Odds to Win NCAA Men's Basketball Championship
Here are the odds to win NCAA's March Madness:
Kansas 3/1
Memphis 29/10
North Carolina 7/4
UCLA 3/1
The odds are fairly even across the board. It's really a coin toss.
Odds via Bodog.
Chris Lynch's slanted view on sports, politics and entertainment. Please send thoughts or comments to chris.lynch@gmail.com
Monday, March 31, 2008
Flotsam and Jetsam
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
Jay Gibbons was released by the Orioles even though he was still owed $11.9 million. My initial though was "I guess the Orioles thought he was worth the money when he was on the juice but now that he's off it - not so much." Most times you should go with your first gut feeling. I would have to do the math but I think that the Orioles may actually end up paying as much to players who won't suit up for Baltimore this season than Tampa Bay will pay in total payroll... Remember yesterday how I said John Edwards may be angling for the VP slot with his 26 committed delegates as bait? Well read this article and tell me you don't come away thinking the same thing... Michael Gee has an excellent look at Bill Belichick's relationship to the Boston media. Well worth the read.... I haven't seen the History Channel's new show Ax Men but every time I see a commercial for the show I think of John Steinbeck's quote about lumberjacks: "Years ago when I used to work in the woods it was said of lumber men that they did their logging in the whore house and their sex in the woods." That quote has always just stuck with me.
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
Jay Gibbons was released by the Orioles even though he was still owed $11.9 million. My initial though was "I guess the Orioles thought he was worth the money when he was on the juice but now that he's off it - not so much." Most times you should go with your first gut feeling. I would have to do the math but I think that the Orioles may actually end up paying as much to players who won't suit up for Baltimore this season than Tampa Bay will pay in total payroll... Remember yesterday how I said John Edwards may be angling for the VP slot with his 26 committed delegates as bait? Well read this article and tell me you don't come away thinking the same thing... Michael Gee has an excellent look at Bill Belichick's relationship to the Boston media. Well worth the read.... I haven't seen the History Channel's new show Ax Men but every time I see a commercial for the show I think of John Steinbeck's quote about lumberjacks: "Years ago when I used to work in the woods it was said of lumber men that they did their logging in the whore house and their sex in the woods." That quote has always just stuck with me.
Morning Music
I've decided to start each morning out with a little music selection for your listening pleasure. We'll see how long this lasts.
- Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros doing Johnny Appleseed. I feel bad starting off with this one because to be honest its hard to top.
- Alice Cooper - Elected. James Carville makes an appearance as the campaign manager. If I were running for President I'd make this my theme song.
- Bruce Springsteen - Jungeland. From back when the band had a rule that if you weren't Jewish then you had to wear a hat.
- U2 - Unforgettable Fire. A U2 song that doesn't get much airplay anymore but one of my favorites. It's funny seeing Bono with his old mullet.
- Sisters of Mercy - This Corrosion. A bad video but a good song. Blast from the 80's. This song was in a movie but I can't remember what movie. Was it Rain Man?
I've decided to start each morning out with a little music selection for your listening pleasure. We'll see how long this lasts.
- Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros doing Johnny Appleseed. I feel bad starting off with this one because to be honest its hard to top.
- Alice Cooper - Elected. James Carville makes an appearance as the campaign manager. If I were running for President I'd make this my theme song.
- Bruce Springsteen - Jungeland. From back when the band had a rule that if you weren't Jewish then you had to wear a hat.
- U2 - Unforgettable Fire. A U2 song that doesn't get much airplay anymore but one of my favorites. It's funny seeing Bono with his old mullet.
- Sisters of Mercy - This Corrosion. A bad video but a good song. Blast from the 80's. This song was in a movie but I can't remember what movie. Was it Rain Man?
Sunday, March 30, 2008
The Pogues and Joe Strummer - London Calling
I stumbled across this gem and felt I had to post it. This is from Saint Patrick's Day in 1988.
I stumbled across this gem and felt I had to post it. This is from Saint Patrick's Day in 1988.
Odds to Win 2008 Presidential Election
Here are the current odds to win the 2008 Presidential Election (via Bodog):
John McCain 21 to 20
Barack Obama 21 to 20
Hillary Clinton 8 to 1
Hillary looks like a sucker bet at this point. If you like John McCain - I think you wait until the Democrats pick their candidate because his odds will get better (betting wise) at that point.
Here are the current odds to win the 2008 Presidential Election (via Bodog):
John McCain 21 to 20
Barack Obama 21 to 20
Hillary Clinton 8 to 1
Hillary looks like a sucker bet at this point. If you like John McCain - I think you wait until the Democrats pick their candidate because his odds will get better (betting wise) at that point.
The Democratic Convention
Karl Rove has an excellent look at what may happen at the Democratic convention and what steps the eventual winner should be taking.
