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July 3, 2008, 12:00 PM ET
Breaking: Furcal Out
by Will Carroll
The Dodgers have announced that Rafael Furcal will have back surgery. The procedure, a microdiscectomy, all but ends his season since the recovery time will have him out until at least early September, raising questions about whether he could get his swing back in time to have any impact. The Dodgers will proceed as if he will play, though their record and the play of their other shortstop options will guide his rehab as much as his own health and recovery. Fantasy players that have been hanging on to Furcal should drop him in all formats.
July 2, 2008, 03:09 PM ET
Join Will and Joe in Arlington
by Will Carroll
It’s not a Pizza Feed, it’s Newberg Night! FOBP Jamey Newberg puts on a great show every year in Arlington and let me tell you, if you’re in the area, it’s worth every penny — and goes to a good cause. Here’s the details from Jamey:
We’re now ready to start taking reservations for Newberg Report Night at Rangers Ballpark, which will be on Sunday, August 3, against the Blue Jays. One of the potentially cool things about doing this the first few days of August will be the possibility that the team will have one or more new players in the lineup, in the wake of the July 31 trade deadline – whether it’s prospects brought in or brought up to join the club, or veterans acquired for the stretch run.
We had about 350 attend each of the last two years and were at absolute capacity – so please make your reservations as soon as you know you’ll be attending. Once we reach auditorium capacity, we’ll have to close registration.
The gathering will be very much like last July’s, with one significant change. Here’s what we have planned:
A ticket to the Sunday, August 3 event costs $30 a person. Details:
1. RANGERS OFFICIAL (hopeful): Admission to the auditorium adjoining the Legends of the Game Museum between the first base and center field entrances to the ballpark, where a Rangers official will hold an exclusive Q&A session with our entire group – with comfortable auditorium seating – before the game. Timing this right after the trade deadline should make the Q&A even more interesting. General manager Jon Daniels has joined us the past three years, but as always it’s not possible this far out to guarantee his availability. More details on time coming soon, but I’d expect us to gather at around 4:00 or 5:00 in advance of the 7:05 p.m. game.
2. WILL CARROLL AND JOE SHEEHAN: Baseball Prospectus writer Will Carroll, who delivers the renowned “Under the Knife” column and has authored several books, including “Saving the Pitcher” and “The Juice: The Real Story of Baseball’s Drug Problems,” will join us as well, as he has every year that we’ve held Newberg Report Night. He will likely conduct a Q&A that precedes the Rangers official. This year, Joe Sheehan will join Will to talk baseball.
3. DONATIONS: As always, we’ll organize a charitable effort that we can all participate in that day. More details soon. I expect that, as usual, those who participate will be eligible for a raffle of memorabilia prizes.
4. HELLO WIN COLUMN FUND: In each of the last two years we made arrangements to host a family impacted by cancer at the event. We plan to do it again this year. Cindy Kuster, the daughter of the late Mark Holtz, will act on behalf of the Hello Win Column Fund as a liaison between Cancer Care Services and the Newberg Report and help select the family who will participate.
5. THE GAME: We’re going to have lower-level seats in the stadium this year, instead of luxury suites. We don’t yet know where in the stadium the seats will be – that will depend largely on the number of people who attend. Of course, you’ll still be able to sit with who you want (whether you have a large group or just a few family members or friends).
6. PROMOTION: It’s a $1 Ice Cream Sunday for fans 13 & under.
7. Note: Parking is not included.
Please sign up and pay as soon as you know you’ll be coming. We need to give the Rangers advance notice as to how many seats we’ll need. And again, it’s first come, first served.
The cost, once again, is $30. Email Jamey Newberg for more details on how to get your tickets.
July 2, 2008, 02:22 PM ET
Orlando Hudson on Defense
by David Laurila
Currently in his third season with the Diamondbacks, Orlando Hudson is one of the best defensive infielders in the game, capturing Gold Gloves at second base in each of the past three seasons. While Gold Gloves are sometimes awarded more on undeserved reputation than on merit, Hudson has earned his hardware, regularly rating among the league best in defensive metrics such as range factor and zone ratings.
David Laurila: How would you describe Orlando Hudson the baseball player?
Orlando Hudson: I’m an OK baseball player. I’m not going to say that I’m good, or that I’m average, I’m just going to say that I’m an OK baseball player. I think that defensively I’ve developed over the years. I was always a hitter in the minor leagues – not one of the defensive guys — but I developed defensive things over the years. Having an infield coach like Brian Butterfield when I was in Toronto was a huge help to me.
