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Okay, so it's been a while since I've been on Y!A. Call it an extended hiatus. And I don't really recognize any names except a few. So I thought you could introduce yourselves and talk baseball while doing so! :D

1. Well, obviously, favorite team? Why? How are they doing so far?

2. How many ballparks have you been to? Which ones? Which is your favorite?

3. Did you ever play baseball or softball? Still do?

4. Most ridiculous trade rumor you've heard this year?

5. All-Star voting- like or hate?

6. Favorite player? Why?

7. If you could hang out with any player, past or present, who would it be and why?

BQ: How many jerseys/shirts/clothing and accessories of your team do you own? (:

Thanks for taking the survey! :D

This is just a supplementary little side story I came up with so I could try to understand my characters a little better. It's not supposed to have a plot really, it's just mainly dialogue. If it's a little wordy, I wasn't writing for others' eyes, it was mainly for my benefit. I'd just like to know what you think, so when I work on the main story, I can apply your critique.

Tired

Bastian looked at me with tired eyes. “Alex, I can’t do this anymore. What we can do, well, it’s so little. I’m tired of being the privileged Prince. I’m tired of having more food and clothing than I know what to do with, when I’ve spent time in the Lesser City’s slums. I’m tired of being in charge. I’m tired of having to make decisions, Alex. What am I supposed to do when a man is brought to me on Trial Day for theft of food for his four year old daughter and pregnant wife? And yet the storekeeper he stole the food from is just as impoverished as he is. He needs the coin for his own family.

“Alex, I had to judge him today. I had to fine the man who stole, when I wish I could have given him all the food in the kitchens, and given the storekeeper enough coin to keep his store going for another year. I feel like I’m not doing enough. I’m just so tired.”

As usual, we were in my room. I was at my desk by the window, copying out maps.

When Bastian had come in wearily and collapsed onto my bed, I had thought that maybe the late nights and long days were starting to catch up to him. Now I began to think that the irregular hours were the least of Bastian’s troubles.

I set aside the map and looked at him, really looked at him.

To my blind eye, he looked thinner than he used to. Good looking, of course. He always had been. But sharper around the cheekbones, bags under his eyes. His blue eyes were as stunning as they ever were, of course, but now they held a weariness and sadness they had never held before. And just his posture as he sat up communicated a bone-deep tiredness of the body and soul.

I hadn’t noticed before, and I was ashamed. In my defense, Bastian was a very good actor. Around others, he appeared as fearless and capable as always. Alone with me now, though, he had let down his guard. And I could have kicked myself for not seeing already how worn out he was.

That was just the physical aspect of it. With my Sight, I examined him. His aura, which was normally a soft glow of calming colors- blue, green, purple- was jagged. Flashes of energy spiked about his figure.

I was alarmed. Bastian was at his breaking point, and I, his cousin, his oldest friend, his confidante in all things, hadn’t seen it.

“Oh, Bastian,” I whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

He glanced at me, surprised. “What are you sorry about? I’m the one who should be apologizing to you, griping about my life when I know I’m so well off.” He gave me a small smile.

I could have cried. I left my desk and went to sit beside him on my bed as we had done as children.

“Bastian, don’t you know that even you deserve a break? Your job is far from easy, and you need a rest.”

He began to protest.

I shook my head. “Damn it, Bastian. You’re the only hope our kingdom has. You can’t drive yourself into the ground like this. Mat and I, we have our talents. Aster has his. You, now you. You’re the leader. People will follow you wherever you go. I would. So won’t you please understand that you’re the kindest, most just Prince anyone could wish for? You may feel like you don’t do enough, but you do all you can. It’s all we can do, Bast.”

He closed his eyes. “You flatter me.”

“I don’t,” I snapped. “I mean every word I say.”

I softened my tone as I continued, “Besides, don’t you know we’re in this together? Anytime it gets too much for you, you know that I’m here, and so is Mat. And Aster is only a ride away.”

He nodded. “I know. But- I’m still tired.”

He's microchipped, but not wearing tags.

We've already called the vet and they said they will give out his information to other vet's offices and some shelters. I walked around the neighborhood along our walk route, and he wasn't there. I'm thinking someone picked him up and let him in, because he's a small dog, and he really doesn't venture very far from our house, even when I'm with him.

Any suggestions as to what we can do?

Here's a short little survey. Hope you enjoy! :)

1) Honestly, I'm GLAD fans don't get to choose pitchers. I don't think we should even get to decide the starting position players, since it turns into a popularity contest.

