In the space of less than 24 hours two former MVPs have been traded. Last night, the San Francisco Giants traded outfielder Andrew McCutchen to the New York Yankees while earlier this evening the Toronto Blue Jays traded Josh Donaldson to the Cleveland Indians.
McCutchen earned the NL MVP with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013 when the Bucs reached the post-season for the first time in 21 seasons while Donaldson won the AL MVP in 2015 as the Jays reached the post-season for the first time in 22 seasons.
The Yankees coveted McCutchen during the off-season, but the Pirates instead sent him to the San Francisco Giants ending his 9 year stint in the Steel City. In 130 games with the Giants this season, McCutchen hit .255 with 15 HR and 55 RBI. Decent numbers but not the numbers he put up when he earned five consecutive NL All-Star Team selections between 2011 and 2015. He won't make up for the absence of Aaron Judge in the lineup, but he will give some relief to Giancarlo Stanton in the outfield.
Injuries have limited Donaldson to 36 games this season. But he now reunites with former Jays teammate Edwin Encarnacion. With something to fight for, Donaldson could get some key hits for Cleveland in October and increase his value in the free agent market. McCutchen is also a free agent at the end of the season.
Meanwhile, the exodus continues in D.C. as the Washington Nationals have sent starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez to the Milwaukee Brewers and reliever Ryan Madson to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The trade of Gonzalez is particularly significant as he has been a member of the Nats' starting rotation since 2012 when he won a career high 21 games. After finishing sixth in NL Cy Young balloting in 2017, Gonzalez is having a subpar season with a 7-11 record and a 4.57 ERA in 27 starts. But he is durable and will give the Brewers much needed innings in September as they hope to reach the post-season for the first time since 2011.
Like Gonzalez, Madson is not having a banner year after an excellent one last year. In 2017, Madson posted a combined ERA of 1.83 with the Oakland A's and Washington Nationals. In 2018, his ERA is 5.28. But Madson provides the Dodgers' bullpen some depth as the team may miss the post-season for the first time since 2012 if either the Arizona Diamondbacks or Colorado Rockies have anything to say about it.
There is going to be a lot more of this coming from the Nats as they enter rebuilding mode in what is sure to become the post-Bryce Harper era in D.C.
Friday, August 31, 2018
Why Don't Farrakhan & Sharpton Get The David Duke Treatment?
It was interesting to see how both Louis Farrakhan and Al Sharpton loomed large at Aretha Franklin's funeral.
Former President Clinton had no qualms about standing in their presence despite their long history of anti-Semitism. It was only this past June where Farrakhan uttered the phrase "satanic Jews" in a sermon at his mosque in Chicago. Farrakhan also used the same phrase on Twitter later that month and lost his verification because of it.
Of course, Farrakhan has been an anti-Semite for decades. Earlier this year, an AP photo from 2005 circulated of former President Obama with Farrakhan which barely gauged a yawn.
If President Trump was within 100 miles of David Duke he would be condemned for it. Now Duke is a vile figure and people were right to condemn Trump for not denouncing him during the 2016 election.
Now if the Queen of Soul wanted Farrakhan and Sharpton at her funeral, well, it's her funeral. But why do Farrakhan (and for that matter Sharpton) not get the David Duke treatment?
Is it because they are a) black and b) perceived to be progressive?
Or are there other factors at work?
Again, I have little time for Trump and his critical mass of white supremacist supporters.
But I also have equally little time for The Left so long as they see fit to welcome those who are every bit as bigoted and hateful.
Former President Clinton had no qualms about standing in their presence despite their long history of anti-Semitism. It was only this past June where Farrakhan uttered the phrase "satanic Jews" in a sermon at his mosque in Chicago. Farrakhan also used the same phrase on Twitter later that month and lost his verification because of it.
Of course, Farrakhan has been an anti-Semite for decades. Earlier this year, an AP photo from 2005 circulated of former President Obama with Farrakhan which barely gauged a yawn.
If President Trump was within 100 miles of David Duke he would be condemned for it. Now Duke is a vile figure and people were right to condemn Trump for not denouncing him during the 2016 election.
Now if the Queen of Soul wanted Farrakhan and Sharpton at her funeral, well, it's her funeral. But why do Farrakhan (and for that matter Sharpton) not get the David Duke treatment?
Is it because they are a) black and b) perceived to be progressive?
Or are there other factors at work?
Again, I have little time for Trump and his critical mass of white supremacist supporters.
But I also have equally little time for The Left so long as they see fit to welcome those who are every bit as bigoted and hateful.
Sunday, August 26, 2018
What Cats Mean to Me
From Wednesday through Saturday, I had the privilege of looking after my neighbors' cat Manny.
Over the past year or so, Manny and I have developed a rapport with each other. We'd see each other out in the hall or out on the back deck. He would try to get into my apartment, but I would always manage to stop him. I called myself the cat goalie.
Every once in awhile he would slip out of my neighbors' apartment or be out the back deck unable to get back inside and I would alert them. This earned the trust of my neighbors and when their usual cat sitter wasn't able to assist them for the duration of their absence they called upon me.
I would check on Manny twice a day once in the morning before going to work and again in the evening after having done my laundry or going for my swim. Aside from feeding him and changing his litter, I would pet him and comb his thick hair as he flopped down on hard on the floor onto each side of his belly. As I would brush him, he would try to grab the brush or my hand. I loved every minute of it.
This took me back to my childhood. While I was growing up, the Goldstein household almost always had at least one cat in it. The first cat our family had was a dark calico named Billie (after Billie Holiday). Actually, my parents had her even more before they married in Edmonton. For a time, my parents had both Billie and Ella (after Ella Fitzgerald). But Billie and Ella didn't like each other. So Ella stayed with my maternal grandparents in the Crowsnest Pass. I saw this hatred first hand when we visited them en route to Victoria, British Columbia where my Dad would be working during his sabbatical.
But by this time Billie was nearly 15 years old and rather sick. She would not live to make the trip back to Thunder Bay with us. Shortly after our return to Northwestern Ontario, we got two new cats - Bessie and Sylvie. Of the two, Bessie was more beloved as she reminded us of a younger Billie although Sylvie was gorgeous in her own right, but she would develop a chip on her shoulder. Bessie had this habit of sucking on my armpits. She didn't do this with anyone else. My family thought it was disgusting but I didn't mind. Sadly, she would disappear after only three years with us. I think my parents knew more than what they told us. Needless to say, I suspect she met a grim end.
A couple of years later, we moved from the Fort William to the Port Arthur side of town. One of the things that I remember most about that move was how Sylvie could not stand being in a moving car. While Billie could put up with being driven half way across Canada, Sylvie could not put up with being driven across Thunder Bay. As mentioned, Sylvie had something of a crochety disposition particularly with my mother whose lap she would not sit on for many years. But then over time, Mom couldn't sit down without Sylvie jumping on her lap. Mom wouldn't have minded so much if Sylvie had been able to keep her claws in. No, we didn't declaw our cats. Spaying and neutering them was punishment enough.
It was during the Port Arthur years that I first became acquainted with long haired overweight orange tabbies. The first one we came across was Riley. He wasn't anyone's cat in particular, but he had such a charm about him he would find his way to various homes in the neighborhood. Eventually, he gravitated to our house and we kept him much to Sylvie's consternation. She would hiss at him every time she saw him, but Riley ignored her. Riley had a large set of balls and Mom couldn't bear to spay him. The female cats in the neighborhood were undoubtedly grateful. Unfortunately, Riley was killed by an automobile.
A few months later, some friends from across town gave us their orange tabby Leo. They gave him to us because their next door neighbor intended to do him harm. Unlike Riley, Leo would fight back when Sylvie hissed at him and Mom would have to admonish him. But we all loved Leo. I loved it when he would head butt my knee while I was in a catcher's squat. Every once in a while he would even head butt my face.
Leo would soon be joined by a small, stray calico named Tony who didn't seem to be anyone's cat in particular. He would disappear for a few days at a time and then come back all roughed up. Tony made me uncomfortable. If he jumped in bed with me he would scratch my feet and occasionally would just walk, jump up and bite you. But Tony and Leo were constant companions. Sometimes they would wrestle each other. Nothing was funnier than watching tiny Tony bodyslam the much larger Leo.
After spending nearly the entire summer of 1988 in Israel, I would learn that Tony had been replaced by Izzy. Tony had died under mysterious circumstances shortly before my return. Days later, my mother was visiting a neighbor when she saw a cat who looked almost exactly like Tony. When the neighbors said they were planning to take the cat to the Humane's Society, my mother wouldn't hear of it. She called my Dad to tell him she had seen this cat and he saw no point in arguing. Izzy and Leo were constant companions, but Izzy wasn't nearly as aggressive and meowed every time you pet him.
Sylvie didn't like either of them. But I do remember the night before I left for Britain, I was anxious and distraught. I think Sylvie, Leo and Izzy all sensed this because all three of them jumped on my bed to comfort me. It was the only time the three of them were together for any extended period of time without there being any kind of conflict. Sylvie had become far more affectionate towards me during my high school years and I guess decided to put aside her problems with Leo and Izzy for one night. For that I have always been grateful.
Gradually they all died off. My parents had a couple more large orange tabbies - Oakley and then finally Henry. Dad would make his way to New York and Mom reached the time where she concluded she couldn't handle having a cat around.
As much as I love cats, I have never owned one. All of the cats we had were outdoor cats. Mom never liked the idea of keeping a cat couped up. I share the same philosophy. Unless I were to have a large backyard, I would not get a cat. Of course, I can barely keep myself afloat. How could I afford the expense of a cat?
