Book Review: The Game From Where I Stand

Doug Glanville. The Game From Where I Stand: From Batting Practice to the Clubhouse to the Best Breakfast on the Road, an Inside View of a Ballplayer's Life. New York, NY: St. Martin's Griffin., 2010, 276 pp. ISBN 978-0-312-57309-6

I love a good baseball insiders book, and former outfielder Doug Glanville's The Game From Where I Stand is a pretty good one.

Glanville chronicles his baseball career and the state of the Game while he was in it. But he does more than just list a series of events; he goes deep into his topics giving great insight and smart, solid opinions.

The Game is intelligent and interesting. He gives fans tales and background they wouldn't ordinarily know. He informs and entertains without being condescending and absolutely doesn't disrespect anyone.

It was an interesting read, but I wouldn't necessarily call it a fun read. His writing style bugged me a bit -- it is prone to cliche and wordiness. And, from time to time, he'd turn a phrase that just seemed like he's trying too hard. It took me a long time to get through because, even though I was interested in it, it never gave me that "can't put it down" feeling.

All in all, it's a very good book and certainly worth your time. I recommend it if you're looking for a baseball fix. I'd give it a solid B.

Book Review: The Soul of Baseball

Joe Posnanski. The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 2007, 282 pp., $13.95 (cover price). ISBN 978-0-06-085404-1

I have been smitten with Buck O'Neil for a long time. We've been treated to his twinkling eyes, bright smile, and smooth voice in just about every baseball documentary made. If they discussed the Negro Leagues, he was there, joyfully reliving great memories. He always told great stories. Every time I saw him, I'd imagine how delightful it would be to take him out for pie and coffee and talk baseball.

Sadly, Buck's gone now, but Joe Posnanski's Soul of Baseball is the next best thing. In fact, it's probably better. The book chronicles a year's worth of Buck's appearances, autograph signing sessions, and publicity trips. Buck was a great advocate of the Negro Leagues. While he didn't want folks to forget about the hard times and grotesque indignities the Negro Leagues players endured, he mostly wanted to emphasize what great players they were. Posnanski followed him as he spread that message.

But this book is more than just an agenda of public appearances. Posnanski illustrates how Buck captivated everyone he met and how his optimism and joy infected others. He also skillfully told great stories of Buck's, and his teammates', glory days.

This book is a good, comfortable read. Posnanski does a fabulous job of getting out the way of the stories and just letting them tell themselves -- he's always present, but Buck's clearly carrying the events. I was drawn in and could feel Buck's positive energy. I also enjoyed Posnanski's friendly writing style.

I can't recommend this book strongly enough. This is my new favorite. Grade A+.

I think it would be delightful to take Mr. Posnanski out for pie and coffee and talk baseball, and Buck.

Oh, and you should watch this for a smile (h/t @JoshsThoughts).

Book Review: The Bullpen Gospels

Dirk Hayhurst. The Bullpen Gospels: Major League Dreams of a Minor League Veteran. New York, NY: Kensington Publishing Corp., 2010, 340 pp., $14.95 (cover price). ISBN 978-0-8065-3143-3

There's no sense burying the lead, so I'll get right to the point: I loved this book; I think you'll love it too.

I always enjoy a good locker-room story. This book has plenty of them, and they're quite creatively told. Hayhurst does a nice job of relating all these hilarious hijinks without selling out or disrespecting his teammates. It has a lot of good fun.

In addition to all the craziness, Hayhurst lets readers inside his dark corners. He stirringly reveals his uncertainties and inner struggles. His battles with his personal demons are profoundly moving and inspirational. Maybe not cancer-survivor inspirational, but certainly self-doubt-survivor inspirational, which, actually, is easier to relate to.

Just so you're aware: like I said, there are plenty of great locker-room stories, and with locker-room stories, you get locker-room language. If you're sensitive to that kind of thing, well, proceed with care.

I can't recommend this book enough. It has the added benefit of having nice short chapters, so, if you're busy, it's still an easy book to read. But, it's so much fun, and it's so well written, you won't want to put it down. Grade: A+

Book Review: As They See 'Em

Bruce Weber. As They See 'Em: A Fan's Travels in the Land of Umpires. New York, NY: Scribner, 2009, 356 pp., $16.00 (cover price). ISBN 978-0-7432-9413-3

If you've been a fan of baseball, at any level, for more than 15 minutes, you have an opinion on umpires. For better or worse, whether they're right or they're wrong, whether you notice them or not, there they are. But no one really knows much about them. As critical to baseball as the pitchers mound or home plate, the umpires are also the most criticized, and often the most threatened, part of the game. So it's good to see things from their perspective.

