Richard Reeves' Imagination

My most recently-completed book-on-tape is by Richard Reeves -- President Reagan: The Triumph of Imagination. I entered into this endeavor with full knowledge that Reeves is a bona fide left-winger, but with the hopes that he'd at least have some semblance of objectivity.

For the first several chapters, it wasn't too bad. I have pretty clear memories of the Reagan administration, particularly the early years, and Reeves provides a good narration of the inauguration, assassination attempt and budget legislation.

Unfortunately, the book has several shortcomings. First of all it is, literally, about President Reagan -- beginning at his inauguration and ending in January 1989, with a brief epilogue about his later years and death. First and foremost, this makes it a biography without context. Stylistically (and, for that matter, philosophically), it becomes tediously bogged down in unending recitation of obscure details and statistics.

The philosphical problem is that while Liberals such as Reeves might enjoy the chance to point out the mistakes and mis-steps of the Reagan Administration (I await with great anticipation Reeves' chronicle of the first two years of the Clinton Administration), members of the VRWC such as this observer will be quick to point out that Reagan and his Administration weren't exactly detail-oriented in terms of their attitude towards governnance in the first place. In other words, Reagan was about big ideas and getting the big issues right.

Since Reeves can't deny that the Cold War is over and the Soviet Union no longer exists, he can only resort to insignificant minutia, while while taking cheap shots at his primary subject and those around him (including not-so-subtle insinuations that Reagan was suffering from Alzheimer's Disease during his presidency), but at Republican leaders that are still visible today -- Dick Cheney, Newt Gingrich, George H.W. Bush, etc.

While Reeves is obsessed with detail and jabs at conservatives, it is ironic that the book contains a large number of errors that any editor -- regardless of political leanings -- should have noticed. Reference to John Hinkley as having "shot and killed a Washington policeman" indicates that Reeves may have suffered a memory warp to his JFK project. Trent Lott is identified as the Senate Majority Leader while he was still in the House of Representatives (he was elected to the Senate in 1988). Since I listen to this in the car, I can't exactly write down everything, but there's many more. Maybe not critical in and of themselves, but if a writer can't get the simple things right, then what about the important stuff? Reeves should know better.

On the positive side, I will say that the narration by George K. Wilson is exceptional, particularly in Wilson's somewhat unusual ability for changing his voice to match all of the principal characters. Reagan's is a voice that has been parodied by many, but Wilson imitates his voice almost to perfection without giving into the obvious temptation. In addition, he shifts gears flawlessly to Vice President Bush, James Baker, Oliver North, Donald Regan, Tip O'Neill and others. An impressive accomplishment; too bad the author can't produce material worthy of the narration.

Eddie Pellagrini (1918-2006)

Former Red Sox SS and longtime Boston fixture Eddie Pellagrini has died. Bob Ryan has an article here.

New York, New York

I really don't hate the Yankees. Really. At least not all of them. Joe Torre is a class act. I've never been a huge Jeter fan, but I can appreciate his talent. I respect Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams, and I've admired Mariano Rivera for years. Johnny Damon may be duplicitous, but I can't hate the guy because he wanted more money. Robinson Cano is a terrific young talent. Their coaching staff includes Ron Guidry, Don Mattingly and Tony Pena, all of whom I admired as players, as well as Joe Kerrigan, who was Boston's very successful pitching coach for several years (before a misadventure at the front of the dugout that we won't get into).

Even George Steinbrenner -- with his reputation as a blustering, obnoxious, unspeakably wealthy boor -- is less well known for being immeasuably generous towards worthy causes (including the Jimmy Fund) and supporting players in need.

The Yankees won in the 90's (1996, 1998-2000), with this core group of players and a good portion of home-grown talent, augmented by additional players from other organizations to complete the puzzle. Then they started to get bloated, even by their standards. Mike Mussina. Jason Giambi. Hideki Matsui. Jaret Wright. Gary Sheffield. Carl Pavano. And, of course, Alex Rodriguez. Generally, moderately-talented or, at best, above-average players who were acquired for obscene amounts of money and all of whom have yet to deliver another ring to the Bronx. It's really easy to root against the majority of the Yanks' roster. Hating the Yankees because they have lots of money and a successful history is one thing; hating them because their roster is full of unlikable players that are largely past their prime is another.

When the Yankees pounced on A-Rod in early 2004, I had a theory that was largely half-baked but is beginning to make sense -- the Red Sox had pursued A-Rod not so much to acquire him, but to bait the Yankees into pulling the trigger, which they did, but at the expense of not acquiring the pitching help they needed. Murderer's Row or otherwise, the Yankees have only won when they've had strong pitching. Now they don't, and Detroit made that obvious.

Thanks Yanks

First of all, I'd like to specially thank the New York Yankees for falling apart so magnificently at the hands of the Detroit Tigers. That really made my year. It was almost as enjoyable as their complete and utter collapse in 2004.

Twenty-First Century World Series Scoreboard:

Boston Red Sox - 1
NY Yankees - 0

"Year Two-Thou-Sand"
"Year Two-Thou-Sand"

Back Again

Not that anybody cares, but I haven't been able to post anything for the past few weeks because Blogger somehow had me locked out and had changed my password. So I've got some catching up to do...