Play Hard, Play Smart

Before I get into my topic du jour, I want to give a shout-out to the Cleveland Indians.  The team that should be managed by Sandy Alomar, Jr. (but is not!) is only half a game out of first place in the AL Central behind the Detroit Tigers, and have a record of 7-3 in their last 10 games.  No, this is not the team of years past, with stars like Kenny Lofton, Carlos Baerga, and Jim Thome, but they have Asdrubal Cabrera at shortstop and rightie Justin Masterson (6-2, 3.14 ERA) on the mound, and they mean business.  Now, please don’t get TOO good, because we’re going to a game at Jacob’s Field in August, and I don’t want tickets to be too hard to get!

OK, so now that I got that out of the way, let’s talk about this Bryce Harper kid who keeps bashing himself into outfield walls.  I know I’ve said this before, but Harper has to be one of the most intense baseball players I’ve ever seen.  He looks and acts like he should be playing rugby or ice hockey or participating in one of those “Strong Man” competitions.  Not that Bryce could pull a bus with his teeth, but he is all-in, all the time.  This kid sprints to first base after every at-bat, even if he just hits a dribbler to the pitcher.  He will try to stretch a single into a double if the ball is hit deep enough.  He will dive headfirst into home plate even when it’s not a close play.  In one year in the Majors, Harper has stolen home off the Phillies’ Cole Hamels, hit 32 doubles, and 10 triples.  He is so competitive, he doesn’t know when to ease up.

So here’s where the big debate is:  If your team is leading 6-0 in the fifth inning and your pitcher is throwing heat, do you risk your body to try to catch a fly ball?  This was the scenario in Monday night’s game between the Nationals and the Los Angeles Dodgers, where Bryce Harper slammed into the outfield wall and ended up leaving the game and requiring 11 stitches to his chin.  Some seem to think that Harper should have taken the ball after it bounced off the wall – he could have dislocated his collarbone, gotten a concussion, or sprained his shoulder and would have to be out for at least four to six weeks (and they don’t call that strip of dirt out there the “warning track” for no reason!).  Others believe that Harper is Harper, and he would have done the same thing whether the Nationals were losing by five runs or leading by twenty.  This is the way Bryce has always played, and he’s not about to bring his intensity down a notch.

What do I think?  I love Harper and the way he hustles (the fact that he’s not cute and gets bad haircuts does not affect how I feel about his playing ability).  I love his drive, his determination, and his work ethic.  He’s part Rose, part Clemente, part Dykstra (without the potty mouth and jail time) and part Griffey (junior).  If more guys played baseball like Bryce does, it would be a more interesting game to watch.  But then again, he’s only 20.  His body is not always going to be so forgiving when he slams into a wall ten or fifteen years from now (wait until he plays at Wrigley Field, where the outfield wall is solid brick!).  Harper grew up as a catcher, and the Nationals switched him to the outfield so he wouldn’t suffer so much wear and tear and get so beat up.  If they really want to keep him bubble-wrapped, then perhaps they can move him to the bullpen and have him pitch one or two innings every couple of days.  J 

For now, I don’t think you can tell Bryce Harper to ease up and hold back a little.  After all, the kid makes over $1 million a year, so he’s going to earn his paycheck and give fans their money’s-worth.  Let’s just hope the Nationals’ athletic training staff has enough bandages and Steri Strips to keep Bryce Harper put together for years to come. 

I Guess the Rules Don't Apply if You're a Yankee!

Ask a non-baseball fan to come up with the name of a current New York Yankees player and you will likely get Derek Jeter as an answer.  Jeter has to be one of the most recognizable athletes in recent history - he is known as the "Captain" of the Yankees, his 3,304 career hits rank tenth on the all-time list, and he's Cal Ripken's favorite current player.  But guess what?  Derek Jeter has not played a single game this season due to a nagging ankle injury that just isn't getting better.  