Bruce Weber allows us to look into this odd fraternity of officials with artful and interesting thoroughness. He covers all aspect of umpiring from schooling, to toiling in the minors, to making it in the bigs, to the history of the profession, to the current state of umpiring. Every topic that has an impact on the men (and very few women) who are charged with representing the rules of the game is covered in this great book.

Well-researched and packed with first-hand accounts, this book is rich with interesting detail and fascinating examination. Weber not only does his homework thoroughly, but he also attended an umpiring academy and officiated a few games himself.

Baseball is prone to cliche and hyperbole, but Weber's accounts and descriptions are so well written and creative, this book is quite engaging and enlightening. While he reveals the umpires' perspective favorably, he remains honest and neutral. And even though it's robustly complete, it's not dry or stodgy. He inserts plenty of humor and cleverness to make this book charismatic.

I really enjoyed this book, and I learned a lot reading it. I highly recommend reading it if you care about baseball or umpiring at all; it's worth your time. Grade: A

Book Review: The Rollie Fingers Baseball Bible

Rollie Fingers and Yellowstone Ritter. The Rollie Fingers Baseball Bible. Covington, KY: Clerisy Press, 2010, 279 pp., $14.95 (cover price).

This is the second volume of Rollie Fingers’ Baseball Follies collection, and it’s every bit as good as the first book, Rollie’s Follies. (Click here for my review of that book.)

Like the first book, this one has tons of great short stories, facts, stats, history, and other fun baseball stuff presented in small, easy-to-read bits. It’s clear Mr. Fingers and Mr. Ritter love the game and its history, and they just can’t get enough of talking about it. I love how easy it is to read – it didn’t matter if I had five minutes or five hours, I would spend quality time with this book.

Fingers is fantastic at weaving fascinating tidbits into every piece or finding interesting common threads between seemingly unrelated topics. Everything about it is intriguing - even the stats read like a good story. I love all the historical pieces; I really learned a lot of great stuff. And Ritter’s “drunken rants” are hilarious, if not totally logical. All the chapters feature a lot of humor, fun, and positivity so that I found myself smiling as I was reading.

Again, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I highly recommend it. Another “A” effort.

I didn’t see anything about another book coming. I sure hope there is one; there are so many more great baseball stories I want to learn.

Oh, and if you happen to pick it up, be sure to flip it over and look at the back cover. You’ll see a quote from someone you know.☺

Short Notes - Mar. 11

Catching up on some of the Twins news from the last week. I know some of this is kind of late, and I was going to write about this sooner, but then Joe Nathan ... well, you know. Moving on ....

Blackie Locked Up For 4 Years
This not only made me happy, but it also kind of amused me. The contract extension that he signed on Sunday covers his arbitration years with an option for his first year of potential free agency. I like this deal because it ensures that a decent pitcher will be around for awhile; he's better than league average in ERA, strikeouts, WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched), and wins. And with the inordinately large number of other guys in their arbitration years, it's a bit comforting that the Twins have one less of those processes to worry about.

The amusing part (yeah, I might be the only who thinks this is funny ... well not funny per se, but kind of humorous, but I digress) was that some radio personality announced with certainty that one hometown boy who's a pretty good catcher would be signing his contract on Sunday. And since Blackie and Joey kind of look alike, the joke with all my Twitter friends was that someone confused the two. Ok ... I guess you had to be there. Or not.

I Have To Catch Up on My Reading
I'm now in the middle of two great books.

I picked up my copy of Maple Street Press's Twin Annual from Cub a while ago, and I love it. It has a bunch of interesting articles by some familiar names: John Bonnes (TwinsGeek), Seth Stohs (SethSpeaks.net), Nick Nelson (Nick's Twins Blog), Parker Hageman (Over the Baggy), Andrew Kneeland (Twins Target), Howard Sinker (Star Tribune's A Fan's View), and a whole bunch of other great writers. Oh, and I love the player pages that have the stats all graphed out, in color and everything -- those are easy to understand for a person like me who has an aversion to stats.