One point I found interesting is the fact that John Edwards still has 26 delegates committed to him and those delegates could just prove decisive. It is possible that the price of those delegates may be Edwards inclusion on the ticket as VP. This could win the battle for the Democratic nominee but lose the war. Edwards is not looked on favorably by too many people. He is viewed as a phony ambulance chasing lawyer.
If Edwards is the VP choice then John McCain is a lock to win.
Karl Rove has an excellent look at what may happen at the Democratic convention and what steps the eventual winner should be taking.
One point I found interesting is the fact that John Edwards still has 26 delegates committed to him and those delegates could just prove decisive. It is possible that the price of those delegates may be Edwards inclusion on the ticket as VP. This could win the battle for the Democratic nominee but lose the war. Edwards is not looked on favorably by too many people. He is viewed as a phony ambulance chasing lawyer.
If Edwards is the VP choice then John McCain is a lock to win.
Labels:
Democratic Convention,
John Edwards,
John McCain,
Karl Rove
Flotsam and Jetsam
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
When I look at North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough - I can't help but think of of more athletic Bryant "Big Country" Reeves... On this day in 1867 - the US purchased Alaska from Russia in a deal known as Seward's Folly. I prefer to remember the deal as proof of the importance of a single vote... Veterans Woody Williams and Trot Nixon both received some bad news yesterday. Williams was released by the Astros and plans on retiring. Nixon didn't make the Opening Day roster for the Diamondbacks and will accept a minor league assignment. Nixon has played 11 seasons (it seems like longer than that) and has made over $30 million in his career. Williams played 15 seasons and has the luxury of relaxing and collecting almost $7 million owed to him by the Astros for this season (having already made over $50 million in baseball). I'd "retire" too if I was in his shoes. Nixon was taken by the Red Sox with the 7th pick of the 1993 draft - that was the draft that saw Alex Rodriguez picked first overall.... It was 27 years ago today that President Reagan was shot by John Hinkley Jr. in Hinkley's attempt to get actress Jody Foster to notice him... Heh heh - "Nipplegate"
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
When I look at North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough - I can't help but think of of more athletic Bryant "Big Country" Reeves... On this day in 1867 - the US purchased Alaska from Russia in a deal known as Seward's Folly. I prefer to remember the deal as proof of the importance of a single vote... Veterans Woody Williams and Trot Nixon both received some bad news yesterday. Williams was released by the Astros and plans on retiring. Nixon didn't make the Opening Day roster for the Diamondbacks and will accept a minor league assignment. Nixon has played 11 seasons (it seems like longer than that) and has made over $30 million in his career. Williams played 15 seasons and has the luxury of relaxing and collecting almost $7 million owed to him by the Astros for this season (having already made over $50 million in baseball). I'd "retire" too if I was in his shoes. Nixon was taken by the Red Sox with the 7th pick of the 1993 draft - that was the draft that saw Alex Rodriguez picked first overall.... It was 27 years ago today that President Reagan was shot by John Hinkley Jr. in Hinkley's attempt to get actress Jody Foster to notice him... Heh heh - "Nipplegate"
Labels:
Seward's Folly,
Trot Nixon,
Tyler Hansbrough,
Woody Williams
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Travel Notes
I spent Thursday night and Friday in rural northern New Jersey in a town called Vernon (technically the Township of Vernon). I stayed at the Alpine Haus bed and breakfast which was a great change from the sameness of staying at the Marriotts or Hiltons of the world all the time.
My room was very comfortable. Complete with wireless Internet and my own bathroom (many people are hesitant about staying at bed and breakfasts because not all have private bathrooms). Breakfast was unreal with a fresh muffin, fresh fruit and freshly prepared French toast stuffed with raspberry cream cheese. With bacon! I heartily recommend the Alpine Haus.
The night before I had dinner at the Vernon Inn. The place is more of a bar with pub food than anything and it is one of those places where everyone has known each other all their lives. It fit my needs perfectly because I was just looking for someplace to grab a quick bite while having a couple of beers watching the NCAA games. (I later found out that the place is supposed to be haunted!)
What caught my attention though was the music. It was great. A mix of music as good as you’d find in any Manhattan bar including a song that really caught my attention by Phish called Chalkdust Torture. The variety was via an Internet Jukebox with the selections made by the people at the bar.
I got to thinking of how great technology is. A bar in a rural town now has access to the same songs you’d hear at the hottest LA clubs. Because I’m me – I also started thinking about how this technology could be used to screw with people.
My mind wandered during timeouts in the Xavier / West Virginia game to thoughts of how just $5 and a selection of nothing but Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra could really change the mood of the bar from everyone having a good time to everyone wondering if they were somehow transported to a community room at a retirement community on BINGO night.
The funny thing (funny inside joke funny) is that you really couldn’t get mad at someone for playing Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra songs. It’s not like you’d be playing Barry Manilow or Barbara Streisand. People would just be forced to use a Bobby Knight phrase – sit back and try to enjoy it. Of course I’d have to also play the Liza Minelli version of New York, New York just to screw with any Yankee fans in the bar.
