bronx banter showed me the way to a tom boswell WaPo chat. mostly gnats stuff, which (other than having a disaffected fantasy baseball rooting interest in livan hernandez, brad wilkerson, and ugh, jose guillen) doesn't interest me much, and i still think the fixation on the state of yankees clubhouse is silly: winning breeds chemistry, not the other way around... but boswell is delightful, even if he can't spell.

some highlights:

Woodbridge, Va.: If you can spell Cabrera, why can't you spell bEdard correctly?

Tom Boswell: I can't spell anything correctly. I was taught the phoenetics (?) method in D.C. public elementary schools. (See, I can't even spell that.) It was later determined to be a complete disaster as a spelling methodology. My spelling is so bad that one editor once kept a COLLECTION of my more amazing mistakes.


Silver Spring, Md.: Does Peter Angelos realize the key to having a successful franchise is to put on a great and ultimately competitive product instead of blaming other forces and the Nationals for his shortcomings? As a diehard Orioles fan growing up, Mr. Angelos is truly upsetting me and giving me not much of a choice but to root for the Nationals.

The territorial argument, does not highlight the crux of the bigger issue -- the team has not been competitive, a lot of long time fans have no one to relate and they are turning away...

Tom Boswell: Can I quote you?


Cheltenham, Md.: I'm going to watch "Damn Yankees" to help get in the mood for baseball this weekend, not that I need it. What's your favorite baseball movie of all time. Mine would probably be "Field of Dreams."

Tom Boswell: I have a copy of "Damn Yankees" because my boyhood hero -- Roy Sievers is shown TWICE in the movie hitting home runs in old Griffith Stadium. He's "No. 2" for Washington and is, supposedly, the Joe Hardy character (the hero). I always know where to go to get a Sievers fix.

Favorite movie -- by a million miles -- is "Bull Durham." Sorry, but I absolutely HATE "Field of Dreams." It epitomizes every sentimental fake-poetic piece of crap ever written or filmed about baseball. Kinsella is an idiot. (He doesn't even like baseball anymore.) Okay, he's not an idiot. But my views, temperament are very much from the gritty, funny, hard-nosed (and sexy) "Bull Durham" view of what the game really is up close. "Field" is for the third-tier poets like that guy Donald Hall. heh, heh, got that off my chest. :-)


Allendale, N.J.: How will the Yankees do this year with all the changes they have made and will the rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox be just as intense?

Tom Boswell: As usual, they will win 101 games and lose in the post-season. Great talent. Lotta age. They get worn down by 162 games. And poor clubhouse chemistry, despite Torre. No October MAGIC left in that clubhouse. Just the opposite now, in fact.


Takoma Park, Md.: As a displaced Mets fan, and rooting a bit for the Nats (which might be a problem). How do you feel the Mets will do this year? Thanks.

Tom Boswell: Overrated. Just like every spring of my adult life.

But Willie Randolph is one of my favorites. I always ask him every year, "Are the %$#^&@'s calling you for managing interviews yet?"


Washington, D.C.: Tom, do you have any real understanding of how Alex Rodriguez is meshing with his teammates? Is he truly imperious and aloof, and not liked? Or is that mostly malicious gossip?

Tom Boswell: Mostly malicious gossip. But his preference for 19th-century French Impressionist art work in his home doesn't always mesh with the gun racks on some Yankee trucks.


Fairfax, Va.: Isn't rooting for two baseball teams the same as having two wives?

Tom Boswell: Yes. And what a fascinating concept!

mike lupica should do one of those. with yankee fans. it'd guaranteed fun for the whole family.