DL: Do you think that defense is underappreciated by most baseball fans?
OH: No, not by real fans like you’ll find in places like Boston, Chicago, St. Louis and both New Yorks. They know the game well, so they know how important defense is.
DL: There are defensive reputations and there are defensive metrics. How much disconnect do you feel there is between the two?
OH: I have no clue, man, as to how that is perceived; I don’t know how it’s looked at. I don’t know if there’s a guy sitting up there saying, “This guy has more range than this one.” I just go out there and play.
DL: I’m referring, in part, to whether some players arguably deserve Gold Gloves more than the guys who actually win them, primarily because of the difference between perception and actual value.
OH: There are definitely some guys out there who made one or two errors and won the Gold Glove, but it’s one of those things, man. It’s definitely a great award to win, but there are a lot of guys who definitely should have won one that haven’t won any yet. But beyond that, I can’t really say.
DL: Who are some of the more underrated defensive infielders in the game?
OH: I think Mark Ellis – man, he’s a great defensive player. Brandon Phillips of the Reds is a great defensive player. Chase Utley – great. Dan Uggla – another great defensive player. There are quite a few guys. Don’t get me wrong, they get notice that they make the plays, that they make the routine plays. Obviously they haven’t brought home Gold Gloves yet, but that’s not saying they won’t, because they have potential to definitely bring home Gold Gloves. It’s just one of those things. I’m not saying that people don’t appreciate them for their defense, but some guys put up so many power offensive numbers — they’re great defensive players too.
DL: When you look at your defensive numbers, which ones mean the most to you?
OH: Errors. I have a lot of silly errors, like maybe you throw the ball home and it kicks off the catcher or something, and the runner advances, and it’s an error. I try to keep my limit every year, but I always seem to go over it. But it’s just part of the game that’s going to happen; we’re not perfect.
DL: Do you pay attention to things like Range Factors and Zone Ratings?
OH: No, I just go out there and play. I don’t pay attention to Range Factors or Zone Ratings, no.
DL: Some players are said to have “soft hands.” Is that something innate, or can it be developed?
OH: I think that’s something natural, and I don’t have soft hands. It’s just a God-given talent that you’re born with, and I’m not one of those guys. But it’s the way you field the ball, how you see the hops, and how you play the hops the right way – and you’re not going to play every hop the right way – and the way you see the ball come off the bat and get around it to get in position to get off a good throw to first base.
DL: Can you say a little about the relative value of scouting reports and reacting to how the ball comes off the bat?
OH: Part of it depends on the way the guy is pitching that day, whether he’s throwing a guy inside or out. And if it’s a power pitcher like a Roger Clemens, and you’ve got a guy like David Ortiz or Manny Ramirez at the plate, the ball is going to come off a little harder than usual. In that case, I’d obviously play back a little deeper to get a better read of the ball if it comes to me. So it’s definitely knowing your hitter and knowing your pitcher.
DL: Do you pay a lot of attention to reports?
OH: I do a little bit, but I’ve been around both leagues, so I pretty much know the hitters and go more by feel now.
DL: Do you view Omar Vizquel as a Hall of Fame player?
OH: I think that Omar Vizquel is a Hall of Fame player, because he’s much like Ozzie Smith, who was such a superb, superb defensive player. He’s not going to hit for power, but he’ll go get his base hits and steal you some bases. I think Omar is definitely one of the most exciting defensive players to ever play the game.
July 1, 2008, 01:22 AM ET
Thank You, New York!
by Joe Sheehan
If you attended the Barnes & Noble event in Manhattan earlier this year, you may remember me expressing the idea that while I enjoy all of the bookstore, ballpark and other events we do for BP, ones in New York have a certain specialness for me. I grew up in Inwood, went to high school on the Upper East Side, and despite spending half my life in California, I never let go of my love for the city.
So a night like Monday night, when more than 100 BP readers, friends and New York baseball media crowded into Foley’s in midtown to wish Will Carroll a happy 53rd birthday, to talk to Jay Jaffe and Steven Goldman and Derek Jacques, to watch the Yankees and Mets combine for two runs–OK, that wasn’t planned–means a lot to me. Just hanging out and talking baseball with the people who support BP, both inside and outside, and who have for up to 13 years, is always a great time, but when it happens just miles from my home, in the place my heart has never left, it just means more to me.
