I was reading about this guy who has survived being struck by lightning six
times. That's something, but who wants to hang out with that guy?
A New Cyber-Talk Abbreviation
I often find myself reading other people's blogs and finding something really
funny. I want to comment but I don't know what to say. I usually don't have an
applicable joke to trump it or even go along with it. But just writing "ha, ha"
seems silly, so here's my new abbreviation for when I find myself in that
situation: NCBAAF. It stands for No Comment But Acknowledged As Funny. So if you
see that in your comment box, you'll know what it means.
American League West Season Preview
Predicted order of finish: 1) Seattle Mariners, 2) Oakland A's, 3) Anaheim
Angels, 4) Texas Rangers
The toughest division in the game is better, and it should still be a fight to
the finish and have two teams playing in October for the 4th consecutive year.
The Rangers are the best last-place team in the game. The Angels were fun to
watch last year and look like a good team again. They caught lightning in a
bottle last year, but it won't happen again. The A's are still good, but the
economics of MLB will make this year their last shot for a while, and they might
not even get that. The Mariners are the deepest all-around team in the game.
They may not be able to handle the A's pitching should they meet in the ALCS,
but the AL West will be represented in the World Series.
Oakland Athletics Season Preview
I had normal-size preview all typed and one of those computer catastrophes
happened and I lost it. Here's basically what I said: GM Billy Beane is a
genius. Their rotation is the best in the game. Their bullpen has serious
concerns. After Tejada and Chavez, the line up is lackluster at best. Unless the
A's are on top of the division, Tejada will be gone by the trading deadline.
It's sad that the economics of baseball forced the A's to lose Giambi and wll
now force them to part with Tejada. Chavez, Zito, Hudson, and Mulder will all be
gone in the next three years. Overall, the rotation is good enough to keep their
playoff hopes alive, but another first-round exit is likely.
Line Up: 2B Mark Ellis, 1B Scott Hatteberg, SS Miguel Tejada, 3B Eric Chavez, RF
Jermaine Dye, DH Erubiel Durazo, LF Terrence Long, CF Eric Byrnes, C Ramon
Hernandez Rotation: LH Barry Zito, RH Tim Hudson, LH Mark Mulder, LH Ted Lilly,
LH John Halama Closer: Keith Foulke
Seattle Mariners Season Preview
I'm going out on a limb, here. I'm going to disagree with most (but not all) the
baseball world and predict the Mariners to be in the World Series this year.
Every aspect of the team should be better this year. Freddy Garcia will finally
establish himself as a true ace, not in the Randy Johnson way, but winning 20
games and being in the top 5 in AL ERA is a perfectly reasonable guess. Jamie
Moyer just won't quit. At age 40 he just keeps rolling along. His stuff isn't
over-powering, but he consistently gets the job done. Joel Pineiro is ready to
follow up a solid first season, and could become the best pitcher on the team.
The rest of the rotation is filled with solid prospects. The bullpen is still
the best in the game with Kazuhiro Sasaki getting set up by Arthur Rhodes (18-4
the last two years), Jeff Nelson, and Shigetoshi Hasegawa. The batting order
lacks a true power hitter, but they do have four guys capable of 25+ in Edgar
Martinez, John Olerud, Brett Boone, and Mike Cameron. The also have the best
lead-off hitter in the game, Ichiro, who should have his best season yet.
Another AL batting title is quite likely. Most of the group should hit over .300
as well. With Mar McLemore, John Mabry, and Greg Colbrun coming off the bench,
the M's have a depth that is unmatched by any other team. Besides the Twins,
they should also have the best defense in the game, with four gold glovers and
the addition of Randy Winn. As with most teams, staying healthy will be a
concern especially with Martinez and Moyer being in the 40 neighborhood. Perhaps
the World Series may be a bold prediction, but I have little doubt the M's will
be playing in October one way or another.
Line Up: RF Ichiro, LF Randy Winn, 2B Brett Boone, DH Edgar Martinez, 1B John
Olerud, 3B Jeff Cirillo, CF Mike Cameron, C Ben Davis, SS Carlos Guillen
Rotation: RH Freddy Garcia, LH Jamie Moyer, RH Joel Pineiro, RH Ryan Franklin,
RH Gil Meche Closer: Kahuhiro Sasaki
False Alarm
I didn't get my teeth out today. They said the dentist messed some stuff up and
should have put me on antibiotics and scheduled a consult before they did the
surgery. I'm still eventually going to have them out, but I won't reschedule
until after the baby is born. I guess I'll be clear until June. Oh well, I guess
I'll just have to have this 5-day weekend anyway.
I'm getting my wisdom teeth out in about an hour. I haven't really been nervous
about it, but I don't know what to expect either. I've heard some people who
have gone back to work after they left the doctor's office, and others who said
it was like having a baby through four places in your mouth. One friend had lots
of pain medicine, but he got the hiccoughs for about four days and couldn't even
sleep. Like, I said, I really don't know what to expect so this might be good
bye for a few days.
The Strangeness of the Times
Justice-seeking piano master Matthew Peacock sent this to me, and I thought it
was really telling about the way things are.
You know the world is going crazy when the best rapper is a white guy, the best
golfer is a black guy, the Swiss hold the America's Cup, France is accusing the
US of arrogance, and Germany doesn't want to go to war.
Cars vs. Pedestrians
We often hear automobiles criticized. Safety experts say they're dangerous.
Ecologists tell us they pollute the air. Economists claim cars are responsible
for U.S. trade deficits and high energy costs. Social Scientists blame them for
the deterioration of our inner cities. And aesthetes damn them for roadside
blight. But even if all these accusations are true, the automobile is still an
improvement on its principal alternative, the pedestrian.
