10.28.2009
10.27.2009
SportsNation sucks bad
You know what sucks at television? ESPN show SportsNation. Could they talk about anything less-relevant? I think it's nearly impossible. Here is some great programming ideas..... Let's ask "SportsNation" how many people they think don't know the NFL overtime rules. Then, ( and this is the genius part of the show) we can have two unknown, idiot hosts, talk about the question and (more genius) guess what they think "SportsNation" thinks about the subject. Seriously? This is the show. I'm not exaggerating, either. They ask people a question and then the hosts guess what they think the people think. Worst. Show. Ever.
10.25.2009
Re: The New Cursed
A little while back, I wrote an article (here) detailing why I think the New York Yankees are the new cursed team. I went on and on about how the Boston Red Sox destroyed their curse by coming back from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS. Well, the time has come. With a win in Game 6 of the 2009 ALCS, NY has made it to the World Series for the first time since losing to Josh Beckett and the Florida Marlins in 2003. We finally find out if the curse has been placed on the Yankees. I have held this theory since the loss in 2004. There has been evidence to support my theory. The loss in 2004 was the start. 05, 06, 07, and 08 helped support it. Can 2009 add more to the curse? Is there a curse? The World Series is next...
10.24.2009
I'm a daydream believer
I had a dream. On Friday, at about 1pm, I took my paycheck from Joel Waraday and drove to the casino to play poker. In this dream, I got to the casino and sat down in a 1/2 game. On my second hand, I had QQ and doubled up my $150. I only played for two hours and in that span, I had a set of 7's, a set of Aces, queens twice, and got paid off with two pair when I held AJ. After two hours, I got up after turning $185 into $450. I checked my wallet later and found 4 one hundred dollar bills ;)
10.21.2009
Re: Pros and Cons of Legalizing Marijuana
Here we go...
Marijuana is originally from Asia. It has been used there since at least 3000 BC. It eventually made its way to the Greeks. It has also been found in regions of China dating back 2,500 years. The coolest part of the history of Cannabis is its connection to Shakespeare. "Pipes dug up from the garden of Shakespeare's home in Stratford upon Avon contain traces of cannabis." They decided to research his estate after it was hypothesized that 'noted weed' from Sonnet 76 and 'journey in my head' from Sonnet 72 are references to pot. Even though pot has a long history of use, it became illegal in the United States in 1937.
Theories abound as to why Marijuana eventually became illegal. One is that the paper and chemical companies did their best lobbying to make it illegal for fear that they would be run out of business by the affects of marijuana and the benefits of hemp. Another theory criticizes the theories about economics for not taking into account the social aspect. This theory states that it became illegal because of a deep seeded racist attitude toward African Americans and Mexicans.
But this 1937 Act did not make the possession or use of marijuana illegal. All it did was levy a tax on anyone who dealt with it. This act, though, was the first step toward illegalization. The second step was the 1964 Convention on Narcotics. And the third step was the 1970 Controlled Substances Act. The 1964 Convention basically was a treaty of countries to regulate and stop drug abuse. The 1970 act was the United States implementing that treaty.
The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 created five Schedules or classifications of the various drugs. The DEA and FDA were in charge of placing each drug into the appropriate schedule. Schedule 1 drugs are drugs that "have a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision." Marijuana falls into this schedule. As you go down each schedule, you get drugs that are less and less controlled. By the time you get to IV and V, you are dealing with drugs like cough suppressants, Xanax, Valium, and Ambien. This is the first joke of all. Drugs that are highly addictive and regularly abused are at the very bottom of the list. And, to make matters worse, alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine are NOT ON THE LIST ANYWHERE. The chart below shows some startling facts...
In 1968, Nixon was preparing to start enforcing the Convention of 1964. He hired the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse to study the affects of marijuana.
After the study, It's chairman, Raymond Shafer, said "The criminal law is too harsh a tool to apply to personal possession even in the effort to discourage use. It implies an overwhelming indictment of the behavior which we believe is not appropriate. The actual and potential harm of use of the drug is not great enough to justify intrusion by the criminal law into private behavior, a step which our society takes only 'with the greatest reluctance'". President Nixon signed the Controlled Substances Act anyway.
