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by Savannah Guy The Invisible Man
Now, baseball: maybe Frank Wren should start serving the Beneful equivalent to attract game. Seems what he’s putting out there is not attracting much. Hard to get the good critters with burgers when they’re used to steak.
If the Liberty strategy is to save money to get the balance sheet as profitable as possible to sell within a few years and, in the interim, placates the gullible fans with promises, wild goose chases and PR, then their strategy seems to be working pretty well.
If they are in a two or four year rebuilding mode, they should probably just go ahead and announce that. Reasonable and savvy fans would understand it and appreciate it. Judging from the general attitude of some hardcore fans (bloggers) around the county across the river, Liberty has already succeeded with willing or unwitting accomplices in the stewardship of their austerity program.
When fans start managing and hot-stoving to middlin’ budgets and looking for bargain basement prices and opting for Jair Jurrjens as staff ace, then we’re just contributing to mediocrity and wallowing in delusion. Methinks those fans get so caught up in the fantasy/Monopoly money side of baseball that they don’t see what’s actually transpiring in the real world.
Many things need to happen for the Braves to compete in 09.
Thing one: We need to close a deal. I don’t expect the Braves to spend like the Yanks or Bosox, but when there is such a brouhaha over a guy like Furcal… and then even HE turns us down, our bar is not set very high. I’m very pleased that we didn’t get Furcal. Never liked him or his attitude. The Peavy “negotiation” was a debacle. Braves need at least one bonafide ace.
Thing two: Did I say we need an ace? We do. Javier Vazquez is not Lowe and he’s certainly not Sabbathia. Heck, Lowe is not even Lowe any longer. But the Braves have Vazquez. Then, we all love Smoltz and want him to return healthy and able to pitch, but it is a fantasy to think he’ll solve any of our starter lineup issues. It’s a very long shot that he can even pitch through ST. It’s not his elbow this time, it’s the shoulder. Glavine is pretty much the same story, although his arm isn’t quite the problem. But either of our great (old) aces are at best a number four starter on a winning club. We currently have a SP lineup that will wear out our bullpen by the end of May.
Thing three: We seem to be getting caught on the wrong side of the door when it slams on the parity of MLB in this new economic era. With an individual owner that is willing to spend and compete, that door could be kicked open again, but it’ll take big spending. With the trend of Liberty, that door will stay shut until the team sells.
Thing four: The Braves need a big, dependable bat. The LF platoon won’t cut it. We don’t have a cleanup hitter. Kotchman isn’t my idea of the big bopper at first, and we have an outfield filled with question marks when it comes to power and average. We need a threat in the lineup behind Chipper and before McCann. Simple as that.
Personally, I’m of the mindset that the Braves will be in the lower to middle of the pack until the time comes that we can grow youngsters into aces, like in 91, or when Liberty sells to an owner that wants to win. Until then, Braves are still and always my team and I’ll always hope the hope of a sports fan… but my expectations are not for them to be playing ball in postseason.
Fantasizing about Wren and Company putting a championship caliber team together with balance sheet austerity, band-aides, tooth pics, bubble gum and second-tier players is not exciting hot stove material, not practical and not realistic by any stretch of the imagination.
Maybe I’m just jaded. Maybe I’m spoiled. Maybe it seems negative but it’s not. Just seems realistic. Spending time and getting all emotional and rationalizing about trades for mediocre players or has-beens just doesn’t float my boat when by doing so, I still can’t control the outcome. Braves will sign a few players. We’ll see what we have when it’s announced and the ink is dry. Braves will play ball in the spring. We shall see what we have when it’s time for them to suit up.
Until then, unless Wren and Liberty break the trend that’s become painfully apparent, the Braves will be haggling over the castoffs and second stringers and struggling to be in fourth place in the division this year.
~IM~
Braves & Stuff 
Thanks, IM! 😆 It was too good to pass up! 😀
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Yikes CL… if I’d only known it wasn’t just one of my Sunday mornin’ rambles I would’a tried to write a bit better and be more specific for your lead. Oh, well… let it stand and I’ll take my hits.
Anyhoo, I suppose it’s more fitting for Braves and Stuff than a rationale for feeding raccoons or a story about Teradactyles and a pride of coastal cats, eh?
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I loved the stories! I can just see the cats and the pelicans! 😀
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Dec 28: 74 degrees – doors and windows open….. YEAH!
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Cats may be a lot smarter than you give them credit for. I lost a few hens to the red tail hawks in the area. They got a bit smarter in their old age and would take cover whenever they heard the “chickee” call of the hawks… The last victim of “fowl” play by the hawks was a wayward mallard that had taken up residence with Josie’s hens… After that, I would see the hawks swoop done a snatch an occasional squirrel. I know if Miss Kitty were to witness such a spectacle, she would be leery…. Heck, she has been a bit reluctant to kill the occasional hapless spider which crossed her path ever since one jumped at her… Such a timid cat is she….
Yes SG/IM, the Braves fans have been conditioned well to accept mediocrity and penny pinching as the new normal. You keep telling a lie long enough and it becomes the truth, just ask Al Gore….
And yes, up early this morning, it would be nice to sleep for 8 to 10 hours straight but it is not likely to happen. The pain woke me up and it usually takes a couple of hours for the meds to work well enough to allow me to go back to sleep.
Yes, I went outside this morning and it was absolutely balmy. All I could think about was how nice it would be to play golf… well, except for the 25 mph gale we are experiencing… Of course, would give me a great excuse to play poorly, not that I need another excuse.
Okay, I am off for a bit to preview a sale which is taking place tomorrow. My heart is not really in it today but if I don’t go, I am likely to be very disappointed tomorrow.
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IM, I am sure your new lead is swell….will confirm that when I have and hour or 3! 😆 And this wasn’t even meant to be a lead???? 😯
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IM, I am sure your new lead is swell….will confirm that when I have an hour or 3! 😆 And this wasn’t even meant to be a lead???? 😯
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Mission accomplished… well, almost… The usual “stuff” being offered at the sale tomorrow. I have made my list and checked it twice… 🙂
Will find out tomorrow who is naughty who is nice.
I see a couple of opportunities.
And dog food…. Field Trial and Old Roy are the two preferred brands according to the dogs, little is left for the other critters once the two mutts have done the deed. Doesn’t keep them from nosing around though, I can always tell when they are in the neighborhood because the dogs will start barking and will continue to bark long into the night.
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One to three hours? Berigan is a slow reader?
For the record, CL took editorial liberties and snatched my post on the last blog and turned it into a lead. She must’ve been desperate to turn that one into a lead but the blog was starting to bog down a bit.
Seems Salty was next in line but he must be pouring slow with all the humidity.
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Sometimes you have to take your blessings where you can find them! 😆
Raccoon food: whatever is cheapest! If they don’t like it, they can go find their own! So sayeth CL. 😀
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A baby born in CA weighed in at 14 lbs 2 oz. 😯
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Sumo baby. Wow.
It’s all my fault about spoiling the coons. When I tried the good stuff they just seemed so darned happy… could almost see’em smilin’ and all. I’ll try the cheap stuff and just see what happens. Beneful would last a while until the word got out. Then we went from two to six. Then the babies started dropping. We have a baker’s dozen now. This spring we could be looking at a herd.
Maybe a little weaning would be a good thing. Can only take so many.
Now, football: the Falcons won again today and finish the regular season at 11-5. Pretty incredible with the young team, rookie QB and with all that went wrong last year. Now it’s on the playoffs.
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Gil, estate sale or auction?
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Ah, now I’ve read it, and in less than 3 hours!!! 😉 Very good. Lots of bitter truth there….
after reading this….
If they are in a two or four year rebuilding mode, they should probably just go ahead and announce that. Reasonable and savvy fans would understand it and appreciate it.
I had this thought. That sounds perfectly reasonable. So…why don’t “we” do that??? Well, I guess there is a fear of dropoff at the gate, but methinks it has more to do with Bobby Cox and the homeboy upstairs.
And why should they matter more than the longterm goals of the team??? It could be Bobby’s last year…well, S*** happens. He’s rich. Most people don’t get a say in how they go out in their career, or when. So, we should worry about trading away more young talent so he has a slight chance to go out a winner??? IF the mutts sign Lowe, and re-sign O. Perez, we simply CANNOT compete, unless everyone on their staff blows out their elbow.
Sad but true, they have developed more young starters than we have! How can that be??? Heck, Jurrjens didn’t come from out system, where in the wide wide world of sports would we be if the Tigers didn’t have a really stupid GM????
We know we have one special arm on the way, and hopefully the others we hear about aren’t hot air. But, if Bobby is the Bobby of the last few years, he will be desperate to win more than protecting arms, and will ride any and all youngsters hard, and that worries me. I hope Jurrjens won’t have arm troubles in 2009….
Anyway, I wouldn’t mind trying to be a decent team, that with some breaks might compete, without mortgaging the future…than a team that thinks folks like Dunn and Ibanez can’t help us because they are lefties and this “championship” team has to have a right handed back, so lets trade more young players so we can please Bobby! 🙄
Sigh…not bitter, am I??? 😀
I am glad we have held on the two top prospects, which I think in the past we would have traded…..
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And I apologize for any lack of sense I am making…watching a show, a marathon of a show on the science channel called How it’s made. Very interesting! Making batteries now, showed making stetson hats, congo drums, baseball gloves, and so forth. Show is on til 9 pm, and is on every friday at 9 PM. Never heard of it til tonight. Making me feel dumb seeing how smart folks are to make some of this stuff!!!!
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I like the show, but can’t take the narrator’s almost monotone delivery. It takes what could be a very interesting show and makes it as much fun as a chapped lip. 🙄
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auction IM… I really don’t like estate sales all that much. Often priced way too high…
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A lot of life’s lessons can be gleaned from auctions…
1. Foremost is you never really own anything, it is simply in your possession for a time.
2. Value is in the eye of the beholder.
3. We often end up with way more stuff than we really need or really can use.
4. It’s good to be the king… 🙂
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Evening, y’all. I tried to post in the cats/coons/bird discussion last night but the laptop wouldn’t cooperate. Now I’m home but too delirious to repeat all of it just now. The drive that usually takes 9 hours, give or take a little, took 13. 😥 Remind me to tell about Tinker & the Christmas tree & Ricci & the paper bag. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to unkink my back.
Good job, SG/IM, especially for an unintentional lead.
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No news may be good news, but it certainly is boring, baseball-wise! 😦
Welcome back, FBG! Glad you had a great Christmas! 🙂
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OK… enough of this lack of talk on the old B&S superhighway. I have taken a few minutes away from a very busy schedule to peruse a comprehensive list of the remaining FA’s at both starting pitching and outfield and have drawn the following definitive conclusion:
Frank needs to engineer a trade… 🙄
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Wow!
Was that some real insight or what?!?
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😀
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Seriously, I’ll be surprised if the Mutts do not sign Derek Lowe this week. I feel our best remaining alternative may be Oliver Perez. Actually, I don’t view him as a bad pickup, but we may have to overpay a bit because his agent is Bora$$, and he’s probably the best pitcher remaining that isn’t an injury risk. He’s no #1 guy, but he is a talented pitcher and a lefty, something our rotation currently lacks.
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Of course, he is a Type A free-agent, so we’d have to give up a pick to NYM, but our #1 is protected, so actually we won’t lose one, they’ll just get a sandwich pick between rounds 1 and 2. I hate for them to gain anything because of us.
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VOR, I’ll come up with something to post just so you don’t feel like you’re talking to yourself. Give me a minute
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A skeleton walks into a bar, and orders a beer an a mop… 😉
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Three dogs are running down the road…one in front and two following side by side in the back. One of the followers turns to the other follower and says “Ain’t this a #####? The other follower says, “It better be.” BADA BING!!!
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😆
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How ’bout this:
A horse walks into a bar. Bartender says, “Hey, why the long face?”
😎
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A priest, a blonde, and a Polish guy walk into a bar. Bartender looks up and says, “Hey, what is this… some kind of joke?”
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from MLB.com –
“NEW YORK — The Mets ought to have a better read about their projected starting pitcher rotation by the end of the week.
They intend to make offers early this week to at least two and probably three free-agent pitchers — Derek Lowe, Oliver Perez and Randy Wolf — in hopes of signing one of them. A person familiar with the club’s immediate plans indicated as much Sunday, noting the club isn’t likely to pursue free agent Joe Beimel, despite an apparent need for a left-handed reliever.
The Mets believe Lowe and Perez, both represented by agent Scott Boras, are more in position to sign now that one of Boras’ higher-profile clients, Mark Teixeira, has agreed to a deal with the Yankees. They still view Wolf as a fall back alternate to the other two. There has been no indication the Mets will pursue more than one starter or that they will pursue any reliever to any great extent, opting instead to allow the market to slow even more.
The club still views Lowe as the most attractive of the remaining free-agent pitchers. The indications are the offers the Mets make to Lowe and Perez will reflect that view despite their difference in age — Lowe turns 36 in June and Perez turns 28 in August — and although re-signing Perez will not cost the club a second choice in the First-Year Player Draft in June. Like Perez, Lowe is a Type A free agent would carry that surcharge. The Mets already have forfeited their rights to a selection in the first round to the Angels by signing Francisco Rodriguez.
The Mets regard Lowe as more likely to be consistent from start to start than Perez, who has pitched in their rotation since early August 2006. Lowe has produced five seasons of at least 200 innings in last seven years. And he pitched 199 1/3 in another. Perez has averaged 156 1/3 in the last five seasons, making 135 starts, 33 fewer than Lowe. Johan Santana (234 1/3 innings, the most in the National League) and Mike Pelfrey (200 2/3) were the only Mets pitchers to exceed 200 innings during 2008. Perez pitched 194, the second highest total of his career.
Once the Mets fill the void in their rotation — and there is no guarantee they will sign Lowe, Perez or Wolf — they will be more likely to turn their attention to acquiring a middle infield reserve than a left-handed reliever. The trade of Scott Schoeneweis has left Pedro Feliciano as the lone left-handed reliever on the roster other than disabled Billy Wagner. But the club sees that apparent vacancy as one it can fill without intense pursuit of a free agent, such as Beimel.
General manager Omar Minaya seems more intent on acquiring a genuine middle infield understudy — another Boras client, Alex Cora, is the Mets’ preference — than a reliever. He points to how the Mets brought in Feliciano and Darren Oliver in 2006 — each was a lower-profle free agent commanding a modest contract — and says other left-handed relievers can be had without financial investment comparable to the $10.85 million the Mets committed to Schoeneweis for 2007-2009.
Minaya also suggests the club could go forward without a second left-handed reliever, particularly if Duaner Sanchez regains his ability to handle left-handed hitting.”
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Well, this solves the Braves problems, and gives Yunel a little company:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3798491
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Why don’t the Pittsburgh Pirates access have access to the internet?
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Uh… I dunno. Why?
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They can’t seem to put 3 W’s together.
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Is Wren in Miami by chance??
Mets, et al:
“The other teams could make trouble for us if they win.” Yogi
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Alright last one:
What do you get when you cross an insomniac, an agnostic, and a dyslexic?
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A guy who stays up all night wondering if there’s a dog.
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Later folks,…I’ve done enough damage for one day. {bows and walks away}
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😆 , Hillbilly!
“An oral contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.”
Sam Goldwyn said it, Furcal proved it.
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Later HB! 😆
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Howdy, CL!
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“Bank failures are caused by depositors who don’t deposit enough money to cover losses due to mismanagement.”
Guess who!
Right! Al Gore 🙄
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From Dan Quayle –
“The future will be better tomorrow.”
“People that are really very weird can get into sensitive positions and have tremendous impact on history.”
“Illegitimacy is something we should talk about in terms of not having it.”
“We’re all capable of mistakes, but I do not care to enlighten you on the mistakes we may or may not have made.”
“One word sums up probably the responsibility of any Vice President, and that one word is ‘to be prepared.'”
“Let me just tell you how thrilling it really is, and how, what a challenge it is, because in 1988 the question is whether we’re going forward to tomorrow or whether we’re going to go past to the — to the back!”
“The loss of life will be irreplaceable.”
“Bobby Knight told me this: ‘There is nothing that a good defense cannot beat a better offense.’ In other words a good offense wins.”
“It’s wonderful to be here in the great state of Chicago.”
“This isn’t a man who is leaving with his head between his legs.”
“Unfortunately, the people of Louisiana are not racists.”
“We lead in exporting jobs.” — Committing a Freudian slip while speaking to the Chamber of Commerce of Evansville, Indiana, a city which lost four large companies in the previous four years. He quickly changed the word ‘jobs’ to ‘products.’
“If you give a person a fish, they’ll fish for a day. But if you train a person to fish, they’ll fish for a lifetime.”
“We don’t want to go back to tomorrow, we want to go forward.”
“Votes are like trees, if you are trying to build a forest. If you have more trees than you have forests, then at that point the pollsters will probably say you will win.”
“[It’s] time for the human race to enter the solar system.”
Okaaaaaaaaay.
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3 guys walk into a bar…fortunately, none of them were seriously hurt! 😕
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He is definitely not the brightest canoe in the drawer… or something like that.
😀
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That was referring to Gore, of course…
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CL, can you send me a linky dink for them thar quotes???
If Dan Quayle said any of those, people would still be bringing them up….
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“Wait a minute! I’m not interested in agriculture. I want the military stuff.” — Senator William Scott, during a briefing in which officials began telling him about missile silos. No wonder we are where we are!
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http://www.rinkworks.com/said/
😆
Love ’em!
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I’m sure V’s been dying to see if I would comment back on the show, How it’s made. 😛
V, I didn’t even notice his voice, I guess after hearing the Shamwow guy and Billy May(Gee, like the arranger, trumpet player???) most everyone has a pleasant speaking voice! 😉
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Hey, Raisins! Sorry, I didn’t scroll up far enough; was busy doing the copy/paste thing. 😀
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Having trouble finding the Goracle! 😦
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In case y’all missed it on the previous lead, MATTHEW HAS NEW BABY PICS POSTED ON HIS CANDID CAMERA PAGE!
https://bravesandstuff.wordpress.com/our-own-candid-cameras/matthews-candid-camera/
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Oh, NO! My bad!! That was Mr Quayle, hisownself! Apologies! 😳
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My turn! My turn…my turn…my turn!!!! Me…me…me!!!!! Ok, ok, ok…goes like this! 🙄
A TOUGH OLD COWBOY FROM SOUTH TEXAS COUNSELED HIS GRANDSON THAT IF HE WANTED TO LIVE A LONG LIFE, THE SECRET WAS TO SPRINKLE A PINCH OF GUN POWDER ON HIS OATMEAL EVERY MORNING.
THE GRANDSON DID THIS RELIGIOUSLY TO THE AGE OF 103 WHEN HE DIED.
HE LEFT BEHIND 14 CHILDREN, 30 GRANDCHILDREN, 45 GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN, 25 GREAT-GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN, AND
^
^
^
^
A 15-FOOT HOLE WHERE THE CREMATORIUM USED TO BE.
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Did everyone see that Brad Penny signed cheap with the Red Sox??? Well, he was terrible last year, but most likely from shoulder issues.
He wanted to sign with a winner he said…why didn’t he sign with us then??? 😕
And I see rumors that Dunn might just sign with the Dodgers! If we are not going after him, wouldn’t that be great??? No place for Manny! 🙂
Which brings me to my next thought…scary thought! 😯
Manny for one year, 26 mil???? 😯 😯 😯
I know, making a deal with the devil, but I bet he would be the hardest working guy in the world for a year! I would take back EVERYTHING I said about us competing. Sadly, he is that good. Can you imagine how good Chipper would be with Manny behind him??? One year, just lose a sammich pick, act like the braves totally have interest in him, then after winning the WS, say hey Manram, it’s been swell, but we got this kid, Heyward, and well, I’m sure you’d rather play for a team on the west coast….
I’m a dreamer, but aren’t we all????
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Salty, 😆
CL. 😥 Oh man, I was sure a hopin’!!!
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Buster Olney says Sources: Jones in Dodger-Mets talks
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3798671
😯
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Never saw that one coming… ❓
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😆 , Salty!!
Sorry, Ber! I wuz areadin’ too fast!
Andruw a Met??? 😀
(What are they THINKING??)
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Manny + Bobby Cox? 😆
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Whew…. What a day… And lots of infield chatter on the old blog too… Hard to keep up with everything.
A good day for me at the sale, only one item got away from me and that was because I was distracted. Oh well, no need to be greedy.
And we belled the cat today, well, not exactly, had to give her an anti flea pill. Needless to say, we have a very indignant cat this evening.
And baseball…. Having Andruw Jones play for the Mets is… well… like having Andruw Jones play for the Mets. He better get fitted with special ear plugs because he is really going to need them.
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for Ber:
http://www.gargaro.com/algore.html
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/al_gore.html
http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/algore/a/algorequotes.htm
(just Google Al Gore quotes, Ber!)