I guess someone must have been thinking along the same lines as me because suddenly it went from a very interesting mix to 80’s kitsch.
You had Hammertime, Bell Biv Devoe singing Poison (as an aside if Bel Biv Devoe was a MLB player – they would be either Bobby Crosby or Bill Hall), Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton singing Islands in the Stream and Jenny (867-5309). All that was missing was The Humpty Dance or De-Lite singing The Grove is in the Heart.
Everyone had a good time though. Except I guess West Virginia who lost the game because they couldn’t hit any free throws at the end of the game.
I spent Thursday night and Friday in rural northern New Jersey in a town called Vernon (technically the Township of Vernon). I stayed at the Alpine Haus bed and breakfast which was a great change from the sameness of staying at the Marriotts or Hiltons of the world all the time.
My room was very comfortable. Complete with wireless Internet and my own bathroom (many people are hesitant about staying at bed and breakfasts because not all have private bathrooms). Breakfast was unreal with a fresh muffin, fresh fruit and freshly prepared French toast stuffed with raspberry cream cheese. With bacon! I heartily recommend the Alpine Haus.
The night before I had dinner at the Vernon Inn. The place is more of a bar with pub food than anything and it is one of those places where everyone has known each other all their lives. It fit my needs perfectly because I was just looking for someplace to grab a quick bite while having a couple of beers watching the NCAA games. (I later found out that the place is supposed to be haunted!)
What caught my attention though was the music. It was great. A mix of music as good as you’d find in any Manhattan bar including a song that really caught my attention by Phish called Chalkdust Torture. The variety was via an Internet Jukebox with the selections made by the people at the bar.
I got to thinking of how great technology is. A bar in a rural town now has access to the same songs you’d hear at the hottest LA clubs. Because I’m me – I also started thinking about how this technology could be used to screw with people.
My mind wandered during timeouts in the Xavier / West Virginia game to thoughts of how just $5 and a selection of nothing but Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra could really change the mood of the bar from everyone having a good time to everyone wondering if they were somehow transported to a community room at a retirement community on BINGO night.
The funny thing (funny inside joke funny) is that you really couldn’t get mad at someone for playing Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra songs. It’s not like you’d be playing Barry Manilow or Barbara Streisand. People would just be forced to use a Bobby Knight phrase – sit back and try to enjoy it. Of course I’d have to also play the Liza Minelli version of New York, New York just to screw with any Yankee fans in the bar.
I guess someone must have been thinking along the same lines as me because suddenly it went from a very interesting mix to 80’s kitsch.
You had Hammertime, Bell Biv Devoe singing Poison (as an aside if Bel Biv Devoe was a MLB player – they would be either Bobby Crosby or Bill Hall), Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton singing Islands in the Stream and Jenny (867-5309). All that was missing was The Humpty Dance or De-Lite singing The Grove is in the Heart.
Everyone had a good time though. Except I guess West Virginia who lost the game because they couldn’t hit any free throws at the end of the game.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
A Very Good Question
Excellent question - what does become of the massive porn collection?
And of course I do have to mention that it is only fitting that a member of the "Yankees" would have a massive porn collection.
Excellent question - what does become of the massive porn collection?
And of course I do have to mention that it is only fitting that a member of the "Yankees" would have a massive porn collection.
The Only Explanation
Recently there have been some hijinks over at ESPN.com's baseball transaction page. Many people caught the inclusion of the deceased Corey Lidle being activated by the Blue Jays but few people caught the Yankee transaction of adding Felix Heredia who hasn't played a game since the 2005 season.
You can see both transactions listed in this screen grab via David Scott.
ESPN.com says that they use a third party company for these transactions but declined to blame that company for the mistake (they were only addressing the Lidle issue).
The way I see it - the most likely explanation is not some software glitch but instead just a couple of guys goofing around. I can see two guys at that third party company talking about their favorite teams. One guy is probably a Yankees fan and one guy a Blue Jays fan.
The Blue Jay fan maybe made a comment about the Yankee bullpen being awful. So awful that a guy like Felix Heredia who's been out of baseball could probably improve the situation. So for a laugh the Blue Jay guy tosses in a joke transaction just to tweak his Yankee fan co-worker.
The Yankee fan, not to be out-done, thinks that the Blue Jay pitchers are a bunch of stiffs and who's a bigger stiff than Corey Lidle (groan). He tries to one-up the Blue Jay guy but the "joke" was just too noticeable and they get caught.
If it was just Felix Heredia - this probably would have gone by mostly un-noticed. I wouldn't be surprised if these guys had been doing this off and on for a long time.
Recently there have been some hijinks over at ESPN.com's baseball transaction page. Many people caught the inclusion of the deceased Corey Lidle being activated by the Blue Jays but few people caught the Yankee transaction of adding Felix Heredia who hasn't played a game since the 2005 season.
You can see both transactions listed in this screen grab via David Scott.
ESPN.com says that they use a third party company for these transactions but declined to blame that company for the mistake (they were only addressing the Lidle issue).