Pedestrians are easily damaged. Try this test: Hit a pedestrian with a car. Now
have the pedestrian hit the car back. Then roll a pedestrian and a car through
four inches of slush and road salt at 60 mph. Take a coin-operated spray gun and
hose off their undersides. Which is in better shape? Also most cars have 5 mph
bumpers. A pedestrian can't be run into a wall at even 3 mph (average walking
speed) without getting a bloddy nose. And pedestrians are notoriously expensive
to repair.
Automobiles are cleaner than pedestrians. Even diesel exhaust smells better than
dirty human. Pedestrians wiggle and squeal when you try to scrub them, and they
are hard to wax. A dented and rusty automobile is still more attractive than the
average pedestrian. Strip a car of its paint. Strip a person of its clothes.
Which looks worse in broad daylight?
Cars last 100,000 miles or so. Just try to take a pedestrian that far.
P.J. O'Rourke, Give War a Chance
National League Central Preview
Predicted order of finish: 1) Houston Astros, 2) St. Louis Cardinals, 3) Chicago
Cubs, 4) Cinncinati Reds, 5) Pittsburgh Pirates, 6) Milwaukee Brewers
Like the rest of the National League, expect more of the same from the central
this year. The Brewers are bad - there's really nothing more to say. The Pirates
are improving and the rebuilding process is coming along, but Brian Giles
deserves better. The Reds will benefit from a healthy Ken Griffey. If they had
pitching, they could contend. The Cubs just aren't in the same class as the
Cardinals and Astros. The Cardinals are fantastic, but they'll be settling for
the wild card while the Astros win the division.
Chicago Cubs Season Preview
I'm previewing the Cubs to be nice. I really don't think they have a chance of
beating the Astros and Cardinals, but they're improved, they have a new manager
who's a proven winner, and, really, how long can they underachieve? They do have
Sammy Sosa who's one homer away from 500 career. Moises Alou seems to do well in
odd numbered years. Mark Bellhorn and Corey Patterson have huge upsides after
strong rookie years. They even added cathcer Damian Miller, which is a huge
improvement over the enigmatic Todd Hundley. They also have the best strike-out
trio available on the mound today - Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, and Matt Clement.
They could be great, but Wood is a perpetual injury risk, Prior has only half a
season of experience, and Clement is streaky at best. They did add Shawn Estes,
who has pitched well for Dusty Baker in the past. Closer Antonion Alfonseca will
start the season on the diabled list. Mike Remlinger and Kyle Farnsworth will
get the extra saves.It will take magic for this team to be playing in October,
but the Angels did it, so why can't the Cubs?
Line Up: 2B Mark Grubzielanek, SS Alex Gonzalez, RF Sammy Sosa, LF Moises Alou,
3B Mark Bellhorn, C Damian Miller, CF Corey Patterson, 1B Hee Seop Choi
Rotation: RH Kerry Wood, RH Mark Prior, RH Matt Clement, RH Carlos Zambrano, RH
Alan Benes Closer: RH Antonio Alfonseca
St. Louis Cardinals Season Preview
The Cards look good again, and many baseball experts are picking them to
represent the NL in the World Series. Their offense is still amoung the best in
the game, anchored by Albert Pujols who finished second (to Barry Bonds) in NL
MVP last year. He should have a career year in 2003. The Cards will also benefit
from having Scott Rolen for a full year. It's scarry to think what he will do
now that he's happy. Add that to the ver consistent and defensively brilliant
Jim Edmonds and the Cards have one of the best 3-4-5 hitters in the league. The
also have Edgar Renteria, who seems to be coming into his own and has overtaken
Barry Larkin as the best NL shortstop. He should be an All-Star for years to
come. The offense is not without it's questions though. Can J.D. Drew stay
healthy and become the player the scouts think he can be? Will Eli Marrero get
enough at bats to be as valuable as he can be? Will we see 2001 versions of Tino
Martinez and Fernando Vina or 2002 versions (they're hoping for the 2001
version)? Matt Morris is a stud. He will be the ace of the staff and again among
league leaders in wins. Woddy Williams could be a wonderful compliment to Morris
if he can stay healthy. After those two, the rotation is a big problem area.
Their options boil down to a bunch of re-tread veterans and young guys who have
had great moments but injury problems later. I can't ven guess who will fill out
the rest of the staff. Closer Jason Isringhausen is likely to start the season
on the disabled list; my guess is that Jeff Fassero will get the early save
opportunities. St. Louis could win this division, but a wild card spot seems
more likely to me.
Line Up: 2B Fernando Vina, SS Edgar Renteria, CF Jim Edmonds, RF Albert Pujols,
3B Scott Rolen, LF J.D. Drew, 1B Tino Martinez, C Mike Matheny Rotation: RH Matt
Morris, RH Woody Williams, RH Jason Simontacchi, RH Garrett Stephenson, RH
Dustin Hermanson Closer: RH Jason Isringhausen
Houston Astros Season Preview
The Astros look great. This is a team that has been near or at the top of their
division since realignment in 1994. Yet they have not even won a playoff game.
