• In case you missed it, I was in the Des Moines Register yesterday in an article called A season for the ages for Iowa baseball fans. 10/02/2008

MLB 2008 predictions

The only real reason this post exists is to say that more than ever before, I believe this is the Cubs’ year. It’s time.

American League:
West: Seattle Mariners
Central: Detroit Tigers
East: Boston Red Sox
Wild Card: Cleveland Indians

National League:
West: Arizona Diamondbacks
Central: Chicago Cubs
East: New York Mets
Wild Card: Philadelphia Phillies
MVP: Derek Lee, Chicago Cubs
Cy Young: Carlos Zambrano, Chicago Cubs
Rookie of the Year: Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs
Manager of the year: Lou Piniella, Chicago Cubs

World Series: Cubs over the Tigers in 5

• Fenway Park is getting on the “green” bandwagon. “The nation’s oldest active ballpark may vend beer in corn-starch-based cups, serve local, organic food from concession stands, add solar panels, and even initiate a new tradition: a fifth-inning recycling stretch.” 10/02/2007
• Roger Federer and Raphael Nadal are going to play an exhibition tennis match on a customized half-clay, half-grass court. “Organizers needed 19 days and $1.63 million to create the court, which divides the surfaces by halves for a unique match in which a player can receive on clay and hit a winner on grass — or vice versa.” 05/02/2007
• Wikipedia has a very informative entry on baseball statistics. I was looking for an explanation of the pitching stat WHIP, which stands for Walks plus Hits per Innings Pitched, a “measurement of how many baserunners a pitcher is responsible for allowing per inning pitched.” 04/18/2007
• Matthew McGough recounts his first day as a New York Yankees batboy. This is a funny read even if you don’t like baseball. “The conversation comes to a standstill, basically because there’s a sixteen-year-old kid in his Easter blazer and tie, standing in the manager’s office at Yankee Stadium two hours before first pitch on Opening Day, looking very lost and very anxious.” 04/13/2007

Baseball theology

Our church is going on another baseball trip this year, this time to Chicago for a Cubs/Cards game(!) followed by a White Sox/Twins game. The other night I was at Brandon’s house watching a televised Cubs game when I suggested that we make signs for the game we will attend that say “Jesus was a Cubs fan.” He was quick to correct my simple, yet profoundly theologically significant error: “Jesus is a Cubs fan.”

Well, I suppose if we’re really aiming for theological accuracy it should probably be “Jesus was, is, and always will be a Cubs fan.” (e.g., Revelation 4:8)

Let the madness begin

It’s one of my favorite times of year: March Madness. Before writing this post, I thought I’d look back and see what last year’s post looked like, and it’s pretty much the same.

More or less, I need to make three points:

• I love college basketball with all of my heart.
• Last year I got 2nd place out of 19 in my school pool. This year there are 24 entrants. I also joined a pool with people from Valley Church.
• My bracket can be found here.

I gotta go watch basketball.

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