These past few days with Manny were the longest I had spent with a cat in 15 years when I house sat for my Uncle Neil and Aunt Barbara in the Bronx. I must tell you what a great source of comfort Manny has been. Most of this summer has been dominated by trying to find a roommate while living in the expensive housing market that is Boston. The stress of it has been enormous. Failing to find a roommate would force me to leave the home I've been in for the past 10 years. If I couldn't find a place here then I would have to move to NYC and live with my Dad. While a perch near Central Park isn't the worst landing spot I don't want to have to quit my job to do that. Without getting into any further details, if I hadn't been taking care of Manny this week I might very well have completely lost what's left of my mind.
As a single man of 45 and about to turn 46 next month with a non-descript job and no prospects of marriage much less a girlfriend I often go days at a time without having a lengthy conversation with anyone. When I do try to engage in conversation, I often feel like I am taking up their precious airspace. These past few days with Manny have been a Godsend. I can only hope that I remain at my apartment long enough to have another opportunity to take care of him. Until then we'll have our meetings in the hall on the deck. At least I can take comfort knowing there is somebody in the world who wants to be a part of my life.
Saturday, August 25, 2018
John McCain, R.I.P.
Senator John McCain has lost his battle with brain cancer. He died three days shy of his 82nd birthday.
The son and grandson of four star admirals, McCain would earn his stripes as a naval aviator in Vietnam earning the Navy Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star before being captured in October 1967. He would spend the next five and a half years in captivity as a POW where he was subjected to frequent and severe beatings. When offered freedom after his father was named naval commander for the Pacific, McCain refused because other POWs had been in captivity longer than he had. For this valor, McCain was rewarded with broken ribs and arm and knocked out teeth.
After a long recovery, McCain got his first taste of politics in 1977 as the U.S. Navy's liaison to the Senate. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1982 and the Senate in 1986 succeeding Barry Goldwater. McCain's career Senate nearly ended before it started as he was caught up in the Keating Five scandal regarding the acceptance of illegal campaign contributions from the savings & loans magnate. But McCain would overcome this with hard work and a strong streak of political independence and didn't hesitate to stand up to Presidents Reagan and Bush and other Republicans when necessary earning him a reputation as a maverick. His maverick disposition would nearly make him the political story of 2000 when he sought the GOP nomination putting a scare into George W. Bush's presidential ambitions with straight talk winning the New Hampshire Primary before being stopped by dirty tricks in South Carolina.
Despite his antipathy towards Bush, he was a strong supporter of the War in Iraq and supported a surge of troops when it was not fashionable to do so. McCain would earn the GOP nomination in 2008, but could not overcome the shadow of the Bush years, his decision to name Sarah Palin as his running mate, the economy collapsing and the juggernaut that was Barack Obama.
In recent years, McCain's maverick reputation earned him the enmity of conservatives who thought he wasn't tough enough on Obama, too soft on immigration and disliked his support for campaign finance reform surviving a primary challenge from J.D. Hayworth in the Arizona GOP primary in 2010. This resentment would be at its ugliest five years later when conservatives stuck with Donald Trump even after claiming McCain wasn't a hero and liked people who weren't captured. But McCain would have the last laugh when he wouldn't back the Trump Administration's efforts to repeal Obamacare despite his disagreement with Obamacare shortly after his brain cancer diagnosis a year ago.
John McCain would be the first to tell you he was no saint. But John McCain believed he had a duty to put his country and people ahead of his own self-interest. In this day and age, this is no easy feat but one well worth aspiring towards. R.I.P.
The son and grandson of four star admirals, McCain would earn his stripes as a naval aviator in Vietnam earning the Navy Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star before being captured in October 1967. He would spend the next five and a half years in captivity as a POW where he was subjected to frequent and severe beatings. When offered freedom after his father was named naval commander for the Pacific, McCain refused because other POWs had been in captivity longer than he had. For this valor, McCain was rewarded with broken ribs and arm and knocked out teeth.
After a long recovery, McCain got his first taste of politics in 1977 as the U.S. Navy's liaison to the Senate. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1982 and the Senate in 1986 succeeding Barry Goldwater. McCain's career Senate nearly ended before it started as he was caught up in the Keating Five scandal regarding the acceptance of illegal campaign contributions from the savings & loans magnate. But McCain would overcome this with hard work and a strong streak of political independence and didn't hesitate to stand up to Presidents Reagan and Bush and other Republicans when necessary earning him a reputation as a maverick. His maverick disposition would nearly make him the political story of 2000 when he sought the GOP nomination putting a scare into George W. Bush's presidential ambitions with straight talk winning the New Hampshire Primary before being stopped by dirty tricks in South Carolina.
Despite his antipathy towards Bush, he was a strong supporter of the War in Iraq and supported a surge of troops when it was not fashionable to do so. McCain would earn the GOP nomination in 2008, but could not overcome the shadow of the Bush years, his decision to name Sarah Palin as his running mate, the economy collapsing and the juggernaut that was Barack Obama.
In recent years, McCain's maverick reputation earned him the enmity of conservatives who thought he wasn't tough enough on Obama, too soft on immigration and disliked his support for campaign finance reform surviving a primary challenge from J.D. Hayworth in the Arizona GOP primary in 2010. This resentment would be at its ugliest five years later when conservatives stuck with Donald Trump even after claiming McCain wasn't a hero and liked people who weren't captured. But McCain would have the last laugh when he wouldn't back the Trump Administration's efforts to repeal Obamacare despite his disagreement with Obamacare shortly after his brain cancer diagnosis a year ago.
John McCain would be the first to tell you he was no saint. But John McCain believed he had a duty to put his country and people ahead of his own self-interest. In this day and age, this is no easy feat but one well worth aspiring towards. R.I.P.
Friday, August 24, 2018
Why I Dislike MLB's Players Weekend
MLB's second annual Players Weekend is underway and I cannot stand it anymore now than I did a year ago.
This is when players get to wear silly uniforms and have even sillier nicknames on the backs of their jerseys all in the name of expressing their "personality." Yet we have the sight of 750 players expressing their personality in exactly the same way.
To me, personality is not something that can be contrived, manufactured or organized in any way. Personality is an individual trait and ought to be expressed in a unique way day in and day out rather than for a single weekend as an elaborate marketing gimmick.
When I think of personality, I think of Rollie Fingers' mustache, Mark Fidrych talking to the baseball or U.L. Washington batting with a toothpick in his mouth. All of this comes from within and does not take away from the game on the field rather than being mandated by the Office of the Commissioner or even the MLBPA and becoming yet another spectacle to distract us from what is happening on the field.
This is when players get to wear silly uniforms and have even sillier nicknames on the backs of their jerseys all in the name of expressing their "personality." Yet we have the sight of 750 players expressing their personality in exactly the same way.
To me, personality is not something that can be contrived, manufactured or organized in any way. Personality is an individual trait and ought to be expressed in a unique way day in and day out rather than for a single weekend as an elaborate marketing gimmick.
When I think of personality, I think of Rollie Fingers' mustache, Mark Fidrych talking to the baseball or U.L. Washington batting with a toothpick in his mouth. All of this comes from within and does not take away from the game on the field rather than being mandated by the Office of the Commissioner or even the MLBPA and becoming yet another spectacle to distract us from what is happening on the field.
Can Australia's New PM Expect a Rude Phone Call From President Trump?
If Americans remember Australia's newly former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull it will be as the ally President Trump berated over the phone call last August.
I cannot help but wonder if Turnbull's successor, Scott Morrison, can expect the same treatment some time in the near future even if their first conversation was cordial.
For Australians, the bigger question is whether Morrison can lead the Liberal-National coalition to an election victory and whether he can serve a full term.
The past 11 years have been a stark contrast to the previous 11 years when Liberal John Howard served four terms as Prime Minister before being defeated at the polls by the Labor Party led by Kevin Rudd. Towards the end of his first term, Rudd was challenged for the Labor Party leadership by Julia Gillard. Labor narrowly won the 2010 election with the help of the Greens and some independents. Rudd unsuccessfully challenged Gillard for the party leadership in 2012. Gillard also managed to turn back a challenge in early 2013 by Simon Crean. But three months later, Rudd wrested the leadership and Prime Minister's office back from Gillard only to be decisively defeated in the 2013 election by the Liberal-National Coalition now led by Tony Abbott.
I must confess that when the Liberal-National Coalition returned to power it would represent a return to the John Howard days. I couldn't have been more wrong. Two years into his mandate Abbott was ousted by Turnbull. Previously, Turnbull had been defeated by Abbott in a challenge for the Liberal Party leadership when they were in opposition in 2009. So I suppose turnabout was fair play for Turnbull who would lead the Liberal-National Coalition to a mandate in 2016 albeit by a smaller margin than Abbott had in 2013. But Turnbull could not complete his mandate either. After surviving a leadership challenge earlier this week by Peter Dutton, Turnbull could not do the same against Morrison. And you thought American politics was nasty.
I cannot help but wonder if Turnbull's successor, Scott Morrison, can expect the same treatment some time in the near future even if their first conversation was cordial.
For Australians, the bigger question is whether Morrison can lead the Liberal-National coalition to an election victory and whether he can serve a full term.
The past 11 years have been a stark contrast to the previous 11 years when Liberal John Howard served four terms as Prime Minister before being defeated at the polls by the Labor Party led by Kevin Rudd. Towards the end of his first term, Rudd was challenged for the Labor Party leadership by Julia Gillard. Labor narrowly won the 2010 election with the help of the Greens and some independents. Rudd unsuccessfully challenged Gillard for the party leadership in 2012. Gillard also managed to turn back a challenge in early 2013 by Simon Crean. But three months later, Rudd wrested the leadership and Prime Minister's office back from Gillard only to be decisively defeated in the 2013 election by the Liberal-National Coalition now led by Tony Abbott.