But rest assured ye Astros faithful - this is the year they go to the World
Series. I usually leave my predictions to the division winners without making
playoff predictions, but I really feel this will be the year for the Astros to
be one of the last two teams standing. Pitching injuries and and early season
offensive slump kept Houston from achieving their potential last year, but this
year they'll be hitting on all cylinders. The offense didn't need any help, but
they got it anyway, landing the second most prominent free agent of the year,
Jeff Kent (Jim Thome was #1). Kent, the 2000 NL MVP, has six straight 100 RBI
seasons and has preformed well whether he batted before or after Bonds. On top
of those offensive feats, he's moving from Pac-Bell Park, a pitcher's haven, to
Minute Maid Park, a hitter's paradise. I look for Kent to have a career year
batting somewhere either before, between, or after the other two Asrtos studs,
Jeff Bagwell (who's completely healthy) and Lance Berkman, who seems to be a
consistently healthy version of Larry Walker. I also expect Craig Biggio and
Richard Hidalgo to bounce back from a two-year decline. Add that to gold glove
catcher Brad Ausmus and promising youngsters Julio Lugo and Morgan Ensberg and
one could argue the Astros have the best offense in the National League. They
also have the best young pair of pitchers in the league with Roy Oswalt and Wade
Miller. The pair has gone a combined 64 and 24 the past two years. They may
combine for 40 wins this year. Oswalt is the next big thing. If you've been
wondering who will carry the torch as the greatest NL pitcher when Randy Johnson
is gone, look no further. Shane Reynolds will be a strong number three after
returning from back surgery last year. Houston also has a strong bulpen with
fire-balling lefty Billy Wagner and perhaps the best middle reliever in the game
Octavio Dotel. The Astros should walk all over the NL all season long.
Line Up: SS Julio Lugo, CF Craig Biggio, 1B Jeff Bagwell, LF Lance Berkman, 2B
Jeff Kent, RF Richard Hidalgo, 3B Morgan Ensberg, C Brad Ausmus Rotation: RH Roy
Oswalt, RH Wade Miller, RH Shane Reynolds, RH Tim Redding, RH Kirk Saarloos
Closer: LH Billy Wagner
Up Next: AL West Preview
LOL
I don't know if this circle of folks has already covered this, but I hate things
like LOL, BTW and such. The part I hate most is that LOL is needed sometimes.
For instance, I recently had a cyber exchange with my good buddy Deacon Blues in
which I refered to him as a tool. He then sent me an e-mail that could have
easily been interpreted as unfriendly. I replied to the message with an apology.
All of this probably could have been avoided with a simple LOL. I wish there was
another way to compensate for the lack of facial expressions in cyber chats
besides cheesy abbreviations or variations of ":)". It's just so difficult to
emote in text without being silly. Please don't stop using the LOL - I
understand. We still need it. But there's got to be a better way.
I was very happy that I got to use the word "emote" in the above paragraph. If I
could only find a way to squeeze in "uvula" I'd be set.
24-Hour News
I've watched a lot of news on the war already. It seems lame to hear the same
thing over and over, but I do appreciate being able to get caught up on the news
at any time of day. What I can't take is the little strip of headlines running
on the bottom of the screen. Most of the things they say are trite and out of
context. President Bush said we will accept no outcome but victory. In reply to
that, Robbie pointed out that it's pretty hard to deny defeat, regardless of
what you're willing to accept. I have observed a few interesting things though.
For instance, Dan Rather favorably quoted Stonewall Jackson last night. I have
also learned that it's possible to take six minutes of news and cram it into two
hours.
National League East Preview
Predicted order of finish: 1) Atlanta Braves, 2) Philadelphia Phillies, 3) New
York Mets, 4) Florida Marlins, 5) Montreal Expos
Every team in this division is improved, except the Expos. The Expos should be
fun to watch, especially in the tiny stadium they'll play at in Puerto Rico.
Manager Frank Robinson gets a lot out of his guys, and the Expos will be better
than we expect, although not better enough to get out of 5th place. The Marlins
have decided to go with the speed game rather than the power game, adding Juan
Pierre, and losing Preston Wilson. They also added Ivan Rodriguez who appears to
be in great shape. The Mets will be better, the Phillies will be much better,
and Braves will win this division again.
New York Mets Season Preview
The Mets had to be the most dissapointing team last year. Every body stank. They
did add Tom Glavine and Cliff Floyd to an already impressive list of names.
Glavine adds some legitimacy to the Mets' rotation, leading Al Leiter and Pedro
Astacio. Armando Benitez will put up good fantasy numbers, but he's yet to prove
he can close out the big game. Lefty John Franco could be back by mid-season -
he's two games short of 1,000 career appearances. (Franco would have my vote for
the Hall of Fame.) They also have Dave Weathers in the pen, who is one of the
premier middle relievers in the game. Cliff Floyd should continue to produce as
he has in 2001 and 2002. At least some of the other players will have to
rebound. I just can't see that many guys putting up career worst seasons again
in 2003. Mike Piazza, Roberto Alomar, Mo Vaughn, Roger Cedeno, and Jeromy
Burnitz should return to some level of their old selves. All of them have
probably had their career seasons, but I expect some degree of rebound from all
of them. Journeyman utility infielder Rey Sanchez will likely get the nod at
short stop, but he's just keeping it warm for 19-year-old minor league player of
the year Jose Reyes. Reyes will be the starter by the end of the year. Overall
the Mets lokk better, butit won't be enough to outdo the Phillies and Braves. I
think the Met's need to some minor rebuilding, and they're in a position to do
it without the pain that usually goes with such a project.
Line Up: CF Roger Cedeno, 2B Roberto Alomar, LF Cliff Floyd, C Mike Piazza, 1B
Mo Vaughn, RF Jeromy Burnitz, 3B Ty Wigginton, SS Rey Sanchez Rotation: LH Tom
Glavine, LH Al Leiter, RH Pedro Astacio, RH Steve Trachsel, LH Mike Bacsik
Closer: RH Armando Benitez
Philadelphia Phillies Season Preview
The Phillies are the most improved team in the game. The added an ace pitcher,
Kevin Millwood, a very solid third baseman, David Bell, and the jewel of the
free agent market, firts baseman Jim Thome. Millwood leads a group of promising
young arms with veteran Randy Wolf, and youngsters Vincente Padilla, Brandon
Duckworth, and Brett Myers. The Philadelphia brass considers Myers to be the ace
of the future. Jose Mesa is usually considered to be a questionable closer, but
he always seems to get the job done, saving 45 games last year. They also have
left-handed legend Dan Pleasac who at age 41proves that left-handed pitching
doesn't die, it just finds a situational job in the bullpen. Although the
Phillies parted ways with Scott Rolen last year, adding Bell and Thome is a big
improvement. Bell plays solid defense, should be good for 20 homers and 80 RBIs
and tends to come up big in the clutch. People have complained about his skills,
but as a Mariner fan, I'd be ecstatic to have him back. Thome is a stud -
defenitely in the conversation of best first basemen in the game. He hit 52 home
runs for Cleveland last year with absolutely no line up protection. This year
he'll have Pat Burrell and Bobby Abreu, both of which haven't begun to show us
what they can do. Catcher Mike Lieberthal probably will never return to the
30-homer level, but in this line up, a repeat of the 15 he hit last year will be
more than sufficient. Thus far the line up looks strong, but there are some
questions. Can Jimmy Rollins break his sophmore jinx and return to 2001 form? Is
Marlon Byrd ready to be an every-day major leaguer? Who will play second base?
