Cubs' Collapse Caps Wildest Day of 2023 Season

This newsletter features two baseball things I've never seen before, and one recurring nightmare.

Seiya Suzuki drops an easy fly ball with two out in the 8th, allowing the tying and winning runs to score in a game the Cubs had to win to keep control of the final wild-card spot. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images))

Hi friends-

Before we get started on the bonkers baseball from yesterday, we have a few housekeeping items. First, the Lab this Saturday (Sept. 30) is canceled, as I will be attending my niece’s fifth birthday party. The Lab the following Saturday (Oct. 7) is also canceled, as I will be traveling to Atlanta for the NLDS.

Second, many of you emailed me after Chevalier’s sold out (!) of the dozens of copies of my book that they brought to the Wilshire Ebell event, and then I didn’t have any to bring to the Harlan Records hangout in S.F. the next day. (Writers are not good at logistics, but you continue to blow me away with your support!)

Anyway, I got a new box of books from my publisher, ready to sign and personalize and mail out to you. They are $35 each, because the USPS now charges $10 to mail a book. (L.A. people: I’m considering turning into an Amazon delivery fairy and just dropping them around town LOL).

All of this is to say, if you would like to purchase a copy of my book for yourself or someone else, just respond to this email or let me know. Also, some people have told me they have emailed me at my Substack address and I don’t respond. This is because I was unaware until this week that I have a Substack email address. Don’t email me there. Email me at besteambook@gmail.com if you ever need me!

Also, reader Steve emailed me this week because he wanted to buy a subscription for his daughter and he couldn’t figure out how to do that because I don’t have a “gift subscription” button anywhere. (Again, me and logistics.) So if you’d like to gift someone a subscription to the Long Game before the playoffs begin so they can join the daily chats and newsletter madness and also become my best friend, you can do so here:

Some people have told me that they would like to buy a subscription but simply can’t afford it. Most of these people are students or artists or seniors on fixed incomes. If you would like to donate a gift anonymously to one of these deserving friends, you can also do that with the link above.

Finally, if you’re loathe to sign up for another subscription service and want to just Venmo or PayPal me directly, you can do that as well! Just email me and I’ll give to instructions on what to do next. <3

Whew. Alright. Let’s get to the baseball!

I should have known we were in for One of Those Nights when my phone started buzzing with “oh my god “ and “oh no” and “put on the cubs game RIGHT NOW!!!” around 7 pm last night. I was out walking Canelo and assumed that like, Justin Steele got hit in the face with a line drive and would miss the rest of the season.

Reader, it was worse.