I must confess that when the Liberal-National Coalition returned to power it would represent a return to the John Howard days. I couldn't have been more wrong. Two years into his mandate Abbott was ousted by Turnbull. Previously, Turnbull had been defeated by Abbott in a challenge for the Liberal Party leadership when they were in opposition in 2009. So I suppose turnabout was fair play for Turnbull who would lead the Liberal-National Coalition to a mandate in 2016 albeit by a smaller margin than Abbott had in 2013. But Turnbull could not complete his mandate either. After surviving a leadership challenge earlier this week by Peter Dutton, Turnbull could not do the same against Morrison. And you thought American politics was nasty.
Conservatism Died When Trump Got Away With Saying McCain Wasn't a Hero
I have read the sad news about the family of Senator John McCain announcing that he would discontinue treatment for brain cancer. McCain is five days shy of his 82nd birthday.
When that day comes, whenever that might be, I will pay proper tribute to an American hero.
Of course, it was Donald Trump who in the summer of 2015 said McCain wasn't a hero - and got away with it.
When we look back at the history of American conservatism and the rise of Trump, I think we can trace the death of American conservatism to when Trump's candidacy withstood his smear of McCain. Would Trump have got away with such garbage in the 1980's when Ronald Reagan was President and character was king? Had Trump made such a statement back then or even during the 1990's that would have killed his political career right then and there.
But we are different country now and conservative values such as upholding tradition, well ordered liberty, respect for our military, restraint and decency exist no more. If they did Trump would not be President of the United States.
In retrospect, I should have severed my ties with The American Spectator a year earlier than I did. When I wrote an article condemning Trump for his cruelty and disrespect, the story was spiked by TAS publisher Bob Tyrrell. But I didn't leave as I wrote many articles and blog posts critical of Trump until I was told directly by Tyrrell to criticize him no more.
This isn't to say I didn't disagree with John McCain at times as was the case when he rescued President Obama's of Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense. Of course, back then I argued the Senate Republican caucus should be full of Ted Cruzs. Unfortunately, with few exceptions, we now do and we are not better for it.
While conservatism won't survive Donald Trump's legacy, we can take some comfort that John McCain's contributions to and sacrifices for this country surely will.
When that day comes, whenever that might be, I will pay proper tribute to an American hero.
Of course, it was Donald Trump who in the summer of 2015 said McCain wasn't a hero - and got away with it.
When we look back at the history of American conservatism and the rise of Trump, I think we can trace the death of American conservatism to when Trump's candidacy withstood his smear of McCain. Would Trump have got away with such garbage in the 1980's when Ronald Reagan was President and character was king? Had Trump made such a statement back then or even during the 1990's that would have killed his political career right then and there.
But we are different country now and conservative values such as upholding tradition, well ordered liberty, respect for our military, restraint and decency exist no more. If they did Trump would not be President of the United States.
In retrospect, I should have severed my ties with The American Spectator a year earlier than I did. When I wrote an article condemning Trump for his cruelty and disrespect, the story was spiked by TAS publisher Bob Tyrrell. But I didn't leave as I wrote many articles and blog posts critical of Trump until I was told directly by Tyrrell to criticize him no more.
This isn't to say I didn't disagree with John McCain at times as was the case when he rescued President Obama's of Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense. Of course, back then I argued the Senate Republican caucus should be full of Ted Cruzs. Unfortunately, with few exceptions, we now do and we are not better for it.
While conservatism won't survive Donald Trump's legacy, we can take some comfort that John McCain's contributions to and sacrifices for this country surely will.
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Maxime Bernier Quits The Tories, Sucks Up to Trump & Gives Trudeau a Gift
Maxime Bernier stunned the Canadian political landscape today by resigning from the Conservative Party with the intention of forming his own yet to be named political party.
In 2017, Bernier finished a very close second to Andrew Scheer in the Conservative Party leadership race.
Bernier's announcement overshadows the beginning of this weekend's Conservative Party Convention in Halifax. Yet the timing is peculiar as it comes at a time when Prime Minister Trudeau has been on the defensive due to his response to a heckler who questioned his government's policies concerning those illegally crossing the U.S. border into Quebec making a point of calling her a racist. (My take on that situation can be read here). For his part, Scheer criticized Trudeau for "sweeping away legitimate questions with vile personal insults". All of which would be a good issue for Scheer to run on in next year's federal election and gain ground in Quebec in particular.
But Bernier's bombshell gives Trudeau a gift. Actually many gifts. Bernier gives the gift of divided conservatives. The same gift which enabled Jean Chretien to win three consecutive Liberal majority governments until the Progressive Conservatives and Reform Party united under the Conservative banner. With that Bernier also gives Trudeau the gift of re-election. Granted, Canada rarely has one term governments and Trudeau would have been tough to beat. But this pretty much seals it.
Of course, Bernier wants Trudeau to remain Prime Minister. If Scheer is forced out after an election defeat or some time thereafter then look for Bernier to return to the Conservative Party and claim the crown to which he believes he is entitled.
In reading Bernier's declaration of why he has left the Tories, I see a self-indulgent man who seeks to curry favor with President Trump:
I still cannot understand how a party that is supposed to defend free markets supports a small cartel that artificially increases the price of milk, chicken and eggs for millions of Canadian consumers.
More importantly, supply management has become one of the main stumbling blocks to an agreement with the United States on NAFTA. Former Conservative leaders Brian Mulroney and Rona Ambrose agree that it should be put on the table.
But the Conservative Party has been siding with the Liberal government. It also supports the retaliatory tariffs of the Liberal government, even though this is going to hurt our businesses and consumers. Even though Canada has no realistic chance of winning a trade war with a neighbour ten times larger. Even though we could successfully relaunch the negotiations if we put supply management on the table, and if we accept President Trump’s offer to negotiate a dismantling of all barriers, as the European Union has done.
In 2017, Bernier finished a very close second to Andrew Scheer in the Conservative Party leadership race.
Bernier's announcement overshadows the beginning of this weekend's Conservative Party Convention in Halifax. Yet the timing is peculiar as it comes at a time when Prime Minister Trudeau has been on the defensive due to his response to a heckler who questioned his government's policies concerning those illegally crossing the U.S. border into Quebec making a point of calling her a racist. (My take on that situation can be read here). For his part, Scheer criticized Trudeau for "sweeping away legitimate questions with vile personal insults". All of which would be a good issue for Scheer to run on in next year's federal election and gain ground in Quebec in particular.
But Bernier's bombshell gives Trudeau a gift. Actually many gifts. Bernier gives the gift of divided conservatives. The same gift which enabled Jean Chretien to win three consecutive Liberal majority governments until the Progressive Conservatives and Reform Party united under the Conservative banner. With that Bernier also gives Trudeau the gift of re-election. Granted, Canada rarely has one term governments and Trudeau would have been tough to beat. But this pretty much seals it.
Of course, Bernier wants Trudeau to remain Prime Minister. If Scheer is forced out after an election defeat or some time thereafter then look for Bernier to return to the Conservative Party and claim the crown to which he believes he is entitled.
In reading Bernier's declaration of why he has left the Tories, I see a self-indulgent man who seeks to curry favor with President Trump:
I still cannot understand how a party that is supposed to defend free markets supports a small cartel that artificially increases the price of milk, chicken and eggs for millions of Canadian consumers.
More importantly, supply management has become one of the main stumbling blocks to an agreement with the United States on NAFTA. Former Conservative leaders Brian Mulroney and Rona Ambrose agree that it should be put on the table.
But the Conservative Party has been siding with the Liberal government. It also supports the retaliatory tariffs of the Liberal government, even though this is going to hurt our businesses and consumers. Even though Canada has no realistic chance of winning a trade war with a neighbour ten times larger. Even though we could successfully relaunch the negotiations if we put supply management on the table, and if we accept President Trump’s offer to negotiate a dismantling of all barriers, as the European Union has done.
Yes, there is a conservative argument against Canada's supply management system. But let's not pretend the U.S. doesn't provide generous subsidies to its dairy farmers. Bernier cites former Prime Minister Mulroney's statement that it should be put on the negotiating table. Of course, when Mulroney was Prime Minister his government vigorously protected supply management in the Uruguay round of GATT negotiations. It's easy for Mulroney to make such a statement when he does not have to answer to voters.
Bernier makes an utterly asinine statement when he argues "Canada has no realistic chance of winning a trade war with a neighbour ten times larger." And who started this "trade war"? Trump, not Trudeau. Last I checked, the WTO ruled in Canada's favor when the U.S. imposed duties on superglossed paper last month. Is Bernier really telling us that if he becomes Prime Minister and Trump complains about supply management or the pulp & paper industry that he's going to roll over and play dead? Unless he has a political death wish, I find this very hard to believe. And if this is the case do Canadians really want a Prime Minister who asks "how high?" when Trump says jump?
Furthermore, Bernier advocates following in the EU's footsteps. Well, Trump has rewarded the EU by threatening to impose a 25% tariff on all their automobiles. Where's the free market principles for which Bernier purportedly stands in that policy?
This isn't to say that Bernier's criticisms of multiculturalism and corporate welfare are without legitimacy or merit. But they are nothing more than window dressing for the real prize - new curtains at 24 Sussex Drive.
I'm glad Jason Kenney sees through Bernier's naked opportunism. But rank and file Conservative voters might not see it that way and could embrace Bernier as a Trump with a francophone accent.
Nothing would make Justin Trudeau happier.
Ed King, R.I.P.
Bass and guitar player Ed King, best known for co-writing Lynyrd Skynyrd's signature song "Sweet Home Alabama", has passed away at age of 68 of lung cancer.
King's contributions to Skynyrd's trio of albums produced by Al Kooper - Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nerd, Second Helping and Nuthin' Fancy were sufficient to get him inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame.