😀
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Let us as Braves fans count our blessings:
Since the Chicago Cubs Last Won a World Series…
Twenty major events that have occurred since the Chicago Cubs last laid claim to a world series championship…
1. Radio was invented; Cubs fans got to hear their team lose.
2. TV was invented; Cubs fans got to see their team lose.
3. Baseball added 14 teams; Cubs fans get to see and hear their team lose to more clubs.
4. George Burns celebrated his 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th, 80th, 90th and 100th birthdays.
5. Haley’s comet passed Earth twice.
6. Harry Caray was born….and died. Incredible, but true.
7. The NBA, NHL and NFL were formed, and Chicago teams won championships in each league.
8. Man landed on the moon, as have several home runs given up by Cubs pitchers.
9. Sixteen U.S. presidents were elected.
10. There were 11 amendments added to the Constitution.
11. Prohibition was created and repealed.
12. The Titanic was built, set sail, sank, was discovered and became the subject of major motion pictures, the latest giving Cubs fans hope that something that finishes on the bottom can come out on top.
13. Wrigley Field was built and becomes the oldest park in the National League.
14. Flag poles were erected on Wrigley Field roof to hold all of the team’s future World Series pennants. Those flag poles have since rusted and been taken down.
15. A combination of 40 Summer and Winter Olympics have been held.
16. Thirteen baseball players have won the Triple Crown; several thanked Cubs pitchers.
17. Bell-bottoms came in style, went out of style and came back in style; disco did the same.
18. The Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox and Florida Marlins have all won the World Series.
19. The Cubs played 14,153 regular-season games; they lost the majority of them.
20. Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Oklahoma and New Mexico were admitted to the Union.
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A personal favorite:
A while back the inscription on the metal bands used by the U.S. Department of the Interior to tag migratory birds has been changed. The bands used to bear the address of the Washington Biological Survey, abbreviated “Wash. Biol. Surv.” until the agency received the following letter from a camper:
“Dear Sirs:
While camping last week I shot one of your birds. I think it was a crow. I followed the cooking instructions on the leg tag and I want to tell you it was horrible.”
The bands are now marked “Fish and Wildlife Service”.
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Lots of good stuff to be found on the blog tonight, some of it even has something to do with baseball… 🙂
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So, one night John Schuerholz, Frank Wren and Bobby Cox walk into a bar…
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…they got a table off to the side so they could speak privately.
They ordered drinks…
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The drinks arrived. They clinked glasses, wished each other luck and sipped.
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The cocktail waitress soon returned to their table and asked, “do you boys need anything else?”
Frank, who was seated next to Bobby, cleared his throat and asked if she could bring some Kleenex or napkins or something to the table along with another round of drinks.
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Bobby asked Frank if he had the sniffles.
John didn’t ask.
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The waitress return a few minutes later with a box of heavy duty Kleenex. She put them on the table in front of Bobby and walked away to serve another table.
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Frank was relieved that he didn’t have to, uh, slide the box to Bobby. The waitress seemed to intuitively know.
John was secretly amused.
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They sat and talked a while. Probably discussed trades, recovering pitchers and, well, other stuff.
At some point Bobby slid the Kleenex over to Frank and said, “here ya go… you needed those, right?”.
Frank hesitated for a moment. He wondered, should he say something to Bobby. Maybe he should wait until John excused himself for a bathroom visit so as not to embarrass anyone.
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Then, after an inordinately long pause, Frank answered Bobby’s question, “uh, no thanks. I’m good.”
John excused himself. He seemed to be snickering under his breath.
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Now or never, Frank thought. I’ll go ahead and confront Bobby once and for all. The box had been placed out of his reach and directly in front of Bobby. Why did he even have to bring this up at all. Couldn’t Bobby take a hint? Oh, well, he thought… someone has to finally speak up about this.
As Frank fumbled for what to say or how to start a conversation about the, uh, issue… the waitress returned.
She said, “gents, another drinky poo?” Frank, needing some courage, said “yes, please… another round. Make’em doubles”.
As she was leaving to get the drinks, without saying a word and in the most natural way, she slid the box of Kleenex back over to Bobby.
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Bobby stood up, walked a few feet toward the bar and said, “make mine a triple Nancy”.
The waitress responded with a knowing, “you got it Bobby”. Then she changed her order with the bartender.
John returned about the time the fresh round of drinks arrived.
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After a few minutes of chitchat, Frank said, “Bobby, do you know that waitress?”
Bobby said, “Sure. Come here all the time. Nancy’s a good kid, but weird in a cute way. Weird.”
John asked, “why do you say that Bobby?”
Bobby looked a little embarrassed for picking on her, but said, “well, every time I come in here she brings a box of Kleenex over and puts it on my table. I don’t have the heart to ask her why she has that obsession. Quirky girl.”
Frank had to excuse himself to return a phone call. Something about a trade. John must have a small bladder because he had to excuse himself again.
Bobby lit up a cigar and sipped his cocktail.
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“Wash. Biol. Surv.” 😆
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Now that is a shaggy dog story!
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Well, at least she didn’t ask what the hand sanitizer was for….
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And Josie wants to know… What’s with the manhole covers becoming uber Frisbees in Savannah? Swamp gas? Paula Dean leaving the light on? Heavy metal?
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Josie was very close.
It was heavy tourist gas. Paula’s restaurant is under investigation as the source. 😆
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Actually, it was an electric event. Underground power lines caused an explosion and fire. Much of downtown was shut down all day. Second time in 5 months.
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2nd time in five months… I would be a tad bit suspicious that what ever was done after the first event to fix the problem didn’t work. A lot like Atlanta’s pitching staff last year.
Looks like Manny is going the be the next big free agent signing. Only a question of where. Now, as much as he is a flake, he will really help some team score more runs. He is one of those players who the fans of opposing teams love to boo but if he is your player, he is adored…
I wonder how much the Yankees are going to shell out for him?
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Manny… I can’t even imagine him playing in Atlanta. Not for the Bobby Cox regime anyway. I’d love to have specifics on what Manny has done that was problematic for Boston or in LA. So many stories about clubhouse stuff, attitude and such and a few incidents of him not running a single out or admiring an almost home run that wound up being a 400 ft. single and such.
After Bobby’s gone from his managers seat, I’d like to see the Braves become a more blue-collar, scrappy, clutch team with guys like Youkilis, Damon (when in prime), Veratek, Dykstra, Helton, Biggio, Lofton, Nixon (Trott and Otis), Manny, Kent, Van Slyke, Guerrero, Oswalt, Smoltz, Schilling, Papelbon, etc. I could go on and on with the list. If those guys want to grow beards, hair or dreadlocks, who cares.
Right… dream on.
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Very few of those guys I mentioned would fit the acceptable ‘look’ of the Braves Country Club. French and KJ are the poster boys for the Atlanta ‘style’.
Chipper, Smoltz, Glavine, Maddux, Ohman, Moylan can make my blue-collar team any day. Anderson and Flowers are welcome too.
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Well… all’s quiet on the Braves’ front, which, given the very public drama the team has experienced thus far this offseason, is a good thing. Perhaps the almost deafening silence is a sign that there is indeed activity. How’s that for reverse logic? Or would that be cigol?
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IM, good team, but those guys are too old now! 😛 🙄
V, yep some good ol’ fashioned Cigol! 😀
I’m sure you read DOB a few days back saying Wren is going to be much more tight lipped from now on. Hopefully a really slow news day will be the day we get some great, unexpected news! Every mutt and Phillie has been banned for gambling on their team! 🙂 well, it wouldn’t have much to do with Wren, but still, good news is good news!
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Seriously though IM, I’d be all for some scrappy players. Heck, I wish Blanco hit for a higher average, and Prado would get a real chance to play everyday, cuz they have “it”
As an aside, I just ate some leftover veggies, Now I am having pudding. Interesting mix, eh what????
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Been having fun reading the far left libs on my jazz board bash Israel for daring to defend itself. Funny, most Jews are liberal as well….will be very interesting to see what the Chosen one will do on this topic in the future…very quiet right now….more so than merely a guy who isn’t yet president.
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B, you know why Blanco and Prado play with “it”? Because they aren’t everyday MLB caliber players, and are doing every thing they can to keep a job. Prado may develop into a decent gap to gap .280 average hitter with average defense. Contrary to a perceived notion that he’s gifted defensively, he simply isn’t. Nothing special there. Unless he develops a special bat, he’s just another fill-in. Blanco? He’s fast, but not quick. He can’t steal a base, even if he could get on. And I watched him misplay some balls that made me cringe. Poor instincts in the field. Again, a fill-in.
I really don’t care a whole bunch about scrappy or business-like, I just want talent. A talented malcontent can still drive in 150 runs a year. And that’s OK with me.
The problem with Manny was that he quit on the BoSox, essentially forcing the trade to LA. I don’t mind scrappy, business-like, even malcontent. I DO NOT like a quitter. Manny is a quitter.
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Raisins, can you tell me or direct me to something that explains specifically how Manny “quit” on the Bosox?
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Howdy, ISGM. The following article is a good read:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3704917
Here’s an exerpt:
For weeks leading up to the July 31 trading deadline, Ramirez had been complaining of pain in his right knee. After he told Boston manager Terry Francona that his knee was too sore to play on July 25, the Red Sox’s front office ordered an MRI exam during that night’s game against the Yankees.
But on the way to the exam, Ramirez, according to sources, couldn’t remember which knee was sore. So the Red Sox had both of his knees examined. The MRIs revealed no damage in either.
The backdrop for the problems in Ramirez’s relationship with the Red Sox was his contract situation. In 2001, Ramirez, now 36, signed an eight-year, $160 million deal with Boston that also included two option years at $20 million per season.
The 2008 season was the eighth year of the contract, and Ramirez made few attempts to disguise his desire to become a free agent when it ended, believing he could sign a more lucrative deal. He did not want the Red Sox to pick up the option years.
A number of incidents earlier in the season added to the tension between Ramirez and the Red Sox. Just after the All-Star break, Boston was swept in Anaheim, a series in which Ramirez reached base in eight of his 13 plate appearances. But late on Sunday afternoon, July 20, as the team was leaving Anaheim for Seattle, he initially refused to board the charter flight. Sources said he told the Red Sox that his knees were so sore, he couldn’t play for three weeks.
He eventually boarded the flight and played in the first two games against the Mariners, reaching base in six of the 10 times he stepped to the plate, before telling Francona his right knee was too sore to play on July 23.
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Yes, Bear… the nerve of that bully Israel, bombing the Hamas bomb sites and terrorist encampments like that. Just because Israel gets bombed by Hamas all the time doesn’t mean they need to, uh, return fire or defend themselves. If they would just make nice Hamas would probably all put down their weapons and start singing Kumbaya.
The logic and rationale of the ‘left’ would be amusing if it weren’t so disgusting and dangerous. Especially incredible is the Jewish support or lack of condemnation of those that want to wipe Israel off the map.
Political party and liberal dogma must be thicker than blood and more important than civilized ideals. Now, if Hamas threatened their personal bank accounts they may have a sudden shift in political views.
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Man, pretty good OPS for a guy with bad knees… I wonder how his toes are? He seems to step on everyone else’s….
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What I think is incredibly funny is how the main stream media makes out like Hamas is a creditable force and the few rockets they manage to hurl back at Israel has some significant impact vs the hundred of bombs Israel rains down on them.
Do I blame Israel? Nope, do I sympathize with either group? No again… Those folks have been fighting for 2000 years and I don’t see any let up in that occurrence happening in my lifetime.
Now baseball…. uh… I got nothing.
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Okay folks, I am off to visit with my Mom… later…
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Thanks Raisins. I don’t doubt that Manny is a problem child but I also know how team PR machines can spin any story to support pumping or dumping players. As an aside, wonder if the Bosox MRI’s on Manny’s knees were as dependable as the Braves MRI’s with damn near all of our injured pitchers? You know… the very MRI’s and thorough exams that showed no problems before it was too late and seasons were abruptly halted.
Regardless, sounds like Manny has phantom knee and ‘optional’ contract pains. After complaining of knee pain, then going out and reaching base 8 of 13 times then 6 of 10 times, just think what he might be able to do with a new, healthy contract and a pain free left knee.
Or was it the right knee?
😆
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I’m off too… to visit with my, uh, big fat pile of unfinished work.
…sigh…
Maybe I could save time and just stuff it all in a drawer. Besides, I have knee pain. Can’t remember which knee, but pain. Oh, the pain! Feeling faint…
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I have to share this little story with y’all…
Mrs. Raisins and I have spent the last couple of years, and this past year especially, adjusting our dietary habits and being more physically active in an effort to create a more healthy environment for the kids, but also to simply get these bods in better shape.
Today is an atypically warm day here in NE Ga. My office is in an upstairs room that gets warm when the temperatures are warm, so rather than turn on the AC, I simply changed into a t shirt and pair of gym shorts. When I walked into the kitchen, my 6-year-old daughter asked, “Dad.. have you been working out?” I kinda proudly and smugly replied, “No. Do I look like I’ve been working out?”
“No. Something smells sweaty.”
🙄
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Especially incredible is the Jewish support or lack of condemnation of those that want to wipe Israel off the map.
Ya know, I really want to say something really horrible! 😈 Instead, I’ll just say Israelis know what courage and conviction are, and live it daily.
OK…one more thing…Arabs are no more supportive of Palestinians than the man in the moon. Their aim is to keep Israel occupied by conflict, so the conflict doesn’t become their own. Keeps oil prices up, too!
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VOR…mouths of babes! 😆
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What the Braves should do:
Plan A – Sign Derek Lowe, trade for Jermaine Dye, sign Wil Ohman.
Plan B – Sign Oliver Perez, trade for Xavier Nady, sign Wil Ohman.
What the Braves will do:
Plan A – Sign Braden Looper, trade for Nick Swisher, sign Wil Ohman.
Plan B – Sign Jon Garland, play the rooks.
What I will do:
Plan A – Still catch ’em most nights on whichever channel they are on.
Plan B – Watch SpongeBob Squarepants while keeping up with the action on ESPN Gamecast.
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Only in America…
http://www.inquisitr.com/13491/200-people-dressed-as-superheroes-fighting-crime-only-in-america/
Now we have an explanation for Grinch’s, Klobber’s and Paladin’s prolonged absences.
😀
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Ya know, I really want to say something really horrible! Instead, I’ll just say Israelis know what courage and conviction are, and live it daily. 😯
❓ Did Salty misunderstand ❓
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Maybe Braves will opt for:
Plan C – Sign SpongeBob Squarepants as a starting pitcher
Plan D – Sign Ren and Stimpy as outfielders
Still need a big bat. Maybe they’ll sign Batman.
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Did Salty misunderstand
Upon further review… 😳
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Now young man, I want to hear what horrible stuff you were gonna say so I can tell you to go wash your mouth out with soap. 😆
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Well…i’ll stop far short of needing soap. Iread lack of Jewish support…essentially, I butchered the statement…then reacted…something I’d prefer not doing.
Still, there are a couple of issues that spike my BP…ostrich mentality is one. So, stopping just shy of a soliloquy (B&S first?…nah, not with SG/IM..and me around!) or simple diatribe, I’ll just say I don’t get how people are selective about what history they’ll quote and that which they will deny and not learn from. How’s that?!? 🙂
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Oh…and I appreciate the ‘young man’ reference…made my day! 😆
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Iread ❓ See what happens when I rush!?!
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Three contractors are bidding to fix a broken fence at the White House in D.C.; One from Illinois one from Tennessee and a third from Kentucky . They all go with a White House official to examine the fence.
The Tennessee contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring, then works some figures with a pencil.
‘Well’, he says, ‘I figure the job will run about $900… $400 for materials,
$400 for my crew and $100 profit for me.’
The Kentucky contractor also does some measuring and figuring, then says, ‘I
can do this job for $700… $300 for materials, $300 for my crew and $100
profit for me.’
The Illinois contractor doesn’t measure or figure, but leans over to the White
House official and whispers, ‘$2,700.’
The official, incredulous, whispers back, ‘You didn’t even measure like the
other guys! How did you come up with such a high figure?’
The Illinois contractor whispers back, ‘$1000 for me, $1000 for you, and we hire that guy from Kentucky to fix the fence.’
‘Done!’ replies the government official.
And that’s how it’s done in Chicago and Washington.
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Something smells sweaty. 😆
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It ain’t me! 😛
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From Little green footballs…(Has nothing to do with sports!) link at bottom will take you to the video not taken down(as of yet)
IDF’s YouTube Channel Under Attack
Video | Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 10:15:25 am PST
The IDF has opened a channel on YouTube to post videos showing why they’re fighting Hamas; one of the most-viewed videos showed Hamas terrorists loading rockets into a truck in a residential neighborhood. And of course, Hamas supporters are using YouTube’s “flagging” features to get these videos removed: What YouTube Doesn’t Want You to See.
Here’s that video, still available on Liveleak:
UPDATE at 12/30/08 10:29:22 am:
Here’s the IDF YouTube page, with the following statement:
We are saddened that YouTube has taken down some of our exclusive footage showing the IDF’s operational success in operation Cast Lead against Hamas extremists in the Gaza Strip. As the State of Israel again faces those who would see it destroyed, it is imperative that we in the IDF show the world the inhumanity directed against us and our efforts to stop it. It is also worth noting that one of the videos removed had the highest number of hits (over 10,000) at the time of its removal.
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/32317_IDFs_YouTube_Channel_Under_Attack
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Interesting video… not a particularly clear drone (or jet?) shot like some I’ve seen of our boys in Afghanistan and Iraq, and it looked a bit doctored or maybe enhanced to show the explosion. Dunno… but if it was not staged and it really was Hamas and they were loading bombs then I’m glad they got their chance to see all those virgins at the end.
The whole YouTube thing confuses me. Is the IDF saying that YouTube is purposefully removing their videos and siding with Hamas? Seemed that way but why would YT do that? All IDF has to do is upload them again and again if the bad guys are flagging them.
Maybe we should have Salty give them a piece of his mind. 😛
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oops.
Meant to say: …shot like some (videos) I’ve seen from our boys…
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Mr. Fly called. Said he was very bored in Colorado. He went over there with Frank. No phone calls, no trades, nothing to report.
I think he was hopping a plane to Orlando. Something about orange blossoms.
Crazy bug.
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Crickets.
Tumbleweeds.
Distant, sad whistle of a train.
Lonely call of a foghorn from a ship passing in the cold night.
Far away hoot of a night owl.
Slow drip from a leaky faucet.
Steady hum of a ceiling fan motor.
Getting sleepy… sleepy… sleep… slee… slll… ssss… zzzz… wha?
Familiar sound of… what?
Pop pop popping?
Orville Redenbacher’s very own buttered, movie style! 😀
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IM, Youtube has for quite some time been lenient on Jihadi videos , but quick to cancel any clips critical of Islam…this vid was canceled after it got some press….
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/30157_YouTube_Hosts_Jihadi_Murder_Video
Joe Lieberman has been able to make some inroads
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/31227_YouTube_Cracking_Down_on_Jihad_Videos
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I’m afraid the only thing I ever watch on Youtube is skating videos, since we get almost no TV coverage now. ( The baseball equivalent would be seeing only the Opening Day game, 1 or 2 playoff games & the World Series. That’s it.)
IMSG, tell Mr. Fly to drop by here on his way. I’ll bake for him.
You know, I don’t know what Chris or Uncle Paladin look like, but the image of Grinch in a spandex suit is highly amusing. I’m sure he’d get a chuckle out of it.
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Good morning folks, Well, it appears the warm weather we have been experiencing is about to come to a screeching halt. The cold front is swooping in from the west and it is expected to be down to 20 degrees by midnight. Looks like old man winter is about to remind us he is still around.
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Grinch in spandex?
Feeling faint… must return to bed now…
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OK Stuffians… three questions in a preference poll:
Dunkin’ Donuts or Krispy Kreme (or other)?
What is your preferred coffee (in and out of home)?
Favorite cold soda or beverage (non-alcohol)?
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KKD is the bomb!
Starbucks Verona, brewed at home ($6.49/12oz. package when on sale @ Kroger)
Pepsi MAX (until a couple of months ago, it was Coke Zero, but the MAX has overtaken the Zero)
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1. KK!!! No contest!
2. Maxwell House decaf
3. (you have to ask??) Diet Coke decaf 😆
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My New Year’s Eve plans?
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
😆
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Well, if I have to choose between those two, Krispy Kreme. Best donuts were back in St. Louis. less greasy. There was a bakery in the burbs called Lake Forest Bakery. OMG!!! 😯 Must have been part of some weird old woman cult, everyone who worked there was 70 if they were a day! And if you didn’t get there before about 1 pm, all the donuts were gone for the day! Not very smart, but they were always busy.