Since then, the violence on the borders of US and Mexico has been deadly. There are hundreds of people killed each year in the drug trafficking scene. There is so much money at stake, it has to be kept tight by the drug lords. They have semi-automatic weapons and they have millions of dollars. When there is a drug user, there is a drug dealer. The United States government has spent billions of dollars trying to stop something that simply cannot be stopped. How is this rational? Does it make sense to let the money being made off of marijuana go to Mexico and Mexican drug dealers instead of the United States government? A few days ago, President Barack Obama eased regulations of medical marijuana stores. He has told federal authorities not to target medical marijuana suppliers or users. This is the first step toward legalization. The public opinion on pot has gone from 25% in favor of legalization in the 1970s to 44% today.
Pros versus Cons. The pros of the drug are obvious. It can prevent nausea and vomiting, stimulate hunger for chemotherapy, lower intraocular pressure in the treatment of glaucoma. It has also been shown to stop schizophrenia, help with multiple sclerosis and depression.
Putting money in the hands of the taxpayer and not in the hands of drug cartels is a pro. Ending violence on the border is a pro. Not wasting money trying to stop the cultivation and distribution is a pro.
The cons are not so obvious. The most obvious, though, is the effect it can have on the respiratory system. It is smoke going into your lungs, just like tobacco smoke from a cigarette. With the drug being illegal, adulterants are bound to happen. With the legalization of marijuana, this would not happen.
What about the Gateway drug theory? This is a major con. Or is it? According to a 2005 study in the "Drug and Alcohol Review", "pre-existing traits may predispose users to addiction in general... the availability of multiple drugs in a given setting." The study says that there are many other factors, aside from the actual cannabis that contributes to the use of other harder drugs.
It seems that rational minds can conclude that the pros heavily outweigh the cons. It would be a good thing to let patients who need marijuana have easy access. It would a good thing to stop Mexican drug cartels. It would be a good thing to tax marijuana and make money. It would be a good thing to stop wasting taxpayer money in an effort to stop a drug that is not harmful. The DEA would be better utilized stopping the trafficking of many other drugs. It would be a good thing for marijuana to become legal in the United States.
Sources:
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all?content=10.1080/09595230500126698
http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/77339/?page=entire
http://www.world-mysteries.com/marijuana1.htm
http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/europe/UK/03/01/shakespeare.cannabis/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1195939.stm
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200612/23/eng20061223_335258.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana
http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2009/10/20/govt%E2%80%99s-latest-action-on-medical-marijuana-first-step-in-legalizing-pot/
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673607604644/fulltext
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Removal_of_cannabis_from_Schedule_I_of_the_Controlled_Substances_Act
Marijuana is originally from Asia. It has been used there since at least 3000 BC. It eventually made its way to the Greeks. It has also been found in regions of China dating back 2,500 years. The coolest part of the history of Cannabis is its connection to Shakespeare. "Pipes dug up from the garden of Shakespeare's home in Stratford upon Avon contain traces of cannabis." They decided to research his estate after it was hypothesized that 'noted weed' from Sonnet 76 and 'journey in my head' from Sonnet 72 are references to pot. Even though pot has a long history of use, it became illegal in the United States in 1937.
Theories abound as to why Marijuana eventually became illegal. One is that the paper and chemical companies did their best lobbying to make it illegal for fear that they would be run out of business by the affects of marijuana and the benefits of hemp. Another theory criticizes the theories about economics for not taking into account the social aspect. This theory states that it became illegal because of a deep seeded racist attitude toward African Americans and Mexicans.
But this 1937 Act did not make the possession or use of marijuana illegal. All it did was levy a tax on anyone who dealt with it. This act, though, was the first step toward illegalization. The second step was the 1964 Convention on Narcotics. And the third step was the 1970 Controlled Substances Act. The 1964 Convention basically was a treaty of countries to regulate and stop drug abuse. The 1970 act was the United States implementing that treaty.
The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 created five Schedules or classifications of the various drugs. The DEA and FDA were in charge of placing each drug into the appropriate schedule. Schedule 1 drugs are drugs that "have a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision." Marijuana falls into this schedule. As you go down each schedule, you get drugs that are less and less controlled. By the time you get to IV and V, you are dealing with drugs like cough suppressants, Xanax, Valium, and Ambien. This is the first joke of all. Drugs that are highly addictive and regularly abused are at the very bottom of the list. And, to make matters worse, alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine are NOT ON THE LIST ANYWHERE. The chart below shows some startling facts...
In 1968, Nixon was preparing to start enforcing the Convention of 1964. He hired the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse to study the affects of marijuana.
