It's the ArtsJason Michael Barker

With the bulk of meaningful free agency over (Quick! I hear Benito Santiago is still available!) and still a month left until pitchers and catchers report to spring training, the time has come to fill the void in your life that baseball normally fills. Fear not -- we're still going to fill the void with baseball, but we have to find creative ways to do so.The first thing to do is pull out all your annual baseball books, starting with the STATS Major League Handbook 2000 and Minor League Handbook 2000, typically the first statistical recaps to come out each off-season, and for my money the only books of their kind worth buying. Amazon.com still has plenty of copies of each book if you're in need.

For pure entertainment value, simply looking at each player entry doesn't quite cut it. Beginning with the Major League Handbook, I like to head to the back of the book, to special sections such as team statistics, ballpark data, leader boards and Bill James' "favorite toy." Here we learn that:

-- The Cleveland Indians spent a major league-best 178 days in first place in their division, while the San Diego Padres were the only team in baseball not to lead their division at some point....

-- The Atlanta Braves posted a 17-5 record in extra-inning games, by far the best mark in baseball...

-- The Texas Rangers won all 12 games played with the Minnesota Twins last season, the only non-interleague season sweep in baseball...-- New York Mets' pinch-hitter extraordinaire Matt Franco made two relief appearances last season, the most among non-pitchers, and also led non-pitchers with two strikeouts...

-- Despite its reputation, Camden Yards really isn't a great hitter's park. With a Runs Scored index of 94 (100 being neutral, 152 being Coors Field), Camden slightly favors pitchers, although it should be noted that in terms of home runs, the park does provide a boost for right-handed hitters.

Glancing through the Minor League Handbook, it's easy to see why Yankees' prospect Nick Johnson is such a big deal -- he led the minors in walks (123), times hit by pitches (37) and on-base percentage (.525).

Two other great books that make for much more interesting reading due to their actual content are Baseball Prospectus 2000 and the STATS Minor League Scouting Notebook 2000, both due out next month.

BP2000, which is due in bookstores February 1st and can be pre-ordered on Amazon, is perhaps the most revolutionary look at the game available today. There isn't room to get into specifics here, but what they've done with statistics is extraordinary. Also included are comments on over 1800 players -- if a player sucks, you're going to hear about it.

The Minor League Notebook isn't revolutionary, but it's no less entertaining. Think of it as a "who's who" of prospects and suspects, presented by minor league guru John Sickels. It's a must for any serious fantasy player.Moving away from books and onto the big screen, this is a good month to dust off that old copy of Field of Dreams (or that spanky new DVD) you have sitting around. Critics like to say it isn't really a movie about baseball, but rather a movie with baseball in it...I prefer to think of it as a movie about several things, baseball being one of them. Despite some rather large snafus, such as Shoeless Joe Jackson hitting from the wrong side of the plate, Field of Dreams is a pretty good movie, and I always seem to get something in my eye near the end.

I'm also partial to The Natural, perhaps because it's one of my dad's favorites and he used to make the family watch it whenever it was on TV. So maybe he didn't make us watch it, but he certainly never failed to point out when it was on. The movie itself has some slow spots, but if you watch it from the beginning, you'll appreciate the exciting conclusion that much more.

Next up is Bull Durham, although some might point out that like Field of Dreams, this one isn't so much about baseball. I used to wonder how a switch-hitting catcher with power could be stuck in the minors for so long, but then I learned of Roberto Petagine. Perhaps Kevin Costner should have played in Japan for a bit. I've never been a huge fan of Bull Durham, but it certainly isn't a bad film by any stretch.Staying on the lighter side, we come to the Major League trilogy, with the original being the best and the next two falling off from there. Who can forget the hilarious antics of the Wild Thing or Willie Mays Hayes? I remember seeing Major League II for the first time on a flight from Seattle to London, and for the most part the humor was wasted on the majority of the passengers. Perhaps the cricket version would have been better received.

I've never seen The Fan or The Scout, but if you have and want to pass along a comment, email me.

So you see, with a little creativity you can fill the off-season with baseball until spring training rolls around, and if you really get a hankering for baseball, make the ultimate sacrifice -- get your lazy butt of the couch and head outside for a quick game of catch. Either that or start keeping score of arbitration by carving notches in a baseball each time the owners lose a case. Just don't hurt anybody with that rusty steak knife.

about the author

Jason Michael Barker isn't one to complain, but someone's replaced his Jay Buhner with Folger's Crystals. tell him you couldn't taste the difference at jmb@strikethree.com.