And I received my copy of Seth Stohs' 2010 Prospect Handbook. I've glanced through some of it, but I really find it handy when listening to these Spring Training games. Thanks to it, I know who Juan Portes is. And if you get one, you will too.

And As If I Don't Already Have Enough To Read
This list of 63 Twins bloggers was published a few days ago. Wow. I had no idea there was that many. Way to represent Twins bloggers!

You'll see I'm rated #17. I think that's pretty high. I looked at their ranking system, and it seems that it's based solely on the number of visits the blogs get. My visit count is probably artificially high due to Nick Punto day. Clearly, it's not based on quality -- there are plenty of blogs better than this drivel and further down on the list. But it's great to have a comprehensive list. Be sure to check them all out ... you know, when you get time.

Book Review: Rollie's Follies

Rollie Fingers and Yellowstone Ritter. Rollie's Follies. Cincinnati, OH: Clerisy Press, 2009, 325 pp., $14.95 (cover price).

This is my kind of book. I mean, with authors named Rollie and Yellowstone writing about baseball, how could I go wrong? But it's also my kind of reading. I don't have a lot of time for reading (I'm also easily distracted), so I prefer to read in small bits.

Rollie's Follies is a collection of baseball stories, history, tidbits, facts, lists, player profiles, timelines, and general good stuff. It's divided into small, easy-to-digest chapters, perfect for light reading while traveling (or, as I was, sitting at wrestling tournaments) or right before bed.

The content is fun and interesting, and the authors' enthusiasm for the game is clear throughout. Every story has a goofy, gee-I-never-knew-that spin, and it's just plain fun to read. But it's also clear they did their research -- there are plenty of stats and facts to make all the articles legit.

I did notice that much of the focus was about teams and players that Fingers was associated with. But that was no big deal -- it just made me want more about other teams and players.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. In fact, now that I'm done with it, my son has insisted that I give it to him to read. It's a great book for all baseball fans. I give it an A

And, a sequel is due out spring of 2010; I can hardly wait.

Book Review: "Spirits in the Grass"

I know what you're thinking: Another book review? Already? Didn't you just do one? Well, yeah, but I wanted to get this one finished before the baseball season started (very, very soon...yay!). Because once there are baseball games to watch, there's very little time for reading. So, here we go....

Blogger's Note: The author of this book was my Creative Writing professor at St. Cloud State back in the '80s (wow, that long ago?). I haven't had any contact with him since I graduated, and I doubt he would even remember me, so I'm confident I can offer an unbiased opinion on his book. Although it is a little weird to critique work of someone who taught me, but I can get over it.


Bill Meissner. Spirits in the Grass. Notre Dame, Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press, 2008, 288 pp., $25.00


I was interested in this novel because, well, it had a baseball player on the cover. It's about a small-town Wisconsin man who dreams of building a baseball field and resurrecting his baseball playing career, while struggling to understand and appreciate his past and future. The story uses themes of small-town life, Native American history, and baseball to explore the characters and their lives.

This is a good story, excellently told. The main characters are well-developed and interesting, and the events are described brilliantly. He paints fascinating scenes with rich details, and I was moved by the characters' struggles and triumphs.

I would say that it would make a nice made-for-television movie, but I don't want to make it seem that the story is shallow -- it's not. The ending is a bit predictable, but for this book, that's ok. For the most part, the characters are interesting and complex. However, the ancillary characters and the descriptions of some of the small-town landmarks are a little stereotyped.

There was one inconsistency that I should have been able to overlook, but for some reason, it distracted me. The beginning of the story takes place in late March, and the main character is preparing the empty field to lay sod. Isn't the ground still too cold to lay sod in Wisconsin in March? I know it's minor -- I should suspend my disbelief. It's not all that material to the story, but it bothered me. Also, another eensy little thing bothered me -- one of the characters had a dog named Dutchess. Now I know that a man can name his dog anything he wants to, but it's usually spelled Duchess*.

Aside from those small gripes, I thought it was a good book -- easy to get into and easy to keep reading. I recommend it. I'll give it an A-.

* Yeah, Fergie the singer spelled it wrong on her album, but she did it on purpose -- I suppose so she could remind people of, but also be different from, Fergie the duchess.