However, IF you could choose a couple (or one) pitchers from each league, who would you choose and why?

Me, I want to see Neftali Feliz. He leads the AL with 20 saves right now, and he's fun to watch, since he gets his fastball into the triple digits.

2) Give your team a report card (ranging from A+ to F) for starting pitching, bullpen, defense, and offense.

3) Where are you in the standings? Better or worse than you expected?

4) Who is your team's current SUPER-PERFORMER? (i.e., Josh Hamilton for the Rangers, Miguel Cabrera for the Tigers, etc.)

5) NCAA baseball- better or worse than MLB games?

6) Fill in the blank: Ever since __________ got on/off the DL, my team has been ______________.

Hope you enjoyed! :D

1. We're about ten games into the season. How's your team been? Better than expected? Worse? Just about what you thought?

2. Houston fans- my condolences. But it's early. Where do you think you'll end up? And for those who aren't Astros fans, where do you think they'll end up anyway?

3. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being "not at all" and 10 being "bashing head against wall", how awful are rain delays?

4. Umpires have been making the news lately, and not for good things. How do you feel? Personally, I haven't run into trouble. Yet.

5. Are there any major changes within your team? How are they affecting you? (For example, a major change in the Phillies organization would be Halladay. The Rangers converted C.J. Wilson from a closer to a starter and lost Millwood. Curtis Granderson is with the Yankees and Matsui is with the Halos, etc.)

6. Thus far into the season, ______________ has not been producing, _________________ has been phenomenal, and ________________ needs to get off of the freaking DL.

7. It's raining hard. The groundscrew gets the tarp out. You know there is little chance of the game getting played. Do you go tarp sliding?

8. Have you ever been to Spring Training, either in Arizona or Florida? If so, how great was it? I loved it, but maybe it wasn't your cup of tea.

9. If you had the opportunity to ask your manager one question, what would he question be?

BQ: What is with the trolls?! >.<

1. What can you just NOT wait another second for?! For me, it's just seeing my boys trot out onto the field and play some ball. But any specific part?

2. Has your team made any additions? If so, what's your favorite?

3. Did you lose any significant players? I would've hated losing Halladay...

4. Will you be attending Opening Day? If so, are you missing work/school?

5. If you could go to any stadium's Opening Day, like, by teleportation, where would you go?

6. Fill in the blank: If baseball didn't exist, my life would be ________________________.

7. Did you ever play Little League ball? USSSA? PONY league? Or have you watched someone play one of those?

8. If you answered yes to 7, did you ever play down south? Like, Texas and Florida? It gets freaking intense.

9. Do you have any feel-good stories involving your team? If so, post a link here. I love sweet stories.

BQ: Since I don't know a lot of you (contacts! where are you???), what is your favorite team? Favorite player?

Hope you enjoy the survey. :D

I'm a little down in the dumps, because I haven't seen a baseball game in over three weeks. Not even Little League. So, to cheer me up, I came up with this survey! :D

1) On a scale of 1-10, how ready are you for the season to get started?

2) Your favorite player shows up on your doorstep in the middle of the night- what do you do?

3) Your least favorite player (who is undeniably good) comes to play for your team. Do you let bygones be bygones and accept him? Or do you still dislike him?

4) When I say 27, you think...

5) True or false: Baseball is better now than it was twenty years ago. (and why do you think so?)

6) Fill in the blank: If I didn't have ___________ during the offseason, I would ______________.

8) Sorry to change the subject, but who're you rooting for in the NFL playoffs?

9) What's your favorite part about baseball? Least favorite?

BQ: If you're an old contact of mine... How's life? :D

Okay guys... I haven't been on in a while, and I don't actually see ANYONE I recognize... T.T

Anyway, here's a survey... Hope you like it!

1) Are you having issues that spring training is months away?

2) How are YOU dealing with the absence of baseball? Watching football? Sulking in a corner? xD

3) Who was your team's ROY and MVP in 2009?

4) What are you looking forward to most next season?

5) Is baseball your favorite sport (to watch or play)? Or does football or soccer or some other sport take precedent?

6) You see your FAVORITE player in the world at the grocery store- what do you do?

BQ: Yankees won the World Series- were you heartbroken or thrilled?

Tonight...

