"I can't thank you enough, Pat," Harris Anderson said, on his way back from the kitchen with two open Coors Lights. He handed one to his guest. In the corner of the room, a ram-rod straight gentleman with dark glasses and a suit took a step forward in concern. Former President Hain waved him away impatiently.

"For Chrissakes, Bob, he's been my best friend for 20 years, he's not going...

In the late 2040s, the U.S. economy went into recession again. The popularity of Major League Baseball dropped to an all-time low. In 2048, after years of diminishing interest in the sport, 37 of the 40 Major League franchises reported substantial losses. In 2049, the league took drastic action, contracting from 40 teams to 24, but this failed to reverse the trend. When the Los Angeles franchise went up for sale, they were unable to find a buyer who would agree to keep the team operational. ...