Well I definitely didn't see this coming.
When he died suddenly in the summer i thought great! there will be a couple of weeks of media overkill I can pretty safely ignore and then you know he would completely disappear from the pop landscape, and in 20 years i'd hear his name and think "hey didn't he walk the dinosaur or sing can't touch this or something" and then not think about it again for another 20 years.
But it keeps going on.
It's like that old Saturday Night Live sketch, but much, much worse.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Thoughts on Game 1
Awesome! How can any Yankee hater dislike that! I was entertained all the way through. From the utter dominance of Lee, to the incompetence of the Yankee offense to the parade of scared and nervous looking relievers. Who could have asked for more!
Now if Pedro can keep things going tonight this could be a beat down of epic proportions akin to 2003 and 2004, each of which were delicious in their own ways. I still remember listening to Tony Cornheiser after game 2 in 2003, he was so sure after the Yankees won game 2 that the Marlins were done, it was like there was no point in playing, let alone watching the games. That's probably what is so great about the Yankees losing in the playoffs, not only do they and their $200million payroll get embarrassed, but the media that hands them the World Series every year in Spring Training does too.
It's all on you now AJ, you wanted the money and "the chance to play for a contender", bet you never thought it quite meant this.
Now if Pedro can keep things going tonight this could be a beat down of epic proportions akin to 2003 and 2004, each of which were delicious in their own ways. I still remember listening to Tony Cornheiser after game 2 in 2003, he was so sure after the Yankees won game 2 that the Marlins were done, it was like there was no point in playing, let alone watching the games. That's probably what is so great about the Yankees losing in the playoffs, not only do they and their $200million payroll get embarrassed, but the media that hands them the World Series every year in Spring Training does too.
It's all on you now AJ, you wanted the money and "the chance to play for a contender", bet you never thought it quite meant this.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
World Series Prediction
I really don't know, but I think it goes 6 at least. I think Sabathia and Lee are a wash, so I guess maybe it comes down to who's better between Pedro and Burnett. Burnett's last start was a head scratcher, is he about to go off the rails like he always seems capable of at any time? Any game could be a pitchers duel or a blowout, or anything in between.
What the hell, Phillies in 7, I can't get over the fact the ALCS ended up going 6 and the NLCS really was no contest.
All I can say is I can't imagine anything more beautiful than Chamberlain giving up the winning runs and/or Jeter grounding out weakly to end the clincher.
What the hell, Phillies in 7, I can't get over the fact the ALCS ended up going 6 and the NLCS really was no contest.
All I can say is I can't imagine anything more beautiful than Chamberlain giving up the winning runs and/or Jeter grounding out weakly to end the clincher.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
I guess Beeston finally decided to take the money
I can't at all say I'm surprised by this, and like many things you can look at this optimistically or pessimistically.
The optimist would say:
This is great news, Beeston was able to convince Rogers to invest the required funds into the team to be a contender so he would want his name to be attached going forward and would feel good about being involved.
The pessimist would say:
Beeston finally got fed up with offering other people millions of dollars to run the team and being turned down and figured out that he was going to share the blame anyways so he might as well collect the dollars for himself. Maybe a miracle will occur and they'll actually do something and he'll be a hero. At worst he goes home at the end of it all and sits on an even bigger pile of money.
I guess the middle ground is he got pissed off at being turned down and just ended up saying "I'll show you all!" I guess this is better than pessimist, but not as good a optimist.
Either way, I'm not going to believe this is great news until I see the team start to spend some real money, because it's a lot easier to spend $15mil on Beeston over 3 years and acquire the patina of a contender than spend $400mil+ over 3 years and actually be a contender.
When do the winter meetings start?
The optimist would say:
This is great news, Beeston was able to convince Rogers to invest the required funds into the team to be a contender so he would want his name to be attached going forward and would feel good about being involved.
The pessimist would say:
Beeston finally got fed up with offering other people millions of dollars to run the team and being turned down and figured out that he was going to share the blame anyways so he might as well collect the dollars for himself. Maybe a miracle will occur and they'll actually do something and he'll be a hero. At worst he goes home at the end of it all and sits on an even bigger pile of money.
I guess the middle ground is he got pissed off at being turned down and just ended up saying "I'll show you all!" I guess this is better than pessimist, but not as good a optimist.
Either way, I'm not going to believe this is great news until I see the team start to spend some real money, because it's a lot easier to spend $15mil on Beeston over 3 years and acquire the patina of a contender than spend $400mil+ over 3 years and actually be a contender.
