Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Super Sunday in Newport Notes from My First Year in Town by Matt Love The oldest league you never knew about. Unforgiving dimensions, an on-field pub and 100 years of history. "I, for myself, think this field is haunted," Commissioner Chris La Rose tells me as he leans back in the century-old perch behind home plate. "In a good way. You walk around here and all the lights are off and it's dark, I can hear the old ballpark sounds, the sounds of old ballplayers." "Hey, Chris!" a team manager suddenly yells from the field. "We have five runs, not three!" "OK -- OK yeah, calm down," La Rose mutters back. "I'm trying to figure out this new scoreboard," he says to me, shaking his head. La Rose changes the score and quickly flips on Van Halen's "Runnin' with the Devil" for the break between innings, tapping his foot with the beat. Newport, R.I., is an old town, but Cardines Field -- named for the first Newport native killed in World War I -- somehow feels even older. Its beautiful green wooden grandstand -- standing in place since 1919 -- sticks out on America's Cup Avenue like it's been dropped there in a time machine, across the street from a large Marriott Hotel. The outfield fence, although raised in recent years to protect homes, has also been the same for 100 seasons -- about 280-290 feet down both the left- and right-field lines, 400 to dead-center and then, to perhaps just drive outfielders absolutely insane, jutting back out to 315 feet in both right and left-center field. The boundaries snake around new condos and quaint side streets instead of the tenement buildings and churches of the 1930s and '40s. And for all that time, baseball, George Donnelly's Sunset League Baseball -- an homage to former player and famed Newport sportswriter George Donnelly -- has been played inside. As Newport, and the world, has shifted and changed with newer sports, activities and pastimes, the country's second-oldest continuously-run amateur league in perhaps America's oldest ballpark has carried on. "The ballpark has been around as a ballpark, you can go, some people say to the 1880s. Some people say 1909 was the first year," La Rose says. That's older than Fenway Park or Wrigley Field. That's older than "oldest ballpark in America" Rickwood Field. La Rose, who took the job of commissioner on a dare nine years ago after boasting he could do it, has since fallen in love with the history of the ballpark -- and who can blame him? The area was first used as a water basin for neighboring steam locomotives in the late 19th century, but after complaints about the stagnant water by locals, the land was cleared. Railroad workers decided to then use the space to develop a baseball sandlot -- perhaps as early as the 1890s (it's still under debate). Long fly balls broke too many windows of nearby homes and businesses and the league was shut down. But again, in 1919, it was started up again as the still-existing sunset league to "provide working men with an opportunity to play ball." They've been playing here every summer, ever since. If you thought the outfield dimensions were weird, you haven't heard all of it: The league owner's house was in right field up until 1936, with balls banging off it called doubles and hit over it, homers. Eventually, it was determined that this was not a good idea and the house was moved off the field of play. Another quirk is that both dugouts are on the same side of the field, right next to each other. La Rose tells me it had to be that way because the railroad ran so close to the stadium on one side. There was also a bar called The Paddock (later Mudville Pub) just off the first-base line that played a role throughout the stadium's history. Part of it, the front patio, sticks into the ballpark, while the other part is out on the street. The bar sponsored a team in the league and players used to frequent it after (and sometimes during) games. Perfect place to start a summer Saturday in Newport. On the Mudville Pub patio for some @GDSunsetleague action. pic.twitter.com/8hncrmVNej — Bill Koch (@BillKoch25) July 9, 2016. "We know the umpires, we'd argue with them for nine innings and then go drink with them after," longtime player and coach Domenic Coro says. "A lot of times players would bring their friends there and they'd heckle people. On some occasions, the relief pitcher wouldn't know if he was relieving or not relieving -- so he'd kinda be over there in the sixth or seventh inning having some beers and then he'd have to get called in to pitch in the ninth." "Yeah, the Paddock," La Rose laughs. "If you hit a grand slam, you got a case of Schaefer Beer." The bar shut down a few years ago and, like most things, has since been transformed into an Airbnb. Of course, today, in a COVID-19 world, no fans are allowed inside to watch games. That doesn't stop people from setting up lawn chairs beyond the left-field fence to cheer on friends and family members. One condo in left-center, the home of a former fighter pilot, La Rose tells me, has a big back porch where he can take in games whenever he pleases. The little roads that sneak in just outside center and right field, through some overhanging tree branches, are also great viewing points for some baseball action. A cyclist will stop in for a few minutes to