Moody Thinking

AL West

With the way the Angels dominated last year’s AL West, you would think that they would be an easy pick to repeat. You would and you would be wrong. We should have learned one thing from Michael Lewis’ Moneyball: Do not sleep on the Oakland A’s. Here are the picks:

Division Winner: Oakland Athletics: Oakland’s pitching will be

Is Billy Beane still smarter than most GMs? You betcha!

 good because their pitching is always good. Their future numbers 1 and 2 will be making their way up this year (Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill). Duscherer will be missed while he is on the DL, but the other pitching will be able to carry his slack by midseason. Billy Beane worked his magic last year and brought in Matt Holliday for a contract year, Jason Giambi with a little gas left in the tank, and a dependable shortstop in Orlando Cabrera. They may not win over 90 games, but this team will win the division. X-Factor: Cahill and Anderson really need to hit the ground running and win games immediately. If not, they may lose too much ground to the other teams. Liabilities: The Eric Chavez and Nomar Garciaparra platoon at third base. Both players are immensely talented. Both players are injured too often to be dependable. Maybe these two can keep each other from missing too much time, but both are not consistent enough to be dependable.

Side Note: Billy Ripken just described “The Yips” for pitchers and fielders on MLB Tonight. The MLB Network was a great idea and the best part is the return of Harold Reynolds to national television as an analyst.

Also Rans:

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Nova Scotia, and Djibouti: Sorry, but I think if your name is 5 words long, you leave it open for mockery. The Halos are already missing their two best pitchers from last year in Ervin Santana and John Lackey, thought Lackey’s injury does not appear to be serious. If they can survive until he comes back and Kelvim Escobar gets accustomed to pitching in the bigs again, then they have a shot. The Bobby Abreu signing was nice, but Vlad Guerrero has little left in the tank defensively, especially patrolling right field. Both of these outfielders will hit well but not enough to increase to get their team to the playoffs. Torii Hunter is a great fielder and an above average hitter, but the Angels have liabilities in the oft-injured Chone Figgins at third and Juan Rivera at DH. X-Factor: Jose Arredondo could be one of those pitchers like K-Rod once he gets big league seasoning. Liabilities: Starting pitching, as stated above, and they will not win as many one and two run games without K-Rod.

Josh Hamilton is a great player and has a great story. You need to know about this guy. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Texas Rangers: The Rangers may be two years away from a division run as they have finally decided to develop pitching as opposed to simply loading up on hitting. Neftali Feliz (came in the Teixera to Atlanta deal) will be a star. Their lineup is dangerous as always with Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler with a plethora of young talent. They do not have the pitching to compete this year, case in point: Kevin Millwood, yes that Kevin Millwood, is the number 1 starter. Look for this team in two years when Baseball America’s number 1 farm system makes it to the bigs, unless they trade it all away for offense… again. X-Factor: Elvis Andrus could be a sensational shortstop of the future. Liabilities: Pitching as well as Michael Young being another year older and at new position.

Seattle Mariners: Is it not sad that this once proud franchise has sunk to the depths of mediocrity? However, their new GM Jack Zduriencik looks to be making nice moves that will benefit the team in the future. I appreciate the Griffey signing as a baseball fan that likes tradition, but I think they brought him in to sell tickets while they win 65 games. Felix Hernandez is poised to have the breakout year we have all been expecting and he will at least be fun to watch while this team reloads. Young up and comers Wladimir Balentien and Jeff Clement should be up this year and contribute to the team, though their best years are still ahead of them. X-factor: Russell Branyan could provide some much needed pop in a lineup depending mostly on Griffey and Adrian Beltre. Liabilities: Erik Bedard will struggle to stay healthy and be another quality pitcher behind Hernandez.

This division is really between two teams: the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The only other team that will be worth watching this year is the San Fransisco Giants because they have good pitching. The other two teams will be awful… again.  

Brandon Webb will compete for the NL Cy Young.

Division Winner: Arizona Diamondbacks: They may have the best 1-2 punch in starting pitchers with Brandon Webb and Dan Haren. Max Scherzer has the potential to be a star in the league and he is currently the number 5 starter where he can develop without the weight of the world on his shoulders. The field is full of good young talent that can produce as shown by last season’s early run. One more year of experience should help this team of youngsters keep up the consistency throughout the year. X-Factor: Chris Young needs to return to his stats of 2 years ago. If he recovers from last year’s underperformance, this lineup has very few holes. Liabilities: The bullpen has a lot of questions as far as consistent performance.  

