Mugshots
I could name about 80% of the people.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Fun Stuff
Here are some funny or interesting links to start your day.
Hobos used to use markings or signs to warn other hobos about danger or to clue them into good situations. Here is a sample of the Modern Hobo Code.
Anything in Legos is cool but when you combine Legos with the epic Mariner's Revenge sung by the Decemberists - well then you have something pretty cool.
Avoid this job - Data Entry Ninja
Cool animated GIF.
Here are some funny or interesting links to start your day.
Hobos used to use markings or signs to warn other hobos about danger or to clue them into good situations. Here is a sample of the Modern Hobo Code.
Anything in Legos is cool but when you combine Legos with the epic Mariner's Revenge sung by the Decemberists - well then you have something pretty cool.
Avoid this job - Data Entry Ninja
Cool animated GIF.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Flotsam and Jetsam
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
Dick Tuck - perhaps the most fascinating political operative in history... Eli Manning's contract makes him the highest paid QB in the NFL but I'd bet on average 10 QB's are taken before him in fantasy football drafts. I'd take Brady, Peyton, Brees, Warner, Cutler, Ryan, Roethlisberger, McNabb, Romo and Palmer all before Eli Manning... Heh heh - Ferris Bueller: Psychopath... Just saying that the grass is not always greener - JD Drew has played 344 games with the Red Sox and hit a HR on average every 33 AB since joining the team. In that same time frame Johnny Damon has played 41 more games and average a HR every 34 AB... There is a report that the Red Sox have put in a claim on Cristian Guzman. I believe it. Checking the Red Sox minor league depth at SS and man is it depressing. You have to go to Single A Salem to find a SS hitting above .220... Pure gold- John Hughes' Vacation 58 - the short story the movie Vacation was base on... The O/U for Notre Dame wins this season is 9. Yikes! I was willing to take the over at 8 but 9? Don't think so... A one-man stage show of Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea starring Erik Estrada would be so bad it's good in a Springtime for Hitler type way.
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
Dick Tuck - perhaps the most fascinating political operative in history... Eli Manning's contract makes him the highest paid QB in the NFL but I'd bet on average 10 QB's are taken before him in fantasy football drafts. I'd take Brady, Peyton, Brees, Warner, Cutler, Ryan, Roethlisberger, McNabb, Romo and Palmer all before Eli Manning... Heh heh - Ferris Bueller: Psychopath... Just saying that the grass is not always greener - JD Drew has played 344 games with the Red Sox and hit a HR on average every 33 AB since joining the team. In that same time frame Johnny Damon has played 41 more games and average a HR every 34 AB... There is a report that the Red Sox have put in a claim on Cristian Guzman. I believe it. Checking the Red Sox minor league depth at SS and man is it depressing. You have to go to Single A Salem to find a SS hitting above .220... Pure gold- John Hughes' Vacation 58 - the short story the movie Vacation was base on... The O/U for Notre Dame wins this season is 9. Yikes! I was willing to take the over at 8 but 9? Don't think so... A one-man stage show of Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea starring Erik Estrada would be so bad it's good in a Springtime for Hitler type way.
Mad Men
OK - I'm late to the game when it comes to AMC's Mad Men but I'm hooked. What great television this show is! I'm halfway through season 2 and I'm feeling about this series the way I did for HBO's Deadwood, Rome and The Wire. To be in that company says a lot about the quality of the show.
I like to imagine that the show was inspired by Hitchcock's North by Northwest meaning that Don Draper is in essence a married Roger Thornhill working his day job. The identity issue also plays into this idea with Roger Thornhill eventually taking over a fictitious identity while Don Draper abandoned his "real" name and identity.
Mad Men - put me down as a fan. The new season starts August 16th and I hope to be all caught up by then.
OK - I'm late to the game when it comes to AMC's Mad Men but I'm hooked. What great television this show is! I'm halfway through season 2 and I'm feeling about this series the way I did for HBO's Deadwood, Rome and The Wire. To be in that company says a lot about the quality of the show.
