Vinnie at the Bat #1

There are three things that I am always grateful for: my family, my friends and the invention of baseball. And now finally, after a tough decade of lockouts and other disputes, the national pasttime is what it should be - fun. This is in spite of the fact that there still isn't a real commissioner, there are too many multimillionaire utility infielders (no offense, Danny Sheaffer) and AL hurlers still can't find their way to the on-deck circle.

This 1997 season has had a bit of everything I love, especially those serious sluggers and perfectionist pitchers. Larry Walker put up such monstrous all-around numbers (he backed up the hitter-friendly Coors stats with great road performances) that they make Roy Hobbs seem artificial. Mark McGwire was indeed Ruthian with back-to-back 50 homers, and Junior Griffey's sweet swing means dreams of surpassing Maris will enter the next century. Tony Gwynn's consistent but elusive chase of .400 gives us glimpses into the past of Stan The Man and Teddy Ballgame. Exciting newcomers, like Boston's Nomar Garciaparra and the Mets' Edgardo Alfonso, also tell me that the future's with good bats.

Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling cooled off 300 hitters, while The Rocket and Big Unit kept giving them jitters. Mussina and Maddux always show us that you don't need the K, just keep it in play. Brown has the sinker, Kile has his curve, and Rivera and Meyers just have the nerve. Radke had the streak, and Estes was a sneak. Using his left, Neagle was deft.

How about the gloves? Jim Edmonds caught everything in sight. J.T. Snow was nothing short of slick at first. Charles Johnson was the anchor of the Marlins. And Rey Ordonez wants to legally change his first name to Ozzie.

In the most refreshing development of the year, the Pittsburgh Pirates, like a low-budget independent film at the Oscars, held their ground with hungry youngsters and a rookie closer. No bitching about salaries or free agency, at least for a while. Just clean, exciting, fundamental ball. Exuberance and hustle are never ridiculed.

I feel really in touch with the game again, for the first time in almost five years. I bought the weekly publications and watched ESPN's Baseball Tonight religiously. It's like I'm a kid again, hoping for the speed and power to overwhelm me. Interleague play jacked up new memories of World Series past and former-what-if geographic rivalries. Here are some of my hopes (as opposed to actual predictions; those I would have to stake my reputation on) for the post-season, to further enhance my recharged passion for the game.

AL MVP:

1. Ken Griffey, Jr.

2. Rafael Palmeiro

3. Frank Thomas

NL MVP:

1. Larry Walker

2. Jeff Bagwell

3. Craig Biggio

AL Cy Young:

1. Roger Clemens

2. Randy Johnson

3. Brad Radke

NL Cy Young:

1. Pedro Martinez

2. Curt Schilling

3. Denny Neagle

AL Champs: Seattle or Baltimore. It would be interesting to see Griffey on the World Series stage. One more chance for Ripken to win it all would also be nice. I hope Jeff Maier doesn't attend any playoff games, either.

NL Champs: Houston or Atlanta. I am a big fan of Biggio and Bagwell, although they made the season miserable for my hometown Cards. And I want to see Maddux finally dominate in postseason, and leave no question as to his mentionings in the same breath as Walter Johson and Warren Spahn. Besides, how you can root against a guy named Chipper?