Also Rans:

Crazy as he can be, Manny Ramirez is one of the best right-handed hitters of all time.

Los Angeles Dodgers: So they signed Manny Ramirez after a few month soap opera that angered every baseball fan in its longevity. You cannot doubt his production and he is one of the best hitters in baseball. They have great young talent with Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Russell Martin, and James Loney with proven veterans in Manny, Rafael Furcal, and Casey Blake. They probably do not have the pitching necessary to make a run at the playoffs. Hiroki Kuroda, a nice number 3 starter, is their ace. X-Factor: If Chad Billingsley pitches like last year, he should move into the ace role and Kuroda can move back in the lineup. Clayton Kershaw also has the potential to be a star pitcher. Liabilities: Outside of closer Jonathan Broxton, the bullpen is a mess. 

San Fransico Giants: Just in case you were wondering, the Giants are still around even after the Barry Bonds saga. Tim Lincecum is one of the best pitchers in baseball and Matt Cain has great potential. They added Randy Johnson who should produce consistently if he can stay off of the DL. They do not have the offensive fire power to put together any sort of run, but the pitching will keep games close enough for this team to be watchable. X-Factor: Fred Lewis could steal a lot of bases and provide small ball offense. Liabilities: Aging veterans in the field such as Edgar Renterria will not provide enough offense to make a difference. 

Colorado Rockies: Egads. This team traded away their best player to the A’s last year to get out of his contract. They have some good young talent in Troy Tulowitzki and Chris Ianetta and some good players in Garret Atkins and Brad Hawpe. Outside of these players, they really have very little going for them on offense. Ubaldo Jiminez is a good pitcher and really the only bright spot in the rotation. X-Factor: Tulowitzki needs to return to preinjry form for this team to have any shot. Liabilities: Pitching, both the rotation and the bullpen have too many questions. 

"GET ME OUT OF SAN DIEGO!!!!"

San Diego Padres: What a mess! The owner and his wife get divorced and she is looking for half of everything including the money from the baseball team! They have been in fire sale mode since the end of last year and really have no shot at competing. Their ace, Jake Peavy, wants out of town and will play angry because they could not move him on the off season. That’s about all for any information for the Padres. They will be the worst team in baseball this year. X-Factor: Young talent Chase Headley could be someone to watch. Liabilities: Too many to count. 

Recap of the NL:

NL East: Atlanta Braves

NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals

NL West: Arizona Diamondbacks. 

AL Predictions begin next Tuesday! 

The NL Central now has the last cursed baseball team. Can the Cubs finally get a World Series ring? My guess: Nope, not this year. There are too many potential problems. In fact, I do not think they make the playoffs. Let’s get into it:

Albert Pujols will eat up opposing pitching

Division Winner: St. Louis Cardinals: I’ll address the Cubs problems in a moment. St. Louis has a lot going for them. They have arguably the best player in baseball in Albert Pujols. Young prospect Colby Rasmus adds to the already potent outfield of Rick Ankiel and Ryan Ludwick. They have their fair share of issues, the main one being depth at the major positions, but their issues are a lot less scary than the others in the division. They will not win 100 games but will win enough to take the division. X-Factor: Chris Carpenter. If he returns to anywhere close to preinjury form, he drastically improves their rotation. Liability: Bullpen. If new closer Jason Motte struggles, they have a lot of questions as to who will close games. 

Also Rans:

The Punch Me in the Face Perennial Disappointment Chicago Cubs: Are Chicago fans tired of buying in to this team? They have all the pieces in place to make a run, but they have too many questions in the

When Carlos Zambrano is on, he is filthy.

starting rotation and bullpen. We all know that strong pitching gets teams into the playoffs and leads them on deep runs into the playoffs (Tampa and Philadelphia anyone?).  Their offense is good with Alfonso Soriano, Derek Lee, and Geovanny Soto. They will score runs, but look at this rotation: Carlos Zambrano: injury concern and underperformed last year, Rich Harden: colossal injury concern, Ryan Dempster: Career year last year with potential for a repeat performance, Ted Lilly: the only pitcher I trust in the rotation, and the jury is still out on Sean Marshall. Definite closer Carlos Marmol had a bad World Baseball Classic and finished slow last year. X-Factor: If Rich Harden makes at least 25 starts, the questions about the rotation can be answered. Liabilities: As stated, pitching, but watch out for a Derek Lee “I’m-getting-older-and-numbers-fall-0ff” year.

