Yesterday the Hanshin Tigers pounded Donovan Osborne and the Yanks, 11–7. Their first baseman, with the un-Japanese-sounding name of Arias, has a sweet line in the box score: 4 2 3 5. Go Tigers!

Today the Yanks open the regular season there—in fact, with the time difference, they’re losing to Lou Piniella’s Devil Rays as I read the morning paper.

SK: I got down to the game yesterday and saw my man Tim Wakefield go a strong six. We won, 8–3. He gave up two long balls, but the second was a pop-fly type of deal that just kind of got up in the slipstream and carried over the wall. It would have been caught by Trot (in Fenway). I spent a lot of time in the booth with Joe Castiglione and Jerry Trupiano. Troop told me a really terrible joke. Janet Jackson decides to rehab her tattered reputation by becoming the first woman to play major league baseball, right? But it doesn’t work. Her first at-bat in Kansas City… she pops out again.

BOOO!

In between half-innings in the sixth—this could only happen to a writer—I was proofing some copy for the final Dark Tower book and working out with my eraser. The Sox come up just as I’m finishing. The first pitch produces a line foul that missed my nose by less than an inch. I swear this is a true thing I’m telling you. I saw it go between my nose and the little pile of manuscript I had in my hands, also heard the baleful whiz of the ball, which hit an old guy behind me pretty hard. My seat-mates are going, “Did you see that? Pokey Reese almost nailed Stephen King!” Etc, etc. Well, the lady next to me was into her third or fourth beer—enough so she was willing to be disapproving no matter who I was. She said, “We’re sitting right behind the dugout, in case you didn’t notice. You should be paying attention.” I replied—and I really believe this to be true—that if I had been watching, I would have involuntarily jerked right into it and gotten my friggin’ face rearranged (some would say that might be an improvement). I mean, that thing was a rocket.

I’m back for more abuse tomorrow. That’s the last spring training tilt. Then things get serious.

SO: Glad you’re okay, and congratulations on finishing. Now the important question: Who got the ball?

March 31st

Before I’ve eaten breakfast, the Yanks have crushed the D-Rays 12–1, and the division’s knotted at .500 again. We play the Twins at Hammond tomorrow, then head to Atlanta for two against the Braves before opening in Baltimore.