When do the winter meetings start?
Some thinking before the World Series starts
Starting tomorrow night the Phillies and Yankees will both be competing for their second World Series Championship in the past 10 years. By rough back of the envelope calculations the Phillies have spent $800million doing this. A ridiculous amount of money to be sure, given all the starving people and uncured diseases etc. etc. But the Yankees have spent about $1.6billion in the same amount of time.
My original post was going to be about how the Yankees aren't getting value for money (let alone the Mets, Cubs and Dodgers), but then I thought about the absurdity of either figure.
Just think about it and let it sink in. It boggles the mind.
My original post was going to be about how the Yankees aren't getting value for money (let alone the Mets, Cubs and Dodgers), but then I thought about the absurdity of either figure.
Just think about it and let it sink in. It boggles the mind.
I guess this answers my question
Well I guess my questions here and here are answered by this. That's some nice doublespeak by atos, but really how hard is it to put together a decent proposal for this guy? One that would make it look like you were serious but new you couldn't win him with. Really, like you have to spend an afternoon or something. Head down to a pub with some of your new hires and order some beers and wings and throw something together. These guys are supposed to be good at what they do right?
If you haven't figured it out yet everything coming out of Mr. Viner's mouth was BS, there will be no attempt to compete next year. Any vague message attempting to assert otherwise is what i believe is called triangulation.
If you haven't figured it out yet everything coming out of Mr. Viner's mouth was BS, there will be no attempt to compete next year. Any vague message attempting to assert otherwise is what i believe is called triangulation.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Is Schadenfreude the right word?
Watching the Yankees go down last night in a game they came back in was pretty awesome, and of course could only make one think of how potentially awesome it would be to see the Yankees get eliminated in this series. Not quite as awesome as them being eliminated by the red sox after taking a 3-0 lead, but i only got to see parts of that series while walking through casinos and airports, and listening to it on the radio, so it didn't have a great impact.
Probably not going to happen but one can dream.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Mr. Viner thinks we are all idiots because the people he talks too are
Via drunkjaysfans.
Now of course I didn't listen to or watch this interview, but i'm pretty sure that what djf has transcribed here is what was said. I did catch some of these comments on Sportsnet Connected pretty much verbatim, so they seem to be what Mr Viner was saying. So let me see if I've got the whole broad narrative right.
A. Beeston thinks atos is going to be a great GM
B. Rogers trusts Beeston
C. Rogers is "Committed to Winning"
D. No budget has been set
E. Beeston and atos are developing a plan to build a winning team
F. If the plan is good it will be funded, whatever the cost.
This basically just confirms and expands this stuff.
That's the way I read it anyways. Which can only lead to the conclusion that if A though E are all true then F is going to happen, whatever the cost. That seems to be the reasoning that Mr. Viner is presenting here, I can't yet figure out how to read it any other way, if you take it all on face value.
Of course one, if they were a thinking human, would have to ask where this commitment to winning was the past 3 years at least, and why this money couldn't be spent then when Rogers was also "committed to winning". One thinking human might ask why, if A to F are all true, that Mr. Viner doesn't just straight out say that Rogers will spend whatever atos and Beeston want to spend next year in pursuit of a winning team. One thinking human would probably ask a lot of things, because this is just making my head spin, and I have a lot of questions. I think I'm a thinking human. But apparently Mr. Viner was not talking to any thinking humans, because unless djf's crack transcription team has a hate on for somebody, nobody asked any kind of intelligent questions about any of this.
There's a lot of ways to deconstruct this spin from hell, but if atos isn't a good enough GM to put together a plan that looks like it will produce a winner to a bunch of people who are supposed to implicitly trust his judgement, so he can get any amount of money he wants, why did they hire him in the first place?
If this is all true and the Jays will be a contending team next season, then I guess great! who cares about the recent past! But you know, I think I'm a thinking human.
Now of course I didn't listen to or watch this interview, but i'm pretty sure that what djf has transcribed here is what was said. I did catch some of these comments on Sportsnet Connected pretty much verbatim, so they seem to be what Mr Viner was saying. So let me see if I've got the whole broad narrative right.
A. Beeston thinks atos is going to be a great GM
B. Rogers trusts Beeston
C. Rogers is "Committed to Winning"
D. No budget has been set
E. Beeston and atos are developing a plan to build a winning team
F. If the plan is good it will be funded, whatever the cost.
This basically just confirms and expands this stuff.
