I took most of the weekend off from technology. Out somewhere in the woods of Wisconsin, where m cheap cellphone earns its stripes by not getting service. I turned it off a good half hour from the destination and didn't turn it back on until I had procured a 6-pack of New Glaurus' Moon Man No Coast Ale on the way back to the Twin Cities; buying beer -- especially really good beer -- on a Sunday is something of a thrill. Yes. Living in the Upper Mid-West has its own flow.

Fortunately, I missed what should prove to be Freddy Garcia's last start for the Yankees for some time. He sure did earn his demotion to the bullpen and GM Brian Cashman must be thinking that he picked the wrong, fat pitcher this off-season. Meanwhile, when Garcia couldn't get out of the second inning, there's BIG Bartolo Colon throwing into the ninth (foolishly as it clearly would turn out for the A's) the same weekend.

All that surplus of starting pitching and the adages of "you can't have too much" and "these are the decisions you love to have" hasn't quite panned out the way it looked on paper in March. The Pineda injury looms largest, but for now it's something that needs to just be forgotten about. Ironic that it's Schilling who made Yankee fans feel best, but now all we have to do is hope that the young pitcher follows the rehab from surgery to a "T" and comes back in great and healthy shape to pitch in 2013. Hughes could be next delegated to the bullpen if he doesn't start pitching like the starter he was a few seasons back.

But no one in their right mind can complain about the effort CC Sabathia made yesterday afternoon in the Bronx in the rubber-game against the Tigers. Needing innings after the Garcia debacle, CC handed Girardi eight strong and despite leaving a week's worth of runners on-base (including leaving the bases sacked three freaking times) the Yanks' bats did enough, scored a few late en route to a 6-2 victory.

Alas, being away from the computer and the social-media, DIY marketing of my book, "A Rose by Any Other Name" meant out of mind for everyone else. Reviews have been great, but sales remain a sticking point. I don't want to turn this blog into a "pledge drive," but, here you go:

A Rose by Any Other Name

An Alphabet of Tales About a Man & a Woman

Authored by Brian Mazo
"A Rose By Any Other Name: An Alphabet of Tales about a Man and a Woman" is a collection of twenty-six snap-shot short stories, each about a moment between two people at a crossroads. From New York to Los Angeles, from Black Rock City, Burning Man and back to Brooklyn, the tales give us a voyeur's view to sweet first kisses all the way to the bitter final ones:

A man in the midst of an ugly break-up rips out the last page of each of his lover's book collection and then wishes he could change their ending ("Last Paige"). 

A flower-bearing man, who hates taking taxis, has the duration of a ride to win over his cabdriver and her alluring smile ("Hail Mary"). 

A piece of jewelry solves a mystery and leads to a twisted tryst ("The Cross of Lorraine"). 

An unexpected, second chance at love and happiness amongst Senior Citizens in Florida is sparked by a hurricane and the ability to drive at night ("Mustang Sally").

Also included: a tale of breakups and breakdowns ("Nina, the Pinto & the Santa Ana Winds"), fortunate mistaken identity ("A Rose by Any Name"), one man's obsession with his bartender ("Fiona, the Irish Girl"), sex during a torrential downpour ("Hannah & the Hitchhiker), jealousy ("Charlotte's Web)", deceit, ("Victoria's Secret") and one woman's first foray into nude modeling ("Ursula, Undressed").

https://www.createspace.com/3527985

You can purchase my book for the low, low price of $14 in print edition and less than half of that on Kindle.

Thanks for reading,
Brian

I am going to claim another victory with my prophetic powers in regard to the pieces that I have been writing for Bronx Baseball Daily (here's the latest: http://bronxbaseballdaily.com/2012/04/yes-men-the-yankees-broadcast-team-2012/) since just before the season commenced.

During spring training I wrote about how great the Yankee bullpen -- which was stellar in 2011 and mind you: there weren't any major changes outside of the injury to Joba Chamberlain -- was going to be this season. Yes, it's early, but despite a starting rotation which had been expected to be one of the better in the AL, which hasn't panned out yet; the loss of Pineda not making that any better. The starters have one of the worst ERAs in the game; the bullpen? Even having to be utilized more than what you'd like, the bullpen has pitched to one of the lowest ERAs in the game.

I targeted the Red Sox in a preview as the season was about to start. I said that their bullpen of ex-Yankee Mark Melancon and Andrew Bailey should be a very big concern for them. It's still April and Melancon is in AAA and Bailey is on the DL (I harped on his injury issues) and their bullpen has been in shambles. Actually, that's unkind to shambles. I mentioned a deteriorating Youkilis, a suspect for injury Ellsbury, a disappearing Crawford and that new manager Bobby Valentine would manage to cause more trouble for the team that good. All dead spot on.

Then before he really starting to heat up and before all the others jumped on the Jeter bandwagon, I was singing the Yankee Captain's praises. All he's done is turn the clock back to 1999 and is hitting over .400 with power as the season turns toward May.

