The Bombardment of The Blue Man Group Bids Boston Farewell

 

Earlier this month, the Charles Playhouse announced the Blue Man Group would be ending its 30-year run at the venue on July 6th. 

I remember seeing the Blue Man Group perform on The Tonight Show shortly after Jay Leno replaced Johnny Carson in 1992 but never felt compelled to see a live performance during the 20 plus years I've lived in Boston. 

However, given their impending departure, I decided it was worth experiencing it for myself and took in a performance last night.

Now having experienced the Blue Man Group, I hope to never experience them again for as long as I live.

I write this knowing I am in a very distinct minority. Most of the audience, young and old, enjoyed the Blue Man Group's antics which have not changed much since their original iteration more than three decades ago. 

But for me it's one thing to see them on TV and quite another to see them in person. To be fair, the theatre did say it would be loud and there would be a lot of strobe lights. That doesn't bother some people. However, for me its bombardment and it's just too much.

Don't get me wrong. It takes enormous skill to catch gumballs and a barrage of marshmallows in one's mouth. With three shows a day, it also takes enormous dedication and time. But it just wasn't for me.

The Blue Man Group bills itself as an interactive show. For me, it was intrusive. A cameraman accompanying the Blue Men shot a view down a man's throat. I didn't want to see his insides and I doubt he did either. I also didn't care for them making a point of shaming people who entered the theatre late. 

I'm grateful that I sat in the balcony seats and did not have to cover myself in plastic in case they decided to spray the audience with liquid or step on their shoulders when in the audience. The only time the people in the balcony had any attention drawn to us was when we were told to get up and dance. I had no desire to do either. Nor did I have any desire to scream at the top of my lungs.

Do I regret having gone? No. I freely chose to experience the Blue Man Group in person and concluded that I didn't enjoy the experience. The show is mostly a tourist trap and the tourists are more than happy to have reams of toilet paper fall on them. It isn't to say the Blue Man Group is without merit. But for me, they are best appreciated from a safe distance. For that, I am grateful they are bidding Boston farewell.

Dave Parker Passes Away Less Than a Month He Was to Be Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame

 

Dave Parker, arguably the greatest player to wear a MLB uniform during the late 1970s, passed away today at the age of 74 of complications of Parkinson's Disease. 

Parker's passing comes less than a month before he was due to be formally inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. I feared this might come to pass when the Classic Baseball Committee elected Parker along with the late Dick Allen last December:

Although Parker is still with us at age 73, he has been battling Parkinson's Disease for about a dozen years and is now wheelchair bound. For someone with a terminal disease, seven months is a long time. I truly hope Parker will be able to enjoy what will be his last moment in the sun. 

Sadly, that moment will not come to pass for Parker even if he does get a long overdue plaque. 

The Cobra's career is one that deserves a celebration. Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 14th round of the 1970 MLB Draft, Parker would make his MLB debut with the Bucs in 1973. He would become an everyday player in 1975 when he finished third in NL MVP as led the league in slugging percentage (.541) along with a .308 batting average, 25 HR and 101 RBI. Two years later, Parker would win the NL batting title hitting .338 while also leading the Senior Circuit in hits (215) and doubles (44). Parker would also win the first of his three career Gold Gloves for his sterling defense in right field. He would earn the first of his seven career All-Star Team selections (six in the NL). 

In 1978, Parker would reach the pinnacle of his career when he won the NL MVP with his second consecutive NL batting title (.334) and leading the NL in SLG (.585) and OPS (.979) and total bases (340). 

Prior to the 1979 season, Parker signed a 5-year, $5 million contract making him the first player in MLB history to earn $1 million a season. However, it was at this point that Bucs fans began to sour on him despite his contributions to the "We Are Famalee" team which won the 1979 World Series as well as a MVP performance in that year's All-Star Game in Seattle when he gunned down Brian Downing at home plate with some help from future Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter of the Montreal Expos. However, Parker declined to attend the team's World Series victory parade.

Parker's play would diminish during the early 1980s in part due to use of cocaine. He was among several players within the Pirates organization who was called to testify during the Pittsburgh drug trials of 1985. This very likely cost him a second NL MVP that season amid a career resurgence with his hometown Cincinnati Reds. Parker led the NL in RBI (125) and doubles (42) while hitting .312 with a career high 34 HR. However, Parker would finish runner up in NL MVP balloting to St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Willie McGee. 

After four productive seasons in Cincinnati, the Reds sent Parker to the Oakland A's where he would play in two more World Series in 1988 and 1989 earning his second World Series ring in the latter year. Parker would spend one season with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1990 earning his final All-Star Team selection before finishing his MLB career in 1991 which he split with the California Angels and the Toronto Blue Jays. 

In 19 MLB seasons, Parker collected 2712 hits in 2466 games for a lifetime batting average of .290 with 339 HR and 1493 RBI along with his 7 All-Star appearances, 3 Gold Gloves, 2 NL batting titles, 2 World Series rings, one All-Star Game MVP and one NL MVP. That is a Hall of Fame career and it is a damn shame that Dave Parker won't be able to enjoy it. R.I.P.