see what all the fuss is about, or a mom with her daughter. A couple might have dinner and a ballgame just outside their front steps. There are six teams in the league these days; that's mostly on par for what it's been since the early 1900s. The ages of players also fall on the younger side -- college athletes who need somewhere to play in the summertime. But in the past, there's been teams of dockworkers, fishermen, naval officers and firemen. The firehouse, still located across the street, has provided memorable moments for fire-fighting baseball players like Bob McPhee. “He kept his fireman uniform in the dugout," PA announcer Bob O'Hanley said. "When that whistle blew, he would zoom into the dugout, change his clothes and run out and jump on the back of the fire truck as they picked him up.” There were legendary local players like Earl Porter. He was a lefty and Coro says he used the short porch to his advantage, hitting "about 100 homers, maybe more home runs than anybody." "Earl hit three home runs in one game," Coro recalls. "He had some of the tendencies of Babe Ruth, on and off the field." George Donnelly Sr. dedicated his life to the league. "My father, born in 1903, played his first season in 1922," George Donnelly Jr. said. "He was best known in his favorite position as catcher, but often pitched and played outfield. After 16 years, he retired from playing, but not from his involvement with the league’s activities. In the late 1920’s, he began scoring nearly all the games, and became their statistician/historian. During his active years, he was an excellent player, and is a member of the Sunset League’s Hall of Fame." Marcus Wheatland, Jr. became the first Black player to integrate the Sunset League in 1920. The all-Black Union Athletic Club team played from 1934-35. Lizzie Murphy, the "Queen of Baseball" and the first woman to play pro baseball, played for the Providence Independents in 1932. Did you know that the first time a woman played Major-League Baseball was in 1922? Today marks the 96th anniversary of the day Lizzie Murphy took the field for the first time! pic.twitter.com/DPQl35qI3P — Alice Paul Institute (@AlicePaulInstit) August 4, 2018. Not many former big leaguers played in the Sunset League, but many played in the park itself. Bob Feller and Johnny Pesky played at points. Yogi Berra and Phil Rizzuto played at Cardines while stationed in Newport with the Navy. Jimmie Foxx hit there and said, "It's one of the finest parks in which I've played." Negro League teams like the New York Cubans, Indianapolis Clowns and Kansas City Monarchs barnstormed through the area to big crowds. But maybe the most famous Negro League player of all time did routinely pitch in the Donnelly league. "The big thing was, when we had an all-star game, we'd have a ringer come in and pitch an inning," La Rose says. "That was a thing, especially with Negro League teams. Satchel Paige would come down and pitch his inning, sit in his rocking chair, he loved it. That was big. He would draw 3,000 people per game." Super Sunday in Newport: Notes from My First Year in Town by Matt Love. A photographer and close friend of the Napier's is looking for a traditional home with a touch of modern style. After deciding on a classic mansion in need of a complete makeover, Ben and Erin transform the tired house into a show-stopping home. Color Psychology. A couple who runs a non-profit is investing in a property that provides transitional housing for women recovering from difficulties. Ben and Erin get scrappy and turn a neglected building into an uplifting oasis where new beginnings can flourish. Woodland Wonderland. A couple trading in Oregon's cold weather for Laurel's humid climate is looking for a house with nature-inspired whimsy and historic Southern charm. Ben and Erin rise to the challenge of creating a storybook-style home that's truly one of a kind. A Musician's Retreat. A recording producer is back in Laurel looking for an artist's retreat. He received a dilapidated cabin from his late father, and while Ben and Erin are up for the risky restoration challenge, they think he'll get a better return with a bungalow in town. From the Big Apple to the Little Catfish. A surgeon and his wife are moving to Laurel from New York City, and their all-in budget goes a long way in the Mississippi town. Ben and Erin pay homage to the historic property's original elements and peculiar charm to design an amazing family home. A Laurel Hug. A woman is moving back to Laurel to be close to family after the sudden passing of her husband. Ben and Erin thoughtfully bring their design to life and create a gorgeous, sun-filled home as a soft landing to help get her through this difficult time. All in the Family. Erin's uncle, Danny, likes to go big when it comes to restoring old houses, and he's not concerned about the budget. Together with his son, Jim, Ben and Erin try to convince him that bigger isn't always better in a historical home renovation. Clean Lines, Open Spaces. After living in temporary situations after a tornado destroyed his house, a man is ready to find a home with clean lines and open spaces. Ben and Erin give his new place a complete facelift, creating an awesome midcentury modern home with a cozy study. Retreat Yourself. Angie took a huge leap of faith when she quit her