Now, last week I wrote about the YES-TV and CBS-Radio broadcast teams for the Yankees. My main goal of this piece was to start building a campaign against despised play-by-play man, Michael Kay. Perhaps my powers of manifestation are strong so far this season. Amusingly enough, I wasn't watching the YES feed for the game in question against the Rangers this weekend. Partially it was a technical glitch, part of it was superstition (that said: perhaps I should have changed the feed in an attempt to change the Yanks' fortunes that game) and finally I just didn't want to hear Kay.

But apparently Kay spent considerable time lambasting a Texas couple in the crowd who, in Kay's mind, had not only stolen a baseball from a small child, but gloated about it in the kid's face as he bawled. Great job getting all the details, Michael. Yes, the kid cried his eyes out, but apparently not only had the ball been offered to the kid, the brat's parents turned it down because -- like good parents -- they didn't want their kid to get everything he wants just by crying. The situation had a happy ending as another ball was later retrieved for the rug-rat.

And now the people who Kay got on are asking for an apology. Read that here: http://www.mlb.com/cutfour/article.jsp?content_id=29752844&partnerId=aw-4638096537321345208-996

And when you're done reading that, read this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007SABVQC/ref=tag_dpp_yt_edpp_rt

Thanks,
Brian

Bad, bad news out of Yankee land yesterday. After playing the cards close to the vest, Yankee brass had to announce that new, right-hander Michael Pineda, will be having shoulder surgery and is gone for 2012. Pineda, obtained this winter for #1 prospect, Jesus Montero and Hector Noesi, had passed all his physicals before the trade was made, so the thinking is that he injured himself this spring with the Yanks and was not "damaged goods" when he arrived.

And while the Yankees were saying that the youngster was penciled in for the number three or four starter, the thinking was that they really hoped and expected him to step up to the #2 spot just behind CC Sabathia. So for now, Freddy Garcia and Phil Hughes -- neither of whom is earning his stripes so far this season -- will be counted on to go out every five days and pitch strong enough to keep the Yankees in the game.

Of course, the same day that the Pineda news was announced, Andy Pettitte was making a start for AA Trenton Thunder. Being this close to the Bronx put a brighter spot-light on what is still a preliminary start to being ready to help out the big ball-club. There's pressure now for Andy to re-enter the rotation sooner rather than later, but the Yankees will not bow to that: the season is early and the AL-East is so tight that the chance of being buried with the less-than-stellar efforts so far from the back-end of the rotation.

Meanwhile in Texas, the Yanks lost the second of three to the Rangers. Phil Hughes put them in a hole and the Texas bullpen patched together the win. The Yanks really would like to take the upcoming series against Detroit who knocked us out of the playoffs last fall.


I'm looking to take a research/field trip to the Mall of America for the screenplay I am working on. That little day-time adventure (on what is really shaping up to be more of a beach day) should be enough material for a good, long "first date" scene for the movie.

I had to take "Rose" down from sales at the main, print-on-demand site yesterday due an oversight I had made in the initial print: apparently a copyright page is something of import. Funny enough: not a single soul noticed that it wasn't available. Didn't get one email telling me that someone had tried to buy the book- and were rebuffed.

But that is all back up and ready for you to take home. Go here: https://www.createspace.com/3527985

Thanks for reading,
Brian

Okay, today for a change, I'll let some other people "speak" instead of me. Here's what the early reviews on my book, "A Rose by Any Other Name" have to say:

The stories in this book leave you wanting more, which is exactly what a short story should be. They are all different, totally readable and every one created an emotional reaction. I especially appreciated Mr. Mazo's ability to accurately describe the feelings of the women in the stories. As an avid reader I often find male writers unable to give an accurate voice to their female characters. I am a female, so I don't find myself able to judge the reverse - female authors writing from a male perspective. I also really enjoyed Mr. Mazo's ability to put voice to feelings and emotions he could not ever have felt himself - a woman suffering a miscarriage - the writing just felt true and real, like it was from the mind of a real person.

Mr. Mazo creates characters and story lines that grab your attention and make you want to know more. In fact, that may be my only complaint, I was left wanting to know more about all the characters. It was gratifying to see the cross pollination between some stories but let it be known, "Brian Mazo, novel please!!"

I didn't want to put it down to do my chores!

It's a great read! You all should take a little peak! It's sweet and romantic in a pink and punky sort of way




And none of the above is my mother. Of course one of my friends who did pick up a copy noticed something fairly important that I neglected in the initial release. So, I had to correct that-- if this were baseball cards about thirty people have an "error edition" -- which has made the book unavailable for purchase via the Print-on-Demand option. That'll show 'em! It's one of the keys in sales, right? The take-away! You want it? You want it?? Well, you can't have it...


