All Hail Ichiro
by James Finn Garner
So many long years ago
Ichiro
Began spraying hits
And if it seems like it’s
Going to go on forever
(I mean, it never
Looks like he ages),
Remember the pages
Of record holders
Left to molder
When a young stud
Both lucky and good
Works to set a new mark
At the ball park.
In time a new hero
Will surpass Ichiro,
And the passage of time
Cruel and sublime
Will lose some of its sting
As we salute a new king.
Moon, Swoon, Baseball in June
By James Finn Garner
On this beautiful summer day in June
The Royals rise and the White Sox swoon
The Astros still dream of their trip to the moon
The Red Sox hope they aren’t peaking too soon
While the Yanks obsess over things picayune
The Rangers and Jays field their share of goons
Tampa ponders a move to Saskatoon. . .
And Epstein’s still the smartest guy in the room.
The Punch Heard ‘Round the World
by Stephen Jones
In baseball, since time began,
Players and clubs never forget.
What you did, you Blue Jay man,
We’ll repay . . . That you can bet.
Bautista must’ve known this
When he faced off with Texas.
His flip of the bat last year
Really burned the Rangers’ ear:
The unwritten code was broken
And some revenge must be taken.
He got plugged and went to first–
That should’ve ended Ranger thirst.
But when he slid hard into second,
Mr. Bautista didn’t reckon
He’d end up in a stadium ring
With Odor, who took the first swing.
Now, of course, it’s all the news
On ESPN, YouTube and other venues.
Oakland Sweeps Yankees
by Stephen Jones
Don’t kill the pitchers
Pinstripe offense anemic
Yankees brushed aside