After the study, It's chairman, Raymond Shafer, said "The criminal law is too harsh a tool to apply to personal possession even in the effort to discourage use. It implies an overwhelming indictment of the behavior which we believe is not appropriate. The actual and potential harm of use of the drug is not great enough to justify intrusion by the criminal law into private behavior, a step which our society takes only 'with the greatest reluctance'". President Nixon signed the Controlled Substances Act anyway.
Since then, the violence on the borders of US and Mexico has been deadly. There are hundreds of people killed each year in the drug trafficking scene. There is so much money at stake, it has to be kept tight by the drug lords. They have semi-automatic weapons and they have millions of dollars. When there is a drug user, there is a drug dealer. The United States government has spent billions of dollars trying to stop something that simply cannot be stopped. How is this rational? Does it make sense to let the money being made off of marijuana go to Mexico and Mexican drug dealers instead of the United States government? A few days ago, President Barack Obama eased regulations of medical marijuana stores. He has told federal authorities not to target medical marijuana suppliers or users. This is the first step toward legalization. The public opinion on pot has gone from 25% in favor of legalization in the 1970s to 44% today.
Pros versus Cons. The pros of the drug are obvious. It can prevent nausea and vomiting, stimulate hunger for chemotherapy, lower intraocular pressure in the treatment of glaucoma. It has also been shown to stop schizophrenia, help with multiple sclerosis and depression.
Putting money in the hands of the taxpayer and not in the hands of drug cartels is a pro. Ending violence on the border is a pro. Not wasting money trying to stop the cultivation and distribution is a pro.
The cons are not so obvious. The most obvious, though, is the effect it can have on the respiratory system. It is smoke going into your lungs, just like tobacco smoke from a cigarette. With the drug being illegal, adulterants are bound to happen. With the legalization of marijuana, this would not happen.
What about the Gateway drug theory? This is a major con. Or is it? According to a 2005 study in the "Drug and Alcohol Review", "pre-existing traits may predispose users to addiction in general... the availability of multiple drugs in a given setting." The study says that there are many other factors, aside from the actual cannabis that contributes to the use of other harder drugs.
It seems that rational minds can conclude that the pros heavily outweigh the cons. It would be a good thing to let patients who need marijuana have easy access. It would a good thing to stop Mexican drug cartels. It would be a good thing to tax marijuana and make money. It would be a good thing to stop wasting taxpayer money in an effort to stop a drug that is not harmful. The DEA would be better utilized stopping the trafficking of many other drugs. It would be a good thing for marijuana to become legal in the United States.
Sources:
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all?content=10.1080/09595230500126698
http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/77339/?page=entire
http://www.world-mysteries.com/marijuana1.htm
http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/europe/UK/03/01/shakespeare.cannabis/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1195939.stm
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200612/23/eng20061223_335258.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana
http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2009/10/20/govt%E2%80%99s-latest-action-on-medical-marijuana-first-step-in-legalizing-pot/
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673607604644/fulltext
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Removal_of_cannabis_from_Schedule_I_of_the_Controlled_Substances_Act
Twitter kinda sucks
Twitter is failing like Facebook used to fail. They need to stabilize the server or people are going to quit using it. It seems like its popularity is slowing already. They can't afford to have it constantly failing.
10.20.2009
Pros and Cons of Legalizing Marijuana
Cafferty Blog
It's a hot button issue nowadays and I'm going to do some research and give my take. Look for it in the next couple of days.
It's a hot button issue nowadays and I'm going to do some research and give my take. Look for it in the next couple of days.
Music Songs
Just some of the music I've been listening to lately. Check out some of these songs and post some of the ones you've been listening to lately...
The Helio Sequence - Hallelujah
Vampire Weekend - Horchata
Arcade Fire - Haiti > Rebellion (Lies)
Owl City - Fireflies
Dave Matthews - Let You Down
The Decemberists - Rake's Song
Van Morrison - Ballerina
Fleet Foxes - Mykonos
Regina Spektor - Eet
Alberta Cross - Low Man
The Helio Sequence - Hallelujah
Vampire Weekend - Horchata
Arcade Fire - Haiti > Rebellion (Lies)
Owl City - Fireflies
Dave Matthews - Let You Down
The Decemberists - Rake's Song
Van Morrison - Ballerina
Fleet Foxes - Mykonos
Regina Spektor - Eet
Alberta Cross - Low Man
10.19.2009
19-1
I haven't blogged in a while because I've been thinking about this. I wish I was more eloquent in my retelling of this story. It deserves as much as it can get. Luckily, there is an article which chronicles this story much better than I have here. When I get a copy, I'll type it up...