Trump Renews Attacks on Canada by Ending Trade Talks

President Trump has renewed his attacks on Canada by announcing he was abruptly ending trade talks.

The announcement comes less than two months after the relatively cordial Oval Office meeting between Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. 

I wonder if the rapprochement lulled Carney into a false sense of security because a few days ago he claimed that Trump no longer coveted Canada as the 51st state.

How long will it be before Trump starts calling Carney "Governor of Canada" as he did with his predecessor, Justin Trudeau?

As a result of Trump's announcement, Canada increased levies on U.S. steel imports.

Trump made his abrupt decision claiming that Canada "has just announced that they are putting a Digital Services Tax on our American Technology Companies, which is a direct and blatant attack on our Country."

As usual, Trump is full of shit. Canada did not just announce the DST. It was passed a year ago under the Trudeau government. However, it is due to take effect on Monday. The DST is a 3% levy on digital companies which earn more than $20 million in revenue from Canadian sources and would apply to tech giants like Apple, Amazon, AirBnB, Google, Meta and Uber. The tax is also retroactive to 2022.

It is possible Trump didn't learn of the DST until now given his propensity to stick his head up his ass. The Biden Administration was surely aware as it opposed the legislation but sought to utilize dispute settlement mechanisms which presently exist under the Canada U.S. Mexico Free Trade Agreement (CUSMA).

I can see Canada waiving part or all of the retroactivity of the DST while keeping the tax in place. Trump might demand that Canada scrap the tax, but a similar tax exists in various parts of the EU. Canada cannot scrap the tax as it would basically cede taxation policy to the White House. In which case, perhaps Canada might offer further assistance in immigration enforcement or defense spending in an effort to mollify Trump and allow bilateral trade talks to resume.

But rest assured, so long as he is in the White House, Trump is going keep pulling stunts like this against Canada every couple of months.

Bill Moyers Contributed to American Public Life For Both Good & Ill

Yesterday came the news of Bill Moyers' passing at the age of 91. My first memories of Moyers were as a journalist and commentator first on CBS and later on PBS. Even as a child, I remember that Moyers had a gentle yet authoritative resonance even if I didn't always understand the substance of what he said.

Of course, Moyers came to prominence with association with President Lyndon Johnson including a stint as White House Press Secretary. Through his association with LBJ, Moyers played a critical role in the establishment of the Peace Corps, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the launch of several Great Society programs. 

Yet, at the same time, Moyers was responsible for giving birth to negative political advertising with the "Daisy" ad during the 1964 presidential election campaign which stated in no uncertain terms that Republican Barry Goldwater would blow up the world although he was never mentioned by name. Nevertheless, Goldwater never forgave Moyers for his role in the ad for as long as he lived. While Moyers wrote fondly of Martin Luther King, Jr., he gave FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover the go-ahead to try to discredit King at the behest of LBJ.

Naturally, there is both good and bad in nearly all of us. From where I sit, the good outweighed the bad. Yet in remembering Bill Moyers, it is important to acknowledge the contributions he made to American public life for both good and ill. R.I.P.

A Thought for Ron Washington

The Los Angeles Angels announced today that manager Ron Washington has been placed on medical leave for the remainder of the 2025 season.

Washington has been absent from the Angels dugout for a week after experiencing fatigue and shortness of breath during a road trip against the New York Yankees. At 73, Washington is the oldest manager in MLB. He previously managed the Texas Rangers from 2007 to 2014 leading the team to back-to-back AL championships in 2010 and 2011. 

Washington would spend 8 seasons as the third base coach for the Atlanta Braves earning a World Series ring in 2021. In 2024, Washington was named the Angels' new skipper. Unfortunately, the team lost a franchise record 99 games last season.

The Angels enter tonight with a 40-40 record having not had a winning season since 2015 and no post-season appearances since 2014. Bench coach Ray Montgomery has been named the team's interim manager for the remainder of the season. Montgomery, who played parts of three seasons with the Houston Astros in the late 1990s, served as the scouting director for both the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Milwaukee Brewers. He joined the Angels in 2020 as their director of player personnel before becoming part of the coaching staff in 2021. Under the circumstances, I hope Montgomery can help the Angels rally around Washington and a make a long overdue return to post-season baseball.

The nature of Washington's illness has not been disclosed and, of course, he is within his right to keep that information to himself and his family. Still, given the circumstances, one cannot help but think his condition is quite serious. 

Current Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona, during his tenure with the Cleveland Indians/Guardians went on medical leave on several occasions before stepping down from the position after the 2023 season due to ongoing health issues. In 2015, then Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell missed a portion of the season after being diagnosed with lymphoma with future Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo stepping into the breach. In the case of Francona and Farrell, both managers chose to make their condition public.

Whatever illness Ron Washington is dealing with, I hope he is healthy enough to the Angels dugout next year or at the very least can resume some activity where it concerns baseball. Washington's energy and passion is infectious and has made him one of MLB's most beloved figures. 

Get well soon, Wash.

Diego Segui Spent 25 Years Pitching Everywhere

 

Former MLB pitcher Diego Segui passed away yesterday at the age of 87.