***********************************************************************************


I finally got to see new Japanese import, Yu Darvish, pitch for the Rangers last night. I had wanted to see his previous starts, but scheduling conflicts kept me from that. So, I "got my wish" last night; damn shame it was against the Yankees and he lived up to his billing, pitching his best game in the States -- by far -- against New York last night in Texas.


It was a very big game back in Japan as Sunday's rain-out in Boston made it that new Yankee pitcher, and Yu's countryman, Hiroki Kuroda was facing him. Kuroda did a really good job with the mighty Ranger line-up, but the game was apparently lost after the first batter went yard against the Yankee pitcher as the Bronx Bombers couldn't get anything going against Darvish; he shut them out for 8 1/3 innings. The Yanks only good scoring opportunity - bases loaded and no outs - was put down with a K and a double-play.


The Yanks usually have trouble when facing a pitcher for the first time and with his amazing assortment of pitches - he has more than a catcher has fingers to call them; even Yankee announcer Ken Singleton who has been around the game for decades, had to admit he'd never seen some of the signs Napoli (Texas catcher) was putting down - and last night was no exception.


That said, Derek Jeter who's playing like it's 1999 continued his torrid start getting two more hits. Kuroda pitched really well, but time will tell if he's ready for the AL or not.


Okay, time to sell some books ... or my soul.


Cheers,
B

Rain washed out what could have been yet another epic weekend in Fenway Park... for the New York Yankees. While the Yanks have been playing better since we being swept out of Tampa the opening weekend of the season, the home team was losing like it was still September of 2011. In addition to the injuries and the complete lack of anything approaching effective coming out of their bullpen, the Bosox were in a manager versus players controversy after Bobby 'the mouth" Valentine came out with comments questioning the dedication of Kevin Youkilis.

The Yanks rolled into town to start the scheduled three-game series with an afternoon game on Friday. That was the 100th anniversary of their dinghy, dump of a park and for some reason, the locals thought a celebrations was in order. The game started at 3:05PM as that was the same time "Play ball' was called a century ago. The Yankees - then called the NY Highlanders - dressed the part in retro gray uniforms with the logo on front (instead of "New York") and no numbers on the back.

Looking like he was playing with a hundred year old glove, Pedroia dropped Jeter's easy pop fly which lead to an unearned run on the way to an eventual Yank 6-2. The Sox had beaten the Highlanders 7-6 in eleven innings in 1912, but there was no comeback in the team come 2012. The normal drama that is usually part of the intense rivalry was no where to be found on this day. The Bosox seemingly just rolled over and played dead.

Saturday, a national TV televised game, was more more dramatic and eventually so much more painful for the Fenway faithful. Freddy Garcia did his part -- for Bosox that is -- giving up runs the way subscription cards fall from magazines. And in what should have been a laugher when the Sox were up 9-0 with two outs in the 6th became ... well ... something for the history books.

Sox fans have been booing the hell out of Valentine (who got the dreaded "vote of confidence" from team management over the weekend) had to take his starter out after giving up one run as he had hit his page count. Little did the big mouth expect that no one in his much-maligned pen would be able to get an out. The Yanks scored seven in the 7th and then, for great measure, seven more in the 8th inning toward an eventual 15-9 smack-down.

And while I did want to see CC sweep 'em last night, the rain-out does help Girardi skip the ineffective Garcia and have our #1 go against the Rangers in Texas tonight. It also lines up a pitching match-up that will see a lot of baseball fans in Japan being late for work as Kuroda now lines up against Yu Darvish on Tuesday. I would also like to imagine that the Sox players and manager really didn't want an extra day to think about what the Yankees had done to them.

New music piece here: http://musicscenempls.wordpress.com/2012/04/23/the-reckless-ones-at-harriet-brewery-sol-bock-april-21-2012/

YES Men

Hey Y'all-- here's my piece that will appear on BBD tomorrow.
But before that and before a crowd of over 200 former Bosox players yesterday at the 100th birthday of Fenway park, the Yankees used 5 longballs - all off starter Clay Buchholz - to beat the home team 6-2. It was the third win of the season, and his 15th in a row, for Yankee starter, Ivan Nova.

Nova, unlike Phil Hughes or Freddy Garcia, is the only guy at the back of the Yankee rotation who is pitching like he wants to stay there this season. With the May emergence of both Andy Pettitte and Michael Pineda you would think there would be more of a sense of urgency to show what they have but not so much so far this season.

Okay, here's the piece:

YES MEN: The Yankees Broadcast Team 2012

Baseball announcers can sometimes be like a part of your team. We spend so much time listening to their descriptions and accounts of the game, their opinions and their stories that we equate their voices with the team on the field. The team may change from season to season, but many announcers are there in your ear year in and year out. Some of them are living legends; Vin Scully comes to mind immediately. Many Yankee fans grew up with the amazing tag-team of gentle Bill White and over-excitable Phil “The Scooter” Rizzuto and what I wouldn’t give to hear them again on the Yankees YES and CBS television and radio broadcasts.