In March 1945, Henry William Hayden Jr. was in a foxhole on the side of a hill. He was with one other soldier. At the top of the hill, there were 19 Germans bearing down on them. The rest of their battalion was at the bottom of the hill, too far away to help. The other soldier with Henry decided it was a suicide mission to try and take these Germans on. He got up to run back down the hill and was shot in the eye. I guess he was right, for him. Henry thought differently. He had one clip for his M1 Grand, which held 8 rounds. He also had 3 hand grenades. He was not afraid to die, just afraid of being captured. With his battalion watching from a distance, Henry stood up and fired all of his 8 rounds and did not miss. He went 8/8. Part of the 19 Germans was a machine gun rig. He quickly took it out with one of his 3 grenades. He took the remaining Germans out with his other 2 grenades. 19-1. Nineteen to One. Winner, Henry. For this, he was awarded the Silver Star - "for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States." Thank you. Thank you.
In March 1945, Henry William Hayden Jr. was in a foxhole on the side of a hill. He was with one other soldier. At the top of the hill, there were 19 Germans bearing down on them. The rest of their battalion was at the bottom of the hill, too far away to help. The other soldier with Henry decided it was a suicide mission to try and take these Germans on. He got up to run back down the hill and was shot in the eye. I guess he was right, for him. Henry thought differently. He had one clip for his M1 Grand, which held 8 rounds. He also had 3 hand grenades. He was not afraid to die, just afraid of being captured. With his battalion watching from a distance, Henry stood up and fired all of his 8 rounds and did not miss. He went 8/8. Part of the 19 Germans was a machine gun rig. He quickly took it out with one of his 3 grenades. He took the remaining Germans out with his other 2 grenades. 19-1. Nineteen to One. Winner, Henry. For this, he was awarded the Silver Star - "for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States." Thank you. Thank you.
10.09.2009
Joe Nathan = Joe Sebok?
Here is how you connect the 'boring' baseball with the 'always exciting' poker.
10.08.2009
Why do you root for them?
I was thinking about the teams that I root for. Kansas Jayhawks, St. Louis Blues, St. Louis Cadinals, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Bears (kind of). Why do I root for these teams and not others? I remember when I was young, I hated KU and I wanted Mizzou to beat them everytime in any sport no matter what. Based on the recommendation of a friend, I looked at Kansas for a college choice. He talked so highly of it and I took his opinion very seriously. There were also other factors. It was a school that was close to home, but not too close. It was not Mizzou. Not being Mizzou had become a positive. So many of the usual bro's went to Mizzou from my school, I knew I could not follow that path. It was not only not Mizzou, it was the rival of Mizzou. So I could actually root against those people I grew to despise. Kansas was, from what I gathered on a visit, a great place. The campus was and still is beautiful. The town was great and the people were very supportive of the school and its sports. I was blown away seeing everyone wearing Kansas shirts, hoodies, and hats. I knew I wanted to stay. Kansas was perfect. It's weird because at one point in my life, I felt the exact opposite. I had this passion for seeing Kansas lose. Now I have this passion for seeing Kansas. My connection to Kansas is now so great, I would never waver from my love for it.
The same goes for the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Blues, although to a smaller degree. I witnessed the Cardinals win the World Series and I witnessed the Jayhawks win the National Championship. I feel even now that it was better seeing the Jayhawks win than it was seeing the Cardinals win. But why? Throughout my time at Kansas, I became a part of something. I was in the crowd when Dickie V gave Nick Collison a standing ovation. I was standing at Potter Lake when the goal posts were carried from the field to the water. I was on Mass St. when we beat UNC and when we beat Memphis. For all of these reason and even more, I love Kansas and will forever.
What about the other teams? It seems like I don't have the connection to these teams like I do to Kansas. Why not? I have never had the experiences around these other teams like I have at KU. Pro sports come and go. Life on a college campus is year round. Basketball might not be playing but you walk by the Fieldhouse everyday and see the players walking campus. Same for football. I remember waiting for Todd Reesing to get cash so he could pay for his beer while I was bartending. He thought he could get his beer for free because of who he is but I waited for him and sure enough he came back with a twenty dollar bill. These things don't happen with other sports teams. Players play for money and usually don't give a shit about fans. Well, that's a bit harsh but they are there to collect a check. That is a fact. It's different. There is an emptiness involved in cheering for a professional sports team that does not exist in college sports.
