Reviving the Art of Baseball Doggerel
At eighteen he committed himself
to baseball . . . for fifty years.
Detroit should be grateful.
He didn’t fail stadium fans —
their team’s porous bats did
like unidentified blips
on baseball’s radar screen.
Mr. Leyland deserved better.
There is no joy in Bro-hio
As Tribe and Reds are shown the door.
Both teams vying for the Wild Card
But reality hit ’em good and hard.
The Rays, always, a resourceful crew,
And Pittsburgh, you must admit, is due.
An I-71 Series is just a dream
If Dusty Baker helms your team.
With Nick Swisher on the roster,
October glory is hard to foster.
Next March it all begins anew
When balls start smacking into Chin-Soo Choo.
Congratulations to the Bucs,
Too many years a team that sucks.
McCutch the likely MVP,
Good pitching and defense are key.
They’ll have a chance for bigger fame,
If they keep Clint Hurdle out of the game.
Baseball in August creates many jobs
for travel agents and typesetting slobs.
Rehab assignments, Triple A spot starts,
Pennant aspirants shopping for spare parts.
Roster gods move in mysterious ways–
David DeJesus, three teams in five days?
Colin Cowgill’s grin, Billy Buckner’s frown.
Holy Toledo, Phil Coke’s been sent down!
Some guys can’t clear waivers; others released,
Plus one salary dump in the NL East.
(The Mets helped Pittsburgh in a deal most absurd—
Just tossed them a Buck and flipped them a Byrd.)
Eduardo Sanchez, gone from the big club.
But Ma Arrieta, Jake’s now a Cub!
Brad Boxberger sighs, packs for the bushes.
John Axford heads where the playoff push is.
Contenders reload, pretenders cut bait.
Hey Tuffy Goseswisch, Reno’s your fate.
Jose Constanza the Braves did recall,
with hopes that he’ll help them deep into Fall.
Philly’s less Savery—no Joe in the bigs;
Report sir, at once, to the Iron Pigs.
Ross Wolf’s been optioned to Round Rock Express,
while the Dodgers scooped up Edinson Volquez.
One-line transactions, a queer kind of fame.
Vic Black, you’ve become “Player To Be Named.”
Xavier Avery’s now a Rainier,
maybe Seattle, he’ll see you next year?
Michael X. Ferraro is a writer/producer/lyricist who scans the fine print daily to make sure he hasn’t been outrighted to Lehigh Valley.
Is Haiku foolish?
For the national pastime?
Heavens, I hope not.
NL West
Arizona
Nice guys finish last
Crabby managers do win
They still need pitching
Los Angeles
Is money the key?
It can bring in the big names
No, it’s the scouting
Colorado
Thin air skews his stats.
Is Todd a Hall of Famer?
No, probably not
San Francisco
We won it all twice…
With an absence of offense
Only even years
San Diego
A beautiful park
The only Hall of Famer
Is up in the booth
NL East
Atlanta
Fourteen in a row
Is not so impossible
It might start this year
Washington
First picks starting games
Davey says this is his last
A doormat no more
Philadelphia
A team on the rise
They are not now any more
We all miss Harry
New York
A small pantheon
But will be growing soon now
Matt Harvey’s a star
Miami
Was ever team
More worthy than its owner
To be in the Bigs?
NL Central
St. Louis
The league’s best record
They have birds on their jerseys
We all will miss Stan
Pittsburgh
A great tradition
Lives on in the memory of fans
Maybe the year’s here!
Cincinnati
Phillips is wondrous
The rest are outstanding too
It’s Dusty’s last year
Chicago
The city’s windy
Is anything more constant
Than fans’ apathy?
Milwaukee
Segura is great
John Axford is clean shaven
Nicest fans ever
D. Bruce Brown has posted daily trivia questions for Horsehide Trivia since 1997. He is also the president of the Bob Davids chapter of SABR.