Recaps, extensions, Jackie Robinson Day, a Utah expansion bid, new songs from a subscriber AND from my son, The Rat Czar, and why you shouldn't cheer on Anheuser-Busch against the bigots TOO much
Jeeze. I usually finish at least two cups before Cup but the old drip was dribbling when this one hit.
Spencer Strider has been throwing about 2mph slower than in 2022. Working 96-98 is still fast but not quite the same. It would make sense if he were trying to stretch out for more IP but by going so deep into the count (about 70 pitches thrown in the first 3 innings) his five IP is near max.
...
In the early 80s I had a really difficult time keeping the SNL actor and BAL first baseman straight. Learning that there was a player with Gumby’s name would have killed me.
NY Mayor Adams is absolutely obsessed with rats, has been for years, so I'm surprised it took this long for him to get his rat czar. He used to say he was vegan, but he's changed that to being a person who follows a plant based diet, because vegans don't get down with the killin' like this :) https://www.curbed.com/2021/10/eric-adams-mayor-rat-bucket.html
My issue with Jackie Robinson Day is how short shrift is given to Larry Doby, Hank Thompson, and Willard Brown, the three Black players who integrated the American League ballparks. Robinson as a ballplayer, person, and symbol deserves the attention MLB pays to him (I mean, obviously...it feels silly to even type that out), but in terms of the physical act of taking the field for the first time in front of a potentially hostile crowd, the very act that Jackie Robinson Day celebrates, the three Black AL players faced the same experience. I don't think they're celebrated commensurate with their contributions in these annual observances. For the record:
7/5/47 -- Doby integrates Comiskey Park in Chicago
7/11 -- Doby integrates Cleveland Stadium
7/17 -- Thompson integrates Sportsman Park in St. Louis
7/22 -- Doby integrates Shibe Park in Philadelphia, Thompson and Brown integrate Yankee Stadium
7/26 -- Brown integrates Fenway Park (he starts in RF, Thompson pinch-hits in the 8th inning)
I'm glad that someone else is annoyed by Jackie Robinson Day. It just makes me want to punch those rich white owners in the throat while they are distracted by patting themselves on the back.
Also I'm sure some of the very politicians whining like man babies with colic about how woke Bud Light is got money from the company so they should sht up extra hard than bigots should normally shut up.
(Apparently waking up with a splitting headache makes me crankier than normal! Yay wild weather swings ugh.)
Also, big congratulations to Carlo! Using found objects to improvise musical instruments has a very long history, and it's fun to see him exercise his creative muscles that way.
Rather than awarding the win to the pitcher who was most effective, why don't we just stop the outdated notion of awarding pitchers wins?
Granted, if a starter has a good W-L record, you can safely assume he was at least pretty good. But it's not telling enough to compare with other guys with good records. There are far better metrics now than the old time win. And for relievers W-L hardly means anything at all. The only reason they keep awarding wins now is tradition.
Either you’re up early, or I’m up late. ;)
Fuck, I was going to comment for once and still got beat to it
Jeeze. I usually finish at least two cups before Cup but the old drip was dribbling when this one hit.
Spencer Strider has been throwing about 2mph slower than in 2022. Working 96-98 is still fast but not quite the same. It would make sense if he were trying to stretch out for more IP but by going so deep into the count (about 70 pitches thrown in the first 3 innings) his five IP is near max.
...
In the early 80s I had a really difficult time keeping the SNL actor and BAL first baseman straight. Learning that there was a player with Gumby’s name would have killed me.
...
Congrats to Carlo!
NY Mayor Adams is absolutely obsessed with rats, has been for years, so I'm surprised it took this long for him to get his rat czar. He used to say he was vegan, but he's changed that to being a person who follows a plant based diet, because vegans don't get down with the killin' like this :) https://www.curbed.com/2021/10/eric-adams-mayor-rat-bucket.html
Junkrat reminded me of the first 15 seconds of Motorhead: Motorhead live:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1TgdZCACqE
So that means I liked it a LOT. Three listens so far...
I don't get the Jo Adell joke.
It’s awesome that the Nats are so lame that Craig needs a Logan O’Hoppe bit to fill out the recap. Sigh.
PS I’m up especially early because someone drove by this morning with no muffler and the dogs went NUTS. I’d rather be on a flight. Safe travels!
PPS Carlo’s video is the best part of the song. RIP Godzilla.
I enjoy seeing the artistic work of our weird little community. Thanks for sharing Lorenzo’s song!
My issue with Jackie Robinson Day is how short shrift is given to Larry Doby, Hank Thompson, and Willard Brown, the three Black players who integrated the American League ballparks. Robinson as a ballplayer, person, and symbol deserves the attention MLB pays to him (I mean, obviously...it feels silly to even type that out), but in terms of the physical act of taking the field for the first time in front of a potentially hostile crowd, the very act that Jackie Robinson Day celebrates, the three Black AL players faced the same experience. I don't think they're celebrated commensurate with their contributions in these annual observances. For the record:
7/5/47 -- Doby integrates Comiskey Park in Chicago
7/11 -- Doby integrates Cleveland Stadium
7/17 -- Thompson integrates Sportsman Park in St. Louis
7/22 -- Doby integrates Shibe Park in Philadelphia, Thompson and Brown integrate Yankee Stadium
7/26 -- Brown integrates Fenway Park (he starts in RF, Thompson pinch-hits in the 8th inning)
7/30 -- Doby integrates Griffith Stadium in D.C.
8/5 -- Doby integrates Briggs Stadium in Detroit
I'm glad that someone else is annoyed by Jackie Robinson Day. It just makes me want to punch those rich white owners in the throat while they are distracted by patting themselves on the back.
Also I'm sure some of the very politicians whining like man babies with colic about how woke Bud Light is got money from the company so they should sht up extra hard than bigots should normally shut up.
(Apparently waking up with a splitting headache makes me crankier than normal! Yay wild weather swings ugh.)
You're going to visit his advisor when you're over for the coast to coast walk aren't you.
Also, big congratulations to Carlo! Using found objects to improvise musical instruments has a very long history, and it's fun to see him exercise his creative muscles that way.
Carlo’s project is so awesome! My wife is still asleep next to me in bed so I will play the song later.
PS this is very Einstürzende Neubauten of him!!! As Blixa Bargeld once said: sei schlau, klau vom Bau / be smart, steal from a construction site
PPS will also listen to Lorenzo later
Rather than awarding the win to the pitcher who was most effective, why don't we just stop the outdated notion of awarding pitchers wins?
Granted, if a starter has a good W-L record, you can safely assume he was at least pretty good. But it's not telling enough to compare with other guys with good records. There are far better metrics now than the old time win. And for relievers W-L hardly means anything at all. The only reason they keep awarding wins now is tradition.