Archive for the ‘Persistence’ Category
Changes Coming to the Elfyverse
Folks, changes are coming to the Elfyverse. The first is a very positive one: I now have a publisher for my novel, Elfy. However, as the publisher has not yet made this information public, I am going to hold off on announcing exactly where Elfy is going, for now . . . I promise that as soon as I am able to discuss where Elfy has been placed, I will do so.
Second, as long-time readers of this blog will undoubtedly note, I’ve taken down my links to e-Quill Publishing. There’s a reason for that; as of yesterday, I asked that my stories — and my late husband Michael’s stories, also — be removed from e-Quill Publishing’s offerings. I did this not from any feelings of ill will toward e-Quill Publishing or its publisher, Lawrence T., but because I now have a publisher for Elfy. The new publisher is willing to look at my late husband’s writing, and if this publisher indeed is interested in the two “Maverick” novellas (set in Michael’s Atlantean Union universe) or the three “Columba” stories (romantic fantasies, which I hope to show the new publisher down the line, too), it would be a big step up for me to place them with the new publisher.
That’s why, for the moment, I don’t have a Gravatar listing here at my blog, and it’s also why I no longer have stories offered at e-Quill Publishing.
Lawrence T. and I remain on good terms, which I think is a very good thing; he’s the first person in a long time who enjoyed my writing, and Michael’s writing, and wanted to showcase it at his small publishing company in Australia. Lawrence T., being a classy gentleman of the old school, wished me well in my new publishing endeavors, too — and told me that if the new publisher wasn’t interested in Michael’s work, or in anything else of mine save Elfy, he’d be glad to publish my work (and Michael’s work, too) any time, any place, anywhere.
At any rate, the projected publication date for Elfy is late in 2013 — that much I can share with you, thus far — and aside from that, I continue to work on An Elfy Abroad (the sequel to Elfy) and Keisha’s Vow (the prequel to Elfy, set in 1954) along with my non-Elfyverse urban fantasy/spiritual transgendered romance, Changing Faces.
Everything else remains on course, which just goes to show you that regardless of how it may seem sometimes, persistence does pay off. (And maybe the good woman wins in the end, too. Here’s hoping.)
Update on Oak Creek Shooting; Other Updates
This is yet another day where I don’t really have time to write a full blog post, but do have a number of things to say. So let’s get to it.
First, the latest update regarding the Oak Creek, WI, shooting that left six innocents dead and three innocents wounded is as follows: the Federal Bureau of Investigation has revealed that the gunman, Wade Michael Page, actually took his own life after being shot by the police. Funeral arrangements are being made for the six dead; of the three who were severely wounded, two are still in critical condition, while the third, a local policeman, is recovering with amazing speed.
Second, the Racine Concert Band will have another concert this Sunday at the Racine Zoo. (Showtime is 7 p.m.) I’m to play alto saxophone this week, after playing clarinet last week . . . I view myself as the Vinny Rottino of the Racine Concert Band (with tongue planted firmly in cheek).
Speaking of Rottino, here’s a nice write-up about him that I somehow missed last week from the Let’s Go Tribe blog. This blog discusses Rottino’s career and how he’s always hit, but how his defense isn’t quite major-league ready except at first base and left field — but because Rottino’s not a prototypical power hitter, and those positions usually are played by people who are, that’s why Rottino rarely gets a chance to bat in the major leagues.
I’ve not seen Rottino play third base or right field, but I know that Rottino has a good arm and is an extremely smart player. He’s made himself into a decent catcher despite learning to play the position late (he took it up when he was 24 or 25); he rarely makes baserunning mistakes or fielding miscues. And as I’ve said many times, I believe Rottino will hit if he’s given a chance at the major league level, especially considering the fact that he’s hit everywhere else.