But I was more partial to his work with his previous band, The Strawberry Alarm Clock of which he was founding member. They were, of course, best known for "Incense and Peppermints" which King is widely believed to have helped write, but wasn't credited. King did co-write their follow up hit "Tomorrow". I particularly enjoyed his guitar work on "They Saw The Fat One Coming".
Whatever royalties King lost out on "Incense and Peppermints" was more than made up for with "Sweet Home Alabama". Greg Richter of The Birmingham News (we follow each other on Twitter) wrote this account of his meeting King in 2010 to discuss the genesis of the song.
I asked Greg if they talked about his time in The Strawberry Alarm Clock. Alas they had not, but were planning to discuss it over lunch. Sadly, this lunch would never come to pass. What a meal that would have been. But King gave us plenty of music to satiate our appetites. R.I.P.
King's contributions to Skynyrd's trio of albums produced by Al Kooper - Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nerd, Second Helping and Nuthin' Fancy were sufficient to get him inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame.
But I was more partial to his work with his previous band, The Strawberry Alarm Clock of which he was founding member. They were, of course, best known for "Incense and Peppermints" which King is widely believed to have helped write, but wasn't credited. King did co-write their follow up hit "Tomorrow". I particularly enjoyed his guitar work on "They Saw The Fat One Coming".
Whatever royalties King lost out on "Incense and Peppermints" was more than made up for with "Sweet Home Alabama". Greg Richter of The Birmingham News (we follow each other on Twitter) wrote this account of his meeting King in 2010 to discuss the genesis of the song.
I asked Greg if they talked about his time in The Strawberry Alarm Clock. Alas they had not, but were planning to discuss it over lunch. Sadly, this lunch would never come to pass. What a meal that would have been. But King gave us plenty of music to satiate our appetites. R.I.P.
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Read This 2002 Phoenix New Times Interview With Barbara Harris
Actress Barbara Harris passed away yesterday from lung cancer at the age of 83.
I must admit I had only a passing familiarity with her work. I've seen her in Freaky Friday, Nashville and in one of my favorite films A Thousand Clowns. But I did not realize the role she played in establishing Second City.
But I'm sure she would have understood. I got a kick out of this interview with Robrt L. Pela of the Phoenix New Times in October 2002 shortly after retiring from acting and moving out to Scottsdale to teach aspiring thespians. Consider her response to this question:
NT: You have a pretty distinctive voice and personality. Do you get recognized in the grocery?
Harris: No, thank goodness. I don't usually mention that I have been in movies, because I'm afraid people will say, "Well, I don't watch black-and-white films." Most people don't know who I am.
Many of us desire fame or at the very least want to be remembered. But in the grand scheme of things perhaps it is best not to attain fame nor be remembered because one could always become famous or remembered for things which does not to be famous or remembered.
Yet in this case I think the work of Barbara Harris warrants our attention even if for just a moment. R.I.P.
I must admit I had only a passing familiarity with her work. I've seen her in Freaky Friday, Nashville and in one of my favorite films A Thousand Clowns. But I did not realize the role she played in establishing Second City.
But I'm sure she would have understood. I got a kick out of this interview with Robrt L. Pela of the Phoenix New Times in October 2002 shortly after retiring from acting and moving out to Scottsdale to teach aspiring thespians. Consider her response to this question:
NT: You have a pretty distinctive voice and personality. Do you get recognized in the grocery?
Harris: No, thank goodness. I don't usually mention that I have been in movies, because I'm afraid people will say, "Well, I don't watch black-and-white films." Most people don't know who I am.
Many of us desire fame or at the very least want to be remembered. But in the grand scheme of things perhaps it is best not to attain fame nor be remembered because one could always become famous or remembered for things which does not to be famous or remembered.
Yet in this case I think the work of Barbara Harris warrants our attention even if for just a moment. R.I.P.
Aretha Franklin & Why The Blues Brothers Should Be Added To The National Film Registry
When Aretha Franklin passed away last week, many people paid tribute to her by posting the clip of her scene in The Blues Brothers in which she sings "Think" as a warning to her husband played by Matt "Guitar" Murphy about leaving her to join Jake & Ellwood.
The scene is all of six minutes long, but it effectively re-launched Franklin's career. The scene takes on an added poignance as her death comes only two months after Murphy's passing.
Over the weekend, I took it upon myself to nominate The Blues Brothers for the Library of Congress' National Film Registry. Each December, the NFB announces 25 films to be added to the registry which are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
The Blues Brothers certainly fulfills that criteria. It represents the duo of Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi at their very finest and what could have been if not for Belushi's death less than two years after the film's release. The film contains the greatest chase scene in the post-silent film era outside of The French Connection and Bullitt both of which were added to the registry in 2005 and 2007, respectively.
Most importantly though The Blues Brothers is a love letter to American rhythm & blues and soul with an homage to country & western music as well as jazz. This the only film where one will find James Brown, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, Big Walter Horton, Pinetop Perkins, Cab Calloway and the Queen of Soul in one place. Now that they are all gone I believe this time has come to honor them by preserving this film.
If you wish to nominate The Blues Brothers for inclusion into the National Film Registry, you have until September 15th and can do so here.
The scene is all of six minutes long, but it effectively re-launched Franklin's career. The scene takes on an added poignance as her death comes only two months after Murphy's passing.
Over the weekend, I took it upon myself to nominate The Blues Brothers for the Library of Congress' National Film Registry. Each December, the NFB announces 25 films to be added to the registry which are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
The Blues Brothers certainly fulfills that criteria. It represents the duo of Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi at their very finest and what could have been if not for Belushi's death less than two years after the film's release. The film contains the greatest chase scene in the post-silent film era outside of The French Connection and Bullitt both of which were added to the registry in 2005 and 2007, respectively.
Most importantly though The Blues Brothers is a love letter to American rhythm & blues and soul with an homage to country & western music as well as jazz. This the only film where one will find James Brown, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, Big Walter Horton, Pinetop Perkins, Cab Calloway and the Queen of Soul in one place. Now that they are all gone I believe this time has come to honor them by preserving this film.
If you wish to nominate The Blues Brothers for inclusion into the National Film Registry, you have until September 15th and can do so here.
Did Trudeau Have His Deplorable Moment?
One of the most overlooked aspects of Hillary Clinton's defeat in the 2016 election by mainstream political commentators was when she referred to half of President Trump's supporters as a "basket of deplorables."
Aside from being a gross exaggeration, Trump supporters took it as a badge of honor would describe themselves in this manner on their Twitter accounts. While I certainly believe a critical mass of Trump's supporters hold and express deplorable views, it is a mistake for a politician to dismiss a whole swath of the electorate as irredeemable. Would Barack Obama have garnered any Republican votes in 2008 had he referred to them as deplorable and irredeemable?
All of this might seem like ancient history to some, but I bring it up because I wonder if Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had his deplorable moment last week.
On August 16th, while at a Liberal Party rally in Sabrevois, Quebec, Trudeau was heckled by a woman named Diane Blain. In recent years, there has been an influx of illegal border crossings into Quebec from New York and Vermont. Many of these people are claiming refugee status. Blain asked Trudeau, "When will you give back the $146 million to Quebec?" The $146 million to which Blain is referring is the amount the Quebec government says it is costing them to absorb asylum seekers. It should be noted that the current Quebec government is a Liberal government.
But instead of answering Blain's question, Trudeau instead told her she "did not have a place here" and referred to her as a racist several times before she was physically escorted away from the rally by Trudeau's security. A full transcript of their exchange can be read here and you can watch the video below.
Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer took Trudeau to task for his treatment of Blain. But as it turns out, Blain is a member of Storm Alliance, an anti-immigrant group which last September took it upon itself to shut down the border crossing along St. Bernard de Lacolle, Quebec and Champlain, New York. For its part, they deny they are racist and Trudeau would have had no way of knowing Blain was part of that group. Yet they certainly hold views which could be construed as racist. Indeed, Blain did ask Trudeau if he was tolerant of Québécois de souche which means those descended from the French colonists who settled in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries before the British took control in 1760. Given Quebec's long history of anti-Semitism I cannot help but wonder if Blain looks upon Jews who have lived in Quebec for centuries as outsiders.
Yet even if Trudeau was accurate in the characterization of Blain's views there remains the problem of illegal border crossings and blaming Stephen Harper isn't going to cut it. Canadians go to the polls in October 2019 and Quebec is critical to Trudeau's majority. If he doesn't address these illegal border crossings either by stopping them or giving Quebec the necessary funds to absorb those who seek asylum and if he insists on calling everyone who questions him about it a racist then he could very well turn into a one term Prime Minister.
Aside from being a gross exaggeration, Trump supporters took it as a badge of honor would describe themselves in this manner on their Twitter accounts. While I certainly believe a critical mass of Trump's supporters hold and express deplorable views, it is a mistake for a politician to dismiss a whole swath of the electorate as irredeemable. Would Barack Obama have garnered any Republican votes in 2008 had he referred to them as deplorable and irredeemable?
All of this might seem like ancient history to some, but I bring it up because I wonder if Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had his deplorable moment last week.
On August 16th, while at a Liberal Party rally in Sabrevois, Quebec, Trudeau was heckled by a woman named Diane Blain. In recent years, there has been an influx of illegal border crossings into Quebec from New York and Vermont. Many of these people are claiming refugee status. Blain asked Trudeau, "When will you give back the $146 million to Quebec?" The $146 million to which Blain is referring is the amount the Quebec government says it is costing them to absorb asylum seekers. It should be noted that the current Quebec government is a Liberal government.
But instead of answering Blain's question, Trudeau instead told her she "did not have a place here" and referred to her as a racist several times before she was physically escorted away from the rally by Trudeau's security. A full transcript of their exchange can be read here and you can watch the video below.
Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer took Trudeau to task for his treatment of Blain. But as it turns out, Blain is a member of Storm Alliance, an anti-immigrant group which last September took it upon itself to shut down the border crossing along St. Bernard de Lacolle, Quebec and Champlain, New York. For its part, they deny they are racist and Trudeau would have had no way of knowing Blain was part of that group. Yet they certainly hold views which could be construed as racist. Indeed, Blain did ask Trudeau if he was tolerant of Québécois de souche which means those descended from the French colonists who settled in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries before the British took control in 1760. Given Quebec's long history of anti-Semitism I cannot help but wonder if Blain looks upon Jews who have lived in Quebec for centuries as outsiders.
Yet even if Trudeau was accurate in the characterization of Blain's views there remains the problem of illegal border crossings and blaming Stephen Harper isn't going to cut it. Canadians go to the polls in October 2019 and Quebec is critical to Trudeau's majority. If he doesn't address these illegal border crossings either by stopping them or giving Quebec the necessary funds to absorb those who seek asylum and if he insists on calling everyone who questions him about it a racist then he could very well turn into a one term Prime Minister.
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
The Washington Nationals Trade Daniel Murphy & Matt Adams Giving Up on 2018 & Beyond
Having won four NL East titles between 2012 and 2017, the Washington Nationals were widely expected to cruise to another NL East title in 2018 after winning back to back titles under Dusty Baker. But they could not get past the NLDS. I was skeptical about this when they fired Dusty Baker and replaced him with Dave Martinez. In fact, I said they would regret this decision.
I'm not sure when they finally came to this regret. Perhaps it was last night when they lost 12-1 to the last place Miami Marlins and fell to 62-63 and 7 games back of the Atlanta Braves. Because they put Daniel Murphy and Matt Adams on waivers and now they are members of the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals, respectively. (The NL Central just got much more interesting.) The Nats even put Bryce Harper on waivers and the Los Angeles Dodgers claimed him. But he isn't leaving D.C. - for now.
Make no mistake. The Nats will dismantle the team in the off-season. They will say goodbye to Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, Anthony Rendon not to mention Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg and start anew. The only thing Nats fan will look forward to in the next 3 to 5 years will be the races between the Presidents between innings.
I'm not sure when they finally came to this regret. Perhaps it was last night when they lost 12-1 to the last place Miami Marlins and fell to 62-63 and 7 games back of the Atlanta Braves. Because they put Daniel Murphy and Matt Adams on waivers and now they are members of the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals, respectively. (The NL Central just got much more interesting.) The Nats even put Bryce Harper on waivers and the Los Angeles Dodgers claimed him. But he isn't leaving D.C. - for now.
Make no mistake. The Nats will dismantle the team in the off-season. They will say goodbye to Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, Anthony Rendon not to mention Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg and start anew. The only thing Nats fan will look forward to in the next 3 to 5 years will be the races between the Presidents between innings.
This President Pence Talk is Premature
There's absolutely no question that former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort being convicted on eight counts of fraud and Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen pleading guilty on eight counts of campaign finance violations put the President in a vulnerable position.
But this talk of President Pence on Twitter is a tad premature.
What makes anyone think that Trump will give up the most powerful office in the world?
What makes anyone think Trump will resign under any circumstances?
When the net was closing in on Richard Nixon, a group of Republican Senators led by Barry Goldwater told him he had to go. What makes anyone think that any GOP Senator outside of possibly John McCain or Ben Sasse would tell him to resign? If Trump was told by any Republican Senator to quit, Trump will tear him down on Twitter.
Trump plays for keeps. He'll fire Robert Mueller and take away his security clearance before he entertains any thought of resignation.
I also don't think Trump will be impeached even if the Democrats win both Houses of Congress in November. Yes, he would be impeached in the House, but the Democrats won't get two thirds of the Senate. And if Trump were to be impeached, I believe he would refuse to leave thereby creating a constitutional crisis.
Short of an economic collapse on the scale of a decade ago, so long as Trump maintains his current level of public support not only will he not leave the White House, but he will probably be re-elected in 2020.
But this talk of President Pence on Twitter is a tad premature.
What makes anyone think that Trump will give up the most powerful office in the world?
What makes anyone think Trump will resign under any circumstances?
When the net was closing in on Richard Nixon, a group of Republican Senators led by Barry Goldwater told him he had to go. What makes anyone think that any GOP Senator outside of possibly John McCain or Ben Sasse would tell him to resign? If Trump was told by any Republican Senator to quit, Trump will tear him down on Twitter.
Trump plays for keeps. He'll fire Robert Mueller and take away his security clearance before he entertains any thought of resignation.
I also don't think Trump will be impeached even if the Democrats win both Houses of Congress in November. Yes, he would be impeached in the House, but the Democrats won't get two thirds of the Senate. And if Trump were to be impeached, I believe he would refuse to leave thereby creating a constitutional crisis.
Short of an economic collapse on the scale of a decade ago, so long as Trump maintains his current level of public support not only will he not leave the White House, but he will probably be re-elected in 2020.
Monday, August 20, 2018
Max Boot Is Right About Trump, But Wrong About Hillary
In an op-ed piece in The Washington Post in which Max Boot pondered what would make Trump supporters turn on their man, I was struck by this passage:
Despite everything that’s happened, he could, I’m sorry to say, win reelection. Don’t forget Trump’s top talent: tearing down rivals. A large part of the reason he squeaked out a slim electoral-college majority in 2016 was that he was so good at turning a distinguished and thoughtful former first lady, senator and secretary of state into a caricature known as “Crooked Hillary.” Right now, Trump is being judged in a vacuum. Wait till the Democrats nominate someone to run against him and he starts flinging insults.
Despite everything that’s happened, he could, I’m sorry to say, win reelection. Don’t forget Trump’s top talent: tearing down rivals. A large part of the reason he squeaked out a slim electoral-college majority in 2016 was that he was so good at turning a distinguished and thoughtful former first lady, senator and secretary of state into a caricature known as “Crooked Hillary.” Right now, Trump is being judged in a vacuum. Wait till the Democrats nominate someone to run against him and he starts flinging insults.
Boot is absolutely right to say that Trump's greatest talent is tearing down rivals. But he is wrong to characterize Hillary Clinton as "a distinguished and thoughtful former first lady, senator and secretary of state". There was nothing distinguished and thoughtful about how Hillary handled Benghazi or the e-mail scandal much less when she said she was going to throw coal miners out of work. What was distinguished or thoughtful about calling Trump supporters "deplorable" and "irredeemable"? Let's also not forget that Hillary Clinton is the worst retail politician in history who enjoyed campaigning about as much Kanye West enjoys silence and quiet reflection.
Sure, Trump knocked Hillary down a few pegs. But she inflicted most of the damage on her own. It's going to be difficult for Democrats to knock off Trump in 2020. Its incumbent that they nominate someone who can absorb Trump's insults like teflon.
I'm a Political Orphan
It has been two years since I started this blog. I started it after I discontinued writing for The American Spectator after being told by its publisher Bob Tyrrell I could not criticize Donald Trump.
I don't regret the decision for a second. Sure, I could have sucked it up and written articles and blog posts about baseball, music and criticized The Left. But what would have that made me? A trained seal who turned a blind eye to Trump's cruelty, stupidity and vanity. Others can write that Trump has a new wardrobe when he has not a stitch of clothing on his bloated body. That's just not me.
I got to write half a dozen articles for National Review Online last year, but only one this year. The problem is that the conservatives who don't like him are trying to curry his favor and that isn't done by running articles critical of him, his policies and his temperament. When it comes right down to it my views of Trump just don't have a place in the conservative universe. All things considered, why would I want to associate myself with an ideology which crumbled before the rantings of a real estate con man in the time it took to descend an escalator?
Does this mean I'm going back to The Left? I don't fit in there either. #MeToo, Black Lives Matter and Palestinian solidarity are little more than dogma and sloganeering which demands complete conformity and obedience. The Left is right to call out Trump's cruelty, stupidity and vanity. But they are every bit as cruel, stupid and vain and they cannot and will not see it. They think their shit don't stink. The Left thinks its dogma is a given and that they don't need to persuade anyone as to its merits. It is sufficient to call anyone who questions it a racist. It's the sort of approach which is going to get Trump elected to a second term in 2020.
What does it all mean for me? It means that I am a political orphan. It means that I have all these arguments, ideas and thoughts and nowhere to express them. Except here that is and if it gets no farther than that then so be it. Perhaps there will be an opportunity to write about other subjects, but in this day and age getting the opportunity to write about baseball, music or anything else depends on what you think of #MeToo, Black Lives Matter and Palestinian solidarity.
The best I can do is to bide my time. Perhaps there will be another forum where my writing can flourish before a wider audience. Whether that time comes or not, I can write here on my own terms where I only have to answer to myself.
I don't regret the decision for a second. Sure, I could have sucked it up and written articles and blog posts about baseball, music and criticized The Left. But what would have that made me? A trained seal who turned a blind eye to Trump's cruelty, stupidity and vanity. Others can write that Trump has a new wardrobe when he has not a stitch of clothing on his bloated body. That's just not me.
I got to write half a dozen articles for National Review Online last year, but only one this year. The problem is that the conservatives who don't like him are trying to curry his favor and that isn't done by running articles critical of him, his policies and his temperament. When it comes right down to it my views of Trump just don't have a place in the conservative universe. All things considered, why would I want to associate myself with an ideology which crumbled before the rantings of a real estate con man in the time it took to descend an escalator?
Does this mean I'm going back to The Left? I don't fit in there either. #MeToo, Black Lives Matter and Palestinian solidarity are little more than dogma and sloganeering which demands complete conformity and obedience. The Left is right to call out Trump's cruelty, stupidity and vanity. But they are every bit as cruel, stupid and vain and they cannot and will not see it. They think their shit don't stink. The Left thinks its dogma is a given and that they don't need to persuade anyone as to its merits. It is sufficient to call anyone who questions it a racist. It's the sort of approach which is going to get Trump elected to a second term in 2020.
