I’m not sure I ever really had a choice with baseball. Since I can remember, the game has been a part of my life. My love affair with the sport was always different than my friends who rooted for the Yankees or even the cross town Mets. I know it has so much to do with the fact that it was my father who taught me the game. He taught me how to play the game, how to think about the game, and he gave me the example of a true baseball fan. I, like him, was a Yankees fan, but we weren’t the crazed fans who hated every other team. It didn’t matter who was playing. Baseball was baseball. The players playing it were artists. They made it look easy.
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My first pro baseball jacket was a Baltimore Orioles team jacket. The black jacket with the orange stripes around the shoulders stood out in New York. I even wore that jacket to Yankees Stadium. A couple of fans gave me a nice little razzing, but being that I was around eight or nine, they were just having fun. Aside from playing the game, I consumed it in any way possible. This was before the internet or MLB Network so I was limited to Yankees, Mets, and Braves broadcasts. There was the game of the week as well, which would be frustrating because the Yankees would often draw those as well.
Sometimes I think we had it better in those days. It felt like I grew up in a Golden Age, even though I am fully aware that today’s game is infinitely better than the caliber of baseball played in the 80’s. But, having such little access outside of New York allowed for myth building. Players became legends. Their good qualities were emphasized. There was little negative about them. It wasn’t that players were better behaved then. We simply didn’t see them enough.
The Baseball Bunch, a television show hosted by Johnny Bench, brought a Major Leaguer in as a guest every episode. One Saturday morning, Cal Ripken Jr. was the guest. As a kid who wanted to play shortstop–we all wanted the glamor spot–seeing this big man talk about work ethic, pride, the Oriole Way, and hit for power made the position even more glamorous.
Players like Ripken transcended their home cities. Everyone followed, admired, and was a fan. The mythology began to erode as games were broadcasted more. Players age, flaws are more exposed. News became instant. Ripken was one of the last mythological baseball players. He bridged the gap from the 80’s through today’s power era. While Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa get credit for saving baseball after the 1994 strike, it was really Ripken’s march towards breaking Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played streak that brought everyone back. History proves it to be the most pure event of that season.
Because of how my father taught me the game, I grew up appreciating the play, the players, and the complexities of the game. Little did I know, that gift would lead to a lifelong obsession with the sport, not just a team. In 2007, I decided to unite my two passions–baseball and writing. Since then, it has been an incredible journey, both personally and professionally.
The decision to write about baseball has led to so much good. From starting my own site, getting credentialed by Major League Baseball to cover the Winter Meetings, to writing a couple of cover stories for USA Today Sports Weekly, this has all been an incredible ride for a kid who grew up consumed by the sport.
The journey has led me to Baltimore Sports and Life. I’ve been impressed with how the site started and has built a presence. In today’s new media market, it is difficult for any new, non traditional site to gain credibility. BSL is making huge strides. Other sites have tried shortcuts or sensationalism. BSL hasn’t. It’s why I was excited when asked to join the team. It is a privilege to join this team. It is a privilege to write for a passionate audience and about one of the sport’s historic franchises.
My goal is to cover the American League East through the lens of the Baltimore Orioles. In every piece, I hope you find some good analysis, a fair point of view, and a good story. I look forward to every bit of interaction here at BSL. The best part about new media is the lack of a wall. Growing up, we read outdated stories in a newspaper and shook our heads in disagreement. The writer never had any real responsibility for what he wrote. New media takes that away. We get to talk baseball together. It doesn’t get much better than that. Let’s get started.
Orioles Analyst
First and foremost, a Father. After that, I am a writer and teacher who not only started my own company and published an i-magazine as well as a newsletter, but have been published by USA Today, Operation Sports, Baseball Prospectus, Baseball Digest, Gotham Baseball Magazine, and numerous other publications. As an educator, I have 20 years of classroom experience and am utilizing that experience in my current position as department coordinator. Wrote the book The Teacher And The Admin (https://theteacherandtheadmin.com/the-book/) and operate that website which is dedicated to making education better for kids.