Also regarding Rottino, here’s a link to an article from November of 2006 from the Baseball Prospectus, written by Kevin Goldstein that I somehow missed previously. Goldstein says bluntly:
If you aren’t rooting for Vinny Rottino, there’s something very, very wrong with you. Undrafted out of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, the Brewers signed Rottino in 2003 as a local product who could fill some organizational holes, yet all he’s done is hit at every level, including a .314/.379/.440 mark at Triple-A Nashville this year, good enough to earn him his major-league debut.
Note Goldstein’s first line: “If you aren’t rooting for Vinny Rottino, there’s something very, very wrong with you.” (I couldn’t have said it better myself.)
Mind, Goldstein also pointed out (later in the blurb) that Rottino’s glove is not major-league ready (or that it wasn’t in ’06, at any rate), particularly at the catching position. But it’s been six years, and there has been massive improvement in that area; in addition, Rottino’s overall defense has improved, something that few other baseball players can say.
I keep wondering if Vinny Rottino has read Malcolm Gladwell’s book OUTLIERS. This is relevant because Toronto Blue Jays OF José Bautista, adjudged a late bloomer by many, found Gladwell’s book extremely helpful.
I reviewed OUTLIERS over at Shiny Book Review a while back. What I appreciated most about this book was how Gladwell pointed out that the best way to position yourself for victory in anything is to persist. Providing you have the talent, the skills and the smarts to begin with, persistence is the only thing that will set you apart from the crowd, regardless of your chosen field. Add to that the fact is that sometimes people give up on themselves too early due to forces beyond their control, and it’s obvious what a gifted player needs to do if he or she hasn’t yet made it: just keep trying.
Rottino has shown the value of persistence in his ten-year-long minor league career. He’s improved his skills throughout, and has continued to hit at every level. And by doing this — working on his craft, and refusing to give up — Rottino has put himself in a position to win. Which is all he, or anyone else, can do.
I have a lot of sympathy for Rottino, because my journey with regards to publishing has been slow. Yet all I can do is show that I do have the talent and just keep trying; this means I have to keep writing and editing, keep networking with other writers and editors, etc. And of course continue to review books, as half the time this is how I end up getting to know a new and interesting writer.
Rest assured that I will do, in my fashion, what Rottino has done in his — keep getting better, and keep putting myself in a position to win.
My beloved husband Michael would expect no less.
Vinny Rottino Called Up by Cleveland Indians
Folks, if you’re a regular reader of my blog, you should know by now that I appreciate two main things when it comes to people: hard work, and persistence. Yes, you must have talent, but you also must work to apply your talent . . . at any rate, the application of hard work and effort to maximize talent is what I celebrate most when it comes to baseball player Vinny Rottino, 32, of Racine.
Rottino’s been working for the past ten years, all to get a legitimate shot at playing in the major leagues. He is a utility infielder and outfielder who also catches; he’s a good baserunner, knows how to advance the runner, is an unselfish player, and can steal a base or two for you as he has deceptive speed — and due to his knowledge of pitchers and pitching from catching them so often in the minors, he rarely gets caught stealing.
I’ve been a strong proponent of Rottino getting his shot at the major league level. I believe he can hit major league pitching, if only given a week or so to adjust to it; I also believe that if a team gives him a legitimate chance to show what he can do, Rottino will thrive.
And even though he is now 32, he takes good care of his body; maybe Rottino could be another guy like Julio Franco who plays well into his forties due to how well-conditioned and smart Rottino has been throughout his playing career.
Age is just a number, folks. (I really wish major league baseball executives would learn to keep this in mind.) What matters is the size of a person’s heart, first; then, it’s down to two things (providing you have the talent to play minor league baseball at any level to begin with): how hard you’re willing to work, and how long you’re willing to keep trying.
Rottino works hard. And he’s extremely persistent. Which is why I’m thrilled that Rottino got called up by the Cleveland Indians.
Here’s the straight scoop: on Wednesday evening (August 1, 2012, to be exact), Rottino got the call from Cleveland. His manager, Manny Acta, immediately inserted Rottino into the lineup for Thursday night’s game; Rottino played left field, taking an 0-for-4 at the plate with one RBI.