New York job to work as a producer on Home Town. After falling in love with Laurel, Mississippi, she's ready to make it her permanent address, and Ben and Erin help their boss find her dream home. Country House, City House. A Georgia couple loves the outdoors as much as they love Laurel, and they're in need of a home with a big kitchen and lots of yard space for entertaining. Ben and Erin are determined to bring this couple's outdoorsy ways into the design of their home. Closer to Mom. A New Orleans couple is looking for a vacation home in Laurel to be closer to her mom, and their ideal house needs space for hosting crawfish boils. Ben and Erin transform a dated home into a modern oasis complete with two kitchens and a spectacular pool. Family Values. Ben's baby brother Jesse and his wife Lauren are buying their first house, and the Napiers are there to guide them every step of the way. Using their love of eclectic style and bold colors, Ben and Erin create a fun-filled home ready for new memories. Design for Living. An interior designer wants to buy a starter home in Laurel, and Ben and Erin are up for the challenge. Whether she picks the quaint cottage or the former rental, Erin is excited to flex her design muscles with a boho/mid-modern style her colleague loves. Thanks for the Memories. With their daughters leaving the nest, a couple must decide between renovating their high-maintenance home or moving into a clean slate. Ben and Erin aim to mark everything off their wish list and save Laurel's first family of hospitality's reputation. Grand Style. A woman moving back to Laurel after being away for years wants a place big enough to accommodate her parents, kids and grandkids if they visit all at once. Erin can't wait to deliver on her ideal design plan: blue and white in the French provincial style. Simpson Family Values. The Story of D’oh: Lisa, Homer, Bart, Marge, and Maggie Simpson. In January 1992, during a campaign stop at a gathering of the National Religious Broadcasters, George H. W. Bush made a commitment to strengthen traditional values, promising to help American families become “a lot more like the Waltons and a lot less like the Simpsons.” A few days later, before the opening credits rolled on the animated sitcom’s weekly episode, The Simpsons issued its response. Seated in front of the television, the family watched Bush make his remarks. “Hey! We’re just like the Waltons,” said Bart. “We’re praying for an end to the Depression, too.” While the immediacy of the response was surprising, the retort was vintage Simpsons: tongue-in-cheek, subversive, skewering both the president’s cartoonish political antics and the culture that embraced them. Twelve months later, Bill Clinton moved into the White House. The Waltons were out; the Simpsons were in. When The Simpsons had premiered on Fox, in 1989, prime-time television was somewhat lacking in comedy. Despite a few bright spots such as Cheers and the barbed, happily crude Roseanne, the sitcom roost was ruled by didactic, saccharine family fare: The Cosby Show, Full House, Growing Pains, Family Matters. Of the last—the show that gave the world Urkel—Tom Shales piously declared in The Washington Post, “A decent human being would have a hard time not smiling.” It was on this wan entertainment landscape that The Simpsons planted its flag. Prime time had not seen an animated sitcom since The Flintstones, in the 1960s, and the Christmas special with which The Simpsons debuted made clear that Springfield and Bedrock were separated by more than just a few millennia. In “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire,” Homer takes a job as a department-store Santa after the family’s emergency money is spent on tattoo removal for Bart. Following a motivational chat from Bart on the nature of Christmas miracles on television—meta-commentary was a Simpsons hallmark from the start—Homer risks his earnings at the track, on a dog named Santa’s Little Helper. When the dog comes in dead last, the family adopts him. While the ending sounds a tad cheesy, and it was, the seeds had been planted: up against impossible odds, and one another, the family ultimately bonded together and overcame. And the gags were solid: Homer is despondent at the length of his children’s Christmas pageant; a tattoo artist unquestioningly accepts 10-year-old Bart as an adult; the family’s Christmas decorations are clearly pathetic in contrast to the Flanders family’s next door. Critical reaction was nearly unanimous. “Couldn’t be better . . . not only exquisitely weird but also as smart and witty as television gets,” raved the Los Angeles Times. “Why would anyone want to go back to Growing Pains ?” asked USA Today. What followed is one of the most astounding successes in television history. The Simpsons went on to be a ratings and syndication winner for 18 years, and has grossed Fox sums of money measuring in the billions. It has won 23 Emmys and a Peabody Award, and was named the best TV show of all time by Time magazine in 1999. (The magazine also named Bart one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. “[Bart] embodies a century of popular culture and is one of the richest characters in it. One thinks of Chekhov, Celine, Lenny Bruce,” the writer cooed.) But the most telling accolade is that The Simpsons is TV’s