New White House Chief of Staff John Kelly's decision to fire White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci after only 10 days on the job has won wide praise. John Podhoretz proclaimed, "This is the day John Kelly became President."
Except that Kelly isn't President of the United States. Donald Trump is and he'll tell you. No, Kelly isn't going to accuse anyone of doing a Ron Jeremy impersonation let alone a felony. But sooner or later, Kelly is going to fall afoul in Trump's eyes. If Trump can publicly berate Jeff Sessions why wouldn't he do the same to Kelly?
Trump is a mendacious, mercurial miscreant. If Kelly doesn't do anything wrong, Trump will find something out of whole cloth. Trump will find ways to undermine his authority. After all, Trump blindsided Kelly on the Muslim travel ban. Why wouldn't he undermine him under the White House roof? I give Kelly six months tops in his new position.
Monday, July 31, 2017
Sonny Gray Goes To The Bronx, Yu Darvish Heading to L.A. & Other Trade Deadline Thoughts
There were three prominent starting pitchers on the trade market - Sonny Gray of the Oakland A's, Yu Darvish of the Texas Rangers and Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers.
Two out of these three pitchers have new addresses.
The A's traded Gray to the New York Yankees for three prospects including Dustin Fowler (the young outfielder who sustained a season ending injury in his MLB debut earlier this month). In 17 starts for the last place A's, Gray is 6-5 with a 3.43 ERA. Gray is the second starting pitcher the Yankees have added in the past few days. Over the weekend, the Yankees acquired Jaime Garcia from the Minnesota Twins. (Earlier this month, the Twins acquired Garcia from the Atlanta Braves). The Yankees now having a starting rotation of Masahiro Tanaka, C.C. Sabathia, Luis Severino, Gray, Garcia and possibly Jordan Montgomery if they go with a six man rotation. Of course, the Yankees shored up their offense and bullpen with the acquisition of Todd Frazier and David Robertson from the Chicago White Sox earlier this month. Gray, 27, will be part of the Yankees' plans for the foreseeable future as he doesn't hit free agency until 2020.
Then shortly after the 4 p.m. deadline, it was announced the Rangers traded Darvish to the Los Angeles Dodgers. As of this writing, it is not known who the Rangers got in return for Darvish. In 22 starts for Texas, Darvish is 6-9 with a 4.01 ERA. His ERA went up sharply after what proved to be his final Rangers start when he gave up 10 runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Miami Marlins last Wednesday. But maybe Darvish getting a new coat of Dodger blue will revitalize him. After all, the Dodgers are 38-6 since June 7th. If that doesn't revive him then nothing will. If it doesn't, Darvish hits the free agent market at season's end. The Dodgers also augmented their bullpen with a couple of Tonys (Tony Watson from the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tony Cingrani from the Cincinnati Reds).
Two years ago, the Toronto Blue Jays were buyers with the acquisition of Troy Tulowitzki and David Price. Today they are sellers sending reliever Joe Smith to the Cleveland Indians for his second stint with the club and Francisco Liriano to the Houston Astros.
The Washington Nationals strengthened their bullpen by acquiring Minnesota Twins closer Brandon Kintzler. Earlier this month, the Nats got Jimmy Doolittle and Ryan Madson from the A's. The Twins, who were contending for the AL Central until fading this month, have now become sellers as evidenced with giving up on Jaime Garcia after only a single start.
The Boston Red Sox obtained the services of relief pitcher Addison Reed. As I stated in a post a short time ago, Reed might not like his new address.
The Arizona Diamondbacks added relief pitcher David Hernandez from the Los Angeles Angels for his second stint in the desert as well as Oakland A's utility man Adam Rosales. Yesterday, their NL West rivals added catcher Jonathan Lucroy from the Texas Rangers.
The Detroit Tigers did trade a pitcher named Justin. But they traded the other Justin. The Chicago Cubs added relief pitcher Justin Wilson and catcher Alex Avila from the Motor City.
The Chicago White Sox did not make any moves today, but were plenty busy this month. Gone are Jose Quintana, Todd Frazier, David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle, Anthony Swarzak, Dan Jennings and, as of yesterday, Melky Cabrera who returns to the Kansas City Royals. Chisox fans won't see the fruit of these deals for several years to come. But when they do that fruit will taste great.