So thank you, New York. Thank you to Cory Schwartz and Mike Siano, and Tom Spota and Eric Heiss, and the whole MLBAM/Fantasy 411 crew who made Will and I’s guest spot on the show happen, and who showed up to make the event rock. Thanks to Chris Stone and Ben Reiter and Mark Bechtel of Sports Illustrated for dropping by to hang out and meet BP readers and 411 listeners. Thanks to Peter Abraham of the Journal-News, who has a passion for baseball that makes him one of the best beat writers out there. Thank you, Sean Dillon and the entire Foley’s staff, who kept glasses and plates full the entire night.
Mostly, thanks to the many, many BP readers who made the whole thing possible. Without your support, there’d be no Pizza Feed, no ballpark events, no Web site, no annual and no Baseball Prospectus. Thanks for coming out tonight and shaking our hands, telling us what you like and don’t like, challenging our writing, grilling us on our opinions and loving baseball as much as we do. I had a blast, and I can’t wait for the next one.
June 25, 2008, 07:43 PM ET
Petco Ballpark Event with Paul DePodesta (Update)
by Dave Pease
You can generally find our upcoming event info on our handy-dandy Events page, but we’ve got some ’splaining to do on this one.
Please join us at Petco Park on Friday, July 11, for the 7:05pm Padres vs. Braves game. Prior to the game, we’ll be meeting up in the auditorium at Petco with Prospectus Today author Joe Sheehan and Paul DePodesta, Padres Special Assistant for Baseball Operations. Gates open at 5:05pm, and DePodesta will begin speaking by about 6:00pm. We anticipate a Q&A segment, so come prepared with some good questions!
To get to the auditorium, enter Petco Park at the Park Blvd. Gate, located at the corner of 10th Avenue and Park Blvd. Use the escalator or stairs to your left to access the Main Concourse. Once at the top of the escalator please look for the sign that will direct you to the auditorium.
To be admitted to the auditorium, you’ll need to purchase a game ticket by visiting www.padres.com/promo and using the promo code HITS. On July 11, bring your ID to the auditorium and you’ll be given a pass to get in for each ticket you purchased (so if you purchase three tickets, you get three passes). You must purchase a ticket this way to be admitted to the auditorium Update: if you already have a ticket for the game, email me your name and we’ll work on getting you access. If you don’t yet have a ticket, please buy one through the above link so we can show the Padres these events will sell a lot of tickets. These tickets are standard Upper Infield Reserved, there’s no markup for this event, and we’ll all be sitting together during the game. You’ll also get a sweet beach towel at the gate.
If there’s anything I’ve forgotten, please email me through the contact form and I’ll update this post as appropriate. We’ve really enjoyed these events with the Padres in the past and we’re looking forward to seeing you all at this one!
June 23, 2008, 10:10 PM ET
Kicking Around Some Baseball with Stephen Gostkowski
by David Laurila
Stephen Gostkowski makes his living kicking a football, but his true passion is baseball. The place kicker for the New England Patriots, Gostkowski played both football and baseball at the University of Memphis before beginning his NFL career two years ago. One of the best kickers in the game, Gostkowski has made 41 out of 50 field goals and 117 out of 118 extra points for the Patriots since being drafted in 2006. A right-handed pitcher at Memphis, the native of Madison, Mississippi led his team in innings pitched and strikeouts as a junior before trading his baseball aspirations for a career on the gridiron.
David Laurila: What is your history with the game of baseball?
Stephen Gostkowski: I grew up playing baseball; it was the first sport I ever played, starting at about age four. It was the sport I was into my whole life. Growing up, I played Little League, All-Stars, traveling baseball; I played in high school. I actually signed a scholarship to play baseball at Memphis, and walked on to the football team. If it wasn’t for baseball, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today, because I didn’t get any scholarship offers for football. Without being decent enough to earn a college scholarship in baseball, I wouldn’t be in the NFL right now.
DL: At which point did you know that it would be football, rather than baseball, for a career?
SG: I’d always thought it was going to be baseball, and in high school I had looks from scouts. I got calls from a couple of scouts saying maybe around the 13th round, and they wanted me to go to a junior college and be a draft-and-follow. But I wanted a good education and to pursue both sports as options, and it turned out that I started to get a lot better in football at college. The competition also started to catch up to me in baseball, so about my sophomore and junior years of college, football started showing out a little more than the baseball.