I’m not what coffee drinkers would call a real coffee drinker! 😉 I really like iced cafe Mochas from barnes and noble, and a chain called its a grind’s ICM’s even better than B&N.
Not much a soda drinker, but when I do, I get Publix’s diet root beer made with splenda. Nutrisweet does nasty things to me innards….
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According to this article,( http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081230&content_id=3730430&vkey=hotstove2008&fext=.jsp&partnerId=rss_mlb ),
Manny’s agent is receiving no offers. Boras contacted the Dodgers to see if they have any interest after the Dodgers expressed interest in 2 other players.
“The market for Ramirez has been essentially non-existent. The Dodgers’ two-year, $45 million offer with a $15 million third-year option — made in October and withdrawn soon after their window of negotiating exclusivity closed on Nov. 14 — remains the only one yet extended to the slugger, who turns 37 next year.
Ramirez never responded to that offer.”
Interesting. 🙂
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So V, Max is greater than Zero??? 😀
You are all about the caf, CL is all about the decaf. But then again, you guys probably already knew that….
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CL, that would be classic, wouldn’t it??? No offer til spring training…might have to sign a one year deal. Perhaps never to play in the states again??? Might have to go to Japan, where he’d HAVE to run out every hit ball…
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Man, the wind is howling! I swear I never heard the wind blow as much as I have the last year or so. Not just March winds, but darn near every month has some windy days, or weeks in the winter…
If there were some global warming “experts”, wait, they don’t say that anymore, climate change experts , that talked about increased wind, I might just by into it a bit.
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Somehow I just knew what CL’s number three pick would be. CFDC. 😉
So, Dick Clark is back to host a NY New Years Eve show. Isn’t that getting a little bit like Breakfast at Bernie’s? C’mon Dick… retire already. Let it go.
I’ll hold off on my donut, coffee, soft drink picks ’til I hear all y’alls.
Paladin in spandex?
Feeling faint… must lay down.
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Bear, as most politicians and socialists, er, global warming ‘scientists’ know, global warming causes all sorts of weather changes. Global warming causes, uh, warm weather, cold weather, moderate weather, wind, rain, snow, hail, sleet, darkness and light. Amazing how global warming effects everything.
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Maybe we should have Salty give them a piece of his mind.
Just say when!!! 🙂
Feeling faint… must lay down.
SG/IM….it’s the spandex…cuts off the blood!
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Klobber as Marvel crimefighter?
The Superhero Saloonkeep?
The Knob Creek Avenger?
In spandex?
Feeling faint… can’t take much more… must lay down again.
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FBG cupcakes in Florida? Red Velvet cake? Apple pie? Cookies? Mmm…
Just have three or four orange groves to visit first, then I’ll buzz right over.
Mama puts the pies out to cool and away we go.
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Just what we need… a sassy, opportunistic little fly buzzing around trying to get a free meal. Where’s the sleuth reporting anyway? Where’s the scoop on Braves trades? Where’s Wren? Where’s Lowe? Where’s Manny? Where’s the inside dope?
Where’s a fly swatter when you need one?
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Maybe the three superheroes could use this as a secret weapon?
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Here’s my choices and I gotta bolt for a while:
1. Krispy Kreme. No contest imo… never liked the dryness of Dunkin’s. I also think KK has coffee just as good as Dunkin’. Never liked Starbucks… it’s bitter. Love those melt in your mouth hot off the rack plain glazed best.
2. Folgers regular, unless I get some exotic fancy shmantsy beans and grind’em myownself… which I do from time to time.
3. Diet Coke. With caffeine, cold, right out’a the can. Love the taste of aluminum in the afternoon.
All staples in any normal diet. 😀
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IM, with 3 hours of sleep behind me, and some biz errands ahead of me, I am drinkin’ some Folgers right now! I got one of them really big plastic jars that makes 30 cups. Had it for 3-4 months…lots of half and half, and sugar in this cup….just like ol’ Sam Spade would drink it!
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Wow, it’s afternoon already, I went back to sleep shortly after my AM post and the next thing I knew it was 11:45… Did I miss anything? Trade made yet?
Ah, the old what’s your preference quiz…
Yes, Krispy Kremes are the best. Dunkin Donuts always give me terrible indigestion…
Coffee? Depends on what’s on sale. I seldom have a choice but I really miss my dad’s coffee, He had an electric peculator he had perfected to the Nth degree as far as the right formula of Maxwell House, water and brew time. The entire contents of 12 cups were always consumed when we got together. It was so smooth hardly and cream or sugar was needed. I never could duplicate it at home. I do not care for Starbucks nor any of the exotic blends. May as well just drink Luzzeanne with chicory.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child and always preferred Pepsi. Did you know Pepsi spelled backwards is ISPEP? It’s true…
But as I aged I put away childish things and turned to Coke. As I got wider, I changed yet again to Diet Coke. Still need the “leaded” stuff but one must pick their energy boost from sources other than sugar.
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You are all about the caf
If you really knew me, you could see that pretty easily. Tough to keep up sometimes…
I am a coffee lover. Between the Mrs. and me, one package of Starbucks Verona will go for about 2 weeks. Maybe not even that. Verona is a dark blend, moderately bold, very flavorful. I hate coffee that is nothing more than hot brown water. Bleh! 😡
I used to drink my coffee black, but it began to mess with the ol’ upper GI a bit. Reflux and such. I found that using a modest amount of half-n-half negated the acids from the coffee and took care of the reflux problem. I know… TMI. I got off on a tangent, there.
Anyway, I am enjoying a cup of Joe as we speak, er, type. Mmmm… 😀
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My NYE plans are about the same as CL’s, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. If TCM had anything decent on, I’d watch it. But they have some kinda compilation junk on all night. Bah! 😡
Mrs. Raisins and I will toast to a glass of… probably decaf; then will come the obligatory New Year’s kiss. Who needs alcohol when you can party like that?!?
No drinkie for me. I did enough of it in years past to last a lifetime. It is now a vice best left buried in the past. Besides… why would I want to dull my senses when I have a kiss from the lovely Mrs. Raisins to look forward to?
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Hmmm… DeRosa traded to the Tribe for 3 young pitchers, presumably to flip to SD in a Peavy deal. Interesting…
http://stations.espn.go.com/stations/espnradio1000/blog?id=3738908&post=3802362
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I’m not so old that I want to go to bed before New Years arrives…lot’s of ol’ folks on this here board! 😛 That’s all right though….
My Dad never drank, and with my Mom no longer with us, no reason to buy any bubbly. I don’t like the stuff much at all….
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That’s very interesting V! I would have thought the best bet would have been trading him to the Angels, which I have heard for years had tons of young players, and really no place to play them.
Two reasons to go to http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/index One, to see the video on the right of Buster Olney talking about the free agents left, and two, on page 2 of 5(You can’t get links from those flash videos) is a very interesting outside the lines called Million dollar arm. Really worth watching on 2 pitchers from India, that until about 9 months ago, had never even picked up a baseball before! You really root for them to make it….
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If Lowe is really a possiblity for 12-15 Mil, shouldn’t we put in an offer??? I hate to drive up the price for Borass, but just make a one and done offer, 3 years, 48 Mil. Everything I have read about him says hes a real stand up guy(except for choice of agent) a 180 from Manny, a work out freak….Can we really go into spring training with Campillo, Jurrjens, Vasquez ,Morton and the rookie who’s name escapes me at the moment??? Can you imagine the wear on the bullpen with them??? And to read an article about the Mutts, and have the writer say only 2 starters pitched more than 200 innings for them…
Need to get some shut eye so I can manage to stay up to New Years….
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(I’m working on it….) 😡
OK.
https://bravesandstuff.wordpress.com/our-own-candid-cameras/carolina-ladys-photos/
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Yikes… the link isn’t linkin’…
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Got it now, Raisins. WordPress has improved their product until it is near useless! 😦
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Yikes CL…. even more reason to stay here….. (VA) I prefer my vipers to be of the Chrysler variety…
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That’s gotta be one of the biggest rattlesnakes I’ve ever seen! It looks big enough to swallow that man standing there.
15 miles is about the right distance to stay from that monster. 😯
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Belt for Chino?
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I’ll need to be moving on shortly to get the grill ready for action. Have a few friends coming over and we’re throwing some steaks on, ‘taters in the box and tossin’ a salad… so, if I’m not back to say it, y’all have a HAPPY, SAFE NEW YEAR’S EVE!!!
In other words, walk safe and don’t stub your toes on the way to the kitchen to make coffee, get a Diet Coke or pop popcorn! 😆
Hey, if friends were not coming over, Miss Guy and yours truly would be a’doin’ the same thing, just like we’ve done many times before. Except I will have a few glasses of wine and a cocktail to bring in the new year… even if I call it a night before midnight.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, Y’ALL!
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In all likelihood, I won’t be back before tomorrow, so…
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY!
Be safe, watch out for those who can’t handle it, and we’ll see you in ’09.
😀
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I’m staying up! After a 4 hour nap….Happy New Years to everyone!!! 😀 😀 😀
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Ho Ho Ho.. Merry C… uh, oh yeah, Happy New Year, yeah.. that’s the ticket..
Seriously, may all of you have a safe, healthful and prosperous 2009…
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HAPPY NEW YEAR, MY FRIENDS!!
May it be a blessed one for each of you and those you love.
‘Night!
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Highly speculative to say the very least, but hey….how much do we get paid??? 😉
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/99107-trade-fair-the-braves-finally-land-an-ace
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My early-to-bed family have all gone to snooze so I will be seeing in the New Year alone here. The next-door neighbors seem to be having quite the party though. I sure hope one of ’em is a designated driver.
1. Krispy Kreme. No contest.
2. Don’t drink coffee.
3. Coca-Cola, though I rarely drink it these days due to my ongoing diet attempts. Diet Sunkist Orange is good.
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Mr. Fly, we have many, many orange groves here in the Bradenton area, as is fitting for the home of Tropicana.
The thought of our intrepid heroes in Spanx girdles is even more amusing than the spandex. However I have to tell you those things are near miraculous. Instant “Have you been on a diet?” .
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😯 Just looked at CL’s link. 😯 Have I mentioned that I am very very very very afraid of snakes? 😯
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Happy New Year, my dears!!!!
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It’s 2009! 😀
Was that gunfire I just heard??? Sounded too quick to be fireworks!!!! 😯
FLB, you and Indiana Jones eh??? 😛 Truth be known, I ain’t crazy about snakes either. the old laundra mat we went to in ST. Louis had a old guy with a leg much shorter than the other. He claimed a snake bit him as a kid out in a field….as a kid, I really didn’t want one leg to be shorter than the other, so snakes and tall grass, I shied away from! 😉
Oh, FLB, the neighbors just called and said you are the designated driver! 😛
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How about if I just confiscate all their keys & let them sleep it off there?
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Happy New Year Stuffians! Last year seems so long ago.
New Year Resolution: become more serious, less silly, less corny, quit posting music clips, keep posts to two sentences or less and post more baseball related information and links in the Stuffville Post Times Journal. Try to be helpful to denizens that have serious questions or concerns and try to always provide factual information.
a old guy with a leg much shorter than the other. He claimed a snake bit him as a kid out in a field….
Bear, the old man was just pulling your leg. Snakebites don’t inhibit growth unless you get swallowed. If that happens, there is quite a bit of shrinkage. If the snake is a big rattler, then you turn into small little pellets. If it happens to be a python, then you come out doing funny skits.
No, the old man probably just lived on the side of a mountain growing up. Haven’t you noticed how the cows all have shorter legs on the uphill side of their bodies? Comes from a life of standing around on an uneven surface. Yep… environmental influenced deformity. Was the man’s wife named Eileen?
No time for music. Must be serious and factual in 2009.
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Oh man, what a head ache I have… and no alcohol to blame for it…
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Sorry to hear that Gil. Not the best way to start 09. May need to drink more.
Could be the barometer. You guys must be pretty chilly up there. We’re relatively warm down here on the coast with a low in the mid 40’s but just to the north, near CL territory, it starts dropping off pretty quick. Still, even with 40 degrees this morning and the Nor’easter blowin’, it’ll chill your bones pretty quick.
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Happy New Year, all.
I must start the year off with some Braves chatter… Is there anyone out there who thinks that there is any sense at all to signing Ben Sheets to a 1 or 2 year deal? Could the Braves afford the backlash if injuries continued to stunt his career? On the flip side, is his #1 potential enough for Frank and the FOT’s to roll the dice, insomuch as there are no other #1 options left, except Lowe who seems very unlikely.
Disclaimer: I am not necessarily advocating a signing one way or the other, simply trying to stir the pot… 😀
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HNY!!! I spelled it out so many times last night, it would be silly to do it again! 😉
V, I’d be for it, lets say one year with a option based on innings for the second??? I just worry that his elbow ain’t well, he surely wanted to pitch in the playoffs, and just couldn’t.
I think we are so used to guys missing time that if he only went on the 15 day DL twice, we’d be just fine with it. We know better than to have unrealistic expectations nowadays 🙄
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IM, speaking of Dick Clark, and whether he should just hang it up…I think he should keep on keepin’ on. I might not feel that way if he hadn’t had the stroke, but he shouldn’t disappear just because his speech is a bit slurred. He just spends a little time on the air, that I see, with Ryan Seacrest (sp?) doing the bulk of it….I am sure he’s an inspiration to stroke victims these days, and it’s the only time I ever see him anymore….
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B: [Bleacher Report’s] final mock trade of 2008:
The Braves [would] trade right fielder Jeff Francoeur, shortstop Yunel Escobar, starter Jorge Campillo, and minor league outfielder Gorkys Hernandez to the Royals in exchange for starter Zack Greinke and right fielder Jose Guillen.
Hmmm… it seems like too much going the other way for the Braves, but for some strange reason, I can’t explain why. Greinke and Guillen would certainly help fill the Braves needs, but you still have a hole in LF, and have lost your starting SS and leadoff hitter. Also, Greinke has yet to prove himself a staff “ace”, even though it’d be nice if he did it in a Braves uni. No, I still think it’s too steep a price to pay. I think I just explained why.
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Perhaps if Furca-hole hadn’t screwed the Braves, I might think differently…
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Now, a vent about stuff:
Last night, with absolutely nothing of worth on the tube, TCM shows some compilation junk all night. Today, with the air full of quality football, including the Dawgs in an hour, TCM has nothing but 3 and 4 star movies showing.
😡
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Another day, another day…. 🙂 I made a list last night of things to get done, it’s what I used to do before I retired and was juggling so many balls in the air. Allows me to stay focused and eliminates distractions. Starting with a clean slate helps. Only difference is I have not put a deadline on anything, just things that need doing.
I am sitting here waiting for the pain medicine to kick in, I hate it when I forget and the last dose wears off. I still have one of those behind the eyeballs throbbing headache. maybe it’s sinus, the cold front may have something to do with it, definitely a bad hair day….
Folks, I do not like any trade involving Escobar unless it is for an ace. I just don’t think it is worth it. Let’s see how Doiry Hernandez performs at AAA this year, I tried to get some info on how he was doing in the winter leagues but the info is pretty sketchy. I was a clutch guy for Richmond last year when he came up from Mississippi. He normally plays 2nd base but he was playing short in the Dominican league this winter.
SG/IM… Salty… Raisins… maybe one of you guys can prod DOB into asking about him. He pretty much has ignored my questions.
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V, that does sound like TCM! They run some of their most interesting films, films that rarely if ever run, at 8 am as well. Still the best movie channel…of course, that’s almost be default, isn’t it???
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V, I agree about that mock trade as well. Besides, we may need Campillo, sadly enough….Sounds like Lowe isn’t impressed with the Mets offer. Are the Braves gun shy about even making an offer??? I’d LOVE to see us take a starter away from the Mutts, and help us. Perhaps a very last minute offer????
I will not be a happy camper if they sign him for, for…well, not peanuts, but peanuts in baseball money, and get O. Perez. I’m sure no one here will be either…
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Gil, sorry about the headache! I don’t have near the problem you are having, but I have been quite aware of my sinuses the last 2 days. High pressure, low humidity, plus heating the dry air, just not a good combo…days are getting a bit longer at least. Spring is in the air! 😀
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Braves general manager Frank Wren can salvage what has been a frustrating offseason — no shortstop Rafael Furcal, no righthander Jake Peavy, no righthander A.J. Burnett — by adding a corner outfielder with power. Atlanta’s outfield produced only 27 homers last season, fewest for a full season by an outfield since six clubs had 27 or fewer in 1992. That included 19 homers by the Chicago White Sox.
The Braves have also not given up hope of signing free-agent righthander Derek Lowe, though the Mets reportedly offered Lowe a three-year, $36 million deal. If the Braves land Lowe, they will consider themselves lucky for missing out on Burnett. –Gerry Fraley, Sporting News
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Should the Braves consider a run at Orlando Hudson? He’s an all-star 2B who hit .305/.367/.450 last season and is more a true leadoff hitter than Esco. Great glove, great clubhouse guy, right handed bat. Could allow a KJ trade for OF bat, or at the very least, move KJ to LF.
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Two article headings listed:
-Veterans not yet ready for rocking chairs
-Bonds undergoes hip surgery
That’s like one of my favorite signs here in town. Both are on the same signboard:
-North Carolina Department of Revenue
-Coastal Finance
😆
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Gil, all Braves winter league stats can be found here:
http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/org.jsp?id=atl
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Gil, it looks like Diory Hernandez is having an outstanding winter. He’s hitting .329/.403/.516 with 7 HR’s. Not too shabby…
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Oh, and by the way…
Gregor Blanco is hitting .349/.464/.512
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Jayson Stark’s FIVE ALL-TIME STRANGE-BUT-TRUE-ISMS OF 2008
• BEWARE OF MAD DOG DEPT.: The only Padre to steal a base in the entire month of July was that world-famous base bandit, Greg Maddux.
• EQUAL TIME DEPT.: CC Sabathia tied for the lead in shutouts in BOTH leagues in the same season.
• CRIME DOESN’T PAY DEPT.: Willy Taveras stole five bases in one game on June 14 — but still didn’t score a run.
• SIX OF ONE, HALF-DOZEN OF THE OTHER DEPT.: Matt Holliday reached base six times in one game April 17 — but didn’t score OR drive in a run.
• DÉJÀ VU DEPT.: And the Padres somehow won four games in a row in June by exactly the same score — namely, 2-1. So how insane was that? (A) They had only one other stretch all year in which they won four games in a row by ANY score. And (B) they were the first team in history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, to win four straight games with exactly the same score of any size, shape or numerical denomination.
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More Stark:
–Not only did Carlos Zambrano pitch a no-hitter this year, he also outhomered Andruw Jones 4-3.
–Pudge Rodriguez bopped six homers in 39 at-bats in the spring — and that was one more than the five he hit in 302 at-bats during the season before the Tigers shipped him off to the Yankees.
–Angels rookie Sean Rodriguez will never forget his Sept. 4 strikeout against the Tigers — because it came on a 4-and-2 pitch, when everybody lost track of the count, including the umpires AND Rodriguez.
–The Braves became the first team since 1910 to come from behind in the ninth inning to tie up each of their first two games in a season — and then went on to lose both of them. [Portent of things to come, perhaps?]
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Thanks Raisins, I would keep an eye on him during spring training. I think he has a future in the bigs, just don’t know if will be in Atlanta.
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Interesting stuff, Raisins. Thanks for finding them!
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Stark always comes up with interesting stuff!
Not only did Carlos Zambrano pitch a no-hitter this year, he also outhomered Andruw Jones 4-3.
And speaking of Andruw….
Dodgers Working On Buyout For Andruw Jones?
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/01/dodgers-working.html
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I’d take Lowe and Sheets. Why Sheets has been injury-plagued, who knows, but obviously (to date) none keep him from coming back in dominating fashion. Maybe a change of venue will leave the ‘black cloud’ behind!
Happy New Year….everyone!!!
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Good stuff there, VOR.
I was scared off by Sheets’ injury history but he’s starting to look better, isn’t he?
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Hey, I’d take a flier on Andruw if he was cheap, I’m sure he could play center… Maybe our excellent hitting coach could get his swing straightened out …. Yeah, right…. Still, could happen.
Congratulations to you Georgia Bulldog fans… Salty, sorry about that….
I am watching the Va Tech vs Cinncy game. Looking to see if Beamer can change the mindset of the Hokie fans. Tired of losing bowl games are we.
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Have Andruw spend all winter with Larry Jones Sr. & Howie McCann. Then we’ll talk.
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So… back to the kitty story I tried to tell the other night- Taking down the tree in Tiger, we got to laughing about a Christmas tree incident from several years back. Sitting in the living room one day we were very alarmed to see the tree suddenly start swaying back & forth, ornaments jingling. Upon closer inspection we discovered Tinkerbell climbing the tree we had so kindly provided for her enjoyment. Have you ever tried to get a rather tubby cat down from halfway up a fully decorated Christmas tree? 😯
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We also had to put non-breakable ornaments on the bottom branches because both she & Ricci would sit there & bat them. “Oh, look, dangly toys!” Ricci never climbed it, just curled up & slept underneath as if she was a present.