I like to imagine that the show was inspired by Hitchcock's North by Northwest meaning that Don Draper is in essence a married Roger Thornhill working his day job. The identity issue also plays into this idea with Roger Thornhill eventually taking over a fictitious identity while Don Draper abandoned his "real" name and identity.
Mad Men - put me down as a fan. The new season starts August 16th and I hope to be all caught up by then.
Saturday, August 08, 2009
The Loss
Last night I played poker and we started roughly at the same time as the Red Sox / Yankees game which was on in the background (the poker game in one room with the TV in the other - the losers lounge as it were). It was a $20 buy in with 8 guys and just the top two spots getting paid. The poker game moved rather quickly - the baseball game not so much. We managed to play 4 games before people had to quit. Still the Red Sox and Yankees game was still going - tied 0-0 in the 14th inning. I was home in time to see A-Rod's walk-off home run in the 15th.
I could relate to the Red Sox. Like Boston - I'm a player with loads of potential but I too was shut out last night. I didn't cash even once. Losing last night was not the end of the world. Sure neither me nor Tito and the boys came out on top but it was a memorable night nonetheless. One thing's for sure - the loss didn't put me in desperation mode and I'm sure the same is true for Terry Francona and Theo Epstein.
The loss did put Boston 4.5 games back behind the Yankees in the AL East. It didn't put the Red Sox out of the playoffs. Some people are over-reacting to the defeat. Take Bill Simmons for example who Tweeted:
I am still confident that the Red Sox make the playoffs and come playoff time who do you think is more likely to repeat last night's performance - Josh Beckett or AJ Burnett? Beckett and Jon Lester are still the most formidable 1 - 2 punch in the playoffs. The Red Sox should be adding a healthy Jason Bay back into the mix and then a healthy Tim Wakefield and then (hopefully) a healthy Dice-K. Who will the Yankees be adding? Who will the Rangers be adding?
Sure last night's loss was tough but I'm still bullish on the Red Sox.
Last night I played poker and we started roughly at the same time as the Red Sox / Yankees game which was on in the background (the poker game in one room with the TV in the other - the losers lounge as it were). It was a $20 buy in with 8 guys and just the top two spots getting paid. The poker game moved rather quickly - the baseball game not so much. We managed to play 4 games before people had to quit. Still the Red Sox and Yankees game was still going - tied 0-0 in the 14th inning. I was home in time to see A-Rod's walk-off home run in the 15th.
I could relate to the Red Sox. Like Boston - I'm a player with loads of potential but I too was shut out last night. I didn't cash even once. Losing last night was not the end of the world. Sure neither me nor Tito and the boys came out on top but it was a memorable night nonetheless. One thing's for sure - the loss didn't put me in desperation mode and I'm sure the same is true for Terry Francona and Theo Epstein.
The loss did put Boston 4.5 games back behind the Yankees in the AL East. It didn't put the Red Sox out of the playoffs. Some people are over-reacting to the defeat. Take Bill Simmons for example who Tweeted:
That game didn't just kill the 2009 Red Sox season, it chopped it up and put it in different suitcases like a serial killer.Whoa - whoa. The Red Sox still have 54 games to go and they are still a game up over Texas in the Wild Card race. The pessimists who are writing off the Red Sox season after the past 4 games will point out that the Rangers don't have to play a tough AL East schedule. I'd like to point out that the Red Sox have a huge advantage over Texas in the number of home vs road games remaining (Boston plays 6 more home games than Texas the rest of the way).
I am still confident that the Red Sox make the playoffs and come playoff time who do you think is more likely to repeat last night's performance - Josh Beckett or AJ Burnett? Beckett and Jon Lester are still the most formidable 1 - 2 punch in the playoffs. The Red Sox should be adding a healthy Jason Bay back into the mix and then a healthy Tim Wakefield and then (hopefully) a healthy Dice-K. Who will the Yankees be adding? Who will the Rangers be adding?
Sure last night's loss was tough but I'm still bullish on the Red Sox.
