering this is supposed to be a hip and funny book, I’m not a huge fan of listening to what he has to say (I think he is ridiculous and mostly roll my eyes to be honest) but from a pure baseball book about the seventies, he nails it.

4. Clearing the Bases by Allen Barra 

Settling those pesky baseball disputes once and for all. Willie, Mickey, or The Duke? Was Babe Ruth overrated? What the heck happened to the 1986 New York Mets? And it has my favorite best of all time argument. (I don’t want to give it away, but years ago I used to always say this guy. I got laughed at. No wonder I like this book.). Dimaggio vs. Williams. Clemens vs. Koufax. Even for the weirdos that like football, there is a section on Don Shula and Walter Payton. But, the section on pitching is what really takes it to the next level. First off, there was a book called “The Diamond Appraised” in which the stats geeks took on the eyeball test people when it came to pitchers. It was groundbreaking (and yet teams STILL don’t follow it) in its way of showing how to keep pitchers arms from breaking down. The book, under review here follows that, but condenses it for normal people. Like The Davinci Code, each chapter is thankfully very short (“So you can feel smart” as Lois Griffin would say). One of the few books I won’t lend out. This is one of the most important books you’ll read if you are a baseball fan. Plus Tim Raines gets lots of love in it.

3.  Moneyball by Michael Lewis

Okay, Let me put on my helmet and protective gear. Here goes: THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK ABOUT BASEBALL EVER WRITTEN. Yup, May not be the best, or even close to the first about sabermetrics but the term "moneyball" is now a term like Kleenex. People on a message board I frequent bash it “We’ve known about the importance of on base percentage for years”. No kidding. Me too. But 90% of the country didn’t. People complain about how The Red Sox and Yankees are ruining baseball because of their payrolls. Sorry to report, it’s always been this way. The only difference is they don’t have idiots running the front offices anymore. Give a team unlimited resources AND knowledge, and they will win. The Red Sox had wheelbarrows full of money for close to 100 years and couldn’t win. Nothing has changed EXCEPT they now use numbers and can avoid what Bill Lee (I told you his book was good) called “The Curse of Fenway”. For years the Sox tried to get right handed power hitters to hit homeruns over the left field wall. ANY major leaguer can do that. It was a stupid way to go about things. There are 82 games in bigger parks to worry about. Moneyball is a great read in addition to teaching something. The story of the amazing small market Oakland A’s of the early 2000’s is the easiest book to read nonstop on this list.

2. Over the Edge by Jay Johnstone

I know, 1980’s comedy doesn’t hold up very well (see Piscopo, Joe) but this book, his second, is a better book than his first. I knew nothing of 1960’s baseball when I read this book. Even though it was written in the 80’s, now when I read it, I see names from my Strat-o-Matic 1960’s retro league popping up throughout the book. He tells stories about being in the military, his childhood, and his minor league and winter ball days. Plus it’s really short. One of my favorite baseball childhood sports memories was “Fernando Mania”. This captures enough early 80’s Dodgers stuff to bring some of it back. It is the 1980’s equivalent to Bill Lee’s book (I really should move that up the list) in the subjects written about. If you like one you will like the other. Any book with light bulb fights in it has to be good. Be warned, it’s corny in its humor.

1. Dodger Dogs to Fenway Franks by Bob Wood

This never gets listed and I don’t get it. This is easily my favorite baseball book of all time. It is a story of a schoolteacher who takes a summer in his little Toyota hatchback and visits all of the major league ballparks. It is funny enough, sad enough, and has enough of his childhood memories to make it a good read even if you are not a baseball fan. The “Pride of Kalamazoo” grades all of the stadiums based on different categories like food (Dodger Dogs get an A+, while Fenway Franks get a D) and atmosphere (the grades get reversed). The traveling is written simply (unlike newer ballpark excursion books where it has to be filled with catch phrases and other nonsense, this flows because it is a well written novel). I think it is out of print (it was written in 1986?) but it’s worth looking for.

Thanks for reading and I apologize for leaving, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning off the list. It to me is more than a baseball book. It is a time capsule of a subject I love (1970’s New York). If you haven’t read it, read it before any of these.

(That was the first installment of "The Substitute Blogger" with Brian Smith.  I hope you enjoyed it, because I know he worked really hard on it.  He'll be back in the future with more views on a variety of other things.)

2010 In Memorium

The year is winding down to an end in a couple of days.  I just want to take some time and remember some of the people that have passed this year.  More of a celebration of their lives than missing them.  These are just a few people that I'd like to single out for personal reasons.


J.D. Salinger

He, of course, is best known for writing, The Catcher in the Rye, but he also wrote, Nine Stories and Franny and Zooey.  Which are both excellent as well.  Catcher is one of my all-time favorite books.  I've read it many times over the years and it still holds up today.  This up coming year will be it's 60th anniversary of publication.  No small feat.

Chris Kanyon

I know what you're thinking, "A professional wrestler, really?"  He was really more than that.  He innovated many moves that you see today and also trained many wrestlers.  Still, that's not what makes him important.  He was an openly gay man in a very manly profession.  Think about that.  Most don't consider pro-wrestling a real sport, but they have to be athletes to perform everything in ring.  I like to say it's predetermined athletic event, a male soap opera, so to speak.