That's the way I read it anyways. Which can only lead to the conclusion that if A though E are all true then F is going to happen, whatever the cost. That seems to be the reasoning that Mr. Viner is presenting here, I can't yet figure out how to read it any other way, if you take it all on face value.
Of course one, if they were a thinking human, would have to ask where this commitment to winning was the past 3 years at least, and why this money couldn't be spent then when Rogers was also "committed to winning". One thinking human might ask why, if A to F are all true, that Mr. Viner doesn't just straight out say that Rogers will spend whatever atos and Beeston want to spend next year in pursuit of a winning team. One thinking human would probably ask a lot of things, because this is just making my head spin, and I have a lot of questions. I think I'm a thinking human. But apparently Mr. Viner was not talking to any thinking humans, because unless djf's crack transcription team has a hate on for somebody, nobody asked any kind of intelligent questions about any of this.
There's a lot of ways to deconstruct this spin from hell, but if atos isn't a good enough GM to put together a plan that looks like it will produce a winner to a bunch of people who are supposed to implicitly trust his judgement, so he can get any amount of money he wants, why did they hire him in the first place?
If this is all true and the Jays will be a contending team next season, then I guess great! who cares about the recent past! But you know, I think I'm a thinking human.
Eve of Destruction
I meant to post something on this last night before the NLCS but never got the chance.
So the Dodgers have been eliminated and the Angels are on the verge. I think the important thing at this stage is that the Phillies can get maximum usage out of all their starters in the WS. Because that is going to be the key to the Phillies overcoming the Yankees. And of course the only thing that matters now is that the Yankees don't win the world series. I guess I have to hope that the ALCS somehow goes to 7 games and the Yankees end up using all their pitchers so they have to have Chad Gaudin start the first game. Or injuries, injuries, injuries!
Whatever, it's probably all over tonight for the Angels and then we get to sit around for a week and forget what baseball is.
Oh and the Phillies only had to use 6 relievers in a game once in the series, so I guess they overcame my expectations there.
So the Dodgers have been eliminated and the Angels are on the verge. I think the important thing at this stage is that the Phillies can get maximum usage out of all their starters in the WS. Because that is going to be the key to the Phillies overcoming the Yankees. And of course the only thing that matters now is that the Yankees don't win the world series. I guess I have to hope that the ALCS somehow goes to 7 games and the Yankees end up using all their pitchers so they have to have Chad Gaudin start the first game. Or injuries, injuries, injuries!
Whatever, it's probably all over tonight for the Angels and then we get to sit around for a week and forget what baseball is.
Oh and the Phillies only had to use 6 relievers in a game once in the series, so I guess they overcame my expectations there.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Dodgeball!
So I'm hearing the Leafs played Dodgeball yesterday in practice. I imagine the 20 member hockey round tables are all excited about this on Sportsnet and TSN. I wonder if they have been out to interview any scientists about this. What are the leafs now anyways 0-5-1? The Bills should try something like this.
They'll probably win their next 2 and the fans/media will be planning the parade route again.
They'll probably win their next 2 and the fans/media will be planning the parade route again.
Phillies Win Game 1
Taking back home field advantage and using 6 relief pitchers just like I predicted - 3 more to go.
This reinforcement of my skills at analysis has caused me to make a prediction in the ALCS - for some reason Angels in 7.
This reinforcement of my skills at analysis has caused me to make a prediction in the ALCS - for some reason Angels in 7.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Keep your eyes on the ball - Drunk Boy
I am still reading drunkjaysfans.com as I don't consider it media, and it's a pretty interesting source of info. I rarely follow their links and don't read any of the other jays sites they link too. I tried to comment once from my blackberry but it didn't seem to work. Basically it kind of fills the void left by the end of firejoemorgan.com.
I was dissapointed in this though. I mean basically who cares what Riccardi thinks anymore and why are you analyzing it? He's an arrogant prick, get over it. You didn't know this when they hired him? I mean they were looking to fill a fairly lousy job opportunity, clearly none of the good options wanted it, why are you surprised that an arrogant prick took it? The chances that he's ever going to say something good about the jays now that doesn't make him look good too are about zero.
What you should be concerned about is why the team has gone from hiring the only dick who would take the job, and either not firing him earlier when they figured out the couldn't do it, or not supporting him properly in it, too promoting somebody who couldn't refuse it. How is that an improvement?