Which brings me immediately to Michael Kay and I’m not sure if I am in the minority here, but I have not despised a baseball announcer who I was forced to listen to this much since Joe Morgan. And at least Morgan played the game; only some of my bitterness toward the former Reds’ second-baseman is due to his team beating my Yankees in the first World Series I ever watched; much of it was his “know-it-all” attitude and his adherence to his opinion despite evidence on the field contradicting it. I know I rejoiced as much as “Moneyball” writer Michael Lewis did when Morgan was finally let go by ESPN.

Kay, on the other hand never played the game, never lets you forget he never played the game—as a matter of fact Kay never lets you forget anything. I watch a lot of baseball – even other teams – and what I notice and appreciate in many other broadcasts is being permitted some quiet time to listen to the sounds of the game. Michael Kay acts like he’s paid by the word; he never shuts up and he beats dead horses into glue.

I would watch other the other team’s broadcast actually if it weren’t for the team of ex-players turned commentators who surround Kay on YES. Most of the same team of announcers from last season have returned for 2012. I don’t really feel the need of the “side-line in-game” reporter so swapping Miss Marakovits for Miss Jones really doesn’t register with me.  On the other hand, Jack Curry can oft be counted on for some inside scoop; he was the one to break the story of Andy Pettitte’s return.

But adding “Sweet” Lou Pinella to the mix this year did make my ears perk up. Even the President of YES, Tracy Dolgin, admits that the Yankee broadcast team are “homers,” but this may not be the case with Pinella up in the booth for some broadcasts. Lou was a great Yankee and a World Series winning manager and something of a hot-head; I don’t see him keeping mum should events on the field dictate a sharper point of view. In some spring training games hearing him reminisce with Ken Singleton about baseball in the 1970s was a treat and I think we’re in for more of that.

Ken Singleton, while not a Yankee on the field, has proven over time to be a fine Yankee broadcaster. He is calm, cooler than expected (he referenced cult film “Eating Raoul” this year) and always collected. His gentle manner reminds me of Bill White and that is high praise in my book.  Singleton clearly loves the game.

Yankee warrior Paul O’Neill is something of the comic relief in the broadcast booth. But his self-deprecating manner and his well deserved credibility as a great former Yankee player make O’Neill a welcome sound during games. I think we will be treated to something beyond the pale when O’Neill is teamed in the booth with his former skipper, Pinella.

Getting the pitcher’s perspective, on the other hand, is well covered by ex-Yankees David Cone and Al Leiter, both well respected pitching “brains.” Baseball is ninety percent pitching and I think it’s a very good advantage to usually have at least one ex-hurler in the booth explaining what’s going on out on the pitcher’s rubber.

Somewhere in between the great hitters that Pinella, Singleton and O’Neill were and the aforementioned ex-pitchers, the last main addition to the broadcast squad, former catcher John Flaherty, completes the team. Much like famed Brewers’ announcer Bob Eucker, Flash doesn’t know much about pitching other than he couldn’t hit it, but the former backstop knows the game and is able to explain intricacies. And while I know his banter with Kay is mostly all in good fun, I am a believer that within every joke is a kernel of truth so Flaherty earns points in my scorebook with his jabs at the over-sized talking head that is the play-by-play man, Kay.

As for the CBS radio team I have to admit that usually when I am listening to them it is not with an open mind. When I have to resort to radio it means that my MLB-TV package was blacked out from a Yankee game I wanted to see and I am angry that I have to listen to Ma and Pa. But as “luck” turned out this week as I prepared this piece, I knew I was going to be blacked out for the games vs. the Twins (I live in Minneapolis so I can’t see the home team- ever) and decided to give Suzyn Waldman and John Sterling a fair shake.

And you know what? I enjoyed their coverage. Yes, Waldman’s voice is grating and abrasive and yes, Sterling is corny and a cheese-ball, but on Thursday night when Granderson hit his third homerun of the game, not only was I looking forward to hearing Sterling’s “The Grandy-Man can” ditty, I found myself enjoying it. His play-by-play is fairly simple and standard stuff, but because of the nature of the beast of radio, Ma and Pa – proud to be “homers” – are not afforded the opportunity to ramble on with stories that don’t have much to do with the game on the field. This leads to a quiet, calmer, far more enjoyable baseball experience.

This may be their last season doing the radio broadcast and while I can’t say I will miss them exactly, I do suggest some time turning off the TV and turning on the radio and using your ears and your imagination as you listen to the game. Yes, nothing beats being at the game, but for most of us who bear witness to our team’s successes and failures via broadcast and the Yankee team of announcers is a major part of that joy.