Right now it seems that utility man Placido Polanco will play second, but I
think the Phils would be better off if they could use him off the bench. I still
think the Braves will win this division, but the Phils could win the wild card
is, and would not be completely floored should they beat the Braves for the
division title.
Line Up: SS Jimmy Rollins, 2B Placido Polanco, RF Bobby Abreu, 1B Jim Thome, LF
Pat Burrell, C Mike Lieberthal, 3B David Bell, CF Marlon Byrd Rotation: RH Kevin
Millwood, LH Randy Wolf, RH Vincente Padilla, RH Brandon Duckworth, RH Brett
Myers Closer: RH Jose Mesa
Atlanta Braves Season Preview
A lot of people seem concerned about the Braves winning the East again, but not
me. Until the Braves are dethroned, I'll continue to believe in them. Although
thy lost Tom Glavine and Kevin Millwood, their pitching stafff may be even
better. They added Russ Ortiz, Paul Byrd, and Mike Hampton. Hampton should
return to his 20-win days after getting out of Colorado. Byrd is a an
up-and-comer, and Ortiz had a good season and pitched well for the Giants in the
postseason. On top of these three, Greg Maddux returns, just 27 wins short of
300 career. He won't get there this year, but should in 2004. Maddux will again
be among league leaders in wins and ERA. The offense should be stronger too, as
the team is expecting rebounds from Andruw Jones, Gary Sheffield, and Chipper
Jones. There's no way those three guys will all have down years again. Reports
say Javy Lopez looks better than ever. The middle infield of Rafael Furcal and
Marcus Giles is expected to do big things. They also added Detroit's lone 2002
All-Star, Robert Fick. Fick is not a front line firts baseman, but he should be
a significant improvement over the Julio Franco/Wes Helms platoon. Finally, John
Smoltz should again be the best closer in the NL. He led the majors in saves
(55), and with the exception of one bad outing in the early part of last year,
was a lights-out closer. The Phillies and Mets look good, but I don't think
they'll break the Braves' strangle hold on the division.
Line Up: SS Rafael Furcal, 1B Robert Fick, LF Chipper Jones, RF Gary Sheffield,
CF Andruw Jones, C Javy Lopez, 3B Vinny Castilla, 2B Marcus Giles Rotation: RH
Greg Maddux, LH Mike Hampton, RH Russ Ortiz, RH Paul Byrd, RH Jason Marquis
Closer: RH John Smoltz
On Deck: NL Central Season Preview
Like Duane, I'm dying for the baseball season to start. Bud Selig announced
yesterday that the Mariners vs. A's series in Japan will be cancelled due to the
threat of war and the risk of flying overseas. I don't know if I would have
stayed up for 2:00 AM start time on Tuesday to watch it, but I was happy
baseball was starting a week earlier. Oh well, at least I saw Baseball Tonight
last night.
You've got to see this: My Redneck Neighbor
National League West Preview
Predicted order of finish: 1) San Fransisco Giants, 2) Arizona Diamondbacks, 3)
Los Angeles Dodgers, 4) Colorado Rockies, 5) San Diego Padres
No real changes in the NL West: three good teams, two bad teams. The Padres
hoped to improve over their 2002 showing, but a season ending injury to Phil
Nevin will leave them in the cellar again. The Rockies will be better
offensively, and might even be a .500 team, but pitching is still a major
concern. The Dodgers will be better than average but need some huge contracts to
expire before they can acquire the right players to push them over the top. The
Diamondbacks are Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling. After that - good night,
everybody. The Giants are the default champions of this division, based on an
all around depth at the plate and on the mound.
Los Angeles Dodgers Season Preview
The Dodgers have the payroll to be good, and they just keep coming up short. At
the same time they also seem to be a sort of overachieving team. They have been
in the playoff hunt until the last week of the season in each of the last two
years. It is only because of their overachieving that I rank them among the
contenders in the NL West this year. The added Fred McGriff in the offseason,
which seems risky but McGriff keeps posting good numbers (.273, 30, 103). Other
than that, LA made no significant acquisitions. Catcher Paul Lo Duca expects to
return to 2001 form after nagging injuries held him back last year. The dodgers
are also still waiting for Adrian Beltre to measure up to his potential. The one
offensive bright spot is Shawn Green who set a record last year with nine home
runs in a week including a 4-homer game against the Brewers. The pitching could
be great, but it could just as easily be a disaster. Hideo Nomo and Odalis Perez
were the only starters to stay healthy. Those two will start out at the top of
the rotation while LA hopes Kevin Brown, Kazuhisa Ishii, Andy Ashby, and Darren
Dreifort can make comebacks from significant injuries. The pressure will be on
Brown more than any other because of his previous success and enormous paycheck.