While I know that I'll never stop cheering a rooting for Kansas, I cannot say the same about the other teams. I like to think that I'll root for the Cardinals and Blues forever but I can't be certain. I really do not care about the Rams. Every once in a while I check on how they are doing but beyond that, I don't really care. I used to love the Rams. Could the same happen for my love of Cardinal baseball and Blues hockey? Unlikely. But, still I know it will never happen to my love for the Kansas Jayhawks.
Does anyone know what I mean? Anyone have that connection to a team that is unwavering?
The same goes for the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Blues, although to a smaller degree. I witnessed the Cardinals win the World Series and I witnessed the Jayhawks win the National Championship. I feel even now that it was better seeing the Jayhawks win than it was seeing the Cardinals win. But why? Throughout my time at Kansas, I became a part of something. I was in the crowd when Dickie V gave Nick Collison a standing ovation. I was standing at Potter Lake when the goal posts were carried from the field to the water. I was on Mass St. when we beat UNC and when we beat Memphis. For all of these reason and even more, I love Kansas and will forever.
What about the other teams? It seems like I don't have the connection to these teams like I do to Kansas. Why not? I have never had the experiences around these other teams like I have at KU. Pro sports come and go. Life on a college campus is year round. Basketball might not be playing but you walk by the Fieldhouse everyday and see the players walking campus. Same for football. I remember waiting for Todd Reesing to get cash so he could pay for his beer while I was bartending. He thought he could get his beer for free because of who he is but I waited for him and sure enough he came back with a twenty dollar bill. These things don't happen with other sports teams. Players play for money and usually don't give a shit about fans. Well, that's a bit harsh but they are there to collect a check. That is a fact. It's different. There is an emptiness involved in cheering for a professional sports team that does not exist in college sports.
While I know that I'll never stop cheering a rooting for Kansas, I cannot say the same about the other teams. I like to think that I'll root for the Cardinals and Blues forever but I can't be certain. I really do not care about the Rams. Every once in a while I check on how they are doing but beyond that, I don't really care. I used to love the Rams. Could the same happen for my love of Cardinal baseball and Blues hockey? Unlikely. But, still I know it will never happen to my love for the Kansas Jayhawks.
Does anyone know what I mean? Anyone have that connection to a team that is unwavering?
What A Nightmare
I woke up this morning from a horrible nightmare. I was dreaming that I was on the St. Louis Cardinals. How that happened, I have no clue. But it was the bottom of the 8th inning at Yankee Stadium. The Cardinals were winning 5-3 and I had to replace Yadier Molina as catcher for the inning. The only problem was that I did not have any of my own equipment. I put on all of Molina's stuff. It fit but I had to get a glove from someone else. Tony LaRussa gave me one but I couldn't open it all the way, so when I was warming up, I couldn't catch it. My pinky finger could not get the glove open. I simply could not open the glove. It was devastating. Still, Tony said I could go in if I felt I could do it. I told him I would still play. So, while there was inexplicably a children's choir singing on the right field warning track, I warmed up with Stephen Colbert. He was encouraging me and giving Tony concerned looks at the same time. I was really nervous. The crowd was going crazy; I had never played catcher before. If I could just get through this inning. I knew that if I could not catch the ball, I could maybe get outs by picking people off or throwing them out stealing. The choir was leaving the field; I was finishing my warm ups, catching almost none of the balls. It was time to go. Bottom 8th. World Series. Yankee Staium. BOOOOM. Nightmare over. It's 8:50am and I'm awake in bed.
The real nightmare was Carpenter pitching like he has never been to the postseason. I will say that tonight is a must win for the Cardinals. If the Dodgers beat both Carpenter and Wainwright, we have no business winning this series.
The real nightmare was Carpenter pitching like he has never been to the postseason. I will say that tonight is a must win for the Cardinals. If the Dodgers beat both Carpenter and Wainwright, we have no business winning this series.
10.07.2009
Twins @ Yankees ALDS Game 1
5:04pm
Doing some live blogging of this game. I'm here ready to go. We're at commercial 3 minutes to first pitch.
5:07pm
First pitch right on time strike one from Sabathia. And that thrid pitch from CC was a strike for sure. Did not get the call. Also, what are your thoughts on the TBS PitchTrax? I think it sucks.
