PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

The Sweeper has collected most of the major shavings from his third-bag-and-batter's-box view of the 1970 Series along with some personal history but it's all rather remote, even with the barely perceptible assist of Fred Bauer. In between reconstructions of the Reds/Orioles contests, he remembers his early swing into the Orioles' nest; set ups and set backs, marriage and dugout chatter. But there is nothing really new on contemporary baseball: Brooks' estimate that there was a ""certain justice"" to the Elrod-Carbo fiasco is no surprise, nor is his polite demurrer to Bouton's cheery assertion that the Birds take pills. Clean and that's good, but dull and that's bad.