longest-running sitcom ever, outlasting The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ’s 14 seasons. Not surprisingly, given its success, The Simpsons has spawned many imitators and opened doors for new avenues of animated comedy. Directly or indirectly, the show sired Beavis and Butt-head, King of the Hill, Futurama, Family Guy, Adult Swim, and South Park, which, nearly a decade after Bart’s boastful underachieving, managed to regenerate a familiar cacophony of ratings, merchandise, and controversy when it premiered, in 1997. (The controversial label was perhaps deserved. Bart’s greatest sin has been sawing the head off the statue of the town’s founder; last year, on South Park, Cartman tried to exterminate the Jews.) “It’s like what sci-fi fans say about Star Trek: it created an audience for that genre,” says Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy. “I think The Simpsons created an audience for prime-time animation that had not been there for many, many years. As far as I’m concerned, they basically re- invented the wheel. They created what is in many ways—you could classify it as—a wholly new medium. It’s just wholly original.” “ The Simpsons is the bane of our existence,” says Matt Stone, co-creator of South Park with Trey Parker. “They have done so many parodies, tackled so many subjects. ‘ Simpsons did it!’ is a very familiar refrain in our writers’ room. Trey and I are constantly having our little cartoon compared to the best show in the history of television, The Simpsons. Why can’t we be compared to According to Jim ? Or Sister, Sister ?” Not that there aren’t some debits on The Simpsons ’ ledger—for every King of the Hill, there was a Fish Police and a Critic. But over 18 years, The Simpsons has been so influential, it is difficult to find any strain of television comedy that does not contain its DNA. And yet the show’s footprint is so much larger. Homer’s signature “D’oh!” has been added to the Oxford English Dictionary. There’s a “Simpsons and Philosophy” course at Berkeley (for credit), not to mention the hundreds of published academic articles with The Simpsons as their subject. Even conservatives have come around. “It’s possibly the most intelligent, funny, and even politically satisfying TV show ever,” wrote the National Review in 2000. “ The Simpsons celebrates many . . . of the best conservative principles: the primacy of family, skepticism about political authority. . . . Springfield residents pray and attend church every Sunday.” Next to pornography, no single subject may have as many Web sites and blogs dedicated to its veneration. The Simpsons has permeated our vernacular, the way we tell jokes, and how our storytellers practice their craft. If you look around, you can see the evidence, but as with any truly powerful cultural force, you can never see it all—it’s buried too deep. Such lofty significance was never the goal of Matt Groening, a native of Portland, Oregon, who, with writing aspirations, moved to L.A. in 1977, at the age of 23, immersing himself in the punk-rock scene and working on novels. He was freshly graduated from Evergreen State College, a hippie school in Olympia, Washington, with no grades, exams, or required classes. After several menial jobs, he began recording his disgust with life in L.A. in a comic strip, Life in Hell, which he sent to his friends back home and distributed at the record shop Licorice Pizza, where he found work behind the counter. The strip featured deeply cynical, existential ruminations from a bunny named Binky, his illegitimate, one-eared son, Bongo, and a fez-wearing gay couple—who may or may not be identical twins—named Jeff and Akbar. It found its way into the Los Angeles Reader and then LA Weekly, in 1986, and eventually caught the attention of James L. Brooks, writer-producer of Taxi and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and writer-director of the film Terms of Endearment, among others. Gary Panter, friend of Matt Groening’s, cartoonist: The people I knew who were doing the mini-comics at the earliest were Matt, Lynda Barry, me. . . . Matt’s earliest comics were about language. . . . He did a whole series of Life in Hell called “Forbidden Words.” He would just name all these phrases that were overused in culture and forbid them from being used again. His comics were very ambitious, and his drawings very simple, but beautifully designed; it has clarity, and Matt’s a great writer, and understands human psychology. James Vowell, founding editor, Los Angeles Reader: Matt was always trying to sell Life in Hell as an idea to me for a weekly cartoon in the paper. He’d draw these little pictures on paper napkins . . . and occasionally I’d say, “Matt, why don’t you make that chin a little smaller.” He didn’t need me to edit his cartoons, I guarantee you. . . . They became super popular almost immediately. Polly Platt, production designer, Terms of Endearment: I was nominated for an Academy Award for Terms of Endearment, and I wanted to give Jim Brooks a thank-you gift. [Matt] did a cartoon called “Success and Failure in Hollywood.” So I called Matt and I bought the original. [Jim] was thrilled! He just laughed and laughed, and hung it up on his wall in his office. It was a brilliant cartoon. Success and failure come out to exactly the same thing in the cartoon. I