Of course, clubs can continue to make trades. But now other clubs can block deals by placing waiver claims. So don't expect Justin Verlander to leave Motown until after 2017.
So at the moment the big winners today are the Yankees and the Dodgers. Will today's triumph continue into October? If it does it will mark the first time in 36 years the Yankees and Dodgers have faced off in the World Series.
Two out of these three pitchers have new addresses.
The A's traded Gray to the New York Yankees for three prospects including Dustin Fowler (the young outfielder who sustained a season ending injury in his MLB debut earlier this month). In 17 starts for the last place A's, Gray is 6-5 with a 3.43 ERA. Gray is the second starting pitcher the Yankees have added in the past few days. Over the weekend, the Yankees acquired Jaime Garcia from the Minnesota Twins. (Earlier this month, the Twins acquired Garcia from the Atlanta Braves). The Yankees now having a starting rotation of Masahiro Tanaka, C.C. Sabathia, Luis Severino, Gray, Garcia and possibly Jordan Montgomery if they go with a six man rotation. Of course, the Yankees shored up their offense and bullpen with the acquisition of Todd Frazier and David Robertson from the Chicago White Sox earlier this month. Gray, 27, will be part of the Yankees' plans for the foreseeable future as he doesn't hit free agency until 2020.
Then shortly after the 4 p.m. deadline, it was announced the Rangers traded Darvish to the Los Angeles Dodgers. As of this writing, it is not known who the Rangers got in return for Darvish. In 22 starts for Texas, Darvish is 6-9 with a 4.01 ERA. His ERA went up sharply after what proved to be his final Rangers start when he gave up 10 runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Miami Marlins last Wednesday. But maybe Darvish getting a new coat of Dodger blue will revitalize him. After all, the Dodgers are 38-6 since June 7th. If that doesn't revive him then nothing will. If it doesn't, Darvish hits the free agent market at season's end. The Dodgers also augmented their bullpen with a couple of Tonys (Tony Watson from the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tony Cingrani from the Cincinnati Reds).
Two years ago, the Toronto Blue Jays were buyers with the acquisition of Troy Tulowitzki and David Price. Today they are sellers sending reliever Joe Smith to the Cleveland Indians for his second stint with the club and Francisco Liriano to the Houston Astros.
The Washington Nationals strengthened their bullpen by acquiring Minnesota Twins closer Brandon Kintzler. Earlier this month, the Nats got Jimmy Doolittle and Ryan Madson from the A's. The Twins, who were contending for the AL Central until fading this month, have now become sellers as evidenced with giving up on Jaime Garcia after only a single start.
The Boston Red Sox obtained the services of relief pitcher Addison Reed. As I stated in a post a short time ago, Reed might not like his new address.
The Arizona Diamondbacks added relief pitcher David Hernandez from the Los Angeles Angels for his second stint in the desert as well as Oakland A's utility man Adam Rosales. Yesterday, their NL West rivals added catcher Jonathan Lucroy from the Texas Rangers.
The Detroit Tigers did trade a pitcher named Justin. But they traded the other Justin. The Chicago Cubs added relief pitcher Justin Wilson and catcher Alex Avila from the Motor City.
The Chicago White Sox did not make any moves today, but were plenty busy this month. Gone are Jose Quintana, Todd Frazier, David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle, Anthony Swarzak, Dan Jennings and, as of yesterday, Melky Cabrera who returns to the Kansas City Royals. Chisox fans won't see the fruit of these deals for several years to come. But when they do that fruit will taste great.
Of course, clubs can continue to make trades. But now other clubs can block deals by placing waiver claims. So don't expect Justin Verlander to leave Motown until after 2017.
So at the moment the big winners today are the Yankees and the Dodgers. Will today's triumph continue into October? If it does it will mark the first time in 36 years the Yankees and Dodgers have faced off in the World Series.
Why I Feel Sorry For Addison Reed
Earlier today, the New York Mets traded relief pitcher Addison Reed to the Boston Red Sox for three prospects.
I feel sorry for him.
On the surface, Reed got a reprieve. He has gone from a team 14 games out to a team half a game out with a Wild Card berth. Sure he'll go from closing to being Craig Kimbrel's set up man, but I'm sure he'll take it.
