Cup of Coffee: October 19, 2023

The Astros strike back, Gold Glove "finalists," policing fandom, BlueSky codes, RFK Jr. is eating his overlords, Banksy, and one more day of Midwest content

Good morning! And welcome to Free Thursday!

The Astros struck back last night. We got our Gold Glove finalists, even if they’re not, by strict definition, finalists. I talk briefly about green hyperlinks. I grant permission for people to fan the way they want to fan, even if they go viral for being a superfan for someone.

In Other Stuff I continue to feel like some sort of money launderer or fence or something for moving other people’s BlueSky codes, but hey, I’m providing a service. My prediction about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seems to be coming true. I share a story about who, really, is Banksy. Finally, at the risk of steering this newsletter into further chaos, I revisit the topic of the Midwest for one more day. Everyone keep your heads today, OK? Don’t say anything you won’t be able to take back.

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And That Happened

Here is the score. Here are the highlights:

Astros 8, Rangers 5: Houston came out and roughed up Max Scherzer (4 IP, 5 H, 5 ER), who was making his return to the mound for the first time since September 12. The Astros strung together a number of hits to put up three runs in the second then followed it up with a solo Jose Altuve home run in the third. Mauricio Dubón made it 5-0 with a single in the fourth. The Rangers had their moments — Josh Jung hit two homers and Leody Taveras robbing Yordan Álvarez of a longball was pretty sweet — but Houston answered Jung’s first homer with a two-run single from Alvarez. Jung’s second two-run shot was followed by Jeremy Peña RBI single which was followed by an Adolis García RBI single. That uneven exchange allowed Texas to make it close enough to where you couldn’t quite switch away but not close enough to truly make this one a contest. Houston is now one the board, down two games to one with Game 4 teed up tonight.

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The Daily Briefing

Gold Glove finalists announced

Rawlings and Major League announced the finalists for the Gold Glove Awards yesterday. As is often the case with awards, the term “finalists” is misleading. I’m pretty sure that the winners have already been decided and that these are just the top three vote getters at each position as opposed to guys who are actually facing off in a final round, but hey, let them use that word if they want to.

Anyway: to determine the winners at the nine standard positions, the 30 MLB managers and up to six coaches from each team vote from a pool of players in their league, excluding players from their own team. These votes comprise 75% of the selection total, with the SABR Defensive Index counting for the other 25%. For the utility position — an award they just began handing out last year — Rawlings collaborates with SABR to create a specialized defensive formula separate from the traditional selection process.

Here are the finalists at each position. Of note: Mookie Betts is nominated for two positions. And Nolan Arenado's MLB-record streak of 10 Gold Gloves to begin his career is now over:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Pitcher
José Berríos, TOR
Sonny Gray, MIN
Pablo López, MIN

Catcher
Jonah Heim, TEX
Alejandro Kirk, TOR
Adley Rutschman, BAL

First Base
Nathaniel Lowe, TEX
Ryan Mountcastle, BAL
Anthony Rizzo, NYY

Second Base
Mauricio Dubón, HOU
Andrés Giménez, CLE
Marcus Semien, TEX

Third Base
Alex Bregman, HOU
Matt Chapman, TOR
José Ramírez, CLE

Shortstop
Carlos Correa, MIN
Corey Seager, TEX
Anthony Volpe, NYY

Left Field
Austin Hays, BAL
Steven Kwan, CLE
Daulton Varsho, TOR

Center Field
Kevin Kiermaier, TOR
Luis Robert Jr., CWS
Julio Rodríguez, SEA

Right Field
Adolis García, TEX
Kyle Tucker, HOU
Alex Verdugo, BOS

Utility
Mauricio Dubón, HOU
Zach McKinstry, DET
Taylor Walls, TB

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Pitcher
Jesús Luzardo, MIA
Taijuan Walker, PHI
Zack Wheeler, PHI

Catcher
Patrick Bailey, SF
Gabriel Moreno, AZ
J.T. Realmuto, PHI

First Base
Freddie Freeman, LAD
Carlos Santana, PIT/MIL
Christian Walker, AZ

Second Base
Nico Hoerner, CHC
Ha-Seong Kim, SD
Bryson Stott, PHI

Third Base
Ke'Bryan Hayes, PIT
Ryan McMahon, COL
Austin Riley, ATL

Shortstop
Francisco Lindor, NYM
Dansby Swanson, CHC
Ezequiel Tovar, COL

Left Field
Ian Happ, CHC
David Peralta, LAD
Eddie Rosario, ATL

Center Field
Brenton Doyle, COL
Michael Harris II, ATL
Alek Thomas, AZ

Right Field
Mookie Betts, LAD
Fernando Tatis Jr., SD
Lane Thomas, WSH

Utility
Mookie Betts, LAD
Tommy Edman, STL
Ha-Seong Kim, SD

The winners will be announced on ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight” show on Sunday, November 5, at 7:30 PM Eastern.