think it’s people shooting each other. The Simpsons in their overbite-y, earliest incarnation. Courtesy of Fox. My suggestion to Jim was that I thought it would be great to do a TV special on the characters that Matt had already drawn; I never envisioned anything like The Simpsons. At the time, Brooks was looking for a cartoon short to place before commercials as minute-long “bumpers” on The Tracey Ullman Show, a sketch-comedy series that Barry Diller, then C.E.O. of Fox Inc., had asked him to produce in 1987 for the new and struggling Fox network. Jay Kogen, writer-producer, The Tracey Ullman Show (1987–89), The Simpsons (1989–93): They really wanted Life in Hell. But Matt was making a good bit of money on mugs and calendars from Life in Hell, and Fox wanted to own the whole thing. He said, “I won’t sell you this. But I have this other family, called The Simpsons, that you can have.” And then he proceeded to draw something on a napkin that legend has it he just made up on the spot. And they said, “O.K., we’ll do that!” Polly Platt: What’s funny now, because he’s so rich, is that I was driving home from my office at Paramount, very shortly after that, and I saw Matt sitting at the bus stop. He didn’t even have a car. I had no idea he was so poor. I stopped my car and said hello and offered him a ride. We were going in different directions, or he was too proud, or whatever. Art Spiegelman, Pulitzer Prize–winning cartoonist, Maus: I pleaded with Matt and advised him strongly from my elder-statesman position to not work with Fox. “Whatever you do, don’t work with those guys! They’re gangsters! They’re gonna take your rights away!” He’s never let me forget it. How to Eat Like a Minnesotan (Don't Cha Know!) We've brought together the Hall of Fame foods and dishes that have defined our eating landscape. Not to brag, but it's a heckuva list. Photography by Jimmy Eagle at Blue Ox Mpls. Tater tot. There was a moment in the most recent season finale of the television version of Fargo that struck me. While a group gathers around a holiday table in modern Eden Prairie, someone remarks that they’ve forgotten the salad in the fridge. Ewan McGregor goes to get it, and when he opens the fridge door, for just a second, we are treated to a backlit shot of a ruby-red Jell-O dome. I guffawed and pondered: How many people understood that that was the salad he was sent to get? How many who were laughing with me across the country had ties to Minnesota? We are the land of Betty Crocker and SPAM, and while some people think we all believe ketchup is a spice, plenty of others have eaten fresh fish from our lakes and artisan bread from our millers and know that food matters to us. Perhaps some of our food traditions in the Northland are weird, what with holiday fish cooked in lye and burgers with cheese on the inside, but they are ours. And cripes and criminy, we defend them. I sometimes wonder what the staff at the letters desk of The New York Times muttered under their breath when they fully realized the tenor and strength of our response to the paper’s 2014 assignation of grape salad as the iconic Minnesota Thanksgiving dish. What became known around here as #Grapegate elicited some 10,000 e-mails and comments to the Times, calling it out for its shoddy reporting and spurring multiple national news stories on the backlash. We may eat weird food, but gosh, at least get that weird food right. Though we did find out one thing: When you take the state that produces the most turkeys in the nation and operated the largest grain mill in the world for 60 years, and you smugly, blithely give it a wreck of a dish that no one will be eating at any Thanksgiving ever, that’s the actual end of Minnesota Nice. As I think about this coming January, when a million or so people will descend on our fair state for the Super Bowl, I know some of them will be wondering what to eat in Minnesota. New York comedian Mo Rocca recently landed in Bemidji and tweeted out that exact query, and the responses from locals here and expatriated were what you’d think: hotdish, walleye, wild rice, Heggies pizza, and so on. And that’s when it hit me. While we see Minnesota food lists regularly pop up from Food Network, USA Today, and other national outlets, who better than we, the eaters, to really drill down on those Minnesota foods? It’s one thing to mention Lutheran binder as a regional colloquialism, it’s entirely another to have cranked open a can of cream of mushroom soup for the first hotdish you brought to the Homecoming potluck when you were 16 (guilty). Food culture is, of course, a fluid thing that ebbs and flows with the influx of new humans who bring their own flavors and edible traditions to our tables. When this story is rewritten in 20 years, there will likely be the addition of pho and banh mi to the list, so woven have they become in our current eating landscape. This makes us happy, just as it does to see our current chefs looking back to the traditions of our past and finding a way to bring them into the future. To best set the path on where we’re going, it’s helpful to know where we’ve been, even if that means ketchup as a spice. See you around the booya. Tater tot hotdish. Chef Yia Vang's Hotdish with tater tots topping a coconut milk and Hmong sausage mix. It's got a kick, then. Hotdish. First