Further, how the hell are they not taking on this crap head on? I ran into part of this conversation on the fan when i switched there looking for the Yankee/Twin game, and couldn't stop laughing. First that anybody could actually seriously think that Rogers is going to blow 130mil+ on this team next season, and next that Sam Cosentino, who I think actually still works for the Jays somehow, was the only guy who could see through it. I mean come on! Beeston hints that there's actually some hope they may spend enough money to legitimately compete next year and the media laps it up? How about going back at him with "where was that money the last 3 seasons", or "why shouldn't I believe that this isn't a naked attempt to sell seasons tickets". I don't pay attention but is there anybody in the media calling Beeston on anything?
Stop falling for the Riccardi distractions, and the Beeston smoke and mirrors. More like this.
I was dissapointed in this though. I mean basically who cares what Riccardi thinks anymore and why are you analyzing it? He's an arrogant prick, get over it. You didn't know this when they hired him? I mean they were looking to fill a fairly lousy job opportunity, clearly none of the good options wanted it, why are you surprised that an arrogant prick took it? The chances that he's ever going to say something good about the jays now that doesn't make him look good too are about zero.
What you should be concerned about is why the team has gone from hiring the only dick who would take the job, and either not firing him earlier when they figured out the couldn't do it, or not supporting him properly in it, too promoting somebody who couldn't refuse it. How is that an improvement?
Further, how the hell are they not taking on this crap head on? I ran into part of this conversation on the fan when i switched there looking for the Yankee/Twin game, and couldn't stop laughing. First that anybody could actually seriously think that Rogers is going to blow 130mil+ on this team next season, and next that Sam Cosentino, who I think actually still works for the Jays somehow, was the only guy who could see through it. I mean come on! Beeston hints that there's actually some hope they may spend enough money to legitimately compete next year and the media laps it up? How about going back at him with "where was that money the last 3 seasons", or "why shouldn't I believe that this isn't a naked attempt to sell seasons tickets". I don't pay attention but is there anybody in the media calling Beeston on anything?
Stop falling for the Riccardi distractions, and the Beeston smoke and mirrors. More like this.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Division Series Roundup
So what did we learn from the Division Series? None of these things are especially insightful but here goes.
1. It is awesome to watch the Red Sox and Yankees get embarrassed in the Post Season. Much better than watching them not make the post season. Last years 7 game elimination of the Red Sox by TB was ok, but getting swept this year and with a 2-out blown save in the final game to finish them off was awesome. Like a very satisfying slow motion train wreck. Detroit eliminating the Yanks in 2006 was the only better one I can think of.
2. The main strength of the Angels to me is depth. They don't really have a player you can say is the best in any series, but it does seem like they have 40 better than average guys on their 25 man roster. They just don't seem to ever run out of options
3. I never realized that giving up leads, leaving 30+ runners on base over 3 games and being thrown out at bases you are going back to is such a big part of "fundamental" baseball. But then I'm just a blogger.
4. For the 3rd season in a row the NL Central entrant goes out in a sweep. The NL Central must be the toughest division in baseball, because the winner just has nothing left after the regular season. Even when they've been cruising for a month and a half.
5. If the Phillies are going to defend they are going to use up everything to do it. The Bullpen is just going to make nothing easy, but I think they have the starters and offense to find a way to win 8 of 14. They are still my pick.Even if they have to use 6 pitchers every night to get thorough the last 3 innings. I think they can do that 8 times. I think they can.
6. What can you say about the Dodgers and Yankees? When the opposition does not show up or keeps shooting itself in the foot, it's a little difficult to judge your quality. But that's what the LCS is for.
What am I doing until Thursday night now? No Baseball, no Football. Pointless Hockey yay!!!
1. It is awesome to watch the Red Sox and Yankees get embarrassed in the Post Season. Much better than watching them not make the post season. Last years 7 game elimination of the Red Sox by TB was ok, but getting swept this year and with a 2-out blown save in the final game to finish them off was awesome. Like a very satisfying slow motion train wreck. Detroit eliminating the Yanks in 2006 was the only better one I can think of.
2. The main strength of the Angels to me is depth. They don't really have a player you can say is the best in any series, but it does seem like they have 40 better than average guys on their 25 man roster. They just don't seem to ever run out of options
3. I never realized that giving up leads, leaving 30+ runners on base over 3 games and being thrown out at bases you are going back to is such a big part of "fundamental" baseball. But then I'm just a blogger.