Here are some words from Rottino, courtesy of last night’s blog at the Cleveland Plain Dealer, written by Paul Hoynes:
“I’m glad they’re throwing me right in there,” said Rottino, 32. “I don’t want to sit around and wait.”
The Indians claimed Rottino on waivers from the Mets on June 27. He was optioned to Class AAA Columbus where he hit .299 (35-for-117) with nine doubles, four homers and 32 RBI in 30 games. This is his third trip to the big league this year, the first two coming with the Mets.
“My swing feels good,” said Rottino. “My approach feels good. I got limited playing time with New York. So I was excited to just start playing again. I got off to a nice start.”
Another reason I like Rottino so much, as a player, is because he doesn’t point fingers at anyone. He simply states the truth. I think that’s wonderful.
Going back to Hoynes’s blog, it was obvious that Hoynes was surprised by how many gloves Rottino brought with him — eight — and how many positions Rottino plays (everything except second base, shortstop, and pitcher). Here are a few more words from Rottino regarding that:
“I’ve got four gloves and four backup gloves,” said Rottino. “I can catch, play third, first and all three outfield spots.
“I love catching the most of all the positions, but I’ve played mostly outfield the last two years.”
This blog also pointed out that as Rottino is taking the place of Travis Hafner (currently on paternity leave), Rottino’s stay in the majors may be short — and if it is, Rottino could end up designated for assignment (DFA’d) again. But Rottino is thinking positively, and apparently, so is writer Hoynes, who ends his blog with:
There could be some roster changes coming with the Indians seven games out of first place. They designated Derek Lowe, 39, for assignment Wednesday. If changes are made, Rottino might be able to stick around a little longer than Saturday.
Let us all sincerely hope so. (And as always — good luck, Vinny. ‘Cause I know you have the talent.)
July 2012 Writing Update
It’s been a while, so it’s time for a periodic writing update (July 2012 edition). I decided to write this after being asked by more than a few people, “Hey, Barb! Isn’t this blog supposed to be just as much about your writing as it is about baseball updates?”
Well, yes, it is. But I haven’t had much to report lately. I’ve been submitting stories and none of them have been accepted — such is the writer’s lot — and while one of my poems was held until the very last minute at one rather good poetry market (I won’t say which), it ended up getting bounced out, too.
Other than that, I’ve been working hard on getting a story together for the UNIDENTIFIED FUNNY OBJECTS anthology as my main strength is writing funny urban fantasy. (If you’ve been following this blog for any length of time and have paid attention to any of these writing updates, you probably know this already.) But the story’s not ready to go; all I can say is that it’s in process, and that if you wish to submit a story to this anthology, follow the directions at the above link — you have until August 31, 2012, to get a story in of your own.
I have hesitated to even discuss my attempt to get a story into this anthology, because I’ve been somewhat afraid to jinx any chance my story might have down the line. Nevertheless, there’s still room in this anthology and I’m going to take my shot. Those of you who can write funny stories, or at least wish to give it a shot, should do the same.
Aside from that, I’m not giving up on any of my novels nor any of Michael’s novels. But none of them are going like gangbusters at this time, either — they’re just . . . there, like nagging guests that won’t quite tell me whatever important news it is that they have because they’d rather I guess. (And I don’t know about any other writers, but I hate guessing.)
The only thought I have regarding my recalcitrant novels is this: it’s been very hot and humid in Wisconsin, which has sapped my energy and strength. I haven’t been able to review anything since last week (though I hope to review at least one book over the weekend); I haven’t been sleeping well, either; I haven’t wanted to eat. And all of that can’t help but get in the way of my creativity as, last I checked, I’m still a human being. (I point this out mostly because some people seem to believe, perhaps with an excess of credulity, that science fiction and fantasy writers might not be precisely human.)
