Dear America

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Jackie, The Baseball Bloggess

Dear America,

Baseball’s American League Championship Series (ALCS) begins Friday. And, I know you’re rooting for the Kansas City Royals, but hear me out.

Baltimore is a fine, fine city, and the Baltimore Orioles are a fine, fine ballclub. There’s plenty of room on the train to Birdland and I’ve saved you a seat!

I checked StubHub Wednesday morning and Standing Room tickets for Friday’s game at beautiful Oriole Park at Camden Yards can be yours for just $98 a ticket. Looking for standing room tickets to Monday’s game at Kauffman Stadium in KC? $196.

Advantage, Baltimore.

(Dear Slowpoke, all those “cheap” “seats” are now gone.)

Baltimore is the birthplace of Babe Ruth.

Public Domain.

They built Camden Yards – and centerfield – over the spot where he lived. He is the greatest baseball player ever.

Cal Ripken, Jr. and brother Billy were born close by. So were Harold Baines and Buttercup Dickerson. (Buttercup!)

Born in Kansas City? David Cone.

Advantage, do I need to spell this out?

Hint, it starts with a B, as in Babe.

Here are a few more things in Baltimore’s favor.

America’s first professional sports organization was born in Baltimore in 1743 – the Maryland Jockey Club.

The first hot air balloon to go up in the air with a person in a basket? 1784. Baltimore.

The first sugar refinery (1796), the first electric refrigerator (1803), and the first ice cream freezer (1848). All Baltimore. Yes, thank Baltimore next time you wolf down an entire container of Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie with an oversized tablespoon after a crappy day at work. (What? Just me?)

chocolate fudge brownie

Bottle caps. Duck Pin Bowling. John Waters.

Baltimore. Baltimore. Baltimore.

You know that song Kansas City? There’s this famous lyric:

I’m gonna be standing on the corner
12th Street and Vine
With my Kansas City baby
And a bottle of Kansas City wine

Guess what? There’s no corner of 12th Street and Vine. The roads don’t meet.

Nice song, though.

Still, it’s no National Anthem.

Baltimore.

1814.

Stay for the “OH!” at the 1:05 mark.

And, let’s not forget … there’s Dancing in the Streets in Baltimore, baby!

Baltimore, Maryland is known for Old Bay seasoning and Maryland crabs. Kansas City is known for barbeque that is sweet and saucy.

flavor

Hey, I’m a vegetarian, you’re going to have to score this one yourself.

It was in Kansas City that Walt Disney dreamed up Mickey Mouse. It was in Baltimore that David Simon dreamed up The Wire.

mouse wire

I’m sure that Kansas City is a lovely place. Although, most of it lives in Missouri, not Kansas, which seems a bit shady, if you ask me.

Still, Kansas City is home to the first suburban shopping center – The Plaza. Kansas City’s Swope Park is one of the largest urban parks in the country – more than twice the size of New York’s Central Park.

If it weren’t for Kansas City we wouldn’t have Teflon-coated frying pans and electric hair clippers. Really. Those are really important things.

I mentioned that Baltimore gave us ice cream freezers, didn’t I?

Photo used with permission by: LotusHead, http://www.pixelpusher.co.za

Both cities have rich baseball histories.

The Baltimore Orioles have been a part of baseball – in one iteration or another – since the late 1800s. In just the past 40-odd years, these greats have played for Baltimore: Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Mike Flanagan, Mike Mussina, and Cal Ripken.

The Royals’ long and storied baseball history began in 1969, as an expansion team. It has its share of greats, too, I’m sure. Like George Brett and outfield-wall-climbing Bo Jackson. I’m sure there have been others.

The Royals have a big, lovable lion mascot named Sluggerrr.

The Orioles have a big, loveable oriole bird mascot named … um … I think he’s just called The Bird.

mascots

Both, awfully cute. Battle of the Mascots … Tie.

Both cities celebrate baseball’s history. Baltimore has the Babe Ruth Museum. Kansas City has the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and considers itself the birthplace of the Negro leagues. Both cities honor baseball well. They both win on that count.

museums

Hooray for history!

So, does one team deserve to win more than the other?

The Royals last won the World Series in 1985. The Orioles in 1983.

