Phillies blog The Good Phight is looking for talented, self-motivated writers.

Qualified applicants will have been universally recognized as leading prose stylists, and probably won a Pulitzer Prize in something.

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Gary Carter was before my time. I wasn’t alive during the height of his years with the Montreal Expos, and was only four years old when he and the New York Mets did the world a favor, winning the 1986 World Series in seven games. By the time I found baseball, Gary Carter was in the twilight of his career. I don’t remember ever watching him play.

With news of Carter’s worsening condition in his difficult journey with cancer, and having read some of his daughter Kimmy Bloemers’ heartbreaking journal entries about her father’s illness, I’m tempted, as a student of baseball history, to read everything I can about Carter, about his time in Montreal, and his time in Queens. I want to listen to Carter’s Hall of Fame speech, dive into SI’s Vault, and even watch the stupendously thrilling — by all accounts — 1986 World Series. And I’m going to do all that. But, before I do, and most of all, I want to hear from those who watched Gary Carter — revered by all, it seems — play baseball not as journalists, but as fans. I want to know how you remember Gary Carter. I want you to tell me, someone who never watched Carter play the game, what it was like to do so.

What do you remember? What does Gary Carter mean to you?

Tell me about “The Kid.”

Image courtesy The Associated Press, via CBS News.

1) He’s serious.

2) He was involved in one of the craziest plays in the history of baseball.

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I just had an idea for a fun project. Let’s find an MLB Player with one of the fewest numbers of Twitter followers and make him really happy.

My quick investigation tells me it’s definitely not Nick Swisher, who has 1,446,260 followers.

So here are my nominees:

Jordan Lyles (1,406 followers):

Twitter / @jordanlyles41: Red head in Shooter.. #wif … via kwout

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‘Tis the season for resolutions, so let’s perceive of ourselves as better people for just a second. No worries about the sex of the title, these will work for fans of any gender. As you’ll see, these resolutions represent a two-pronged approach to this whole betterment thing. A little for the body, a little for the heart, and a little for the mind.

* I resolve to run more often … so that I can eat and drink as poorly as I want at the game.

* I resolve to put down my computer, phone and book so that I pay complete attention … to the game.

* I resolve to be more thrifty and spend less, perhaps by brewing more of my beer at home … so that I can afford to go to more games.

* I resolve to read more and fully research everything … that could make be a better fantasy player.

* I resolve to tell the people I love that I love them more often … so they don’t mind when I ask for the television for the game later.

* I resolve to learn something new … about baseball.

* I resolve to help others … dominate fantasy leagues I’m not in.

* I resolve to get organized … gotta get all those baseball cards in the right order.

* I resolve to spend as much time as possible with my son (due in early April) … and, of course, put the ball in his left hand as much as possible. Even LOOGYs get paid.

I have it. You have it. Yu has it. We all have it. “It” is Yu Fever. As you have likely heard already, yesterday it was revealed that the Texas Rangers won the right to negotiate with the Japanese-Persian phenom, Yu Darvish. If the Rangers are indeed successful in securing Darvish’s services, our collective Yu Fever will rise from a toasty but manageable 100.5 degrees all the way to an immediate-ice-bath-or-die 106 degrees.

Perhaps more importantly, punny headline writers at newspapers, websites, and other journalistic outfits will be beside themselves with excitement. For, the pitcher’s first name, “Yu,” is homophonous with the second person personal pronoun, “you,” which just creates all kinds of wonderful opportunities for them to work their lame, punny headline writing craft.

Below, please find a checklist of Yu headlines you are likely to see should Yu sign with the Texas Rangers.

Keep this post bookmarked for the 2012 season (and beyond) and be on the lookout for any of the these headlines. If you spot one, drop us a line. This post will be updated as the headlines appear.

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Since John Buck has the name of a Dodge City sheriff with nothing left to lose, it’s somewhat fitting that he’s a hero in real, actual life:

Buck ran to the overturned car and went to work with two other Good Samaritans.

Buck and a bus driver who stopped to give assistance were able to help the car’s driver crawl out of a window of the upside-down car. Buck and another man pulled the passenger out.

So what does one do when one has nowhere left to turn? Who can save us? To whom should all distress calls be directed? Who will stride loins first into mounting disaster? John Buck will …

John Buck can help.

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The story of Uganda’s Little League team is both inspirational, and sad: A few months ago, Uganda’s Rev. John Foundation Little League team made history by qualifying for the Little League World Series, becoming the first African team to ever do so. They were bound for Williamsport, Pennsylvania, or so they thought, until their visas to the United States were denied. The New York Times has more:

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You may have noticed that, some time around yesterday, America was roused from its torpor by news of an exciting sports contest. We the people have been charged with adopting the pose, bearing, manner, general milieu, and overarching blessedness of the great Mr. Dick Allen. Suffice it to say, this I could not resist.

First, the inspiration …

And now, the imitation …

I have spoken through photographic art. If you wish not to see that giant novelty check in my clutches, then I suggest you get to work.

It is known among the genteel that occasionally a gentleman prefers to take in a game of base and ball not with his wife and progeny, but rather with a paid Detroit whore. And for this very reason, Patrick Henry invented Craigslist. So it is not surprising that a certain well-bred, monocled spice trader recently took to the List of Craig in search of a female companion not necessarily averse to breathy sexual congress in a darkened Comerica Park utility closet:

looking for a reasonably attractive, relatively promiscuous, 23+ yo woman to accompany to ALDS game 4 tonight (10/4) at Comerica Park.

From relatively mediocre looking bald 33 yo man

Section 140, Row 8.

Face value plus sliding scale discount based on attractivenes and entertainment value.

PS – must have driver’s license, breakfast skills optional

True, the “mediocre looking bald man 33 yo man” bit is perhaps not the savviest example of targeted messaging, but, in his defense, those sound like pretty good seats. As well, kudos to this discerning patron for realizing that there is a time for the “relatively promiscuous” (e.g., at a ballgame) and a time for the “unthinkably promiscuous” (e.g., at a Dave & Buster’s in the suburbs).

(Consensual sex: SportsGrid)