Baseball #17

May 3, 2012

Jim Driscoll to Daniel Gould  

In a way  you are most correct.   Baseball is a game of stats.  At least, to us.  But, to the team itself....it's winning and losing.  And the Cubs are going nowhere.  

Reminds me of a season Steve Carlton once had...winning almost half of his teams victiories (27), as his team languished in last place. I believe he won the Cy Young that year,   but....what price glory??????...................jd 

May 3, 2012

Jim Driscoll to Daniel Gould

CUBS BLOW ANOTHER ONE.....

.....FILM AT 11.............  

EVEN WITH YOUR BOY CASTRO HITTING HIS FIRST.....STILL NO WIN................................................JD

May 4, 2012

Daniel Gould to Jim Driscoll  

Hi JD;
 
But Demester was masterful; 8 scoreless innings and three hits. Like I said, you can love 'em Cubbies even when they are blowing wind...Can't wait for the next game...And LaHair hit his second homerun in two days; what is that? 7 or 8? Soon, I'll need to take of my shoes to kep count.
 
...And Cincy and the Cubs established a new Major League Record: Both pitchers were celebrating their birthday...There is a record for everything in this game; and it would appear even new categories of records are coming on line..
 
Loving it...
 
Sincerely;
 
Dan  

May 4, 2012

Jim Driscoll to Daniel Gould  

BOTTOM LINE, DAN.....BOTTOM LINE...  

THEY LOST...THEY ALWAYS LOSE.....  

RECORDS AND STATS ARE NICE, BUT THE ONLY STAT THAT REALLY MATTERS IS ....WINS & LOSSES................................JD  

May 5, 2012

Daniel Gould to Jim Driscoll  

Hi HD;
 
They called the Dodgers the Brooklyn Bums while they were in NYC...And there are still people alive, if not well, who are crying over The Bums departure and hoping that they will return.
 
I see that your right wing conservative "values" carry over to sports. In capitalism, it is the Bottom Line that counts and the only thing that does count. As I socialist I disagree with the premise. And I disagree with it in the context of baseball---if not all sports. Games are games; meant to entertain and to take joy in playing. The Cubs have been losing for the last 100 years plus; and I have been happy to be part of their fan clubs since 1966. Nearly 50 years. And I know that this will be the year! Of course, I say that every year and will continue to do so until they do.
 
Sincerely;
 
Dan 

May 5, 2012

Jim Driscoll to Daniel Gould

I SUPPOSE YOUR HOPE "SPRINGS ETERNAL", AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.  BASEBALL IS LIFE, CONCEPTUALIZED IN A GAME.  

EACH GAME IS SEPARATE....TO BE ENJOYED, EVEN REVERED.  

BUT THE REALITY OF IT ALL IS, RELATIVE TO THE CUBS, IS THAT IT IS A GAME TO BE ULTIMATELY LOST...IN THE LONG RUN...SEASON-WISE. 

THEY HAVE ALWAYS STUNK, AND METHINKS THAT THEY ALWAYS WILL.  THE SECRET IS :  PITCHING.  YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE HITTERS IN THE WORLD  (Remember Santo, Banks, Williams,  etc, back in the early '60's) .  I took a trip to Wrigley Field with some friends shortly after our graduation and saw all 3 of those hit one out in the same game, as well as Duke Snider and Willie Davis (inside the park!) for the Dodgers.   Great game!  

GO ANGELS.   (playing very badly right now...)

May 6, 2012

Daniel Gould to Jim Driscoll  

Hi JD;
 
Nice to here that you have experienced Wrigley Field. I love that ball park. Do I remember Santo, Williams and Banks...who is 'em guys????  Banks and Billy Williams were favorites at the time along with Fergie Jenkins who I think, historically,  is still an underrated pitcher.
 
I don't recall if I mentioned that I met Ernie. I was at an ALA (Am Library Assoc)  convention in Houston. Ernie was there signing his book Mr. Cub. I got in line with all these old librarians---all females---standing in front of me. A man from the company came up to me and said, "Sorry, we have any more books" they were given free. I replied, "It's ok. I just want to shake his hand." When I got up to EB,  he was looking for the book and I began to explain the situation. Just then, the company man popped up with book in hand and said, "I found one." He signed it, "To Dan, Peace, Ernie Banks." (c. 1970)
 
I do agree that "Baseball is life, conceptualized in a game" and like in life you don't have to succeed in earning a lot of money to buy your big home and BMW; you can make life a big success in a lot of little ways. If you have no money some would say you have failed at everything...But that may not be true. YOu can succeed at things without the monetary element being the bottom line. Same with my Cubs.
 
...And the Angels and Cubs seem to be mirror images of each other this year...And they are already booing Pujols...Cubs lost again on Saturday...but Castro was 3 for 5. I can live with that.
 
Sincerely;
 
Dan

Photo: Ernie Banks