**Nap Lajoie, 2015.** **Library of Congress. Lajoie hit .426 in 1901.**

Revisiting Gould on the death of .400 hitting

August 1, 2024

Last summer I wrote a series on Anthrodendum about beaches and baseball. I plan to do a bit more of the same this summer. Considering everything that’s going on in the world these days, this may be a retreat into escapism, and I’ll own that. Of course, baseball isn’t immune to the politics, inequalities, and complexities of humanity by any means (see this recent series by the journalist Jerry Brewer, for starters), but it’s still possible to find moments of respite here and there.

Baseball is good like that, at least for me. But what’s funny is that I often end up ‘taking a break’ by watching or going to baseball games–and then end up thinking through all kinds of things by thinking about baseball. What a total social scientist move. So much for the break!

#SellTheTeam...to the fans

June 23, 2023

A few thoughts on the whole situation with the #Athletics, ownership, and the move to Vegas. TL;DR: #SellTheTeam, but sell it to the fans. Dave Zirin made the case for fans buying teams years ago in his 2010 book “Bad Sports.”

So…how about selling the A’s to the fans? Impossible? Maybe.

Sometimes you pick up a book and it’s the right one for the moment. Zirin’s “Bad Sports” is the book I needed to read during this whole debacle with the #Athletics, John Fisher, and MLB.

I think Zirin was onto something powerful. He was making the argument for fans buying teams about a decade ago. What’s going on with the #Athletics is just one more case in a long, long line that makes it clear that things need to change.

And this isn’t just about one team; it’s about the future of baseball. I’m not sure if the PR folks at MLB are concerned, but they should be. What’s going on with the A’s–and your team could be next–is going to drive fans away from the game.

Photo from the left field bleachers, June 13, 2023.

Thirty years and three hours to a reverse boycott in Oakland

June 16, 2023

The last time I was seriously vested in major league baseball Tony Gwynn was hitting .394 and chasing legends. Ya, that was 1994, almost 30 years ago. I grew up absolutely obsessed with the game, including the California Angels and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Baseball was a huge part of my life. Vin Scully’s voice rang through the background of my childhood. Rod Carew was probably my favorite player of all time. Contact hitting and high averages were my thing. I loved the game. Then 1994 happened, and I saw that MLB was all about money, and I walked away. Done.

I think I went to two MLB games in all those years. I would occasionally watch a game or two here and there. But I was almost completely checked out. When it comes to professional baseball, I’ve been stuck in this time warp from the 1990s. I didn’t even know the Astros switched over to the American League until about two weeks ago! It was my own personal boycott. I refused to give MLB my money.

This year I’ve already been to about 10 games. I live in the South Bay Area, so I’ve been going to Oracle Park and the Oakland Coliseum with my family. I’ve been listening to games on the radio while I’m out in the backyard. Throwing the ball with my kids. It’s been nice. I even bought the MLB subscription and I’ve been watching baseball a lot more lately. So ya I’m giving my money to MLB again—with reservations.