                                                                                                **********

It doesn’t have much to do with baseball although Yankee Stadium is mentioned in one story, but my first book – a short-story collection – came out last week.  To read a few tales for free or to purchase the book go here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007SABVQC/ref=tag_dpp_yt_edpp_rt

Thakns for reading,

Brian

Feels very wrong to be saying that I'm happy that the Yankees got away with a split against the feeble Twins at the big ballpark in the Bronx, but there you go. It's bad enough that the Yankees send luxury tax money to Minnesota, the team shouldn't then spot the Twinkies four runs in the first inning. But between the fielding deficiencies that Eduardo Nunez displays whenever he plays the infield and the lack of concern that right-hander Phil Hughes apparently has over the prospect of losing his spot in the rotation, the Yanks were down 4-0 again before they came to bat.

And again, the Bronx Bombers did prove that they are indeed that; Granderson's first of three -- yes, three! -- homeruns got the ball rolling and Tex added his first and the Yanks were able to turn that around to a 7-4 lead. Hughes pitched like the guy he was a few years ago between the second and fifth before letting the Twinkies back in the game with another booming shot over the blue wall in the Stadium.

But even a one-run lead is safe for three innings when Joe Girardi can line up Soriano, Robertson and Mariano Rivera and lock down last night's 7-6 win.

This afternoon, the Yankees are up in Fenway Park for the 100th anniversary of the dirty, little park. The Highlanders will be wearing 1912 throw-back uniforms for the 3pm start- the same exact start time from one-hundred years hence. This means I need to get my writing in so I can see that first pitch to Derek Jeter; let's see the Captain start another game with a long-ball; He passed Rickey Henderson this season for most lead-off homeruns in Yankee history although the HoF speedster got his twenty-four in but five seasons in pinstripes.

And now, from our sponsor, this:

List Price: $14.00  Add to Cart Continue Shopping

About the author: Brian Mazo had his first by-lined column in a sports collectibles magazine at the age of 13. Since then he has graduated from NYU Film School, written for a number of newspapers and magazines and has had a few movies produced from his screenplays. Mazo lives in the 612 with Thurman, his Russian Blue. This is his first book. A Rose by Any Other Name An Alphabet of Tales About a Man & a Woman Authored by Brian Mazo "A Rose By Any Other Name: An Alphabet of Tales about a Man and a Woman" is a collection of twenty-six snap-shot short stories, each about a moment between two people at a crossroads. From New York to Los Angeles, from Black Rock City, Burning Man and back to Brooklyn, the tales give us a voyeur's view to sweet first kisses all the way to the bitter final ones: A man in the midst of an ugly break-up rips out the last page of each of his lover's book collection and then wishes he could change their ending ("Last Paige"). A flower-bearing man, who hates taking taxis, has the duration of a ride to win over his cabdriver and her alluring smile ("Hail Mary"). A piece of jewelry solves a mystery and leads to a twisted tryst ("The Cross of Lorraine"). An unexpected, second chance at love and happiness amongst Senior Citizens in Florida is sparked by a hurricane and the ability to drive at night ("Mustang Sally"). Also included: a tale of breakups and breakdowns ("Nina, the Pinto & the Santa Ana Winds"), fortunate mistaken identity ("A Rose by Any Name"), one man's obsession with his bartender ("Fiona, the Irish Girl"), sex during a torrential downpour ("Hannah & the Hitchhiker), jealousy ("Charlotte's Web)", deceit, ("Victoria's Secret") and one woman's first foray into nude modeling ("Ursula, Undressed"). Go buy my book here: https://www.createspace.com/3527985 so that I can keep writing these blogs for free. Thanks B.

That's the artwork that will accompany the second -- and final -- installment of the David Blaine impersonation story in the Jerusalem Post Lite next week. After that, the plan is to move on to illustrated installments of stories from my new -- and first -- book, "A Rose by Any Other Name." You can read the first few short stories via Amazon/Kindle here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1456458892/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=

But please feel free to continue purchasing the book via Create Space if you would be so kind. Here:

https://www.createspace.com/3527985

Here's what the book looks like in a mechanic's hands; please note: this book is so hot you need gloves to hold it.

As for Yankee baseball, the unthinkable has happened: the Bronx Bombers have been losing to the Twinkies at Yankee Stadium. The Yanks need to take tonight's game or lose the series to the Twins. Outside of a few starts by CC, Kuroda and Nova (who goes tonight) the starting rotation, that had been expected to be one of the best in the AL, has not delivered.

On the other hand, the bullpen that I lauded in my piece for Bronx Baseball Daily (http://bronxbaseballdaily.com/2012/03/preview-of-the-2012-new-york-yankees-bullpen/) has become something of an early season prophecy. Now I don't want to toot my own horn (Editor: yes, he does) but so far my pen has been mighty. Not only in regards to the Yankee bullpen, but much of what I wrote about the bosox is becoming delightfully true up there.

And the piece I pitched about Derek Jeter -- and a positive angle for a change -- came before he turned into the most powerful HR bat in the Yankee line-up. So this week when I take on the Yankee broadcast team all I can hope for is that my planned diatribe about Michael Kay could start the beginning of the end for that big mouth...