The way I see it - the most likely explanation is not some software glitch but instead just a couple of guys goofing around. I can see two guys at that third party company talking about their favorite teams. One guy is probably a Yankees fan and one guy a Blue Jays fan.
The Blue Jay fan maybe made a comment about the Yankee bullpen being awful. So awful that a guy like Felix Heredia who's been out of baseball could probably improve the situation. So for a laugh the Blue Jay guy tosses in a joke transaction just to tweak his Yankee fan co-worker.
The Yankee fan, not to be out-done, thinks that the Blue Jay pitchers are a bunch of stiffs and who's a bigger stiff than Corey Lidle (groan). He tries to one-up the Blue Jay guy but the "joke" was just too noticeable and they get caught.
If it was just Felix Heredia - this probably would have gone by mostly un-noticed. I wouldn't be surprised if these guys had been doing this off and on for a long time.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Phillies Flow
Just as an FYI - I've added Philliesflow.com to the blogroll.
Combined with Balls, Sticks and Stuff - you'd have your Philadelphia Phillies jones met on a daily basis.
Good stuff at both blogs.
Having said that - Go Braves!
Just kidding.
Just as an FYI - I've added Philliesflow.com to the blogroll.
Combined with Balls, Sticks and Stuff - you'd have your Philadelphia Phillies jones met on a daily basis.
Good stuff at both blogs.
Having said that - Go Braves!
Just kidding.
Red Sox Game 2 in Japan Live Blog
6:00 - Tokyo is the world's largest city? I hadn't realized that. I'm looking forward to seeing how Jon Lester looks tonight. I haven't always been a believer in Lester but I'm coming around.
6:09 - I just realized that I wrote "tonight" when it's actually morning. I guess the fact that it's night in Japan coupled with the fact that the sun hasn't risen yet coupled with the fact that I haven't had any coffee yet has me confused.
6:16 - Rich Harden has a no-hitter going! He lost the perfect game by walking Ortiz though.
6:25 - Jon Lester has a no-hitter going too! He lost his perfect game with a walk in the first too though.
6:33 - Rich Harden keeps his no-hitter bid alive with a 1-2-3 second inning. This may only interest me and it's no secret that Kevin Cash is no wizard at the plate but I found it interesting that last year in Pawtucket (AAA) he hit just .176 in 176 at bats. Symmetry.
6:48 - Jon Lester loses both his no-hitter and shut-out as the A's take a 1-0 lead. I was reading Alex Beam's review of the HBO series John Adams during the inning. Glad to see he mentioned John Bell's blog Boston 1775. I've had that blog on my blogroll for over a year.
7:03 - Rich Harden has his no-hitter still intact after 3 innings and I have my first cup of coffee in the morning.
7:10 - I should note that Coco Crisp is playing today in place of Jacoby Ellsbury. I think this is because Terry Francona wants to get Crisp a start and also because Crisp has had some success against Harden in the past (2-6). Emil Brown hits a 3-run blast and the A's take a 4-0 lead. I'm going to take this opportunity to see if Emil Brown is taken in any of my fantasy baseball leagues.
7:29 - Harden loses his no-hitter but now has 7 K's. He's looking sharp. I can't wait for the Sox to get into the A's bullpen.
7:33 - I'm assuming that if I were listening to ESPN2's broadcast of the game that I would have heard Steve Phillips talk about how Harden has this year's Cy Young Award wrapped up by now. Middle of the 4th and both pitchers have thrown 73 pitches.
7:48 - Should I be worried that Jason Varitek may be taking batting tips from Kevin Cash? I've been impressed with what I've seen of David Aardsma who has come into the game in relief of Lester. The guy is only 26 and was a top draft pick (22nd pick of the 2003 draft). Manny hits a HR and wins me $20 in my home run pool. Thanks Manny. A's lead 4-1.
8:15 - I'm not sorry to see Rich Harden go. His final line was 6 IP, 1 ER and 9 K's. I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate the UMass basketball team on a great come from behind victory at Syracuse last night. That was an exciting game to watch. My guess is that UMass coach Travis Ford gets a job offer from a bigger program after the season is over. If Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was a MLB GM - he'd be the White Sox's Kenny Williams.
8:35 - I would not be surprised in the least if Huston Street is either traded or demoted to set-up duty by the A's and that Keith Foulke takes over as closer. I admit that I was surprised both to learn that Foulke is only 11th on the all-time list for saves for the A's (with 43) and that Hall of Famer Left Grove is above him on the list (with 51). Foulke is probably the early favorite for come-back player of the year. A's take a 5-1 lead as we head into the 9th.
9:01 - Alan Embree pitches a scoreless 9th and the Red Sox lose 5-1. For the record - yesterday I had a bacon and cheese omelet and today I had brown bread toast and a banana.
EDIT: Lyford was up and blogging this morning as well.
6:00 - Tokyo is the world's largest city? I hadn't realized that. I'm looking forward to seeing how Jon Lester looks tonight. I haven't always been a believer in Lester but I'm coming around.