Milwaukee Brewers: This team has a lot of nice pieces, but I am not sure that they can all come together again like last year for a late season playoff push. They lost CC Sabathia and as such their bullpen lacks consistent arms. Their presumed ace is coming off a year where he missed most of the season. Ryan Braun, Corey Hart, and Prince Fielder will provide the offense but not enough to make up for the lack of pitching. X-Factor: You have to love having the all time saves leader as your closer, but can he stand the rigors of another full season? Trevor Hoffman may miss the beginning of the year, but he still has the ability to get the outs in a close game. Liabilities: Lack of offense from 3rd base as well as a no-name bullpen behind Hoffman. 

When fully healthy, Aaron Harang is capable of leading the league in strikeouts.

Cincinatti Reds: It seems like we have been waiting for the last few years for the Reds to finally put the pieces together and win the division. They have great young talent in Jay Bruce and Joey Votto and they look to improve in their second years. Brandon Phillips is a rising star at 2B. They have good young pitching and solid veterans that can provide leadership. I do not think they have enough consistency to win the division, but they have enough talent to remain competitive until season’s end. X-Factor: Ace Aaron Harang is capable of putting together a comeback year and leading the league in strikeouts. Liabilities: Johnny Cueto and Micah Owings need to put up consistent numbers in the second half instead of falling off. If they do not, the Reds will not have the pitching to make the playoffs. 

Houston Astros: This team has become irrelevant so quickly that it is hard to believe that they were in the World Series in 2005. They have proven franchise power hitters in Carlos Lee and Lane Berkman as well as a good young outfielder in Hunter Pence. They should be able to produce offensively, but they have very little talent after Roy Oswalt in the rotation. It sounds like a broken record, but this division will be won on pitching. The Astros do not have the pitching. X-Factor: Young speedster Michael Bourne and injury prone Kaz Matsui could provide enough speed for the Astros to have consistent offense around the power hitters. Liabilities: Starting pitching as well as a bullpen with one consistent arm.  

Andy Laroche (15) and Doumit can play for your fantasy team and maybe get some wins there.

Pittsburgh Pirates: With Pitt making the sweet 16 and the Steelers winning the Super Bowl, the Pirates are the only step between the Steel City and sports euphoria. They have some nice young pieces, including Nate McLouth and Ryan Doumit but very little around them to produce consistent offense. On a side note, they have two brothers (Adam and Andy Laroche) and a guy in the bullpen with a last name of Bootcheck, so they will at least be an interesting read in the media guide. Their pitching is, well… let’s just say Paul Maholm has potential to win 14 games. X-Factor: They have one of the top prospects in baseball in Pedro Alvarez, but he is a long way away from the majors. He will not make it the bigs this year, but I could not think of another X-factor. Liabilities: They are at the bottom of this list for a reason. 

NL West Preview Tomorrow! 

We are within two weeks of the baseball season and it is prediction time. Baseball, more than any other sport, is driven by statistics and can be projected a little bit easier than football or basketball. (i.e. Did anyone have the Tennessee Titans finishing 1st the AFC? No). 

So, without any further hooey, here are division projections and some other notable predictions starting with the NL East. I will post a division a day this week and will project the AL next week.   National League East: Four teams have a shot at this division coming in to the season. I will stand behind my picks, but I would not be surprised if the Mets, Phillies, or Marlins win.  NL East Division Winner: Atlanta Braves. 

Derek Lowe: Production Guaranteed.

