Just some linkage tonight, as it's been a long, rough week at work.
Mrs. Frinklin goes into detail about why we hate our neighbors. You would too if you dealt with them. Just for an update, it's quarter to 10:00 at night, and they are STILL out there in the rain.
A couple great Slate articles. Matt Feeney eviscerate SportsCenter on ESPN. It's pretty snarky, but it's also true. Dan and Keith aren't coming back kids. The second is a Daniel Gross feature on Petco Park, the beautiful new Padre ballpark. The gist of the article is the park is actually doing all those nice things for downtown that teams always say when trying to get a new park. And trust me, Petco is very nice.
Beliefnet does April Fools? Heh...
Tim Kurkjian reminds everyone how painful baseball can be. I never get on any athlete who says he's hurt. I can't get out of bed because of headaches some days. Who am I to judge?
3.31.2004
The PI ran part 1 of their baseball preview this morning, leading with John Hickey's piece on the aging M's, concentrating on The Edgar, Dan Wilson, and John Olerud. It's mostly fluff, completetly pushing the Company Line. To wit:
The team has a "sense of urgency". Okay, if everyone is so urgent, then why did they downgrade three positions (SS, LF,CF) and fail to signifcantly improve anywhere other than the disaster that was Jeff Cirillo?
If Freddy Garcia has a big year (which I think he will) the team can't resign him because "a big year means a big contract, bigger than the $6.875 million he earns now." Excuse me, a team that willingly gives Raul Ibanez 13 million based on 2 mediocre years in a hitters ballpark can certainly afford Freddy.
This entire section makes me chuckle
The thing is, the Mariners have a flood of good young starting pitchers just ready to make a splash in Seattle. The main reason Garcia won't be back is the Mariners have to find room for pitchers like Clint Nageotte, Travis Blackley and Rett Johnson to move into the rotation. It's one thing to have great young talent at Tacoma this year; there's no way sensible management lets that talent stagnate there next year.
So, we don't want talent to stagnate. Jamal Strong couldn't possibly play as well as Quinton McCracken, he needs to spend more time in AAA. Neither Matt Thorton or Bobby Madritsch could handle the bullpen this year, so we need to resurrect Ron Villone, Mike Myers and Terry Mulholland.
But the absolute money qoute is this, from Chuck Armstrong "I think there may be an increased emphasis on getting to the playoffs," Armstrong said. "When you think you should get there and you don't two years in a row, it's tough on everybody in the organization." So does this mean they're admitting the team hasn't been all that committed the past couple years?
The more discussed article, at least here in the blogosphere is Dave Andriesen's piece on Bill Bavasi and the Internet. Art Theil takes much the same tack, and they both take great pains to mention that Bavasi is a good mixture of objective and subjective. Again, the Company Line. Both peices have been pretty well hacked elsewhere, but I'd like to mention to Dave that I personally would like Bavasi a lot more had he not ridiculously overpaid for Ibanez, and traded a pretty effective pinchhitter for Quention McCracken. Just a thought.
Oh, and Adriesen also lists a ridiculous Top Prospects piece, including AJ Zapp, since he is a "great fielder". Oh, and this :If he lives up to the promise the Mariners see in him, Lopez could one day be America's most famous J. Lo, is a horrific sentence, and by itself knocks the PI sports section down at least 2 pegs.
The team has a "sense of urgency". Okay, if everyone is so urgent, then why did they downgrade three positions (SS, LF,CF) and fail to signifcantly improve anywhere other than the disaster that was Jeff Cirillo?
If Freddy Garcia has a big year (which I think he will) the team can't resign him because "a big year means a big contract, bigger than the $6.875 million he earns now." Excuse me, a team that willingly gives Raul Ibanez 13 million based on 2 mediocre years in a hitters ballpark can certainly afford Freddy.
This entire section makes me chuckle
The thing is, the Mariners have a flood of good young starting pitchers just ready to make a splash in Seattle. The main reason Garcia won't be back is the Mariners have to find room for pitchers like Clint Nageotte, Travis Blackley and Rett Johnson to move into the rotation. It's one thing to have great young talent at Tacoma this year; there's no way sensible management lets that talent stagnate there next year.
So, we don't want talent to stagnate. Jamal Strong couldn't possibly play as well as Quinton McCracken, he needs to spend more time in AAA. Neither Matt Thorton or Bobby Madritsch could handle the bullpen this year, so we need to resurrect Ron Villone, Mike Myers and Terry Mulholland.