What does it all mean for me? It means that I am a political orphan. It means that I have all these arguments, ideas and thoughts and nowhere to express them. Except here that is and if it gets no farther than that then so be it. Perhaps there will be an opportunity to write about other subjects, but in this day and age getting the opportunity to write about baseball, music or anything else depends on what you think of #MeToo, Black Lives Matter and Palestinian solidarity.
The best I can do is to bide my time. Perhaps there will be another forum where my writing can flourish before a wider audience. Whether that time comes or not, I can write here on my own terms where I only have to answer to myself.
Sunday, August 19, 2018
An Afternoon at McCoy Stadium Watching The Pawtucket Red Sox
Today I ventured to Pawtucket, Rhode Island to watch the Pawtucket Red Sox play the Durham Bulls at McCoy Stadium at the behest of my former roommate Christopher Kain who now resides in Providence.
He invited me to attend the game several weeks ago. His timing was most remarkable as today's game came only 48 hours after the team announced it would be leaving Pawtucket for Worcester, Massachusetts in 2021. The PawSox have been seeking a new ballpark since former Boston Red Sox Larry Lucchino took over the team shortly buying it from the widow of longtime owner Ben Mondor. After a new ballpark in Providence fell through, the city of Pawtucket sought to build a new stadium and got approval from the state legislature. Only the PawSox thought the terms insufficiently generous (not enough corporate welfare) and shall leave the Ocean State without a professional baseball team for the first time since 1970.
I thought there would be a pall cast over the ballpark. A fellow sitting in front of us said aloud he had no intention of seeing a game in Worcester. I asked him if it was pride. He replied that he had been living down the road from McCoy Stadium for 12 years and this was the first time he had ever been to a game. As for going to Worcester, he admitted he was intrigued with the new ballpark being built was there as it was being designed by Janet Marie Smith, the visionary behind Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore and said he might go to the new ballpark.
I suppose this isn't like when the Colts were moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis in the dark of night. Rhode Island fans will have the rest of this season and two additional seasons to appreciate the PawSox. The question is what happens come 2021. Will Rhode Island be able to attract another minor league team? Will the new stadium be built or would the new team have to play at McCoy which will turn 80 in 2021.
Yet McCoy Stadium is not without its history. It is the site of the longest game in the history of professional baseball. The PawSox and the Rochester Red Wings played a 33 inning game which began on April 1981 and concluded two months later. The game included future Hall of Famers Wade Boggs and Cal Ripken, Jr. Even if there is no more baseball to played there must be some way to acknowledge the history which was made there.
As for my own history, this was my first trip to McCoy Stadium since 2005. The last time I was there, Dustin Pedroia was an up and coming prospect. A lot of time has passed since. Indeed, this was the first minor league game I attended in at least 6 or 7 years. I used to go to see minor league games in Manchester, New Hampshire and Portland, Maine fairly regularly. In fact, I came oh so close to becoming the PA announcer for the Portland Sea Dogs in the fall of 2012 when I attended an open audition and was among the finalists. Alas this did not come to pass and I've not been back since. Sometimes I do hold grudges. But I need to get out more.
Now that Christopher is in Rhode Island we have discussed going to see games at McCoy next season and the year after. Whether we follow the team to Worcester together remains to be seen. But there are a lot of other minor league ballparks to visit and revisit.
Minor league baseball is great, low cost entertainment. For less than $15 you get to see the best up and coming baseball players up close and personal. Today was no exception as the PawSox lost 1-0 to the Bulls in a well fought contest.
He invited me to attend the game several weeks ago. His timing was most remarkable as today's game came only 48 hours after the team announced it would be leaving Pawtucket for Worcester, Massachusetts in 2021. The PawSox have been seeking a new ballpark since former Boston Red Sox Larry Lucchino took over the team shortly buying it from the widow of longtime owner Ben Mondor. After a new ballpark in Providence fell through, the city of Pawtucket sought to build a new stadium and got approval from the state legislature. Only the PawSox thought the terms insufficiently generous (not enough corporate welfare) and shall leave the Ocean State without a professional baseball team for the first time since 1970.
I thought there would be a pall cast over the ballpark. A fellow sitting in front of us said aloud he had no intention of seeing a game in Worcester. I asked him if it was pride. He replied that he had been living down the road from McCoy Stadium for 12 years and this was the first time he had ever been to a game. As for going to Worcester, he admitted he was intrigued with the new ballpark being built was there as it was being designed by Janet Marie Smith, the visionary behind Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore and said he might go to the new ballpark.
I suppose this isn't like when the Colts were moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis in the dark of night. Rhode Island fans will have the rest of this season and two additional seasons to appreciate the PawSox. The question is what happens come 2021. Will Rhode Island be able to attract another minor league team? Will the new stadium be built or would the new team have to play at McCoy which will turn 80 in 2021.
Yet McCoy Stadium is not without its history. It is the site of the longest game in the history of professional baseball. The PawSox and the Rochester Red Wings played a 33 inning game which began on April 1981 and concluded two months later. The game included future Hall of Famers Wade Boggs and Cal Ripken, Jr. Even if there is no more baseball to played there must be some way to acknowledge the history which was made there.
As for my own history, this was my first trip to McCoy Stadium since 2005. The last time I was there, Dustin Pedroia was an up and coming prospect. A lot of time has passed since. Indeed, this was the first minor league game I attended in at least 6 or 7 years. I used to go to see minor league games in Manchester, New Hampshire and Portland, Maine fairly regularly. In fact, I came oh so close to becoming the PA announcer for the Portland Sea Dogs in the fall of 2012 when I attended an open audition and was among the finalists. Alas this did not come to pass and I've not been back since. Sometimes I do hold grudges. But I need to get out more.
Now that Christopher is in Rhode Island we have discussed going to see games at McCoy next season and the year after. Whether we follow the team to Worcester together remains to be seen. But there are a lot of other minor league ballparks to visit and revisit.
Minor league baseball is great, low cost entertainment. For less than $15 you get to see the best up and coming baseball players up close and personal. Today was no exception as the PawSox lost 1-0 to the Bulls in a well fought contest.
Thursday, August 16, 2018
Aretha Franklin, R.I.P.
Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, has died at the age of 76.
Her passing doesn't come as a shock as reports came out a few days ago that she was gravely ill and has been in poor health for much of the 2010's. Nevertheless. today is a sad day made sadder by the fact that Queen of Soul died exactly 41 years to the day that the King of Rock 'n Roll Elvis Presley left the building. The Queen leaves the building with a legacy equal to that of the King.
Born and raised in Detroit, Franklin's roots were in gospel which she began performing at a young age and by her early teens she was a touring gospel performer. Aspiring to follow Sam Cooke in his footsteps, she made the transition from gospel to R&B in the early 1960's when she signed with Columbia Records recording 10 albums with the label between 1961 to 1967. I must confess I did not know her first Columbia LP was a collaboration with the great jazz pianist Ray Bryant. I must make a point of listening
But it was not until 1967 when Franklin left Columbia for Atlantic Records when she became a household name with her cover of Otis Redding's "Respect". This would be followed up with her interpretation of Gerry Goffin and Carole King's "(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman", "Chain of Fools" (with a great guitar intro by Joe South), "Think", "I Say a Little Prayer" as well as Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" plus Jerry Leiber and Phil Spector's "Spanish Harlem". Like Presley, Franklin had an extraordinary way of making the songs of other writers into her own.
After a fallow period during the mid to late 1970's, Franklin enjoyed a resurgence in the 1980's first with a memorable appearance in The Blues Brothers where she introduced a new generation to "Think". Things would get better during the mid-1980's where she reached the MTV generation with her video for "Freeway of Love". She would also enjoy success with "Who's Zooming Who" along with fruitful collaborations with The Eurythmics ("Sisters Are Doin' it For Themselves") and George Michael ("I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"). She also sang the theme for the hit NBC TV show A Different World. Millennials will likely remember Franklin best for her appearance at Barack Obama's 2009 inauguration and her cover of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep".
I was debating which song to highlight. "Chain of Fools" is my favorite Franklin song. I also love her appearance in The Blues Brothers. But I remember "Freeway of Love" when it came out in the summer of 1985 and dancing to it in both junior high and in high school. The song has stood up well and when I hear it, there is a four minutes plus of fun and happiness. On a day like this, we can all use a lift especially from the Queen of Soul herself. R.I.P.
Her passing doesn't come as a shock as reports came out a few days ago that she was gravely ill and has been in poor health for much of the 2010's. Nevertheless. today is a sad day made sadder by the fact that Queen of Soul died exactly 41 years to the day that the King of Rock 'n Roll Elvis Presley left the building. The Queen leaves the building with a legacy equal to that of the King.
Born and raised in Detroit, Franklin's roots were in gospel which she began performing at a young age and by her early teens she was a touring gospel performer. Aspiring to follow Sam Cooke in his footsteps, she made the transition from gospel to R&B in the early 1960's when she signed with Columbia Records recording 10 albums with the label between 1961 to 1967. I must confess I did not know her first Columbia LP was a collaboration with the great jazz pianist Ray Bryant. I must make a point of listening
But it was not until 1967 when Franklin left Columbia for Atlantic Records when she became a household name with her cover of Otis Redding's "Respect". This would be followed up with her interpretation of Gerry Goffin and Carole King's "(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman", "Chain of Fools" (with a great guitar intro by Joe South), "Think", "I Say a Little Prayer" as well as Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" plus Jerry Leiber and Phil Spector's "Spanish Harlem". Like Presley, Franklin had an extraordinary way of making the songs of other writers into her own.
