Electronic readers don't come with traditional pages or the familiar numbering system. They show you a percentage of the book that you have read.
Sometimes, while looking forward to the ending, the book just ends. Who knew that the last 23 percent would be footnotes and acknowledgments?
Managerial careers can be like that too - over unexpectedly, without the ending that we wanted. The 2010 season brings with it an unusual, perhaps unprecedented, sense of foretelling.
Bobby Cox and six others who have been the best managers of their generation enter what could be their farewell season. A lot of people are hoping at least a few of them author fitting endings.
Among them, the Braves' Cox - who has announced that 2010 will be his final season - the Cardinals' Tony La Russa, the Dodgers' Joe Torre, the Cubs' Lou Piniella, the Tigers' Jim Leyland, the Reds' Dusty Baker and the Blue Jays' Cito Gaston have compiled 12,330 victories over 154 seasons. But here's the kicker:
One of these seven got his team into every World Series from 1988 through 2004, including four years when one managed against another.
That's amazing.
"It has been a wonderful experience to be in the game at the same time as those other guys," La Russa said this spring. "I've enjoyed every year, and I'm going to enjoy this year. You never know how a season is going to turn out. You know where you start, and that's all you know. The fun is in the journey."
Is it telling that the 2006 World Series, when the Cardinals beat the Tigers, marks the only time in the last five years that one of the legendary managers still was standing for the last dance?
The baton seems to have been passed quietly to men such as Terry Francona, Mike Scioscia, Charlie Manuel, Bruce Bochy and Ron Gardenhire. Will they and others among their contemporaries (say, the Yankees' Joe Girardi, the Rays' Joe Maddon, and the White Sox's Ozzie Guillen) allow the future Hall of Famers to come out for bows after an encore or two?
Brawn, brainpowerThere's nothing like the first day of full workouts at Yankee camp to understand the mission facing 29 other teams. The quick look around the clubhouse reveals all the familiar faces - the Jeters, the A-Rods and for the last two years also the CCs and Texes - but the truly frightening thing in 2010 involves less familiar ones.
Curtis Granderson was there. But so were Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain, along with top prospects Jesus Montero and Austin Romine. Young outfielder Brett Gardner not only was there, he apparently was in manager Joe Girardi's plans.
Not so long ago, the Yankees would have used the winter to sacrifice a Hughes or a Chamberlain to add a pitcher on the verge of free agency. But the next Yankee dynasty is being built as much through traditional player development means as with money from the Steinbrenner vaults. General manager Brian Cashman runs an organization that is valuing its human assets as much as its financial resources, beginning with scouting director Damon Oppenheimer.
"That's a really scary organization now," a rival GM said this spring. "They've always had the money, but the only thing they thought about was the next season. Now they're looking down the road, like smart teams do, and they have more money to spend than the rest of us."
Surprise, surpriseAnyone can pick the Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox and Cardinals to win, and just about everyone is. But which teams are the most likely to surprise us in 2010? In order:
1. Rays: Sports Illustrated is picking them to win the World Series, which shouldn't be such a shock because they went there in 2008, losing to the Phillies. But in this era, anyone other than the Yankees or Red Sox getting out of the AL East has to qualify as a surprise.
An amazing fact about the Rays is they are investing only $9.47 million in their 2010 rotation. That ranks 29th in spending for starters, ahead of only the Blue Jays, according to Tim Dierkes' study on mlbtraderumors.com.
But Joe Maddon nevertheless has a group full of potential front-of-the-rotation guys in James Shields, Matt Garza, Jeff Niemann, David Price and rookie Wade Davis. Andy Sonnanstine, a key to the '08 pennant, is an excellent No. 6 starter who opens the season in the bullpen. It's a strong lineup too, with newcomers Sean Rodriguez and Kelly Shoppach giving Maddon more good options. Shortstop Jason Bartlett is better than most people realize.
2. Rangers: Nolan Ryan's team went into a spring training funk after the revelation manager Ron Washington had tested positive for cocaine last season. It wasn't the greatest storyline of the spring, but this is a veteran team that shouldn't be derailed, even if Washington becomes an issue when the team returns to Texas, where its fan base could be unforgiving. If Ryan feels the need to make a change, he has Clint Hurdle in the dugout, along with wise man Jackie Moore. One way or another, the manager won't determine if the Rangers have enough meat on the bone to overtake the vulnerable Angels, whose talent level has taken a hit.