Despite Jeter's absence from the baseball diamond this season, there are some idiots out there (who apparently smoke way too much crack) who believe that despite being on the Disabled List all season, Jeter deserves to be in this season's All-Star Game.  Are you SERIOUS?  That's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard (next to Ted Williams claiming he was Hispanic, but I already ranted about that on a previous post). Tracy Ringolsby, a cowboy-hat-wearing blogger for MLB.com, says that Jeter is worthy because "He's been an All-Star 13 times, the same as Ken Griffey Jr., Joe DiMaggio and George Brett, and he has hit .440 in the midsummer event, tied with Griffey for the eighth-highest average in All-Star history."  So?  Is he playing right now?  NO!  Can he field a ball or run around the bases?  NO!  Hey, you know what?  I haven't been able to play Major League Baseball this season either - can the fans vote for ME?  Oh, that's right; I'm not a Yankee.  And Yankees are entitled to everything wonderful in life.  I was telling a co-worker that when I get to Heaven, I'm going to have to wait in line and wait for all the Yankees to go in ahead of me.  He reassured me by saying that Yankees don't go to Heaven, so I have no reason to worry.

Here is what Colorado Rockies' shortstop Troy Tulowitski said about the matter:"He has meant a lot to the game, and at the end of the day, [the All-Star Game] is a fans' game and they should recognize the players they want. If there is one guy who didn't have to play to be elected, it would be him."  Sorry, my man; if we break the rules for Jeter, we have to break the rules for someone else.  Yes, they broke the rules and elected Roberto Clemente into the National Baseball Hall of Fame right away instead of waiting for Clemente to become eligible after 5 years of retirement - but Clemente was DEAD!  If, God forbid, Derek Jeter happens to die, then they can break the rules and make him a shortstop emeritus or something like that.  But if you have a pulse but aren't able to play because of an injury, then your name should not even be on the ballot.  How about the Yankees' current shortstop, Eduardo Nuñez?  I bet he feels like chopped liver right now, having played 24 games this season and not even having his name on the ballot!

Don't get me wrong; I actually like Derek Jeter.  I think he is the face of baseball today, and his generosity and philanthropy are to be admired.  I especially liked him in the movie "The Other Guys" and in the "Seinfeld" episode where George Constanza is giving batting advice to Jeter and teammate Bernie Williams.  He will deservedly be in the Hall of Fame and will have his number 2 retired (currently the only single-digit number not previously retired by the Yankees).  But how about the Detroit Tigers' Jhonny Peralta?  He's batting .295 with a bunch of RBIs.  Or Alexei Ramirez of the Chicago White Sox, who is batting .292?  Even the Orioles' J.J. Hardy, whose batting average sucks but at least he plays every day!  Really, people - let's find someone else to vote for who can actually show up on that day and play!

The "Designated" Topic for Today

Oh my goodness!  The baseball season is over three weeks old and I haven't blogged ANYTHING on here since Opening Day!  What is WRONG with me?  Nothing really; other than the fact that I've been busy with my day job, Tupperware business, weekly blog posts for my local paper, spring break (which included a trip to Nationals Park), kids' activities, and life in general.  Oh, and the fact that my Nationals have lost 8 of their last 11 games has been a bit of a downer.  Buy I'm a pretty optimistic person, so I won't let their current .500 record get me down.

So what have been some of the surprises so far this year (aside from the Nationals leading the Major Leagues in errors)?  First I have to mention the Toronto Blue Jays.  They're in last place in the AL East with a record of 8-13 despite having star players like Melky Cabrera (who still hasn't hit a home run), José Reyes (currently on the Disabled List), and last year's Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey (who is 2-3 so far with a 4.86 ERA).  As much hype as the Blue Jays got during the off-season, you'd think they'd be solidly in first place (kind of like the hype the Nats got... yeah.)  Then there's the Yankees, who are 11-8 despite not having Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, or Alex Rodriguez in their lineup.  And how about that Justin Upton?  He's leading the Majors with 11 home runs and is helping the Atlanta Braves maintain first place in the NL East.  It's annoying how good he is!

One thing I do want to focus on in today's post is the Designated Hitter.  Now if you're a regular reader of this blog, you probably know that I am not a fan of the DH.  In fact, I believe I have said before that if I were ever to become Commissioner of baseball, the DH is something I would eliminate.  Well in last Sunday's Baltimore Sun, columnist Kevin Cowherd (What is it with that newspaper having columnists with funny last names?  First it was Schmuck and now Cowherd?) said that the Designated Hitter needs to be made universal.  Is Mr. Cowherd on crack?  Does he not like when a pitcher happens to hit an unexpected extra-base hit?  Does he not appreciate the double-switch?  Does he just want managers to sit there and not manage?  I had a hard time digesting Mr. Cowherd's justifications.