Eric Gagne was a wonderful find as a closer, setting a team record with 52 saves
- expect more of the same. Despite the hope the Dodgers probably won't do better
than third place with the Diamondbacks and Giants finishing ahead of them.
Arizona Diamonbacks Season Preview
Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling were good enough to carry their team to another
division title in 2002, and may be strong enough to get a wild card berth in
2003. But after those two guys, that's it. Their offense is unimpressive. Steve
Finley, Matt Williams, and Tony Womack just can't seem to put together
back-to-back solid seasons. The rest of the bunch is largely unproven, although
Junior Spivey looks like he has a reel future as a potential All-Star. They do
still have Luis Gonzalez, but the rest of the hitter will have to produce for
him to be as effective as possible. He should manage 35 to 40 homers and 110+
RBI all by himself, but if Finley and company can come back, Gonzalez could have
another 2001-like season and be back in the MVP running. I just don't think that
a full return for the whole offense is likely. There has been talk of moving
closer Byung-Hyun Kim into the starting rotation, but I'm not convinced that
will happen or that it's a good idea. The Diamondbacks are a .500 ball club with
two phenomenal pitchers who are good enough to make them contenders. They should
vie for the wild card, but a lack of depth will keep them from winning the
division for a third year in a row.
San Fransisco Giants Season Preview
After losing their ace pitcher (Russ Ortiz), their star second baseman (Jeff
Kent), several key players (David Bell, Kenny Lofton), and their manager (Dusty
Baker), the Giants may be even better than the 2002 version that fell two games
short of a World Series victory. Ortiz will not be missed in an unspectacular
but very deep pitching rotation. Jason Schmidt is considered the ace. Robb Nen
will anchor a strong bullpen. The Giants added 2B/3B Edgardo Alfonso and OF Jose
Cruz Jr. who should both benefit tremendously from batting around Barry Bonds.
Ray Durham is real lead-off hitter who will probably play second base rather
than the supposed move to center field. Benito Santiago surprised everyone last
year with his return to All-Star form, but a repeat seems unlikely. This year's
scouting report says Rich Aurilla and J.T. Snow have made some adjustments and
should be better hitters this year. Add all that to Barry Bonds, a man who is
now in the discussion of the greatest player of all-time, and the Giants should
manage to be a better team. I doubt they'll return to the World Series, but they
should be able to outrun the rest of their division.
On Deck: NL East Season Preview
We had a little St. Patrick's Day get together at Enoch's last night. It was
great. I haven't been there in a while, and I realized that I had missed it
tremendously. Enoch's had scrapped it's regular menu and served only Irish food:
Guiness Stew, Shepherd's Pie, and Cabbage with Corned Beef. It was all very
good. It made me wonder why we don't have actual Irish restuarants. We have
Mexican, Italian, and Chinese on practically every corner. In ritzy circles you
can find French food. We also have our beloved Cajun cuisine, but the Irish food
gets left by the wayside. Most of the time, when an ethnic food is not
represented it's becuase the food from that particular countrey is not that good
(that's why we don't have any Sweedish restuarants). But the Irish food was
quite tasty; it certainly deserves more recognition.
With That in Mind. . .
Over on verbingnouns Christin mentioned several wonderful things and listed
Starbucks among them. Then in comments Duane mentioned that it was odd we didn't
have one here. Not only do we need a Starbucks (at least one in a Barnes&
Noble), we also need a Krispy Kreme. Despite the fact that this company used the
"K" for a "C" in both parts of its name, they do make a great donut. The people
of Monroe desperately need a Krispy Kreme.
Thoughts on Public Cleanliness
I went to the dentist today. I noticed that the handles on the standard moveable
dentist light had clear plastic bags on them. This reminded me of discussions
I've had with people about cooks and other food service employees wearing
gloves. The bottom line on this issue is that it's a silly practice. Those
little plastic covers on the light handle are sanitary once. Sure the docter was
wearing gloves (which is not silly when considered as a precaution for the
dentist himself), but those gloved hands that were in my mouth were also
adjusting the angle of the light. So the next person in that dental chair got to
have my spit go from the dentist's gloves right into their mouth. The only
difference was that instead of the spit going from metal handle, to the dentists
bare hand, to my mouth, it was going from the plastic cover, to the gloved hand,
and then in my mouth. Up until about ten years ago, you didn't see these little
protective covers on things, and I never once heard of someone dying or getting
sick from it. Then there's the restuarant issue. Having been a cook in several
different eateries I can tell you that 95% of the time, your food has been
handled by the cooks. As a cook myself, I regularly washed my hands and took
precautions against cross-contamination and food-born illness, but if I cooked
it, I touched it. I never heard of anyone getting sick as a result of my food
handling practices, or the practices of other cooks under my watch. I have
worked cook jobs where the employers wanted the cooks to wear gloves, but I
found them to be cumbersome and, at times, a safety risk. When you're wearing
gloves it's difficult to have the dexterity you're used to, and it creates real
problems when your using a knife. Furthermore, just like the light covers that
are only clean once, the gloves become "contaminated" quickly too. Unless a cook
were to change his gloves between every procedure, the gloves will be dirty.
Every time the cook touches food, or a surface, or a utensil, the usefulness of
the gloves is gone. When I go to a resuarant, I know that my food has been
handled by some guy back there. The guy is probably even sweaty because kitchens
are hot. Does it bother me? No - why should it? I've been eating in restuarants
all my life without the slightest problem. Maybe some of you have realized this
before. I guess that today I was just struck with how easily the germaphobes are
fooled.
Louisiana/Texas: The Culinary Capital of North America
The other day I was involved in food conversation over on amber Bach and I made
a comment about this part of the country being the the culinary capital of the
country. Through the grapevine I've come to find out that someone thought I said
capital of the world, which I don't think I did, and I don't want to go to the
trouble of looking to see. I only say that it's not the culinary capital of the
world because I haven't eaten in the other places in the world that might be
contenders. That being said, I am prepared to defend my statement that Louisiana
and East Texas, overall, have the best food available on the continent.