Both are underdogs. Small-market teams that are regularly bullied by teams with far bigger payrolls (Tigers, Yankees). Both were expected to finish last (or nearly last) by almost every baseball “expert” this spring. Both are hard-working and drama-free. Both have excited, fired-up, feisty fans.

Really, both are deserving.

But, wait. Before you pull on that Royal blue sweatshirt.

I can’t promise you a puppy … or Stevie …

© The Baseball Bloggess

Not for sale.

But, there is this …

America loves an underdog, right? Who doesn’t?

Let’s look at the map again.

map

Nearly everyone in America is rooting for the Kansas City Royals.

So, who’s the underdog?

© The Baseball Bloggess

“I think it helped being the underdogs. It’s just going to get more fun.” ~ Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy

Let’s all have fun.

Ahh, who am I kidding?

May the underdog Orioles have a little bit more fun.

Let’s Go O’s!

Photo: J.J. Hardy. Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland. Royals at Orioles. April 27, 2014.

Go Fling … and …

Posted on October 5, 2014 by Jackie, The Baseball Bloggess

“America’s game: has the snap, go fling, of the American atmosphere — belongs as much to our institutions, fits into them as significantly, as our constitutions, laws, [and] is just as important in the sum total of our historic life.” ~ Walt Whitman on baseball, 1889

October. Baseball. Go fling.

Jonathan Schoop, Second Base. Baltimore Orioles.

Every day is a good day for baseball, right? But, there’s something special about baseball in October. Go fling … and …

An ad placed by Cheerio’s in today’s Baltimore Sun.

Photo: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland. August 10, 2014.

Game 162.

Posted on September 28, 2014 by Jackie, The Baseball Bloggess

“You don’t know how to slow it down. It just goes by so fast.” ~ Duane Kuiper, SF Giants broadcaster (and former second baseman) on baseball careers

Even if your team will go to the post-season next week, there’s something kind of sad about Game 162, the last game of the regular season.

Six months. Done.

It went so fast.

Sure, 10 teams still play next week.

(Go Orioles!)

But, with 20 teams gone, the box scores thin out day by day, until there’s just one. Then, none.

Not to jump ahead to 2015, when there’s a World Series in Baltimore still to play for …

Oh, let’s jump ahead to 2015 …

Today’s University of Virginia vs. Towson “Fall Ball” game counts toward their 2015 NCAA season.

So, even though Game 162 is a little sad. Somewhere else, it’s just Game 1.

University of Virginia vs. Towson

The Veteran …

Junior Nathan Kirby, Pitcher

The Freshman …

Ernie Clement, Second Base

The Sophomore …

Matt Thaiss, First Base

The Rookie …

Justin Novak, Shortstop

The fans …

Photos: University of Virginia, Davenport Field. Charlottesville, Virginia. September 28, 2014. © The Baseball Bloggess

Manny-less. Trout-full.

Posted on September 27, 2014 by Jackie, The Baseball Bloggess

I’m pausing from my days-long Ripken-is-better-than-Jeter email exchange with my baseball guru Jay, to share a non-Jeter moment from last night.

(I like Derek Jeter and all, but Cal Ripken was better. Jay disagrees.)

But, this isn’t about the oldsters …

I used to think that the Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado, just 22, would be baseball’s next great superstar.

But, his knees are wobbly.

One knee surgery kept him out of the lineup until May. Then surgery on the other knee ended his season in August.

The Orioles could certainly use a third baseman – as in someone actually schooled in playing third and not a journeyman tucked in over there and told to just dive at anything that comes remotely close and could be a baseball and try not to break anything. (It’s rarely pretty.)

Manny should be a-ok by next Opening Day. And, maybe he will be back to superstar form. Or, maybe those knees … those wobbly, unreliable knees … oh, I can’t even say it.

Manny did not take the Orioles to the post-season this year – they got there with those journeymen and other guys, giant holes at third, and very little Manny.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, California, on the other hand, owe a lot to baseball’s just 23, superstar, centerfielder Mike Trout.

Good grief, he did this last night.

And, he did this, too.

That’s all. I just wanted to make sure you saw that.

The Baltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, California will both be in the post-season.

(I’ll be cheering the Manny-less Orioles, of course, but those Trout-full Angels are very good.)