First of all, Mr. Cowherd can't tolerate when a pitcher stands there looking at a few fastballs just to end up striking out.  Clearly he missed Stephen Strasburg's double a couple of weeks ago or the home run hit by Gio Gonzalez in his first start of the season.  Has he seen switch-hitting Carlos Zambrano lately?  How about the Rockies' Micah Owings, who in only two seasons has 5 home runs, a .316 batting average, and is often used as a pinch hitter?  Clearly not. And what's wrong with the sacrifice bunt?  Some pitchers like current free agent Liván Hernandez are masterful bunters.  I'm no braniac, but the name Babe Ruth seems to come to mind right about now when thinking about pitchers who could hit... I don't know why.

I do agree with Mr. Cowherd in that having the DH does extend the career of some players (like that of David "Big Papi" Ortiz).  But if Ortiz was in the National League, he could still pinch hit; it's not like pitchers always bat for themselves and the guys on the bench never play. Au contraire - this is when the double switch comes in and the game becomes more strategic (which Mr. Cowherd does not appreciate).  He just wants to see big-muscled guys hitting home runs instead of having to "watch a pitcher flail away like a blindfolded kid hacking at a piñata.  Problem is, being an Orioles fan, he has not seen a lot of National League pitchers who can actually bat.  Check out Dontrell Willis, Jason Marquis, and even CC Sabathia - they can all hit.  And now that there are interleague games being played almost daily, it's time for pitchers in both leagues to take batting practice and help their teams offensively.  Even if it's with a sacrifice fly, a bunt, or a surprising extra-base hit.

Twice as Nice for Bryce (even though I wasn't there to see it)

Opening Day of the 2013 Major League Baseball season brought a lot of fanfare (and fans!) to Nationals Park today, where the Washington Nationals shut out the visiting Miami Marlins by a score of 2-0.  And while it was my first time in several years not attending an Opening Day game at Nats Park (don’t cry for me, Nats fans – I will be there this Thursday afternoon with my family), I was able to catch all the action from the warmth and comfort of my living room.

The day started with the unveiling of the “2012 National League East Division Champions” pennant.  This particular sign is not pennant-shaped but rather rectangular and large, welcoming fans into the main center field gate of Nationals Park.  After the unveiling, players were presented, the National Anthem was sung by an Army quartet (sans the traditional fly-over, probably due to sequestration), and the 2012 awards were doled out.  Adam LaRoche received the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards, Ian Desmomd and Stephen Strasburg received Silver Sluggers as well, Davey Johnson was given the 2012 Manager of the Year award, General Manager Mike Rizzo was awarded the Executive of the Year award, and Bryce Harper was given the National League Rookie of the Year award.  It was a ceremony that seemed to take forever – we were all definitely ready for some baseball to be played.  (As a side note, I wanted to indicate how they gave away baseball caps at the ball park today.  What are they going to be giving away when we go on Thursday?  Nothing!  But that's not why I go to the ball park, is it?  I guess not!)  Once again, I digress...

OK, back to Bryce Harper (I WAS talking about him, wasn't I?)  Well the kid ended up hitting two home runs during today’s game.  The first one was cool, but the second one was just unbelievable.  I found myself thinking “Are you freakin’ kidding me?  What does this mean?  Is this some sort of omen?”  It was kind of surreal, even though I wasn’t there to experience it.  We Nationals fans spent so many years watching mediocre baseball that it’s still hard for all this good baseball to sink in.  But we’ll take it!

And speaking of good baseball, the Nationals’ starter, Stephen Strasburg, pitched seven stellar innings, allowing only three hits while striking out three.  Strasburg threw only 80 pitches and did not walk a single batter - are they ever going to let him pitch more than seven innings?  Probably not.  He could have a no-hitter going and Davey would take him out of the game just because that's the way he's always done it.  Anyway, today Strasburg was replaced in the seventh inning (shocker!) by Tyler Clippard, who did not disappoint by giving us one of his usual stressful outings.  In typical Clippard fashion, he walked a guy and then took forever to get the next three batters out.  New Nats’ closer, Rafael Soriano, closed it out in the top of the ninth by striking out two out of the three batters he faced.  I found it odd that Soriano un-tucked his shirt as soon as he recorded the final out – I wonder if that’s his “thing” at the end of a game.  I’ll have to notice to see if that’s something he does when he earns a save – I honestly didn’t pay that much attention to him during his days as a Yankees closer.