6:09 - I just realized that I wrote "tonight" when it's actually morning. I guess the fact that it's night in Japan coupled with the fact that the sun hasn't risen yet coupled with the fact that I haven't had any coffee yet has me confused.
6:16 - Rich Harden has a no-hitter going! He lost the perfect game by walking Ortiz though.
6:25 - Jon Lester has a no-hitter going too! He lost his perfect game with a walk in the first too though.
6:33 - Rich Harden keeps his no-hitter bid alive with a 1-2-3 second inning. This may only interest me and it's no secret that Kevin Cash is no wizard at the plate but I found it interesting that last year in Pawtucket (AAA) he hit just .176 in 176 at bats. Symmetry.
6:48 - Jon Lester loses both his no-hitter and shut-out as the A's take a 1-0 lead. I was reading Alex Beam's review of the HBO series John Adams during the inning. Glad to see he mentioned John Bell's blog Boston 1775. I've had that blog on my blogroll for over a year.
7:03 - Rich Harden has his no-hitter still intact after 3 innings and I have my first cup of coffee in the morning.
7:10 - I should note that Coco Crisp is playing today in place of Jacoby Ellsbury. I think this is because Terry Francona wants to get Crisp a start and also because Crisp has had some success against Harden in the past (2-6). Emil Brown hits a 3-run blast and the A's take a 4-0 lead. I'm going to take this opportunity to see if Emil Brown is taken in any of my fantasy baseball leagues.
7:29 - Harden loses his no-hitter but now has 7 K's. He's looking sharp. I can't wait for the Sox to get into the A's bullpen.
7:33 - I'm assuming that if I were listening to ESPN2's broadcast of the game that I would have heard Steve Phillips talk about how Harden has this year's Cy Young Award wrapped up by now. Middle of the 4th and both pitchers have thrown 73 pitches.
7:48 - Should I be worried that Jason Varitek may be taking batting tips from Kevin Cash? I've been impressed with what I've seen of David Aardsma who has come into the game in relief of Lester. The guy is only 26 and was a top draft pick (22nd pick of the 2003 draft). Manny hits a HR and wins me $20 in my home run pool. Thanks Manny. A's lead 4-1.
8:15 - I'm not sorry to see Rich Harden go. His final line was 6 IP, 1 ER and 9 K's. I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate the UMass basketball team on a great come from behind victory at Syracuse last night. That was an exciting game to watch. My guess is that UMass coach Travis Ford gets a job offer from a bigger program after the season is over. If Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was a MLB GM - he'd be the White Sox's Kenny Williams.
8:35 - I would not be surprised in the least if Huston Street is either traded or demoted to set-up duty by the A's and that Keith Foulke takes over as closer. I admit that I was surprised both to learn that Foulke is only 11th on the all-time list for saves for the A's (with 43) and that Hall of Famer Left Grove is above him on the list (with 51). Foulke is probably the early favorite for come-back player of the year. A's take a 5-1 lead as we head into the 9th.
9:01 - Alan Embree pitches a scoreless 9th and the Red Sox lose 5-1. For the record - yesterday I had a bacon and cheese omelet and today I had brown bread toast and a banana.
EDIT: Lyford was up and blogging this morning as well.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Red Sox Opening Day Live Blog
6:00 - Ohayou - that's Japanese for "Good morning". It's 6:00 and I haven't brewed the coffee yet but I'm watching the game and will be jotting down some miscellaneous thoughts and observations as I go along.
6:17 - Dice-K takes the mound and instead of being excited for Opening Day I'm just feeling awake. I need the coffee. Oh - I didn't just get up to watch the game - I also had to get up early to make a move in one of my fantasy baseball leagues. I'm in a cash league with 8 guys and you have up to a 1/2 hour before the first game to set your line-up for the week. I decided to drop Freddie Sanchez at 2nd (even though he's one of my favorite players) because he's so injury prone. I had to decide between Kelly Johnson of the Braves and Mark Ellis of the A's as a replacement and of course I went with Kelly Johnson. I bring this up just as Mark Ellis drives one out of the park for a 1-0 A's lead.
6:30 - The A's make it 2-0 and Dice-K is having a hard time with his control. Anime fans still love him though.
6:35 - I just realize that Brandon Moss is starting for JD Drew. I still need my coffee (its brewing) but though it might wake me up I'm not sure it will restore the confidence I had yesterday about JD Drew playing 140 games this year.
6:58 - The A's leave them loaded but lead 2-0. I have my first cup of coffee (YAY! COFFEE!). Just for the heck of it I flipped from NESN to ESPN2 and saw that the game is on blackout. I'm amused by that.
7:15 - My first work email of the day has been crafted and sent.
7:22 - I've now added a Happi coat to the list of things I want. Dice-K seems possessed by the spirit of Matt Young.
7:44 - Just finished a bacon and cheese omelet my wife made for me. I love my wife. And I love bacon.