Okay, off to peddle books and pound out screenplay pages. Thanks for reading. And as The Residents used to say: BUY OR DIE!

Thanks,
Brian

Not So Blaine

Yes, I have run this piece before and I shall run it again, but today, at least, there's a good excuse for it. But this piece that originally ran in the LA Weekly in 2004 was my first published piece since I had been in my early-teens. This tale had originated as one I told at parties, but was overheard doing so by a friend of a friend who wrote at the paper. He dared me to write it up and I did; later the same friend informed me that it was the first time he had seen the newspaper "lawyer up" on a Town piece, but there you have it.

Today, the piece runs in the Jerusalem Post Lite with an illustration by my friend Meital so it lives; also there's the little addendum that came later that I now get to include the follow-up. Enjoy.

This Internet first date isn't going so well. On her Nerve.com profile under "What Celebrity Do I Most Closely Resemble" it says "Catherine Zeta-Jones." Suffice to say, she doesn't - at all. But then mine says "David Blaine." Eventually, she offers to drive me home - her black Lexus is just around the corner on Hollywood Boulevard. As we head up Orange toward Franklin, the Magic Castle is lit up like a jewel in front of us. Natasha tells me that she has always wanted to go to the Magic Castle. Me too, I say, and then point out that she's in the wrong lane to turn into my place. Natasha says she wants to go to the Magic Castle. I remind her that one must be a magician to get in. She looks at me and says, "But you're David Blaine." Who can argue with a Russian litigator at 1:30 a.m. after eight beers? She drives the Lexus up the Magic Castle's steep driveway. The front doors are locked. I can see past the front greeting area, lights on and people inside, but no one comes to see what we want. I have been living in the shadow of the Magic Castle for nearly a year and have never been up here, so I take this opportunity to look around. A couple minutes later, I come back to Natasha still at the front door. She's adamant; she wants to go in. I pull an otherwise useless credit card from my wallet and attempt to jimmy the lock. Right when I feel that I may just have it, the doors open and the tuxedo-clad night manager, Kurt, steps outside. Kurt asks if he can help us. I say we'd like to come in. Kurt politely informs us that the Magic Castle is closed, that the Magic Castle is a private club and, looking at my Sammy's Romanian T-shirt, that the Magic Castle has a dress code. "Maybe I could fit into your tux" I say. Kurt is a good four inches shorter than I. Kurt smiles. "Maybe some other time, sir," he says. "Maybe some other time," I agree, then turn back to the Lexus. Suddenly, Natasha says to Kurt, "This is David Blaine." Kurt turns and looks at me in the dim light, and I am thinking that there is no way in holy hell, when Kurt extends his hand to shake mine. Abracadabra. Open sesame. The doors to the Magic Castle swing wide and, with furious beating heart, I step inside. Somehow, my voice doesn't crack as I agree when Kurt says he'd like to introduce me to some people. We pass through the first bar and I receive nods from the dozen or so guests in tuxedos and evening dress. At the bar's backside, Kurt introduces me to the owner of the Magic Castle, Milt Larsen, and an older magician. They both shake my hand. They tell me it's a pleasure to make my acquaintance. I am struck dumb. I expect to be sawed in half any second now. The owner and the magician congratulate me on being "Magician of the Year." I am nothing if not humble in graciously accepting their felicitations. Kurt tells the owner that I'd like to take a look around, then leads me out of the bar area. I am expecting to be thrown into a room, the doors locked and the police called at any time. But with warm welcomes and well wishes, I am taken on a tour of the back rooms of the Magic Castle. As Kurt guides me, illuminating the way with his Mag-Lite, Natasha and I make eye contact. Neither of us can believe that we are getting away with this illusion. Kurt recounts his life story as a magician and tells me what an honor it is to meet me; that I have revitalized magic. I begin to get comfortable. Then I start to get all shticky. I act like I have a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder that I imagine would work with the Blaine character. I rearrange chairs in one room. I feel doorways for their structural soundness. When I touch one item in a display with my eyes hooded to near closing, I feel Kurt's eyes on me. He asks if I am getting vibrations from the object. My nearly imperceptible nod assures him that I am indeed. Kurt tells me that if I am into vibrations, has he got something for me. He leads Natasha and me to a door that is locked from the inside and excuses himself. From the other side, I hear what sound like numerous locks and chains being undone. The door swings open and Kurt stands with pride inside a small room dominated by a huge séance table. I pay that no mind, but immediately move toward a metal item about waist high in one corner. I lay my right hand, fingers splayed, on the round top and close my eyes tightly. Kurt whispers, asking if I am getting some serious vibrations from the object. I mumble that I am. With a hushed voice, Kurt tells me that I am touching Houdini's milk can. Holy fucking shit. Kurt points out Houdini's trunk on the other side of the room. I crouch in front of it as I hear Kurt telling Natasha that every magician who comes to the Magic Castle is just dying to touch Houdini's things. By now it's 3 a.m. and we have seen every nook and cranny of the Castle. Back in the main bar, the owner shakes my hand again and tells me that I am welcome anytime - to perform or just hang out. Then Kurt asks me what brought me to Los Angeles. I say the first thing that pops into my head - that I came "to hear some men read some words." I had been to a book reading earlier in the evening at the Beverly Hills Library. They get big grins on their faces. They exchange looks and then ask how that worked out for me. "Wonderfully," I say. Kurt opens the front door. I can see the window of my tiny studio apartment, basically across the street. Natasha and I hop in her car, roll down the steep driveway and hope that Kurt doesn't watch as we drive across the street to the parking lot of the Hollywood Celebrity Hotel, where Natasha lets me out. I give Natasha a quick peck, enter my building and go to bed. - Brian Mazo Manager James Williams says Mazo did indeed show up as Blaine, but Kurt and Larsen weren't fooled. An incident report is on file with the Magic Castle's security.

