The verdict is in from the Associated Press. They like it.
Mike Householder’s assessment hit the wires this morning, and could serve as a one-review blurb factory. To wit:
(The San Francisco Examiner gets extra points for its headline, “Review: Kudos to code breaker Turbow for chronicling unwritten rules of America’s pastime.”)
It’s nice to be appreciated.
– Jason
The book went on sale today, pretty prominently in some places. Never one to take hearsay at face value, I trotted down to the local bookstore to find out for myself.
And there it was.
I even signed a few copies, which were subsequently tagged with “Autographed copy” stickers; it struck me as just a little odd to consider that my autograph might have any degree of value. (Sure, the books don’t cost any more than they otherwise would have, but somebody had to buy those stickers.)
Word on the street says that some pretty major coverage will be coming our way soon. We’ll fill you in as events warrant.
– Jason
Plus, you know, a few hours after that before bookstores open. As of tomorrow, however, you can officially find The Baseball Codes at a bookseller near you.
– Jason
The latest to offer an opinion (or in this case a “take”) bout the Prince Fielder-vs.-the-Giants affair: Jim Rome.
I get that baseball’s code is arcane, vague and indecipherable. And that only the guys who actually play the game understand it. But you don’t need to be a major leaguer to know Fielder was way out of line with that celebration and that there’d be some retaliation. Of course, Fielder thought it was unjustified: “If that’s what they gotta do, let them hit me once, if it makes them feel better.” Actually, Prince, it pretty much made everyone in baseball feel better.
To the first part of that sentiment, I offer the rebuttal that while baseball’s code may have arcane elements, it’s hardly indecipherable. Hell, there’s a whole book dedicated to the very notion of describing it in detail. (It drops Tuesday, for those of you scoring at home.)
As for the rest of it, though, Rome pretty much nails it, quoting Fielder’s answer to a question about whether it was worth it. “Hell yeah,” he said. “That’s something I did with me and my teammates. It has nothing to do with them. You’re damn right it was worth it.”
It’s the sentiment of a lesson un-learned. Prince is a smart guy, and was raised amid big league clubhouses by an All-Star father, Cecil Fielder. He knows the game, he knows the Code, and he knows that there’s a price to pay for such a blatant violation.
Which makes it all the more curious. Perhaps this is the latest salvo from a member of the me-first generation, whose embrace of individual expression trumps tradition in nearly every circumstance. For personal reasons, Prince has repudiated his father; perhaps he’s also out to repudiate a system in which his father believed.
– Jason
Michael ran into KNBR’s morning guys, Brian Murphy and Paul McCaffrey, today at Scottsdale Stadium, and went on the air to discuss the Prince Fielder incident. Hear Michael’s silver tongue here.
Well, there you have it. Barry Zito‘s first pitch to Prince Fielder got it done.
Fielder reacted entirely appropriately, flipping the ball to Zito and trotting to first, despite the clear intention behind the pitch, as response to Fielder’s antics last September. (The fact that Zito only throws 85 mph didn’t hurt; watch the video here). ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick cited Torii Hunter‘s statement after Fielder’s original display: “If I was a pitcher, I’d be [ticked] off. My mouth would be wide open. I’d be shocked. Baseball is not like the NFL, where you can celebrate in the end zone. You’ve got to keep your cool, play the game. You can’t do that.”
It seems that Fielder understands that, now. After the game, he went so far as to tell media members, “If that’s what they’ve gotta do, that’s what they’ve gotta do. Let them hit me once, and if that makes them feel better, that’s awesome. Now we can just play baseball.”
Which is exactly the point of the Code. Zito stood up for his guys and earned some love in his home clubhouse. Fielder knew that he was a likely target today. And now everybody can move on.
Are we really only one day into the spring schedule?
– Jason
The Brewers travel to Scottsdale tomorrow to take on the Giants during the first week of spring games. It’s not yet known whether Prince Fielder will make the trip, but if he does, it will be his first appearance against San Francisco since last Sept. 9, when he hit a game-ending homer in Milwaukee. At issue: the method of celebration utilized by Fielder and his teammates, which was not taken well by many in the Giants’ clubhouse.
There’s no prediction of retaliation here, but keep in mind that spring training is a popular time to settle old scores; because games don’t count, there’s little need for timing to be dictated by game situation.
Needless to say, we’ll be watching.
– Jason
A nice blurb from San Jose Mercury News Giants beat writer Andrew Baggarly yesterday, in support of The Baseball Codes:
Turbow and Duca are press box regulars at AT&T Park – Duca was the official scorer for Jonathan Sanchez’s no-hitter — and I’ve seen them collecting material for this book nearly every day at the ballpark for the past three years. It’s bound to be packed with a lot of great, funny anecdotes and the positive praise is already starting to filter in. I’m looking forward to buying a copy, myself.
Nice to get some appreciation from the hometown set. Thanks, Bags.
– Jason
George Will just called me. He’s planning a column about the book to run in the Washington Post on or near opening day. But here’s the thing: He didn’t call to ask about the book. He didn’t want to know anything about the writing or reporting or genesis or goals that isn’t already evident within its pages.
He just wanted to say that he liked it.
Scratch that. He just wanted to say that he loved it. His direct quote: “This is the greatest book in the history of books.” Seriously. He said that he couldn’t stop laughing as he was reading it.
It’s enough to tickle a first-time author pink.
My only regret is that he wasn’t contacted to write a cover blurb. Because, you know, “Greatest book in the history of books” would look pretty good over the title.
– Jason
So it seems that Dustin Pedroia wants a piece of me.
Apparently, WBZ’s Jonny Miller brought up The Baseball Codes to the Red Sox star, and relayed that many players on the current Boston roster are accused within its pages of stealing signs. For the rest of the story, we go to Comcast SportsNet New England’s Joe Haggerty:
As expected, Pedroia took exception to the accusation as only the feisty, colorful second baseman can when he’s sparked by a topic.
“That’s why I don’t read much because that’s 110 percent [expletive],” said Pedroia. “Give me the guy that wrote it and I’ll talk to him. I can tell you firsthand. We don’t tip signs because half of the guys on our team aren’t smart enough to see the fingers and all of that stuff. We don’t do that crap.
“I want the author. I’m fighting him.”
Never mind the fact that, contrary to what Miller reportedly told Pedroia, the book accuses nobody on the current Red Sox squad of any such thing. In fact, we mention two occasions in which Red Sox teams of the past were themselves victims of sign stealing (including one unbelievable instance against the Blue Jays in Fenway Park).
Still, the opportunity to fight Pedroia is intriguing.
Positives: I have at least a couple inches on the guy when it comes to reach.
Negatives: He undoubtedly outpoints me in fast-twitch muscles; he’s 13 years younger; he’s 10 pounds heavier (but certainly no fatter); he might pull a dirty pro wrestling maneuver and pummel me with his MVP Award while the ref isn’t looking.
Still, this is an opportunity that doesn’t come along too often. Bring it, Dustin. I shall fight the fight of a crazed wolverine until one of us either leaves on a stretcher or is laughing too hard to exit his corner.
Come discover the power of the press. I’m waiting.
– Jason
The Baseball Codes 