Friday, August 07, 2009
John Smoltz
The way the schedule and the rotation is currently set up - John Smoltz will pitch against the Tigers at Fenway on the 11th and then against the Rangers on the road on the 16th. He needs at least one quality start in one of those games or he's done in Boston.
There is no way the Red Sox can afford to start him the 22nd against the Yankees if he hasn't pitched at least one quality start. No way.
Keep an eye on Michael Bowden in Pawtucket. The Red Sox may alter his schedule to be able to step in and take Smoltz' rotation spot.
The way the schedule and the rotation is currently set up - John Smoltz will pitch against the Tigers at Fenway on the 11th and then against the Rangers on the road on the 16th. He needs at least one quality start in one of those games or he's done in Boston.
There is no way the Red Sox can afford to start him the 22nd against the Yankees if he hasn't pitched at least one quality start. No way.
Keep an eye on Michael Bowden in Pawtucket. The Red Sox may alter his schedule to be able to step in and take Smoltz' rotation spot.
Bill Simmons
I've been meaning to post about Bill Simmons for some time now. A while back I was more than a little luke warm on his book Now I Can Die In Peace. But something has happened to change my mind.
I got as far in the book as I could stomach but instead of quitting and putting the book on a shelf - instead I put the book in the bathroom. I got just prior to losing to the Yankees in the 2003 playoffs and I was ticked at myself for wasting my time reading crap about Carl Everett and the myriad pop culture obsessed brain droppings of Simmons. Bunch of crap. In the bathroom I started with Tim Wakefield's crushing fateful pitch to Aaron Boone and the writing and my interest in the book started to finally click.
Reading about the 2004 Red Sox and forward was interesting. I liked it. I really did. Plus reading in the bathroom seemed to put Simmons into his natural habitat. Reading Simmons a few pages at a time seems to be the proper dosage. Before I couldn't recommend the book but now I feel I can with this one caveat - skip the first 192 pages. Seriously.
The reason I bring this up today is because of Simmons great podcast with Jeff Ross. Good stuff - worth the 80 minutes.
I've been meaning to post about Bill Simmons for some time now. A while back I was more than a little luke warm on his book Now I Can Die In Peace. But something has happened to change my mind.
I got as far in the book as I could stomach but instead of quitting and putting the book on a shelf - instead I put the book in the bathroom. I got just prior to losing to the Yankees in the 2003 playoffs and I was ticked at myself for wasting my time reading crap about Carl Everett and the myriad pop culture obsessed brain droppings of Simmons. Bunch of crap. In the bathroom I started with Tim Wakefield's crushing fateful pitch to Aaron Boone and the writing and my interest in the book started to finally click.
Reading about the 2004 Red Sox and forward was interesting. I liked it. I really did. Plus reading in the bathroom seemed to put Simmons into his natural habitat. Reading Simmons a few pages at a time seems to be the proper dosage. Before I couldn't recommend the book but now I feel I can with this one caveat - skip the first 192 pages. Seriously.
The reason I bring this up today is because of Simmons great podcast with Jeff Ross. Good stuff - worth the 80 minutes.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Why ESPN is Putting the Kibosh on Twitter
Interesting take on why ESPN is clamping down on Twitter use.
I think the explanation is right on. I think ESPN is missing the boat though. Dell has leveraged Twitter to bring in more than $3 million in additional sales. ESPN would be better served figuring out how to harness Twitter instead of castrating use of it.
Interesting take on why ESPN is clamping down on Twitter use.
I think the explanation is right on. I think ESPN is missing the boat though. Dell has leveraged Twitter to bring in more than $3 million in additional sales. ESPN would be better served figuring out how to harness Twitter instead of castrating use of it.
Obamacare
Karl Rove on Obama Care. Very interesting read. I couldn't help but think of this Winston Churchill quote after finishing the article:
Karl Rove on Obama Care. Very interesting read. I couldn't help but think of this Winston Churchill quote after finishing the article:
"There is no worse mistake in public leadership than to hold out false hopes soon to be swept away."That quote seems to epitomize not just Obamacare but also the entire Obama Administration to this point.