The Cuban born hurler spent 25 years in professional baseball beginning in 1958 when he was signed by the Cincinnati Redlegs.

He would not stay with the Redlegs long as he soon sold to the Kansas City A's organization. It would be the first of three stints with the A's organization in both K.C. and Oakland.

Segui made his MLB debut with the A's in 1962. By 1964, Segui would lead the AL in losses with 17. The A's were not a good club during their tenure in Kansas City but Segui was a durable pitcher who could work both as a starter and a reliever and eat innings.

Prior to the 1966 season, the A's sold Segui to the Washington Senators. But after one season in D.C., he was sent back to the A's where he would pitch two seasons - one with K.C. and the team's inaugural season in Oakland in 1968.

Following that season, Segui was selected in the expansion draft by the Seattle Pilots. Segui was a bright spot on a dismal team best known for being the subject of Jim Bouton's Ball Four. He would win a career high 12 games, earn 12 saves and post a respectable 3.35 ERA.

Before the Pilots departed Seattle to become the Milwaukee Brewers, Segui would be traded back to the A's for a third time. In 1970, Segui posted an ERA of 2.56 which was good enough to lead the league despite pitching primarily out of the bullpen.

For all of his time with the A's, Segui would not be a part of the A's dynasty which won three consecutive World Series between 1972 to 1974. During the 1972 season, Segui was sent packing to the St. Louis Cardinals where he worked exclusively out of the bullpen. In 1973, Segui posted a career high 17 saves for the Redbirds which was good enough for 7th in the NL.

The Cardinals rewarded Segui's efforts by trading him to the Boston Red Sox prior to the 1974 season in a six-player deal which saw starting pitchers John Curtis and Lynn McGlothen go to St. Louis. Again, Segui pitched almost exclusively out of the bullpen in Boston. Segui was part of the 1975 AL championship Red Sox team and would pitch an inning of relief Game 5 of the World Series.

Prior to the start of the 1976 season, the Red Sox would release Segui. He would quickly sign a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres and spent the year pitching with the Triple AAA Hawaii Islanders in the Pacific Coast League under future Toronto Blue Jays manager Roy Hartsfield.

In 1977, Segui would return to Seattle as he was selected by the Mariners in the expansion draft. In fact, Segui was handed the ball in the very first game in Seattle Mariners history. Unfortunately, Segui only lasted 3.2 innings giving up 6 runs (4 of them earned) in a 7-0 loss against the California Angels as Frank Tanana threw a complete game 9-hit shutout. 

Despite being affectionately nicknamed The Ancient Mariner, the 39-year-old Segui struggled. In 40 appearances (7 of them starts), Segui went 0-7 with a 5.69 ERA. It would prove to be his final MLB season. In 639 appearances (including 171 starts) spanning 15 seasons, Segui had a career record of 92-111 with a decent 3.81 ERA striking out 1298 batters in 1807.2 innings pitched against 765 walks. He also recorded 71 career saves. Despite finishing his career with a losing record, Segui proved a durable pitcher with an effective forkball. 

Although his MLB career was over, Segui would continue to play professional baseball in the Mexican League through 1984 when he finally retired at the age of 46. 

Segui's baseball legacy would continue with his son David who had a successful 15-year MLB career as a first baseman primarily with the Baltimore Orioles and stints with the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers and Cleveland Indians. 

The well-traveled Segui was puzzled as to why he couldn't stick with one club. In an interview with Boston sportswriter Cliff Keane prior to the 1974 season, Segui said:

I sit and wonder each time that I have been traded, have I done something wrong? Did I not get along with the people? Why don’t they like me, so that I have to go from one team to another so much? If you are confused about it, “he said, “you can say that I am more confused than anyone else.

It is one way to look at it. But another way to look at it is that everyone wanted Diego Segui to pitch for them. R.I.P. 

Marjorie Taylor Greene Blames Israel for JFK's Assassination

Georgia Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has been in a war of words with conservative pundit Mark Levin over President Trump's decision to militarily intervene in Iran. 

Under normal circumstances, I would not care about internecine squabbles. However, MTG dove headfirst into anti-Semitic conspiracy land in her latest response to Levin. The Congresswoman wrote in part:

There was once a great President that the American people loved. He opposed Israel’s nuclear program. And then he was assassinated.

Where does one begin?

Well, I suppose one can begin with levity and ask if MTG thinks Ted Cruz's father was involved. 

But with the increasing social acceptability of anti-Semitism, I suppose it was only a matter of time before someone would blame the Jews and/or the State of Israel for JFK's assassination. I'm surprised it has taken this long. It would be funny if it wasn't so serious.

In the case of MTG, conspiracy theories are her lifeblood with her dalliances with QAnon. One who thrives on conspiracy theories is bound to embrace anti-Semitism, the world's oldest conspiracy theory.

The problem, of course, is that MTG is a member of Congress and among the most influential Republicans on Capitol Hill and someone who has President Trump's ear even if they are odds over military action in Iran. 

Someone like MTG could make anti-Semitism and acceptance of its premises a mainstream position among conservatives and Republicans. 

Marjorie Taylor Greene is a nut, but there are a lot of nuts out there and they vote.