Oh, and back to the Ripken vs. Jeter thing for just a second …

Our friend Jay argues that part of why Derek Jeter is a greater player than Cal Ripken is because he won more World Series (5 vs. 1). This, of course, means that Aubrey Huff (two World Series victories) is a greater player than Ted Williams, Willie McCovey, Ken Griffey, Jr., Harmon Killebrew, and Rod Carew, who won zero.

I argue that Cal Ripken is a greater player than Derek Jeter because he is.

Fan of the Game

Posted on September 21, 2014 by Jackie, The Baseball Bloggess

Luke was at Camden Yards in Baltimore last night. He brought this sign.

O Yeah! Luke & his Orioles Beast of the East sign.

Between every inning and half-inning, Luke stood up and held up his sign trying to get the attention of the camera people so that they would show his sign on the Jumbotron in Center Field.

Luke is awesome. He never faltered and he never lost hope.

Never faltering and never losing hope are incredibly important qualities for any true baseball fan.

Luke told me that his mother actually made the sign – not him. “I slept in,” he admitted.

This is another important quality for a true baseball fan: pacing. The understanding that night games can often run into the wee hours requires the ability to catch a few extra snooze minutes whenever possible.

Luke cheered and clapped, and every time the public address system yelled “Charge!”, Luke yelled “Charge!” Absolute joy for baseball and the Orioles.

Luke’s favorite player? Orioles third baseman Manny Machado. Manny didn’t play last night – he’s out after season-ending knee surgery last month. But, Luke didn’t dwell on that disappointment.

The only thing that mattered was the game at hand.

And, don’t think that Luke’s cheers weren’t heard.

Last season, Baltimore Style Magazine asked Machado if he was aware of the crowd when playing. He said:

“Totally. … [Y]ou can always feel the energy. You hear people in the background. It’s gotten really loud in Baltimore lately. I love it.”

It was loud last night.

Even when the Red Sox got off to a fast 2-0 start.

But, did Luke give up hope? What do you think?

Final Score: Baltimore Orioles 7. Boston Red Sox 2.

Fan of the Game: Luke.

Photos: Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Baltimore, Maryland. September 20, 2014

“Ain’t The Beer Cold!”

Posted on September 17, 2014 by Jackie, The Baseball Bloggess

Seventeen years ago, when the Baltimore Orioles last won the American League East title, I was single, worked in still Nationals-less Washington DC, and colored my hair every three months because I wanted to, not because I had to (damn you, gray hair!)

R.E.M. was still a band. Cal Ripken was still playing (every single day). My gold suede Hush Puppy oxfords were kitschy and cool.

(I wish I had those shoes back. I had forgotten all about them until just now. They were awesome.)

When you have to wait 17 years for something, it seems a bit sweeter maybe. I sniffled last night. (I’m getting a little teary-eyed just writing this.)

Even if you don’t love baseball. Even if you only read this because I asked you to. Let me have this moment, ok?

al east champs

Here’s the moment …

Here’s the celebration that followed the moment …

“It’s one of those things you can’t describe.” ~ Orioles Rightfielder Nick Markakis

(I’m sure several Orioles are awaking today to mind-bending hangovers. I hope they rounded up all their children before they left the park.)

There will be baseball in October.

By the way, “Ain’t The Beer Cold!” was the “We Just Won” catch phrase of long-time Orioles radio announcer Chuck Thompson (1921-2005).

Well, On The Bright Side …

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Jackie, The Baseball Bloggess

conan2

~ Conan O’Brien on Twitter yesterday

Last week, Baltimore Orioles first baseman, home-runny guy Chris Davis was suspended for 25 games for failing his second drug test. He used Adderall, an amphetamine that is restricted by Major League Baseball.

I wrote about the messy business of drug testing and cheating and Chris Davis here.

And, here’s the weird thing I just discovered.

I started this blog in 2012. That was the summer that Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera was suspended for using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) and failing a drug test.

And, I wrote back then about Cabrera and the messy business of drug testing and cheating. (Which you can read here.)

In my post last week about Davis, I was conflicted. I don’t like cheaters, but hey, we all make mistakes and do stupid things from time to time, right?

Right?

Was I mad at Chris Davis? Disappointed? Could I ever trust him again?

The last words of that post on Friday … “I just don’t know.”