Flotsam and Jetsam
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
Small sample size alert- Julio Lugo has a higher OPS (1.027) for St. Louis than any of the players on the Red Sox who were with the team when he was traded. Newcomers Josh Reddick and Victor Martinez however have better OPS than Lugo... I understand why an unsigned NFL draft pick can't practice with the team but why can't they attend team meetings?... Heh heh... Buyers regret - I so wish the Red Sox spent that $5 million signing Brad Penny on Pedro Martinez instead. Hindsight is 20/20. Speaking of Pedro - where does he fit in that Phillies rotation? Cliff Lee, Cole Hammels and Joe Blanton are all #1 starters. 8-2 JA Happ is the rookie of the Year and Jamie Moyer leads the team in wins with 10. Where does Pedro fit? Does he take Moyers spot? Do the Phillies go with a 6-man rotation for a while? It will be interesting to watch... Worse trade - Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek for Heathcliff Slocumb or Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett for Delmon Young? Too close to call? Right now the Slocumb trade was the more one-sided but a year or two more and it could be even... Is it bad that I forgot that former BC QB Brian St. Pierre is still in the NFL?... FYI - Last Triple Crown winner in horse racing was Affirmed in 1978. Last Triple Crown winner in baseball was Carl Yastrzemski in 1967...
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
Small sample size alert- Julio Lugo has a higher OPS (1.027) for St. Louis than any of the players on the Red Sox who were with the team when he was traded. Newcomers Josh Reddick and Victor Martinez however have better OPS than Lugo... I understand why an unsigned NFL draft pick can't practice with the team but why can't they attend team meetings?... Heh heh... Buyers regret - I so wish the Red Sox spent that $5 million signing Brad Penny on Pedro Martinez instead. Hindsight is 20/20. Speaking of Pedro - where does he fit in that Phillies rotation? Cliff Lee, Cole Hammels and Joe Blanton are all #1 starters. 8-2 JA Happ is the rookie of the Year and Jamie Moyer leads the team in wins with 10. Where does Pedro fit? Does he take Moyers spot? Do the Phillies go with a 6-man rotation for a while? It will be interesting to watch... Worse trade - Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek for Heathcliff Slocumb or Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett for Delmon Young? Too close to call? Right now the Slocumb trade was the more one-sided but a year or two more and it could be even... Is it bad that I forgot that former BC QB Brian St. Pierre is still in the NFL?... FYI - Last Triple Crown winner in horse racing was Affirmed in 1978. Last Triple Crown winner in baseball was Carl Yastrzemski in 1967...
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
John Quincy Adams
This is cool - John Quincy Adams is now on Twitter.
I'm pretty sure this makes JQA the first former President to Tweet on Twitter.
This is cool - John Quincy Adams is now on Twitter.
I'm pretty sure this makes JQA the first former President to Tweet on Twitter.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Flotsam and Jetsam
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
Joe Montana couldn't have handled this any better... Albert Pujols is on pace for a MLB leading 373 total bases - makes you appreciate the amazing 406 total bases Jim Rice had in 1978... Selection of strange signs and bizarre translations from around the world... Besides Angels fans and fantasy baseball geeks - who knew? Kendry Morales of the Angels has a better OPS than Yankees Mark Teixeira (.931 to .927) and despite Teixeira having more HR Morales is out-slugging him by 33 points (.581 to .548)... Right now I would have to give the AL ROY to Toronto's Ricky Romero (10-4 and 3.53 ERA). Weiters and Price? Not so much... Cool technology - How to Transcribe a Whiteboard with Your Cameraphone... How close is the AL East race? The RedSox and Yankees have played almost the same number of games and have almost identical records home (both 35-17) and road (Y 28-25 and RS 27-25) and vs lefty (both 22-13) and righties (Y 41-29 and RS 40-29)... I think if you had to give out the NL ROY right now - then it would have to go to JA Happ (7-2 / 2.93 ERA) of the Phillies although an excellent case could be made for the Cubs Randy Wells... Heh Heh - Tiger Woods Farts His Way To Yet Another Win
