Today I’ll find out if Wild Pitches makes the New York Times best sellers list. I’m hopeful, of course, but not as worried about it as I have been for the others.

Reason being, the book is really short stories, extra chapters, and journal entries from the other two books. It wasn’t mean to be a stand alone book, but a nod to my fans and a collection of laughs with a few poignant chapters mixed in for bass notes. It’s been enjoyed by a lot of

In the future, I think I’ll turn other cut chapters into fuller, shorter tales and then turn those into Ebooks as well. That way I can keep generating content for fans, without really getting in the way of coming books. And, of course, I can keep the price low. The proliferation of ebooks and other digital mediums has made this possible. In fact, since finishing up the third book about my time injured as a Blue Jay, I’ve found myself with other chapters and sections that I’d like to expand on an turn into short stories. I did play in Vegas for a season, after all…

So, Wild Pitches was very much a test flight. 200 pages of the B-sides. My publishers would prefer if I didn’t tell you that, but I feel obligated to let you know. If you want to get the most of out it, I highly recommend you read the other two books first, but you don’t have too. A lot of folks have picked up the book and enjoyed the “author’s notes” before chapters, and the “tips” afterwards. Some folks, however, get upset that it’s not a full continuous narrative. I guess you just need to decide where you are on that spectrum. I love having people buy my stuff, but I don’t want folks to do it for the wrong reason and be unhappy.

Anyway, the next book is getting reviewed by the Jays right now to see I can put the Jays logo on the front of it. The book is darker and more compelling in tone, and logos are tough to get because they make it look like the team who grants them is endorsing that product. I don’t know if the Jays will want to be associated with some of the things inside, like drug abuse… We’ll see.

As production around it starts to solidify, I’ll release teaser chapters. It’s important that you know the Jays book is not me following around super stars like they’re gorillas in the mist and passing along the notes I take in book form. if you expect a chapter dedicated to each of your favorite Jays, you’ll be disappointed. It’s about something bigger and more personal. I’ve already had a few of the Jays media heads read it and they were stunned and couldn’t put it down. I open myself up a lot in the book, and I open up baseball, and it will be unlike any story I’ve written before.