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FLB, never had to get our tubby tabby(As seen in my photos here)but we have had “baby” knock the tree over in years past! He gets weirder and weirder with age. He has always liked chewing the needles(then rejecting them a few hours later, then going back to chewing them again 🙄 ) This year, he has taken to drinking the water out of the base!! Is it the sugar in there that attracts him to it???
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Everyone still hung over???
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❓
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Here’s the latest Gammons talking about the top 10 story lines. Nice #10 about Maddux.
http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3804501&name=gammons_peter&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fespn%2fblog%2findex%3fentryID%3d3804501%26name%3dgammons_peter
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‘Morning, everyone!
Nice article, Ber!
FBG, I used to put our BIG tree in a corner and anchor it to the two walls so the cats couldn’t tip it over. Cats + Christmas trees = either a lot of fun or a constant problem.
Tippy, a Siamese we had, wanted to prove that every present was HIS. So he spent a certain amount of time sitting on each one as if to demonstrate his ownership. Until I saw him walking very oddly, checked to see if I could find his problem – and found a Christmas bow stuck to his back buttonhole! 😆 He never was too enamored with packages after that.
Some of you may have missed them over the holiday, but check out Matthew’s photos on the Candid Camera page of his family and new baby girl!
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CL, now that’s funny! 😆
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Several years back we did the same thing with our Christmas tree… anchored it to a hook in the ceiling so it wouldn’t fall over due to the pets.
Between the cat that liked to climb (way up near the top) and my old Setter that would position herself under the tree and ever so slowly, gently, trance-like, walk underneath and around to let the limbs scratch her back. The experience seemed to send her into a slo-mo stupor.
Between the two of them, the tree was both scratching post and jungle gym. They are both gone now but not forgotten. The cats we have now just like to smell it and the presents. One has pretty much moved into a space underneath as a favorite sleeping place.
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I have a hard enough time keeping my wife out of the presents under the tree. Couldn’t imagine trying to deal with pets, too.
CL, going back to the rattlesnake pic. I’ve seen that before in an e-mail, but fear not…That’s definitely a good-sized diamondback in the picture, but it is not as big as it looks. Notice how the guy has the pole and his arms extended toward the camera. Obviously this guy is a hunter and/or fisherman, because this is a classic example of one of our most popular photo-op tactics.
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Hillbilly, the photo was first published in the local newspaper and was copied from that. NCDot was doing some work and encountered the snake there. I’ll see if I can locate the original article in their archives.
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HB, I checked the newspaper archives and can find no reference to it, but I remember the article specifically – it told where, when, who, etc – and location given is about 15 miles northwest of me, near the town of Burgaw. I copied the photo from the online newspaper site.
Since you questioned it, I just went to Snopes.com and found the same photo that was sent in emails claiming to have been caught in TX, GA, etc.
Now I have doubts, but I KNOW I saw and read it in the local paper, so I’m not sure what to think! I surely wouldn’t think the paper would print it without checking, would they? On the other hand……
In any case, it is a very big snake! 🙂
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Oh, I’m not doubting that it came from your neck of the woods at all. It had to come from SOMEwhere. I’d believe your newspaper over any e-mail. I was just pointing out the crafty photograhy trick they used, which is one I’ve used many times on fish and deer. Hold it out away from you toward the camera to make it look bigger. It’s big enough to seriously hurt or kill a person, no doubt, but the picture makes it look like it was capable of swallowing a German Shepard. 80
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Congratulations to you Georgia Bulldog fans… Salty, sorry about that….
Thanks, Gil, but I’m weird. The game is entertainment…life follows the next day, win or lose. Now, when Oregon plays, the family pays attention as my youngest son resembles his dad some 20 years ago. To him, it is LIFE! 😆 If the Ducks lose, we’re all miserable…and when the Ducks win, we’re happy ’cause he doesn’t make us miserable!!! 😆
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Salty, for some reason I thought you to be a Clemson fan.
And yes, most of us no longer live a breath by the fortunes of our favorite teams, if that were the case, we all would have jumped long ago, us being Braves fans and all…
Yes, big snake regardless…
Cats are a good reason not to hang your expensive heirloom ornaments on the tree.
WOW…. I am beat…. I had to go pick up 12 sheets of plywood and a curio cabinet i bought last week. It would not been so bad had it not been for the fact we had to hand carry each piece about 50 yards. The plywood is still on the trailer, I will off load it another day. The curio is 52″x72″x14″ and was a real bear…
I am getting way too old to be moving furniture.
I was reading a piece on how the Mets were pursuing Lowe pretty earnestly. He turned down 3 years 36 million. Everybody seems to be striving for a five year guaranteed contract. Nice if you can get it.
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Interesting reset by Jon Heyman, whose writing I like:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/jon_heyman/01/02/scoop.freeagents/index.html?eref=writers
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You know one name I never hear mention of with the braves? Garrett Anderson. Not spectatular by any stretch, and not really the clean up hitter we need, but, he hits .290+ every year, and has played 140+ 3 of the past 4 years. I don’t know…nothing too exciting, but a new league, and lots of fastballs might just be what he needs. 36, going on 37 in June, but we don’t need a long term solution in left, do we???
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V, Just read that myself! 2 hearts one mind, or somethin’ 😛
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I forgot Anderson bats left handed. Well, 😕
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Gil…you’re right…I’m Clemson…watched the game. Entertaining. Full disclosure: I got irritated at the end when the QB took a 15 yard sack instead of throwing the ball away. Otherwise, just enjoyed the game while cooking gumbo. Yummy!!!!
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Honestly, I have no idea why I would consider buying an HD TV. Over 200 channels and nothing of interest to watch. TV really is a wasteland.. especially the major networks.
Oh well, baseball will soon be back, at least I will have that to watch.
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Salty, young QBs are prone to making poor decisions. It’s likely he will never make that mistake again.
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Yes, ladies and gents, being a Braves fan will eventually mellow one out so that even when your college team loses a Bowl game it doesn’t hurt so bad. Messing up the gumbo would have been a tragedy tho. 😆
Just thinkin’… How many seasons can sports fans, make that Braves fans, have our collective hopes so high, so very high, to see victory within an inch, or one more out, or a hit by Lemke against the Phillies that was foul by inches, or Lonnie not running hard because he was deeked, or Wohlers throwing that pitch to Leyritz or so many missed opportunities or the ball bouncing this way or that way… how many times did we have a win within our reach, so close, so very close we could smell it, so close we could almost hear the corks popping off the champagne… only to have our hearts ripped out, tossed on the floor and stomped? Oh, the agony!
Oh, the moments and days and weeks of ecstasy was incredible… Nixon’s leap over the wall to catch Van Slykes home run, winning the final three in Cincy, the pinnacle of the impossible run by the Thundering Herd, sliding in a split second ahead of the Bonds throw and late tag… ahh, the “Braves win, Braves win, Braves win” from Skip being the height of frenzied ecstasy. Then we could all finally exhale in 95, when all was right in Braves Nation, winning it all in Cleveland. How sweet it was.
As great as those moments were and those games were, other than the series win against the Indians, agony always found the Braves fan. After years of that, we have grown up as a fan base. Growing up as a sports fan means learning to lose without it ruining your day (or your dinner). Braves have taught us well. Some fans learned earlier than others.
Me, I was slow to learn acceptance of a post season loss. Get me in the post season again and maybe I’ll be less invested, less emotional… not sure. For now, I’ve matured as a fan.
I’ll have patience most of the time with this team we call the Braves. I won’t be pleased if our ownership plays PR games and tries to jerk our chains and build false hopes about building a winner while fielding a mediocre team due to the Balance Sheet. If Liberty tells me that they are in a rebuilding process and give me a clue about the long-term strategy, I’m good, even if that means we lose another five years. If they tell me they have money to spend and shoot me a line of bull about contending just to fill seats, I’ll be miffed.
Oh, I’ll still watch the games, no matter who owns or manages the team. That special game that happens between the lines never changes much… and that’s what really counts. That’s what I want to see.
So go ahead Braves, play well, play hard, play smart and, yes, go ahead and rip my heart out in the post season again. It’s better than slowly cutting off the oxygen in May and running out of breath in July.
When it comes to life and the post season, ’tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
Now that I think about it, I’ll probably get just as worked up and tense as ever when the Braves finally make post season again… if that happens in my lifetime. Not sure I could ever mature enough for it to be just an enjoyable game, win or lose. That perspective and emotional maturity is for regular season only, not post season and not any games ever against the Mets.
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Wife in the shower and there I go babbling like a brook after a rain storm. 😆
Gil, you MUST get an HDTV. Don’t even try to rationalize it. Just do it. You won’t regret it. Trust me.
No, popcorn and movie with my better half.
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Hey, IM…why you writin’ another lead so soon? There’s only a couple hundred posts so far! Wait a day…or three! 😛
Gil…he’s been making the same decision for two years now. He’ll have to correct ’em at the next level…if he gets the chance.
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Salty, I had the same thought! 😉
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Umm, why would Chicago do this trade??? can’t we offer them Yunel or something??? Good grief!!!!
White Sox And O’s Discussing Floyd-Roberts Swap
By Drew Silva [January 2 at 9:46pm CST]
9:46pm: Kubatko thinks the Orioles should demand second baseman Chris Getz, who spent most of last season with the White Sox’ Triple-A affiliate in Charlotte. The 25-year-old hit .302 with 11 homers and 52 RBI in 111 games in ’08.
According to Roch Kubatko of MASN Online, the White Sox have discussed a trade with the Orioles for second baseman Brian Roberts.
Right-hander Gavin Floyd would be sent over from Chicago. The White Sox reportedly want to make it a straight-up swap, but the Orioles, predictably, are asking for more. Floyd, 25, went 17-8 last season with a 3.84 ERA and actually grew up in the Baltimore area.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/01/white-sox-and-o.html
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Funny to make a post, wake up, and still see your last post is the most recent post! Yep, back on the wagon of going to bed early and waking up early. This time it will last forever! 😛
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Good morning Stuffville… Brian Roberts is not the same player he was before he stopped taking PEDs. He has reverted back to being a very normal player. A lot like the Giles brothers…
Now Getz is a nice little player, He’ll stick in the majors this year.
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Gil, why in the wide wide world of sports would the White Sox trade away a 25 year old stud???? Not that they have given away gold, but they traded Jon Garland after 2007, and Vasquez after 2008, why give up Floyd for a 2nd baseman??? Heck, I’d give up Yunel and KJ for him…well, and take back Getz, if you say he’s good, that’s good enough for me. Floyd’s cheaper than even Peavy and would be under control for longer.
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I should have worded that better, Gavin Floyd is much cheaper than Peavy and would be for a few years….
and I see that you said a nice little player, not that he was KJ’s equal, at least offensively.
But, as V would say pitching is what wins games for you, and I just feel SS and 2nd base are easy positions to fill. Trade KJ and Yunel and sign O. Hudson and fill SS with one of the many SS deals there still are.
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I think the Braves are waiting to see how Diory Hernandez looks in spring training. He can play second with no problem, he is playing short stop in the winter leagues. I am pretty high on this kid because he is a clutch hitter. In a year when there were few bright spots for the Richmond club, he was one…
If he could show well in spring training, he could make the move of Kelly Johnson to left an easy proposition.
Of course, that still does not fix the Brave pitching problems, I’ll bet the Braves end up making a trade for some kid we have never heard of and pray he can become an ace, Either that or they will pay more than they want for someone like Wolf or Sheets or Perez.
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Ber, projecting how a player will do in the majors verses how they perform in the minors is a real crap shoot sometimes. The two major differences I see in the minors vs the majors is the pitching and the umpiring. Perhaps those two go hand in hand.
That said, good defense and baseball smarts and quickness are evident no matter where you play. A guy with poor defensive skills will not get better at a higher level.
Always add about 2 points to a guy’s ERA when moving up from AAA to the majors. Subtract 50 points from his hitting average when making the same jump. A guy who hits homeruns in the minors will hit homeruns in the majors, power is power.
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And Garret Anderson… I’d take him…..
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Well, what about Andruw Jones then??? 🙄 Seems he restructured his deal so the Dodgers won’t have to pay him all 15 mil this year,(From what I am reading just 5 mil this year) so they can trade or release him. Well, you know what will happen, they will release him. I see a few folks over at the AJC think it would be swell to take a chance on him.
Haven’t we been down this road before??? We have the same manager and hitting coach, and the same hitter. 😕 Keeps a kid from playing center, and leaves us with a huge whole in the lineup if he still swings at those low outside pitches….Too much of a risk IMHO.
Anyone think would she take a chance on him???
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Depends on how big the contract is. If he hits in the last two weeks of spring training, yes… If he still acts arrogant, cut him.
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Greetings ladies and germs to the Gil and Berigan show! 😛
I wouldn’t have a problem with that, I just worry about banking on him and not getting a power hitting left fielder.
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Berigan, that is what spring training is for, it allows you to evaluate the talent available, your own and everyone else too. I still think the Braves should have signed Javy last year to be the back up catcher. It’s still a crapshoot though because you can’t always tell who is playing over their heads and who is under performing from just one short period of work.
The Braves had Gary Mathews Jr in camp a couple of years ago and cut him because he could not hit a lick. Now he is making mega millions. Then again, he found PEDs so he hit. For some reason left field for the Braaves is like the Bermuda Triangle for ball players…..
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Pearls of wisdom and stories from some old-time pilots:
The difference between a duck and a co-pilot?
The duck can fly.
A check ride ought to be like a skirt.
Short enough to be interesting, but long enough to cover everything.
Speed is life. Altitude is life insurance.
It only takes two things to fly:
Airspeed, and money.
The three most dangerous things in aviation:
1. A Doctor or Dentist in a Cessna.
2. Two captains in a DC-9.
Aircraft Identification:
If it’s ugly, it’s British.
If it’s weird, it’s French.
If it’s ugly and weird, it’s Russian.
Without ammunition, the USAF would be just another very expensive flying club.
The similarity between air traffic controllers and pilots?
If a pilot screws up, the pilot dies.
If ATC screws up, the pilot dies.
New FAA motto:
‘We’re not happy, till you’re not happy.’
If something hasn’t broken on your helicopter –it’s about to.
I give that landing a 9 . .on the Richter scale.
Basic Flying Rules:
1. Try to stay in the middle of the air.
2. Do not go near the edges of it.
3. The edges of the air can be recognized by the appearance of ground, buildings, sea, trees and interstellar space. It is much more difficult to fly in the edges.
Unknown landing signal officer (LSO) to carrier pilot after his 6th unsuccessful landing attempt:
“You’ve got to land here, son. This is where the food is.”
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from email: 😀
After serious & cautious consideration…..your contract of friendship has been renewed for the New Year 2009
It was a very hard decision to make. So try not to screw it up!!!
My Wish for You in 2009
May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debts.
May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet of $100 bills.
May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips!
May your clothes smell of success and may happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be those of joy.
May the problems you had forget your home address! In simple words …………
May 2009 be the best year of your life!!!
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🙂 I like that, CL. Very cute.
Yes, we always tied up our tree to the wall too. The only place it fits in the living room is the corner anyway. Putting up the tree for Christmas in Tiger was a revelation. That living room is bigger & we put the tree in between the 2 big front windows so you could actually see the entire tree. We’ve been buying a bunch of decorations at the after-Christmas clearance sales ’cause that house will take a lot more in the way of wreaths, garland, etc.
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Good morning from a warm, foggy coast. Can’t see more than 100 yards. Good stuff last night CL. On your “contract of friendship”, I’d like to add:
May the thieves in Washington NOT redistribute your paycheck or steal your savings.
and…
May the Bluebird of happiness rest on your shoulder… without pooping.
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IM/SG… I am afraid it is too late to stave off the thieves of DC… In the past, they were content with just picking your pocket but now they have become embolden to the point where they practice home invasion. on a frequent basis.
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Gil, yes, they have become crazed by their thirst for more political power, bigger government and they have become blatant in their disregard for private property, individual rights and personal possessions including our hard earned savings. Right now the Dems are plotting to “move” your 401k into a social security type account. Over the next two years I’m afraid we will see rapid erosion of our rights with the super majority of socialists in power.
Home invasions? That’s why we have the Second Amendment.
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And why the Dems want to repeal it….
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Of course, the erosion began with 9/11… Someone will always push the envelope. Illegal immigration is another good example of that.
Of course I could foil the government’s plans and spend all of my retirement money so Uncle Sam would have to take care of me. Not my first choice but I am adaptable….
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Uncle Sam would have to take care of me. Not my first choice but I am adaptable….
But Gil… give up your home and beautiful property, lose all your cars, trucks, guns, boat, retirement savings and gold fillings for a government housing project in a big city?
I’d rather live in a cardboard box down by the river. 😆
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LOL… who says I have to give up anything, just transfer ownership….. Nope, the government is very adaptable too…. They no longer want to put up public housing…
However, that said, I will be one of those folks who holds out to the bitter end to keep Big Brother out of my business. Heck, I am offended when they send me a census form.
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Well, a couple of more items to mark off my to do list, I got all the Christmas decorations out of the front yard and into storage for another year. Only the lights hanging from the eaves to do now. That will wait until tomorrow. Like the joke goes, can’t eat a pig that good all at one time.
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Got all of our Christmas decorations (very few) down, put everything up, recycled the tree and vacuumed every last needle from the floor. The cats miss the tree, but they’ll adapt. With these spring-like temps they have plenty of trees outside to choose from.
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I put our decorations away this morning, too! Wrapped the 4′ tree in a sheet and put it in a corner of the laundry room. Next year – unwrap, plug in. 😀 That’ll work! 😆
Made a huge ol’ pot of vegetable beef soup. Corn, peas, carrots, okra, onion, tomato, beans, and ground beef. Oh, yum!
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And celery.
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mmmm… what time’s dinner?
Biscuits for dipping?
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3:41pm: Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports that the Braves are interested in Lowe, but not his price tag. Bowman says the Braves are “keeping tabs on Lowe,” but also states that the Braves would be reluctant to even make a larger offer than the three-year, $36MM deal that he rejected from the Mets.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090104&content_id=3732421&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl&partnerId=rss_atl
Methinks IM is right, and the braves would rather pocket a whole lot of money. Thing is, the Mutts and Phils are stronger, Marlins somehow always put at least a competitive team on the field, even if you don’t know most of their names…putting a 4th place team on the field, trying to get more scrap heap players to play large roles, in a crappy economy will mean very small turnouts for games…
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Yeast rolls, Ritz crackers or cornbread. Your choice! 😀
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And some of the best soft oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies you’ll ever taste! Just out of the oven! Ahhhhhhh.
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Cornbread!!!
Cookies too?
Be right over…
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Come on! Door’s open and coffee’s hot!
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Pat Hingle died late last night of blood cancer. 84 yrs old.
A celebration of Hingle’s life will be held at a future date, according to family spokesperson Lynn Heritage.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the UNCW Pat Hingle Theater Guest Artist Fund, 601 S. College Road, Wilmington, NC 20403.
Hingle is survived by his wife, Julia Hingle of Carolina Beach; five children, Jody Smith and her husband, Jerry, of Pennsylvania; Bill Hingle and his wife, Nancy, of New York; Molly Mantione and her husband, Charles, of Pennsylvania; Greg Swanson and his wife, Judy, of Texas; and Kathy Joy and her husband, Rick, of Washington; and two sisters, Joyce France and Jamie Petty, and her husband, Bill.
Grandchildren: Matthew, Nicholas, Emily, Peter, Noah, Sean, Britney, Megan, Brendon, Shannon and Colin.
He is also survived by a “multitude of nieces nephews and friends who loved him.”
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CL, sorry to hear that….thank God he made it past the holidays.
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From mlbtraderumors….
Braves Notes: Lowe, Jones
By Steve Adams [January 4 at 4:58pm CST]
David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution offers his opinion on what the Braves should do about Andruw Jones and Derek Lowe.
O’Brien actually advocates a minimal signing of Jones, following his inevitable release from the Dodgers. Because of his strong desire to return to Atlanta, O’Brien feels that Jones would take even a minor-league contract with an invite to Spring Training.
What’s the worst that could happen? He’d stink in spring training and the Braves could, once and for all, wash their hands of him. Fans would know they gave him another shot and it didn’t work out…
…Hey, don’t get your hopes up. I wouldn’t count on Jones being more than a shell of what he once was. But it’s probably worth a shot.
