Tomorrow marks the sixth anniversary of this-day-in-baseball. Unfortunately, it will also mark its final post. This was definitely not an easy decision for me. I have agonized over this every day for several months now. Even as I write this, I’m regretting my decision, but it just feels like it’s time. I’m a guy on the downhill side of middle-age, working too many hours and stressing way too much at a job I can no longer stand while looking for another job that’s a better fit for my situation, a job that, sadly, doesn’t seem to exist around here. This while raising two sons and taking care of two elderly parents, one of whom is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. I just can’t dedicate the time this blog deserves anymore. It kills me to say that. This blog has been my only constant for six years. Losing this touch point feels like losing a part of myself.
But I want to thank all of you for going on this journey with me. Whether you’ve been with me from the beginning or you’re a new follower, I’m sorry to have let you down like this. I always told myself I would have maintained this blog without even a single follower, but you all have made this trip better than I ever expected. Thank you so much for your time and your feedback. It has meant the world to me to know so many people care about this blog. I hope you enjoyed it even a fraction as much as I did. And though I won’t be posting on here daily anymore, the blog will stay up as long as tumblr exists.
Many of you have sent me asks over the years. Who’s your favorite team? What was your favorite baseball moment? What was your biggest baseball disappointment? Please know I wasn’t ignoring you. I have always been reluctant to answer these questions because I never wanted this blog to be about me. Everyone who loves baseball does so because of their personal relationship with the game, with the memories it brings back. That’s how it is for me, and that’s how I wanted it to remain for all of you. That’s why I always tried so hard to keep my personal opinions to myself. I never wanted to force my relationship with baseball on any of you. I should have explained that long ago.
Having said that, I would like to take this opportunity to answer a few of the most asked questions I’ve gotten over the years. So, here are my answers in no particular order:
Yes
George Brett
I don’t know how to answer that.
Monday Night Baseball, Yankees at Red Sox
Ichiro retiring in Japan as a Mariner
Rickey Henderson
I want to say five years old, but memories that old aren’t reliable anymore.
No
Sports reporter and columnist. It seems like a lifetime ago.
Dave Winfield
The Physics of Baseball
Thomas Boswell, by far
March 30, 1993
Definitely Pete Rose
1989 World Series Game 3 earthquake
Ozzie Smith
Thanks you.
Ken Griffey, Jr.
Casey At The Bat
Bo Jackson
A brick from Comiskey Park
Hank Aaron
The Royals mascot hitting someone in the eye with a hotdog
Kirby Puckett and Rod Carew
Willie Mays
Boston Red Sox
Andre Dawson
Butterflies Aren’t Bullets
Late-80s/early-90s Oakland A’s
Carlton Fisk and Ivan Rodriguez
Ring Lardner
Cal Ripken Jr.’s streak
The Curse of the Bambino
No, they’re not.
Yes, third base.
2004 ALCS and World Series
When it’s all said and done, 3,659.
And there you have it. I hope I didn’t miss any. I’ll be back tomorrow for one more post to wrap this up. Take care of yourselves, and be good to each other.