The (Re) Introduction to OS - Gary Armida's Blog

Gary Armida's Blog

The (Re) Introduction to OS

Posted on June 4, 2012 at 09:05 AM.

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My first memory of watching Baseball was seeing the Yankees Goose Gossage hit Dodgers third baseman Ron Cey in the head with a pitch during the 1981 World Series. The first team I really followed was the 1984 New York Yankees. It was the summer of Don Mattingly and Dave Winfield battling for the batting title. The following season, the 85 club won 97 games and still finished in second place. That team would be the best team I ever saw that didn�t make the playoffs.

But, the love affair with Baseball really came from my Dad. My Father taught me to love the game, to play it the right way, and to appreciate the little subtleties that often go ignored. That love affair with baseball continued as I grew, playing, watching, and looking into why things happened. As I got older, I got into coaching. Then, the marriage of my two passions came together. In November of 2007, I started my own blog, fullcountpitch.com. It took a couple years to find a voice, but FCP went from a blog to my own company. The culmination of that was being a credentialed media member at the 2010 Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida.

Writing about Baseball has brought me closer to the game. I could never understand why some sports writers were jaded and seemed to loathe the sports that they covered. I still can�t understand it. The more I get inside the game, the more I love it.

I shut down FCP last summer to pursue other writing opportunities. I�ve been writing for a couple of different places, including my own (fcpbaseballreport.com), Baseball Digest, Gotham Baseball Magazine, and a few other guest spots. The journey has brought me to Operation Sports. Actually, it has brought me back to Operation Sports. I�ve loved OS since the very first time I logged on so many years ago. I�ve been gaming since I was six or seven, playing just about every sports game that came out. I became obsessed with Micro League Baseball on the Commodore 64; that led to playing baseball games year round. I find something to like about every game, but I do know that I miss High Heat, All-Star Baseball, and MVP Baseball. I miss the days when we had a choice.

I�m excited to join the staff and be a part of Operation Sports� expansion into covering sports outside of the arena of gaming. I hope to bring to OS my love of the game and welcome the opportunity to have the conversations that Baseball inspires. Talking Baseball has never been more fascinating. With the rise of sabermetrics and the new knowledge that it brings, Baseball can be attacked from all angles. But, Baseball is not just a numbers game. The numbers help, but they always have a story. I hope to unite the two here.

I look forward to every conversation, debate, and enjoying the novel that is the Major League Baseball season with you.

I welcome the conversation here or on twitter (@garyarmida).