O’Brien feels that signing Lowe is almost imperative for the Braves’ chance of being a postseason contender, and feels that having offered A.J. Burnett $80MM, there’s no reason not to spend on Lowe:
If the Braves were willing to throw that kind of money at a pitcher as injury-plagued and relatively unaccomplished as Burnett, then shouldn’t they make at least a four-year-plus-option offer at a similar average salary for Lowe?
It’s hard to fault his logic. Lowe is a reliable workhorse with a nice postseason resume and isn’t anywhere near the injury risk that Burnett is. Lowe’s age may be a deterrent, but should it really be any scarier to a team than Burnett’s health issues?
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/01/braves-notes-lo.html
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No to Andruw. He’s wasted enough time, money, energy and roster space.
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Sorry to hear about your friend, CL. Good character actor and evidently good character. May he rest in peace.
Bear, I read that about Lowe and Druw. I’ve been a huge fan of Lowe’s, particularly when he was in his prime in Boston. A warrior. Thing is, as injury free as he’s been, I wouldn’t give up young’uns for him… and probably not as much as he’s asking in cash or for as long as he wants in contract term. He’s over the top of the hill headed down. Good pitcher still, but his graph will be headed in the wrong direction.
Not many ace FA’s left out there that haven’t been gobbled up by the big market teams. Looks like a bull market in NY and a bear market in Atlanta.
AJ, no way, no price. There may be a bidding war for him at $400 to $800k. If he went back home to Curacao on a one year sabbatical to get his head straight, rearrange his priorities and get thinned out and healthier, then maybe I’d consider a ST invite with minimum contract… but since that ain’t happenin’, there’s no sense in even pondering the subject.
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Thanks. He was as gracious a person as you’d ever hope to meet. Rest well, Pat.
Andruw: what a difference a couple of years make! I recall hearing Skip tell a story about Andruw sitting in the clubhouse, waving his astronomical paycheck in the faces of the young guys, telling them that one day they might be good enough to get a check like that. (Can you see the smirk on his complacent face while doing that?)
This clip from Mark Bowman’s article –
“Jones has expressed interest in returning to Atlanta, where he spent the first 12 seasons of his career. But it doesn’t appear that the Braves will be willing to offer more than the Major League minimum salary of $400,000.
Because he’d also be drawing approximately $4.6 million from the Dodgers, Jones might be willing to accept this kind of opportunity to attempt to revive his career in a familiar environment.
But it’s suffice to say that this option isn’t high on the Braves’ priority list.
Based simply on his defensive skills, there was certainly a time when $400,000 would have been considered an unrealistic bargain for Jones, who won 10 consecutive Gold Glove Awards while playing in Atlanta.
But Jones has gained weight and multiple scouts have talked about the decrease in range that he’s shown over the course of the past three seasons. Other scouts have added to concerns by saying that the veteran didn’t look good while playing in the Dominican Winter League last month.”
Hm. How now, Brown Cow?
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I am very afraid…. Dave O’Brien and I are on the same wave length…
I just don’t see where there is a risk.
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As far as Lowe is concerned, nothing ventured nothing gained…
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The Braves are going to have to overpay to get what they need, otherwise they need to admit they are a second tier team and hope folks flock to see the AAA team play. They sure won’t be pulling them in at the Ted….
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I can’t agree on Andruw. I guess I can only visualize him corkscrewing himself into the ground swinging at that same low, outside pitch he’s never been able to hit.
He couldn’t cut it his last year+ in ATL, he couldn’t cut it for 2 years in LA, he’s not doing well in winter ball.
He refused to listen to anyone about anything. And still does, best I can tell.
No. He should quietly retire.
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Perhaps a year off would do him good.
I’m just saying a low ball contract will not force the Braves to keep him if he is done.
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Besides, I’m sure he still has enough range to play left field. The real question is can he hit? Not for the last 2 and 1/2 years he hasn’t but good whack upside the head might get his attention. An 18 million dollar pay cut might just be a big enough whack….
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I agree that the Braves need to pony up for Lowe, even overpay (within reason, of course) to bring his services to ATL. I disagree on Andruw, though. Leave the past in the past, and God bless him wherever he lands.
Listen… (or read, as the case may be), if they can’t obtain the right-handed power LF they need, they should pour that earmarked money into pitching. Give the AJ money to Lowe, and seek Sheets on a short term deal. Nobody’s gonna give him more than 2 years on a deal anyway. Go into ’09 with Lowe, Sheets, JJJ, JV and God willing Smoltz, and you’ve got yourself a contending rotation. Should Sheets or Smoltz go down, you have options with Jo-Jo and Morton, or even Hanson, although I’d love to see him spend ’09 in Gwinnett and take Smoltz’ spot in ’10.
Schafer starts in CF, with LF open to competition between BJones/Diaz/Anderson. Pray you get some power out of FrenchManicure.
I can live with that.
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Hi, and g’night.
😀
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Raisins, the Braves problems the past three years has been the large number of runners left on base, they need one real RBI guy to even things out.
Yep, pay for the pitching and be done with it, last thing you want to do is have money budgeted and not use it. Sometimes you just have to roll the dice and pray you don’t toss snake eyes.
After all, could it really be any worse than last year?
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Yeah, I’m done too. See you folks in the morning.
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I see I’ve missed everyone as usual. I think I need my own computer that no one else uses. 🙄
Dad is now officially retired. We got him cards, balloons, etc. He doesn’t know it yet but we made reservations at his favorite resort at Disney for later this month. He made plans to meet a couple of buddies to toast surviving 37 years at the P.O. at our friend Matt’s grill & bar. Well, Matt & the guys spread the word. Tons of co-workers (current & retired) showed up. He actually cried.
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FLB, congrats to your Pa! My Mom (And several co-workers) took “early” retirement….even though she was more than glad to leave, it’s quite emotional to leave a company you have worked for, for so long….
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FBG.. Tell your dad congratulations for me… It is a significant achievement to reach that milestone. After a month or so, he will get bored and will be looking for his next career. 🙂
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FBG: Sounds like a very cool night for your Dad. He deserves a big ol’ CONGRATS! Y’all did good.
And yes, you need your own computer. 😀
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I am very afraid…. Dave O’Brien and I are on the same wave length…I just don’t see where there is a risk.
There are many risks being like the beat writer… listening to loud music all the time and riding around Atlanta traffic on a motorcycle. Many risks. 😆
He doesn’t know it yet but we made reservations at his favorite resort at Disney for later this month.
Struck me as funny for some reason. Pictured Mr. FB getting preempted on a boys retirement trip to Las Vegas. 😆
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FBG, that is great! He will remember their presence at the gathering forever! Says much about him that so many wanted to be there! Must be a good man!
I agree that the Braves should aggressively pursue Lowe and get a BAT! Don’t even think about signing AJ; that money can be much better spent elsewhere. AJ is finished; can’t field nearly as well as he did, can’t hit worth a toot – wish him well and save your money!
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He doesn’t know it yet but we made reservations at his favorite resort at Disney for later this month.
He doesn’t read this blog, does he?
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Final thoughts on Andruw…
The Braves are already looking at one OF spot with uncertainty and hoping he can rebound and get back on track. They certainly don’t need to do that in 2 OF spots. I believe FrenchMaid can return to form; I believe Andruw is done.
For my money, the Braves will make a move for Swisher or Nady…
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V, if he does, he will have reservations about doing it in the future! 😛
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Well, for he first time in the media, I have seen Andy Pettitte and the Braves in the same sentence. Bowman opines that Wren may attempt to sign him… of course, Bowman is convinced that Wren won’t give up the dough for Lowe. He says:
Before pitchers and catchers report to Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex on Feb. 14, it appears Wren will be more likely to upgrade his starting rotation with the acquisition of Jon Garland or Andy Pettitte.
So, if P’s & C’s report to Disney on Feb. 14, when do they start
Camp Rog~,er, um, the “early throwing program”?LikeLike
From MLB trade rumors, but, from a Jon Heyman column…(I should work for the goverment, I clearly love middle men! 🙄 )
The Rangers have received inquiries on Vicente Padilla (Braves) and Michael Young. Young has been loosely linked to the Twins, Mets, Angels, Dodgers, and Royals. Sullivan names Hank Blalock and Kevin Millwood as other trade candidates.
Oh pinch me! 5.76 ERA in 2007(in 120 innings) brought it down to a tiny 4.74 ERA in 171 innings. And he makes 11 Million. And I think I heard something on baseball tonight last year about him being a bit of a head case. Pinch me again. Trade some more talent away for him, instead of paying Lowe 4-5 million more a year(and getting 200 innings every year) and only giving up, what…a sandwich pick???
Something doesn’t add up….
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Interesting V, interesting! Jon Garland, 2008, ERA, 4.90.(4.47 career ERA) Strikeouts, 90. Innings, 196. hits allowed, 237. Salary. 12 million. Don’t pinch me anymore, it hurts.
Andy Pettitte. 204 innings(200 or more 4 straight seasons and 5 of last 6) 233 hits allowed. 158 strikeouts. 4.54. 7 years older than Garland. Offered 10 Mil by yanks. I’d still much rather have him!!!!
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B, “receiving inquiries” may mean nothing more than Wren calling the Rangers and saying, “You have anything we might can match on?” with the Rangers replying, “We have Padilla…” I am willing to bet that Frank Wren, or another Braves FOT, has contacted every Major League team to “inquire” about pitching in general. Additionally, it is likely that “inquiry” may have taken place in November or December, prior to the JV trade. It is also very likely that the Rangers, who would very much like to move Padilla, are simply trying to create a market for him. I would not take that “report” very seriously at all.
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I could live with Pettitte only if Wren makes a serious attempt at Lowe only to be outbid. I really think he needs to focus hard on Lowe. He’s the best pitcher still available, and his signing would be more impacting by the fact that you not only acquire a bona fide pitcher, but you deprive your biggest rival of same because they are the other 2 teams looking seriously…
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V, I hope you are right….Vasquez and Garland are the pitchers I hear more comments about them sucking, than just about any other pitchers…really don’t need both of them here…
Would you go 4 year for Lowe??? He is a sinker baller….perhaps if he pitches X number of games in the 3rd year, contract vests for season 4???
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Sorta news…
Braves Still In Kawakami Mix?
By Ben Jones [January 4 at 8:22pm CST]
According to David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Atlanta Braves remain a possible suitor for Japanese pitcher Kenshin Kawakami.
The Japan Times has reported that Kawakami had narrowed his choices to the Baltimore Orioles, Minnesota Twins and St. Louis Cardinals. O’Brien’s report disputes this by saying he spoke Saturday with Kawakami’s agent, who said the Braves were still one of the teams Kawakami had on his list.
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Vazquez will not suck. He was in Ozzie’s doghouse because Ozzie is psycho. Ozzie likes to play with players’ heads thinking it will motivate them. It does not. JV will have a very good season with the Braves. I like his signing very much – but it only really helps with the addition of a #1 guy.
I personally could not care any less about Kamakazi. He’s another mid-level pitcher at best. We already have enough of those. If we fail to acquire Lowe, I advocate Pettitte only because he is a LHP, none of which we currently have. Failing that, well… might as well go with the young’uns. Seriously, if we can’t acquire a top tier guy, like Lowe or Sheets, why spin our wheels with more “#3” kinda guys?
Lowe makes so much sense on so many levels. We truly need to acquire him, and deprive the Mets and Phils of him in the process, if we want to even sniff the post-season in ’09.
The formula has been rehashed time and time again. #1 starter, RBI guy in LF – in that order. The formula hasn’t changed. Our patience has changed, but the formula hasn’t.
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Excuse me, not JV’s “signing”, but acquisition (through trade, of course)… 😳
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V, you are right, Vasquez shouldn’t suck, at least he can strike folks out. And Ozzie is nuts, and not in a good way. But, folks like DOB and others seem oddly cold about him…Lowe would make him look a lot better though, wouldn’t he??? Make it happen V!!! Have your people talk to Wren’s people!!!
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Well, I seem to be in the minority about AJ…. We will see, I still don’t think there is a down side to having him in camp on a look see basis, I didn’t say pick up his $18 million dollar contract.
I don’t think the Peavy trade is completely dead yet either. Just in a bit of a time out. May cooler heads prevail.
My biggest fear however is the Braves will make a trade for some guy who is mid level at best and the spin doctors will try to convince us he is the second coming of Greg Maddux.
I still would love to have Oswalt but the Astros are not going to let him go as long as they feel the are in the race and for the past three years that has been up to the last week of the season.
Petite wants to be shown a little respect by the Yankees, he will sign with them for less money because he knows which team is the pre-season favorite to win it all this year.
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This will put a smile on your face…… This dog is amazing!!
I loved it!
http://www.familytiez.com/video/gin.htm
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CL, saw that awhile ago, but well worth seeing again! That is some dog!!! 😀
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Gil. I certainly respect and understand your opinion on AJ, I just don’t share it.
However, I do share your opinion on a couple of things: I do not believe that the Peavy thing is completely dead – life support maybe, but not dead. And I too think Pettitte will return to the Yanks.
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I would almost be willing to take a flyer on Andruw if we had a different hitting coach even, but what’s different since he left???
If he has any shot of returning to form, he needs to get with a hitting coach he will listen to. And go to San Diego, KC(Though they have more outfielders than they can play) or Seattle where folks won’t ravage him….
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he needs to get with a hitting coach he will listen to
But why should he? He could have done that in LA; he could have done that in Atlanta. He has never shown an ability to be coached up, and he already has enough $$$ to keep his grandkids in Gucci underwear. He has no real motivation other than trying to revive a career that could have, could have been HOF, and I don’t really think he cares enough. He has a beautiful wife, a beautiful home, about 358 cars and financial security. He isn’t a grinder; never has been. He’s basically a talented kid who got the most out of alot of raw talent, made a ton of coin, and flamed out. He isn’t a “gamer”. He simply doesn’t have the competitive desire to do whatever it takes. Francoeur, on the other hand, may not have been blessed with the God-given baseball talent that AJ has, but he is a guy who will do anything to compete. That’s why I continue to give him an even chance to be a solid major league player.
That’s my take, anyway…
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V, he surely is an enigma. He seems all the world like a slacker, and clearly has coasted on talent alone. Yet, most people like that would not play 150+ games most every year. Think Fred Lynn, Kirk Gibson, etc, etc, etc(I know, they were hard nosed players but still, missed way too many games each and every year)
Perhaps realizing this really could be the end of the line will get him to wake up…whatever waking up means. Just don’t swing at outside sliders! 🙄
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Funny from email:
The IRS decides to audit Grandpa, and summons him to the IRS office.
The IRS auditor was not surprised when Grandpa showed up with his
attorney.
The auditor said, ‘Well, sir, you have an extravagant lifestyle and
no full-time employment, Which you explain by saying that you win
money gambling. I’m not sure the IRS finds that believable.’
I’m a great gambler, and I can prove it,’ says Grandpa. ‘How about a
demonstration?’
The auditor thinks for a moment and said, ‘Okay. Go ahead.’
Grandpa says, ‘I’ll bet you a thousand dollars that I can bite my own
eye.’
The auditor thinks a moment and says, ‘It’s a bet.’
Grandpa removes his glass eye and bites it.
The auditor’s jaw drops.
Grandpa says, ‘Now, I’ll bet you two thousand dollars that I can bite
my other eye.’
Now the auditor can tell Grandpa isn’t blind, so he takes the bet.
Grandpa removes his dentures and bites his good eye.
The stunned auditor now realizes he has wagered and lost three grand,
with Grandpa’s attorney as a witness. He starts to get nervous.
‘Want to go double or nothing?’ Grandpa asks, ‘I’ll bet you six
thousand dollars that I can stand on one side of your desk, and pee
into that wastebasket on the other side, and never get a drop
anywhere in between.’
The auditor, twice burned, is cautious now, but he looks carefully
and decides there’s no way this old guy could possibly manage that
stunt, so he agrees again.
Grandpa stands beside the desk and unzips his pants, but although he
strains mightily, he can’t make the stream reach the wastebasket on
the other side, so he pretty much urinates all over the auditor’s
desk.
The auditor leaps with joy, realizing that he has just turned a major
loss into a huge win.
But Grandpa’s attorney moans and puts his head in his hands.
‘Are you okay?’ the auditor asks.
‘Not really,’ says the attorney. ‘This morning, when Grandpa told me
he’d been summoned for an audit, he bet me twenty-five thousand
dollars that he could come in here and pee all over your desk and
that you’d be happy about it.’
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Reminds me of the time I mooned an IRS auditor… only cost me $500 and two more audits… Still worth it I think 🙂
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IM, pretty funny!!! 😆 Gil, 😯 you were a trouble maker once, weren’t ya???
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once???? 🙂
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Come to think of it, I guess I was disrespectful of authority… At least that pretty much was my reputation… Trouble maker could fall into that category. Just thought respect should be mutual and earned.
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Just thought respect should be mutual and earned.
So true… if more people felt that way, we’d have alot less strife (first on B&S?)…
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Gil prolly figgered that if the IRS was gonna tax him ‘out the wazoo’ they may as well see it.
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So much truth from a guy, er, man we can’t even see… 😀
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Or was Gil just turning the other cheek?
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Perhaps Gil just misunderstood when the agent said they need to discuss his assets…
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assets 😆
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Maybe the IRS was in arrears… must not get behind.
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Gil’s way of saying butt out??? Hey, the good ones were already taken!
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Was just trying to get a point across, from one A-hole to another….
professional courtesy and all…
I doubt I would pull such a stunt now-a-days… Might be considered a hate crime….
Now baseball, no game tonight 😦
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Some day when I write my life story, I may just devote a chapter to my travails with the IRS….
PS They didn’t like it much when I put on the notation line [ for Jesse James and Co. ]
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All and all, a pretty humorless bunch I would say…
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They take themselves WAY to seriously! I think most of them have some sort of Compulsive/Obsessive disorder, anyway.
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IM, 2:33 – 😆
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Something of note: Tex still has not officially joined the Yanks yet. He did pass his physical today. Now why, you ask, is this germane (first on blog?) to the Braves?
As I understand it, the Yankees 40-man roster currently has 40 names on it. Somebody has to go before Tex is officially inked and added. Maybe an outfielder must be traded? Maybe Nady or Swisher heads south? Who knows…
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Just keeps on getting interestinger and interestinger…
The morons, creeps, scoundrels, thieves and liars come out on top in elections across the land.
When and how might it end?
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Raisins did good on several blogs today. Yes, a Voice of Reason. Apt.
Good stuff Mr. Raisins.
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You can tell what time of year it is when I just watched a 1990 game between KC and Baltimore on ESPNClassic. Baltimore won in 11, just like they did 18 1/2 years ago…
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Thanks, IM/SG. Just trying to keep an even keel…
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How’d I not realize there is football on? 😯
Mother of Chihuahua! I missed the first half between OSU and Tejas!
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“Including their financial layout to Teixeira, the Yankees have now committed $423.5 million to three free agents.
The other 29 Major League clubs have spent a total of $372.2 million on 46 free agents.”
Where did Steinbrener get all that money, anyway??
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Logic, reason and patience may get drowned out by fretting, compulsive and obsessive behavior, ridicule and vulgarity… but there is always a need for the good voice out there.
Reason and respectful discussion may, by example and with ideas, change one mind and one life.
Even if it sometimes feels like spittin’ in the wind. 😉
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Where did Steinbrener get all that money, anyway??
Wasn’t with Madoff. Maybe he has a pal in Chicago.
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Yes, a quick peek at the Yanks’ 40-Man roster removes any doubt. They are set to announce Tex tomorrow, and do not yet have a slot on the 40-Man for him. Another shoe must drop. Nick Swisher is the most logical, I’d think, since he was obtained to essentially be the 1B even though he has played all 3 OF spots. Xavier Nady is on the last year of his contract, so he could go so as to gain something back for him besides a draft pick.
Nady – .305/.357/.510, 25 Hr’s/97 RBI – is easily my choice. Swisher, while knocking 24 HR’s only had 69 RBI to show for it. Maybe his .219/.332/.410 had something to do with that…
Really, though, with Yunel, KJ and Chipper batting 1-2-3, Nady at 4 could rack up quite a few more RBI as a Brave.
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Whoa! 😯
Briefly, as the page was loading, there was a red dot in the middle of IM’s “gravatar”, then it disappeared. That can only mean one thing – IM is from India!
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I agree with Gil on Andruw
I agree with Raisins on Nady
I am an agreeable feller! 😆 I’m also tired…long day on the road…now in Muts territory for the week! Prayers, please….many prayers!
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The problem with Nady is that he is a FA after ’09 with Bora$$ as an agent. On one hand, a one year rental wouldn’t block Heyward, should he be ready in ’10. On the other, you’d probably have to give up a couple of good (not great) prospects for that 1 year…
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Unbelievable finish at the Fiesta bowl. 2 lead changes inside the last 2 minutes. Still :16 to go…
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Texas 24 – OSU 21. Great 2nd half of football.
