Chronic Negress

Seattle was about 20 degrees cooler than Idaho in temperature and temperament. I liked the fact that even the drugstores in Seattle have espresso bars. I had soy chai lattes at a variety of places. My main reason for being in Seattle was the Society for American Baseball Research annual convention. I’ve been a SABR member since 1987, and we lovers of baseball history number crunching need a place to share our rantings and stories with the like-minded. I like to think of the convention as a public service for our friends and families who can’t stand another minute of our talk about the game. I did break from the diamond babbling to worship at a retail temple, the Nordstrom flagship store in downtown Seattle. I also had dinner with old friends at the Dahlia Lounge. Crab, more crab and delicious beignet-like homemade doughnuts.

A trip to Safeco Field for a Mariners-Rockies game was delightful. I ate some massive hot link pork BBQ smothered thing that could easily have fed a family of four. The game featured the starters going nine innings and the Rockies hurler pitching an imperfect perfect game. He faced 27 batters, gave up two hits but the hitters both were erased on double plays.

The next night we saw the Tacoma Rainiers, the M’s AAA club, take on the Fresno Grizzlies. The Rainiers ate the Grizzlies relievers alive, with a six-run rally highlighted by a 3-run inside-the-park home run. 6-2, and the Giants have some serious worries if this is all they have at AAA.

The featured guest at the convention was Ball Four author Jim Bouton, who quipped and preached to the choir on baseball’s ills and spills. Bouton has made a career out of being Jim Bouton. I like to make a career out of being me, but the offers have been limited to nonexistent.

Anyway, off to Camano Island, which is quiet, pretty and houses old friends who will be leaving it soon.