But I can't think of a more depressing place to play right now than Boston. Despite their place in the standings, the fans here are miserable. They call for manager John Farrell to be fired on a daily basis. There's a bad vibe in the clubhouse with David Price swearing at Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley.
With the New York Yankees having just acquired Sonny Gray, Red Sox Nation is going to say the Yankees got Sonny Gray and all we got is Addison Reed. If Reed comes in and gets hit hard in a couple of outings Red Sox Nation will run him out on a rail.
Yes, Reed just came from New York which doesn't exactly have a docile fan base and the Mets have had a truly disappointing 2017 after winning the NL pennant in 2015 and reaching the post-season last year. But Red Sox fans are insane. It doesn't matter if the team is in first place or reach the post-season. They don't think the team can get past the AL Wild Card game or the ALDS. Because Red Sox fans expect the team to go 162-0 and win the World Series; if they come up short of that then they can't enjoy it. Well, actually I think Red Sox fans aren't enjoying things unless things go wrong. Call it the joy of misery.
If the worse case scenario comes to pass for Reed, the silver lining is he will be a free agent after the season. He can escape Boston. Others won't have this luxury.
I feel sorry for him.
On the surface, Reed got a reprieve. He has gone from a team 14 games out to a team half a game out with a Wild Card berth. Sure he'll go from closing to being Craig Kimbrel's set up man, but I'm sure he'll take it.
But I can't think of a more depressing place to play right now than Boston. Despite their place in the standings, the fans here are miserable. They call for manager John Farrell to be fired on a daily basis. There's a bad vibe in the clubhouse with David Price swearing at Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley.
With the New York Yankees having just acquired Sonny Gray, Red Sox Nation is going to say the Yankees got Sonny Gray and all we got is Addison Reed. If Reed comes in and gets hit hard in a couple of outings Red Sox Nation will run him out on a rail.
Yes, Reed just came from New York which doesn't exactly have a docile fan base and the Mets have had a truly disappointing 2017 after winning the NL pennant in 2015 and reaching the post-season last year. But Red Sox fans are insane. It doesn't matter if the team is in first place or reach the post-season. They don't think the team can get past the AL Wild Card game or the ALDS. Because Red Sox fans expect the team to go 162-0 and win the World Series; if they come up short of that then they can't enjoy it. Well, actually I think Red Sox fans aren't enjoying things unless things go wrong. Call it the joy of misery.
If the worse case scenario comes to pass for Reed, the silver lining is he will be a free agent after the season. He can escape Boston. Others won't have this luxury.
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Adrian Beltre Gets 3,000th Hit
Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre became the 31st player in MLB history to collect 3,000 hits in his career. Beltre doubled off Baltimore Orioles southpaw Wade Miley this afternoon to join the exclusive club. Beltre is the first Dominican born player to reach the milestone and only the third third baseman to attain this total. The others were George Brett and Wade Boggs. This puts Beltre in some pretty damn good company.
It is fitting that Beltre got his 3,000th hit on the same day Jeff Bagwell, Ivan Rodriguez and Tim Raines got inducted into Cooperstown because that's where he'll be on the last Sunday of July in a few years from now depending on when he retires. He's hitting .307 at age 38 and may have a few more years of baseball to play. Who knows? Maybe we'll get to see his 4,000th hit.
It is fitting that Beltre got his 3,000th hit on the same day Jeff Bagwell, Ivan Rodriguez and Tim Raines got inducted into Cooperstown because that's where he'll be on the last Sunday of July in a few years from now depending on when he retires. He's hitting .307 at age 38 and may have a few more years of baseball to play. Who knows? Maybe we'll get to see his 4,000th hit.
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
Trump Calls McCain an American Hero - When He Needed His Vote
President Trump took to Twitter today to proclaim John McCain an American hero:
So great that John McCain is coming back to vote. Brave - American hero! Thank you John.
The President issued this proclamation exactly two years and one week to the date in which he declared that McCain was not a war hero:
"He is not a war hero. He's a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured."
But when Trump needed to capture votes to begin the process of repealing Obamacare, McCain is now a hero.
It is only a matter of time before Trump will again cast McCain as anything but heroic.
Donald Trump wouldn't know a hero if his life were saved by one.