5:13pm
Thanks for complaining about not getting the start in Game 2, Posada. Nice stuff there. Man at 3rd, 1 out for the Twins.
5:18pm
Yankees work around a leadoff double. It's probably going to be near impossible to get any runs for the Twins. I could be wrong but that first inning is usually the best time to pounce. They missed their chance. We'll see what happens. Yankees coming up to the plate. NOTE: Please notice the sponsored links on the right side (>>>>) of this blog. Hint: Please Please just once each time you visit. Thank you.
5:28pm
Another NOTE: At the top of the blog, click follow blog and you can stay connected with your gmail account. In the game, Jeter ran on a grounder by Teixeira, preventing the double play. 2 outs, A-Rod up. Last NOTE: add comments at the bottom of this post or at the bottom of any post. Stir conversation and discussion.
5:41pm
Sabathia dealing after two innings. 4 K's.
5:49pm
Announcer calls Cano the future batting champion of the AL?! He says this one pitch before Cano strikes out. What an isane-o!
5:54pm
Umpires really kinda suck. That was no doubt strike 3 and instead Punto gets a base hit. Can Minnesota take advantage?
6:03pm
Minnesota strikes first! Imagine if they had not grounded into that double play. Oh man, the score could be 3-0. Three 2-out base hits gets it done this time.
6:05pm
Please reference the post at 5:13 about Posada bitching about Molina getting the game 2 start. It's laughable. He talks the talk but can't walk the walk.
6:13pm
Yankees tie the game on a two run homa by Derek Jeter. Horrendous pitch from Duensing. Tie game bottom 3rd.
6:42pm
Yankees finally take the lead 3-2 in the bottom of the 4th. This game is going pretty slowly.
7:11pm
Matsui with a 2 run homer. Yankees have this game well in hand. Lots of time, but it might be too much for the Twins to overcome.
7:29pm
Game is getting super boring. Yankees are in cruise control. I don't see any way the Twins can possibly come back and win this game. They have 8 outs to work with and haven't threatened since their 2 runs in the 3rd inning. Main event in 1 hour!
8:27pm
Best part about slow as hell American League baseball? Less time between their game and mine. Ten minutes to the start of the Cards game. May be watching on TNT for a little bit. I don't mind.
Doing some live blogging of this game. I'm here ready to go. We're at commercial 3 minutes to first pitch.
5:07pm
First pitch right on time strike one from Sabathia. And that thrid pitch from CC was a strike for sure. Did not get the call. Also, what are your thoughts on the TBS PitchTrax? I think it sucks.
5:13pm
Thanks for complaining about not getting the start in Game 2, Posada. Nice stuff there. Man at 3rd, 1 out for the Twins.
5:18pm
Yankees work around a leadoff double. It's probably going to be near impossible to get any runs for the Twins. I could be wrong but that first inning is usually the best time to pounce. They missed their chance. We'll see what happens. Yankees coming up to the plate. NOTE: Please notice the sponsored links on the right side (>>>>) of this blog. Hint: Please Please just once each time you visit. Thank you.
5:28pm
Another NOTE: At the top of the blog, click follow blog and you can stay connected with your gmail account. In the game, Jeter ran on a grounder by Teixeira, preventing the double play. 2 outs, A-Rod up. Last NOTE: add comments at the bottom of this post or at the bottom of any post. Stir conversation and discussion.
5:41pm
Sabathia dealing after two innings. 4 K's.
5:49pm
Announcer calls Cano the future batting champion of the AL?! He says this one pitch before Cano strikes out. What an isane-o!
5:54pm
Umpires really kinda suck. That was no doubt strike 3 and instead Punto gets a base hit. Can Minnesota take advantage?
6:03pm
Minnesota strikes first! Imagine if they had not grounded into that double play. Oh man, the score could be 3-0. Three 2-out base hits gets it done this time.
6:05pm
Please reference the post at 5:13 about Posada bitching about Molina getting the game 2 start. It's laughable. He talks the talk but can't walk the walk.
6:13pm
Yankees tie the game on a two run homa by Derek Jeter. Horrendous pitch from Duensing. Tie game bottom 3rd.
6:42pm
Yankees finally take the lead 3-2 in the bottom of the 4th. This game is going pretty slowly.
7:11pm
Matsui with a 2 run homer. Yankees have this game well in hand. Lots of time, but it might be too much for the Twins to overcome.