4. For the 3rd season in a row the NL Central entrant goes out in a sweep. The NL Central must be the toughest division in baseball, because the winner just has nothing left after the regular season. Even when they've been cruising for a month and a half.
5. If the Phillies are going to defend they are going to use up everything to do it. The Bullpen is just going to make nothing easy, but I think they have the starters and offense to find a way to win 8 of 14. They are still my pick.Even if they have to use 6 pitchers every night to get thorough the last 3 innings. I think they can do that 8 times. I think they can.
6. What can you say about the Dodgers and Yankees? When the opposition does not show up or keeps shooting itself in the foot, it's a little difficult to judge your quality. But that's what the LCS is for.
What am I doing until Thursday night now? No Baseball, no Football. Pointless Hockey yay!!!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Thoughts on the new ATOS era
Haven't blogged at all since last weekends end of season madness, just been taking it all in through a very busy week waiting for my opportunity so here goes:
Congratulations Alex TooManyLetters (heretofore known as ATOS). Personally I hope this appointment is short lived, but how could anybody be unhappy for you. This is definitely a reward for some short number of years of (hopefully) hard work
I don't want to be really mean with my backhanded comments, it's not his fault he has lucked out like this. And I do hope atos all the luck and success in the world, because you know, we are all going to need it if this team is going to go anywhere. This is now the 3rd time the Jays have run this basic GM play, and I don't know if the media or fans have caught on (because I don't pay attention), but I certainly feel like I have. This is really just JP 2.0 without the embarrassing failure of a search for a General Manager from last time. Plus Rogers gets all the bonuses of the Canadian kid angle! I wonder what the next iteration's features will be.
Basically if this is really it, it's going to be 7 more years of smoke and mirrors supplied by atos with underfunded "attempts" at contention somewhere down the line. And then he gets fired. And we start all over again. Unless he totally screws up and starts telling people uplifting stories about his service in Gulf War I. Or fairies visit the city of Toronto and we all get ponies!
Forget about contending next season, no way management is giving this guy 100mil + in his first season to blow before they know he isn't a stark raving lunatic. And he wouldn't want it anyway. He has to tear this thing apart and then "build" something so he can justify his many million dollar contract extension after year 3, and guarantee his name is known so he can keep getting baseball jobs until he's 90. Good bye Hallady, hello 180+ Randy Ruiz strikeouts!
And whoever the next President is, forget about being wowed. There is no way anybody worth their salt would agree to coming into a situation like this. Minimum they would want a guaranteed 5 year budget and choice of all their own people. Rogers isn't going to give that, so this is what we get: Rookie unknown GM, 3rd rate "president", underfunded team.
The king is dead, same as the old boss.
Congratulations Alex TooManyLetters (heretofore known as ATOS). Personally I hope this appointment is short lived, but how could anybody be unhappy for you. This is definitely a reward for some short number of years of (hopefully) hard work
I don't want to be really mean with my backhanded comments, it's not his fault he has lucked out like this. And I do hope atos all the luck and success in the world, because you know, we are all going to need it if this team is going to go anywhere. This is now the 3rd time the Jays have run this basic GM play, and I don't know if the media or fans have caught on (because I don't pay attention), but I certainly feel like I have. This is really just JP 2.0 without the embarrassing failure of a search for a General Manager from last time. Plus Rogers gets all the bonuses of the Canadian kid angle! I wonder what the next iteration's features will be.
Basically if this is really it, it's going to be 7 more years of smoke and mirrors supplied by atos with underfunded "attempts" at contention somewhere down the line. And then he gets fired. And we start all over again. Unless he totally screws up and starts telling people uplifting stories about his service in Gulf War I. Or fairies visit the city of Toronto and we all get ponies!
Forget about contending next season, no way management is giving this guy 100mil + in his first season to blow before they know he isn't a stark raving lunatic. And he wouldn't want it anyway. He has to tear this thing apart and then "build" something so he can justify his many million dollar contract extension after year 3, and guarantee his name is known so he can keep getting baseball jobs until he's 90. Good bye Hallady, hello 180+ Randy Ruiz strikeouts!
And whoever the next President is, forget about being wowed. There is no way anybody worth their salt would agree to coming into a situation like this. Minimum they would want a guaranteed 5 year budget and choice of all their own people. Rogers isn't going to give that, so this is what we get: Rookie unknown GM, 3rd rate "president", underfunded team.
The king is dead, same as the old boss.
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