But the absolute money qoute is this, from Chuck Armstrong "I think there may be an increased emphasis on getting to the playoffs," Armstrong said. "When you think you should get there and you don't two years in a row, it's tough on everybody in the organization." So does this mean they're admitting the team hasn't been all that committed the past couple years?
The more discussed article, at least here in the blogosphere is Dave Andriesen's piece on Bill Bavasi and the Internet. Art Theil takes much the same tack, and they both take great pains to mention that Bavasi is a good mixture of objective and subjective. Again, the Company Line. Both peices have been pretty well hacked elsewhere, but I'd like to mention to Dave that I personally would like Bavasi a lot more had he not ridiculously overpaid for Ibanez, and traded a pretty effective pinchhitter for Quention McCracken. Just a thought.
Oh, and Adriesen also lists a ridiculous Top Prospects piece, including AJ Zapp, since he is a "great fielder". Oh, and this :If he lives up to the promise the Mariners see in him, Lopez could one day be America's most famous J. Lo, is a horrific sentence, and by itself knocks the PI sports section down at least 2 pegs.
3.30.2004
Dog B (Jeffrey) tonight decides to continue his ongoing destruction of our couch. Our couch was somewhat healthy when we bought it secondhand. This of course was Pre-Jeffrey. Over the last 2 years he has utterly destroyed it. First he dug a hole in it's side. That's hardly noticeable, did you know how much fun upholstery glue can be? Thwarted there, he moved on to cushions. Both the bottom cushions have large, nasty gashes in the fabric thanks to him. Both sides of course, we're well beyond "flip the cushion over, no one will notice." The dog seems to have developed quite the taste for the foam inside each cushion, so every once in awhile when he thinks the Frinklins aren't paying attention, Jeffrey will go right for his favorite snack, couch innards. Such as it was tonight, I was in the spare bedroom looking for cool stuff to add to my fledgling blog, Mrs. Frinklin in the bedroom watching The Cosby Show on Nick at Night (a recent obsession, I've no idea why). Anyway, we both hear the by now familiar sounds of ripping, tearing and the odd growl Jeffrey affects while doing things he knows specify him as a bad dog. He sees me coming down the hall, so he runs off into the master bedroom. There Mrs. Frinklin admonishes him with the classic dog training phrase, "Not Appropriate".
Not Appropriate. Not, "Jeffrey" or "Bad Dog" or "Stop". Not Appropriate.
The damned thing is, it worked. Jeffrey drops his hard earned couch stuffing, and lays down with his momma. This dog can be positively evil.
Not Appropriate. Not, "Jeffrey" or "Bad Dog" or "Stop". Not Appropriate.
The damned thing is, it worked. Jeffrey drops his hard earned couch stuffing, and lays down with his momma. This dog can be positively evil.
I was asked for fantasy stuff...ok.
I'm not an NL expert but I have a couple ideas.
1-My blog will continue to push for Rockies 2B Aaron Miles as ROY. First of all you can't go wrong with a Rox batter, unless it's Neifi Perez. Second: this kid (well, he's 27) can play. Miles spent most of last year with Charlotte, hitting .304/.351/.445. He reminds some people of David Eckstein, but with more power (11 HR in AAA). He should be cheap, and Colorado waived Damian Jackson to clear the 2B job for him.
2-Jake Peavy has had a terrific spring (14.2 IP, 15K 5W 3R), and the new Petco Park should favor pitchers, especially righhanders. He won't be terribly cheap, but I'll bet he gives you comparable W and WHIP to Josh Beckett, and Beckett will be one of the most overpriced guys in the draft this year. Don't get me wrong, I think Beckett is terrific, but he's never pitched a full seaon, and never won more than 9 games.
The wife and I have thought about a combined blog, but we really wonder if we have enough to say for 3 of these. Besides, neither of us have been at this for more than 10 days.
I'm not an NL expert but I have a couple ideas.
1-My blog will continue to push for Rockies 2B Aaron Miles as ROY. First of all you can't go wrong with a Rox batter, unless it's Neifi Perez. Second: this kid (well, he's 27) can play. Miles spent most of last year with Charlotte, hitting .304/.351/.445. He reminds some people of David Eckstein, but with more power (11 HR in AAA). He should be cheap, and Colorado waived Damian Jackson to clear the 2B job for him.
