Even though the wrong team won it all in 2006, it was a great year for me as a writer, or rather a significant year. I began the season with a trip to Phoenix for the inaugural World Baseball Classic. I wrote about the experience for an extant publication and as we near the first pitch (March 3) I’ll post about the experience and how it shaped the blog.

A couple weeks later I returned to the Valley for my second, Cactus League adventure and while there I learned about the Arizona Fall League. It wasn’t long after returning to a cold Chicago March, that I began my search for freelance gigs and lodging.

During the summer, I attended my first MWL All-Star game in Davenport, Iowa. While I didn’t partake of the press box during the game, I did have media credentials and wrote a half dozen feature stories and established my bona fides within the community.

I’d like to think that my writing and interviewing skills have improved in the ensuing twenty year, but I’m not so sure. However, the early experience in March and eventual writing of the story gave me confidence to pursue this odd avocation of mine.