Go For Three

[Brad Jansen]

Well, the Torns have lost A-Rod for 6-8 weeks. No sarcastic e-mails yet, so Jeff Winick must still be sleeping.

This moment of crisis does remind me of Jeff, however: Springtime in Arizona. The wind is cool, but the sun can be hotter than a Vegas lap dancer (ooops…wrong roto league chat group…). Anyway, fate intervened since Jeff and I happened to be visiting our families in AZ at the same time (Jeff, of course, travelled first class with his spouse and children; unfortunately, and notwithstanding two first-place finishes, I travelled coach, alone. Who IS our league treasurer?). Jeffrey’s mommy let him go outside to play with me. We went to a ballgame at Scottsdale Stadium: Padres v. Giants. We talked about so many things; well, Jeff talked, but I really was listening. At one point, though, I had to ask him: "Jeff, you’re such a rich, successful and powerful man. You’re driven to win every challenge you accept. How has it been for you these last two years, especially since the Riptorns finished first?"

Jeffrey stopped applying his sunscreen, turned to look me square in the eye, and tried touching me in an inappropriate manner. "Brad Lee," he said, "In life, losers quit and quitters lose." He turned to watch the rest of the game and talked about pitchers’ arm angles and first-class air travel. I sat quietly, remembering the words he told me–the words Jeff lived by during the last two years. The game finished and Jeff and I went our separate ways (first class and coach, respectively). But his words stayed with me and I remembered them last night when I heard the news about A-Rod. And now, a song for you (courtesy Lennon-McCartney-Winick):

When Torns find themselves in times of trouble
Jeffrey’s words come back to me
Can we draft tomorrow
Go for three, go for three.

And in our draft of darkness
Jeffrey’s sitting right beside of me
There’s still Mariano
Go for three, go for three.

Go for three, go for three
Go for three, yeah, go for three
And there still will be Nomar
Go for three, go for three.

Thanks, Jeff. For everything. I hope we passed the audition.

[Author]

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