Now the Nationals have earned their first win of the season and did not disappoint the 45,000-plus fans in attendance.  It was a very quick game – only 2 hours and 10 minutes, but they still found time for the traditional Presidents’ Race (with new member William H. Taft in the mix, though he fell over in the beginning of the race and was unable to finish).  They also played a little bit of “Take On Me” during the seventh-inning stretch as a little tribute to former Nationals’ outfielder, Michael Morse.  It was an “awww!” moment for me, especially when all the fans joined in the singing.

So what does today’s victory and Harper’s two home runs mean?  Nothing really, other than the fact that the Nationals are picking up where they left off last year, playing solid baseball (though it would have been nice if they’d had a few more hits), showing excellent team work (that double play in the seventh inning was anything but routine), and giving it their all at every at-bat.  I’m not putting all my eggs into the Nationals’ basket just yet (as much as I’d like to!); this was just one game of 162 – a lot can happen between now and then, but for now it’s nice to root for the team that is solidly in first place!

You Show-Off!

This year's World Baseball Classic has consumed me more than I expected it to.  I have never watched so many baseball games in the month of March, and I am sleep-deprived and exhausted.  Two Saturdays ago, I watched part of all 5 games that were televised - from the Cuba game at 6 in the morning to a USA game that started at 9:00 at night with 3 other games in between (mind you, I only watched PARTS of these games - I did go about my regular routine of grocery shopping and errand-running in between).  The championship game is tomorrow night, and while I will probably watch the whole thing (since Puerto Rico is in the finals), I will be happy to get a good night's sleep once it's all done.

Before I begin sharing my observations of the WBC with you, let me preface my thoughts by reassuring you that I love living in this country.  I like where I live, I enjoy where I work, and I'm glad I'm raising my kids in the United States.  But first and foremost, I am Puerto Rican, and I will always root for a Puerto Rican sports team (or athlete) before cheering for an American one (and this is one reason I don't think Puerto Rico should become a state in the Union, but that's a whole other topic, and I won't get into politics on my blog).

OK, now that I have told you that I like "the land of the free and the home of the Braves" and all the freedoms and rights that come with being an American, let me share with you my issue with this year's Team USA.  When USA played against the Dominican Republic (and lost), they came up with all kinds of excuses.  First, the pitchers were not in mid-season form (neither were the Dominican ones).  Then, the players had only practiced together for a couple of weeks (that's what happens when you put together a team of all-stars instead of using a team that has been practicing together for several months, like the other countries).  Then they said the crowd was distracting (excuse us for blowing horns and waving flags and showing our team pride - American fans can't even wave a flag right.  I saw a guy in the stands during one of the games in Miami trying to wave his flag but instead it looked like he was trying to get rid of something on a piece of fabric, like when you can't seem to get rid of that stray piece of toilet paper that sticks to the bottom of your shoe when you use a public restroom).  But their biggest complaint was that the Dominicans were show-offs - that they acted like they were the best players in the world and were just too cocky and obnoxious.  Well you know what?  I'm OK with that.

This is what I like to call "the Usain Bolt attitude."  Jamaica's Usain Bolt is the fastest man in the world, and he will not let you forget it.  He is flashy and arrogant, but he is also pretty damn fast.  During last summer's Olympics, I saw nothing wrong with his showiness because he never bullied another athlete, he never said "I'm better than so-and-so," and he was passionate about his sport.  If anything, he bullied and controlled the media, but how many of us don't wish we could do that ourselves?  Don't we wish we had his confidence and self-esteem? Who am I to tell Usain Bolt not to be so flashy?  Can I run as fast as him?  Never.

So I see nothing wrong with Hanley Ramirez clapping when he has a good hit (even though I don't particularly care for Hanley).  If Robinson Canó wants to skip around the bases after hitting a home run, by all means, go right ahead (can you play better second base than Canó?  Probably not!).  If the entire Dominican bench wants to gather at home plate after a pivotal run is scored, I see nothing wrong with that.  These are men playing a boy's game.  They get excited just like little boys do.  They play with passion, hunger, and drive.  They're not in their opponents' faces - they're in the cameraman's face showing their country and the world that they're great baseball players and they want to win.

