Jugs and White Pumps
More 10-minute rambling:
One of the funniest quotes from the Vegas trip was courtesy of Mr. Rini. He wandered by my WPBT tourney table and I asked if he was still in. He replied,
"No, I busted. I needed some 'me' time."
Michael Chabon makes me sick. I'm reading "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" and there are words in there that I don't know, have never heard and can barely pronounce. I think I have a wide vocabulary, but this guy...well...I'm just gonna say he's making shit up. Faker!
AJ and I went to a minor league baseball game the other night. The home of the Cal League (High A) Rancho Cucamonga Quakes is just a couple miles from my new place. The home side, Angels affiliate, was taking on the Stockton Ports, the A's farm team. The A's are pretty much devoid of real prospects at that level. It's mostly a graveyard for too old, past draft mistakes (*coughSnyderMcCurdySullivancough*). Landon Powell, a first round pick from two years ago, is still viable, but he was out all last season with a knee injury and it appears he rehabbed by eating Crisco right out of the can. The ground shook when he came to the plate. Oh well, not selling jeans here.
We sat right behind home plate on another warm IE night, surrounded mostly by scouts with JUGS guns (the Quakes starter, a relatively slight 19-year-old, hit 97 a couple times), which AJ immediately announced he wanted to play with. The Baseball Annies were easily spottable, as well, situated behind each dugout, always standing at the end of a half inning and sporting as little clothing as possible. I give the group of 'em about a 7. My area of LA is a little more white and trashy than other parts and I particularly enjoyed the girl with the pink skirt, white pumps and Jersey-teased hair.
The atmosphere in the park is sleepy, typical jaded Angelenos not sure why they're there, only that they have to be somewhere. The between-innings skits were goofy and lacking any real imagination, though I find it curious that the mascot (Tremor) is an alligator. AJ got a kick out of it, but I couldn't divine the reasoning behind that choice of reptile, since the desert isn't a hospitable habitat for his kind. A lizard would be more location appropriate. A lizard in white pumps would be even better.
Time's up!
posted by Joe Speaker @ 10:00 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
Read Kavalier and Clay when I was in Prague, CZ (after just visiting the site where the Golem is supposed to be buried). After two chapters, I thought it was some of the most beautiful writing I'd ever read. After that, it seemed a little pretentious.
Still, a great book.
I love Chabon, read Kavalier and Clay a few years ago and although it certainly is a bit pretentious, it's well deserved.
As for baseball, watched Landon Powell play for 4 years in college. Kid's always been big but he's a helluva catcher and quite the hitter. Legs the size of small trees, though.
Funny coincidence, I'm taking the minis and wife to the local minor league game tonight. We are the Greenville Drive, single A Red Sox affiliate. Our new park was modeled after Fenway and is brand spankin' new.
Should be fun.
I am now TOTALLY ENVIOUS of BadBlood's local minor league team. That stadium sounds sweet!
I always try to hit a Potomac Nationals (Class A, who are they affiliated with? Gee, I dunno!) game or two every year.
I love the atmosphere and most of the players are still chasing the dream of reaching The Bigs. It also doesn't hurt that I can bring a backpack into the stadium and it doesn't get searched, so I only have to pay for one beer and a hotdog or two.
too funny, maudie turned me onto chabon a while ago. great stuff.
Don't you EVER say an unkind word about Morris Day and the Time!
I mean Michael Chabon.
Kavalier and Clay was AMAZING. If you want something by him that great and easy, check out "Wonder Boys" or "Mysteries of Pittsburgh".
Both are quality reads.
Powell had huge legs and ass as a freshman at South Carolina and they only got bigger through the years. In high school, he tried to do an end-run around the draft by graduating early. Of course, no major league team knew this (or thought it mattered). He then tried to declare himself a free-agent able to negotiate with any team. I seem to recall Boras being involved in this somehow. BAdeball didn't bite and he ended up at Carolina for four years and had a nice career.
Next time he is in town, go to the game and yell "GAME!" when he comes to to the plate. If someone in the crowd doesn't yell "COCKS!" in response, I'll send AJ a hat.
Why you gotta be hatin' on minor league ball?
luv,
Mattt Kemp
Post a Comment
<< Home