In the course of research for my “World Series Games According To Video Games” series, which died thanks to the existence of something called “the weekend,” I discovered this image:

That is the logo for the “Mario Sunshines,” the team captained by Mario which you face in the one-player story mode of Mario Superstar Baseball for the Nintendo Gamecube, released in 2005. Compare and contrast:

Obviously, the person who designed the new Marlins’ logo either never played Mario Superstar Baseball or played the crap out of it. Either way, when viewed through this light, I have to say, I’m much more supportive of the Marlins’ new choice of logos. Go Fighting Super Marios!

Not suitable for work — or so says “society.”

I’ll begin this piece by directing the reader’s attention — if he hasn’t directed it there yet himself — to Ryan Campbell’s two-part interview with Oakland right-hander and 2011 AL FIP leader Brandon McCarthy from Friday. While there are a number of things to enjoy about the McCarthy-Campbell piece, the most notable for our purposes is McCarthy’s sense of self-awareness and his capacity both for understanding and articulating what it is that makes him successful (and, conversely, what has caused him to fail in the past).

While McCarthy’s voice is an entirely welcome one in these pages, he — and the interview in which he participates — are exceptional specifically because this sort of self-awareness and -understanding appear to be rare in baseball.

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Based on the comments from Thursday’s Kulturkampf, I’d be remiss not to address Scott Feldman’s “positively rabbinic red beard.”

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It is a fact that I am too old and stupid to play Little League, but, lo, how I want to play Little League for Coach Ballgame! Why do I want to play Little League for Coach Ballgame? Because he contains multitudes. Because he is beautiful …

Yes, Coach Ballgame, I have seen “Red Shoe Diaries.” How else may I win your favor?

The Yankees may not have won the World Series, but, as ‘Da Post hastens to remind us, fans of same will kill your face if you happen to be a bloodthirsty, coconuts Pan-Arab despot …

And, as democratic upheavals shake the Middle East down to the bones, it’s worth remembering that Alex Rodriguez remains a big, fat jerk who poops his pants.

This has been your Daguerreotype of the Evening.

Ever since seeing him inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009, it’s been a dream of mine to meet Rickey Henderson and invite him over for tea and pie. Last week, my dream was finally realized. As you can see, Rickey had a really awesome time at my house!

Rickey don’t buy into that Bill James nonesense.

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The FanGraphs-reading baseball nerd doesn’t just beat you, the two-time defending champion, in fantasy baseball. No, he beats you, and more; he goes that extra mile. Today, at NotGraphs, we celebrate the commitment, and considerable street and lyrical talents, of one Mike Cook.

Mr. Cook, thank you. It’s no coincidence your initials are, of course, M.C. The floor is yours …

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While the operating assumption is that most old-tyme base-ballists — at least those born right-wise — all looked like Blast Furnace O’Dwyer, recent curated images suggest this is not the case. In point of fact, some who played alongside the Boileryard Clarkes of our hoary past looked not unlike scaly, foreboding lizard-squires with eyes the size of large eyes. Please click and embiggen for lucky-best evidence!:

No doubt, you’ve heard your grandpappy drone on that “An otherwise blackhearted, upright tautara-man would’ve made that play! You should’ve seen those bleedin’ eyes they had!” Now you’ll know that it wasn’t just the scotch, medications and fast-approaching abyss talking.

(HT: The Internet)

What emotion is the Cards’ skipper feeling right now?

During the first game of the world series, the booth had a chance to talk to Tony La Russa about emoting in the dugout. They pointed out that Ron Washington had a much more expressive style and asked the Cardinals manager about his emotional state.

To paraphrase the stoic response (delivered with a smirk), La Russa said that he was broiling on the inside. And that Washington’s style (“when you do something good, show your emotions“) was fine as long as it came from a genuine place.

Popular psychology has a preference for emoting. The American Pyschological Association states that anger “turned inward may cause hypertension, high blood pressure, or depression.” Recent medical research even suggests that a single tear can help reduce allergies and reduce pain from arthritis — and maybe even help regulate the immune system.

What do our psychological cornerstones have to say on the subject? Would they want La Russa to emote more?

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When Lil’ Wayne was 16 he bought his first Mercedes-Benz, and when I was 8 I bought my first baseball cards: a crisp pack of ’97 Bowman.  A magical summer later (and almost a magical fall, until Edgar Rentaria broke my young Cleveland area-heart) I was hooked on the stuff, this particular set becoming a sentimental favorite.   Throughout the years I have come close to acquiring the complete set (the crown jewel being Jaret Wright’s RC, which I bought for twenty bucks at a card convention the March before the 1998 season*), but stopped when I discovered girls and drugs and D.H. Lawrence and stuff.

*Fun Fact: The Indians turned down a Jaret Wright-Pedro Martinez swap at  the exact moment I made this purchase.

Why am I thinking about this today?  Because when I did collect cards, I used to look at them – a lot – and one card that keeps popping into my head as I watch this World Series is Lance Berkman’s RC, an image I could never shake because of how goofy it is: Berkman, with that trademark boyish smile, leaning on a beat-up white truck (?) in the parking lot (?) of the Astrodome. 

This was a much simpler time in my life, a Wonder Years before all the teenage angst. 

Adrian Beltre’s RC card is somewhere in here too, and, although it’s not as memorable as Fat Elvis, it is charmingly awkward.  (Also, among his “Skills” listed on the back are the “classic wrists” of a future “HR machine”).

 On E-Bay you can get either one in pretty good condition for around 99 cents, while Jaret Wright’s card is gonna cost you at least a cool dollar – ADVANTAGE: Cleveland.