DL: You pitched at the University of Memphis. What kind of pitcher were you?
SG: In high school I was a power pitcher, but everybody threw decently hard in college, so I turned into a groundball-outs pitcher. I had a good sinker and a really good changeup, but I just didn’t have a good curveball to match them. I’d have to jam somebody or get a bunch of groundball outs. I didn’t walk many people; I was a contact pitcher and tried to get them to make bad contact.
DL: How different are baseball and football from a mental standpoint?
SG: As a game, football is different because you only get to play once a week, so your percentages have to be a lot higher. In baseball, if you get one hit out of every three at-bats you’re doing pretty good, but as a field goal kicker it’s kind of like being a starting pitcher – you only get to pitch once a week, just like you only get to kick once a week. You only get certain opportunities to show what you can do, so you have to take advantage of the times you’re out there. You’re not out there playing every play, or getting to play every day like in baseball, so when your name and number is called you need to do a good job.
DL: Is the mental preparation similar for kickers and for pitchers?
SG: It is. You’re devoting all of your practice, all of your time, and all of your energy to one day and sometimes one play. You want to be at your best on that one day, and sometimes it’s tough and you have to find a way to get past it mentally if you’re not feeling it that day. Maybe you have a bad inning, or a bad kick, and it’s about how you bounce back. You can’t let it get to you and affect the rest of the game. So it’s a tough position mentally, because you have to be on top of your game at all times. Being a pitcher in baseball has definitely helped me in that regard.
DL: How different are the two games, culturally, within the clubhouse?
SG: Baseball is a lot more laid back. Those guys are around each other a lot longer and play a lot more games. Football guys have offense, defense, and special teams, and football is a lot more high pressure and fast paced. It’s more get-it-done-right-now, while in baseball you’re out there all day taking some BP and getting ready for the game. If you don’t win today, it’s “we’ll get them tomorrow,” while in football, if you lose the game the whole week is ruined.
DL: How important were your legs to you as a pitcher?
SG: In pitching, you have to have a very strong lower body, and that complemented me as a kicker because I would work out my legs hard and run a lot. You need a strong lower body in both sports, so it definitely carried over.
DL: Conversely, does your upper body play much of a role as a kicker?
SG: More for balance. You obviously want to be as strong as you can be as an athlete, but it’s more your core muscles like your abs and your groin; those kind of things. If I could bench press 500 pounds, it’s not going to make me kick a field goal any farther or any straighter.
DL: Of your Patriots teammates, which could step onto a baseball diamond and have success?
SG: There are a bunch of guys on our team who are athletic enough. Kelly Washington, who is a receiver, played in the minor leagues for awhile. Matt Cassell, our backup quarterback, pitched at USC. Tom Brady was drafted out of high school. There are a bunch of guys who have baseball in their backgrounds who I’m sure could have had a shot had they pursued it more than football. But it’s a long road to make it in baseball, and in the NFL, if you get a shot you’re there.
DL: In your fantasy world, where would you be if you were playing baseball instead of football?
SG: I’d definitely be playing for the Red Sox at Fenway Park, where they have the good fans. I’d love to be pitching in the World Series; that’s always been a dream of mine. I always wanted to be a professional baseball player. It just didn’t work out, but I’m glad I got an opportunity to do something else, and who knows — maybe the dream could still be alive. Maybe one day I’ll try to make it come true.
June 23, 2008, 05:48 PM ET
And Then There Were Two
by Bryan Smith
As if you weren’t watching, we had a trio of games take us down to two, with Fresno State and Georgia beginning things very soon. Here are the results.
Georgia 10, Stanford 8 (Cardinal eliminated)
North Carolina 4, Fresno State 3
Fresno State 6, North Carolina 1 (Tar Heels eliminated)
One player to watch for next season is definitely Georgia lefty Alex McRee. He came out of the bullpen to hold onto Georgia’s 9-4 lead over Stanford, and while it wasn’t his best outing, he flashed some good stuff. The first thing that strikes you about McRee is his projectability — he’s 6-6, with probably 20 pounds to gain. So that fastball that sits at 88-90 now, and touches 92? Maybe it can add 2-3 mph. His breaking ball probably isn’t a plus pitch right now because he gets around it too much, but it definitely showed potential, especially on a strikeout of Randy Molina. I think the biggest problems scouts will have about McRee will be concern about varying arm slots, and it’s not like his 3/4 normal slot is ideal, anyway. However, if he hits the weight room and tightens up the curveball, he’s a good sleeper to really help the Bulldogs and get drafted on the first day next season.
