by Stephen Jones
Cleats in the dirt.
But what’s that worth?
Win-loss meaningless
when rivalry assessed.
Forget any “Why/Wherefore” sense
& just figure it’s dugout justice.
Homer Most Foul (Deep Thoughts with Carlos Gomez)
by Michael X. Ferraro
I lead off the game with a blast to the stands.
Easing into a trot, I’m clapping my hands.
The headlines will read “A Tone-Setting Hero”!
But … hey, why’s the scoreboard still stuck on zero?
“Please Don’t Call Them Twinkies” by Craig Finn & the Baseball Project
Putting the Pits in Pittsburgh
By Stuart Shea
When you talk of the Pirates,
What gives them their charm?
Their .200-hitting shortstop named Barmes?
You’d think the trade deadline
Would cause some alarms
For a .200-hitting shortstop named Barmes.
But the Bucs got more pitching!
“You always need arms
With a .200-hitting shortstop named Barmes.”
There’s no one on the bench
And no one on the farm
No one else to play shortstop–
No one with an arm
Nobody in training
No one even warm
But their .200-hitting shortstop named Barmes.
The Thrill of July
By Stuart Shea
I read all the headlines
About the trading deadline–
Who is Pittsburgh-bound?
Brewers, Mets, and Blue Jays
Slumping in the dog days…
Can they turn around?
Hot-shot rookies
Hittin’ cookies–
The ROY debate,
Great pennant races
In fan-packed places…
Isn’t summer great?