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
Joe Montana couldn't have handled this any better... Albert Pujols is on pace for a MLB leading 373 total bases - makes you appreciate the amazing 406 total bases Jim Rice had in 1978... Selection of strange signs and bizarre translations from around the world... Besides Angels fans and fantasy baseball geeks - who knew? Kendry Morales of the Angels has a better OPS than Yankees Mark Teixeira (.931 to .927) and despite Teixeira having more HR Morales is out-slugging him by 33 points (.581 to .548)... Right now I would have to give the AL ROY to Toronto's Ricky Romero (10-4 and 3.53 ERA). Weiters and Price? Not so much... Cool technology - How to Transcribe a Whiteboard with Your Cameraphone... How close is the AL East race? The RedSox and Yankees have played almost the same number of games and have almost identical records home (both 35-17) and road (Y 28-25 and RS 27-25) and vs lefty (both 22-13) and righties (Y 41-29 and RS 40-29)... I think if you had to give out the NL ROY right now - then it would have to go to JA Happ (7-2 / 2.93 ERA) of the Phillies although an excellent case could be made for the Cubs Randy Wells... Heh Heh - Tiger Woods Farts His Way To Yet Another Win
Monday, August 03, 2009
Rumor Expert
OK - I have to mention this. I'm on Twitter (@ALargeRegular) and I think it's great. I'm following lots of people (88 and growing every day). A person has to bring something to the table for me to be interested but even a person who brings something to the table can wear out their welcome.
Take Will Carroll for example. He Tweets as @InjuryExpert. For the most part he is interesting and informative. I've long enjoyed Carroll's writing. However, I'm starting to see a side of him that I don't like. He's an unapologetic rumor monger.
Jose Canseco says there's already a juicer in the Hall of Fame. Carroll tweets that it must be Rickey Henderson. Canseco says it's not Rickey. Carroll tweets that it must be Dennis Eckersley. Victor Martinez gets traded to the Red Sox. Carroll tweets that Clay Buchholz is part of the deal. A rumor is spread about Sarah Palin. Carroll repeats the rumor and tweets that she's getting a divorce.
In none of these instances did Carroll follow up to apologize for being so wrong.
To make a technology analogy - studies have shown that no matter how good the TV programming if the viewer experiences constant pixelization or freezing - they will turn the channel or turn off the TV. I'm sure Will Carroll doesn't know me from Adam but rumor-mongering is like pizelization. If I keep seeing it - I'll definitely turn off the source.
OK - I have to mention this. I'm on Twitter (@ALargeRegular) and I think it's great. I'm following lots of people (88 and growing every day). A person has to bring something to the table for me to be interested but even a person who brings something to the table can wear out their welcome.
Take Will Carroll for example. He Tweets as @InjuryExpert. For the most part he is interesting and informative. I've long enjoyed Carroll's writing. However, I'm starting to see a side of him that I don't like. He's an unapologetic rumor monger.
Jose Canseco says there's already a juicer in the Hall of Fame. Carroll tweets that it must be Rickey Henderson. Canseco says it's not Rickey. Carroll tweets that it must be Dennis Eckersley. Victor Martinez gets traded to the Red Sox. Carroll tweets that Clay Buchholz is part of the deal. A rumor is spread about Sarah Palin. Carroll repeats the rumor and tweets that she's getting a divorce.
In none of these instances did Carroll follow up to apologize for being so wrong.
To make a technology analogy - studies have shown that no matter how good the TV programming if the viewer experiences constant pixelization or freezing - they will turn the channel or turn off the TV. I'm sure Will Carroll doesn't know me from Adam but rumor-mongering is like pizelization. If I keep seeing it - I'll definitely turn off the source.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
The Pirates are Frauds
When you follow the money you find that the Pirates story of building for the future is all BS. They are all about cutting costs NOW. Let me explain and let me use former Pirate Adam LaRoche to illustrate the point.
