WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!!!

This is what you call a dynasty.

#ChampionsTogether

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I do so love playoff baseball.

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There’s nothing quite like going to the ballpark. There’s just something about being there. Hearing the sounds, smelling the smells, and participating in it all. It’s a shared experience. It’s communal. And it’s a heck of a lot of fun. Especially when your team comes from far behind to win it in the end. Heck yes.

Here at Raccoon Toons we are always very appreciative of wonderful, kind-hearted people who recognize our love and passion for baseball, and in this case, gave us an opportunity to root, root, root for the home team. Thanks Johnsons! You guys are awesome!

~Matt

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Baseball is BACK!!!!! Happy Opening Day!!!!! WHOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

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San Francisco Giants – 2012 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!!

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If you’ve ever been a sports fan, then you understand the delicate concept of jinxes. The notion that every little action can and will have an adverse effect on the outcome. Baseball in particular, perhaps because it is our nation’s oldest [and therefore most awesome] sport seems to permeate with these various forms of superstitions.

Players of course have a whole host of superstitions, ranging from stepping over baselines, to strictly following routines, to alienating a pitcher with complete silence if he hasn’t given up any hits yet.

But added to the 9 men on a baseball diamond, is the avid fan. The average Joe in the bleachers, or the person watching at home on the couch. The 10th man.

Scoff if you will, but as every real sports fan knows, this 10th man is absolutely critical to the outcome of the game. Anything and everything he [or she] does can forever change the outcome at any given moment. Maybe it’s wearing the same shirt several days in a row because the team keeps winning when you do. Maybe it’s continuing to drive around in your car longer than needed because a rally started the minute you began your journey. Maybe it’s the same reason why I can’t wear ANY colors of the opposing team on game day. Or why one never says “the game is over” before it’s over. Or why my friend Becky must eat an exorbitant amount  of “Runts” at my immediate command and at any given moment regardless as to what state the eventual sugar crash will leave her and her unborn child.

Because that’s our job. That’s what the 10th man does. We put ourselves out there day in and day out invoking all the power, karma, and good mo-jo we can. Games are played on the field, but it takes an entire team to win a championship. And on every team, is a 10th man.

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Here at Raccoon Toons, Matt Cain is our favorite baseball player. It’s not just because of his incredible pitching. It’s not just because of his presence on the mound in a baseball game. It’s not just because of his amazing consistency in excellence. And it’s not because he leads my fantasy baseball teams to victory virtually every season. It’s because he’s Matt Cain.

Let me tell you a little story about Matt Cain, from my personal experience.

Once upon a time, I was fortunate enough to take part in a Giants TV commercial. It was a truly amazing experience which included reenacting a World Series victory celebration with some of my favorite Giants players. I had the time of my life. Among the players that were appearing in these commercials, was none other than everyone’s favorite pitcher: Matt Cain.

I say everyone’s favorite pitcher, because Matt Cain really is everyone’s favorite pitcher. This was made clearly evident by the awestruck looks of admiration he received from so many of the people on set that day. Of course, if you asked Matt Cain about it, he’d probably say he didn’t notice, because not only can the man shoot laser beams out of his eyes and save small children from evil with a single bound, but he is also ridiculously humble.

So the shoot seemed to go well enough. A lot of the players had places they needed to be, and as soon as they were no longer needed they changed and left. Matt Cain however, stayed until the very last shot was taken. That shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows how often Cain pitches late into games, but still I found it to be impressive. But that’s still not what impressed me the most.

While on set that day, there was an actor who played a role in one of the commercials. This particular actor was, for lack of a better phrase, “socially awkward.” In fact, that may be putting it a little too mildly. Clearly this guy was completely unaware of how uncomfortable he made others, and how annoying he could be. When his part of the shoot was over, and he was dismissed, he didn’t leave. Instead, he walked around trying to talk to any baseball player who would give him the time of day. He was like a terribly awkward hunter stalking his prey. When several of the players deftly retreated from his advances, he finally left the building, only to return an hour later to continue his exploits. That was when he found Matt Cain.

Cain had just finished shooting a sequence and he was in one of the glass office rooms being used as a makeshift dressing rooms. These rooms were supposed to be off limits to anyone but the player and perhaps the girls working wardrobe for the shoot. I watched nervously as socially awkward actor man walked straight into the dressing room and began conversing with Cain like they were old friends.