7:57 - Manny drives in 2 to tie the score. That takes Dice-K off the hook. I'm curious to see if he comes back in the game (at 95 pitches right now). Manny now has 1606 career RBI. That's just 3 behind Goose Goslin for 27th place on the all-time list. Goslin played in the 1920's and 30's. He never hit more than 18 HR and suddenly he hits 37 at age 28 and then 30 at age 30? I think Goslin was on the juice. Moss singles in Manny and the Red Sox take a 3-2 lead. Not only is Dice-K off the hook - he could get a win.
8:15 - Jack Hannahan hits a HR off Kyle Snyder which puts the A's up 4-3 and gives Dice-K a no-decision. I keep thinking Hannahan's name is Hanrahan which makes me think of the move Slap Shot. "Hey Hanrahan - Suzanne's a lesbian. A lesssssbiaaaan."
8:42 - Just thought I'd point out that Kyle Snyder is a former 1st round pick. He was taken with the 7th overall pick in the 1999 draft by the Royals. Josh Hamilton was the first pick and Josh Beckett was the second pick. The Red Sox took Rick Asadoorian with the 17th pick that year. Asadoorian was born in Worcester and started out as an outfielder but was switched to pitcher full-time last season for the AA Chattanooga Lookouts. The Lookouts? What an awful name for a minor league team. EXCELLENT catch by Jacoby Ellsbury!
8:56 - BRANDON MOSS!! Game tied at 4!! How do you say extra innings in Japanese? Huston Street = Heathcliff Slocumb.
9:27 - MANNY! Second big 2-run double of the game for Manny. He's now just 1 RBI behind Goose Goslin. Red Sox now lead 6-4 and the Red Sox are bout to face their third former teamate on the mound (Embree, Foulke and now Lenny DiNardo).
9:50 - Papelbon makes us sweat it out but the Red Sox win 6-5. The Red Sox are now on pace for a 162-0 season.
6:00 - Ohayou - that's Japanese for "Good morning". It's 6:00 and I haven't brewed the coffee yet but I'm watching the game and will be jotting down some miscellaneous thoughts and observations as I go along.
6:17 - Dice-K takes the mound and instead of being excited for Opening Day I'm just feeling awake. I need the coffee. Oh - I didn't just get up to watch the game - I also had to get up early to make a move in one of my fantasy baseball leagues. I'm in a cash league with 8 guys and you have up to a 1/2 hour before the first game to set your line-up for the week. I decided to drop Freddie Sanchez at 2nd (even though he's one of my favorite players) because he's so injury prone. I had to decide between Kelly Johnson of the Braves and Mark Ellis of the A's as a replacement and of course I went with Kelly Johnson. I bring this up just as Mark Ellis drives one out of the park for a 1-0 A's lead.
6:30 - The A's make it 2-0 and Dice-K is having a hard time with his control. Anime fans still love him though.
6:35 - I just realize that Brandon Moss is starting for JD Drew. I still need my coffee (its brewing) but though it might wake me up I'm not sure it will restore the confidence I had yesterday about JD Drew playing 140 games this year.
6:58 - The A's leave them loaded but lead 2-0. I have my first cup of coffee (YAY! COFFEE!). Just for the heck of it I flipped from NESN to ESPN2 and saw that the game is on blackout. I'm amused by that.
7:15 - My first work email of the day has been crafted and sent.
7:22 - I've now added a Happi coat to the list of things I want. Dice-K seems possessed by the spirit of Matt Young.
7:44 - Just finished a bacon and cheese omelet my wife made for me. I love my wife. And I love bacon.
7:57 - Manny drives in 2 to tie the score. That takes Dice-K off the hook. I'm curious to see if he comes back in the game (at 95 pitches right now). Manny now has 1606 career RBI. That's just 3 behind Goose Goslin for 27th place on the all-time list. Goslin played in the 1920's and 30's. He never hit more than 18 HR and suddenly he hits 37 at age 28 and then 30 at age 30? I think Goslin was on the juice. Moss singles in Manny and the Red Sox take a 3-2 lead. Not only is Dice-K off the hook - he could get a win.
8:15 - Jack Hannahan hits a HR off Kyle Snyder which puts the A's up 4-3 and gives Dice-K a no-decision. I keep thinking Hannahan's name is Hanrahan which makes me think of the move Slap Shot. "Hey Hanrahan - Suzanne's a lesbian. A lesssssbiaaaan."
8:42 - Just thought I'd point out that Kyle Snyder is a former 1st round pick. He was taken with the 7th overall pick in the 1999 draft by the Royals. Josh Hamilton was the first pick and Josh Beckett was the second pick. The Red Sox took Rick Asadoorian with the 17th pick that year. Asadoorian was born in Worcester and started out as an outfielder but was switched to pitcher full-time last season for the AA Chattanooga Lookouts. The Lookouts? What an awful name for a minor league team. EXCELLENT catch by Jacoby Ellsbury!