When I wrote about Melky Cabrera in 2012, I couldn’t decide either. Was I mad at him? Disappointed? Could I ever trust him again?

The last words of that post … “I just don’t know.”

That I ended both posts exactly the same way – unknowingly – means what? That I’m hopelessly conflicted? Unable to find the black-and-white answer in a gray-area world? Utterly predictable? Or, that I’m my only plagiarist?

I just don’t know.

Just like the strike zone, balks, the ever-changing rules about blocking the plate, the phantom “almost tags” at second on double plays … baseball might seem black and white on the outside, but inside the rules can get a bit mooshy.

To ban Adderall for some players, but allow it for others? I just don’t know. It doesn’t seem so black and white after all.

Yes, Chris Davis broke the rules. He admitted that. He’s serving his suspension.

But, as CBS Sports reports, Davis may be one of the few players who isn’t “faking” his ADD diagnosis. Read here.

And, there is this.

Yesterday, with no game to go to (because of that suspension thing) Davis was on his way to the airport to pick up some friends. He came across an accident on 295 outside of Baltimore, stopped, flagged down help, and helped right an overturned truck that had pinned one of its occupants.

He really did. (And, you can read about it here.)

So, he may have done a bad thing. But, he’s also does good things.

How can I stay mad at someone who helps out like that?

How can I stay mad when the Baltimore Orioles are one win away from clinching the American League East title?

No expert predicted it (except The Baseball Bloggess). And, it hasn’t been easy.

Orioles All-Star catcher Matt Wieters? Out since May with a season-ending elbow injury. Orioles All-Star third baseman Manny Machado? Out at the beginning of the season and out again since August with a season-ending knee injury. All-Star first baseman Chris Davis? Out (we’ve covered this).

The Orioles are about to win the AL East title with the help of a bunch of non-All-Star Other Guys. How cool is that!

It’s been a long time, too. The last time the Orioles won their division was 1997.

In 1997, there were no blogs. No iPods, iPhones, or iPads. Chris Davis was 11. Manny Machado was 5. And, we all thought this song was great …

It IS great.

“Merry Clinchmas” Everyone!

“We Are All Adults Here.”

Posted on September 12, 2014 by Jackie, The Baseball Bloggess

“The weather may be tricky or a bat may slip or a ball may bounce in some unexpected way; now and then the best man may go stale or lose his nerve; the professional honor of the player, however, has been taken for granted. We do not trust cashiers, diplomats, policemen, or physicians as we trust an outfielder or shortstop. … The man at the bat, cheer him or hoot at him as we may, is supposed to be doing his best.” ~ The Nation magazine, October 13, 1920

Baltimore Orioles first baseman (and home-run slugger) Chris Davis was suspended today for 25 games for testing positive for Adderall, an amphetamine, which is restricted by Major League Baseball.

Chris Davis

His suspension means he will miss the rest of the regular season and the first eight games of the post-season – should the Orioles get that far.

Davis was having a weirdly unsuccessful (.196), successful (26 home runs) sort of season.

So, sure, it’s a weirdly insurmountable (who will hit home runs now?), surmountable (Nelson Cruz, Adam Jones, Steve Pearce, and all those other guys) problem for the Orioles as they make a run toward the post-season (something they’ve done only one other time this century).

I am mad at Chris Davis. Because I trusted him not to be stupid.

(Trusting guys in their 20s to not be stupid, I realize, is stupid. I have just put my head down on the keyboard in shame.)

I am mad at Chris Davis because he cheated and now he is screwing up everything. He has let down his team and fans. (If we don’t win the World Series this year – no matter what happens – I will blame him.)

But, I’m also mad at Orioles fans who have been whining since the news broke this morning, “He wasn’t really cheating. Adderall isn’t a performance-enhancing drug (PED). It’s not that bad. Oh, why does everyone gang up on the Orioles?”

Let me clear something up, you whining tweeters.

Yes, yes, he was cheating. Yes, it is that bad. And, no one was ganging up on the Orioles. Chris Davis broke the rules.

Davis used a drug he did not have permission to use. (He had a “therapeutic use exemption” for Adderall in previous seasons. He does not have it now.) This is his second offense – hence the 25-game suspension which begins today.