First off keep in mind that Adam LaRoche is making $7.05 million this year and will be a free agent at the end of the season. Most likely he'll be a Type B free agent meaning the team that loses him (assuming they offer arbitration) will get a draft pick between the 1st and 2nd round. That's a pretty high draft pick and the player selected will net themselves a pretty good signing bonus.
The Pirates saved about $3 million right now by trading Adam LaRoche to the Red Sox. In return they got back two players - AA Argenis Diaz and Single A Hunter Strickland - who were not in the Red Sox long term plans and who most likely will not ever be big league regulars (even for the Pirates).
The Red Sox were then able to turn around and trade LaRoche to Atlanta for Casey Kotchman who is arbitration eligible in 2010 and 2011 before he can test the waters as a free agent. This year Kotchman is making $2,885,000 which means he'll probably be in the $4-5 million range in 2010 and probably the $6-7 million range in 2011. If the Pirates really are building for 2011 like they claim to be - then Kotchman would be a better fit than the two scrubs they got from the Red Sox. The problem is the Pirates don't want to pay players that sort of money (money which is pocket change for the Red Sox).
You hear people suggesting that the Pirates should go the Tampa Bay route to success. The problem is the Rays built their team mainly through the draft and the Pirates don't seem to want to pay high draft picks the signing bonuses.
Consider that the Pirates traded six players in July. Those players included John Grabow - a Type A free agent, Jack Wilson - a Type B, Freddie Sanchez - a Type B, and LaRoche another Type B (probably). That's five (5) potential high draft picks! Instead of holding on to the players and netting the draft picks the Pirates traded them for mostly prospects who have been deemed expendable to the teams trading them.
The Pirates aren't building for 2011. They are just feeding into a cycle of suck.
When you follow the money you find that the Pirates story of building for the future is all BS. They are all about cutting costs NOW. Let me explain and let me use former Pirate Adam LaRoche to illustrate the point.
First off keep in mind that Adam LaRoche is making $7.05 million this year and will be a free agent at the end of the season. Most likely he'll be a Type B free agent meaning the team that loses him (assuming they offer arbitration) will get a draft pick between the 1st and 2nd round. That's a pretty high draft pick and the player selected will net themselves a pretty good signing bonus.
The Pirates saved about $3 million right now by trading Adam LaRoche to the Red Sox. In return they got back two players - AA Argenis Diaz and Single A Hunter Strickland - who were not in the Red Sox long term plans and who most likely will not ever be big league regulars (even for the Pirates).
The Red Sox were then able to turn around and trade LaRoche to Atlanta for Casey Kotchman who is arbitration eligible in 2010 and 2011 before he can test the waters as a free agent. This year Kotchman is making $2,885,000 which means he'll probably be in the $4-5 million range in 2010 and probably the $6-7 million range in 2011. If the Pirates really are building for 2011 like they claim to be - then Kotchman would be a better fit than the two scrubs they got from the Red Sox. The problem is the Pirates don't want to pay players that sort of money (money which is pocket change for the Red Sox).
You hear people suggesting that the Pirates should go the Tampa Bay route to success. The problem is the Rays built their team mainly through the draft and the Pirates don't seem to want to pay high draft picks the signing bonuses.
Consider that the Pirates traded six players in July. Those players included John Grabow - a Type A free agent, Jack Wilson - a Type B, Freddie Sanchez - a Type B, and LaRoche another Type B (probably). That's five (5) potential high draft picks! Instead of holding on to the players and netting the draft picks the Pirates traded them for mostly prospects who have been deemed expendable to the teams trading them.
The Pirates aren't building for 2011. They are just feeding into a cycle of suck.
Flotsam and Jetsam
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
Cool - check out Chipper's ride to the ballpark. Chipper Jones and Adam LaRoche seem pretty close. Maybe signing LaRoche this offseason would make up to Chipper for losing friends Smoltzy and Tommy.. Quote of the Day: "...if we open a quarrel between the past and the present, we shall find that we have lost the future" - Winston Churchill... Catholics rarely say Grace. I think that is related to the Church stance on birth control and having large families around the dinner table. I know I was always more concerned about getting my share of the "good stuff" versus saying a prayer when eating as a kid with my 5 brothers and sisters... A new 6.25% alcohol tax went into effect in Massachusetts Saturday. A repeal referendum is already in the works. Taxing beer will prove to be the demise of Governor Deval Patrick... I saw a Massachusetts car with a Lakers sticker and a Blue Jays sticker on the bumper the other day. Strange. How does that happen? Toronto and LA? Strange...