Before you jump to the link, might I make a comment. How cool is it that the Castle attempts to wipe the egg from its face only to schmear it all around. A friend at the Weekly told me it was the only time he saw the paper "lawyer up" for a Town piece. **** UPDATE --- NOV. 2005 ***** So, my dear friend Brooke apparently knows the Magic Castle owner's wife, Blair. Brooke did a little independent investigation recently regarding the Castle's statement about Blaine's - errr ... my presence that night. Here is what Brooke had to say: forgot to tell you that i asked blair about the magic castle... i said i'd been reading LA weekly archives and saw the story and did they really know it wasn't blaine? she starts laughing and says "oh, no they DID think it was blaine - it was my uncle who let the guy in. they were all completely hammered when they let him in!!" hee hee hee - you did pull it off! b ****************** And yes, you STILL can purchase my new book here: https://www.createspace.com/3527985 Thanks, Brian

During the winter, new bosox manager Bobby Valentine took a couple pot-shots at Yankees Derek Jeter and A-Rod. It was obvious to just about everyone what he was doing then especially with all the disturbing news coming from his new team: anything to distract what is on the field. Okay? Got it.

But today in reports out of beantown, the mouth is now taking shots at one of his team's most beloved hard-workers: Kevin Youkilis. Now, the "Greek God of Walks" ain't what he used to be (yes, I am stealing lines from my own pieces but sometimes you do need to repeat yourself) but when the manager comes out and tells the newspapers he doesn't think you're doing it emotionally, that you're not there? Well, that is not going to sit well with any player.

Of course, the other big mouth (or, as Ian from Minor Threat would classify Pedroia, "small man/big mouth) comes to his teammates defense with some pretty damning quotes about the sox' new manager. "I really don't know what Bobby is trying to do," Pedroia said Monday. "That's not the way we go about our stuff around here. He'll figure that out. The whole team is behind Youk. We have each other's backs here."


And this too: "I don't know what Bobby's trying to do, but that's not the way we do things here," said Pedroia. "Maybe that stuff works in Japan."

Of course when Youkilis went in to chat with his skipper, Bobby V thought it was about something else. Bobby has since apologized, but Youkilis gave this quote: "Yeah, we talked, but everything, whatever we talk about, stays inside that room," Youkilis said. It sure doesn't sound like the end of this or a satisfying conclusion.


Meanwhile, up in the Bronx, the Yankees took two out of three from the slow-starting Angels. Ten games into the season, the Yanks are tied for first along with pretty much the rest of the AL-East; the sox are in last all by themselves. And I thought the O's would be keeping them company. So far, the Yanks have received a few good starts by Kuroda and Nova, but the rotation (minus Pineda and with Pettitte on his way back) has not shown what it is capable of.


But the bullpen which was stellar last year is up to its old tricks, especially with David Robertson performing his Houdini-act. Yesterday, it was getting out of the mess Soriano created in the bottom of the 7th which allowed the Angels the appearance of getting back in the game. The line-up, with a few notable exceptions like Derek Jeter, have not hit their stride as of yet, but we know they will, This is a team designed to make pitchers throw a lot of pitches and to score a lot of runs.


Yanks start a 3-game series tonight at Yankee Stadium versus their usual punching-bags, the Minnesota Twins. Starter and ex-Yankee Carl Pavano should hear even louder boo's than what were given to Tebow in attendance yesterday.


I am seriously considering retracting my pick of the Giants in the NL-West now that closer and beard-master Brian Wilson will be having season-ending elbow surgery. This won't be his first Tommy John so there have been a few reports that state this could be career-threatening. I sure hope not: as much as Bochy (who needs a push-button closer in my opinion) and the Giants need him, Wilson's brand of crazy is needed around MLB, too.