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And now that the Fiesta has ended, the siesta shall begin. G’night all…
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Poor Salty. Be careful up there around those crazy people.
No, Dad doesn’t read this blog (which is surprising) & he’s not a Vegas kind of guy. We did inquire if he had that weekend free beforehand. And he’s not looking for a 2nd career. He’s been off, burning up all his accumulated leave, for a few months & hasn’t gotten bored yet ( & hogs this computer).
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I have to agree that Andruw’s just not worth signing. And it hurts me to say that but he just isn’t motivated to change. I’ll always wonder what might have been if he had ever learned discipline.
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Don’t know why, but was just thinking about Andruw, and wondering if his success at such an early age was the worst thing that could have happened to him??? He never struggled as a kid, did he??? Perhaps this is why the braves seem so conservative today with the speed kids are brought up….
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I think that may be it, Ber. He never had to work hard. It just came naturally to him. Trouble is, when you get a little older you have work a little harder to do the things you did when you were, say… 22.
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OMG…. To be 22 again, yikes, wouldn’t we all be a bit smarter with our lives? Of course all those scars we have accumulated along the way have been reminders of which pitfalls to avoid.
I have opined several times before how I believe every pitcher has only so many pitches in their arms before they break down, perhaps I should expand on that and observe that any ball player has only so many belly slides or wall hangings or collisions at home plate before their body (and their mind) says that’s it…
For some reason, I don’t think the minors are as tough on a player’s body as the game is in the major leagues. Maybe it’s the shorten season or maybe there is really a lot less pressure to succeed. I know the Braves have a very strict limit on the number of pitches their young hurlers are allowed to throw in any game. While I see the plus side of saving their arms from excessive strain, I also see it hinders them from being stretched out enough to pitch deep into games when they reach the majors.
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And folks, don’t get me wrong on Andruw Jones, I am not advocating resigning him for big money, I still think he can play, maybe last season humbled him enough, maybe it hasn’t. I just don’t think it will be a risk to give him a look.
Nady vs Swisher…. Nady is the better player at this point, Swisher may be the better investment. The Braves have shown an interest in both players in the past, it may just come down to who they have to give up for them. I don’t think payroll is a concern.
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And a little something to make you all smile…
http://www.youtube.com/swf/l.swf?swf=http%3A//s.ytimg.com/yt/swf/cps-vfl70586.swf&video_id=bYI_aOyCn9Y&rel=1&showsearch=1&eurl=http%3A//webmail.aol.com/40627/aol/en-us/Suite.aspx&iurl=http%3A//i3.ytimg.com/vi/bYI_aOyCn9Y/hqdefault.jpg&sk=vj42xAgN1OWJTbwh3emvmssFD-YIc32gC&use_get_video_info=1&load_modules=1&fs=1&hl=en
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there was a red dot in the middle of IM’s “gravatar”, then it disappeared. That can only mean one thing – IM is from India!
Red dot? India? Maybe one of those cosmic meditation symbols? Optical illusion?
Was Raisins shopping at Target?
Boy, what a game last night! Texas pulled it out. Another fine mess the BCS has gotten us into… although two teams tonight should settle that.
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Utah looked very good against ‘Bama. They are the only undefeated team in Division I. That doesn’t mean they’d beat Florida or Oklahoma, but we’ll never know, now will we?
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So Pat the Bat goes to TB… A good signing for the Rays and a good landing place for Burrell. He is definitely a DH at this point in his career. He’ll do well there, and probably took less than market value to sign. Good for him.
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I imagine there to be a good bit of activity this week. Everybody’s back from their holidays, Tex is in NY, dominoes have already fallen, etc. Surely movement is afoot…
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A gem from Gil:
Lord, please protect Salty as he walks through the Valley of ….. uh, ummm…….the Muts.
Seriously: Lord, please grant Salty favor with all he encounters. Amen.
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Sounds like this guy got a bum deal:
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090106&content_id=3733872&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb&partnerId=rss_mlb
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any ball player has only so many belly slides or wall hangings or collisions
Reference to Brian McCann, Chipper Jones and John Rocker, respectively?
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Wall hangings? Portraits? Posters?
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Hey… it looked like a b when I typed it at 3 AM… 🙂
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New Rosenthal on Nady and Swisher:
Nick Swisher might not be a Yankee for long. The signing of free agent Mark Teixeira eliminated any chance of Swisher playing first base, and the team’s outfield surplus almost certainly will lead to a trade.
Both Swisher and Xavier Nady are drawing significant interest, according to major-league sources. The Yankees are not in a rush to trade either; their only desire is to make the best possible deal.
The versatility of both players is appealing; Nady plays both outfield corners and first base, while Swisher plays all three outfield positions and first.
Nady, 30, is a free agent after next season. Swisher, 28, is signed through 2011 with a club option for ’12. Either would be more affordable to the Giants than Ramirez. Swisher also would fit for the Braves and Pirates.
… and on Lowe:
Free-agent right-hander Derek Lowe is not the Mets’ unanimous No. 1 choice among the remaining free-agent starting pitchers.
Oliver Perez, 27, is left-handed, eight years younger than Lowe and accustomed to pitching in New York. He also got married in mid-December, a sign of his growing maturity.
The Braves also like Lowe, but have yet to speak with his agent, Scott Boras, and would be reluctant to go beyond the Mets’ reported offer to Lowe — three years, $36 million.
The Brewers, too, are interested in Lowe, but only at a modest price. The Phillies would love to sign Lowe, but cannot absorb his salary while bracing for pay increases to their eight remaining arbitration-eligible players, including first baseman Ryan Howard and left-hander Cole Hamels.
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Rosenthal link:
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/9036288/Manny-in-L.A.-still-makes-sense
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Prediction… No team in baseball will take a $5 million dollar chance on Andruw Jones, several will offer him a minor league contract. AJ may be playing close to home in 2008 but it may well be in Gwinnette..
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At least Frank Wren learned a valuable lesson in his high profile failed attempts at landing several players this off season. Keep your mouth shut about what you plan to do because silence always gives you plausible deniability …
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Wall hangings? Portraits? Posters?
Deer heads. Turkey feathers ‘n spurs. Trophies that, uh, hang on walls.
Much like Mr. Fly, only different.
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Gil is right. Frank has learned to be less frank.
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Gil: Andruw’s Sugarloaf Country Club home is probably 10 minutes from the new Gwinnett Braves ballpark.
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It’s good for the Braves that Frank has learned to keep his biz out of the media. It’s bad for us, but good for the Braves. I don’t think the media buzz hurt any of those failed deals, but it certainly left Frank out to dry in their wake.
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The Oakland Athletics and free agent DH Jason Giambi are on the verge of agreeing on a one-year deal with an option for 2010, Sources told ESPN The Magazine’s Buster Olney.
The deal would pay Giambi, who started his major league career in Oakland, $5.25 million in 2009 with a $4 million base salary for the option year in 2010. The second year would also provide for a $1.25 million buyout. –ESPN
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Burrell, Bradley, Giambi… more dominoes falling. The activity level is picking up. And does anyone yet know who is leaving the Yanks’ 40-Man to make room for Tex today?
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Wall hangings? Portraits? Posters?
Deer heads. Turkey feathers ‘n spurs. Trophies that, uh, hang on walls.
You been snooping around in my house? You may be invisible but you’re not undetectable. 😀
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V, the Milton Bradley signing was just one of several dominoes falling yesterday. You may have just said that. 😉 It was pretty darn busy.
A big risk for the Cubs, he only played something like 150 innings in the field last year! But I think he will reward them for giving him more than a 1 year contract(3 years) and I think they realize he will miss 30-40 games a year, but like Chipper, its worth it for the production he will provide. They are taking chances, which teams that want to go deep into the playoffs need to do.
Oh, and good afternoon!
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Hey Y’all-I’m breaking my silence to let you know of developments you may find interesting and I wanted you to have the chance to participate if you so desired.
The Braves’ PR Department called yesterday. Hank Aaron has agreed to meet privately and accept a Blog Award (notice I didn’t say a DOB blog award). I plan to do it the same as how we did Skip’s and thought y’all might like to contribute paragraphs or pages which SG will have professionally bound for us to present to Hank along with an oil painting-basically what Hank has meant to you as fans of Baseball and The Braves.
There is no real hurry, as it will not happen until later in the season (dates are NOT set, yet), but I would appreciate your emailing the testimonials to LewHartman@comcast.net so we can collate them and put them into the same type face, etc.
Hope y’all choose to participate.
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Lew… You look so much like SG you must be twins… 🙂
Thanks for the invitation, will get back to you on that.
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I am making Diory Hernandez my personal project this spring. This is a link to his stats in the DWL. Please disregard the bio information at the bottom of the page, whoever wrote it has him confused with Gorky…
http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Diory%20Hernandez&pos=SS&sid=l131&t=p_pbp&pid=452671
He can play 3rd, ss and 2nd base. Please note his average with runners on vs bases empty. I would not make him a lead off man despite his speed.
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Many thanks, Lew! Will send and I appreciate the opportunity! Hope you’re well.
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Howdy, Lew!
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y’all might like to contribute paragraphs or pages which SG will have professionally bound for us to present to Hank
SG has disappeared since promising that to Lew many months ago. So, I’ll prolly get stuck with his chores… take one for the Hank and all.
Maybe a poem for the Hank book?
ahem…
There once was a ball player named Hank,
from Milwaukee to Atlanta came this Brave
many hits he’d punch and homers he’d yank
now we thank the hammer for all he gave.
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Milwaukee Brewers radio announcer Jim Powell might be hired by the Atlanta Braves to call games on radio. According to an industry source, if Powell is hired by the Braves, he would replace Pete Van Wieren, who in October announced he was retiring from broadcasting after 33 years with Atlanta. Powell, who has worked 13 seasons on Brewers radio broadcasts with partner Bob Uecker, attended the University of Georgia. Brewers spokesman Tyler Barnes confirmed Monday that the Braves were considering Powell. — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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I’m doing pretty well. Just got the report from procedure 15 on the eye and there seems to be substantial improvement. We’ll see (no pun intended, but I hope so).
Gil-Haven’t met SG yet (though he’ll probably meet Hank with me), though the Grinch has met us both and didn’t mention a similarity in appearance. If he DOES look like me, he is due all the pity y’all can muster. I will never win People Magazine’s sexiest Man of The Year. Probably won’t win Miss Congeniality, either, but I am what I am (where’s the spinach?).
Hope everyone had enjoyable Christmases and New Years. It was cold, white and quiet in Vermont. We needed the relaxation.
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Never mind-sometimes I’m slow on the uptake. Might Giol have meant our lack of Avatars? DUH! Must be the dilated eyes-they slow the mentation process.
Invisible Man-check your voice mail.
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Council spends £10,000 on ‘Monty Pythonesque’ pigeon awareness day
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1105685/Council-spends-10-000-Monty-Pythonesque-pigeon-awareness-day.html
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Okay, I am personally doing my part to stimulate the economy. Opted not for the TV or the computer or other electronics gear but decided instead to reinvest in the homestead. Adding an addition on the back of the house and new siding to the rest. Using a local contractor with good credentials and he understands if the help can’t speak English, they are not allowed on the property. If he does a good job then I will let him build my garage.
The frustrating thing is it is all work I once could do myself… This getting old sucks but I am not so sure the alternative is any better.
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A contractor that has English speaking workers??? What a concept! No joke, back when they were still building homes around us, every single worker would be Mexican.
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And gas went up 11 cents overnight. Funny how Israel fighting with Hamas would have an effect when neither side has any oil. Saying the speculators have no effect on the price of oil is like telling me my money is safe with Barney Madoff….
A large herd of deer just traversed the property, they are a very dark brown this year. I am so glad to have my office back in the front of the house. Makes me feel like I have received a promotion. 🙂
And baseball….. duh…..
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This fellow is local and pretty small, his son’s do most of the work now. A mutual friend recommended him to me. Just the nicest fellow.
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Some live chat on mlb trade rumors…. you can read it from the start, a little brave talk I see at the beginning…
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/01/mlbtr-live-chat.html
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Gil, gas is volatile in more ways than one, ain’t it???? I heard someone from AAA or something say yesterday that gas prices typically go up in the spring(Gee, I thought it was the summer driving season that brought them up) but he sees 2 to 3 dollar gas by summer! 😡 If oil is under $40 a barrel, how the bleep can prices go up like that????
Reminds me to fill up today….
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if the help can’t speak English, they are not allowed on the property
Just don’t expect “The King’s English” or you may never see your addition. 😆
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And gas went up 11 cents overnight. Funny how Israel fighting with Hamas would have an effect when neither side has any oil.
.. that and OPEC cutting production. Between the two, I’ll bet we’re back up over $3/gal sooner than later.
I am so glad to have my office back in the front of the house.
I got kicked out of my office last year and stuck in my bonus room. It’s a better view, but not as nice a room. I’ve talked ALOT about moving back down to the room that is actually designed to be an office, but Mrs. Raisins wants to convert it into a guest room (for her Mom, nonetheless). The argument is that her Mom can’t continuously go up and down stairs. While this is true, I now have to go up and down stairs. And I make my living, such as it is, in my office. Oh well… watcha gonna do? 🙄
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Norm Coleman is appealing the Minnesota senate race. I’m glad. Can’t take the voter fraud laying down for the likes of Al Franken and the corrupt officials there. Good luck Norm.
Gil got a promotion and a new corner office with a view and Raisins got “kicked upstairs”.
The old corporate shuffle can be rewarding… or brutal.:lol:
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It is said they folks get the government they deserve… I am not sure I buy that because I don;t think I deserve what I am being saddled with.
The only person I can think of who would be a worse choice as a senator than Al Franken would be Michael Moore but not by much. What are those people thinking?????
Raisins, I sold my tri-level because I could not stand having to use the stairs every time I needed to do something.
I was originally evicted out of the front room when my mom moved in with us for a while.
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Later… Headin’ off to the gym to see my son wrestle this afternoon. His last tournament, he had 3 losses in a meat-grinder bracket. He had only 2 losses all year prior to that tourney. Needless to say, we’d like to have a little better day today. Likely he’ll only have 1 match.
Back later…
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V, I just saw that Shelley Duncan was designated for assignment by the Yanks.
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Duncan appears to be a Scot Thorman clone…
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Can’t think of a good reason to clone Thorman. Lab must’a screwed up.
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Whoops. make that ‘good’.
God wouldn’t approve of cloning anyway… especially a whiffer like big Thor.
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Ask and you shall receive… 🙂
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Give me a guy with a short compact swing any day… Higher average, fewer strikeouts, better at control. Give me a batter with strong wrist and forearms, not a guy with the big biceps. Home runs that travel to the next time zone may wow the crowds, it still only counts as one run.
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More often though, a guy with a big swing will hit a weak ground ball or a mile high pop up when he does not simply strikeout.
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Gee Gil, I think gas went up about 15 cents overnight here in the ATL! 😡
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Gas is going up, dollar’s going down, doo da, doo daa.
Home prices still sinking along with the CIA, oh, doo da day.
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http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/wakeup.asp
I checked on the veracity of an email I received – and the Snopes article is better and more complete than the email.
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Yes, instant shortage or crisis… Or so some would like us to think. I really don’t mind folks making a profit, I just am tired of being the one who is putting their kids through college.
Like Rick Warren says, capitalism without religion leads to pure evil…. There must be morality to balance greed…
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I was going to say, he would really hate Va Beach….. Personally, I find the “jet noise” reassuring.. I am glad the fellow who complained subsequently apologized. Perhaps a lesson for all of us (me especially) to suppress the sarcasm as we don’t always know the full story.
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capitalism without religion
Depends on which religion. Islamists are religious.
He should have said ‘Christianity.’
Just my 2 cents… 🙂
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And gas went up 11 cents overnight. Funny how Israel fighting with Hamas would have an effect when neither side has any oil.
Uh…and why do we think OPEC is remaining silent? Silent acquiessence? Little birdies (with oily feathers, no less!) whispering in Hamas’ ears…Hezbollah, too?
Gil…opining at 3:00AM is not healthy…unless you’re Bay Area Steve…and even he’s not really opining then! 😆
CL…thanks for the prayers…yucky up here…freezing rain! Nice view of Manhattan tonight…from the Jersey City waterfront. Still…ever since the loss of the Towers, the skyline seems ’empty’! 😦 But, Lady Liberty shown nicely tonight! Ironic…or metaphoric…without sacrifice, no liberty? NYC knows it well!
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Evening y’all. Hi, Lew! (waves) Don’t hate me when I tell you we have the A/C on, it’s warm here.
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without sacrifice, no liberty?
So well said… too bad it’s not better understood…
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So how was Jr. Raisin’s tournament?
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That was just wrong, NaCly.
True, but wrong.
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😯 BAS!! Hi!!!
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Hello, Miss Velvet.
I’m curious myownself how Mini Raisin performed.
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You need to pop in more often. Not much happening on the night shift these days & you’re just the man to rectify that situation.
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So did anyone else get a Wii for Christmas? It is most amusing though I’m pretty terrible at the games. The great thing is that it’s getting Dad out of his recliner/computer chair. Today, after much fruitless searching, Melissa got the WiiFit add-on. Wow. It truly is a workout. I did some yoga, aerobics, strength training, balance training. Favorites were the Hula Hoop & the ski jump.
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Always reading…not much to offer.
So, I’m confused (shocking, I know).
ChrisKlobawhatshisname has left the saloon in the hands of SG.
SG has morphed into IM.
And, IM looks, to me, a whole lot like Lew.
Where the hell do I get my whiskey?
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And they both kinda look like you.
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Sorry, CL.
Can’t help myself.
I blame Grinch.
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Be nice, the mighty Grinch has gone through tough times lately.
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No Wii for me.
Although, its mass appeal is starting to intruige me.
I try to stay away from the video games, for fear of never again leaving the house.
I did get the most incredible remote control, made by Logitech. Quite impressive, even to a skeptic, like myself.
And a vacuum sealer…gonna try and make the Costco meat keep a little better.
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As nice as I get; I love his posts.
Although, I don’t think I ever saw his website, as was promised.
Tough times, or not: My entertainment is paramount.
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We have never been video game people either. Had one of the original Nintendos years ago & I think we gave it away ’cause we didn’t use it. But we know a lot of people who got Wiis & love them & a lot of them aren’t video game people either. The fun thing is that you’re up doing the actual movements of the sport or game instead of sitting there pushing buttons.
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Good grief, I just misspelled intrigue.
This is why I seldom blog.
Who knows how many other mistakes I make.
Well, probably all of you.
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The website never came to fruition. He has been a very boy.
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Don’t worry about it, I just completely left “busy” out of my last post.
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Howdy! Thanks for asking about the match. (He only had one; it was a team dual match.)
Raisins Jr., who was extremely angry over a mistake he made in the first period that gave his opponent 5 points, began the 2nd period by burying the kid’s head through the mat, circling, executing a beautiful quarter nelson, and pinning the helpless sucker. Dad was proud. 😀
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Um, don’t understand any of that but I guess it’s good. Way to go, VOR Jr.!
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So, your opinion, a $400 plus game system (with games, accessories) might be worth buying even for a cheap (ridiculously cheap, Berigan) SOB, like me.
I didn’t realize the exercise component of Wii; maybe the entertainment within the games could get my lazy (unbelievably lazy, Berigan) behind off the couch.
Do you get the feeling, at all, that the fun will wear off?
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Basically, FBG, he pushed the kid’s face sharply toward China, the direct route, then rendered him immobile.
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Well, I don’t think we’ve spent that much ( at least not yet). It’s fun & everyone keeps wanting a turn. Dad loves the golf ( & the course is beautiful). We all like the bowling & tennis. Still trying to figure out the baseball, it’s hard.
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We have a Wii. While capable of acting like a typical gaming station, it really is much different. As a kid, or at least alot younger kid, I loved video games. Now I can’t understand how my kid gets so caught up in them. But the Wii is different. It truly is something the whole family, even the 6-yr-old, can play and enjoy. Nothing typical about it. Tough to describe, too, because there’s nothing to compare it to. As to Wii Fit, if you follow up on the recommendations the “board” gives you, you’d have to get fit. It measures, charts, directs… it’s amazing.
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Bowling and golf are my favorites as well. My 6-yr-old daughter is a great boxer. She just wails away… 😆
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The console comes with tennis, bowling , golf, baseball & boxing included. And we had to move the coffee table for those, so that tells you how much bouncing around you do.
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So folks, to get Wii fit, the tennis, the bowling, the baseball for two people, total investment?
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Aah, included.
Music to a cheap (cheap, Berigan, cheap) guy’s ears.
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Plus Melissa had tons of fun making the Miis. You actually construct a little cartoon version of yourself to be in the games & the level of detail is amazing.
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Mini Raisins already excel at wrestling, boxing….UFC next?