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
Cool - check out Chipper's ride to the ballpark. Chipper Jones and Adam LaRoche seem pretty close. Maybe signing LaRoche this offseason would make up to Chipper for losing friends Smoltzy and Tommy.. Quote of the Day: "...if we open a quarrel between the past and the present, we shall find that we have lost the future" - Winston Churchill... Catholics rarely say Grace. I think that is related to the Church stance on birth control and having large families around the dinner table. I know I was always more concerned about getting my share of the "good stuff" versus saying a prayer when eating as a kid with my 5 brothers and sisters... A new 6.25% alcohol tax went into effect in Massachusetts Saturday. A repeal referendum is already in the works. Taxing beer will prove to be the demise of Governor Deval Patrick... I saw a Massachusetts car with a Lakers sticker and a Blue Jays sticker on the bumper the other day. Strange. How does that happen? Toronto and LA? Strange...
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Flotsam and Jetsam
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
It's tough to evaluate a trade involving prospects because you never can tell how a prospect will pan out. For example - Baseball America rated the Rays Reid Brignac as the 17th best MLB prospect in 2007 and the 39th best in 2008. Now he's not even Tampa Bays best SS prospect. If you had traded for him two years ago you could boast that you netted the 17th best prospect in all of baseball. If you traded for him yesterday - not so much... Quote of the Day: "To do justice to a great man, discriminating criticism is always necessary." Winston Churchill... The Kansas City Royals haven't made the playoffs since 1985. Days like yesterday when they do nothing make that possible... Yesterday super prospect Brandon Wood of the Angels was sent back to AAA Salt Lake where he's hit 17 HR with a .959 OPS. The question remains if he can hit MLB pitching. In the bigs he's hit just .187 in 209 plate appearances... French proverb that best describes dynamics of the MLB trade deadline "In love there is always one who kisses and one who offers the cheek". Yesterday JP Riccardi didn't offer anyone his cheek when it came to Roy Halladay... I've seen Ryan Fitzpatrick when he was at Harvard. I've seen Joe Flacco when he was at Delaware. I'm telling you today that Dominic Randolph of Holy Cross is a better QB than either of them... Just a reminder - I called Jake Peavy getting traded 9 days ago. Makes me laugh when I see Buster Olney saying "nobody saw this coming" on ESPN...
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
It's tough to evaluate a trade involving prospects because you never can tell how a prospect will pan out. For example - Baseball America rated the Rays Reid Brignac as the 17th best MLB prospect in 2007 and the 39th best in 2008. Now he's not even Tampa Bays best SS prospect. If you had traded for him two years ago you could boast that you netted the 17th best prospect in all of baseball. If you traded for him yesterday - not so much... Quote of the Day: "To do justice to a great man, discriminating criticism is always necessary." Winston Churchill... The Kansas City Royals haven't made the playoffs since 1985. Days like yesterday when they do nothing make that possible... Yesterday super prospect Brandon Wood of the Angels was sent back to AAA Salt Lake where he's hit 17 HR with a .959 OPS. The question remains if he can hit MLB pitching. In the bigs he's hit just .187 in 209 plate appearances... French proverb that best describes dynamics of the MLB trade deadline "In love there is always one who kisses and one who offers the cheek". Yesterday JP Riccardi didn't offer anyone his cheek when it came to Roy Halladay... I've seen Ryan Fitzpatrick when he was at Harvard. I've seen Joe Flacco when he was at Delaware. I'm telling you today that Dominic Randolph of Holy Cross is a better QB than either of them... Just a reminder - I called Jake Peavy getting traded 9 days ago. Makes me laugh when I see Buster Olney saying "nobody saw this coming" on ESPN...
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