Category Archives: Thinking

Badness

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Eric

The question of badness amongst professional athletes has always fascinated me. The same goes for any celebrity — writer, actor, musician. How to react when a person whose work you admire leads a life that is not up to your … Continue reading →

Posted in Thinking | 6 Comments

The Stadium Experience

Posted on August 10, 2010 by Eric

The fan was about fifty years old and if it weren’t for the beach ball we never would have noticed him at all. He had a regular middle-aged build, thinning hair, and two boys – maybe twelve and fourteen years … Continue reading →

Posted in Memoir, The Stadium Experience, Thinking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Strange Grace of Players Trading Places

Posted on August 1, 2010 by Ted

You would be hard-pressed to find another franchise that’s had a two-day period the likes of the Astros recent whirlwind. Not only in terms of volume of activity, but when you consider that the Astros traded away the two players … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball the Teacher, Thinking | Tagged | 2 Comments

Seatbelts

Posted on July 21, 2010 by Eric

For the last four months I’ve kept my Dodger fandom at arm’s length. I’ve tried to stay cool, like an MI6 Agent or Steve McQueen or Big Pink era Bob Dylan, and for the most part I’ve pulled it off.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Thinking | 3 Comments

Sailing to Byzantium

Posted on July 19, 2010 by Paul

The author of this post is Paul Franz. Ted and I invited Paul to contribute to Pitchers and Poets with the idea that he would bring a new perspective. Already, he has wowed us by writing an insightful essay built … Continue reading →

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Tagg You’re It: A Conversation With Carson Cistulli

Posted on July 2, 2010 by Eric

Somehow I ended up in a conversation with Carson Cistulli about home-run trot injuries, biblical misfortune, schlemiels, and schlemazels. You can find it on Fangraphs.com. And enjoy a brief excerpt here: Carson: Eric, I know some things about you that … Continue reading →

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How to Choose Between Slovakia and Cameroon

Posted on June 22, 2010 by Eric

A rare interlude in which I try to write about  soccer’s version of the World Baseball Classic: A great deal has been written about what the international game of football – soccer — can tell us about global politics, human … Continue reading →

Posted in America, Thinking | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

The Best First Third

Posted on June 14, 2010 by Eric

It occurred to me the other day that this might be the most story-filled first third to a season ever. Consider how much excitement has already been packed into the year: A no-hitter by Ubaldo Jimenez, who happens to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Thinking | 10 Comments

Legal Eagles Circle Bud

Posted on June 3, 2010 by Ted

My sister is a badass law student, and she just sent me a link to a law studenty blog called Above the Law. (I would make a poor lawyer because a) I’m already tired of using the word “law” and … Continue reading →

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Jose Lima (1972-2010)

Posted on May 23, 2010 by Eric

He had his greatest successes with the Astros and Dodgers — our favorite teams. But in any and every uniform, Jose Lima was a joy to behold. People like him, careers like his, triumphs and failures like those he embodied … Continue reading →

Posted in Thinking | Tagged | 3 Comments