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  • Traveling Workouts

    If you’re traveling by plane and don’t need to be dressed for any particular occasion upon arrival, don workout clothes. Simply being comfortable and not in stiff garb may prompt you to perform a light workout (like a brisk walk) at the airport rather than sit while waiting for your flight. I move from city…

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  • Makeup

    Scouting is hard. We, as an industry, simply haven’t figured out how to appropriately measure and value intangibles. We’re still learning, and I have no doubts that a clever individual will create a method to do so. Right now, quantifying those intangibles remains elusive. In 2007, the year before Clayton Kershaw would make 21 starts…

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  • Working Smart: Speed and Power

    Endurance training for a baseball player is illogical. We are not endurance athletes. I remember a mentor of mine telling me I needed to “pound the pavement” to prepare for spring training. He was a former MLB player, and I trusted his guidance. He believed that distance running gets a player ready from a cardiovascular…

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  • Be Human. Don’t Diet.

    With the New Year rapidly approaching, folks are beginning to announce their resolutions. This time has reminded me of how silly I think “diets” are, particularly for athletes. A few days back, I exposed how I like to write about shit nobody cares about when I mused on the health benefits of tamarind paste. Loren…

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  • Survival of the Fittest

    By now, you know our stance on indulgences. The holidays are an ideal time to relax, dig in and enjoy the pleasures of food. Appreciating balance, there are easy steps we can take to stay on point nutritionally and stave off ravenous behavior later in the day. Making a simple choice early in the morning…

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  • Bone Marrow

    I love my field research for this blog. I may have found a new Red Bull alternative for y’all: bone marrow. From lahealthyliving.com: Bone marrow is a fatty, jello like substance found in the core of bones. It’s a nutrient dense and rich in energy substances that all types of animals are primarily drawn toward…

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  • Mornings Matter

    What you do when you first wake up matters. Athletes who I’ve worked or played with often ask about the ideal breakfast for fuel in the offseason. There isn’t necessarily a one size fits all approach to breakfast. My go to menu is purple sweet potatoes, 5 whole eggs over medium, a full package of…

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  • Crossroads

    In general, people prefer giving directions to strangers over giving advice. It’s science. This classic joke was once rated as the world’s funniest (see, science): Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn’t seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy whips out his phone…

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  • Comment Commentary

    Since we started this blog in December of 2013, I’ve mentioned repeatedly that my desire is to build a strong community. It has become our very own little family. My hope is this is a mutually beneficial relationship. I trust you get something out of it, and I most certainly derive strong benefit on a daily…

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  • The Sweetest Sound

    Working on our voices in the same manner we hone our posture, body language, and physical prowess may be prudent. If you’ve been reading along, you know the importance we place on body language. It helps our confidence and our leadership. Rarely, however, does someone walk into a room and take over without ever saying…

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I aim to plan and consciously choose all of my indulgences. I have the knowledge and willpower to do so, but occasionally, I will have a substantial misfire.

I was in Boston, my home away from home, for the 2004 World Series reunion. I splurged nutritionally as I had intended, but I didn’t map out my large nutritional stumble while watching the game.

I had it all pre-navigated. My two men (12 and 14) and I love to experience travel through food. We think it’s the most efficient and interesting way to explore the culture of a city. We discussed the trip ahead of time and decided on three restaurants where we would fully indulge and eat like kings. We’d start with the team dinner at a fine steak and seafood house, follow it up with breakfast the next morning at a bakery, and finish it out with lunch at a tapas joint in the South End.

The first night the three of us shared bone in filets, swordfish steaks, oysters, giant shrimp, crab cakes, lamb chops, chocolate cake, apple crisps and cold vanilla ice cream. I enjoyed a few glasses of whiskey, neat, and my boys drank Sprite. We left the restaurant 1 for 1. Remember, this indulgence was planned.

The next morning, we went to a bakery suggested by a Boston-based chef friend. The boys picked up scones and French toast; I scored big with a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a crusty roll with spinach and tomato. The bite came complete with a Dijon mustard finish that struck a chord with me, managing to last all day. 2 at bats, 2 knocks.

After mobbing around on the T train all morning, making our way to Harvard and back to Downtown Crossing, we landed at our destination for lunch, Toro. Theo Epstein made the recommendation after I mentioned that my boys and I were on a food adventure. This is the guy who went out to get the “washed up” 2002 version of David Ortiz, so he’s proven his scouting mettle. If he thinks it’s a worthwhile trip, I’ll take his advice.

Back to food.

Rather than turn this post into a restaurant review, I’ll keep it simple. I had an out of body experience. Every small plate that arrived was visually captivating and stunning on the palate. We sprinted the gamut. From spicy curry beef empanadas to cauliflower with golden raisins and pine nuts to the pièce de résistance, roasted bone marrow with radish citrus salad and oxtail marmalade. This dish, holy fuck. Our waiter described it exquisitely as “like rich, hot, beef flavored butter.” I was now 3 for 3 and ready for my final at bat.

A theme throughout this entire trip was advance planning. My first mistake was not preparing for this final meal. I figured my boys and I would just eat at the ballpark and didn’t put much thought into it. I knew that the options would be plentiful and come in large quantities. I wasn’t necessarily wrong, but I quickly got off course.

I was running around at Fenway from this place to that, answering questions and meeting folks. My boys were on their own and already up in the suite by the time I arrived around the start of the first inning. They had eaten pizza, snacks and fruit, totally what I expected for them. I walked in starving, my second mistake.  I reached for a plate and piled on decent looking veggies, a huge mound of guacamole, and the only available protein, stale fried chicken strips. I could have reached into my bag and opened a can of wild caught salmon. I didn’t. My defenses were down. I hadn’t snacked. I ingested that garbage and suffered strike one.

You know my stance on processed foods. Those frozen chunks of flour covered meat product provide little nutritional value. I had already experienced a whirlwind day filled with emotion and exertion, and the pizza under the heat lamp began to look lovely.

I advocate indulgence, but I advocate planned, quality indulgence. This was neither. I scarfed down a piece and the drugs hit my bloodstream. I couldn’t chew fast enough. Strike two.

The final pitch of the at bat came in and I chased it. I scarfed down a few more slices, knowing even as I did so that it wasn’t my finest hour.

3 for 4. In baseball that’s a hell of a day. Nutritionally, I expect 4 for 4s from myself almost always. I’m in control, so the high bar is appropriately set. Rather than dwell on it, I’ll do what Manny tells us to do after a rough at bat. “Turn the page, papi.”

I write this from the plane the following morning. I’ve turned the page. Today, I’ve ingested steel cut oats, fresh organic blueberries, a pile of kale, a chunk of a ham steak, a few fresh scrambled eggs and organic black coffee.

In my bag, I have a large salad with tons of fresh veggies, almonds, chicken, organic Hannah yams. I also still have that wild salmon I passed over for pizza in a box.

I’m back on track. I remember last night’s at bat and will make the adjustment without carrying the emotion of yesterday over into today’s game.

I hope you’ll share your stories of strikeouts or home runs in the comments section below.

Kap