by Hilary Barta
On a witness a trial may hinge
When a twit did supply the syringe
In his ass was he juiced,
Giving fastballs a boost?
They acquitted, but my, did they cringe.
Tigers’ Wrigley Haiku
by Mark Smith
Tigers at Wrigley
Victory thrown to the wind
Sweet Home Chicago
The State vs. Clemens (And Let’s Move On)
by Stephen Jones
5-year trial over
Roger Clemens now acquitted
Such waste of dollars
Public reaction?
Like his contriteness mixed
But this play is done
Now comes next year’s act
How will Cooperstown decide?
New theater to come
The 17th Out of Perfection
by James Motz
Matt Cain reached deep, history on his back.
The fastball felt good, he had plenty of snap.
Play of the year was still four outs away
From Gregor Blanco: the next Wille Mays.
The gloves were red hot, there can be no doubt
But more was required to get THIS man out
Sixteen had stood in, each one had got sat.
Till Snyder stepped up, and with his big bat
He made Matty wince, that ball was well struck
Gonna land 10 deep, fans are out of luck.
Deep to left, so long to their perfection
Another “almost” in this game of reflection.
Melky kept running, he would not give in
The ball going out,
.   out,
.      out
…till the WIND
Just hauled that ball back, bent back to the wall
And Melky, he leaps! Spins! Stabs at the ball!
And back on the mound, Cain raises his fist,
Toes the rubber, sets. Ten more men to get.
James Motz has maintained his Michigan sports roots despite being exiled to Twin-infested Minnesota, where he stealthily paints Olde English D’s on ice shanties. His personal mission is to make baseball verse so ingrained in our culture that Joe Buck will call games in iambic pentameter.
The Dodgers & Don Mattingly . . . Now
by Stephen Jones
The Dodgers no longer
in numbing divorce court
a clubhouse no longer
undermined by McCourt
is playing baseball
and playing it well
Don Mattingly bringing out
the best of players no one’s
heard of (maybe/maybe not)
but now #1 in the standings
It is a “team” playing Donnie’s
Baseball brand which merits praise