8:56 - BRANDON MOSS!! Game tied at 4!! How do you say extra innings in Japanese? Huston Street = Heathcliff Slocumb.
9:27 - MANNY! Second big 2-run double of the game for Manny. He's now just 1 RBI behind Goose Goslin. Red Sox now lead 6-4 and the Red Sox are bout to face their third former teamate on the mound (Embree, Foulke and now Lenny DiNardo).
9:50 - Papelbon makes us sweat it out but the Red Sox win 6-5. The Red Sox are now on pace for a 162-0 season.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Bobby Abreu Trade Review
The Hardball Times has a trade review article on the trade that sent Bobby Abreu to the Yankees. I have a hard time calling this a trade since it was really a salary dump.
The one bone I'd have to pick with the analysis is the fact it doesn't mention the opportunity cost to the Yankees. With Abreu on the team (along with the other high priced outfielders like Damon and Matsui) - the Yankees did not go after any big name free agents for the outfield. No Alfonso Soriano, JD Drew or Carlos Lee. Sure Abreu helped them make the playoffs in 2006 but did he cost them in the long run? Abreu's best days are behind him.
Abreu had 19 win shares last year. Lee had 23 win shares last year. Soriano had 22 win shares last year. JD Drew had 12 win shares last season. So both Lee and Soriano probably would have been worth at least one extra win to the team last season. Could it be that the difference between having a Carlos Lee or Soriano in the line-up this year could be the huge difference maker between the Yankees winning the division or possibly missing the playoffs in 2008? Keep in mind that next winter the only real impact free agent outfielder may be Carl Crawford. Too soon to consider the impact of Abreu on the Yankees if you ask me.
The Hardball Times has a trade review article on the trade that sent Bobby Abreu to the Yankees. I have a hard time calling this a trade since it was really a salary dump.
The one bone I'd have to pick with the analysis is the fact it doesn't mention the opportunity cost to the Yankees. With Abreu on the team (along with the other high priced outfielders like Damon and Matsui) - the Yankees did not go after any big name free agents for the outfield. No Alfonso Soriano, JD Drew or Carlos Lee. Sure Abreu helped them make the playoffs in 2006 but did he cost them in the long run? Abreu's best days are behind him.
Abreu had 19 win shares last year. Lee had 23 win shares last year. Soriano had 22 win shares last year. JD Drew had 12 win shares last season. So both Lee and Soriano probably would have been worth at least one extra win to the team last season. Could it be that the difference between having a Carlos Lee or Soriano in the line-up this year could be the huge difference maker between the Yankees winning the division or possibly missing the playoffs in 2008? Keep in mind that next winter the only real impact free agent outfielder may be Carl Crawford. Too soon to consider the impact of Abreu on the Yankees if you ask me.
Red Sox Preview
Lyford has a nice preview of the 2008 Red Sox up at his site. He pegs the team to win 98-103 games which seems about right. He also gives the "cup half-full" look at what could go wrong.
Lyford has a nice preview of the 2008 Red Sox up at his site. He pegs the team to win 98-103 games which seems about right. He also gives the "cup half-full" look at what could go wrong.
- Beckett gets hurtSome things that could balance out these potential pitfalls:
- Lowell crashes
- Manny continues to decline
- Ortiz drops off
- Lester and Buchholz aren't ready
- Dice-K becomes a top level Cy Young contender in his second seasonI just wanted to point out these things because I'm feeling optimistic today.
- Jacoby Ellsbury emerges as Ichiro-lite at the top of the order
- Kevin Youkilis finds his power stroke and hits 25+ HR
- Lester wins 15+ games and people start talking about the second coming of Bruce hurst
The Peace Sign and the Dollar Sign
Betsy had a very interesting post about the birthday of the peace sign. I knew that the peace sign just turned 50 but I did not know that the design actually started with a N (for nuclear) and a D (for disarmament) with a circle around it.
That reminded me that the symbol for the US dollar is actually a U (for United) with a S (for States) superimposed on top. The bottom of the U had been dropped years ago and recently people have started just using a single bar through the S but that's what the symbol stands for.
Betsy had a very interesting post about the birthday of the peace sign. I knew that the peace sign just turned 50 but I did not know that the design actually started with a N (for nuclear) and a D (for disarmament) with a circle around it.
That reminded me that the symbol for the US dollar is actually a U (for United) with a S (for States) superimposed on top. The bottom of the U had been dropped years ago and recently people have started just using a single bar through the S but that's what the symbol stands for.
Baseball Flotsam and Jetsam
Miscellaneous baseball thoughts and observations.
