Last night, the Detroit Tigers lost their 10th game in a row falling 3-2 to the Toronto Blue Jays.
On June 17th, the Tigers were a game under .500 and only 2.5 games back of the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central.
Ten games and ten losses later, the Tigers are now 9.5 games back of the Tribe and also fallen behind the Minnesota Twins.
A couple of weeks ago, Ron Gardenhire was a legitimate candidate to be AL Manager of the Year. Now the Tigers need to make sure they don't lose 100 games like the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals are bound to do.
Saturday, June 30, 2018
Thursday, June 28, 2018
Red Sox's Acquistion of Steve Pearce Means He Will Have Played With Every AL East Team
Following the Boston Red Sox's win 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim tonight, team president Dave Dombrowski announced the acquisition of veteran utility man Steve Pearce from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for a minor leaguer.
What makes this trade notable is that Pearce will now have played for all five teams in the AL East. Pearce. After playing parts of five seasons with the Pirates, Pearce saw time with both the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees in 2012 (along with the Houston Astros). Pearce returned to the O's in 2013 and remained with the team for three seasons. His best year came in 2014 when he belted 21 home runs. Pearce began 2016 with the Tampa Bay Rays before returning to Baltimore for a third stint. He has been a member of the Jays since 2017. In 26 games this season, Pearce hit .291 with 4 HR and 16 RBI.
Pearce is expected to play first base and DH against left handed pitching. He's basically Hanley Ramirez for a quarter of the price.
Current Rays manager Kevin Cash came close playing with every AL East team except for the Orioles. I believe Pearce is the first player to play with all five AL East teams. There is a lot to love about baseball.
What makes this trade notable is that Pearce will now have played for all five teams in the AL East. Pearce. After playing parts of five seasons with the Pirates, Pearce saw time with both the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees in 2012 (along with the Houston Astros). Pearce returned to the O's in 2013 and remained with the team for three seasons. His best year came in 2014 when he belted 21 home runs. Pearce began 2016 with the Tampa Bay Rays before returning to Baltimore for a third stint. He has been a member of the Jays since 2017. In 26 games this season, Pearce hit .291 with 4 HR and 16 RBI.
Pearce is expected to play first base and DH against left handed pitching. He's basically Hanley Ramirez for a quarter of the price.
Current Rays manager Kevin Cash came close playing with every AL East team except for the Orioles. I believe Pearce is the first player to play with all five AL East teams. There is a lot to love about baseball.
The Capital Gazette Shooting Isn't About Trump
There is no question President Trump has said despicable things about the media being an enemy of the American people and Milo declaring journalists should be gunned down confirms he is an excretion of a man.
But today's shooting at The Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland which claimed the lives of five journalists isn't about Trump and isn't about Milo. The person responsible for this act had a long standing grudge against the paper stemming from a 2011 article which had noted his conviction for harassing a woman. He would unsuccessfully file suit against the paper the following year representing himself in court. Tom Marquardt, the then publisher of The Capital Gazette, told Los Angeles Times reporters Matt Pearce and Richard Winton that the subject of the article was crazy enough to shoot up the paper. This man was enthralled with the 2015 Charlie Hebdo murders in Paris and the live execution of two journalists in Virginia by a former colleague also in 2015.
To be sure, today's tragedy makes both Trump and Milo's remarks all the more irresponsible especially Trump given his current position. They ought to be more circumspect in what they say. With that said, neither of them are responsible for what happened this afternoon in Annapolis.
But today's shooting at The Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland which claimed the lives of five journalists isn't about Trump and isn't about Milo. The person responsible for this act had a long standing grudge against the paper stemming from a 2011 article which had noted his conviction for harassing a woman. He would unsuccessfully file suit against the paper the following year representing himself in court. Tom Marquardt, the then publisher of The Capital Gazette, told Los Angeles Times reporters Matt Pearce and Richard Winton that the subject of the article was crazy enough to shoot up the paper. This man was enthralled with the 2015 Charlie Hebdo murders in Paris and the live execution of two journalists in Virginia by a former colleague also in 2015.
To be sure, today's tragedy makes both Trump and Milo's remarks all the more irresponsible especially Trump given his current position. They ought to be more circumspect in what they say. With that said, neither of them are responsible for what happened this afternoon in Annapolis.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Yesterday The Left Hated Anthony Kennedy; Today They Can't Imagine Life Without Him
After 30 years on the U.S. Supreme Court, Anthony Kennedy will call it quits next month and now The Left and The Right are in interstellar overdrive on his successor.