And in case you hadn't heard, my book, "A Rose by Any Other Name" came out last week in both print edition (available here: https://www.createspace.com/3527985) or electronically for the Kindle exclusively  (here: http://www.amazon.com/Rose-Any-Other-Name-ebook/dp/B007SABVQC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1334590274&sr=1-1)

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Here it is: your moment of baseball Zen:

You’ve gotta love Jeff Francoeur, a goodwill, stand-up guy wherever he goes. The onetime Met, now with the Kansas City Royals, expressed his admiration for the faithful (but dwindling) Oakland A’s fans who still show up every night in the cold, dreary Oakland Coliseum — not just with his words but with his deeds. Last Wednesday Francoeur renewed his affection for the fans in right field in the coliseum by having 20 pizzas sent to section 149. Last year, he sent a baseball wrapped with a $100 bill to the same fans, telling them to buy beer and bacon with it. “Baseball to me is fun, but sometimes we take it too seriously,” Francoeur said.
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Thanks for reading,
Brian

Here's my piece from today's BBD

Leading off and playing shortstop, number two: Derek Jeter

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Brian Mazo

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I heard a new complaint about Derek Jeter this off-season. I was on a date with a very pretty brunette and she told me she was from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Of course, being a diehard Yankee fan, I said that the only thing I knew about her hometown was the Yankee Captain. When I said that, she made a face and I expected some typical feedback about Jeter. Mind you, she had Curtis Granderson as her favorite athlete on her Facebook page, so she wasn’t clueless. She tells me that on a normal day in Kalamazoo you can get across town in seven minutes, but when Jeter was in town it was more like two hours. She said it was worse than when the President comes to town. But to take a quote out of Babe Ruth’s book when he said he deserved to be paid more than Herbert Hoover in 1930, Jeter also had a better year than the President.

Others have been writing Derek Jeter off for years, but he keeps going out to man the shortstop position for the New York Yankees season in and season out. Over the last sixteen seasons, the Captain has played at least 148 games every year save two. When he was in his prime years, he was being compared to two other great shortstops: Nomar Garciaparra and Miguel Tejada. And while Jeter has gotten off to a hot start following the season in which he got his 3,000 hit (the very first Yankee to do so) I think Nomar is a soccer dad and it looks like Tejada has finally hung ‘em up having not played a full season since 2009.

Now, as he turns thirty-eight this season, Derek Jeter is still toward the cream of the crop of shortstops in the mighty American League East division. Yes, it’s early in 2012 but Jeter’s .355/.394/.942 is blowing away the early competition. The Sox’s Aviles is hitting .227 and that’s the best average among the other four shortstops in the division. And while JJ Hardy put up some impressive power numbers in 2011 (30hr/80RBI), Jeter’s .297/.355/.743 season last year despite playing injured in the early part of the season are very healthy. Nearly ten years his junior, Toronto’s Yunel Escobar came closest last season posting a .290/.369/.782.

While injuries are a part of the game and can often be used to explain away less than stellar statistics I want to proffer a theory in regard to Derek Jeter. This time I steal a quote from yet another all-time great New York Yankees, Joe DiMaggio, but I believe that Jeter wants to go out there every single game no matter what, “Because there’s always some kid who may be seeing me for the first time. I owe him my best.” That the kid most likely has his famous number two on his back is probably not lost on Jeter either.

In a sports-world that more and more emphasizes the individual player than the team, Derek Jeter is a throwback of such monumental importance that linking him to Yankee lore right alongside Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio is not farfetched in the least. I think even the idea of Jeter’s past “party animal” reputation was more from TV commercials than from reality. Sure, he’s a pretty bad newspaper quote, although he’s becoming something of a master of the one-line quip.

But  I am even going so far as to state that I think even Jeter’s romantic affairs with pop divas, actresses and models are good for his performance and thus good for the team. He’s dating high-profile busy women who I would think understand his lifestyle and dedication to the field more than say, a wife at home with his young children would. Just a theory, but baseball still seems like The Captain’s number one priority even after seventeen seasons.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Derek Jeter’s defense. Yes, there are statisticians who will tell you that Jeter is the worst fielding shortstop in the history of the game. Yes, we heard the “Pasta Diving Jeter” jokes a few seasons back, but I watch this guy play short about a hundred and forty times a season every season and still have confidence that he will make the plays that need to be made. Sure, he’s lost a step here, some zip on a throw there, but still when he goes in the hole, you expect him to make that patented throw across the diamond like he’s done year in and year out. And he usually does.

Personally, it is a great pleasure to watch a man who has this much pride in himself, his team and the sport  play the game the way it was meant to be played. I will admit that I am loyal to my Yankee shortstops. It took a homerun one early October afternoon up in Fenway for a guy nicknamed “Bucky” to make me forget a guy nicknamed “Chicken,” but I don’t think any of us will ever forget The Captain, Derek Jeter, the greatest shortstop in the long and storied history of the New York Yankees.  And I didn’t even mention the “flip play.”

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It has very little to do with baseball (Yankee Stadium does get mentioned in one story) but my first book came out this week. For more info and/or to purchase, click here:https://www.createspace.com/3527985