On the other side of the spectrum, the Japanese team did something last night (actually it was VERY early this morning!) that I had never seen before and I'm glad I stayed up to witness it.  After having won the first two WBCs in 2006 and 2009, the Japanese lost to the underdog Puerto Ricans in a game that surprised everyone.  But while the Puerto Ricans were celebrating their victory with almost as much excitement as the Dominicans do, the Japanese players were all lining up along the third-base line, they removed their caps, and bowed to the fans.  Then they turned around and did the same thing in the other direction, facing the Puerto Rican team.  Yes, they let down their country by being eliminated, and I'm sure they will come up with some excuses of their own as to why they lost, but they showed grace and dignity and taught us a lesson on losing with pride.  Their fans may be weird, but the players were classy and made me smile at 12:40 in the morning.

The winner of tonight's Dominican Republic/Netherlands game will face Puerto Rico tomorrow night in the final in San Francisco.  And if Puerto Rico loses, I won't come up with lame excuses as to why they lost.  Either the pitchers didn't pitch well or the hitters didn't hit - that's usually the reason a team loses a game.  Heck, Puerto Rico wasn't predicted to make it this far, so we'll be OK regardless of the outcome.  The championship game will feature two teams with attitude, confidence, and outward displays of passion and emotion.  And I will be perfectly fine with that.

The Real "World Series"

Spring Training baseball is in full swing, with all 30 major-league teams starting to trim down their rosters and  last-minute free agents being signed.  But while the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues have been bustling with activity, a lot of baseball is being played on the other side of the world.

The 2013 World Baseball Classic began last week with games in Japan and China, and today is adding games in the US and Puerto Rico.  The WBC is in its third season, having been played in 2006 and 2009 (and both won by Japan).  This year, sixteen countries are represented and divided into four pools - pools A and B have already narrowed down their 8 teams to 4 and pools C and D start their action today.  In pool A, Cuba and Japan have advanced, with Brazil and China going home.  In pool B, the Netherlands and Chinese Tai Pei have moved on, with Australia and Korea being eliminated.  Pool C includes the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Spain, and Venezuela, and pool D has the US, Canada, Italy, and Mexico.

So what have I seen of the WBC so far?  Well, many of the games were either really late at night or very early in the morning, but thanks to a recent snow day, I was able to watch most of the game between Cuba and Japan.  I also watched bits of a game between the Netherlands and Korea, and I also caught some action between China and the Netherlands on another occasion.  The one thing that caught my attention the most is the enthusiasm of the Asian fans.  In all the games in which Asian teams played (granted, the games were either in Japan or China), spectators blew whistles, beat on their thunder sticks, and even had a whole brass section during one of the games.  They have very organized and synchronized cheers, especially when their guys are batting.  And even when the Cuban team was winning 6-0 in the ninth inning, the Japanese fans were still in the game, waving their handheld flags and carrying on.  Something tells me that if I try to bring a trumpet to a Nationals game, my husband would have to pick me up in the holding cell after the game was over.

But as excited as some fans are about the World Baseball Classic (trust me - I'm going to be glued to the TV when Puerto Rico debuts in this year's WBC in their game against Spain tomorrow), the Classic has received a lot of criticism.  Tim Dahlberg of the Associated Press says that the schedule is manipulated to favor the US.  I tend to agree with him on that one - the US has to beat teams from Canada, Italy, and Mexico in order to advance, while powerhouses like the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico are all in the same bracket.  The US team did not make it to the finals in either of the first two WBC tournaments - proof that Lebron James can win an Olympic gold medal but Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter can't beat the Japanese.

Another criticism of the WBC is that it is played smack in the middle of Spring Training, when pitchers are not yet ready to pitch in true game form (hence the pitch count limit - 60 in the first round, 80 in the second, and 95 in the semis and finals) and hitters would rather bask in the Florida and Arizona sun earning their millions while slowly getting into baseball shape.  I don't think there is an ideal time to have the WBC - no matter when you hold it, someone is going to complain about the players not being ready, being too tired or run down, etc.  I recently heard someone suggest they hold the WBC during the All-Star break - that person must not have realized that the break is only 4 days long and the WBC takes two weeks to play.