The key is whether the lineup built around Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler and Michael Young scores the way it can. Nelson Cruz, newcomer Vladimir Guerrero and even first baseman Chris Davis also could drive in 100 runs. No team in the majors has a set-up man like Neftali Feliz. He hit 101 mph on four pitches in striking out the side against the Rockies last week.
3. Reds: With veteran starters Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang and manager Dusty Baker all in the last guaranteed year of their deals, there was a sense of urgency in their camp that wasn't felt elsewhere in Arizona and Florida. The Reds, who went 27-13 to end the 2009 season, believe they need a fast start to keep the wolves at bay.
They've got the parts to put one together, assuming youngsters Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Drew Stubbs come out swinging. The Reds should have enough pitching to put together a winning season and perhaps to challenge the Cardinals for the NL Central title.
They open the season with Arroyo, Harang, Johnny Cueto, Homer Bailey and either Travis Wood or Mike Leake in the rotation. They have very impressive Cuban Aroldis Chapman in the wings, and hope to get Edinson Volquez back from Tommy John surgery by the All-Star break. They also made a smart move adding itinerant shortstop Orlando Cabrera. His teams win more often than not.
4. Brewers: If any team in the NL has a middle-of-the-order combination that can match Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday, this is the one. That's how good Ryan Braun has become while developing in the shadow of the powerful Prince Fielder (sorry Chase Utley and Ryan Howard).
The Brewers unraveled last year because they lacked pitching depth after losing CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets from a wild card team in 2008. They have addressed the shortage by adding the underappreciated Randy Wolf along with Doug Davis and LaTroy Hawkins. Still, they need a pleasant surprise or two, perhaps from Manny Parra or Chris Narveson.
Rookie shortstop Alcides Escobar is a reason for optimism. His play in the field contributed to the Brewers allowing fewer unearned runs this spring than any team in the majors - and fielding has been a chronic problem in Milwaukee. He and newcomer Carlos Gomez (acquired for J.J. Hardy) give manager Ken Macha attractive bookends in the No. 2 and 8 spots in the order.
AARP division Jamie Moyer hasn't been around as long as the infield fly rule; it just seems that way. But the 47-year-old lefty had to earn his spot in the Phillies' rotation during spring training, and he did just that.
Moyer, sidelined when the Phillies went to a second consecutive World Series in the fall, is in the last year of a two-year contract but hopes it won't be his final season. He bounced back from a series of surgeries to take a starting job away from Kyle Kendrick, who had pitched very well.
"Jamie proved that he's healthy," Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee said. "He's throwing the ball well, he's functioning well."
At some point, functioning well becomes an issue for everyone.
Among others who have extended their big league careers after turning 40 are Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (43), Brewers closer Trevor Hoffman (42), White Sox infielder Omar Vizquel (42), Padres outfielder-pinch hitter Matt Stairs (42), Mariners outfielder-DH Ken Griffey Jr. (40), Yankees closer Mariano Rivera (40), Dodgers catcher Brad Ausmus (40) and Reds reliever Arthur Rhodes (40).
Introductions, pleaseHere's a concise scouting report on new Braves right fielder Jason Heyward, who at 21 is expected to provide the big bat Atlanta has been missing in recent years: "He has no weakness," said someone who watched him throughout the Grapefruit League season.
Heyward's patience at the plate, and the way he seems to unsettle pitchers just by settling into the batter's box, rarely has been seen with someone so young.
"I like writing him into the lineup," said manager Bobby Cox, and it was easy to see why as he had his on-base percentage and slugging averages hovering around .500 as the Braves were breaking camp.
At some point this season, Heyward is likely to face two of the most intriguing pitching phenoms in recent years - the Nationals' Stephen Strasburg and the Reds' Aroldis Chapman. The pitchers are opening the season in the minors but aren't likely to stay there long.
Welcome back A mess for most of his two seasons with the Tigers, Dontrelle Willis went to spring training as a release candidate and ended it listed to start the Tigers' third game of the season. He walked 12 in his 19 1/3 innings but had stuff good enough to keep those walks from killing him. "I think I put together a great spring," said Willis, who at one point last season was sent to the Florida State League to deal with what was termed an anxiety disorder. "I'm not done though. I'm not content. I want to continue to work hard. I'm just thankful. I'm very thankful."
Willis, of course, is not alone in working to get his career back on track. Andruw Jones, once a perennial All-Star for the Braves, got himself into shape to earn extended playing time with the White Sox.
Jim Edmonds, who didn't play in 2009 after playing center field for the Cubs in '08, earned a spot as an extra outfielder with the Brewers.