of all, it’s not hot dish—it’s hotdish, one word. That’s an important distinction, as there are plenty of hot dishes in town, but only hotdish can really call up the culinary warm blanket of the soul. In other towns it might be known as casserole, but let’s be clear: “Casserole” really just refers to the shallow baking dish, while hotdish is a meal and a means of comfort and survival. What we’re talking about here is a pan, preferably 9-by- 13, bubbling with a hodgepodge of starch (noodles or potatoes), veggies (maybe green beans or peas), a bit of protein, and a binder. That binder, which holds it all together, is commonly cream of mushroom soup (also known as Lutheran binder), though the cream is more important than the mushroom in that equation. It’s all baked together, preferably topped with a crisp tater tot lid floating on the molten love, and usually served to you by nice ladies in a church basement, at a neighborhood potluck, or right into your hot little hands at the screen door because your hubby slipped on the icy driveway, throwing out his back, and well, jeez, you gotta eat. Hotdish is how we show love. It’s so tied to our food identity that Senator Al Franken does a bang-up job of repping it at our nation’s capital, hosting an annual Hotdish Off in Washington, D.C., that is a coveted invite for political elites. In town, you’ll find plenty of hotdish gatherings, such as the Holland neighborhood’s annual Hotdish Revolution, which is going on 13 years strong and proudly displays a sea of accomplished pans and Pyrex. We even had a critically acclaimed restaurant known as HauteDish, which redefined the meal for a new generation, deconstructing it with gorgeous braised short ribs, snappy green beans, and potato croquettes in the shape of huge tots. Though that restaurant recently closed, it opened our hearts to the possibilities of the food from our past and spurred plenty of local cooks to take a look at what hotdish could be. Whatever you do, just don’t call it casserole. Go Get: A soul-satisfying classic version is being served in personal cast-iron skillets down in Eagan at Mason Jar. It’s so good and hearty that you’ll forgive them for calling it hot dish. themasonjar.us. Local Maker: While you’re getting your hotdish protein hand-butchered for you at France 44 Cheese and Meat Shop, make sure you check the case for its housemade tots. Those beauties crisp up real nice under a broiler. france44.com. Red Sox bring back good memories for Ruben Amaro Jr. The Red Sox team for which he now coaches first base is similar to the Phillies team he once ran. Young, hungry, home-grown players in a big market are something Ruben Amaro Jr. knows about. Amaro’s home-grown Phillies became World Series champions, then lost the Series the following year. While the 2016 Red Sox haven’t gone that far yet, they seem on their way. And Amaro loves the comparison. “It says a lot about the scouting and player development and how well they’ve done,” said Amaro, who spent nine seasons as the Phillies’ general manager after 10 seasons as assistant GM. “Not only do they have good young players at major league level, but the tone they’re setting at the minor league level is pretty special. These guys come to the big leagues and they know what they’re doing. They know how to play. And there’s a nice continuity throughout the organization and I’m impressed by that.” Amaro credits Ed Wade , who was the GM when the Phillies’ core was just getting together, for not dealing them. Ryan Howard , Jimmy Rollins , Chase Utley , Carlos Ruiz , and Cole Hamels were part of that young core. Amaro was assistant GM under Wade and then Hall of Famer Pat Gillick during those nurturing years. The players became All-Stars, and then Amaro had to break up the core group as the players got older. But Amaro felt the pride of bringing up home-grown players, along with the benefits, including saving a lot of money at least early on. The Yankees did the same thing in developing Mariano Rivera , Bernie Williams , Jorge Posada , Derek Jeter , and Andy Pettitte , and it resulted in five World Series championships. The Royals were patient with their core of young players, and it paid off with a World Series championship in 2015, after being runner-up in 2014. It’s always been the smartest way of building a team, yet it’s so hard to find the right core. Which is why we’re paying so much attention to the Red Sox and Cubs in 2016. When the Red Sox have Blake Swihart in left field, they have an entire home-grown defensive lineup. The Sox also have home-grown Clay Buchholz and Matt Barnes , and technically Junichi Tazawa has only been with the Red Sox in the United States. That’s 11 home-grown Red Sox on the 25-man roster. Guys who came up together. Guys who have a bond. Guys who are forever linked. Amaro certainly tried to pry some of the players he now coaches away from the Red Sox in an effort to sell off Hamels, but former Sox GM Ben Cherington never bit. “Being patient is the hardest part, in a big market especially,” said Amaro. “We had teams coming at us for Ryan, Rollins, Utley, Ruiz, and to Ed Wade’s credit he didn’t trade anyone. I think we had such a solid up-the-middle, and that was the backbone of our team. We also had a top pitcher in Hamels.” Amaro noticed similarities between the Red Sox and his