So that’s about it: I’m surviving the heat, continuing to write and edit, and I’m also thinking about what sort of story it is that might get through at the UFO anthology (listed above). And as always, if something changes/improves, I’ll be glad to keep you posted.
Ben Sheets’s Comeback Continues: Sheets Wins Again
Today, July 21, 2012, was the day for Ben Sheets’s second major league start for the Atlanta Braves against the Washington Nationals. And once again, Sheets pitched like the ace he once was (and apparently is again), giving up no runs, five hits, three walks, and six strikeouts. Sheets also extended his scoreless innings streak to twelve; his record is now 2-0.
Here’s a link to a very good story from Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about Sheets that was written prior to today’s game; this is a story you really want to read if you care about baseball at all, as it references exactly what happened to Sheets and why it is so remarkable that he’s been able to come back at all — much less pitch at an astonishingly high level.
Here’s a quote from that story:
Understand, this isn’t a simple comeback. Before surgery in 2010, Sheets’ right elbow looked like the after-shot of Kabul. The guy is relatively bionic. In 2010, doctors knew surgery was needed to fix a torn flexor tendon for the second time in two years. But when Dr. Keith Meister opened up the right arm, two other problems were confirmed: 1) a torn ulnar collateral ligament, requiring Tommy John surgery; 2) damage to his pronator tendon.
You don’t need to have a Ph.D or even excel in the “Operation” game to know that if a 32-year-old pitcher is having a ligament and two tendons in his throwing elbow stitched, tied and duct-taped, his next career decision likely would involve either starting a tractor or coaching youth baseball (he opted for the latter).
And here’s a quote from today’s story at Yahoo Sports regarding Sheets’s start against the Nationals, starring Braves catcher Brian McCann:
”It’s been a huge pickup for us,” McCann said of adding Sheets to Braves rotation. ”To come out here for his two starts and pitch the way he has. Hasn’t given up a run, he’s pounding the zone and the more you’re around him the more you know why he’s so successful. He’s a competitor, he knows what he’s doing.”
When a team’s catcher is happy with a pitcher — much less this happy — you usually have a happy team. And considering how well Sheets has pitched since his return, I’d be astonished if the Braves weren’t absolutely ecstatic about his contribution to their ballclub.
Second Blog-i-versary . . . Some Quick Hits
Folks, my second “blog-i-versary” passed on July 10, 2012, without comment, mostly because the weather in Wisconsin has been extremely hot. While I’ve continued to blog here and there, certainly this hot and humid weather we’ve had — which has destroyed crops, damaged lives, and caused all sorts of financial problems, as our 2012 summer is being compared to other, difficult summers like the summer of 1988 and worse, the “Dust Bowl” summer of 1936 — has gotten in the way.
That said, I’m very pleased that my blog is still here, two years after I started it (two years and a week, to be precise). I hadn’t anticipated this, but I suppose this blog still being in existence shows a good side to the Law of Unintended Consequences after all.
Here’s a few quick hits as to what’s going on right now in Wisconsin, aside from our dreadful weather:
Last night, the Milwaukee Brewers dropped a heartbreaker, 3-2, to their arch-rivals the St. Louis Cardinals. Particularly troubling in this loss is the fact that the Brewers led, 2-0, in the top of the ninth; closer John Axford got the first two outs (though both were long fly balls caught close to the fence, meaning both hitters nearly hit the ball out of the park rather than made these long, loud outs), then loaded the bases. Eventually, three runs scored, and Axford was removed from the game; Kameron Loe got the last out.
So, what happened to the Brewers in the bottom of the ninth? The hitters put too much pressure on themselves, that’s what. Corey Hart, who’d hit his 17th HR of the year earlier in the game, went to a 3-2 count before striking out. The next hitter, Rickie Weeks, took a few pitches, but also ended up striking out. And Martin Maldonado — well, he didn’t do anything, either. So the Cardinals closer, Jason Motte, got the three outs he needed, while the Brewers closer, Axford, was wild in and out of the strike zone and didn’t pitch effectively. Now, it looks like Axford may have been removed from his job as Francisco Rodriguez (K-Rod) has 19 holds and 1 save, and has looked far better than “Ax,” and no one can blame Brewers manager Ron Roenicke for wishing to try someone else at this point.