A look at Justin Wilson’s line would probably get someone to think the Fresno State lefty had big stuff, just didn’t know how to harness it. Six walks and six strikeouts in five innings? Well, that doesn’t really tell the story, as I think those numbers were a combination of Wilson being too careful and North Carolina being too aggressive. In actuality, Wilson is a big-bodied lefty with no projectability, who’s going to be what he is now — up to 90 mph, with a nice curveball that he likes to backdoor. He’s a fast worker, and as we’ve seen, he’s got a lot of guys. But I can’t imagine why the Pirates drafted him so high, because there isn’t much of a ceiling on this kid, and there’s not relief to fall back on.
I loath to make this comparison, because statistically, it makes little sense — but when I watch Dustin Ackley, I can’t help but reminded of a left-handed Ryan Theriot. Similar good contact hitter, similar inside-out swing, similar speed, and similar weight. The difference, I think — thanks to two inches, a left-handed bat and a swing that isn’t quite-so one-plane — is that Ackley should boast slugging percentages above .400 in the Major Leagues. And to see why I didn’t want to make this comparison, for full disclosure sake, here are their first two seasons, side-by-side.
Player, Year AVG OBP SLG SB-CS
Theriot, Fresh 322 451 417 13-20
Ackley, Fresh 402 448 591 11-14
Theriot, Soph 305 427 400 7-10
Ackley, Soph 414 502 593 19-25
It’s no secret to anyone here in Omaha anymore why Fresno State has made it this far – converting balls into outs. Their infield is the best one in Omaha by a country mile. Friday, Alan Ahmady made one of the players of the tournament, with a sliding catch against the wall on a foul out, and then jumping up and throwing out a tagging Dustin Ackley. Today, both middle infielders – Danny Muno and Erik Wetzel – went deep, deep into the hole to make outs; Muno to his right, Wetzel to his left. But the real star is Tommy Mendonca, who has a striking resemblance to Mike Lowell in terms of looks, but also plays defense like the Boston third baseman. Anything hit around this kid he blocks, and he has a good, quick release to get out baserunners. At the plate, he’s a mess, a first-pitch swinger that swings through breaking balls, but he can turn on a fastball. If the coaching staff shortens his swing a touch and adds walks to his game, his defense will certainly play at the next level.
After the game, Mike Batesole said he would be “shocked if Alex White doesn’t go first in the draft next year.” It’s hyperbole, but it’s amazing what White has done. A starter all year, Mike Fox called on White in relief for three consecutive days. He didn’t have his best stuff today, but all weekend we saw a 93-96 mph fastball and a wicked slider. Steven Strasburg is in another tier, which Batesole might not realize, but Alex White certainly joins Grant Green as the guys right behind Strasburg. It will be a good year to draft in the top five, if nothing else.
I’m going Georgia in two in the championship game. But I’ve bet against Fresno all tournament and paid for it, so it certainly wouldn’t shock me to see it happen again.
June 21, 2008, 01:15 PM ET
CWS, Down to 4
by Bryan Smith
We’re not long from the start of the Stanford-Georgia game, on a big Saturday for the four remaining teams. However, let’s first go to the results from the last two days, where I’ve been in Omaha:
Stanford 8, Miami 3 (Hurricanes Eliminated)
North Carolina 7, LSU 3 (Tigers Eliminated)
You just had to like what you saw from the Stanford pitching staff yesterday, as they really gutted out a performance against a Miami team that is dangerously fast, dangerously patient and dangerously powerful. Danny Sandbrink, a freshman, pitched four good innings when he showcased pretty fantastic movement on a sinker around 89 mph. Yonder Alonso also complimented his change up after the game, but I think Sandbrink’s secondary stuff is still a ways from being there. He’s a guy to tab for 2010, given that downward tilt.
When you watch Jemile Weeks, it’s pretty incredible how fast he is. Both in the field and after bunts, Weeks was pretty incredible. But I didn’t love Miami coach Jim Morris’ decision to have Weeks bunt in his first three at-bats. This is a second baseman that has power to every field, that had homered in the previous game. You have to let him hit, especially with men on first and second and none out. Weeks would pop out to Jason Castro on that at-bat, a solid play by Castro behind the plate in a postseason that has really featured his defense.