Is that why?

Saw this floating around yesterday:

I do not believe the mint color was chosen to be “welcoming, inclusive, unexpected, and fun.” I actually believe that it was chosen because people who work in user interface optimization have figured out people are more likely to click on green links than links of any other color. I know this — and I made my links in this newsletter green — because a friend of mine who once worked for a company that knows things like that told me about that dynamic and suggested I make my links green for that reason.

In my defense, I’m only asking you to pay me once a month or once a year, not every waking moment like the ESPN gambling goons want you to.

Lay off the Chargers/Vikings fan

A Los Angeles Chargers fan named Merianne Do went viral on Monday night during the Cowboys-Chargers game after being caught on camera several times reacting emotionally to whatever was going on. The Chargers social media accounts and others boosted her, portraying her as the quintessential sports fan who lives and dies with her squad.

Then, the Internet being what the Internet is, photos were found of her wearing Minnesota Vikings gear and a bunch of people came online and on radio shows and stuff to bash her for being a fake fan or a fair weather fan and even accusing her of being some sort of actor/plant trying to get viral clout. Her response to all of that, via TMZ, is music to the ears of the author of Rethinking Fandom:

“I grew up in Minnesota before moving to California almost 20 years ago. I don't think you have to be a single-team fan. I love my Chargers and I'm not gonna deny my Vikings. At the end of the day, yes, I've been a Vikings fan, I've been through that journey as a Vikings fan and still am, but I'm here in LA for the past 20 years.”

Don’t let anyone tell you how to fan. Root for the Rams or Raiders or, for that matter, the Memphis Showboats next week, Merianne.

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Other Stuff

BlueSky Codes

Come get ‘em. From various sources:

• bsky-social-onlgt-pftvo

• bsky-social-t2kqx-pzgkd

• bsky-social-skcv6-sqtwo

• bsky-social-55lwc-ozl73

• bsky-social-nzk2q-eeuyi

• bsky-social-lkljz-qxsq3

• bsky-social-e5wxg-n6dqj

• bsky-social-hac7q-od6qd

Called it

Last week, when Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced he was no longer running for the Democratic nomination but, instead, would run as an independent, I and a lot of other folks suspected that he’d end up harming Trump more than he would Biden. Primarily because RFK Jr., like a lot of Trump supporters, is an anti-science, anti-vaxx, conspiracy theorist and lunatic game respects lunatic game.

Called it:

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy’s presence on the ticket could spell major trouble for former President Donald Trump.

A new poll shows President Joe Biden leading Trump 44% to 37%, with Kennedy notching 16%.

Released by Marist in partnership with NPR and PBS Newshour on Tuesday, the poll shows a five-point drop among Democrats for Biden with Kennedy in the race. Meanwhile, the survey indicates a 10-point drop among Republicans for Trump with RFK Jr. on the ticket.

Go Bobby.

Unmasking Banksy

Though I appreciate his work and intentions, I don’t follow Banksy stuff particularly closely. So maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised when I read a story about how, actually, it’s almost certainly the case that Banksy is not a single person but, rather, a collective under an umbrella brand. Even if it likely began with a single person named Robin Gunningham of Bristol, UK.

The specifics of his/their identity, while widely speculated about for a long time, may finally be definitively determined due to a defamation lawsuit. Fun.

The Midwest: Part II

Yesterday’s item about the map of the Midwest led to way, way more argument and debate than I ever would’ve expected. People have feelings about this topic, man.

Part of me thought I should just drop it but I was inspired to revisit it again today. That inspiration came from a person whom I’d never presume would have any strong opinions about what is and what is not Midwestern: my son Carlo. He saw me tweeting about this and texted me:

Hmm. Wasn’t sure about that last bit:

At this point I realized that I was speaking to an expert so I dropped any objections.

By the way: the expert then told me that while “Never Meant” was American Football’s best-known song and was thus the quintessential Midwest Emo song, that he preferred “I’ll See You When We’re Both Not So Emotional.” I told him that I and most of my readers were too normie to go too deep into Midwest Emo, so I’d end with “Never Meant.”

He then said “be sure to tell them that I said Brave Little Abacus’s “Just Got Back From the Discomfort, We’re Alright” is the best emo album of all time.”

So now I have.

Have a great day, everyone.