Oh, yes — the guy who started the game, rookie pitcher Mike Fiers, pitched extremely well (again), but didn’t get the win due to Axford’s meltdown. (I like Axford a great deal, and believe part of his troubles with command of his fastball and breaking ball come down to the usual problems relief pitchers have from time to time. But I have to call ’em as I see ’em.)
Otherwise, I’m continuing to work on AN ELFY ABROAD, and have some reviews planned this week at Shiny Book Review for Stephanie Osborn’s third book in her “Displaced Detective” series, and for Rosemary Edghill’s VENGEANCE OF MASKS . . . I may even review another book on economics, to keep my hand in the game. So stay tuned.
Finally, I played a concert with the Racine Concert Band last Sunday; for the record, I played second alto saxophone, and didn’t have any solos, though I did have a few good parts. I was glad I was able to play the concert despite the heat and humidity; the crowd at the concert (which was free, as it always is) was a bit diminished, possibly due to the heat, but we still had a couple of hundred people there and that’s encouraging. This was my fourth service for the band this year; I have a few more planned later this month and into August, though I hope to be playing clarinet at that time (I say “hope” because originally I’d been scheduled to play my clarinet on the last concert).
But whether I’m playing in the group or not, if you live in Southeastern Wisconsin and love free, live music, you owe it to yourselves to get out to the Racine Zoo and take in the Racine Concert Band. Concerts are at 7:30 p.m. on Sundays in July, and are at 7:00 p.m. on Sundays in August through August 19. There’s a wide variety of music, including marches, show tunes, light operas/operettas, and more — and best of all, it’s free.
Now back to our regularly scheduled sweltering, already in progress.
Ben Sheets On the Comeback Trail; Wins First Start Since 2010
Today, Ben Sheets won his first start since 2010 — his first start since returning from the most extensive arm surgery in the history of major league baseball in mid-2010 — as he led the Atlanta Braves to a 6-1 win over the New York Mets. Sheets pitched six scoreless innings, threw 88 pitches (57 for strikes), gave up two hits, walked one, and struck out five.
As Atlanta SB Nation.com put it, “Ben Sheets probably couldn’t have imagined a better debut.”
Carroll Rodgers, writing for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, said this about Sheets’s debut start:
Sheets threw a 91 mph strike to Ruben Tejada to start his day, setting up his first strikeout, and finished it with a 91 mph fastball to strike out David Wright for his fifth. Sheets allowed only two hits in between, while walking one, and threw 57 of his 88 pitches for strikes. He outdueled Johan Santana to win his first game since July 10, 2010 with Oakland against the Angels.
Rodgers also mentioned this toward the end of his blog post:
Sheets, who hadn’t pitched since July 19, 2010 for the Athletics, showed what the Braves have been raving about in his work on the side and in the minors. His fastball velocity was back to 90-92 mph, and he reached back and found 93 mph a few times, which he used to retire Wright. He also mixed in a sharp curveball that he was known for on those days like the one when he struck out 18 Braves in 2004.
Rodgers also had quotes from Sheets in this article, also from the AJC:
“It was pretty incredible,” Sheets said afterward. “Honestly in my mind, two years ago I was done, which was fine. I gave myself ‘coach of the year’ award in youth ball. Somebody asked me ‘Who gives that?’ I said ‘I give it to myself.’”
(Note that Sheets has never been known for his humility, which is why this quote made me laugh out loud.)
Another quote from Sheets, also from Rodgers’s second article at the AJC:
“I feel like myself,” said Sheets, who out-dueled Johan Santana for his first win since July 10, 2010 with the Athletics. “That’s one thing I can say I never felt like in Oakland.”