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Dunno, BAS. Bought mine used with extra controllers and about 7 games for $300. I live for bargains…
I own 9 guitars, all gig-worthy. I haven’t paid over $250 for a single one of them. Bought them all used – saw the deal and pounced. I bought a used Marshall VS265 amplifier last week. On the used market, it goes for between $350-$450 depending on its condition. I paid $100. I love a bargain… 😀
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I’m not sure what the unit cost, Mom bought it. But it comes with those first 5 games. The included games will give you some exercise though without getting the WiiFit, which I think was $ 80.
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Damn it, I may have to actually buy this thing.
Ok, final issue: Can I play the thing without breaking my first true love, the HD TV?
And, probably more importantly (forget I said final): Can I play the thing half-drunk without breaking the TV.
I hope they’ve improved that strap.
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ESPN’s Braves depth chart lists Clint Sammons as our starting CF. 😆
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/depth?team=atl
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And, probably more importantly (forget I said final): Can I play the thing half-drunk without breaking the TV.
That last question is pretty subjective, BAS. Is it possible? Yes. Is it likely? Uh… only you can answer that one. Perhaps a plexiglass shield – like is used to dampen the volume of live drums – might be a secondary purchase. Look at it as an insurance purchase. 😀
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I hope they’ve improved that strap.
When all else fails… duct tape.
😀
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Good stuff, Mr. Reason.
I was expecting some sort of monetary guarantee, but good stuff.
And quit dodging….UFC?
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They do remind you about 5 billion times to tighten the wrist strap, presumably for the safety of your TV, lamps, windows, spectators, etc.
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According to the National Sleep Foundation: “Adults average 6.9 hours of sleep a night, even though many experts believe they need between 7 and 9 hours. In our increasingly 24-hour-a-day world, people stay up later, running errands, watching television, playing computer games, and working. The resulting sleep deprivation can result in reduced productivity at work, irritability, diminished capacity in driving, less intimacy and a variety of health problems.”
Mother of Chihuahua! I’d better scurry off to catch some z’s before I get angry, tick off a client and lose my job resulting in my driving home like a madman where I run off the road on my way to not spend time with my wife because my spleen hurts.
G’night…
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And if you tighten it I don’t think there’s any way it would come off.
Night, boys.
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SHIFT CHANGE!
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Hmmm… apparently no one was listening when I called for shift change. The blog went unsupervised through the night. 😯
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OK, just to set the record straight since I was very vocal (can you be “vocal” on a blog?) on the subject:
Google Chrome is unstable.
I strongly advocated it earlier because it is very stripped down and uncumbersome to run. It doesn’t require alot of memory, so everything loads quickly. Even WordPress. I like the interface, too. It has some unique features that Firefox and Internet Exploder do not. However…
I had several incidents while running it where my laptop just shut off. No warning, no specific times, no shut down… just off. Graveyard dead. At first, I blamed it on my machine’s cooling fan and overheating, because the fan is noisy and needs replacing. I even ordered a new fan. (It’s sitting here next to me in it’s little box. One day I might actually place it in the machine. 🙂 ) Because it shut down randomly during processes, Windows always had to run a disk-check on restart. During the restart disk-checks, there was one consistent value that was always present – Google Chrome.
I stopped using it and went back to Firefox and have had no more shut-down incidents. (I will not use Internet Exploder; it’s slow and just plain sucks.)
So, bottom line: Beware of Google Chrome. Google has some major bugs to work out it.
Anybody try Safari?
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I’d better scurry off to catch some z’s before I get angry, tick off a client and lose my job resulting in my driving home like a madman where I run off the road on my way to not spend time with my wife because my spleen hurts.
Sounds like a sequel to It’s A Wonderful Life, only different. Very different. Maybe this one stars Bill Murray. Nah, too old. Maybe David Arquette.
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Stuff:
UGA’s Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno will announce their 2009 intentions today. As a selfish Dawg fan, I’d love to have ’em both back. As a realist, Stafford should take the money now, as he really can’t improve his draft status by returning for his senior season. He’s already a top 10, maybe top 5 pick. That means alot of guaranteed coin. He may be the first QB taken, and several teams need a QB. Moreno is kind of on the bubble. He’s probably a first rounder now, but a Heisman-worthy ’09 season could jettison him to a top 5 or better. And with Joe Cox the likely QB starter next season, Knowshon would be looking at alot of carries. An injury, though… well, I won’t go there…
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Safari works well… I use it. It uses me. We use each other. Symbiotic.
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Safari aside, does uploading a post take anybody else forever? Seems it’s slowed to a crawl. Must be anothe WP improvement.
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Yes, IM, it is another WP improvement. I actually began uploading this reply yesterday…
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Posted December 2, 2008:
Raisins, I anticipated that you would say that, so I chuckled silently in early December.
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‘Morning, everybody!
😯 BAS! ‘Bout time you put in an appearance here!!! 😀 Good to see you!
I had to give up on Chrome also after only a day. Just wouldn’t cut it. I seem to use Firefox most of the time nowadays. IE is s–l–o–w in anything it does – if it completes it’s task at all! Get a lot of “Cannot display that page”, “Need to shut down, sorry for the inconvenience”, etc.
Anybody with a PC know about Safari? (Macs don’t count…)
I’m considering finding a new blog site. WordPress keeps ‘improving’ until it is a pain in the posterior to do anything with now. Thoughts?
Gotta go for lab work this am – soon as we get Mother up, bathed and dressed. It’ll be a while….. And it requires overnight fasting….. = no coffee = 😡
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Bay Area Steve rode into Stuffville last night. Hope he found the keys to Klobber’s Saloon. I left them under the door mat. That’s a safe place to keep an extra key… nobody looks under door mats anymore.
Then again, the place is not even locked, which is why it’s even safer to keep a key under the door mat. Just feel around for the switch once inside… one switch turns on all the lights. The juke box still takes quarters. He keeps the quarters in a little can on top of the juke box.
Klobber has an open door, open bar, open fridge, open tab, free music policy.
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Raisins, congratulations to your Raisinette’s success! Indeed reason to be proud!
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Duplicate comment detected; it looks as though you’ve already said that!
That’s what I just got from WordPress. I’m beginning to believe that WP does not like to be talked about. Like Hal in 2001 Space Odyssey… the machine is taking over. Decides which posts to allow. Salty can attest to that. 😆
CL, I have no idea about other other blog formats. I’ll ask around.
Macs don’t count? 😯
Oh, and good luck on the lab work. Training to sit and fetch? Water dogs are great and you shouldn’t give them coffee anyway. 😛
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IM, thanks for taking care of Klobber’s Saloon! He’ll be back as soon as he can – just too much on his plate right now.
Nothing from the Salt-man this morning. Had you in my prayers last night, Salty!
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😆 IM! Yep. Already had the CAT scan.
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No coffee!?! 😯
Great Jah’s deadlocks! How can you stand it?
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It’s trash pick-up day here in J-town. I am proud to say that many people in my neighborhood responsibly recycle and place their open recycle bins out with the cans.
It’s also very windy here with very strong wind gusts. Have you ever seen tumbling milk jugs rolling by? It’s common this morning… 😐
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I’m tough, Raisins! 😆
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Good morning all, looks like Stuffville was busy last night. Sorry I missed out but I was attempting to make up for some of the sleep I lost the night before. Put a dent in it anyway.
It’s raining pretty hard here today. We seem to be right on the snow boundary line, 30s here, 20s to the west of us and 60s to the east. Must be global warming… no other possible explanation, right? 🙂
Then again, with all the gas bags back in D.C., anything is possible.
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Same here. Gusts to 46 mph, so far. Radar shows the front closing in. Should be here within an hour or so. Just in time to go to the lab, wouldn’t you know! 😀 Got the doors and windows open at the moment, however. Glad to be able to get fresh air in the house in January!
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CL, I tried Safari but I did not really notice any difference between it and Mozilla…
Every once in a while I will have to use Explorer because some plug ins are not compatible with Foxfire but not too often.
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FBG-Hate you? Never. It’s not even a vague possibility. You’re right about The Grinch, though. His Holiday season was terrible. The Hank Aaron news cheered him up a bit, though.
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To make matters worse, The Grinch went to visit Lew and tried his hand at ice fishing. That didn’t work out very well. Nobody’s heard from him since, but his fishing guide sent along a video of the big one that, uh, got away.
Grinch Goes Fishing.
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Excerpts from Rosenthal’s latest:
Here’s a thought for the Dodgers: Adam Dunn, two years, $25 million.
That’s $20 million less than the Dodgers offered Manny Ramirez. Dunn is not Ramirez, mind you. But he’s 7 1/2 years younger, said to be in the best shape of his career and the only major leaguer to hit 40 or more homers in each of the past five seasons.
The Dodgers, on the other hand, are the likely favorite in the NL West. The Braves could intrigue Dunn; they have interest in him, but not on a long-term deal at his desired average salary of $12 million to $14 million, sources say.
Dunn obviously would prefer a contract longer than two years, but at the right salary such a deal would make sense.
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So, Lowe at $15M/yr for 4 years and Dunn at $12M/yr for 2 years plus Ohman for whatever his market value is and call it a day? Plus, you keep all the kids. Works for me…
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Speaking of ice fishing (not something you hear on the ol’ B&S every day), someone sent me this report yesterday. Check it out:
HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE TWO DUCK HUNTERS FROM WISCONSIN?
A TRUE STORY HEARD ON A WISCONSIN RADIO STATION REPORTING ON THE INCIDENT .
A guy buys a new Lincoln Navigator for $42,500.00 (with monthly payments of $560.00).
He and a friend go duck hunting in upper Wisconsin. It’s mid-winter, and of course all of the lakes are frozen. These two guys go out on the ice with their GUNS, a DOG, and of course the new NAVIGATOR.
They decide they want to make a natural looking open water area for the ducks to focus on, something for the decoys to float on.
Now making a hole in the ice large enough to invite a passing duck, is going to take a little more power than the average drill auger can produce.
So, out of the back of the new Navigator comes a stick of dynamite with a short 40 second-fuse. Now our two Rocket Scientists, afraid they might slip on the ice while trying to run away after lighting the fuse (and becoming toast, along with the Navigator), decide on the following course of action: they light the 40 second fuse; then, with a mighty thrust, they throw the stick of dynamite as far away as possible.
Remember a couple of paragraphs back when I mentioned the NAVIGATOR, the GUNS, and the DOG???
Let’s talk about the dog, a highly trained Black Lab used for RETRIEVING; especially things thrown by the owner. You guessed it – the dog takes off across the ice at a high rate of speed and grabs the stick of dynamite, with the burning 40-second fuse, just as it hits the ice.
The two men swallow, blink, start waving their arms and, with veins in their necks swelling to resemble stalks of rhubarb, scream and holler at the dog to stop. The dog, now apparently cheered on by his master, keeps coming.
One hunter panics, grabs the shotgun and shoots the dog. The shotgun is loaded with #8 bird shot, hardly big enough to stop a Black Lab. The dog stops for a moment, slightly confused, then continues on. Another shot, and this time the dog, still standing, becomes really confused and of course terrified, thinks these two geniuses have gone insane. The dog takes off to find cover, UNDER the brand new Navigator.
The men continue to scream as they run. The red hot exhaust pipe on the truck touches the dog’s rear end, he yelps, drops the dynamite under the truck and takes off after his master.
Then ” “” “” “” “” ” BOOOOOOOOOOOOM “” “” “” “” “” ! ! ! !
The truck is blown to bits and sinks to the bottom of the lake, leaving the two idiots standing there with “I can’t believe this just happened” looks on their faces.
The insurance company says that sinking a vehicle in a lake by illegal use of explosives is NOT COVERED by the policy. And he still had yet to make the first of those $560.00 a month payments.
The dog is okay… doing fine.
And you thought Rednecks only lived in the South.
😆
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Hey… It’s alright to be a redneck… 🙂
Of course, it depends on your definition of redneck…
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Man, picked the wrong night to catch up on my sleep! 😦
Had to though, going to doc since I can’t get any more refills on diabetes med without visit…sigh…also need to find out why I never have any energy, why blood sugar goes way up after anything I eat when I first get up, then goes way down a few hours later…also feel like my gall bladder had grown back under my ribs, etc, etc, etc…I bet Bill Gates, or Donald Trump has my health via some expensive, evil machine, and I have their broken, worn used up body….
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Yes Berigan, life hardly seems fair. Sometimes I wish I had been born rich instead of so good looking…. 8)
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And BAS is a fake, a FAKE!!! A HD TV??? Cannot be cheap and have one of those suckers. Can’t be cheap and live if Frisco either. Difference between cheap, and broke.
and WEE, lots of talk about WEE. That’s how you spell it, right??? I felt pretty darned hep with getting a MP3 player for the first time.
I have a laserdisc player, and along with my betamax, I am convinced they will make a comeback any day now….
WEE does sound like fun though…as best as I can understand it….
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Gil, you have overcome that curse quite well it seems! 😛
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V, we do need a cleanup hitter…..I know you have been more for Dunn than I have, but you know….we need to do something….If Dunn could hit with a bit more average(don’t know that he has been on a team with tons of runners on in front of him, that along might help) he plays every day. and If Frenchy doesn’t come around next( this) year, Heyward may end up in right in 2010, and we might want to keep Dunn around for more than 2 years….
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Yeah… I have gotten butt ugly…. 🙂
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Gil, can you shoot me an email??? I seem to have lost your address….
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It appears to me that Swisher and Dunn are similar types of players. Swisher is going to take some of the depth away from the Braves in order to acquire him from the Yankees while Dunn would only take money. The nature of the beast with a home run hitter is a lower average and higher strikeout totals.
I think it also depends on if the Braves can make a deal with the St Louis for an outfielder.
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it’s (removed) since Ber got it and it doesn’t need to be posted anymore! 😀
love,
CL
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Thanks Gil, I needed 5000 email addys to get that $50 from that spam company! 😀
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CL, I don’t know if it really would work for a replacement blog, since it’s forum stuff, but I do know it’s free and is lickity split fast even with IE….
The jazz forum I mention from time to time…
http://www.organissimo.org/forum/
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Shoot, should have shown the hotstove thread from there as well…
http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=47598&st=165&start=165
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Yes, Dunn’s avg. is lower than desirable, but if he bats behind Chipper, you know in the back of a pitcher’s mind he knows Dunn can crank one to Peachtree St. His threat alone in the lineup gives Chipper better pitches to see. Case in point: Teixeira couldn’t have hit water if he fell out of a boat in the first couple of months last season, yet Chipper saw good enough pitches to hit .400. Tex leaves, Chipper sees crap and his avg. drops. And in the last 5 seasons, Dunn has driven in 102, 101, 92, 106 and 100 runs. The Braves assemblage of LF drove in 90, 82, 65, 70 and 70 in that same stretch. Bleh! 😡 I’d just like to see a legitimate power threat in the middle of the lineup, that’s all.
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I don’t know who batted in front of Dunn, and behind him last year,(Griffey must have been one or the other) but no one on the club drove in more than 84 RBI’s for the season. He might drive in 110, 120 for us.
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I expect Dunn would get a lot of walks batting in front of Frenchy, McCann would protect him a lot more.
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Gil: If Dunn were in the lineup, it’d probably go Yunel, KJ, Chipper, Dunn, Mac, Kotch, French, Schafer/Anderson/Blanco.
Should French return to any kind of form, he might bat 5th against lefties.
The problem still remains that the lineup is Lefty heavy, going R, L, S, L, L, L, R, 8th. If Dunn were a righty, Frank probably would have already backed the Brinks truck to his door. That’s why I continue to flip-flop over Dunn (although I still think he improves the offense). Same goes for Abreu, etc. Nady is the guy I like, but he’s a one year rental, will cost some good prospects, and heads to arbi repped by Bora$$. Jermaine Dye probably remains the best overall fit, but will still cost some kids…
Lets look at it though. If you sign Lowe and Ohman, and trade for Dye, you field a very competitive team.
Lineup goes Yunel, KJ, Chipper, Dye, Mac, Kotch, French, Schafer (?) decent – no true leadoff unless Schafer could emerge
Rotation is Lowe, JV, JJJ, Smoltz (?), Campillo/Jo-Jo/Morton/Hanson good – Jo-Jo is the only lefty candidate
Bully is Gonzo (Closer), Soriano, Moylan, Ohman (LH), Logan (LH), Boyer, Acosta outstanding – ’nuff said
Bench is Norton, Infante, Prado, Ross, Diaz/Blanco/Anderson very good – very solid
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DOB reports that he talked with Ohman, and that he has received offers form 6-8 teams, and that Atlanta is still in there, and that all things being equal, he prefers to stay in ATL, etc… Pretty standard FA speech, but at least we’re still in the mix.
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I’m good with Dunn.
Now, when Frank sees that I’ve formally signed off he’ll prolly make a deal in the next few days. A Dunn deal.
Lineup:
1. ❓ A new, good, fast, base stealing SS (lose Yunel on a SP trade).
2. ❓ A new, good, quick 2B that can turn a double play like the Lemmer.
3. 😀 Chipper – 3B
4. 😀 Dunn – LF
5. 😀 McCann – C
6. 🙂 Kotchman – 1B
7. 😐 Schafer – CF
8. 😦 French – RF (until we can trade him).
8. ➡ Diaz-Anderson Platoon – RF
9. 😯 New Ace, like Oswalt (1)
Then, rounding out the starters:
(2) Lowe or Peavy (3) Morton (4) Smoltz (5) Glavine (6) Hanson (7) JoJo
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I have a call in now to Frank with my starting lineup. I’ll let you know when he gets back to me with an approval.
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Frank just called and said he loved my lineup and that he’d get right to work on it. I was too busy to take his call so I had my people tell him that they would get back to him to flesh out the details. Frank was very happy to hear that we would be willing to help him with his job.
Ink should be dry on some contracts soon. More later…
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Actually, K Johnson makes a pretty quick turn, just those balls to his right that seem to be a problem. If he is going to be a real major leaguer this should be the year he comes forth.
Escobar is just not a lead off kind of guy. Just not that quick. He is pretty fast but not quick…. Andreson/Blanco much better lead off with Anderson being my pick…
Still a long way to go before the 2009 roster is set.
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IM: Very nice graphic rating chart. I’m not on board with all of your choices, but the graphics are very nice.
I would trade Yunel only if the pitcher in return is named Jake Peavy. Otherwise, he must stay. I, too, believe Schafer will be our CF when we break camp. Probably our biggest difference of opinion is in the return of the FrenchConnection. You wanna trade him, I want him to produce in RF, and believe he will. Like Gil, I think KJ plays a good enough 2B. He got a bad rap as a poor fielder because of one big drop, but the numbers, which I won’t try to regurgitate, belie that myth. And I’d prefer Dye over Dunn.
Oswalt is a nice dream, but then again, so is energy independence. Lowe… maybe.
Ideally, Schafer could lead off ala Shane Victrola. Yuney bats 2 and KJ drops to 7, where he has been most productive in the bigs. I don’t see Bobby giving an unproven rookie the leadoff spot, though. Granted, he did it once with Furc-ahole, but I can’t see it a second time…
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😯
WordPress transposed my last 2 paragraphs!
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Here is a question for debate. If, if, TommyG is truly healthy for the first time in years, can he give you equal or better than Jamie Moyer gave Phillie last season?
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A healthy Tom Glavin is still a solid number three guy. The real question might be if he can add a couple of mph to his fast ball after surgery. He still has a good change but you must have several mph separation from your heater for it to be truly effective. Were not some of his pitches clocked around the 69 mph mark last season? That is batting practice speed.
I look forward to how much zip Gonzo should pick up this year. That should make him really effective. I would be excited about Soriano too but I think he will be packaged during spring training for a hitter. Having two closers is nice but not a necessity.
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The reason I think it will be during spring training is so the Braves can establish value. Or not….
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Gil, I believe you are spot on with that one. Soriano will probably be traded in Spring to someone in need of a closer. That truly may be when we get our LF.
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Anybody got some thoughts to glue together for a quick lead? We’re up near 500 on this one!
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Uh.. Could do one maybe on life after baseball…. Sigh….
We have a group of local businessmen who are ready to purchase a minor league franchise for Richmond if a new stadium is promised, duh… Isn’t this where the Braves left?
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Gas prices went up another 10 cents last night!!!! 😡
Meanwhile, back at the ranch….
Oil drops largest percentage in 7 years on crude build
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Oil-drops-largest-percentage-rb-13994723.html
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and I know prices show up weeks later, but still 20-25 cent increase in 2 days is annoying….still better than $4 a gallon though.
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Gil, you’re my man! 😀
I know Salty is working on one, but he’s somewhere up in the bleak hinterlands of Muts territory.
