Around the Majors

www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/tigers-gm-refutes-report-team-is-nearing-deal-with-bartolo-colon/ar-AAC1XVu

We have a fair share of historically great players playing right now. It's way too early to anoint him as one of them, but Cody Bellinger is off to a good start in that department. One of those weird stats that caught my eye -- Elias Sports Bureau must be the most fun place to work -- after his amazing performance last night with a long HR and incredible throws to nail two baserunners, Bellinger is only the third player in history to have at least 19 HRs and seven OF assists in his team's first 52 games (who decided that that was a category?)

The other two are enshrined in Cooperstown -- Chuck Klein of the Phillies in 1930 and The Babe in 1932.

Klein played RF at Baker Bowl, where the fence was 281 feet from home plate, albeit with a 60 foot wall. That had to be conducive to his assist numbers. More surprising is The Bambino. In 1932, he was 37 years old and fat and probably hung over much of the time. Maybe players were assuming that made him vulnerable and they took ridiculous chances.

But it does re-enforce what eyewitnesses said, that he had a great arm and had an insane instinct for playing the ball. Sure, old Yankee Stadium was only 296 feet down the right field line, but the low fence eliminated most of the easy rebounds that Baker Bowl (or the Green Monster) allowed for pegging a runner.

That's my crackpot theory. Plus I like any stat that allows a link between Chuck Klein (one of my father's favorites) The Babe (Number One of Everything Ever) and Cody Bellinger, who is fun to watch and who at least has Yankee DNA.

Thanks Inger, you're a master in that department yourself.  We just returned home last night, so I'm still a bit jet-lagged.  It will be good to actually watch some games again instead of just highlights.

Thanks Kaybli.  I'm pretty good at resting!!  Really though, from Europe, one day is plenty for jet lag recovery.  Definitely a First World Problem.

Difficult to say, Kaybli.  We loved every minute of it (well, except the airport parts.)  The easy answer is food -- I guess sundown is close enough that I can say that to you.  I mean, like most people I love good Italian food anywhere, but to go right to the source -- the freshness of the pasta, the subtle seasonings, the perfect wine accompaniments, and the wonderful atmosphere in the trattorias -- that alone is worth the trip.  But the whole thing -- the Roman sites -- the spectacular recent excavations at Pompeii, with a much greater sense of the beauty of the buildings -- the jaw-dropping architecture of the churches -- the one-of-a-kind mosaics in Ravenna -- the amazing scenery along the Amalfi Coast.  This is starting to sound like an ad for Perillo Tours!!  Italy is definitely near the top of my list for countries to visit.

One Yankee-related story.  We stopped in a ceramic shop in the Amalfi Coast town of Ravello -- picture perfect coastal town known for its ceramic work.  On the walls were picture of celebrities who had shopped there, posing with the owner.  Among those I could identify were Rod Stewart and Hugh Grant and Stephen Tyler and Marissa Tomei, others I can't think of, lots of Italians I wouldn't know. 

Anyway, one very identifiable guy was Mariano Rivera!!  But unlike the others, he wasn't photographed smiling with his arm around the owner, but instead was filling out some paperwork!!  I don't think they follow baseball that much in Ravello, but somebody in there obviously recognized Mo and took a photo.

Nobody asked us to pose, but maybe that was because we didn't buy anything.

I like cheesesteaks, but honestly I haven't had one in probably 25 years.  My digestive system can't deal with them so well anymore.  But I had enough of them when I was young to fulfill my life quota.  I eat a lot more couscous and falafel and tahbouli than cheesesteaks or hoagies or scrapple these days.  But they all have their place in a balanced diet, to be sure.

Soft pretzels anytime, though.  Real ones, not Auntie Anne's or other bizarre variations.  Fresh ones right from the oven are right in the conversation with good bagels, IMO.

I remember when Yankee Stadium had knishes for sale everywhere.  I think the Board of Health or some other regulatory annoyance must have put a stop to it.