Yesterday, when Kennedy issued the majority opinion upholding Trump's Muslim Ban The Left hated him. They also didn't care for him too much when he wrote the majority opinion granting the Christian baker in Colorado the right to refuse to serve a same sex couple on religious grounds. Today. The Left can't bear the thought of him leaving the Court with the thought that Roe v. Wade will be overturned with the snap of a finger.
Of course, Trump could always do something really stupid and take his son's advice by appointing Jeanine Pirro to the High Court. But how much control do Presidents really have over the Supreme Court nominees? When President Reagan appointed Kennedy did anyone think he would write the opinion to legalize gay marriage in the United States? When Bush 41 appointed David Souter did anyone think he would become the most liberal judge on the Court? When Bush 43 appointed John Roberts did anyone think he would save Obamacare?
Yet this Supreme Court seat will be treated like a matter of life and death by both Trump's acolytes and his enemies. Unless Trump appoints a blithering idiot or a Harriet Miers type then I can't really get all that excited. But if Trump does appoint a Harriet Miers will there be anyone to take on the Charles Krauthammer role and put a stop to it? Or do conservatives hate the media so much that there is no room for any voice of reason?
Barring that scenario I will probably be one of the few people who will be content to sit on the fence and watch the world go by.
Yesterday, when Kennedy issued the majority opinion upholding Trump's Muslim Ban The Left hated him. They also didn't care for him too much when he wrote the majority opinion granting the Christian baker in Colorado the right to refuse to serve a same sex couple on religious grounds. Today. The Left can't bear the thought of him leaving the Court with the thought that Roe v. Wade will be overturned with the snap of a finger.
Of course, Trump could always do something really stupid and take his son's advice by appointing Jeanine Pirro to the High Court. But how much control do Presidents really have over the Supreme Court nominees? When President Reagan appointed Kennedy did anyone think he would write the opinion to legalize gay marriage in the United States? When Bush 41 appointed David Souter did anyone think he would become the most liberal judge on the Court? When Bush 43 appointed John Roberts did anyone think he would save Obamacare?
Yet this Supreme Court seat will be treated like a matter of life and death by both Trump's acolytes and his enemies. Unless Trump appoints a blithering idiot or a Harriet Miers type then I can't really get all that excited. But if Trump does appoint a Harriet Miers will there be anyone to take on the Charles Krauthammer role and put a stop to it? Or do conservatives hate the media so much that there is no room for any voice of reason?
Barring that scenario I will probably be one of the few people who will be content to sit on the fence and watch the world go by.
Some Cynical Thoughts About Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Before I am awash in cynicism, let me begin by stating what Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez did in last night's Democratic primary in New York's 14th Congressional District is remarkable. No one, and I mean no one, envisioned the possibility of her unseating Joe Crowley, one of the most powerful Democrats in D.C. who was touted as a possible successor to Nancy Pelosi. It is a remarkable achievement particularly for a 28-year old woman of Latina heritage.
Now here comes the cynicism. Consider this passage from her campaign video posted above:
But after 20 years of the same representation, we have to ask: who has New York been changing for? Everyday is getting harder for working families like mine to get by. The rent gets higher, health care covers less and our income stays the same.
Let's say that Ocasio-Cortez is elected to Congress for ten straight terms. I submit to you that in June 2038 that everyday will get harder for working families in the Bronx and in Queens to get by, the rent will get higher, health care will cover less, incomes will stay the same but Ocasio-Cortez will be doing just fine for herself.
Of course this criticism could be leveled at anyone running for Congress or any other office anywhere in the country. But anyone who promises my life is going to get easier if I elect them to office I am staying as far away as possible, be they Democrat, Republican or anywhere in between or beyond. No Congressman is going to stop my rent from increasing, stop my health care from decreasing or give me a raise at work. It's not going to happen. That's not the way the world works.
Now her aim was directed Crowley for a portion of the Bronx and Queens. But let's remember who was President for 8 of the past 20 years. It's President Obama who has a lot to do with the fact that our health care is covering less. It was President Obama who said if we liked our health care, we could keep it. No we couldn't. So why should I believe Ocasio-Cortez anymore than I should believe Obama.
It also doesn't inspire confidence that she might be to the Left of Jeremy Corbyn on Israel falsely accusing Israel of committing "a massacre" in Gaza last May. Trump's only redeeming policy value has been Israel. Unfortunately, as long as this is the case, The Left is going to become more and more anti-Israel.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will most likely make history as a youngest woman ever elected to Congress. But other than advancing her own career don't expect her to do much else.
But after 20 years of the same representation, we have to ask: who has New York been changing for? Everyday is getting harder for working families like mine to get by. The rent gets higher, health care covers less and our income stays the same.