Finally, let me tell you: Dennis Raben can play some defense. Watching college baseball can tend to be frustrating because of defensive miscues, so it was nice to see a player that can already judge fly balls at a Major League clip. On a ball that Raben had a jumping catch at the warning track, Raben had a beat on it right away. On a ball that looked like it would score a run dropping in front of him, Raben judged the ball and made a diving catch. I didn’t see his arm much in action, and I still worry about the length of his swing with wood, but he does one thing very well.
I can’t say enough about the guts behind Jared Bradford’s pitching performance. It was a joy to watch Jared, on two days rest, gut out 5.2 innings and 77 pitches to keep LSU in the game. Following Thursday’s suspended game, Bradford started on Friday with LSU down 2-0 and the bases loaded with one out in the top of the first. Using a sinker that seemed to gain movement as the day went on (and he got more tired), Bradford induced a double play. The small right-hander is not much of a Major League prospect, but listening to his coach talk, he’s a sure-fire bet to be one hell of a pitching coach someday.
The last time I had watched Matt Harvey pitch, it was at the East Coast Showcase in 2006, where Harvey struck out all six batters he faced using a low-to-mid 70s slow curve. We didn’t see the curve much in Harvey’s two innings yesterday, but we saw a lot of a real good mid 80s change up that Harvey was using against left-handed batters. The freshman had no sense of the strike zone with his fastball, and it was evident when he started to go to the change constantly. In all, the outing can’t be considered a success, but from a prospect standpoint, I don’t see how you can be upset.
Yesterday was my first real chance to see Dustin Ackley in extended action, and wow, he can hit. I don’t know what’s going to happen to him in the draft next year, because there might not be a lamer duck in years. Ackley is fast, and not for a first baseman, but fast like an up-the-middle player. He has an inside out swing that he used to hit single after single to left-center or to center, and after the game, coach Mike Fox called him the best hitter in America. However, until he shows he can play some second base or something else, he’s not the best prospect in America.
June 20, 2008, 04:10 PM ET
Cito’s back
by John Perrotto
The Toronto Blue Jays are turning back to their past in an effort to make the present better.
The Blue Jays brought Cito Gaston, who led Toronto to World Series titles in 1992 and 1993, back on Friday as interim manager for the remainder of the season as John Gibbons was fired. Gaston has not managed since the Blue Jays fired him in 1997.
“Right now, we need a spark and I think Cito is the guy to do that,” Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi said Friday during a news conference at PNC Park in Pittsburgh to announce the move before opening a three-game series with the Pirates. “Now is not the time to bring in a younger manager. We need to get this thing turned around and Cito has a lot of credibility behind him.”
The Blue Jays entered play Friday with a 35-39 record, on a five-game losing streak and in last place in the American League East, 10 ½ games behind first-place Boston.
Gaston, 64, had been working for the Blue Jays as a club ambassador and special assistant to the president and CEO for the Blue Jays the past six years and never thought he would manage again after interviewing for multiple jobs but failing to land any. He compiled a 681-635 record in nine seasons as Toronto’s manager.
“This is where my heart has always been and I’m so thankful to J.P. for bringing me back,” Gaston said. “We’re going to see if we can start the season over and start winning some ballgames.”
Also fired were hitting coach Gary Denbo, third base coach Marty Pevey and first base coach Ernie Whitt. They were replaced by Gene Tenace, Nick Leyva and Dwayne Murphy.
June 20, 2008, 02:50 PM ET
Up For Air
by Gary Huckabay
Hello, all…
I find myself in the unenviable position of having to explain a long absence.
As apparently some of you have learned (based on some of the emails I’ve received) that I’ve been kind of fighting some annoying health problems over the last few months. I apologize for the gap in communication, but it’s kind of been forced upon me.
I am glad to report that the situation has been resolved (this time for a long time, I hope), and I’m able to resume normal activities over the next couple of weeks. (After a brief vacation, specifically.)
So anyway, thank you for the emails of support, even if I have absolutely no idea how anyone even found out that I was facing these specific challenges. I appreciate the concern, and will return to full activity levels right around the 4th of July.
And, to reiterate something I always say…Stop reading and go outside. You could be spending this time in the sunshine, or the pouring rain. With your friends and family.
-Gary.
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