Call it a homer pick but very few will argue with their offseason moves, highlighted by the completely revamped starting rotation. They have Derek Lowe as an ace, a solid 2 in Javier Vasquez, as well as Jurrjens, Kawakami, and a somewhat healthy Tom Glavine. Oh, and they have the top pitching prospect (not counting David Price) that will start in Triple A but is ready to pitch now. Double Oh, they can Tim Hudson back from Tommy John surgery in time for playoff run. Jordan Schafer could break into the lineup this year and Garrett Anderson provides a consisten bat in left field, provided he is healthy. If he is not, then Brandon Jones and Matt Diaz can fill in there. X-Factor: The Braves need 20+ homeruns from RF Jeff Francoeur. If he bounces back from a terrible year, they can win the division going away. Liability: Bullpen, as usual. The oft injured relievers need to stay on their feet. The starters also have to help as the middle relievers were stretched too much last year.  Also Rans

Carlos Delgado needs 30+ homeruns for the Mets to contend.

New York Mets: Putting my loathing aside, the Mets could very easily win the division. They addressed their biggest weakness in signing Francisco Rodriguez and JJ Putz in the off-season to get some consistency in their bullpen. I do not think they will win the division because they are one starting pitcher injury away from it all falling apart. Santana will deliver, but they have Oliver Perez, Mike Pelfrey, John Maine, and the immortal Livan Hernandez following him. You know what you are getting from Hernandez so if any of the middle three fall apart, they are in trouble. X-Factor: Carlos Delgado. If he can produce like the end of last season, they have a shot at the division. If he declines, they will miss his power potential. Liablities: Corner outfield production. There are some notable question marks with young Daniel Murphy and whether or not Ryan Church returns to pre-concussion form. The Mets are my pick for the Wild Card.

Philadelphia Phillies: They were running neck and neck with the Mets and Braves until Cole Hamels injury concerns surfaced. He pitched career high innnings last year and I predict he will battle arm discomfort off and on all year. The Raul Ibanez signing was great as they have a proven outfielder in him and the production of Jimmy Rollins cannot be questioned. Ryan Howard will get his 45+. However, they need too many things to go right in order to win the division and beat the top two teams. X-Factor: Chase Utley. If he returns from hip trouble and produces what he is capable of, the Phillies could repeat the division success. Liabilities: Starting Pitching. Are we going to see the pre-demotion or post-demotion Brett Myers? My guess is that he underperforms again to start the year. You only get redos so many times. 

Cameron Maybin has tons of potential and tons of strikeouts. If he learns plate discipline, the Marlins are dangerous.

Florida Marlins: They always have good young talent and always make considerable noise in the division. The problem with youth is that consistency is hard to maintain. They will hit with Jorge Cantu, Dan Uggla, and Hanley Ramirez. Their starting pitching rotation is full of young starters capable of shutting down teams, notably Ricky Nolasco. I do not believe they have all of the pieces in place for a division run, but they could win the World Series next year and then sell off all their parts. X-Factor: Outfield Production. If Cameron Maybin becomes everything he is capable of being, they will have a dangerous player that can hit for power and run. Perenially disappointing Jeremy Hermida could produce to his potential and give them a very dangerous lineup. Liabilities: Bullpen. Last year’s closer is now in Chicago and this year’s closer had elbow problems during the World Baseball Classic. They could very well see their season slip away in the bullpen similar to last year’s Mets. 

Washington Nationals: The only team in the division with absolutely no chance at winning.  They added some good hitters in the off season, but the only reliable one is Adam Dunn and he will hit .230. Their number three pitcher is Daniel Cabrera. He could not cut it in Baltimore and now he plays for Washington. How long will this team continue to recycle starting pitchers and underperform. X-Factor: Umm… if Josh Willingham hits 25 Hrs, they will still finish last. Liabilities: Being the Washington Nationals.  NL Central post tomorrow!

Five years have gone by and each one is better than the last. We have been through a number of changes in each of the year. 

The first year we lived in the shaky house in Hope Hull, moved twice, and worked numerous jobs. We changed churches and worked in youth ministry together. Gemma joined our life as the first child and the best dog in the world.

The second year we worked together at a job and discovered that some couples just are not made for that experience. I left my job and came back to my job and we began to work on our house to make it more liveable. You were so incredibly supportive when God was calling me to a career change and I made the decision to go back to school. 

In the third year, we decided at that time that God had called us to have children and you patiently encouraged me with the idea of having a child until I was on board. God truly used you to teach me that I had no reason to fear.  

The fourth year saw us have that baby in our little man Ollie. I have watched you grow into an incredible mother, even in those first months when we were trying to figure out this parenting thing. You prepared more than anyone I know to have this baby and from the beginning you have done a spectacular job with raising him. 