Book Review: "The Yankee Years"

Amazon.com: The Yankee Years

Joe Torre and Tom Verducci. The Yankee Years. New York: The Doubleday Publishing Group, 2009, 512 pp., $26.95

At first, it was hard to tell whose book this is. Obviously, Verducci is the professional writer, so the words are his. Torre's words do appear in the book, but they're actually quoted in third person. As the book goes along, however, Torre's mood comes through, with Verducci providing the legwork of the research.

It's difficult to get engrossed into the book at first. It's largely chronological, and the beginning doesn't have the intensity of the later chapters -- either because the details are long forgotten, or the negativity had not yet emerged, or both. But, as the relationship between Torre and the Yankee organization begins to deteriorate, the book becomes more interesting, as well as very bitter.

And, yes, as much of the hype claimed, the authors are not afraid to include harsh opinions about players, organization leaders, and the owner. There's almost a clear dividing line between the players Torre respected and the ones he didn't -- it boils down to who played on the championship teams and those who didn't. The theme that Jorge Posada, Tino Martinez, Chuck Knoblauch, Derek Jeter, Scott Brosius, Bernie Williams, and Paul O'Neill were the gold standard of champions (and everyone else wasn't) is repeated throughout. And while there's a significant section about how great Derek Jeter is, there's an entire chapter about how impossible Alex Rodreguiz is.

Verducci's years covering the Yankees and the steroids scandal for SI add some interesting research on both steroids and the change in teams' philosophies on scouting.

Generally, it's very well written, and it gets better as it goes along. However, it is a bit too long, and occasionally it becomes bogged down with too many details. Also, the reader really needs to be an avid fan of baseball in order to keep from getting confused. For the most part, it's about the business of baseball, with the game of baseball firmly in the background, which is unfortunate, because the parts about the game of baseball are the most enjoyable. It's also pessimistic and bitter; the authors clearly believe the Yankees' officials have pushed the team into a large hole from which it will be difficult to emerge.

I recommend it for true baseball fans. I give it a solid B+.

Almost a Dime's Worth

A few random thoughts bouncing around in my head...

CC Gets the $$: Not surprisingly, the Evil Empire signed Sabathia to a 7-year, $160.1 million contract. With that kind of money, he should offer to bail out the automakers and save the taxpayers some dough.

The Former AstrosTwins Guys: Adam Everett signed with Detroit and Mike Lamb re-signed with the Brewers. Of course I wish them well, but if they wind up having stellar years next season, I'll feel ripped off.

You Can't Be Serious - A Play in Two Lines:
Headline: Report: Scott Erickson seeks comeback with Minnesota Twins
k-bro: To do what?

A Book Review:

Kent Hrbek with Dennis Brackin. Kent Hrbek's Tales from the Minnesota Twins Dugout. Champaign, Ill: Sports Publishing L.L.C., 2007, 186 pp., $19.95

I received this book for Christmas last year, and I just finished it. Not that this book was that hard to get through -- I just kind of put it away and forgot about it for awhile.

Hrbek breaks the book into several disjointed short stories. It's a very easy read, and it seems that he stays true to his voice. It kind of felt like I was sitting with him over a couple beers talking baseball.

However, his stories were a little light. I felt like they would have been more entertaining if he would have gone into more detail. And some of the stories were a bit repetitive.

Overall, it's a fun book. It gives us a glimpse of a ballplayer's life; just don't expect too much substance from it. I'd give it a B-.

Pardon My Nerdiness

I've been thinking about writing a post about Delmon Young for the last two weeks or so, but I can't seem to formulate any clear thoughts about him. In fact, I can't even agree with myself more than two days in a row regarding keeping him or trading him, so I think I'll forget about it. Actually, I don't really feel all that strongly about his situation either way. So, meh. (FYI, the word "meh" was just added to the Collins English Dictionary -- pretty cool for such a boring word.)

So, instead, I'll write about what I've been doing since the season ended. The silver-electroplate lining of the off-season is that I catch up on my book reading. And lately, I've been on a grammar kick. I know it may be hard to tell by reading my blog, but I do write for a living, so call it professional enrichment. (No, unless you're into reading user manuals for medical software, you probably haven't read any of my work.)

I'm currently reading Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing by Mignon Fogarty. I've been listening to Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty podcasts for awhile, and this book is a fun compilation of those grammar and usage tips. I enjoy her practical advice and friendly tone. She does a nice job of explaining the tips, and her style is easy to understand yet not "dumbed-down." This book is a good resource if you want to brush up on your writing skills or if you just can't remember if you're supposed to use "effect" or "affect."

