Since arriving in the middle of October, my authentic Shea Stadium outfield wall brick and I have had a running dialogue. Not necessarily the most scintillating of conversations. It can be like talking to a fraction of a brick wall.

My brick calls me Mack, as in “Hey Mack…” He hasn't bothered to learn my name [...]

In the platinum cheap seats, the mood was indeed one of good-natured dislike rather than holy war hatred; bonus points to the Mets fan who intermittently waved a sign referring to their Mr. Damon as JOHNNYCAKES.

—”The Cool of the Evening,” May 22, 2006

One of the things my friend Charlie Hangley says he'll remember about Shea [...]

Another award season has come and gone, and the Met display case has been modestly enhanced. Two Gold Gloves, for Wright and Beltran; another shiny Silver Slugger for Wright and his 124 RBI — man on third/nobody out notwithstanding; one semi-official Comeback Player of the Year for Fernando Tatis (Sporting News version, not MLB's)…nice, unobtrusive [...]

Mounting a furious late-innings rally to finish the book (writing one, not reading one), so please forgive if I can offer you only bullets for a bit.

• Want to hear someone ramble on about Doug Flynn and related topics for twenty or so minutes? Please visit Mike Silva's NY Baseball Digest and start listening just [...]

You don't know the half of it, partner.

Italy is a lovely place, full of more or less kind people who are willing to forgive monolingual Americans their spastic attempts at communicating through six or seven Italian words, idiotic smiles and kabuki-sized arm gestures of questionable meaning. But all this kindness can't make up for an [...]

It's been almost six weeks since the Mets played a game. I went through my usual five stages of grief, all of which were anger. But now I'm ready. I've been ready since yesterday when I wandered into a 7-Eleven I frequent during the season and sometimes pick up a beverage and a sandwich to [...]