I met a man in his 70's, about two years, ago who had traveled the world. He
said there are three cities in the world where you had to fight to get a bad
meal. The three cities were Monteal, Paris, and New Orleans. So, to our credit,
we have New Orleans. Other large cities, like New York, Chicago, or LA certainly
would have better eateries than here in Monroe, but those places serve imported
cuisine (Italian, Chinese . . .). The quality I'm talking about for this region
is the overall quality of the food. How do the average people cook? How's the
fare at restaurants? (Restaurant service is another matter entirely.) What sorts
of cuisine are native to the area?
I am from the South, I've lived in the Northwest, and spent time in the East and
Southwest. These other regions just don't compare. Sure, there are individual
dishes from these other places that deserve credit (crab/crab cakes in Maryland,
Maine Lobster), but the culinary value of an entire region cannot rest on one
dish alone. The Southwest has it's Mexican style food, but that's just as
available in Texas. The Northwest, of course, has nothing to offer. The best
they can hope for is great cooks to move there (I have known some of those). I
can't accurately comment on the BBQ. This region has great stuff, but Kansas
City and Memphis have reputations for good stuff too, and I haven't had a chance
to compare. Texas is the best place to get steak. They grow them the best and
cook them the best. (I'm sure some of you 'well-done' folks out there might
disagree, but Texans and true steak lovers would never spoil their meat by
cooking it well-done.) As with the rest of the South, Louisiana has some
excellent soul food. While soul food will never comprise the menu of a five-star
restaurant, for day-today eats you can't go wrong. Furthermore, Louisiana has
it's own genre: Cajun. Cajun food is glorious. No other nation or region of this
country can claim it. And who is the most famous chef in the country these days?
Emeril Lagasse - a Louisiana Cajun. (Please don't send me posts about not liking
Emeril as a personality. He got where he is because he can cook. If he wasn't
such a good cook, he wouldn't have the publicity that gave you the opportunity
to dislike him.)
If you like bland food, and salt is an exotic spice to you, then you're not
going to like the food here. But if you want excellence in a variety of areas,
then this is the place. There is no other region that can compare.
That's What I Call a Double Whamy
I ran across two interesting articles in two different sports publications that
pertain to arguments I've had with the two non-baseball people who read this
blog. The first was published in USA Today on Monday and had a list of the 10
hardest things to do in sports. Among the ten were things like returning a
130-plus mph serve in tennis (# 5) and running a marathon (# 7). The list was
quite interesting and obviously well-thought-out. So it should not come as a
surprise to any of you, especially James, that "Hitting a baseball at speeds of
90-plus mph" was # 1. The even gave a lengthy scientific explanation of why it
is so. But don't be too hurt, James. Blocking a penalty kick in soccer did show
up at # 9.
The other article, from this weeks edition of The Sporting News, pertains to an
ongoing argument I've had with Troy-Bart, and oddly enough, does not pertain to
baseball, but basketball. The article is based on a list developed by 15 NBA
general managers who ranked the 25 best players (the players they would most
like to acquire for their teams). Bart, my jaw practically hit the ground when
Shaquille O'Neal was rated first. In fact out of the 15 ballots cast, Shaq did
not appear any lower than second on even one. You can say what you want, but the
consensus of the guys who make millions building and managing NBA teams is that
Shaq is the best and most desirable player in the game. Writer Sean Deveney
says, "As long as Shaq is in the league, the evolution of the pro game will be
on hold. No matter how much speed, skill and athleticism a team has collected,
O'Neal still is the 350-pound road block to a championship."
Democrats
Democrat is not a code word for anything; I'm talking about actual liberal
politicians and their followers. Consider what they belive - like anything Yasir
Arafat says. And when a mother sacrificed her life in a desperate attempt to
free herself and her child (Elian Gonzalez) from a totalitarian dictatorship,
Democrats belived this was a great opportunity to show Fidel Castro's family
values. Fidel probably does have family values, of the Democrat type, about
abortion for instance. And there is ample indication that Fidel is a big
supporter of Right to Die legislation.
Democrats believe in killing babies and old people, and, to judge by their
various plans to modify American medical care, they believe in killing everybody
else too. Except for murderers. Murderers will get a time-out and a chance to
speak at the graduation of a prominent liberal arts college.
Predicted order of finish: 1) Yankees, 2) Red Sox, 3) Blue Jays, 4) Orioles, 5)
Devil Rays
Much Like the AL Central, there will be nothing new in the East. The order of
finish listed above is exactly the same as last year. The Devil Rays should be
improved with some good young prospects and new manager Lou Piniella. The
Orioles will spend another year in their seemingly endless rebuilding process.
The Blues Jays always seem to be headed in the right direction, but get rid of
their good players at the trading deadline. On a side, one of the relievers,
Corey Thurman, is a childhood friend and former teamate of mine. He stayed in
the bigs for the entire season, making 43 appearances. He entered games with
bases loaded three times in '02 and stranded all nine runners. The Red Sox, as
usual, look good and will, as usual come up short, with no other explanation
than the curse of Babe Ruth. The Yankees will win this division again, but this
team is not as good as past editions and will not make the World Series.