Now after year five, we are celebrating health after a tremendous year containing a few hospital visits. We celebrate the growth of Ollie and I continue to marvel at how great you are raising him. He is so intelligent and loves life and I know that you are a big part of his development into who he is.

Mandy, thank you for five wonderful years and I look forward to many more.

Love,

Jeff

P.S. Ollie and Gemma want you to know that you are a great mother and that they love you very much.

As I was getting ready to leave the gym today, a friendly old guy at the locker next to me who had just arrived said “You must have gotten here before breakfast today.” I smiled and replied, “Nope, I ate breakfast. I’m on the way to second breakfast.” (I eat before working out and after).

He smiled and said, “So you’re just running between two breakfasts.”

That line has stuck with me today. Sometimes we get so focused on the destination that we forget to look around and experience life between these destinations. We forget to enjoy the ride, the process if you will, of arriving at where we are going. Yet I believe that if we look at ourselves, we will realize that the destinations are the culmination of everything that has happened before.

I will not wake up tomorrow and run a 3:30 marathon, but if I ever do, it will be the result of intense training over a period of years. Mandy and I are working toward the goal of our son growing into a man and leaving the house. What if that was the only thing we focused on? We would miss the wonderful experiences of him growing up.

At the same time, do not miss out on Second Breakfast. We fall to the other extreme and focus merely on the process and never make the destination. Without a perspective on our destination, we will never have a point to the process.

Philippians 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus.

A balance exists between the two where we gain the proper perspective on both the process and the destination. The process is becoming who God wants us to be. The destination is actually being who God wants us to be. From these two perspectives, we gain the insight we need to enjoy life daily while keeping the end in mind at all times.

If you find that perspective balance between the process and the destination, let me know.

Originally posted at Gatewaylife.net. 

Matthew 7:21-23

Why would I write a post about a baseball book written in 2003? Well, we can see if Michael Lewis’ landmark book that changed the way many people view baseball was actually right. Also, the implications of The Moneyball Method can apply to other areas of life besides baseball. 

I have been a baseball fan for a long time and so much more so over the last two years that I am currently reading baseball books for at least this season. I should have between 6-10 read by the end of the year. So when I read Moneyball for the first time, I was already behind the curve. Let me say that this book is worth the read if you like baseball. If not, Lewis tells a good enough story to keep your attention. 

Since Moneyball, we have seen the rise of Major League GM’s built from a different mold than previous players, coaches, etc. We have also seen the Oakland A’s underperform in 2007 due to injuries . In the 2008 season, GM Billy Beane and the A’s moved most of the marquee players to other teams to pick up minor leaguers and to move salaries off the books, a notable exception being the trade that brought Rockies’ slugger Matt Holliday to Oakland. 

The basic premise remains the same: find a way to win in a spending league when you do not have any money. The method: Find guys to draft who are off the radar screen of others and pick up undervalued players with different skill sets. The game: Utilize stats no one else thinks about. 

What Billy Beane (assisted by the work of Bill James and others) discovered was that you could actually field a winning team based on nothing but stats. Baseball, more than any other team sport, is a statistical game where in most cases you have individuals compiling individual stats. Yes, some stats require other players’ involvement, but a player’s production level can be measured by statistical category meaning that a baseball player can be exceptional without “looking” like a baseball player. 

Do not let yourself think that this book only applies to baseball. The basic premise is that you can take a new look at an old way of doing things and find a better way to do it to be successful. This method can be applied to all fields. Not to mention that we are very often led by misinformed “gut” feelings when the statistics are there to give us the best information on decisions. 

So, does the Moneyball idea work? Yes and No. The theory cannot completely account for injury or failed performance. The theory can also make exceptional teams from undervalued players. Let’s look at the current performance of the people mentioned in the book. I will focus on people that represent the trend developed by the book. 

1. Billy Beane: Still Oakland GM and as of March 2009 has assembled a team in Oakland that will compete for the division. He managed to get the Rockies’ Matt Holliday in a contract year, resign Jason Giambi for a fraction of his contract with the Yankees, and pick up a tremendously valuable Orlando Cabrera due to the lack of funds of other teams. The Oakland A’s have benefited from the fire sales other teams have made and their unwillingness to pick up free agents. 