Dahlberg also whines about the lack of big-league talent in Team USA:  "No Clayton Kershaw, no Bryce Harper.  Mike Trout and Josh Hamilton are busy elsewhere.  Justin Verlander had other plans."  Well guess what?  David Wright will be there, as will Ryan Braun, Adam Jones, Giancarlo Stanton, and pitchers Gio Gonzalez, and RA Dickey.  Not too shabby, people - stop whining because Robinson Canó will be playing for the Dominican Republic and Joey Votto is representing Team Canada (did you know he was CANADIAN?  I had NO IDEA!).  Why is it that any time a US team is touted as an underdog, people have to whine and make up excuses?  I come from Puerto Rico, where we are very nationalistic about our sports teams, but we're also used to not always winning.  Hey, we're happy to be there and we'll hoot and holler like the Asians, but if we don't make it very far, life will go on.

Speaking of Team Puerto Rico, the squad is full of young talent with a sprinkling of big-leaguers like Carlos Beltrán, Yadier Molina, and Angel Pagán.  It doesn't look like the team is as strong as in years past, when they made it to the semifinals, but like I said, I'd be happy regardless of how they did, as long as I can wear my Team Puerto Rico t-shirt and wave my flag.  And if Team Puerto Rico gets eliminated, I will still watch the rest of the Classic.

Where can you watch every single WBC game?  In the MLB Network, which for those of you with Comcast in the Frederick area, it's channel 738.  Some people think it's too remote a channel for casual fans to catch, but it's college basketball playoffs time, and you're not going to get ESPN to give that up.  I'm just happy I didn't have to do what I did in 2009, when I had to buy the premium "latino" bundle for a month so I could watch more WBC games.    And if people still don't think the WBC is a good idea, then perhaps the International Olympic Committee can bring baseball back to the summer Olympics, which is really where international baseball belongs.

The Great American Race Versus the Great American Pastime

Since Spring Training baseball games aren't regularly televised this early on and I just can't get into NCAA basketball, I decided to sit down yesterday and watch some NASCAR for the first time ever.  After all, Fox Sports wasn't just televising any old race - it was the Daytona 500 - the Super Bowl and World Series of auto racing (which kicks off the NASCAR season, as opposed to other sports where the important game is played at the END of a season).  And with Danica Patrick in the pole position, who could resist watching such an exciting event?  Well, with all due respect to my NASCAR-fan friends, it definitely was my last time sitting down to watch an almost four-hour car race.

First of all, I had no idea there would be an hour-and-a-half of pregame stuff.  With baseball, you tune in at 7:00 for a 7:05 game, and with the Super Bowl, you tune in half an hour before kickoff to see who's going to sing the National Anthem.  But no, I sat there waiting for the drivers to get in their cars, and that didn't happen for a long time.  I did sit through an interesting explanation of why the cars are designed the way they are (these are Generation 6 cars) and how they're going back to the old-school design that makes Fords, Chevys, and Toyotas easier to identify.  But then they had a ZZ Top look-alike band sing a couple of songs, which were just not my style (OK, time to go downstairs and put some clothes in the dryer).  Then they had all forty-some drivers come out one at a time onto this big platform - that took way too long, though it gave me a chance to see how many good-looking ones there were!

When the race finally began, I realized that I can't follow a sport in which so many things are out of the main athlete's control.  If your curveball doesn't curve, it's up to you to correct it.  If you drop a ball in the outfield, it's your fault.  If you strike out or get into a batting slump, you need to figure out what you're doing wrong.  In auto racing, yes, the driver is ultimately responsible for getting his/her car across the finish line, but you have a whole team of people who can screw it up for you.  Your pit crew can be slow, the guy talking in your ear can tell you the wrong thing, or the guy driving behind you can bump into you and send you crashing into a wall (or another car).  Way too many things beyond a driver's control for my comfort.

One thing I did like was that after sitting in a car for almost four hours, not able to scratch an itch or blow your nose or eat a sandwich, the drivers were very gracious with reporters.  Even after a few of them got into bad wrecks and had to leave the race, they were nice when a microphone was shoved in their faces.  I would not have been in the mood to talk to anyone, and if I had been wrecked, I would not have had nice things to say.  Kudos to the drivers for understanding the importance of coming across as civil and decent (which is probably why Jeff Gordon wasn't interviewed immediately after getting out of his car).  Interview a baseball player after losing an important game and he probably wouldn't be as gracious.

So that's it for my NASCAR experience.  Tonight I'm going to watch a Spring Training game on the MLB Network, which is definitely my thing.  And the World Baseball Classic begins this Saturday - any time I can root for Team Puerto Rico... that is DEFINITELY my thing!