Call me an optimist because I really think JD Drew will have a good season this year for the Red Sox. I'm predicting he'll hit at least .300 with at least 20 HR and 140 games played. Like I said - call me an optimist... Scott Rolen will be probably be out for at least Opening Day with a torn fingernail and a broken bone in his finger. Many people will automatically think "oh here we go again" regarding the oft-injured Rolen but I think this may actually be a fluke and that Rolen may put together a decent season this year. Hey - I already said I'm an optimist... In 2001 due mostly to injuries to John Valentin and Nomar Garciaparra - a rookie basically came out of nowhere to be the Opening Day starting 3rd baseman for the Red Sox. That rookie was Shea Hillenbrand. It looks like history may be repating itself because due mostly to injuries to Andy LaRoche and Nomar Garciaparra another rookie may be a surprise Opening Day starter at 3rd base. This time though its the Dodgers and the surprise rookie starter may be Blake DeWitt... Speaking of Shea Hillenbrand - it looks like his career is over. Not even the injury depleted Dodgers are ringing him on the phone. I just hope Hillenbrand realizes how luck a guy with his limited talent was to make $20 million playing baseball not to mention somehow making it to not one but two All-Star games... Speaking of rookies getting to start on Opening Day - Rockies will be going with rookie Jason Nix to start at 2nd. I'm taking a flyer on Nix in one of my fantasy baseball teams. He's got some pop in his bat and Rockies rookie middle infielders have been pretty good bets for the past few seasons...
Miscellaneous baseball thoughts and observations.
Call me an optimist because I really think JD Drew will have a good season this year for the Red Sox. I'm predicting he'll hit at least .300 with at least 20 HR and 140 games played. Like I said - call me an optimist... Scott Rolen will be probably be out for at least Opening Day with a torn fingernail and a broken bone in his finger. Many people will automatically think "oh here we go again" regarding the oft-injured Rolen but I think this may actually be a fluke and that Rolen may put together a decent season this year. Hey - I already said I'm an optimist... In 2001 due mostly to injuries to John Valentin and Nomar Garciaparra - a rookie basically came out of nowhere to be the Opening Day starting 3rd baseman for the Red Sox. That rookie was Shea Hillenbrand. It looks like history may be repating itself because due mostly to injuries to Andy LaRoche and Nomar Garciaparra another rookie may be a surprise Opening Day starter at 3rd base. This time though its the Dodgers and the surprise rookie starter may be Blake DeWitt... Speaking of Shea Hillenbrand - it looks like his career is over. Not even the injury depleted Dodgers are ringing him on the phone. I just hope Hillenbrand realizes how luck a guy with his limited talent was to make $20 million playing baseball not to mention somehow making it to not one but two All-Star games... Speaking of rookies getting to start on Opening Day - Rockies will be going with rookie Jason Nix to start at 2nd. I'm taking a flyer on Nix in one of my fantasy baseball teams. He's got some pop in his bat and Rockies rookie middle infielders have been pretty good bets for the past few seasons...
Labels:
Blake DeWitt,
Jason Nix,
JD Drew,
Nomar Garciaparra,
Scott Rolen,
Shea Hillenbrand
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Associations
Have you seen that new "With" commercial from Wachovia? What struck me funny was that Diedrich Bader is doing the voice-over narration. Bader is probably best known for playing Oswald on The Drew Carey Show. However, the connection I make is the fact that Wachovia makes me think of money and combined with Bader's voice I think of Bader's character Lawrence from the movie Office Space and what Lawrence would have done if he had a million dollars.
So my mind associates that "With" commercial with "two chicks at the same time." Damn straight. I always wanted to do that, man. And I think if I were a millionaire with Wachovia's money I could hook that up too - 'cause chicks dig dudes with money. That's who I'd be "with" - two chicks at the same time.
Have you seen that new "With" commercial from Wachovia? What struck me funny was that Diedrich Bader is doing the voice-over narration. Bader is probably best known for playing Oswald on The Drew Carey Show. However, the connection I make is the fact that Wachovia makes me think of money and combined with Bader's voice I think of Bader's character Lawrence from the movie Office Space and what Lawrence would have done if he had a million dollars.
So my mind associates that "With" commercial with "two chicks at the same time." Damn straight. I always wanted to do that, man. And I think if I were a millionaire with Wachovia's money I could hook that up too - 'cause chicks dig dudes with money. That's who I'd be "with" - two chicks at the same time.
Clarence Thomas
One thing that disgusts me is the fact that some of the very same people who will shout "racist" at anyone who criticizes Barack Obama take amusement from making fun of Clarence Thomas in the most tasteless of ways. Seriously - if you took some of their criticisms of Thomas and applied them to Obama - well if it was an elected official who did it - they would be asked to step down.
What got me thinking about Thomas was this very nice profile in the Wall Street Journal. I was surprised to learn that Thomas is a NASCAR fan for example.
One thing that disgusts me is the fact that some of the very same people who will shout "racist" at anyone who criticizes Barack Obama take amusement from making fun of Clarence Thomas in the most tasteless of ways. Seriously - if you took some of their criticisms of Thomas and applied them to Obama - well if it was an elected official who did it - they would be asked to step down.
What got me thinking about Thomas was this very nice profile in the Wall Street Journal. I was surprised to learn that Thomas is a NASCAR fan for example.
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