(Editor’s note) By: Kelly B.
Back at the beginning of 2015 I was looking for baseball fans to write for a series I wanted to do. It was called, “What Baseball Means to Me”. Mike showed some interest and ended up writing one of my favorite posts for the series. A year later I was looking for another guest post, so I thought I would ask Mike again to see if he had any interest. He did and three years later this is his 25th post for 9 Inning Know It All, so I thought it would be fun to have him write a little something about his top 5 favorite posts and some of his most viewed posts. Here is the Best of Mike and I know there is plenty more to come from him in the future.
1) The Glory Days (Feb 2018)
This was probably my favorite one. I spent several days thinking about my favorite players as a kid growing up, asking for help from my brother and my dad to help me recall my love of Mike Scioscia and Fred Lynn. It’s great to take time from this busy life to sit back and think about great times gone. This one reminds me of the old Saturday Games of the Week and playing wiffle ball pretending I was my favorite guys. Great memories!
2) Giving Daily Thanks for the Game (Aug 2018)
This is definitely my most personal blog. Many days I struggle with my physical health and I look for ways to cope in a healthy fashion. Writing is one way I do that; watching baseball is another way. I want people to live life to their fullest capacity and never take their health or each day they are given on this earth for granted; I did that for years. This was the hardest one for me to write, but also one of the most fulfilling.
3) Time for the World Baseball Classic (Mar 2017)
What I love about this one: I called it, and I got it right. For once, I was correct. I always pick the losers, never the winners. I just remember thinking that I really liked how Team USA was compiled in 2017. It was the right mix of players. And who can ever forget Adam Jones’ circus catch over the center field wall? Still a great memory. I remember thinking they could win, and they did. It brought a great feeling to that long winter.
4) Slow Down (June 2017)
I have a great time travelling to other cities with some great guys. What a gift it was to visit Pittsburgh, see the remains of old, venerable Forbes Field, and spend an evening at PNC Park. A top five park for me of all-time. And on the way home on a red-eye that Sunday morning, I met Hall of Famer John Smoltz at 5 AM. He was gracious enough to snap a photo with me in the sea of humanity waiting for airplanes that Father’s Day. I knew I had to put that into my blog. If you get the chance to visit a park and city outside of your zone, do it. It’s so worth it.
5) The Pain of the Off-Season (Nov 2017)
I remember being so sullen when I wrote this and thinking about Rogers Hornsby. He as so cranky; I was really cranky in the middle of winter in suburban Chicago counting the days until pitchers and catchers reported for Spring Training. I know it’s only 100-105 days from the end of the World Series until Spring Training, but it’s the longest stretch of time I feel all year. And it’s starting now with the end of the season last weekend. Is it wrong that even when I don’t have a horse in the race I want the Series to go as long as possible? That’s how desperate I am for meaningful games.
Mike’s Most Viewed Posts
1) What Baseball Means to Me (Feb 2015)
2) For the Love of Spring Training (Feb 2016)
3) Tomorrow is a New Day (May 2016)
4) America Needs Baseball Now More Than Ever (Jan 2017)
5) The Case for Jeff Kent (Nov 2016)
6) Slow Down (June 2017)
7) A Hall of Fame Outrage (Jan 2018)
8) Giving Daily Thanks for the Game (Aug 2018)
9) The Glory Day (Feb 2018)
[…] By: Mike […]