After a fallow period during the mid to late 1970's, Franklin enjoyed a resurgence in the 1980's first with a memorable appearance in The Blues Brothers where she introduced a new generation to "Think". Things would get better during the mid-1980's where she reached the MTV generation with her video for "Freeway of Love". She would also enjoy success with "Who's Zooming Who" along with fruitful collaborations with The Eurythmics ("Sisters Are Doin' it For Themselves") and George Michael ("I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"). She also sang the theme for the hit NBC TV show A Different World. Millennials will likely remember Franklin best for her appearance at Barack Obama's 2009 inauguration and her cover of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep".
I was debating which song to highlight. "Chain of Fools" is my favorite Franklin song. I also love her appearance in The Blues Brothers. But I remember "Freeway of Love" when it came out in the summer of 1985 and dancing to it in both junior high and in high school. The song has stood up well and when I hear it, there is a four minutes plus of fun and happiness. On a day like this, we can all use a lift especially from the Queen of Soul herself. R.I.P.
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
If John Brennan Chanted "Lock Her Up" He'd Still Have His Security Clearance
When I learned of President Trump's decision to strip former CIA Director John Brennan of his security clearance, I immediately looked at the 13 grounds under which one can be stripped of one's security clearance.
Let's just say making “a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations — wild outbursts on the internet and television — about this administration” isn't one of them.
But "foreign preference" certainly is. Foreign preference, among other things, can mean "receiving benefits from another country". Well, former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn certainly received benefits from both Turkey as a foreign agent and from Russia for giving a speech for the state sponsored RT network and got to sit next to Vladimir Putin to boot. Let's just say Flynn wasn't very forthcoming with this information.
If anyone deserves to lose their security clearance it is Michael Flynn. But of course Flynn has never called Trump a charlatan.
Let me put it this way. Had John Brennan had led the Republican National Convention in chants of "Lock Her Up" he would still have his security clearance.
Let's just say making “a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations — wild outbursts on the internet and television — about this administration” isn't one of them.
But "foreign preference" certainly is. Foreign preference, among other things, can mean "receiving benefits from another country". Well, former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn certainly received benefits from both Turkey as a foreign agent and from Russia for giving a speech for the state sponsored RT network and got to sit next to Vladimir Putin to boot. Let's just say Flynn wasn't very forthcoming with this information.
If anyone deserves to lose their security clearance it is Michael Flynn. But of course Flynn has never called Trump a charlatan.
Let me put it this way. Had John Brennan had led the Republican National Convention in chants of "Lock Her Up" he would still have his security clearance.
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
If There's a Tape of Trump Uttering The N-Word He'll Get Away With It
Former Apprentice contestant and White House staffer Omarosa Manigault-Newman has claimed she has tape of President Trump uttering the N-word.
When White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders can't deny the story there's a pretty good chance we're going to hear Trump at his ugliest. So let's suppose this tape exists.
Using the Access Hollywood tape as a guide, there was initially a lot of condemnation from Republicans. Trump himself issued something which was as close to an apology as he gets. Then came "it was just locker room talk" argument. Republicans fell in line and the rest is history.
As such I believe history will repeat itself. So if there's a tape of Trump uttering the N-word, Republicans will condemn him and Trump will attempt some contrition. From there, someone like Kanye West will defend his use of the N-word. This will give the space for Republicans and Fox News to use the N-word liberally to the point where they fall all over each other to say it. And with that, Trump will have danced on the third rail and what's left of our veneer of civility will crumble. When Trump is re-elected in 2020, the N-word tape will be rendered a footnote.
Should this come to pass then it can be said that Trump could shoot people on Fifth Avenue without affecting his popularity.
When White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders can't deny the story there's a pretty good chance we're going to hear Trump at his ugliest. So let's suppose this tape exists.
Using the Access Hollywood tape as a guide, there was initially a lot of condemnation from Republicans. Trump himself issued something which was as close to an apology as he gets. Then came "it was just locker room talk" argument. Republicans fell in line and the rest is history.
As such I believe history will repeat itself. So if there's a tape of Trump uttering the N-word, Republicans will condemn him and Trump will attempt some contrition. From there, someone like Kanye West will defend his use of the N-word. This will give the space for Republicans and Fox News to use the N-word liberally to the point where they fall all over each other to say it. And with that, Trump will have danced on the third rail and what's left of our veneer of civility will crumble. When Trump is re-elected in 2020, the N-word tape will be rendered a footnote.
Should this come to pass then it can be said that Trump could shoot people on Fifth Avenue without affecting his popularity.
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Mookie Betts Hits For The Cycle in Rare Red Sox Loss
The Boston Red Sox snapped a six game winning streak with an 8-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. But it wasn't an entirely disappointing evening as Mookie Betts hit for the cycle.
Betts led off the game with a single off Jays starter Ryan Borucki. He added a triple in the 2nd and a double in the 4th also off Borucki. Betts reached base by way of a walk off Jaime Garcia. The home run, Betts' 27th of the season, came in the 9th inning off newly acquired Ken Giles to bring the Sox within 3 runs of Toronto. However, Giles would strike out out Andrew Benintendi and Mitch Moreland to end the game.
This was the first cycle of the 2018 season. There were seven cycles in 2017. Prior to tonight, it had last been done by Chicago White Sox slugger Jose Abreu in an interleague game against the San Francisco Giants last September. The last Red Sox player to hit for the cycle was Brock Holt in an interleague game against the Atlanta Braves in June 2015.
On a personal note, in nearly 40 years of watching baseball, this is only the second cycle I've ever seen from start to finish. The other was by Chris Singleton back in July 1999 when he was with the Chisox. He did it against the Kansas City Royals. I remember that he hit the single, double, triple and the home run in sequence.
As for Betts, the cycle only adds to his growing legend.
Betts led off the game with a single off Jays starter Ryan Borucki. He added a triple in the 2nd and a double in the 4th also off Borucki. Betts reached base by way of a walk off Jaime Garcia. The home run, Betts' 27th of the season, came in the 9th inning off newly acquired Ken Giles to bring the Sox within 3 runs of Toronto. However, Giles would strike out out Andrew Benintendi and Mitch Moreland to end the game.
This was the first cycle of the 2018 season. There were seven cycles in 2017. Prior to tonight, it had last been done by Chicago White Sox slugger Jose Abreu in an interleague game against the San Francisco Giants last September. The last Red Sox player to hit for the cycle was Brock Holt in an interleague game against the Atlanta Braves in June 2015.
On a personal note, in nearly 40 years of watching baseball, this is only the second cycle I've ever seen from start to finish. The other was by Chris Singleton back in July 1999 when he was with the Chisox. He did it against the Kansas City Royals. I remember that he hit the single, double, triple and the home run in sequence.
As for Betts, the cycle only adds to his growing legend.
Sunday, August 5, 2018
Scioscia Denies Reports He Will Step Down as Angels Manager at Season's End
Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia has denied reports from both Ken Rosenthal and Bob Nightengale that he will step down as the team's manager at the end of the season. He is the final year of a 10-year contract.
Scioscia is the longest tenured manager in MLB taking over the helm of the Angels in 2000. Two years later, he guided the Angels to their lone World Series title in franchise history. Since then, the Angels have won the AL West six times. Five of those six titles came between 2004-2009. The Angels have only reached the post-season once this decade winning their last AL West title in 2014 and haven't had a winning season since 2015.
Much was expected of the Angels this season with the signing of Shohei Ohtani. The Angels did begin strongly and had a share of first place as late as May 14th. But since that date, the Angels have gone 30-41 while both the Seattle Mariners and the Oakland A's overtook them in the standings as they were plagued by injuries for which they did not have an answer. They enter play today in fourth place in the AL West, 16 games back of the defending World Series champion Houston Astros.
Obviously the injuries cannot be blamed on Scioscia. But how can a team with Ohtani, Mike Trout and Albert Pujols not win? I think the time has come for the ship to change captains.
Nevertheless Scioscia has left his mark with the Angels. He is currently 18th on MLB's all-time managerial win list with 1625. Only Walter Alston, Bobby Cox, John McGraw and Connie Mack have more wins as a manager with a single team.
Saturday, August 4, 2018
If Obama Is So Great Then Why Did We Elect Trump?
On the occasion of former President Obama's 57th birthday, Twitter trended with #ObamaDay.
The tweets went along these lines:
Dr. DaShanne Stokes:
Hearing President Obama speak... I so greatly miss sanity, leadership, reason, and dignity.
We celebrate the best president in our lifetime!
Reminiscing on the days when Americans could hold up their heads with pride about the POTUS. Whether you agreed with him or not, he was intelligent, articulate, honorable and dignified. My, how times have changed.
The tweets went along these lines:
Dr. DaShanne Stokes:
Hearing President Obama speak... I so greatly miss sanity, leadership, reason, and dignity.
No one has more contempt for President Trump than I, but I do not long for the days of President Obama.
Where others see sanity, leadership, reason and dignity, I see petulance, mendacity, demagoguery and prickliness.
Anyone who says President Obama is the best Commander in Chief of our lifetime hasn't lived very long.
There's no question Obama and Trump deploy different styles. But when both Obama and Trump compare themselves to Abraham Lincoln the substance is the same.
If Barack Obama is as great as all these people say he is then why did we elect Trump?
Don't give any excuses about the Russians? Yes, they interfered, but no one forced people to pull the lever for Trump. And don't give me excuses about Hillary getting 3 million more votes. If you want to abolish the electoral college then amend the Constitution.
The fact that we elected Trump is a reflection of failure on the part of Obama. It was Obama who said if you liked your health insurance you could keep your health insurance and then denied ever saying it. It was Obama who drew a red line in Syria and denied he ever said it. It was Obama who called ISIS the JV squad. It was Obama whose fiscal policies doubled the national debt.