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Just went over to Scribe’s place to see what he’s up to. He also thinks Dunn would help the Braves.
http://braves.today.com
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Raisins, tell’ya what. You think the French is coming back as a good RF. I say he’s a big fat :?:. So, as GM, here’s what I’m gonna do to make you happy. I’k a’gonna let French spread his wings in a different ballpark, away from the locals he grew up around. It’ll be great for him and very good for the Braves.
I’ll always wish the best for French but, well, we need other things. As a bold move, I’m gonna trade him and a coupl’a guys like JoJo and KJ to the Giants. They’ll love playing in San Francisco.
To be fair, from one GM to another, I’ll get a player that also has had a mysterious falling off last year. Guessed it yet? Barry Zito. We gotta get some “Planet Zito” in Atlanta to shake things up.
I’ll call Frank now. Back later…
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Still waiting for Frank’s call.
After moving French to San Fran, I’ll move Schafer to RF to make room for Josh Hamilton in center. Then I’m done until summer. We should be OK with that for now but you never know what we might need with our 3-5 SP’s. Some old arms there that might fall of in ST.
Phone’s ringing… maybe it’s Frank. Back later.
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Well shucks, that wasn’t Frank. That was just Obama calling to see if I’d agree to meet him at the White House and consult on an array of minority issues (people like me and our issues).
Of course I said I’d get back to him or have my peeps call his peeps.
Phone again… maybe Frank.
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Nah… John McCain that time. Wanted to know if I’d help him with his next campaign. I said no. He asked why. I told him that nobody wanted to vote for him, ‘specially after than miserable race he ran, uh, walked. Then I told him that he should start a new bus tour and this time, do it in California or Iraq or something. He seemed miffed at the suggestion, but you know what? Don’t care.
Whoops, phone again… maybe Frank.
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Nope. Man, this phone is ringing off the hook. And it’s not even on a hook. Ringing off the little table beside my computer.
This time it was Hillary. She wanted to know if I’d help with her next campaign as soon as she, uh, figured out a way to stage a coup.
Of course I said no. Out of the fire back into the frying pan maybe, but still not where you want to be and all. She got mad and said she’d continue calling me into the middle of the night. I told her I wasn’t prepared to get “that” call at 3:00 in the morning. You know… THAT call. Yep, the one where the “football” is passed because of a crisis. Nosirree Bob I said. I’m a baseball man. She seemed confused by that answer. Go figger.
Whoa… phone going off again. Must be Frank.
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FINALLY!!!
That was Frank. Or at least I thought it was Frank, uh, Wren. The call was from Frank Gorshin pretending to be Frank Wren. Didn’t take but a few seconds and I called him on it. Wise acre, doin’ that.
OK… there’s the phone again and this time it must be the real Frank. Hold on…
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FINALLY!!! AGAIN!!!
No really… finally Frank. Like Suddenly Susan, only different.
Anyhoo, he said he loved… LOVED my trade and acquisition ideas and that he would get right on each and every one’a’vem.
He also said to pass along congrats to Stuffville for having 500 posts in January. He’ll get back to me when he has ink on the trades.
That’s my boy.
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While your at it, have him call Tampa and see who it will take to get Carl Crawford….
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IM has been breathing fumes of some sort!!! 😛
Creative fumes though…..
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Yes, it’s funny how when the price of crude goes up, gas prices rise and when it goes down, gas prices still rise. The oil companies operate on the same premise as our government., that is, You can fool some of the people all the time…. All of the people some of the time… and if you play your cards right, it should give you just enough time to get elected….
Actually, it Nixon’s fault… It’s true… He told the shah of Iran the way to pay for those F-14s we sent him was to raise the price of oil. Of course the rest is history. Remember 1973 anyone???
Berigan, I don’t know if you got my reply to your e-mail as the mail demon pop up after I sent it to you….
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This ain’t exactly my first rodeo either….
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Gil, sorry about that! My swell email addy goes from att.net to bellsouth for no good reason at all! Well, perhaps they have a good reason, but they are keeping it from me. I need to talk to the folks overseas again that said they corrected the issue….
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Marcus Giles signs minor-league deal with Phillies Story
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Marcus Giles’ minor league contract was announced Wednesday by the Philadelphia Phillies, and the former All-Star second baseman was among nine players invited to spring training by the World Series champions.
Giles, who was out of the majors last year after being released by Colorado in spring training, provides another option for the World Series champions with second baseman Chase Utley and third baseman Pedro Feliz recovering from offseason operations.
The 30-year-old Giles is a career .277 hitter with 76 homers and 333 RBIs in seven seasons, the first six spent with Atlanta and one with San Diego. Giles’ best season was in 2003 when he hit .316 with 49 doubles, 21 homers and 69 RBIs. He batted .311 and .291 the following two seasons. Giles only hit .229 in ’07 with the Padres.
Giles gets a $600,000, one-year deal if he’s added to the 40-man roster. If he’s not on the 25-man roster by July 1, the Phillies will release him if he asks them to do so.
That’s all I got….. sigh….
‘Night, y’all!
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Looks like there will be snow in Tiger tonight. Wish I was there to see it.
VOR, I had read the duck hunting story before but it’s still funny.
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Oh… my… goodness. Reports on Braves’ MLB site that Smoltz will sign with Red Sox tomorrow. Excuse me, I feel a bit sick ( & I like the Red Sox!)
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So much for wanting to stay close to his kids. Lying traitor. I can’t believe he’d go running after the $$$ after all these years. What more could he buy that he doesn’t already have in that theme park he calls a house?
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Oh F***!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FLB, at first I thought you were kidding!!! But, that ain’t your style….unbelievable!
I will say this in his defense, he has put it all on the line for the braves, and many times he looked to be the only brave that seemed to give a damn. He’s 42, he wants a chance to go out a winner. That simply is not going to happen playing for the braves. After watching player after player NOT sign with us, the writing was on the wall. If it’s his last year, why play for a 4th place team???
Money is money, but it also shows a player a team WANTS you. The Braves have been cocky about the whole situation, thinking no way he would leave the braves. JS and Wren have guessed wrong…again.
Rocco Baldelli is about to sign with Boston, even though he won’t start. He could start with the Pirates, but he’s from the area, and wants to win. Brad Penny signed with the Sox, he knows they want to win.
Who knows the braves want to win anymore????
No matter what I just said, man…. this sucks! 😡
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That “want to go out a winner” always means “I’m signing for big bucks with a high-budget team”. Doesn’t he want his HOF plaque to say that he was one of the few players of his era to stay with one team?!? Also, let’s be honest here, he has a large ego; I thought he really enjoyed his “icon” status with the Braves. He won’t have that in Boston. He should ask Andruw about the grass being greener on the other side of the fence. And Boston, good as they are, does not have a guaranteed ticket to the postseason, not in that division. The Rays should be even better & the Yankees have signed darn near everyone they could get their hands on. I don’t think it’s worth throwing away all he’s meant to the Braves for one year of maybe.
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And of course the AJC blog has collapsed with this huge news, and no new blog til, what, 11 AM there???
I did see the story linked there….
The last 4 paragraphs say it all….
The pitcher, who has declined interview requests most of the winter, apparently had tired of waiting for the Braves to make him an offer and found the Red Sox proposal too good to pass up.
At least six teams were known to have expressed interest in Smoltz, even though he might not be ready to pitch until May. He will join a deep and talented Boston rotation, and the Red Sox hope the winningest postseason pitcher in history will be ready to help them in the second half and the playoffs.
Meanwhile, in what’s already been a troublesome offseason for the Braves, they could now take the biggest public-relations hit in recent years. Smoltz is a hugely popular figure in Atlanta, one of the city’s all-time favorite athletes.
He turned down more money to remain with the Braves in the past. Now, it appears he’s leaving because Atlanta, the only team he ever pitched for in the majors, wasn’t ready or willing to offer anything remotely close to what a team with no previous connections to Smoltz was ready to offer him.
http://www.ajc.com/braves/content/sports/braves/stories/2009/01/08/smoltz_red_sox.html
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FLB, I certainly see what you’re saying…I guess I am just pragmatic tonight…
He pitched hurt for a long time, gutted it out when others seemed to just be going through the motions, and he sees what has happened to this once competitive team, and it ain’t pretty. IF he was healthy enough to start, I don’t think being 7-12 with a 3.50 ERA on a 75-87 team sounds like as much fun during his final year as a pro as playing for fans that are alive with every single pitch, playing regular season games that feel like playoff games, and having a real chance to go to the playoffs, with a chance to win it all. Oh yeah, and the last chance to make many millions of dollars as well. You can never have too much money. 🙄
It will be interesting to hear what comes out in the next few days. Well, sort of interesting.
Won’t hear anything on espn (tv) a complete loser like Adam (Pacman) Jones being released by a team that didn’t make the playoffs, why that’s real big news. A HOF’er, who unlike the choker Brett Farve plays his best ball come the playoffs, nah….who cares…and on that note….I shall go to bed and hope this story was just a trick to get a contract from the braves…
This is the worst 12 months this franchise has had since coming to Atlanta.
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😯
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I… have… no… words…
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My heart is now shattered into billions and billions of pieces. I have to log off now, so my upcoming language will not get me banned.
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After the initial shock, knee jerk sadness and the reality of Smoltz leaving sunk in, it’s highly disappointing but totally understandable.Folks, this is the business of baseball and it’s also the nature of competitive athletes.
Sounds like the Braves came up short on Smoltz.
Sounds like Smoltz felt he deserved better… and you know he wants to win.
Boston has enough money to take a chance on Smoltz, even if they just get a few months work at the end of the season.
So, the Bosox offered $3 mil more and better incentives than the Bravos. We might hope that Smoltzy would accept less to end his career as a Brave, but we don’t know and may never know how it all came down. A warrior doesn’t quit when he can still fight, just to become an ornament in the clubhouse. You can’t expect a warrior to be without an ego and you can’t expect them to be welcome sitting on a team that may wind up in fourth place behind a manager that should have retired five years ago.
Did the Braves give the cold shoulder to the old shoulder? Did Smoltz’ ego require a highest bid, or did he see the writing on the wall, understand something about what’s going on with Liberty and Wren that he didn’t like and decide to get the hell out of Dodge to play with a winner? We probably will never know.
Did the Braves not make a competitive or matching offer to Smoltz because they are truly rebuilding a competitive team and couldn’t take a chance on John’s troublesome shoulder… or is this a sign that they can’t make a deal because they aren’t spending money?
As troubling as it is, we’ll soon find out if the Braves have what it takes to field a winning team or if their plan is to fill the seats and enhance the Balance Sheet and lead with the PR team and chopping cow.
This may just wind up being one of those situations where Smoltz fans are very disappointed that he’s leaving but understand why he might. Could be a win, win, win. Boston gets a post season warrior, Smoltz gets a chance to win and end on a high note and the Braves get a chance to build a young, strong, healthy rotation.
Anyhoo, that’s what I’m going with until I learn otherwise. Hopefully John will return to the Braves in some capacity when he does hang up the glove. Good luck John… you are now playing for my AL team. Go Braves, Go Bosox.
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IM,
Smoltz wanting to play for a winning team is the ONLY excuse I can accept. You said Boston has enough money to take a chance on Smoltz. What about all those millions in Franks ass-pocket that the Braves Brass has been boasting about all winter? What is he saving it for? Garland? Wolf? If it is true that the unwillingness to un-ass $3 million is what prevented us from retaining the Icon of the francshise, then Frank can KMA. If were were running on a tight budget, maybe I would slightly understand, but we’re not and we just signed Greg effing Norton. There’s absolutely no excuse for “coming up short on Smoltz” when we’re only talking about $5 million guaranteed, unless he just didn’t want to play for the Braves anymore. If it comes out that the Braves didn’t try to exceed (not match—exceed) the Sox offer, this one falls squarely on Frank.
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SIGH…..
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You’ll probably be surprised at my take…
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Thanks for the laugh V! I and everyone else will need it…..Damn…..I still thought I might wake up to some good news.
And I saw no thread on the AJC last night, but it shows up now.(the (12:56 AM one)
So far I have scrolled through about the first 70, and only KC has been PO’ed at Smoltz right now. Everyone wants Wren out of town, now.
And the more I think about it, Smoltz DESERVED whatever the Red Sox were going to pay him, offered by the team he gave so much to. Especially after we weren’t going to pay anyone to start here(Unless this scares the Braves into actually making a real offer to Lowe) The money was there….
I swear this smells of the Homeboy upstairs. I bet Wren will take all the blame, but I don’t know….JS’s fingerprints are on this….
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NEW BLOG IS UP!
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Here’s a question to chew on…
Do you give a player a contract based on what he has done or based on what you expect?
Hmmm..?
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Talk about peaks and valleys.
Last night I was interviewed for a Chop Talk article on the Hank project and my artwork and four hours later the Smoltz situation is reported. mDidn’t even have time to feel good before having my feet cut out from under me.
VOR-In response to your question-when the player is Smoltz, who no one should ever count out and who has pitched for this long for us and done so with injuries while signing club friendly contracts, then you pay him even if it is Overpaying him.
The Braves will lose more in attendance then had they matched or even beaten the Red Sox offer. Poor, poor decision on their part.
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Folks, y’all now have an idea of how I felt when my whole team left town…. You understand the business side of it but it does not lessen the pain.
Josie says she is now done with the Braves….
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What’s Next For Chipper And Glavine?
By Tim Dierkes [January 8 at 3:04pm CST]
John Smoltz is gone, even after Bobby Cox’s last-ditch phone call this morning. What about longtime Braves Chipper Jones and Tom Glavine?
The AJC’s Carroll Rogers talked to Chipper, who wonders whether he could be traded midseason if the Braves aren’t playing well. He is expecting the Braves to approach him about an extension this winter though. Jones is quite disappointed about Smoltz’s departure and said “it hasn’t gone unnoticed by me.”
Glavine’s first choice is the Braves, but he’s keeping an open mind according to Jerry Crasnick. Crasnick wonders if the Nationals could be a possibility.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/01/whats-next-for.html
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Yep, might as well get rid of Chipper as well! 🙄
‘Frustrated’ Chipper questions Braves’ dealings with Smoltz
Third baseman says Smoltz was upset when they spoke on phone Wednesday
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Chipper Jones took the news of John Smoltz’s departure extremely hard, both in a conversation with Smoltz on the telephone Wednesday evening and in conversations with AJC reporters on Thursday.
When speaking with AJC reporter Carroll Rogers Thursday afternoon, and in a subsequent conversation with AJC columnist Jeff Schultz, Jones had some harsh words for the way his former teammate was treated by the Braves. He also raised some doubts about how his own career with the Braves might end.
MORE SMOLTZ
* Smoltz’s career stats
* Braves, future Hall of Famer go separate ways
* ‘Frustrated’ Chipper angered by Smoltz’s departure
* Braves may face former teammate
* David O’Brien: A jolt for Braves fan
* Mark Bradley: Time to move forward
* Photos: Smoltz’s career • He’s not the first
* Boston’s saying: Smoltz among BoSox’s ‘penny stock’ investments
* Replacement? Lowe in town for talks
Jones is in the final year of his contract and now the greatest link back to the run of 14 straight division titles. Here are excerpts from those conversations:
Q. How did you take all this?
A. I am disappointed. Very disappointed. Deflated. Frustrated. It’s been a very long offseason, not a lot of stuff to really get excited about and then to have this it just is the icing on the cake for me.
Q. You understand why Smoltz decided to sign with Boston?
A. I get it. Ultimately, it’s Smoltzy’s decision to go. But I don’t think anybody is blaming him. The money is significantly different. He doesn’t feel like the Braves are giving him the same respect that the Red Sox are … I’m under the impression they basically told him be ready for June. My whole thing is John Smoltz has earned the right and earned the respect of everybody here to if he wants to come back and pitch and says he is healthy enough, he deserves that opportunity. And you do whatever it takes to get it done. We’ve made so many gambles on players that haven’t panned out over the past few years and if there was one guy in that clubhouse that I’m going to gamble a couple of million dollars on, it’s going to be that guy. If he says he can do it, I believe him.”
Q. Fans are questioning why the Braves didn’t offer Smoltz more money when this is an offseason when the Braves have said they had money to spend. Do you agree?
A. For Smoltzy! That’s what I don’t understand. That’s what’s frustrating. I’m trying to be as diplomatic and as upbeat as I can possibly be and it is being made very hard on me to be that way. John Smoltz has been one of the faces of this franchise for 20 years. There’s no reason for him at 41 years old to be playing anywhere but here.
Q. How was he when you talked to him last night?
A. He was upset, as well he should be. You can liken it to a breakup. This organization is all we have ever known. We all have these dreams of playing our last game in this uniform and it goes back to what I’ve said all along. Every dog has his day. And everybody’s got that day that’s coming when a shot of reality sets in. The business of baseball goes on, and no matter how loyal you are as a player, no matter how much you sacrificed as a player for a particular organization, there comes a time when that organization wants to go a different direction. And that time is now for Smoltzy, and I would imagine that my time is not too far off in the distant future.
Q. How was the conversation?
A.He went through the whole scenario with me. The underlying tone was extreme disappointment — and from my end it was shock. I could see anyone one else going somewhere before John Smoltz. … After everything that’s happened to this organization this winter, the players and the fans need something good to happen. I’ve been keeping up with the news. I’ve been reading the blogs. The one silver lining we had was John Smoltz being back in the lineup this year. We could have had that dominant guy back in the lineup. But we won’t — and for what, a couple of million dollars?
Q. You worried now about how things might end with you?
A. I don’t know how it’s going to end with me. This is my last year under contract with Atlanta. And this last 24 hours certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed by me. I haven’t been offered an extension. If we’re 15 games out in July or August, I doubt they’re just going to let me become a free agent and get nothing in return.”
Q. So you’re preparing yourself to be traded?
A. It’s not beyond the realm of possibilities.
Q. Were you expecting the Braves to make you an offer for an extension this winter?
A. I was told that it was going to happen by the Braves.
Q. Do you think it still might?
A. We’ve got over a month until spring training. Yeah, it could certainly happen. I’ve just been chalking it up to the Braves have bigger fish to fry. But it seems like somebody keeps coming along and eating all our fish.
Q. For those who say Smoltz’s taken less money to stay with the Braves before, how do you explain why this time is different?
A. It’s easy. If the Braves would have handled this right from the beginning and gone ahead and bitten the bullet and offered him a contract, knowing that when John Smoltz sets his mind to it and says he’s coming back and is going to be back at full strength, that the second another team came into this, the Braves should have taken him aside and said ‘What do we have to do to make this work.’ John Smoltz has earned that respect. We’ve all taken less money to stay here, but the fact of the matter is that John Smoltz has nothing else to prove individually. He wants to win. Who has the best chance to win right now? Boston.
Q. Hard to take in, isn’t it?
A. Never, even in a million years did I think this day would come for John Smoltz. I never did. He was the one guy, I honestly thought that everybody would go somewhere else before John would, just for the simple fact that his family here in Atlanta, the school, all the extracurricular stuff that he does off the field, never thought this would happen. So that ought to tell you how disrespected he feels.
Q. Did you have a chance to tell him you’ll miss him, what he’s meant to this organization?
A. We were so upset and so shocked that this is happening. We didn’t even really think about what could happen, that we’d be facing each other, that he could be pitching at the Ted for Boston, that we could be facing him in Fenway Park. We didn’t even allow ourselves to think about that kind of stuff. We’re so shocked that this is actually taking place and that he’s moving on and playing for a different team. I wished him good luck. It’s like losing a brother. We’ve been to war with each other for the last 17 years. Now that’s not going to happen anymore. It’s very upsetting.
Q. Does this send the wrong message to players and fans?
A. This can only hurt.
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2009/01/08/john_smoltz_chipper_jones.html
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Oh, it just gets better and better…Chipper was apparently trying to talk Lowe into coming here just yesterday…real bad timing, and I know he’s being a hothead right now, but he’s hurt….
In case anyone missed it….
DOB at 3 PM
Here’s what Chipper said about it:
“Yes I talked to Derek Lowe last night. He’s definitely interested, but this carnage that just happened is not going to be very appealing because he and I were talking last night [about how] you throw a 200-inning guy like Vazquez, a guy who can be as dominant as Smoltzy, him, Jair, that’s a very, very good starting rotation. Guys who can eat innings and not overexpose, overuse the bullpen. There are possibilities there. Well, you just lost the major cog of that [Smoltz] and you don’t [yet] have one of the other major cogs of that [Lowe].
“The prospects of that possibility are severely diminished when you take Smoltzy out of the equation. Because at the end of the day all you really have at this point is Javy and Jair.”
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Gil, I hope with time your wife will come around…
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Shoot, I hope I will come around to the braves, and won’t just follow the Devil Rays, and I guess the Red Sox….
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Man, hard to read the AJC blog, blood and guts everywhere….
Here’s a guy selling his, his, well, you will see.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300285650890&viewitem=&salenotsupported
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