Empyreal Environs

It feels wonderful to be back, readers, after too long a hiatus. I want to thank EE for allowing me to continue to inform and enlighten. I would also like to acknowledge the great group of guys that were brought in; they would have brought viewpoints that I wouldn’t necessarily have. In fact, I was inspired by them, and will be expanding my purview even further beyond the vast territory I already cover (similar to how I am when I am in the outfield).

For a while there, I was lost without the Red Sox and my customary spot in the virtual world. Everyday, I’d check my electronic mail (e-mail), hoping some notification from either Mr. Epstein or EE. Refresh, refresh, refresh, all day long on my Gmail page. What a great invention e-mail is. Back in 1971, Ray Tomlinson used a terminal to relay a message digitally to his colleague. It was the first instance of e-mail over a network. The use of the “@” was originated by Tomlinson to show which user was “at” a terminal, and this is the protocol to parse out user identities to this day.

Anyway, I would be online all day, waiting for the word. I’d also check here to see how things were going. I was surprised that Mike Mussina was even considered. I had some classes with him, as we had the same major at Stanford, and he’s never had the breadth and depth of knowledge as others I can mention. As for Miguel Batista and his literary bent, I mean, come on. Poetry is just words. To wit:

On this beauteous night of June,
We dismiss the diegesis platoon.
And welcome back the orignator:
McCarty has returned, all the greater.

Lance Berkman has an agenda, I believe. I think his relatives have an interest in a civil engineering firm in the Houston area; getting rid of Tal’s Hill would position him to benefit from his planned redesign of Minute Maid Park. Don’t believe for a second that his motives are entirely pure.

So, I’m back. During my reprieve I had to opportunity to do extensive research, abstract my findings, and send them to the team and front office for their comments. They haven’t yet gotten back to me, but I’ve been calling them to remind them I need their input. They are always laughing when I call them, but I sense the mirth cloaks the pain they are truly feeling. I’m still as close to the team as I ever was; once a Red Sox player, always a Red Sox player.

Every Friday, Dave McCarty will join us to discuss a topic of interest to him and probably no one else but the author of this site. Welcome back, Dave! We teased you a lot because we had you on the spot, but welcome back.