This one with dish reader Richard Dansky over at his own personal site, part of his weekly series of five-question interviews with writers.
Also, the next book writeup will come Friday or Saturday, as I’m currently slogging my way through Alfred Döblin’s Berlin Alexanderplatz. I’m past the halfway point, so I’ll finish it, but it’s not one of my favorites from the Novel 100.
Keith,
I’ve never been a literary giant in my life and have recently decided to attempt to read some of the “greats.” What list of the “Novel 100” are you going off of?
Thanks,
Eric
Just type “Novel 100” into Google. The top link will bring you to the list.
Thanks for the link, and for taking the time to do the interview.
Keith, look at Tulo’s splits. Not to say J.P didn’t make a mistake but maybe not monumental?
Eric: It’s a book called The Novel 100 by Daniel Burt. Currently out of print, but used copies abound online.
David: Which splits – home/road? All Colorado hitters have big home/road splits. It’s not as telling as you might think.
Keith, I know you love writing and you love reading fiction but what about writing fiction? Did you ever try creative writing in college or is that something you’d just rather leave for someone else to do?
Tulowitzki is one of the best fielding SS today. He’s at the very least an overall league average hitter. That combination makes him at the very least +2.5 wins above average, or 4.5 Wins above replacement (WAR). Once you cross that 4 WAR threshhold, you are automatically one of the best players in baseball.
And being able to sign him through to free agency is a double bonus like you wouldn’t believe. Great fielding infielders are severely undervalued by the arbitration process. This makes Tulowitzki Properties likely the most valuable asset in MLB (in terms of asset value minus mortgage liability).
People simply don’t understand how valuable it is to have a great glove at SS who is at least an average hitter. It’s enormous! Since most guys who are drafted at SS eventually get moved to 2B, 3B or the OF, it is highly valuable to know how good a fielder a guy really is at SS. If the scouts came back and said that he’s an absolute machine at SS (which they must, since the Fans Scouting Report said as much), then it’s be a joke to pass on this guy. (Braun and Zimmerman were drafted ahead of him… quite a draft that year!):
http://www.tangotiger.net/scouting/scoutResults2007_COL.html
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All that said: it seems that Keith is allowing us to learn about his baseball involvement to great details. Perhaps Keith can host a Meadow Party chat, where we can ask him as blunt questions as he was given. Keith?
Keith,
What’s the deal with release waivers? It hasn’t really been clear what’s going on with Reed Johnson now that he’s been released by the Jays. Is he just like a free agent, or can some other team swoop in and get him before the Cubs?
Thanks Keith!
Thought you’d enjoy this bit of Ed Wade wisdom:
The Astros are open to carrying three catchers to start the season. Humberto Quintero, who’s behind J.R. Towles and Brad Ausmus on the depth chart, has had a terrific spring and could occupy Matsui’s roster spot until he returns from the DL on April 5.
“We’ve talked about that, particularly because of Quintero being out of options,” Wade said.
I am so pumped for a fourth place finish in the worst division in baseball. I live for this!
I’ve thought about a meadowparty chat, but it would have to be a non-baseball chat. ESPN would be rather irked if I did a baseball chat here, and they’d be justified.
I’m feeling good about my call for the Astros to lose almost 90 games.
Release waivers are a two-business-day period where a team may claim the waived player for $1 and the assumption of his contract. Usually players clear and then sign new, cheaper deals with other clubs. The Red Sox claimed Kevin Millar on release waivers before the 2004 season; that’s the last such claim I know about.