For all the praise we've heard on #ObamaDay it has been short on achievement. Not that Trump is any better. But if Obama had achieved anything meaningful, Trump would have been a mere footnote in American presidential history.
The Housing Blues in Boston
I have lived in Boston for more than 18 years. Come September 1st, I will have been in my current apartment for exactly 10 years. This is the longest I have ever been at a single address continuously.
I came very close to having to leave back in February. My renewal was due and I had still hadn't found employment. My roommate also wanted to move on so I reluctantly had to decline to renew. It was very painful to watch other people look at my apartment. However, a few days later I was offered a job and with no one having taken the apartment I was able to renew. My roommate also renewed with the understanding that we would find a replacement for him at the end of the lease.
My roommate has since found a one bedroom apartment in Providence, Rhode Island which he moved into last month. Unlike Boston, it is possible to rent a one bedroom apartment in Providence for under $1000 a month. A year ago, I had a job interview with a law firm in downtown Providence. Had I got that job I might very well have made my down there too.
But I found gainful employment here in Boston. And truth be told I don't want to leave the apartment I've been for the past decade. I'm in a relatively quiet neighborhood. It's pedestrian friendly, near public transportation and there is a community center with a swimming pool. What more could I want?
Well, a new roommate for starters.
Of course, this is difficult proposition. When I moved in here with Christopher in September 2008, we had already known each other for more than 6 years. Now I face the prospect of a complete stranger. It could be great. I could also end up with a roommate with both a financial and philosophical aversion to paying rent. I had one such roommate and it cost me a fortune.
Yet it has proven difficult to even have people look at the apartment. In the past month, I've had five people look at the place. All from very divergent backgrounds and all very nice, but they wanted to look at other places. This is a nice way of saying they aren't interested in moving in with you.
I was actually scheduled to show the apartment to a couple this morning, but they didn't show up. They didn't tell me they were behind schedule or contacted me to reschedule. Not so much as an apology. I wonder if they had any intention of seeing the place. I cannot help but think this was a scam for my address and phone number.
Indeed, most of the responses I've had to my ads have been scams. I can't tell you how many text messages I've had asking him to get in touch with their daughter by email, telling me to click this link (malware anyone?) or offering to send a cashier's check to pay for the rent sight unseen.
After all, rent is no easy proposition in Boston. A decade ago, I was paying just under $1000 a month for a basement studio apartment in the Fenway. Then I got notice from my landlord that they were going to renovate the space and that I would have to leave. (As it turned out, someone else moved into the apartment. I guess the landlord just wanted to get rid of me for some reason unknown to me.)
In any case, Christopher was in a similar situation. So we joined forces and found this place. When we moved in, this two bedroom apartment cost $1150. This cut my rent almost in half. Come September 1st, the rent goes up to $1875. All things considered, this is a cheap rent for a two bedroom apartment in Boston. There are some studio apartments in this city which are more expensive. All things considered, I'm lucky. Had I tried to move into this apartment today, I am easily looking at a rent well over $2,000.
Not surprisingly rent control is making a comeback of sorts. But it is decades late and many dollars short. Besides even if Massachusetts were to reinstate rent control (which was abolished in a 1994 state ballot initiative) it would set the controls at already high prices. What is needed are rent reductions. But landlords are here to make money and that ain't gonna happen.
As it stands now, I have exactly four weeks to find a new roommate.
If you live in Boston, I have a room to spare.
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
MLB Notes for July: The Indians Are Lucky To Be In The AL Central
Don't get me wrong. The Cleveland Indians are a good ball club. They are certainly the best team in the AL Central with a comfortable 9 game lead over the Minnesota Twins.
But let's be honest. The Tribe is thanking their lucky stars they are in the AL Central where the Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals are likely to lose over 100 games with the Twins and the Detroit Tigers likely topping 90 losses. If the Indians were in the AL West they would be a fourth place team. The Indians would be 8.5 games back of the Houston Astros and 4.5 games back of the Seattle Mariners who remain in the second berth of the AL Wild Card. The Oakland A's are 3.5 games ahead of the Tribe. But if the season were to end today, the Indians would play in October and the A's would go home. (Of course this could change as the A's begin August only a game behind the Mariners for the second AL Wild Card spot.) The Los Angeles Angels are a .500 club, but if they were in the AL Central they would be five games back of the Tribe and would have been buyers instead of sellers at the trade deadline.
The margin would be even more dramatic if the Indians were in the AL East. While they would be in third place instead of fourth, but it would be of little consolation. The Indians would be 15.5 games back of the Boston Red Sox and 10.5 games back of AL Wild Card top spot holder New York Yankees. The Tampa Bay Rays are 20 games back of the Bosox. But if they were in the AL Central they would be 4.5 games back of the Tribe. Chances are they would not have traded Chris Archer and Nathan Eovaldi much less Jesus Colome earlier this season.
But barring a complete collapse, the Indians are going to the post-season. And when the playoffs begin every team is 0-0. Indians fans have been waiting 70 years for a World Series title. Should they win the World Series, Tribe fans won't care if they don't win 100 plus games. After all, the 1954 Cleveland Indians won a then AL record 111 games in 1954 only to be swept by Willie Mays' catch, Dusty Rhodes' pinch hitting along with the rest of the New York Giants.
There's not much I can say about the Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles or Texas Rangers and it's probably just as well.
The National League is a far less certain proposition. The Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers begin August tied for first in the NL Central. The Arizona Diamondbacks have a half game lead over both the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. After beginning July a game under .500, a 17-6 puts them back into the mix. Meanwhile in the NL East, the Philadelphia Phillies have a 1/2 game lead over the Atlanta Braves.
The Brewers (who are technically .002 points behind the Cubs, Rockies, Dodgers and Braves are in the thick of the NL Wild Card race. After a 17-9 July, the Pittsburgh Pirates have to be given serious consideration as well. The St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants are just above .500, but have a fighting chance. The Washington Nationals begin August at .500. But when a 25-4 shellacking of the New York Mets reveals a clubhouse in chaos one wonders if firing Dusty Baker was such a good idea. I never thought so. You know things are bad when the Miami Marlins have a brighter future than the Nats.
Aside from the Mets and Marlins, the only teams in the NL that are truly out of it are the San Diego Padres and the Cincinnati Reds. The Padres went 5-20 in July and finished the month with seven straight losses.
I began this post in Ohio so let me end it there. While the Reds will very likely finish in the basement of the NL Central they are over .500 under Jim Riggleman after an awful 3-15 start under Bryan Price (who succeeded Dusty Baker). And yet he remains an interim manager. While Phillies' skipper Gabe Kapler is likely to win NL Manager of the Year, Riggleman deserves a strong vote. The Reds must remove the interim tag forthwith.
But let's be honest. The Tribe is thanking their lucky stars they are in the AL Central where the Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals are likely to lose over 100 games with the Twins and the Detroit Tigers likely topping 90 losses. If the Indians were in the AL West they would be a fourth place team. The Indians would be 8.5 games back of the Houston Astros and 4.5 games back of the Seattle Mariners who remain in the second berth of the AL Wild Card. The Oakland A's are 3.5 games ahead of the Tribe. But if the season were to end today, the Indians would play in October and the A's would go home. (Of course this could change as the A's begin August only a game behind the Mariners for the second AL Wild Card spot.) The Los Angeles Angels are a .500 club, but if they were in the AL Central they would be five games back of the Tribe and would have been buyers instead of sellers at the trade deadline.
The margin would be even more dramatic if the Indians were in the AL East. While they would be in third place instead of fourth, but it would be of little consolation. The Indians would be 15.5 games back of the Boston Red Sox and 10.5 games back of AL Wild Card top spot holder New York Yankees. The Tampa Bay Rays are 20 games back of the Bosox. But if they were in the AL Central they would be 4.5 games back of the Tribe. Chances are they would not have traded Chris Archer and Nathan Eovaldi much less Jesus Colome earlier this season.
But barring a complete collapse, the Indians are going to the post-season. And when the playoffs begin every team is 0-0. Indians fans have been waiting 70 years for a World Series title. Should they win the World Series, Tribe fans won't care if they don't win 100 plus games. After all, the 1954 Cleveland Indians won a then AL record 111 games in 1954 only to be swept by Willie Mays' catch, Dusty Rhodes' pinch hitting along with the rest of the New York Giants.
There's not much I can say about the Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles or Texas Rangers and it's probably just as well.
The National League is a far less certain proposition. The Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers begin August tied for first in the NL Central. The Arizona Diamondbacks have a half game lead over both the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. After beginning July a game under .500, a 17-6 puts them back into the mix. Meanwhile in the NL East, the Philadelphia Phillies have a 1/2 game lead over the Atlanta Braves.
The Brewers (who are technically .002 points behind the Cubs, Rockies, Dodgers and Braves are in the thick of the NL Wild Card race. After a 17-9 July, the Pittsburgh Pirates have to be given serious consideration as well. The St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants are just above .500, but have a fighting chance. The Washington Nationals begin August at .500. But when a 25-4 shellacking of the New York Mets reveals a clubhouse in chaos one wonders if firing Dusty Baker was such a good idea. I never thought so. You know things are bad when the Miami Marlins have a brighter future than the Nats.
Aside from the Mets and Marlins, the only teams in the NL that are truly out of it are the San Diego Padres and the Cincinnati Reds. The Padres went 5-20 in July and finished the month with seven straight losses.
I began this post in Ohio so let me end it there. While the Reds will very likely finish in the basement of the NL Central they are over .500 under Jim Riggleman after an awful 3-15 start under Bryan Price (who succeeded Dusty Baker). And yet he remains an interim manager. While Phillies' skipper Gabe Kapler is likely to win NL Manager of the Year, Riggleman deserves a strong vote. The Reds must remove the interim tag forthwith.