The conversation was painful and embarrassing. This guy started talking about anything he could–work, commercials, even his awkward personal life. I was terribly uncomfortable. Most of us who were acting on the set that day had been told to give the players their space. And yet, this guy had bombarded into Matt Cain’s dressing room and was bearing his soul to him, while poor Matt Cain was literally in the middle of changing his clothes!

The minutes past, and he did not leave. 5 minutes turned to 10. And 10 minutes quickly turned to 15. Desperately I felt like I should do something. I was just a lowly extra. Where was the girl who’s JOB it was to act as a buffer and protect the players from scenarios such as this?! Matt Cain must be going out of his mind listening to this crazy guy! Surely he would say or do something to remove himself from this nut-job!

And that is when Matt Cain impressed me most. Because Matt Cain did not get up and leave the terribly one-sided conversation. Matt Cain did not tell the guy he was busy and to leave him alone.

Matt Cain listened.

He listened while he was literally changing his clothes. He conversed. He made eye contact. He seemed perfectly content to listen to this man go on, and on, and ON, about things that were making ME terribly uncomfortable. And not once did Matt Cain seem the least bit annoyed or perturbed.

FINALLY after what seemed like an eternity, someone from the production team came and let the man know that Cain was needed. When socially awkward man finally left, I waited for Cain’s reaction. I waited to see the smirk, or the eye roll, or the exasperated sigh from enduring such a socially painful ordeal.

There was none.

Matt Cain taught me an important lesson that day. Where I had looked down on and judged one of my fellow men to be annoying and pathetic , Matt Cain– celebrity, All-Star pitcher, World Series winner– was polite, courteous, and treated this man with absolute kindness and respect. It would have been so easy for a man of Cain’s success and stature to lift himself up and judge this man to not be worth his time. He could have easily disengaged from the conversation, and shown all the visible signs of discomfort. He could have laughed at the man once he left, or even just commented on the awkwardness of the situation. But he didn’t. And never was there even the slightest hint of pride or annoyance. There a midst the terribly prickly encounters, Matt Cain carried himself exactly has he carries himself on the pitcher’s mound. Calm, unflappable, and humble.

So today, we celebrate Matt Cain’s perfect game–one of the rarest, loftiest, most glorious and prestigious accomplishments that a player can ever obtain. So rare that it has only been accomplished 22 times in the history of the sport of baseball.

Congratulations Matt. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.

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Happy Opening Day baseball fans!! May our season be filled with homeruns, daring plays, flirtations with 98mph, and a good strike-out-to-walk ratio.

Also, MATT CAIN!!!

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I am back from my vacation!! I had a really fun trip. I got home to discover that my baseball song has officially made its way onto iTunes. Pretty sweet! You can find it on iTunes by clicking here.

If you missed the cartoon that features the song, you can view it here: http://www.raccoontoons.com/baseball.html

Good to be back in town. New comic strips coming soon!!

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Not too long ago I was a finalist for a very fancy “dream job” for Major League Baseball. They wanted someone who could write well, who would be entertaining on camera, and who lives for baseball. Needless to say, I was a prime candidate even before they received my awesome video. They ended up flying me to New York City for an interview/audition. It was a thrilling experience to be seriously considered from among what they said was over 100,000 applicants.

When they first told me that they would be flying me over to their studios, they randomly asked if I played guitar.

“Um…yeah, actually I do,” I said.

“Bring your guitar,” came the response. “Maybe you can write a baseball song. Because people who like baseball, like songs about baseball.”

And so I sat down and wrote a veeeeeeeery simple 3-chord song about baseball, and the true story of what it was like for me growing up and playing little league.

In the end, I was not selected for the position, which would have required me to move to New York City, and cease writing and doing comic strips until November (yes, it was actually in the contract, I would have had to take a hiatus). So those of you love reading my work every week should probably be happy that I’m still on the West coast, and self employed.

Anyway, my silly little baseball song went over so well with MLB executives, I thought I would animate a cartoon to the music for you, the Raccoon Toons faithful.

And so here it is! The song is called, “This Is Baseball.”

Help a guy out and share it with all your baseball and cartoon loving friends. And for those who asked, the song has been submitted to the iTunes store and will be available there for download shortly.

Hope you enjoy it, it was fun to make.

And for the record, I absolutely nailed my interview/audition. Nailed it.

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