Adding to my grammar-mania, I just finished reading Things That Make Us (Sic): The Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar Takes on Madison Avenue, Hollywood, the White House, and the World by Martha Brockenbrough. Like Grammar Girl, the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar (SPOGG) gives readers practical grammar and usage advice. However, this book is absolutely hilarious. I had such a great time reading this, I was literally laughing out loud. This is a great book to read cover-to-cover for its entertainment value, and to have near your computer for its educational value.

Reading both these books has been valuable for me. They've refreshed my memory regarding some rules, and reinforced my interpretation of others. And I've been having fun.


more animals

Maybe next time, I'll come up with something intellegent to say about young Mr. Young. Or maybe I won't -- who knows.

Book Review: Kurkjian

In the spirit of full disclosure, I wanted to say that the last time I wrote a book review was in high school, maybe even junior high, which was approximately 136 years ago. So, I'm not completely sure if I'm doing this right. But I'll try my best.

Tim Kurkjian. Is This a Great Game, or What? New York: St. Martin's Press, 2007, 258 pp., $24.95

When I received this book, I was expecting it to be full of all kinds odd statistical facts much like his pieces on Baseball Tonight. It's not like that at all. It's more like a compilation of newspaper special-feature type articles.

Kurkjian loves baseball very much. At least that's what he says several times throughout the book. I don't doubt it for a minute, but sometimes it feels like he tries too hard to sell it. And, it really seems like he sucks up to some of the people he's writing about - particularly A-Rod.

As I was reading, I could definitely tell that he has a newspaper background. His chapters are well organized, aptly cited, and fully researched. The stories he tells are very interesting, but not particularly fun. It felt like his writing came more from his Chicago Manual of Style and less from his heart. In fact, he doesn't get truly opinionated until the later chapters, which I enjoyed much more than the others.

Overall, I liked the book. It kept me interested, and he really does know what he's talking about. One of the reviews on the back of the jacket uses the word hilarious. I wouldn't go that far, but it is enjoyable. I recommend it - I give it a solid B+.

Yup. 23 Ways. I Guess.

So, I got my new book 23 Ways to Get to First Base, the ESPN Uncyclopedia today. It's a fun book -- it has tons of random sports trivia and facts. A good reference for bar bets and showing off.

A few days ago, I took a stab at what I thought the 23 ways to first would be. I guess I did ok, however, my interpretation of "fielder's choice" was a little too broad. Even though number 2 is "fielder's choice", I would have scored numbers 3, 4, and 5 as fielder's choice too. I would also call number 15 an error.

I should have known to score walk and intentional walk separately. And I forgot about all the interference ones. Really, the only ones I truly didn't know were numbers 14, 21 and 22 (I can't imagine what an illegal pitch could be). And, honestly, number 23 is really lame.

So, here it is from page 83:

1. Hit
2. Fielder's choice (example: runner on second base, ball hit to shortstop, shortstop throws to third base for tag)
3. Forceout at another base
4. Preceeding runner put out allows bater to reach first base (example: in previous scenario, shortstop tags runner)
5. Sacrifice bunt fails to advance runner (fielder's choice on a bunt)
6. Hit by pitch
7. Error
8. Walk
9. Intentional walk
10. Pinch-runner
11. Dropped third strike
12. Catcher interference (catcher impedes batter)
13. Fair ball hits runner
14. Fair ball hits umpire
15. Sacrifice fly dropped
16. Obstruction of runner (example: second baseman obstructs baserunner on way to second on batted ball in play)
17. Fielder interference (example: pitcher obstructs batter on his way to first base)
18. Spectator interference (of the ball)
19. Fan obstruction (of batter)
20. Runner out on appeal (example: runner on first base, ball hit to right field, runner misses second on the way to third base and is called out on appeal; batter at first base is credited with an at-bat but not a hit)
21. Failure to deliver pitch within 20 seconds on three-ball count
22. Four illegal pitches
23. Game suspended with runner on first; if he's traded prior to the makeup game, another player may take his place.
    

It goes on to say: "For the record, just three -- hit, walk and hit by pitch -- officially extend a streak of reaching safely in consecutive games."

By the way, I'm currently reading Tim Kurkjian's book, "Is This a Great Game or What?" I'll let you know what I think when I'm done.

Really? 23 Ways?

