American exceptionalism is a fairly controversial political notion, talked about for nearly 200 years, that the United States is unlike any other country in the world due to its “unique” history and form of government. People of good will can be on either side of that discussion. But the U.S. most certainly is exceptional in […]

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I am not a sabermetrician, the name given to those who spend lots of time and energy breaking down baseball statistics. Called sabermetrics, a back-formation from the acronym Society for Advanced Baseball Research. Or SABR. But I have noticed the decline in scoring in baseball, and I am waiting for someone in the journalism world […]

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We hired someone from the San Francisco area to work here in the sports department of The National. Yes. Even though a certain someone in the newsroom is a Southern California guy. We haven’t come to blows yet, but it could happen. The NorCal kid turned around this morning and announced: “Who would have guessed […]

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As noted a few days ago, when Mike Trout tripled in his first at-bat at the All-Star game, I support the concept that the triple is the most exciting play in baseball. A guy running full speed from the batter’s box to third base while an outfielder or two chases down a ball in the […]

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This could be the silliest item I’ve come across in weeks. Months. This year. Colby Lewis, the Texas Rangers pitcher, said he “didn’t appreciate” the way Colby Rasmus, the Toronto Blue Jays outfielder, played the game and said he told him so. What offense did Rasmus commit on Lewis? What felony did he perpetrate on […]

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Came across this yesterday, while looking at the Mike Trout wiki page. ” … nicknamed The Millville Meteor”. What? The Millville Meteor? Mike Trout? Has anyone ever actually called him that? Has any sports writer used it in a game story?  “And then the Millville Meteor laced a three-bagger …” If this were a century […]

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Baseball is the best radio sport, is it not? Even if you grew up without Vin Scully. Things happen slowly enough that they can be explained in real time, and even if it gets hectic for a moment, it will settle down in a matter of seconds and then the announcer can tell you what […]

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A lot of sports editors around the world today weren’t exactly surprised that, with the end of the World Cup, not a whole lot is going on … but it still represents an unpleasant reality. A limited number of scheduled events in the near future. It is the case in the UAE, and it is […]

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This comes up every four years. Or every four years after the U.S. national team has, at least, made the second round of a World Cup. Like this time around. “Is soccer about to make a breakthrough in the U.S.?” Will it be mentioned in the same breath as football and baseball and basketball? Or […]

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Someone sent me a message. “Tony Gwynn. 54.” I first thought I was being told that he had a birthday, and the notion of him being 54 was the news. I was thinking, “I remember watching him play basketball for Long Beach Poly … and he’s 54 already?” Then eventually it dawned on me, when […]

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