It might not be the best photo but it IS a fabulous memory! Thanks, Pedro!
So my last few entries have been a bit cranky. Let’s change that today and point you toward some interesting articles written by other people:
First off, Gordon Edes writes about Buck Showalter. Now I’ve never been a big fan of Buck’s and his choosing to take a shot at Theo Epstein reeks of someone trying to talk smack and failing miserably (Note to Buck: Theo has, himself, said it’s easier to to the work of a GM when you have more money to spend). But Edes also touches on some other interesting points, like how Buck has to lash out because he can’t come out and say the Orioles owners are terrible and how Epstein might have the money he needs to do what he wants, but he’s also developed really effective scouting and player development programs. Â Dustin Pedroia says “hi”, Buck.
One very cool item from this morning: Â Today, Pedro Martinez will be in Washington, D.C., to attend the unveiling of a portrait of himself at the Smithsonian Museum. Â This is how I want to see Pedro from now on. Â Showing up at events to honor him and then giving pitching clinics afterward just to remind people that he’s Pedro freaking Martinez. Â Congratulations, Petey!
But it’s Craig Calcaterra who really caught my attention today. Â Craig is going to the Cleveland Indians Opening Day because, as a person who blogs about baseball (and the Indians) he was invited by the team to watch the game from the Social Suite.
The Indians took a big step into social media last year, getting active on Twitter and Facebook and doing fun things like launching the Tribe Social Deck, which was a dedicated and decked-out space in the left field seats for bloggers and tweeters and stuff…they have moved the Social Deck from left field to an actual suite, and have renamed it the Indians Social Suite. The team will continue to invite social media mavens to the space this year on a game-by-game basis…
At the website for the team, they have a page dedicated to social media and you can apply to get an invitation. Â It’s remarkable to me how much the Indians have embraced social media and I hope to one day be writing about how the Red Sox invited me to sit in the Social Media Section of Fenway (alas, I’m not holding my breath!).
New season is coming and I’ve already mentioned social media so I guess it’s a good time to remind folks that I can be found on Twitter and there is a page for Toeing the Rubber on Facebook as well. Â Thanks, as always, for all the support. Â Especially when I’m cranky.