Jose Canseco Comeback Attempt #5

It was announced early last week that former major leaguer Jose Canseco, along with his twin brother Ozzie, is staging yet another comeback, this time as a player-manager for the Yuma Scorpions of the newly-formed North American League. Since his "retirement" in 2002, Canseco has attempted several comebacks, including with the Dodgers in 2004, and several teams in the indy ball circuit. The most notorious of these comebacks was a stint in the Golden League in 2006, during which he signed with the San Diego Surf Dawgs for one game as a knuckleball pitcher, and was then traded to the Long Beach Armada and ended up making the all-star team and winning the home run derby at the age of 42.

This latest comeback is nothing more than a gimmick to make money that he probably desperately needs. Whether it's writing, celebrity boxing, martial arts, an appearance on "The Apprentice," or baseball, nothing that Jose has done over the last decade has served any other purpose than to draw unnecessary attention to himself. Jose Canseco should have ridden off into the sunset after writing Juiced, a book which changed the landscape of baseball forever and helped shape the drug testing policies and court cases we see today. It was an enlightening book and for a brief time served as Jose's vindication and penance. But now, much like Pete Rose's futile attempts to get back into the game, Jose is just making a fool of himself. I respect a man trying to get his life back together, but managing and DH-ing for an independent league team at age 46 is getting a little ridiculous. But maybe that's just how Canseco wants it. After all, he was part of an era of players that turned baseball from just a game into entertainment. Jose's entire post-MLB life has been an incarnation of his lifelong belief that he has and always will view himself as a performer above all else. His stint in Yuma will definitely put butts in the seats, and if the Scorpions actually do well it will just be a bonus opportunity to stick it to former "Bash Brothers" teammate Mark McGwire to prove he is the better coach.

STANDINGS & UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 04.18:
Brewers 8-8 (3 @ Phillies, 3 v. Astros)
Reds 9-7 (3 v. Diamondbacks, 3 @ Cardinals)
Twins 6-10 (4 @ Orioles, 3 v. Indians)

2011 GAMES ATTENDED:
Erik - 2
Peter - 10

Tour 2011

It's been a few months since I've written on the blog, and I thought that being snowed in after the first big snowstorm of the season was as good a time as any to update our readers on Erik and myself. Erik is once again through another campaign, with Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett losing a heartbreaker for the Wisconsin governorship. He is now putting the second half of his resume to use at a Madison sandwich shop. I am still working in Iowa and trying hard to find a job back in Wisconsin. On the ballfield, the 2010 season ended in disappointment for the Brewers again, as they finished below .500 for the 2nd straight season. Manager Ken Macha has since been fired and replaced with former Angels bench coach Ron Roenicke, and Erik and I are both optimistic that it will be an exciting season in Milwaukee in 2011.

It is also shaping up to be an exciting 2011 Tour Plus schedule. This is our first year since the main tour that there is not a new MLB stadium opening, so our options of what to cross off the list were wide open. Our tentative plan for a few years was to fly into Anchorage and spend a week exploring the great state of Alaska and its collegiate summer league. We always thought that going to Alaska in a year before the both of us were married made the most sense. But, several factors including cost, Erik's perennial job insecurity, and me having an abundance of weddings to attend all weighed in on us postponing this trip for another year. Not to mention the fact that this was the first trip we ever brought up to the girls that they too seemed excited about, so it would be nice to save that adventure for a time when the 4 of us could go together. Spring Training was something we've been putting off for a number of years, and with the Brewers' future in Arizona in limbo after the 2012 season, the Cactus League was our first logical choice to replace the ABL. In true Houses E&P Built fashion, we are basically just trying to cram as much ball into a week as possible. There are 10 ballparks shared by 15 of the 30 MLB teams in the Cactus League, and we plan on seeing at least 7 or 8 of them, as well as a Phoenix Coyotes NHL game, schedule permitting. Every park except HoHoKam (Cubs) and Phoenix Municipal (Athletics) is supposed to be fairly new and nice. Erik had previously been to Spring Training in 2008 and a couple of my friends from high school follow the Brewers around every year, so we should have ample research before the trip to know what parks/cities/eateries are the best, and I could not be more excited. As of now we are shooting for the 4th week in March. I always love those years when I have a few ballgames under my belt even before Opening Day!

Traditionally we have been planning at least two trips a year, but this year's 2nd trip is kind of in jeopardy. Our 2nd trip was to be the Golden League v. Northern League All-Star Game at Kevin Costner's new park in Illinois. But it seems official now that the Northern, United, and Golden Leagues have in essence merged into a super-league, the North American League. So we kind of have to wait it out for the schedules to see if an All-Star Game is still being played at the Lake County Fielders' park this summer. Another idea of ours to take a day trip to Green Bay to see what was supposed to be the opening season of the Bullfrogs' new park also seems to be a no-go, as I don't believe that the team was able to procure financing. Right now our contingency plan is just a weekend excursion to some Midwestern ballparks we haven't found time to see, which I assume includes the parks in Grand Rapids and Fort Wayne, but Erik and I haven't talked in depth about it. Either way I am sure we'll have a great time, and either way we'll eventually have to hit up a North American League game. 109 days until Opening Day, and even less so until we fly to Phoenix!