2. Jeremy Brown: Really a baseball tragedy after the book. Despite his potential, he never played consistent big league time and retired before the 2008 season. 

Kevin Youkilis "The Greek God of Walks"

3. Kevin Youkilis: The Greek God of Walks. Boston kept a real gem with this player currently representing the USA in the World Baseball Classic. He has continually put up all-star caliber seasons since he came to the big leagues. I’m sure Theo Epstein (Boston GM) is glad he kept the Fat Third Baseman in the minors. 2008 Stats: .312 batting average, 29 homeruns, 115 RBI’s, .390 on base percentage, .569 slugging percentage. 

4. Chad Bradford: At 34 years old, he pitched in the World Series for the Tampa Bay Rays. He continues to baffle hitters with his unorthodox delivery. 2008 Stats: 2.12 ERA. 

5. Scott Hatteberg: Already in the twilight of his career when he came to the A’s, he helped them tremendously until picked up by the Cincinatti Reds who released him in 2008. 

So, in the 5 seasons since Moneyball was published, the A’s have had three good years and two bad years. Their bounce back potential for 2009 looks tremendous and I anticipate that they will win the AL West going away as their main competition, The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, West Hartford, Birmingham, and Delhi have big question marks at a number of positions.

So, I know I am behind on the Moneyball phenomenon. I also just figured out 2 years ago that running is good for me. I tend to operate behind the times. 

Did you know that vegetables are good for you? Crazy…

“And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” – 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Throughout my life as a believer, I have heard people disregard Christianity and the church because it is full of hypocrites. I have been bothered by this statement before and have seen others struggle with the implications of this statement. Why do we struggle with it? Because it is true. 

I am a hypocrite. Everyday I act and think against what I know and proclaim to be true. I constantly battle with sin and must lean on the grace of God to continue to forgive me by his death on the cross. I am far from perfect. 

However, my inconsistency does not change the truth of God. In fact, the more I turn back to God in repentance shows his work in my life and his power to make me a new person conformed in his image. This is the wonderful truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, that we while separated from God cannot be saved, yet Christ died for our sins and gave us his spirit that we might be forgiven and live with him. 

Our message to the world should not be one of “Look at me” but “Look to Christ.” I have nothing in myself to give because everything I have is tainted. All I can give is God. The great part about this truth is that God wants me to point to him, not to myself, and not to others. We as believers struggle so much with the sin of pride that we are prone to making ourselves as the focal point instead of God. We say “Look at me. I will show you how to follow God. Do these things. Say these things.” Even if we do not speak these thoughts, we certainly have them in our minds. 

Yet look at what Paul brought to the Corinthian church. He brought nothing but “Jesus Christ and him crucified.” Not with lofy words or worldly wisdom, but only Christ. Paul did not come saying “Look at me.” In fact, he says in Philippians that all he had accomplished was garbage compared to knowing Christ. 

So our message to the world, and to ourselves, is: “I have nothing. Only Christ.” God calls us to live our lives to glorify him and he will bring forth his fruit from within us. But we should never make ourselves the focus, only Christ. 

Note: Moneyball post postponed until Thursday.

Well, so I have not posted here in a while. I always plan to but never do. My wife tells me that I should remind all of my email friends that I have this blog, but I forget to post often enough. 

I have decided to impose a deadline on myself. I am guest blogging at http://www.gatewaylife.net on the book of Matthew 3 days a week, so I am going to post here on the off days (Tuesday and Thursday) with a bi-weekly weekend post. 

The writing at Gatewaylife has kept me disciplined and I have really enjoyed it. That discipline could be applied here for this blog as I write about more topics. 

I am pumped about the baseball season. My cable plan includes the MLB network and I am officially immersed in Spring Training. The Braves had a good off season and should compete for the division. I am trying to expand my reading selections, so I have decided to be in the process of reading a baseball book throughout the season. I just finished Michael Lewis’ Moneyball (for the second time) and I should be starting another book this weekend. 

Tuesday’s post will be a review of Moneyball and a discussion of its implications on the sport of Major League Baseball. Thursday’s post is TBD. I will also move over some posts from Gatewaylife, but they will not replace the current 5-posts-every-two-weeks schedule. 

I need a catch phrase. “And so it is” is the current front runner. It is ambigious enough to make me sound intelligent but nonsensical enough to be funny. 

And so it is.