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Fitbit VII – Week 43

Another disappointing week, boosted at the end by yet another football game.  Things got off to a poor start on Sunday, as I finished with 3800 steps.  Monday was slightly better, as I jumped up to exactly 4200 steps.  Tuesday saw a big drop off, coming 23 steps away from 2800.  Wednesday saw a big improvement, jumping up to 4800 steps.  Despite a trip out to see some work friends for lunch on Thursday, it fell back down again to nearly 2900 steps.  Friday rose back up to 4400 steps, thanks to a day off.  A trip to Wrigley Field to see Purdue battle Northwestern on Saturday was my high point of the week, leaving me 23 steps shy of 6700.

Total steps: 29,681

Daily average: 4240.1

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Tribe No More

On Friday, the franchise in Cleveland officially changed their name from Indians, which dates back to 1915, to Guardians, inspired by a pair of stone monuments a quarter of a mile away from Progressive Field, ending years of controversy and resistance.  I’ve seen the Indians 58 times over the years, first in 1987 at old Comiskey Park and last at Guaranteed Rate Field this past July.  In between, I saw them at two other ballparks, Games 4 & 5 of the 2016 World Series at Wrigley Field and the final two games of a September series against the White Sox at their home stadium of Progressive Field in 2019.

All-Time Team Records
Team Name Won Loss Winning Pctg
Cleveland Indians 31 27 0.534
Chicago Cubs 1 1 0.500
Chicago White Sox 26 30 0.464

The Guardians are scheduled to make their first trip to Chicago in early May for a 3 game series against the White Sox, starting a new chapter of Cleveland baseball history.

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Prolific Authors – 13 Books

Way back in December of 2011 (and again every other December since), we’ve taken a look at the authors I have read the most, dating back to high school.  This year, since I’ve far surpassed my reading output of any year on record, I thought it would be nice to take a deeper dive into those books I’ve read through August. Since our last check-in, I’ve read an additional 60 books from 54 different authors. There shouldn’t be much movement over the past 2 years, but it’s time to take another look and see if my “favorite” authors have changed much in that time span.  Today, we continue with the only author I’ve read a total of 13 times.

Greg Rucka

I first became aware of Greg Rucka through his prestigious comic book work.  In 1999, I read the first entry in his Atticus Kodiak series, Keeper.  I followed up with the next three entries the following year, bringing my up to date with his work.

Alpha – Greg Rucka

From that point on, I picked up each of his original works as they were released, including 3 more entries in the Kodiak series, 3 novels based on his Queen & Country comic book series, 1 stand alone work, and, most recently, the 2 books in the Jad Bell series.

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By The Numbers – 31

In 1929, uniform numbers appeared on the back of baseball jerseys for the first time, thanks to the Indians and the Yankees.  By 1937, numbers finally appeared across all uniforms, both home and away, across both major leagues.  Since that time, 81 distinct numbers have been worn by members of the White Sox, while the Cubs boast 76.

Today, we continue our look at those players, picking our favorite, if not the best, player to wear each uniform number for both Chicago teams with #31.  59 different players have donned #31 while playing in Chicago, 26 for the White Sox and 33 for the Cubs, who have retired it for two different players.

Greg Maddux wore #31 when he got his start with the Cubs in 1986.  Over the first seven years of his career, he became one of the shining stars of the National League, helping lead the team to the 1989 NL East title and winning the first of his 4 consecutive NL Cy Young awards in 1992.  Eleven seasons after before being allowed to leave as a free agent by GM Larry Himes, Maddux returned to the Cubs in 2004.  He defeated the Giants in August of that year to win his 300th game and, in July of 2005, he struck out his 3000th batter.  In 2006, with the Cubs far out of contention, he was traded to the Dodgers for their stretch run.

On the south side of town, Liam Hendriks burst on to the scene in 2021, wearing #31 as he took over the closer role for the eventual AL Central champs, leading the league with 38 saves and closing out the All Star Game for the American League.  He is signed for two more years, so this will either get cemented or I’ll look back at a horrible choice.  Time will tell.

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Against The Rangers All Time Leaders – Through 2021

rangersIn the past, we’ve looked at the all time leaders in both offensive and defensive categories for all 30 teams.  This offseason, we will take our first ever look at those leaders against all 30 clubs. We continue today with the Texas Rangers.

The Rangers began life in 1961, joining the American League as the second incarnation of the Washington Senators after the original franchise moved to Minnesota to become the Twins.  Following the 1971 season, the team moved to Arlington, Texas and became the Rangers.  I’ve seen them play 38 times against 5 different foes, across 2 states and 4 different stadiums.

Home Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 3
Jose Abreu 3
Jermaine Dye 3

Hits

Name Total
Paul Konerko 20
Jose Abreu 14
A.J. Pierzynski 12
Alexei Ramirez 12

Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 8
Jose Abreu 8
Jermaine Dye 8

RBI

Name Total
Paul Konerko 11
Jose Abreu 9
Jermaine Dye 8

Doubles

Name Total
Alex Rios 4
Alexei Ramirez 4
Jose Abreu 3
Scott Podsednik 3
Carlos Quentin 3

Triples Continue reading →

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Book 46 (of 52) – Project Hail Mary

Project Hail Mary – Andy Weir

A junior high school teacher finds himself alone in another solar system, looking to find the solution to a seemingly alien infestation that is dimming the sun and will destroy life on Earth.  An encounter with another ship, and another species, trying to do the same leads to an unlikely friendship and, eventually, the cure for both of their worlds.  But when nature shows itself to be a force worth reckoning with, will he sacrifice his friend to ensure Earth’s survival?  Or potentially doom his home world to help save his friend and an alien civilization?