And here’s a quote from long-time Braves star (and likely Hall of Famer) Chipper Jones:
“We are ecstatic,” Jones said. “We get contributions like that from him, I see us winning a lot of games here in the second half.”
See, the Braves see Sheets as what he is: an ace. Sheets also is the type of guy who would not have come back unless he felt he could pitch extremely well — it’s either all or nothing with Sheets, and it’s always been that way. So the Braves, who apparently kept a close eye on Sheets once Sheets’s agent Casey Close started putting out feelers earlier this year regarding a potential comeback, has shown itself to be extremely prescient in signing Sheets.
As far as the Milwaukee Brewers go (Sheets’ old team), they won today, too. Yovani Gallardo had 14 strikeouts in a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Gallardo is one of two aces on the Brewers current staff; his record raised to 8-6.
But the day belonged to Sheets, all the way along . . . and this Brewers fan couldn’t be happier. Way to go, Ben!
Ben Sheets Signed by Atlanta Braves to Minor League Deal
Folks, Ben Sheets’ comeback is official, as he’s been signed by the Atlanta Braves to a minor league deal as of last evening (Sunday, July 1, 2012). Here’s a quote from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution article, which is here:
“We’re getting a guy who is a four-time All-Star and there is nothing wrong with his arm,” Wren said. “You have a quality major league pitcher prior to the deadline without having to give up any talent. It really is the best of all worlds.”
Sheets is scheduled to make at least two starts in Double-A Mississippi, largely because it’s only 90 minutes from his home in Louisiana. He’ll go five innings or 75 pitches on Wednesday, then six innings or 90 pitches in a start after that. If all goes well, the Braves think he could be ready shortly after the All-Star break.
This all bodes well for Sheets, as the Braves’ team philosophy is one Sheets can get behind. Plus, the Braves obviously haven’t forgotten the fact that Sheets once struck out eighteen of them on May 17, 2004 and seem to want Sheets on their side if he can indeed make a comeback a la former Milwaukee Brewers teammate (and pitcher) Chris Capuano.
Best of luck, Ben, with your comeback efforts.
Vinny Rottino Claimed Off Waivers by Cleveland
Folks, remember what I said yesterday about IF-OF-C Vinny Rottino? And, for that matter, everything I’ve said about him — his drive, his persistence, and his love for baseball? And how frustrating it was to see that he’d been placed on waivers?
Well, after the New York Mets designated Rottino for assignment (the so-called “nice” name for being put on waivers), the Cleveland Indians picked Rottino up by claiming Rottino off waivers. Rottino’s been added to their 40-man roster, but will most likely be sent to AAA ball rather than join the Indians.
Here’s a link to Rottino’s page at Yahoo Sports (the “news and notes” section):
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7852/news;_ylt=Akf2muXHFae0WkWddPyam5.FCLcF
And here’s an article from the Cleveland Plain Dealer:
http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2012/06/cleveland_indians_claim_vinnie.html
Note that the comments section is particularly brutal with regards to the Rottino claim; the Indians fans are upset because year after year, their team doesn’t seem to do much of anything. Rottino’s only hitting .182 in the big leagues (though he was hitting .307 at AAA Buffalo, when he was able to play more often), which obviously doesn’t look too impressive to those Indians’ fans. But they don’t realize that Rottino’s main ability is that he plays many positions well and can reliably hit lefthanders (despite being a righthanded hitter). Plus, he hustles, doesn’t make mistakes on the base paths, is a smart player . . . really, if these Indians fans just give Rottino a chance (providing the Indians bring him up to the big league club at some point), they might well learn to like him.
But is Rottino an answer to their immediate prayers? No, he is not . . . which I suppose is why those commentators are being so vicious. (That does not excuse them, but it does perhaps explain them.)
That being said, it’s very, very good that the Indians see Rottino’s potential (or at least see a need for him) and have claimed him off waivers. That gives me hope — and it should give Rottino hope, too.
Good luck, Vinny, with the Indians organization.
Barb Caffrey's Blog 