Ronnie James Dio

The little man, with the huge voice.  I never got to meet him, but have read and heard personally, that he was one of the nicest men in rock music.  Always treated his fans like they were friends.  That's not easy to do and it's a very desirable personality trait.  I have trouble treating my friends like friends.  The man was in three monster bands during his career.  Rainbow with Ritchie Blackmore, Black Sabbath (later known as, Heaven and Hell, when he was singing) and his own band, Dio.  He was still touring a full schedule until his death.  \m/

Lena Horne

Just look at that picture...simply gorgeous.  You could look at a recent picture and it would pretty much look the same.  She was a multiple threat when it came to the arts.  She could dance, act and sing.  Mainly known as a singer, she had her signature song.  Her career spanned close to 70 years, pretty impressive.

John Wooden

Anything I write about John Wooden will not be enough.  One of the great teachers of not only basketball, but life.  So, I'm going to have a few other people talk about him.  I don't feel I could do him justice.

Alex Chilton

It's really sad that he passed away this year, because he was starting to get the recognition he's deserved for decades.  He was the voice behind "The Letter" by The Box Tops in 1967, when he was just 17 years old.  Later on he would be the voice of Big Star, who are "Godfathers of Power Pop."  Everyone has heard, "In the Street," as it was the theme to That 70's Show.  He and the late, Chris Bell wrote, in my opinion, one of the most underrated ballads ever, "Thirteen."  Big Star was one of those bands that you can listen to and get lost in the lyrics and music.  It's so perfect.

Last and certainly least...

Brett Favre's Career

What in the world was he thinking?  He has arguably one of his best seasons in 2009 and he decides to take the money and return for one more year.  Big Mistake.  He gets involved in some crazy scandal that drags his name through the mud.  Gets his ass kicked all over the field so he can go down in sports history as one of those players that stayed too long.  Rather, than a great quarterback.  I just have no idea what he was trying to prove.

Nine By Design 10

This week's version of Nine By Design is being published a little early.  I'm working on a bigger blog entry that will hopefully be done for Monday.  It all depends how motivated I can get and what unexpected things happen here at home.  Which lately is almost a daily occurrence.  Is getting something earlier than expected a bad thing?  I think not...most of the time at least.  Today's topic is Authors.  I'm an avid reader, as is, my wife.  In fact, most of my friends read quite a bit.  I think it's one of the common denominator's I look for in people.  Do you read?  If you do, I'm instantly interested in what you have to say.  This is not the only factor in being my friend.  My brother doesn't read and I still like him, most days.  On with our list...

Authors:

Nick Hornby

I first discovered Hornby with this book, but he's written so many others worth reading; About a Boy, Fever Pitch and 31 Songs, to name a couple.  It also helps that music is important in a lot of his books.  For me at least.

Chuck Klosterman

Chuck is right up my alley.  He writes about music, movies and pop culture.  He's an encyclopedia when it comes to that stuff.  One of my inspirations for this blog, but he does it sooo much better than I.  Other suggested reading by him include; Fargo Rock City and Eating the Dinosaur.  Really anything he writes...a check, phone number...etc.

Philip K. Dick

I generally read non-fiction books.  So, when I read fiction, especially, science fiction, it has to be amazing and that kids, is what Philip K. Dick is.  A very prolific writer, a lot of his work has be made into movies.  He wrote the books or stories that became; Blade Runner, Total Recall and Minority Report, amongst others.  To top all of that, he wrote these stories/books between the 1950's and 1970's.  What an imagination.

John Updike

He wrote my favorite series of books, called: "The Rabbit Series."  Rabbit Angstrom is one of those great literary characters, someone we can all recognize with.  He has the same problems, joys and faults we all do.  Besides this amazing work, he wrote: The Witches of Eastwick, various short stories, poems and non-fiction essays.  A man of many talents.

John Feinstein

I discovered John Feinstein by accident.  I was listening to a sports radio show about 15 years ago and he was promoting one of his books.  I think it was A March To Madness (amazing).  I'm not really a basketball fan.  I watch a bit of the NCAA Tournament and the NBA Playoffs, if the Celtics are doing well.  So, knowing that, I was completely glued to the radio listening to him talk.  He's a great storyteller, that makes you feel like you're right there with him.  I have yet to read anything bad by him.  Suggested reading: Next Man Up and Tales From Q School (I don't like golf either, but it's his writing).

Mark Twain

I look at Twain as the Beatles of the literary world.  Did he really do anything bad?  Don't get wrong, he may have, because I haven't read everything he's ever done, but so far...he's pretty darn good.  He was incredibly prolific and one of America's early humorists.  All you need to know is: Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, The Prince and the Pauper and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.  All still relevant today.

Jack Kerouac

I was really into Kerouac when I was in high school.  I love the way he writes.  If jazz could be written down in words on paper, it would be his prose.  I have to be in the right mood to read his work these days.  Just not the same person I was 20 years ago, but is anyone?  Suggested reading: On The Road, The Subterraneans and Desolation Angels.

Clive Barker

I don't like horror, but I like Clive Barker.  Does that make sense?  He's just so much more than that genre.  I'm still a huge fan of his short stories to this day.  It's a more intelligent fantasy, horror and science fiction.  Not taking anything away from any other authors.  Barker just has a way to suck you in.  Suggested reading: Books of Blood Vol.1-6, Cabal, The Thief of Always.

Hunter S. Thompson

Buy the ticket, take the ride.  One of the best non-fiction writers I've ever read.  A complete and utter madman, but still amazing.  He wrote a lot of articles.  Something like 100 articles just for ESPN Page 2, near the end of his career.  Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a must, but so is; Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail.  He can be a little hit or miss, but he was one of a kind, with an interesting take on life.  He did commit suicide, because he wanted to go out on his terms and his ashes were fired out of a cannon.  Nobody was going to tell him how to live.

We've made it to the end of another weekly list.  Just a little earlier.  Happy Weekend...Cheers!