I just ordered the book "23 Ways to Get to First Base - The ESPN Uncyclopedia". It sounds like a lot of fun, and I think my kids might enjoy it too. But the main reason I ordered it is because I don't really believe there are 23 ways to safely reach first base. Without receiving the book yet, I think I can come up with about eight. Let's see:

1. 1B -- base hit
2. BB -- walk
3. HBP -- hit by pitch
4. FC -- fielder's choice
5. E -- fielding error
6. K/PB -- passed ball on third strike
7. CI -- catcher's interference
8. PR -- coming in as a pinch-runner

At least that's all I've seen in all the years I've kept score for my kids' youth baseball teams (I think -- I'm kind of out of practice here at the end of December). And I wouldn't necessarily count number 8 above -- it's kind of lame -- but I'm sure they did in order to get to 23. Unless they counted fielding errors by each of the positions (E1, E2, E3, etc.), but that would only bump it up to 16. There must be some obscure rules that I'm not aware of or that I can't remember.

Anyone else have any?

Update: I just thought of something...I'll bet that returning safely on a pick-off attempt would count too. Also, returning on a fly-out. Maybe.

Jason, Adam, Mark, and Answer

Goodbye Jason

With the release of Jason Tyner, the days of the Twins' glut of players named Jason are over. Two-thirds of the Jason trinity is now gone (thank you for the concept, BatGirl). Never again will the bases be loaded with Jasons (I remember that it happened once in 2006 - it may have happened more often).

I will miss Jason Tyner - I'm glad he finally got his homerun as a Twin. I hope he hooks on somewhere. Becca over at Twins Sisters has a nice tribute for him.

Hello Adam and Mike

We've all heard about Adam Everett by now. And now the Twins have added Mike Lamb. Solid acquisitions, both. I'm looking forward to seeing them play. And I'm thrilled to see stuff happening this off-season.

But the real question is: how does this affect the HGI (Hot Guy Index)?

Pictures from the Star-Tribune website

Hmm. I'm not sure I like where the index is headed. Maybe they'll look better once they put their Twins hats on. And I'm sure they have great personalities.

Trivia Answer

Here's the answer to the Sit & Solve Baseball Trivia question I posted last time:

Distracting the Batter

No, but it used to be before Eddie Stanky of the New York Giants brought undue attention to the play in the early 1950s. Today, the umpire would stop play and warn the violator that if he continued to try to distract the batter, he would be ejected from the game.

The Twins tried a similar tactic on Boggs, when he on a hitting streak in the mid-1980s. Second baseman Phil [sic] Lombardozzi and shortstop Phil [sic] Gagne changed positions just as the pitcher delivered the ball to the plate. Umpire Ed Brinkman stopped play and applied Rule 4.06 [b]. illegal distraction. On the next pitch, Boggs hit a line-drive double.

*Sigh* Yes, yes I know that it's Steve Lombardozzi and Greg Gagne. Apparently in this book, "Phil" is code for "I don't know what this guy's name is and I'm too lazy to look it up so I'll just make it up". How embarrassing - I pick a question at random, and it has the details wrong. Just my luck. I probably won't be doing that again.

Craig Monroe and Baseball Trivia

Well, there's finally some Twins news: Joe Christensen reports that the Twins and Craig Monroe have agreed on a contract. I'm glad -- not necessarily because I think he's going to be a super-star player (although, I do think he'll do alright), but I just think, on a personal level, it would have been crappy for him to think he got traded to the Twins just to be released later. I know, business is business, and he would have been a free agent likely to sign on with someone else, but it just felt kind of - I don't know - mean, I guess.

On another subject, I ran across something kind of cool. I was digging out my Christmas decorations, and I found something I received last year that must have accidentally got stuck into one of the boxes. It's a little book called Sit & Solve Baseball Trivia by Dom Forker & Wayne Stewart, and it's funny because it's shaped like a toilet seat. Supposedly, you're supposed to read it when you're sitting on the john. But anyways, it's full of really cool trivia questions, most of which have to do with the rules of the game. So I thought I'd throw a random question in here and there, and then give the answer the next time I blog. So here we go:

BATTING

Distracting the Batter

With Wade Boggs of the Red Sox at the plate, the Twins' second baseman positions himself directly behind the second base bag and jumps up and down, waving his arms, in an attempt to distract the Boston third baseman's focus. Is this legal?