Boston Red Sox Season Preview
What a team. Why these guys can’t get over the job done, I don’t know. My best
guess comes down to the theory of the Curse of Babe Ruth. The Red Sox have been
poised to make a run at the World Series for several years now, but it’s always
something. Just look at the group: They have the very best one and two starter
combo in the AL in Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe. The pair combined to win 41,
finished first and second in AL ERA (2.26 and 2.58 respectively), and Pedro led
the AL in strikeouts with 239. Tim Wakefield will move into the rotation instead
of swinging back and forth like he has the past few years. Wakefield finished
fourth in the ERA race with 2.81. The bullpen looks a bit shaky, but they did
add one of the Yankees relief super stars by signing Ramiro Mendoza. Then
there’s the line up, led by LF Manny Ramirez who might be the best run producer
in the AL. Ramirez won his first batting title in ’02, hitting .349 to go with
33 HR and 107 RBI in only 120 games. In addition, Nomar Garciaparra should be
back to %100 after wrist surgery in 2001. Nomar has two career batting titles to
his credit. The rest of the group is very solid – four of the remaining seven
have been All-Stars. Just like the last few years, Boston has the potential to
win it all, but something always happens to stop them. This team is good enough
on paper to win the World Series, but I don’t think they’ll do it this year.
Line Up CF Johnny Damon, 2B Todd Walker, SS Nomar Garciaparra, LF Manny Ramirez,
DH Jeremy Giambi, 1B Shea Hillenbrand, RF Trot Nixon, C Jason Varitek, 3B Bill
Mueller Rotation RH Pedro Martinez, RH Derek Lowe, RH Tim Wakefield, LH Casey
Fossum, RH John Burkett Closer Closer by Committee
New York Yankees Season Preview
Watching any sport is better when there’s a team to hate, and the Yankees are
that team for me. They don’t scare me as much this year as in previous seasons
as they’ve failed to win the World Series since 2000. They are still very strong
and could win it all again. They are the exact opposite of the Red Sox. The Sox
have a good team cursed with bad luck; the Yanks have a good team blessed with
good luck. But luck may not be enough for them this year. I get the feeling this
group isn’t happy as a team, and the pitching staff is old. Roger Clemens and
David Wells are 40 and 39 and to a point in their careers where the slightest
injury could mean the end. Mike Mussina and Andy Pettitte have health concerns
of their own, and Cuban defector Jose Contreras has never pitched in the Major
Leagues. This group could be phenomenal, but the whole thing could easily
unravel too. The bullpen has its share of question marks too. Ace closer Mariano
Rivera made three trips to the disabled list in ’02 and they lost Ramiro Mendoza
and Mike Stanton. In their place, they Yanks signed ever-promising, but always
disappointing Antonio Osuna and Atlanta’s star set up man Chris Hammond, whose
stellar 0.95 ERA was likely just a fluke. The offense is still strong with
Alfonso Soriano and Jason Giambi finishing in the top four in AL MVP. Any team
that can afford to have Raul Mondesi and Nick Johnson batting eighth and ninth
has some serious firepower. Every player except Johnson and Hideki Matsui has
hit at least 20 homers in season and been on the All-Star team. Matsui is
another foreign import (Japan) with lots of promise but no Major League
Experience at all. The Yankees committed a combined $53 million to Contreras and
Matsui over the next three years despite their lack of experience. Sometimes
these players turn out to be Ichiro and Orlando Hernandez, but more frequently
they turn out to be Hideki Irabu and Livan Hernandez. Seems like big risk to me.
Line Up 2B Alfonso Soriano, SS Derek Jeter, 1B Jason Giambi, CF Bernie Williams,
C Jorge Posada, LF Hideki Matsui, 3B Robin Ventura, RF Raul Mondesi, DH Nick
Johnson Rotation RH Roger Clemens, LH Andy Pettitte, RH Mike Mussina, LH David
Wells, RH Jose Contreras Closer Mariano Rivera
Over the course of the next few weeks, I’m going to be posting my Major League
Baseball season preview, complete with season predictions and short team
previews for contenders. I know this is not necessarily of interest to all you
Odd Thinkers out there, but it should. Anyway, I will be posting some regular
Odd Thoughts too, so don’t stop reading if you’re uninterested in the baseball
stuff.
If you want me to preview a team that is a non-contender, just let me know.
American League Central
Predicted order of finish: 1) Minnesota Twins, 2) Chicago White Sox, 3)
Cleveland Indians, 4) Kansas City Royals, 5) Detroit Tigers Nothing new this
year. The Tigers are still bad, but they did add Tiger legends Lance Parrish as
bullpen coach, Kirk Gibson as hitting coach, and Alan Trammell as manager. Mike
Sweeny is a prime-time player on a very bad team in Kansas City. The Indians are
coming along nicely in their rebuilding, but it will be 2005 five before they’re
ready. The White Sox may be the most improved team in the American League
(preview following). The Twins should rule the roost once again as their amazing
young team continues to get better.
Chicago White Sox Season Preview
The White Sox look good on paper. Some analysts feel they’re the most improved
team in the American league. But it won’t be enough to catch the Twins. This is
a team that boasts some big names – in the line up, in the rotation, and in the
pen. Their weakness is their lack of depth in all the previously mentioned
areas. The biggest acquisition of the winter was P Bartolo Colon who won 20
games last year between the Indians and Expos. Colon joins team ace Mark Buehrle
(19 wins in ’02) to form a strong one-two punch, but the rest of the staff is
young and unproven. The Sox traded closer Keith Foulke to Oakland for Billy
Koch. Foulke faltered last year while Koch proved he was a clutch performer,
saving 44 games for Oakland. Chicago’s powerful line up is anchored by RF
Magglio Ordonez (.320-38-135) who is just hitting his prime; he should be good
for that sort of numbers for years to come. The line up also features 1B Paul
Konerko (104 RBI), DH Frank Thomas (28 HR in an “off year”), and rookie 3B Joe
Crede (12 HR in only 200 at bats). There’s no denying the White Sox are better
this year, but their lack of balance will keep them from challenging the Twins.
