Greg Maddux

First, let me say, I am one of the top 10 biggest Greg Maddux fans.  The other nine would be his wife and children, siblings and parents.   And because big bro Mike is the pitching coach for my beloved Texas Rangers, in baseball terms, we are practically family.

I was  a Braves fan in the 90’s because they were on TV every night so I got attached to their little but mighty pitching staff—Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Steve Avery.    No Big Unit arms in the bunch but consistently good pitching all around.  Yesterday Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas were announced as Hall of Fame inductees.  All great choices.  And Crag Biggio was .2 points from getting in too.  Maddux got the highest percentage of votes, 97.2 percent.   One of the baseball writers who did not give Maddux a vote says he knew he was a shoe in and wanted to make a statement that because he pitched in the PED era of Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa…etc…that everyone from the era’s rep was stained.   Maybe I’m crazy but wouldn’t pitching to the steroid crew and winning 355 games, 4 Cy Young awards and 18 Gold Gloves  and absolutely not a sniff of controversy attest even more to his greatness? 

I remember reading that they did a survey in the league:  Who has the best fastball?  The best curve?  Who threw the hardest?  None of the answers were Greg Maddux until you got to the Who is the best pitcher in baseball?  Then his name was everywhere.  The man was an artist. Not a fancy, showy one.  Not one no hitter thrown his entire career.  But everyone knew how good he actually was.   Even the idiot baseball writer.  Heck, if you were not going to give him your vote, you should have given it to Craig Biggio!!  He deserves to be there too.

I hope to go to Cooperstown someday.  And now I can hang with the greatest pitcher I’ve ever seen.  I’ll get my picture taken with his picture.

Second Decision of 2014

I downloaded an app for Charity Miles which will make a donation for every while you walk, bike or run.  Walking is my only option but someone will make a donation of 25 cents a mile.  I hope to get up to a dollar a week.  :)

First decision of 2014

I ended 2013 angry with a person who has been my friend for a long time but in the last year has treated me with a disrespect that is in inconceivable to me.  This person came to me in a time of need and I gave something I did not really have to give. And this was a huge part of my 2013 decisions.  And I have decided I can be bitter about it and keep hitting myself on the same thumb with the same hammer or I can throw out the hammer.   Hammer is gone.   Forgiveness will come slowly.  It will take more to forget.

I hope the loss of our friendship was worth it.