Adderall, used for Attention Deficit Disorders in children and adolescents, is one of those sneaky gray-area drugs. Its benefits to athletes aren’t physically obvious – with steroids you can see the effects in the beefy muscles and resulting power. Adderall acts more like a super dose of caffeine, enhancing concentration, focus, and reaction time.

Dr. Gary Wadler, a former chair of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Prohibited List Committee, told The Seattle Times in 2012 that Adderall is “one of the quintessential performance-enhancing drugs.”

Adderall, he said, “masks fatigue, masks pain, increases arousal — like being in The Zone. … It increases alertness, aggressiveness, attention, and concentration. It improves reaction time, especially when fatigued. Some think it enhances hand-eye coordination. Some believe it increases the mental aspects of performance.”

(Apparently, it does not enhance the “mental aspects” of making good decisions.)

Since Adderall has very little therapeutic value in adults, it’s curious that baseball offers exemptions to players. Nearly 10 percent of current major league players have an exemption.

And, Jayson Stark of ESPN pointed out: “Athletes who have taken it have told me that once you’re used to playing your sport when you’re taking Adderall, it’s incredibly difficult to play without it.”

Oh, sure, you wisenheimers can argue that Adderall was doing a lousy job of enhancing Chris Davis’ .196 batting average this year. But, you’re just being cheeky.

Davis had permission to take Adderall in the past, perhaps even during last year’s monster 53 home run season. If something gives you an edge or a boost or helps you achieve amazing things it can’t be easy to just up and quit. And, Adderall is highly addictive.

But, rules are rules and the rules say this – you cannot take Adderall without an exemption. Pretty simple.

I hate writing posts like this. (I’ve written this blog for two years and every season I’ve had to sigh and try to make sense of some cheater or other – relive previous cheatery here.)

I hate when stupid and ugly things get in the way of the game that I love.

Orioles rightfielder Nick Markakis has been outspoken regarding PED use in baseball.

Nick Markakis

In an interview with The Baltimore Sun last season, Markakis said of players who fail drug tests, “These guys are big boys; they can make decisions. If I go out there and rob a convenience store, I know the consequences that are coming with it. We are all adults here.”

He continued: “These guys that are doing performance-enhancing drugs are taking away from a lot of other people that are doing it the right way. They are taking opportunities away and they are basically stealing.”

“I’m sorry” goes a long way with me. I forgave Nelson Cruz. (Cruz served a 50-game suspension for failing a drug test last season. He apologized.)

I’ll forgive you, too, Chris.

But, trust?

I still trust Nick Markakis.

Everyone else? I just don’t know.

Photos: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland. August 10, 2014

Nelson’s Magic Beans & Rice

Posted on September 7, 2014 by Jackie, The Baseball Bloggess

“Remember, one cannot throw a successful party without successful guests.” ~ Amy Sedaris

I promise you this story is true.

This week I learned from The Washington Post that Baltimore Orioles’ outfielder Nelson Cruz provides home-cooked Dominican meals to the Dominican ballplayers on other teams who visit Baltimore during the season. Cruz is not alone in this courtesy – apparently a whole lot of Dominican players make sure that visiting players are well fed with “food from home.”

I decided that if Cruz could be such a good host to his guests, then I should make some authentic Dominican beans and rice for you, my blog guests. (And, to be honest, I really wanted to know what was so special about Dominican food that players felt the need to create this underground home-cooking pipeline.)

And, as I stood in line at the grocery store this morning – my cart filled with the fixings – I said to Editor/Husband, “If Nelson Cruz hits a home run today, he can come to dinner, too.”

I think Nellie heard me.

Because, he hit two. And, a triple. And, had ALL seven RBI in a game the Orioles won 7-5 over the Tampa Bay Rays. Here’s one …

Holy cow, these beans are magic!

Eleven percent of major league ballplayers today are from the Dominican Republic.

“I love my Dominican food,” Cruz told The Post. “And the day I don’t eat my rice and Dominican food, I don’t feel good. I know other Dominicans feel that way, too. Knowing how they suffer away from home, I try to make their day and visit more comfortable by bringing them food, too.”

Cruz is on his way to Boston this evening (where I hope David Ortiz of the Red Sox will have a hearty meal waiting for him).

I sure wish I could share this meal and make your day more comfortable. Because it was deee-licious.