~Mets 3B David Wright was hit in the head by Matt Cain and was hospitalized with a concussion

~Dodgers pitcher Hiroki Kuroda was hit in the head by a Rusty Ryal line drive and was also hospitalized.

~Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler, on the first day back from the DL is hit in the head with a pitch by Fernando Cabrera in the 8th inning. Kinsler remained in the game.

So... What are your thoughts on three different players being hit in the head on the same night?

And which was the most shocking to you?

BQ: If you were the pitcher whose teammate got hit in the head (by a pitch), how would you retaliate?

Okay... Lol I'm just kidding, it might not be a fantabulous survey... But at least it's not about Youk and Porcello.

1. Is your team contending? Why or why not? If not, are they rebuilding?

2. Is your team an older or younger team?

3. Does your team have a good farm system?

4. What prospect are you excited about?

5. If you don't know any prospects... What about your team excites you for the upcoming seasons? Is there a new ballpark in the works? Something else?

6. On a scale of 1-10, rate yourself as a fan, 1 being "I watch a few games a year" and 10 being "I know the lineup up and down and could manage the team for a week or so... And I have all the jerseys, bobbleheads, and collectibles... And I send the players cookies on their birthdays".

7. How do you rate your GM? From 1-10, same idea.

8. And your manager? 1-10

Thanks for taking this survey. :)

Haha, I don't know if all annnouncers check email and stuff during the game, but Josh Lewin and Tom Grieve, the Rangers announcers, do. I just emailed them about "rally flan" they ate in Anaheim, and they talked about in on air! :O

How Amazing!

Okay, so I'm seeing some new faces on here. I thought I'd get to know some of you all through this survey. Contacts, you're welcome to answer too.

1. What is your fave team? (Sorry, I know this is overasked...)

2. Who influenced you to like this team?

3. Are there any specific dislikes that come with your fandom? Examples would be Cubs/Cards, Yanks/Sox, etc.

4. How do you feel about how your team is doing this year? Are they performing below or above expectations?

5. Who is your favorite player? Do you know his middle name and/or birthday? Have you met him?

6. Have you crossed the line from fan to stalker? Lol

BQ: Rate the survey from 1-10 please. :)

Thank for taking this survey! :)

Okay... So I know we're all disappointed about something/someone in the ASG. At least I am! How would YOUR dream AL or NL team look? Give me the position players, one starter, and two relievers. Or just a few players if you're short on time.

Just one rule- only two players from the same team are allowed.

People aren't making a stink about Josh Hamilton is starting the ASG... Lol.

If I was a fan of another team, I'd be sort of pissed. Josh has been out practically half the season, and yet he still starts? Of course, being a Rangers fan I am NOT complaining!

But what do you think?

Also, consider this your chance to gripe about the ASG starters. Who did not deserve to be there, and who did? I'd love to hear your opinions. :)

And it's supposed to be 8G, but when I sync it on iTunes, it only shows that it has 7G... Is this normal?

People are acting like it's October!

However, what team got off to a slow start that you did not expect, and what team got off to a surprisingly good start?

BQ: Are YOU sick of "Yankees Suck" questions? Lol

the one fan at the game that sees fit to proclaim everything that happens? Even the most obvious?

Like, I went to the Rangers/White Sox game last night, and I (unfortunately) ended up in front of this guy who would NOT shut up.

To be fair, he was talking to his gf, but still. She can SEE that the batter swung!

It was like this:

"Hey, look. It's 0-1."

"Hey, look. It's 0-2"

"Hey, look. He struck out."

"Hey, look. Josh Hamilton's not playing tonight."

I was like... "NO FREAKING DUH!!!"

So... are you that fan? Or what is your experience with such a fan? Lol

BQ: What game have you gone to recently? Or what game are you planning to go to?

Can a pitcher commit a balk?

Lol I randomly found myself wondering what the different ways are. :)

And I mean personality trait, not that you have a nice @ss or something.

I think my best quality is that I'm very accepting of others- I have a culturally diverse group of friends and don't give a darn about your sexual preference...

My worst quality is that I say things without thinking sometimes and get myself into huge messes. T.T

Don't you love when a rookie reaches their little milestones? Like first hit, first home run, first stolen base, etc.?

I think it's really great; whatever team he's from I always cheer when a rookie gets the first ________.

It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. :)

(The reason I bring this up is because Ranger rookie SS Elvis Andrus just had his first home run!)

BQ: Do you have a rookie on your team that has a lot of potential? If so, who?