Back at it today, and, if I’m fortunate, every day this season going forward

2023: The In League With America Tour

The 2023 MLB season got off to a fun start yesterday, lots of exciting games and the early returns seem to show that the pitch clock is producing shorter games. I watched parts of several games yesterday and while I don’t think the new rules are entirely clear to everyone yet, it was very refreshing to see batters , mostly, stay in the batter’s box and pitchers, mostly, focused on throwing the next pitch. If it keeps up, that’s a big step forward.

Having said that, tonight’s schedule is a sign that the powers that be in MLB land haven’t quite got it all figured out. All five games to be played today are going to be at night. Why? San Diego and Los Angeles are headed down to lows in the 40s tonight and while my Vermont neighbors and I wouldn’t mind that weather, I wouldn’t want to watch baseball in it if highs in the 60s and 70s were the alternative. If shorter baseball games were played regularly in warm spring and summer sunshine we might find that people um, stayed until the end.

2003: The Extra Innings Tour

20 years ago today, I left my home in Bend, Oregon and began a quest to see 190 baseball parks over the course of the 2003 season. I only made it 164 but I did visit all 160 minor league parks again. Here’s the first of my posts from that season.

1991: The Excellent Adventure

This was the final day of packing in 1991. Tim Ashe, Sue Easler and I packed all the stuff we had in a rented log cabin into boxes. Some went to Sue’s parents and some into my car to be transported to my mother’s house. The next day, our journey began.

1948: The Golden Year of the Minors

Daily missives about the 1948 season will begin tomorrow.