Line Up: 2B D’Angelo Jimenez, LF Carlos Lee, RF Magglio Ordonez, 1B Paul
Konerko, DH Frank Thomas, 3B Joe Crede, SS Jose Valentin, CF Aaron Rowand, C
Miguel Olivo Rotation: LH Mark Buehrle, RH Bartolo Colon, RH Jon Garland, RH Dan
Wright, RH Jon Rauch Closer: RH Billy Koch
Minnesota Twins Season Preview
I’m giving the Twins a longer look in honor of Courtney Huntington, a long time
Twins fan through thick and thin.
Line up What a year these kids had in ’02: a division title and a stunning upset
over the A’s in the division series. The Twins will have a great shot to repeat
in ’03. CF Torii Hunter finished fifth in AL MVP voting, won his second
consecutive Gold Glove, and showed the nation his brilliance in the outfield by
robbing a home run from Barry Bonds in the All-Star game – a game he was voted
to start. Hunter is the heart and soul of this team, providing intangibles to
the team in a very Derek Jeter-like way. Hunter should only improve in ’03,
especially if 3B Corey Koskie can return to his ’01 form and provide Hunter with
some line up protection. Koskie wasn’t the only Twin to decline from ’01 to ’02.
1B Doug Mientkiewicz (pronounced “Mientkiewicz “) also took a huge step back
after a big season two years ago, although he did continue to provide fantastic
defense. Mientkiewicz should be able to develop into a Mar Grace/John Olerud
sort of player, and if he does he will a great asset to the team. The backward
steps from Koskie and Mientkiewicz were made up for by the career year from LF
Jacque Jones. Jones did it all last year including 27 HR out of the leadoff
spot. Provided the pair can stay healthy, SS Christian Guzman and 2B Luis Rivas
should be able to give above average defense and speed at both ends of the
batting order. The AL boasts some super star short stops. Guzman is not one of
them, but he is the best of the rest. C A.J. Pierzynski made the All-Star team
last year by playing stellar defense combined with clutch hitting. Pierzynski is
another example of what makes this team so good: consistent improvement, lots of
ability, and still under 30. The RF and DH spots will be split between four
highly touted players: Michael Cuddyer, Matt LeCroy, Dustan Mohr, and Bobby
Kielty. All four are worthy of starting, but Cuddyer and LeCroy will probably
get most of the playing time. In addition to all this offensive potential, the
Twins were the best defensive team in the game in ’02 and should be equally
solid in ‘03.
Pitching The Twins’ starters might be the best rotation, one through five, in
the American League. I’m not saying they are the very best, but one could make
the argument. Although the group did have some injury trouble last year, they
should be healthy and ready to go in ’03. Brad Radke is the ace and leader of
the team, having been with the Twins longer than any other player on the roster.
A former 20 game winner, Radke could very well return to that level this year.
He’ll be joined by Eric Milton, Joe Mays, Rick Reed, and Kyle Lohse. That group
will make it tough on the opposition every night out. Should one of them falter
or get hurt, they have Johan Santana ready to fill in. Santana would be a
starter already on most other teams. As good as the starters are, the bullpen
might be even better. This is probably the second best group of relievers in the
game. The Twins made an excellent move last year converting set up man Eddie
Guardado to closer. Guardado made the All-Star team and led the AL saving 45
games in 51 chances. 2001 closer LaTroy Hawkins moved back to the set up role
and had a 2.13 ERA. While Hawkins’ ERA was great, he was bettered by J.C. Romero
who posted a 1.91 ERA and led the team with 81 appearances.
Pitching Note: Since I wrote this last week, word has come down that lefty Eric
Milton will miss the first sew weeks of the season recovering from shoulder
surgery. Johan Santana will start in his place.
Management Rookie skipper Ron Gardenhire made a big splash last year, and
finished second to Anaheim’s Mike Scioscia for AL Manager of the Year. General
manager Terry Ryan continues to impress by winning with a tight budget and an
owner who would just assume sell the team or have them contracted.
Overall The Twins would greatly benefit from a true power hitter in the batting
order. Unfortunately they’d have to sit one of their great prospects to get him
in the line up. They probably won’t add anybody this year, but a big power
hitter is the one thing keeping the Twins from being World Series contenders.
This is a very fun team to watch, and if you are a true baseball fan, you should
find some time to see them.
Line Up: LF Jacque Jones, SS Christian Guzman, CF Torii Hunter, 3B Corey Koskie,
1B Doug Mientkiewicz, DH Matt LeCroy, C A.J. Pierzynski, RF Michael Cuddyer, 2B
Luis Rivas Rotation: RH Brad Radke, LH Eric Milton (LH Johan Santana), RH Joe
Mays, RH Rick Reed, RH Kyle Lohse Closer LH Eddie Guardado
You know the general funny name discussion? The one where people say things
like, "I knew a girl named Mary Christmas?" Well, there are some things about
that conversation that bother me. For instance, we've all heard about Mary
Christmas, Ima and Yura Hogg, and the most annoying one of all, twins named
Orangello and Lemongello (If you are the one person in the world who hasn't
actually heard that one, the humor comes when you break it up: orange jello,
lemon jello). The worst part is that when this comes up, people act like it's
original and that they actually know these people or at least know somebody who
knows these people. It's not true. Well, maybe it's true, but you didn't think
of it. I've been hearing this stuff for twenty years. There are some original
and funny names, though. For instance, I saw in the paper that Keneyzia
Mon'Tashanique (a girl) was born in Monroe the other day. The funniest part of
that one, to me, was that her last name was Smith. A friend of mine at NSA knew
a Pearl Farber, and my sister, Rachel, worked with a girl named Katina Turner.
Those are funny. My grandfather likes to say he ran into a Nosmo King (No
Smoking); it's silly and probably not true, but it's way more clever than those
mentioned earlier. I'm not saying I hate the whole conversation, but I always
know that the show is over when Orangello and Lemongello come into the
discussion.