Let's say that Ocasio-Cortez is elected to Congress for ten straight terms. I submit to you that in June 2038 that everyday will get harder for working families in the Bronx and in Queens to get by, the rent will get higher, health care will cover less, incomes will stay the same but Ocasio-Cortez will be doing just fine for herself.
Of course this criticism could be leveled at anyone running for Congress or any other office anywhere in the country. But anyone who promises my life is going to get easier if I elect them to office I am staying as far away as possible, be they Democrat, Republican or anywhere in between or beyond. No Congressman is going to stop my rent from increasing, stop my health care from decreasing or give me a raise at work. It's not going to happen. That's not the way the world works.
Now her aim was directed Crowley for a portion of the Bronx and Queens. But let's remember who was President for 8 of the past 20 years. It's President Obama who has a lot to do with the fact that our health care is covering less. It was President Obama who said if we liked our health care, we could keep it. No we couldn't. So why should I believe Ocasio-Cortez anymore than I should believe Obama.
It also doesn't inspire confidence that she might be to the Left of Jeremy Corbyn on Israel falsely accusing Israel of committing "a massacre" in Gaza last May. Trump's only redeeming policy value has been Israel. Unfortunately, as long as this is the case, The Left is going to become more and more anti-Israel.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will most likely make history as a youngest woman ever elected to Congress. But other than advancing her own career don't expect her to do much else.
David Lynch is Right: No One Knows How to Intelligently Oppose Trump
When legendary film director and Twin Peaks creator David Lynch proclaimed in an
interview with The Guardian that Donald Trump "could
go down as one of the greatest Presidents in history", chaos and
confusion ensued. Opponents of Trump were aghast at Lynch while Trump
gleefully tweeted
the Breitbart article which contained the Lynch quote and
mentioned him at a rally in South Carolina for Governor Henry McMaster.
The backlash from anti-Trump forces was such that Lynch felt the need to write an
open letter to Trump on Facebook in which Lynch wishes he
could sit down and talk with Trump and says that he is "causing
suffering and division" while adding that it was "not too late to turn
the ship around."
If only anyone had read the damn article in the first place. Here is the critical paragraph:
He is undecided about Donald Trump.
“He could go down as one of the greatest presidents
in history because he has disrupted the thing so much. No one is able to
counter this guy in an intelligent way.” While Trump may not be doing a
good job himself, Lynch thinks, he is opening up a space where other
outsiders might. “Our so-called leaders can’t
take the country forward, can’t get anything done. Like children, they
are. Trump has shown all this.”
From the first sentence forward, Lynch is not endorsing Trump. Far from it.
But the most interesting part of Lynch's statement is when he says, "No one is able to counter this guy in an intelligent way."
Maxine Waters sure isn't nor for that matter the people who heckled
DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen at a restaurant, asked Sarah Sanders to
leave the Red Hen or confronted Labor Secretary Elaine Chao in front of
her home. The people who did this might feel
good about themselves. But if they truly wish to see Donald Trump
defeated in 2020 then they must ask themselves how such acts are going
to get a single Trump voter to change their minds.
I don't see how things get any better once Trump appoints Anthony Kennedy's successor to the Supreme Court.
Perhaps it will be left to David Lynch to come up with a way. Though this might involve some coffee and cherry pie.
Sunday, June 24, 2018
Hanley Ramirez Is Owed An Apology
Forty-eight hours ago, speculation abounded that former Boston Red Sox slugger Hanley Ramirez was under state and federal investigation for a 2015 homicide and involvement in a fentanyl ring. Ramirez and his agent denied the story.
This all seemed very dodgy to me and it turns out my instincts were correct. Ramirez is not under investigation after all. The only reason his name ever came up was a "friend" who was pulled over with a large quantity of fentanyl fingered him for it (and presumably the homicide as well).
Well, Ramirez might be in the clear, but where does this leave his big league career? Ramirez, who was released on June 1st, has not found other work and this story doesn't help even if it turns out not to be true. If Ramirez can't find a job this season he might need to consider legal action against ABC News who "broke" the story. At the very minimum, Hanley Ramirez is owed an apology.
This all seemed very dodgy to me and it turns out my instincts were correct. Ramirez is not under investigation after all. The only reason his name ever came up was a "friend" who was pulled over with a large quantity of fentanyl fingered him for it (and presumably the homicide as well).
Well, Ramirez might be in the clear, but where does this leave his big league career? Ramirez, who was released on June 1st, has not found other work and this story doesn't help even if it turns out not to be true. If Ramirez can't find a job this season he might need to consider legal action against ABC News who "broke" the story. At the very minimum, Hanley Ramirez is owed an apology.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)