At least I can share my recipe.

And, it’s worth the trouble to soak the beans and find the proper ingredients. (Every Latin ingredient you need should be at your local grocery, although Editor/Husband and I had a very nice time checking out all the corner mercados in nearby Culpeper yesterday.)

From here on out, these are …

Nelson’s Magic Beans & Rice with Sautéed Vegetables

(Feeds Nelson Cruz and a couple other friends)

One-half lb. dried red kidney beans

(To soften beans: In a big pot, pour 5 cups boiling water over the beans and let them sit overnight. They’ll plump up and you’ll have about 4 cups of beans after soaking.)

For the Beans & Rice:

One-half red onion, chopped fine

One-half Cubanelle pepper, chopped fine

One clove garlic, chopped

2 TBS fresh cilantro, chopped

2 TBS olive oil

1-1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

2 tsp fresh (or 1 tsp dried) thyme

1 TBS Sofrito (Goya has MSG. I’ll make my own next time.)

1 pack Sazon Tropical (Badio brand only. Easy to make your own … but this one is MSG free and works a-ok.)

1 TBS apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup alcaparrados, chopped (it’s a mixture of olives and capers. Be sure to pit the olives!)

4 oz. Spanish tomato sauce (Goya brand)

1 bay leaf

2 cups rice

2+ cups vegetable broth

Here’s what you’ll need. (I don’t know why that celery’s in there.)

In a medium pot, add softened beans, salt, and 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for an hour … or maybe a little more. Drain and set the beans aside (save the liquid).

In the pot, add olive oil, onion, pepper, garlic, cilantro. Sauté on medium for a few minutes to soften.

Add salt, pepper, thyme, sofrito, sazon, and vinegar. Stir well.

Add the olives/capers, tomato sauce, and bay leaf. Return the beans to the pot and stir.

Cook on medium for about 5 minutes. (Add a splash of the bean water if things seem too dry.)

Rinse the rice and add to the pot. Stir in vegetable broth.

Bring to a boil. Turn heat way down and cover tightly. White rice will take about 25-30 minutes. Check after 15 minutes; if it’s getting dry add some of the bean water to moisten. Cover again and finish the cooking. When rice is tender, take off heat and let it rest while you make …

Vegetable Sauté:

1 TBS olive oil

1 TBS butter

4 cups of whatever fresh summer vegetables you have, chopped. (I used one small eggplant, a red pepper, a stalk of celery, and a zucchini.)

One-half cup corn (frozen or fresh)

2 tsp dried oregano

1-1/2 tsp capers

Salt/Pepper to taste

2 cups spinach chopped

2 TBS cilantro, chopped

A little bit of that leftover bean water (I told you to keep it!)

In a skillet or sauté pan, heat the oil and butter together. Add the fresh vegetables, cook until they just begin to soften. Add the corn, oregano, capers, salt, and pepper.

Stir occasionally until all the vegetables are just cooked through. (10 to 20 minutes depending on what vegetables you have.) If things get dry, add a few spoonfuls of the leftover bean water.

Fold in spinach and cilantro.

Cook just until spinach wilts and turns bright green.

Eat.

Hit Home Runs. Win Game.

Cotton Candy & The Win Streak Ends

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Jackie, The Baseball Bloggess

The Baltimore Orioles had a four-game win streak through Sunday.

They lost today, 6-4, to the Minnesota Twins.

A new win streak starts tomorrow.

In the meantime, here’s a kid eating cotton candy.

Getting all sticky.

Eating the entire thing.

And, then looking both wistful and a tiny bit barfy at the end.

(Hey, why does cotton candy only come in pink and blue?)

Also from our recent trip to a game at Nats Park in Washington, DC, here are the Racing Presidents.

(George always seems a little embarrassed about the whole running-around thing or maybe he just ate too much cotton candy and is feeling a tiny bit barfy himself.)

Photos: San Francisco Giants vs. Washington Nationals, Nationals Park, Washington, DC. August 23 and August 24, 2014

(The Giants lost both games, including getting pounded by the Nats on Sunday, 14-6. This may help explain why I spent an entire inning watching a child cover himself in cotton candy. The Giants are currently on a seven-game win streak … and I hope this doesn’t jinx them.)

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