7:29pm
Game is getting super boring. Yankees are in cruise control. I don't see any way the Twins can possibly come back and win this game. They have 8 outs to work with and haven't threatened since their 2 runs in the 3rd inning. Main event in 1 hour!
8:27pm
Best part about slow as hell American League baseball? Less time between their game and mine. Ten minutes to the start of the Cards game. May be watching on TNT for a little bit. I don't mind.
MLB Postseason Predictions
Ahh, the postseason is upon us. What a time. October baseball. This is what I love, right here. I love it even more when my team, the St. Louis Cardinals, are part of the tournament. So, with that bias in mind, let's get to the predictions....
We'll start with Colorado and Philadelphia. The season series went to Philly 4-2. Philly really dominated the season series with the Rockies only able to win the first game of each 3-game series. The second series featured Cliff Lee's first home game in a Philly uniform. He pitched extremely well. They threw out J.A. Happ and he pitched a complete game 4 hitter. In the Rockies wins, though, they outscored Philly 18-6. So I can't count out Colorado just yet. Game 1 today at 1:37 central time. It will be Jimenez v Lee. Jimenez hasn't faced the Phillies this season and Lee had that great performance shortly after coming to Philadelphia. The offense is a similar story. In beating Colorado 4-2 in the season series, Philly only outscored Colorado 31-28. That's real close for having 4 wins and only 2 losses. I expect this series to be a close one with Colorado winning at least one game and possibly two, pushing it to a decisive 5th game. Tonight though, I am going with Philly. Cliff Lee is too good and the Philly lineup is too good. It's a rough series and Colorado is dangerous, winning tons of games in the second half of the season. They give Philly a fit but not enough to overcome what they face. Philly in 5.
The second game of the night, starting at 5:07 central, is where you'll find my first complaint of the post. Minnesota vs. NY. Minnesota just defeated the Tigers to make it to the ALDS. They had to play a decisive 163rd game. MLB was waiting to set the American League series dates and times until after this decisive game. Then, after the game, one that lasted 4 hours and 37 minutes, they schedule the Twins to play at Yankee Stadium in 20 hours. How can that make any sense? It's so ridiculous. I can't believe MLB would do that. Actually, I can. They do things that don't make sense all the time. So, this is right within their character. So stupid. Ok so the prediction....New York won the season series 7-0. The just dominated in all accounts. The Twins are under matched and now tired. They were outscored 41-25 in those 7 games. They are really going to have a hard time holding down the Yankee offense and even more trouble scoring against the Yankee pitching which includes a determined CC Sabathia. Yankees in 4.
The 3 game of the day, starting at 8:37 central, pits the St. Louis Cardinals against the Los Angeles Dodgers. It's a story of two of the most storied franchises in the National League. It's a rivalry that goes back decades. And it's a series that features two of the best hitters in the game in Albert Pujols and Manny Ramirez. It also features two Cy Young candidates in Chris Carpenter (my vote) and Adam Wainwright. Carpenter gets the start for St. Louis and Randy Wolf gets the nod for LA. In the 5 wins versus LA this season, the trio of Carpenter, Wainwright and Pineiro have combined for 38 innings pitched and given up only 6 earned runs. That's ridiculously good. It's an ERA of 0.95. I think this stat is the story of the series and possibly the rest of the postseason. I have St. Louis in 4 games.
The last game, taking place on Thursday at 8:37 central, is Boston vs. LAA of A. LA won the season series 5-4 and outscored Boston in those games 43-40. It's extremely tight between these two teams. Boston has tons of depth at starting pitching but has injury question marks. LA has imporved their offense but has pitching questions. I think this series is the closest of all and it goes to a 5th game. I'm taking LA in a decisive 5th game back in Anaheim.
NLCS matchup of St. Louis and Philadelphia
ALCS matchup of LAA of A and NYYankees
I want to continue the predictions but I'm afraid it would be a waste of time if I am wrong, which is a strong possibility. Getting to the postseason is extremely hard. Winning in the postseason is even harder. The 8 teams are so close in their abilities, it makes predicting these playoffs almost impossible. Can Minnesota actually knock of New York? Probably not but you can't rule it out. Can LA beat the NL Central two years in a row? Can Manny hit? Can the Angels actually overcome an AL East opponent? What about Colorado? Philly is going for a repeat. It seems like a strong possibility at this point. Who knows? We'll have to wait and see.