former Phillies the moment he set foot in spring training. “I’m impressed with how engaged the young players are,” Amaro said. “Their engagement carried on during the season. It’s not just about getting hits, it’s about running the bases properly, playing good defense, doing things the right way. Hopefully that continues.” Amaro believes the core of a good team is built up the middle, and the Red Sox have that with Christian Vazquez , Xander Bogaerts , Jackie Bradley Jr. , and Mookie Betts . “In Philly, arguably we had the best first baseman, best second baseman, best shortstop, best catcher at times, and a starting pitcher in our organization’s history,” said Amaro. “You line that up on what’s here [in Boston] and it’s not all that dissimilar to what we could have here.” And then there’s the bonding of home-grown talent. “When you’re pulling on the same side of the rope, that goes a long way,” Amaro said. “Ben Cherington deserves a lot of credit putting this together. Theo [ Epstein ] set the tone just like Eddie Wade did for the Phillies then.” Amaro, like everyone else in Red Sox Nation, is curious about where it all goes. He thinks he’s seeing what he once saw in Philly. He likes how it’s starting. Burks recalls years in Boston. Ellis Burks is a special assistant to Rockies GM Jeff Bridich and is traveling with the team. Burks, 51, had a career that spanned 18 seasons, including seven with the Red Sox. He also played for the White Sox, Rockies, Indians, and Giants. Burks was a career .291 hitter with 352 homers, 1,206 RBIs, and an .874 OPS. He played in 2,000 games and had 2,107 hits. He won one Gold Glove. After playing his first six seasons in Boston, the Red Sox let him go because of back problems. “I never wanted to leave,” said Burks this past week while in town. “After the White Sox put me on a back program, I never had a problem with my back again. I wish I could have spent my entire career here.” Burks has managerial aspirations, and his current role may be preparing him. But for now, Burks is excited about the Rockies’ future because “we have some pitching in Double A and Triple A that I think is going to be really good for us as an organization.” A few weeks ago, I compared Mookie Betts to a young Burks, and Betts decided to introduce himself this past week. “What a great kid,” Burks said. “He mentioned to me that [he reminds people]of me. But wow, what an athlete he is. He’s just a phenomenal athlete who can do anything on the baseball field. I always point him out to my son because he has such quick hands.” The Rockies, like the Red Sox, have had trouble developing pitching. It’s also been difficult to sign free agent pitchers who don’t want to pitch at Coors Field. Even 2013 first-round pick Jon Gray , who defeated the Red Sox on Thursday, told the Denver Post in January, “I feel like my road numbers are good. But here [at Coors], they’re really bad. If I can just . . . I don’t know if it’s setting my sights on pitches or what, but I have to make a change fast. I have to pitch here.” Burks expects the team will get over the hump in terms of pitching. Burks got a kick out of showing Rockies outfielders how to play balls off the Green Monster. The direction balls took off the Wall was often how Burks predicted, which shows that playing the Wall hasn’t changed a lot. Burks is hoping that his son, Chris , who plays for Arizona Christian University, will get drafted in June. Burks said his son is smaller than him and is a lefthanded-hitting center fielder who can run well. Apropos of nothing. 1. The numbers associated with the Red Sox that are really impressive? Those of groundskeeper Dave Mellor . He’s had 43 surgeries, including a knee replacement, hip replacement, four back fusions, a pin in his foot, and a pin in his hand, all the result of when a deranged woman drove into County Stadium in Milwaukee, where Mellor was the groundskeeper, and ran him over in 1981. He was in severe pain for years, but Mellor is finally feeling better. The reason? A medtronic spinal cord stimulator, which was introduced to him by Dr. Jeff Arle at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. “There’s a lead wire that attaches to my spinal cord and a little pacemaker implanted into my skin so I can send out electrical impulses [with a remote control] that interrupts the pain signal from the time it happens to the time it gets to my brain,” explained Mellor. “The stimulator has been life-changing. I’m the luckiest guy in the world.” 2. The last pitcher to defeat Jake Arrieta in the regular season? Cole Hamels , then of the Phillies, and he had to throw a no-hitter to do it. Hamels is now with the Rangers, who face the Cubs after the All-Star break, and it could be high drama if Arrieta’s streak (20-0 with a 1.05 ERA since the loss) is intact. Of course, Hamels also has been pretty successful. He was 12-0 with a 3.04 ERA in his last 19 starts heading into the weekend. 3. David Freese has taken well to being a platoon player with the Pirates, playing some third and first base. Would the Pirates consider dealing him to the Royals with Mike Moustakas now out for the season? 4. If you think Bryce Harper and Mike Trout are the two best players in the game, it’s eerie how close their numbers are. Entering the weekend, Harper’s OPS was .972 to Trout’s .962. They both had 32 RBIs. Harper had 12 homers to Trout’s 10. And Trout was slugging .557 to Harper’s .545. 