So great that John McCain is coming back to vote. Brave - American hero! Thank you John.
The President issued this proclamation exactly two years and one week to the date in which he declared that McCain was not a war hero:
"He is not a war hero. He's a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured."
But when Trump needed to capture votes to begin the process of repealing Obamacare, McCain is now a hero.
It is only a matter of time before Trump will again cast McCain as anything but heroic.
Donald Trump wouldn't know a hero if his life were saved by one.
It's Donald Trump Who Has Taken a Very Weak Position on Hillary Clinton's Crimes
When Jeff Sessions became the first U.S. Senator to endorse Donald Trump, I'm sure he thought he would be immune from his Twitter tirades. Sessions is now paying the price for supporting Trump. President Trump's campaign against his own Attorney General continued today with this ditty:
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has taken a VERY weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes (where are E-mails & DNC server) & Intel leakers!
But if anyone has taken a very weak position on Hillary Clinton's crimes, it is Trump. After all, it was Trump who told the world two weeks after he had been elected President that Hillary "had been through enough" and that his administration would not be pursuing any action against her.
If Trump truly believes Hillary has committed crimes then what is to stop him from directing Sessions to open up an investigation against her?
But this isn't about Hillary. At least not this time. This is about Sessions and his apparently unpardonable sin of recusing himself from the Russia investigation. Sessions is going to be in Trump's cross hairs until he resigns or if someone else causes the President greater offense. This is no way to govern.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has taken a VERY weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes (where are E-mails & DNC server) & Intel leakers!
But if anyone has taken a very weak position on Hillary Clinton's crimes, it is Trump. After all, it was Trump who told the world two weeks after he had been elected President that Hillary "had been through enough" and that his administration would not be pursuing any action against her.
If Trump truly believes Hillary has committed crimes then what is to stop him from directing Sessions to open up an investigation against her?
But this isn't about Hillary. At least not this time. This is about Sessions and his apparently unpardonable sin of recusing himself from the Russia investigation. Sessions is going to be in Trump's cross hairs until he resigns or if someone else causes the President greater offense. This is no way to govern.
Sunday, July 23, 2017
Bobby Taylor, Tommy Chong's 1st Partner & The Man Who Discovered The Jackson 5, Dead at 83
Singer Bobby Taylor died in Hong Kong of cancer at the age of 83.
Taylor was the lead singer of the Motown group Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers. Although they originally formed in San Francisco, they were discovered in Vancouver by Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard of The Supremes in the mid-1960's who brought them to the attention of Berry Gordy, Jr.. The Vancouvers included a guitar player and backup singer named Tommy Chong who would find later fame as one half of Cheech & Chong. Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers' biggest hit was "Does Your Mama Know About Me?"
However, Taylor's most significant contribution to Motown wasn't one of his own songs, but his discovery of another Motown legend - The Jackson 5. The group was opening for Taylor in Chicago and he alerted Gordy, Jr. to their talent.
Taylor was the original producer for the Jackson 5 debut 1969 album Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5, but Gordy, Jr. objected to Taylor's production style of cover songs and took over production himself.
This would be the beginning of the end of Taylor's influence. Taylor auditioned to succeed David Ruffin as lead singer of The Temptations, but nothing came of it. Nor did any solo recordings for Motown & by 1973 his musical career was effectively over. A man of his talent and ear for other talent deserved a far better fate and place in the history of Motown Records. R.I.P.
Taylor was the lead singer of the Motown group Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers. Although they originally formed in San Francisco, they were discovered in Vancouver by Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard of The Supremes in the mid-1960's who brought them to the attention of Berry Gordy, Jr.. The Vancouvers included a guitar player and backup singer named Tommy Chong who would find later fame as one half of Cheech & Chong. Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers' biggest hit was "Does Your Mama Know About Me?"
Taylor was the original producer for the Jackson 5 debut 1969 album Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5, but Gordy, Jr. objected to Taylor's production style of cover songs and took over production himself.
This would be the beginning of the end of Taylor's influence. Taylor auditioned to succeed David Ruffin as lead singer of The Temptations, but nothing came of it. Nor did any solo recordings for Motown & by 1973 his musical career was effectively over. A man of his talent and ear for other talent deserved a far better fate and place in the history of Motown Records. R.I.P.
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