We'll start with Colorado and Philadelphia. The season series went to Philly 4-2. Philly really dominated the season series with the Rockies only able to win the first game of each 3-game series. The second series featured Cliff Lee's first home game in a Philly uniform. He pitched extremely well. They threw out J.A. Happ and he pitched a complete game 4 hitter. In the Rockies wins, though, they outscored Philly 18-6. So I can't count out Colorado just yet. Game 1 today at 1:37 central time. It will be Jimenez v Lee. Jimenez hasn't faced the Phillies this season and Lee had that great performance shortly after coming to Philadelphia. The offense is a similar story. In beating Colorado 4-2 in the season series, Philly only outscored Colorado 31-28. That's real close for having 4 wins and only 2 losses. I expect this series to be a close one with Colorado winning at least one game and possibly two, pushing it to a decisive 5th game. Tonight though, I am going with Philly. Cliff Lee is too good and the Philly lineup is too good. It's a rough series and Colorado is dangerous, winning tons of games in the second half of the season. They give Philly a fit but not enough to overcome what they face. Philly in 5.
The second game of the night, starting at 5:07 central, is where you'll find my first complaint of the post. Minnesota vs. NY. Minnesota just defeated the Tigers to make it to the ALDS. They had to play a decisive 163rd game. MLB was waiting to set the American League series dates and times until after this decisive game. Then, after the game, one that lasted 4 hours and 37 minutes, they schedule the Twins to play at Yankee Stadium in 20 hours. How can that make any sense? It's so ridiculous. I can't believe MLB would do that. Actually, I can. They do things that don't make sense all the time. So, this is right within their character. So stupid. Ok so the prediction....New York won the season series 7-0. The just dominated in all accounts. The Twins are under matched and now tired. They were outscored 41-25 in those 7 games. They are really going to have a hard time holding down the Yankee offense and even more trouble scoring against the Yankee pitching which includes a determined CC Sabathia. Yankees in 4.
The 3 game of the day, starting at 8:37 central, pits the St. Louis Cardinals against the Los Angeles Dodgers. It's a story of two of the most storied franchises in the National League. It's a rivalry that goes back decades. And it's a series that features two of the best hitters in the game in Albert Pujols and Manny Ramirez. It also features two Cy Young candidates in Chris Carpenter (my vote) and Adam Wainwright. Carpenter gets the start for St. Louis and Randy Wolf gets the nod for LA. In the 5 wins versus LA this season, the trio of Carpenter, Wainwright and Pineiro have combined for 38 innings pitched and given up only 6 earned runs. That's ridiculously good. It's an ERA of 0.95. I think this stat is the story of the series and possibly the rest of the postseason. I have St. Louis in 4 games.
The last game, taking place on Thursday at 8:37 central, is Boston vs. LAA of A. LA won the season series 5-4 and outscored Boston in those games 43-40. It's extremely tight between these two teams. Boston has tons of depth at starting pitching but has injury question marks. LA has imporved their offense but has pitching questions. I think this series is the closest of all and it goes to a 5th game. I'm taking LA in a decisive 5th game back in Anaheim.
NLCS matchup of St. Louis and Philadelphia
ALCS matchup of LAA of A and NYYankees
I want to continue the predictions but I'm afraid it would be a waste of time if I am wrong, which is a strong possibility. Getting to the postseason is extremely hard. Winning in the postseason is even harder. The 8 teams are so close in their abilities, it makes predicting these playoffs almost impossible. Can Minnesota actually knock of New York? Probably not but you can't rule it out. Can LA beat the NL Central two years in a row? Can Manny hit? Can the Angels actually overcome an AL East opponent? What about Colorado? Philly is going for a repeat. It seems like a strong possibility at this point. Who knows? We'll have to wait and see.
10.06.2009
What a run
Monday Night Football with Favre vs. Packers
Tuesday MLB Playoff Tigers vs. Twins
Wednesday MLB NLDS Cardinals vs. Dodgers and Rockies v. Phillies.
Thursday MLB ALDS Red Sox vs. Angels and Twins (yes, I predict Twins) vs. Yankees.
This is a nice little run here.
I'll have my full MLB postseason predictions tonight after the Tigers/Twins game.
Tuesday MLB Playoff Tigers vs. Twins
Wednesday MLB NLDS Cardinals vs. Dodgers and Rockies v. Phillies.
Thursday MLB ALDS Red Sox vs. Angels and Twins (yes, I predict Twins) vs. Yankees.
This is a nice little run here.
I'll have my full MLB postseason predictions tonight after the Tigers/Twins game.
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