Andy Weir’s latest, Project Hail Mary, is the second of his three novels that I’ve read this year.  I was worried at first that this was going to follow a very similar general plotline, of a lone man stranded far from Earth left to devise ways to stay alive, but the introduction of the alien species and the resulting friendship between the two was a nice twist away from what had been done before.  Weir is now 2 for 2 with me, and I may just have to track down that third novel sooner rather than later.  In the meantime, I will anxiously await the film adaptation, although there’s probably enough here for a limited series on HBO or Netflix or something.

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Goodbye

All I wanted was to say goodbye

I’ve known this day was coming.  I wasn’t expecting it to be today.  I also was expecting it to be today, if that makes any sense.  I think that’s why I sent the text

Would you have told me if I hadn’t texted?  Or would I have found out days later thanks to Instagram or Facebook?  That question will haunt me for months

I cycle quickly through different stages of grief.  Skipping denial and acceptance, for the most part

Anger… why today?  why wouldn’t you tell me?  why do you keep avoiding saying goodbye?

Depression… did I not matter?  is this the end of our friendship?  will I ever see you again?

All I wanted was to say goodbye

Is it too hard for you?  Or too easy, not worth the trouble.  That question will also haunt me for months

I send another text.  Wishing you the best.  Sending my love and that I will miss you.  Holding you to the lunch we were supposed to have this week

You reply “Deal”

No love, no missing, just Deal.  So we will see each other again out of obligation?

I wanted more.  I needed more.  I expected… well, about this

I get through work, somehow.  I feel alone for the first time despite being working home alone for nearly 2 years

I try to put it… you… out of my mind.  Hell, I’ve been trying to do that for years.  One of these days, it will work

We had some good times since we met.  Some bad ones too.  Through it all, I thought we had built something meaningful for both of us.  Was I wrong?

Haunt… months…

I wanted to do it last week, but you said wait.  We were going to get together that one last time.  We would do it then

Did you know?  That we would not get together and that you would sneak away and leave me alone to the bad thoughts in my head?

All I wanted was to say goodbye

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Fitbit VII – Week 42

Another disappointing week, doomed at the end by my reaction to the COVID vaccine booster shot.  Things got off to a decent enough start on Sunday, coming a mere 9 steps shy of 4300.  Monday was slightly better, as I jumped up to nearly 4900 steps.  Tuesday fell off a bit, coming just 23 steps away from 4500.  Wednesday was just a little lower, ending with 4200.  Thursday saw a slight bounce back, finishing over 4400 thanks in part to a trip to Target to get my booster shot.  Friday fell off to 2800 steps, as the booster knocked me out and left me feeling sick for most of the day.  I was feeling better on Saturday, but still needed 1 additional step to get to 1900.

Total steps: 27,024

Daily average: 3860.6

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Prolific Authors – 12 Books

Way back in December of 2011 (and again every other December since), we’ve taken a look at the authors I have read the most, dating back to high school.  This year, since I’ve far surpassed my reading output of any year on record, I thought it would be nice to take a deeper dive into those books I’ve read through August. Since our last check-in, I’ve read an additional 60 books from 54 different authors. There shouldn’t be much movement over the past 2 years, but it’s time to take another look and see if my “favorite” authors have changed much in that time span.  Today, we continue with the two authors I’ve read 12 times.

Christopher Golden

The prolific author first entered my bookshelf in 1998, thanks to a Buffy the Vampire Slayer tie-in.  Eleven more of those over the following seven years leave him here.

Brad Meltzer

I was originally exposed to Meltzer through his comics work for DC, but eventually tried out his novels work in 2002, when I read both The Millionaires and The First Counsel.  Since then, he has been a pretty steady presence as new work is released, last seen in 2018 with The Escape Artist, with a new entry due out in March.

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By The Numbers – 32

In 1929, uniform numbers appeared on the back of baseball jerseys for the first time, thanks to the Indians and the Yankees.  By 1937, numbers finally appeared across all uniforms, both home and away, across both major leagues.  Since that time, 81 distinct numbers have been worn by members of the White Sox, while the Cubs boast 76.

Today, we continue our look at those players, picking our favorite, if not the best, player to wear each uniform number for both Chicago teams with #32.  96 different players have donned #32 while playing in Chicago, 40 for the White Sox and 56 for the Cubs, including a familiar face for both sides of town.

Steve Stone was acquired by the White Sox in a November 1972 trade with the Giants.  He wore #32 for the 1973 season, before being traded to the Cubs.  He returned to the White Sox in 1977 as a free agent, going 27-24 over the next two seasons, before once again becoming a free agent.  Upon his retirement, he moved in to the broadcast booth, joining the Cubs booth in 1983 alongside Harry Caray.  He left the Cubs booth in 2004 and joined the White Sox radio booth in 2008, moving over to television in 2009, where he remains a fan favorite to this day.

On the north side, pitcher Jon Lieber donned #32 over two stints with the Cubs.  Acquired via a trade with the Pirates in December of 1998, Lieber quickly became a mainstay of the Cubs rotation, culminating in a 20 win season in 2001.  He left as a free agent following the 2002 campaign, returning in 2008, working mostly out of the pen for the eventual division champs in his final major league season.