Living in a "Fantasyland"

As I promised in my last post, I am posting a little tiny review of the book Fantasyland by Sam Walker. I didn't think it would show up this quick, but here it is anyway.

I am going to start off by saying that I loved this book. It is a real story, so when you read you have to remember that it actually happened. It is all about a sportswriter (the author Sam Walker) and how he finally decided to try fantasy baseball after loathing it for many years. Walker covers sports for the Wall Street Journal. He decides to try and enter fantasy baseball at its highest level applying for entrance into the famed Tout Wars league. Walker is granted entry into the AL only league to play against some of the legends of fantasy baseball.

Walker immediately becomes engrossed in the game and obessed with his team. Did I mention the draft hasn't even come around yet? He makes trips to Arizona and Florida to scout and talk to players in Spring Training. Then, he proceeds to travel the country to watch his players play all the while passing out team t-shirts to players on his roster and even asking one player if he thinks he should trade him for somebody else. As you can see, the exploits of the author alone are a good enough reason to read this book. There is so much more that I will leave to you to read.

If you are not a baseball fan, I might stay away from this book. I would whole-heartedly recommend though anyway. Next up on the summer reading list is October 1964 by David Halbersham. It should be sitting in my box right now.

Limping Into Summer

Well, my days of on campus living at Asbury officially ended today. After spending two years living on the third floor of the Grice dorm, I checked out and packed my car up to prepare to pick up a friend's lease at his house for the next two months. Then, it is off to Texas to get married. The day is fast approaching as we are now under two months until Raegan and I's wedding day (July 21 - in case you forgot). I had every intention of taking a class or two online this summer but decided against that after a long semester and considering everything surrounding the wedding. I will continue to work part time with my job on campus.

I am trying to figure out what I am going to do with my free time other than helping whenever I am asked with wedding stuff. I have decided reading might be the way to go. The plan is to incorporate a lot baseball/sports books and Christian books into my reading. I will try to post on them right here as I read them. One book I will throw out there to all you fantasy baseball players and baseball fans alike is the book Fantasyland by Sam Walker. I will try to write up a little review of it later.

I will leave you with a little verse we have been adding to the end of the prayer notes we have been writing at work to the people attending the next Asbury President's Retreat. The theme is Amazing Love. The verse is from 1 John 4:16-17.

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him."

John

A "Great American" Night at the Park

These last two posts have come so close together that you would swear I am jet setting across the US to watch baseball. So, a little less than a month after taking in my first game of the season in Houston at Minute Maid Park a couple of friends and I ventured up to Cincinnati to watch the Reds take on the Rockies. The best part about this game was that it was College Night which meant the tickets were half price. With this being the case, the three of us decided to spring for field level seat and boy did we ever get them. As you can see in the picture, we were close. Eight rows behind the dugout to be exact. We thought they were good but not that good.

Overall, the game was a good one. We got homeruns from two of biggest names on the field, Ken Griffey Jr. and Todd Helton, along with some free baseball. The Rockies went on to beat the Reds 6-5 in 11 innings in a game that lasted just under three hours and forty-five minutes. We didn't get back into Wilmore until after 1:00am. It was a long trip but a good one.

Now, what next on the baseball game trip list you ask? Hopefully a quick stop at Turner Field in Atlanta in June when Raegan and I are on our way back up to Wilmore from a wedding shower in Georgia. We have talked about it but a lot can happen in a month when you are doing as much as we are right now, so we are going to have to wait and see.

Here is the current season tally to date:
2 Stadiums (Minute Maid Park in Houston, Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati)
4 Teams (Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, and Colorado Rockies)

Juicin' it in Houston

As promised, I am delivering on Raegan and I's trip to Minute Maid Park in Houston to watch the Astros take on the defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals. I mentioned a lot of the details of the game earlier, so I will spare you them here.

It was a great atmosphere to watch baseball in being a very unique stadium with a retractable roof. We were very thankful for that roof considering that it being closed the night of the game saved us the 42 degree temperatures and rain that was going on outside that night.


It was the first game for me this season. I hoping to catch as many games as possible this season at as many different stadiums as possible seeing as many different teams as possible. As long as the weather permits, I am hoping to hit stadium and game number 2 this season in Cincy when the Reds take on the Colorado Rockies. That would also mark teams number 3 and 4.