5. From April 24 (the start of Jackie Bradley Jr.’s 29-game hitting streak) to the start of play on May 27 (the day after it ended), the batter with the most hits in the majors was Xander Bogaerts with 49 (.383 bating average), followed by Marcell Ozuna (.404) and Daniel Murphy with 46 (.387), and Bradley with 44 (.400). 6. Chris Colabello is working out in extended spring training in Dunedin, Fla., while serving his 80-game suspension for PED use. Updates on nine. 1. Rich Hill , LHP, Athletics — Hill’s amazing resurgence continues. He’s 7-3 with a 2.18 ERA and has become one of the leading “gets” at the trade deadline. At the time GM Billy Beane acquired him, many wondered how he could give a guy who had four good games last September (2- 1, 1.55 ERA) for Boston a $6 million deal. Now, if the A’s aren’t cutting it by the deadline, and because there isn’t much out there for established pitchers who can help a contender, Beane can flip the 36-year-old Hill for a decent prospect or two. Is a return to Boston a possibility? “Honestly, I haven’t heard a thing about a trade,” Hill said. But he will. 2. Ryan Braun , OF, Brewers — “He’s the hot name out there,” said one National League scout. Braun is having an outstanding year, seemingly all the way back from PED disgrace and the subsequent reduction of his numbers. Which team could benefit from the righthanded, middle-of-the- order bat? The scout thought the Astros, Cardinals, Red Sox, Phillies, Mets, Giants, and White Sox were good fits. Braun is in the first year of a five-year, $105 million extension. 3. Hector Santiago , LHP, Angels — Santiago’s name has popped up as possible trade bait if the Angels are out of the race. He has struggled in his last two starts and is far from an ideal acquisition. If there’s an uptick in his results soon, Santiago could gain popularity closer to the deadline. 4. Matt Moore , LHP, Rays — According to a major league source, the Rays aren’t interested in dealing any of their starting pitchers for a hitter, but they would listen on Moore in the type of deal that would bring back a major league player and a good minor league piece. The development of Blake Snell and the possible late-summer return of Alex Cobb are reasons the Rays could part with a starter. 5. Jay Bruce , RF, Reds — The Reds are open for business and Bruce is available. They want quite a bit for him, which will limit the interest, but there are plenty of teams (including the Royals, Phillies, Cardinals, and Mets) looking for a lefthanded bat. 6. Carlos Gonzalez , OF, Rockies — “Cargo” is another intriguing bat that could be had for the right price. Recently, ESPN’s Jim Bowden saw the Red Sox as a great fit for him. Another talent evaluator seconded Bowden’s choice. “Their offense is cranking right now, but there’s an outfield position there that could possibly be enhanced if the Red Sox don’t think Brock Holt or Blake Swihart or Chris Young are the answer,” said the evaluator. “They might be. But Cargo fits them as a top all-around player with power.” 7. Yasiel Puig , OF, Dodgers — When Dave Roberts was hired as manager, this reporter suggested that if anyone could get through to Puig, it would be Roberts. Well, it started well but recently had a hiccup when Puig was benched for dogging it on a ground ball. Puig is still an enigma, but it appears this was a fork in the road — either Puig, who said all of the right things after the benching, learns from it, or he continues on a path that will eventually get him traded. “I think Dave Roberts will get to him,” predicted one NL player who knows Roberts well. “When Dave looks you in the eye and talks to you like a father, you can’t help but take it to heart. I think Puig will respond to the benching in a positive way.” 8. Justin Upton , OF, Tigers — One guy who hasn’t given up on Upton is Tigers manager Brad Ausmus . I asked Ausmus what he thought the reason was for Upton’s poor start. He said, “There are no hard theories. He got off to a really bad start and is pressing a little now. Great guy. He’s working hard and keeping a great attitude.” Is he pressing because of his six-year, $132.75 million contract? Ausmus didn’t think Upton’s start had anything to do with moving to a new league, but he’s certainly been a drain on the lineup. Upton, who missed time with a quadriceps injury, had a .223 average with two homers, 10 RBIs, and a .589 OPS entering the weekend. 9. Wade Boggs , 3B, retired — Boggs is still trying to work out a role with the Red Sox going forward. That could include anything from making personal appearances to taking advantage of his hitting expertise and working like Jason Varitek and Pedro Martinez do in the farm system. Extra innings. From Bill Arnold’s goodie bag: “When Marlins outfielder Ichiro Suzuki recorded four hits in a game against the Nationals on May 21 at the age of 42 years, 212 days, he became the seventh-oldest major leaguer over the last 100 years to accomplish the feat. The only older players to do so were Pete Rose (45 years, 119 days), Sam Rice (44, 138), Carlton Fisk (43, 115), Honus Wagner (43, 109), Carl Yastrzemski (42, 286) and Rickey Henderson (42, 273).” . . . Happy birthday, Mike Stenhouse (58) and John “Super Sub” Kennedy (75).