Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Steaming hot from the melting pot




Thanks to all that voted in the baseball poll.
The poll really didn't help make my decision,but I decided to sit on the sidelines a while longer after talking it over with my coaching staff,I decided that it might be better to take some more time off before a possible return.
I miss coaching games and running practices,but I love doing the autograph circuit with the good friends that I have made there and watching the stars of the future are enough to fill my addiction for now.
Besides, I am undefeated since hitting the minor leagues and I haven't been hassled by a parent of a board of director member yet.
Unless you count the night Battlin Bob went after Drew Himsworth!!!!

Looks like ESPN's own ombudsman agrees with us on the biased coverage of the Mike Leach situation.
Don Ohlmeyer looks at ESPN's coverage of the Alamo Bowl between Texas Tech and Michigan State,which occurred right in the middle of the Mike Leach firestorm.
The look is honest and unbiased,which is more than I can say for the network's coverage.

The Pirates have added another statue to their collection outside PNC Park with the addition of Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski.
The bronze artwork is expected to be unveiled for the mid-June series between the Buccos and the Indians.
Maz joins bronze works of Honus Wagner,Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell outside the stadium.

A pet peeve of mine is listening to critics of Mazeroski's induction into the Hall talk about his hitting not being up to Hall caliber.
Perhaps that's true,but shouldn't being the top fielding second baseman ever count for something?
And Mazeroski's hitting wasn't that bad considering the pitching in the league during his career.
I also wonder this-how many of the people that are anti-Maz are proponents of Ozzie Smith being in the HOF?
Try this comparison on size
Player A- .262 Batting Average,28 Homers,793 RBI,580 SB,13 Gold Gloves,.666 OPS over 19 seasons.
Player B- .260 BA,138 HR's,853 RBI,27 SB,8 Gold Gloves and a .667 OPS over 17 seasons.

Considering each player set the defensive standards at their position,those numbers look pretty close with player A (Ozzie Smith) leading solidly in steals with player B (Bill Mazeroski) having more pop.
So where is the consistent whining about Ozzie Smith?
I think they both deserve to be in the Hall as I think Omar Vizquel will deserve induction when his time comes,but so many think Mazeroski is undeserving,yet Smith is...
Food for thought....

We aren't afraid to take our shots at those that deserve it,but part of being a straight shooter is accountability,so in that light we will take a shot at ThoughtsofRS.
Why?
Well,we endorsed John Edwards for President in a move that with the benefit on hindsight makes the Pirates signing of Derek Bell years ago look like the Yankees buying Babe Ruth.
The behavior of Candidate Edwards over the last two years is slimy at best and insane at worst.
We were taken in by this person and although I doubt that we delivered one vote to John Edwards in the 2008 Democratic primaries,we still encouraged people to do so.
That decision was a huge mistake and we regret the error.

A worry that could continue to grow for Florida residents is the concern of the possible "new breed" of snake that would combine the size of the Burmese Python with the nastiness of the
African Rock Python to create a "super snake" that isn't that super.
African Rocks have begun breeding in the Everglades and if they interbreed with the Burmese-Look out!
The Los Angeles Times looks at the problem here.

3 comments:

Shawn said...

From Cherie:

"Certainly, it seems true enough that there's a good deal of irony in the world... I mean, if you live in a world full of politicians and advertising, there's obviously a lot of deception."
Kenneth Koch

Already you are more of a man than most politicians...for one you admitted and error in judgment and two you said you were sorry. That statement should be coming from Mr. Edwards -not you.

Wooden U. Lykteneau said...

I think the recent emphasis on defense is going to help the candidacies of players like Omar Vizquel, and perhaps even enable a guy like Alan Trammell to inch in, which is patently ridiculous because a multiple Gold Glove, All-Star SS with a career .285BA and a .977FA (vs .978 for Smith, though he was undoubtedly "punished" for when he wouldn't make an outstanding play) shouldn't be considered "borderline."

Shawn said...

I am very hopeful for an induction for Omar Vizquel and I can see Alan Trammell's candidacy building steam (similar to the Rice,Dawson and Blyleven movements) and perhaps leading to an eventual enshrinement..

I don't think Trammell's DP mate Lou Whitaker is a HOFer,but I do believe he deserved more consideration than one ballot and out..