Out of the Park Baseball 21

The start of the MLB season has officially been delayed, and a 162-game schedule seems unlikely. If you’re depressed about the postponement of the Washington Nationals’ title defense, look no further than buying Out of the Park Baseball 21. The Out of the Park Baseball series is the best baseball management simulator ever made. Players can roleplay as Nationals’ GM Mike Rizzo or head coach Dave Martinez as they take control of every aspect of baseball management, from in-game tactics to the trade deadline and the MLB Draft. OOTP 21 has a full simulation of baseball’s complex financial system and uses the latest player ratings from Baseball Prospectus. Added features for this installment include a 3D Ballpark Designer, a simulated All-Star Weekend, and a new scouting system. All the latest rule changes are also in the game, but they can be modified at the player’s request, of course. The detail is unmatched by any baseball game—there are full rosters and player ratings from every level of American baseball and several international leagues. For those looking to relive the Nats’ win in 2019 or the Washington Senators’ win in 1924, the game has fully accurate historical seasons going back to 1871. OOTP 21 is also suitable for casual play through Perfect Team (similar to the card-based “Ultimate Team” mode in FIFA and Madden), but we recommend going for the most in-depth experience imaginable. With so much real baseball going away, filling it with an endless array of virtual baseball is probably the next best option. OOTP 21 is available for purchase on Steam. Last year’s game, OOTP 20, is also on Steam. $19.99–$35.99. —Tristan Jung

Request your FBI file

You knew it was a bad idea to order The Anarchist Cookbook and a copy of Che Guevara’s Bolivian Diary off Amazon Prime, but you did it anyway, and now you’ve got a file. (This is what you get for putting ‘shrooms in your coffee and getting all class-conscious.) Ah well—you’re not alone. Tens of millions of Americans have FBI files, and every one is entitled to request their own. You might as well take a peek while the virus rages outside. The good news is that it’s not terribly difficult to do. Under the Privacy Act, you can usually get your file by filling out a certification of identity form and sending it via email to foiparequest@ic.fbi.gov with the subject line “Privacy Act Request.” (In light of the pandemic, the agency says that for now, you’ll probably need to send the request via snail mail.) You have to include the amount you’re willing to pay for your file, but unless you’re a cartel enforcer or Paul Manafort, your file will almost certainly be short enough to process free of charge. You can also request FBI files for dead people (assuming you can prove they’re dead) and browse declassified files on the likes of Carlo Gambino, Charles Manson, Fred Trump, Malcolm X, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, and Burt Reynolds via the FBI Vault. Files are available to request by mailing the certification of identity form to Federal Bureau of Investigation, Attn: FOI/PA Request, Record/Information Dissemination Section, 170 Marcel Drive, Winchester, VA 22602-4843; declassified files are available at vault.fbi.gov. Fees determined by file size. —Will Lennon

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