2-Jake Peavy has had a terrific spring (14.2 IP, 15K 5W 3R), and the new Petco Park should favor pitchers, especially righhanders. He won't be terribly cheap, but I'll bet he gives you comparable W and WHIP to Josh Beckett, and Beckett will be one of the most overpriced guys in the draft this year. Don't get me wrong, I think Beckett is terrific, but he's never pitched a full seaon, and never won more than 9 games.
The wife and I have thought about a combined blog, but we really wonder if we have enough to say for 3 of these. Besides, neither of us have been at this for more than 10 days.
3.29.2004
Just a couple quick sports bits, nothing too exciting.
Aaron Miles takes the first step towards that ROY.
Junior is hurt again, this time time not too terribly serious. Still, it's not a good sign.
Jayson Stark, still cleanshaven, still disconcerting to me, plays Meet the Candidates for the World Series. The Beloved M's place in the Richard Gephart (looks good on paper,anyway) division. It's hard to argue with this.
Mariners: Biggest assets -- pitching depth, great young arms (Rafael Soriano, Joel Pineiro, Gil Meche, Clint Nageotte, J.J. Putz), deeper lineup. Biggest questions -- age, downgraded defense, age, power shortage, age.
Rosenthal mentions that the Mariners and Dodgers are looking at the Ranger OF Kevin Mench and AAA 1B Adrian Gonzalez. The problem is, as usual, the Mariners are "reluctant" to move their young pitchers. Which is what Texas wants and needs. So why do they bother. Just for the record: I like Adrian Gonzalez, I think he would make a nice fit if Olerud retires.
Aaron Miles takes the first step towards that ROY.
Junior is hurt again, this time time not too terribly serious. Still, it's not a good sign.
Jayson Stark, still cleanshaven, still disconcerting to me, plays Meet the Candidates for the World Series. The Beloved M's place in the Richard Gephart (looks good on paper,anyway) division. It's hard to argue with this.
Mariners: Biggest assets -- pitching depth, great young arms (Rafael Soriano, Joel Pineiro, Gil Meche, Clint Nageotte, J.J. Putz), deeper lineup. Biggest questions -- age, downgraded defense, age, power shortage, age.
Rosenthal mentions that the Mariners and Dodgers are looking at the Ranger OF Kevin Mench and AAA 1B Adrian Gonzalez. The problem is, as usual, the Mariners are "reluctant" to move their young pitchers. Which is what Texas wants and needs. So why do they bother. Just for the record: I like Adrian Gonzalez, I think he would make a nice fit if Olerud retires.
Okay, so no AL predictions today. Perhaps tomorrow. And no, I'm sane enough not to stay up and watch the Yankees-Devil Rays game this morning. I'm really conflicted about starting the year in Japan. Originally that was going to be "really ambivalent" but I doubt that's possible. I love the globalization of the game, and I think playing exhibitions in Japan are a wonderful idea, but forcing two teams to fly 14 hours for two games is rather ridiculous. It also takes away from Opening Day, which I fully support becoming a National Holiday. I'm unable to take the day off this year, as we have massive computer failures at work right now, and I'm the one how has to plan around them.
Mrs. Frinklin tells her side of the marriage story here, and tries to explain why she didn't wear her ring today. She also fixed her blog up good. Now, she didn't figure out HTML, but found a site where she can customize her own. It looks quite snazzy.
Mrs. Frinklin tells her side of the marriage story here, and tries to explain why she didn't wear her ring today. She also fixed her blog up good. Now, she didn't figure out HTML, but found a site where she can customize her own. It looks quite snazzy.
3.28.2004
Back from Jersey Girl. It's an okay film, far more sentimental than any other Kevin Smith. Almost sappy in places, but it works for the most part. Ben Affleck, looking buffed and shined to perfection, actually acts more than poses. Racquel Castro is very cute, and pretty effective as his daughter, the titular Jersey Girl. To me the dialogue didn't sound much like typical Smith, it lacked that crackle and real-people-can't-talk-like-this wit. It sounded much more real, which is good, but loses some distinctiveness. The movie is very much worth seeing however, if only for a 1st grader singing Sweeney Todd.
Ever seen a bunny possessed by the devil? Check this.
Ever seen a bunny possessed by the devil? Check this.
We're off to see Jersey Girl. We're geeky, comic-book readin' suburbanites, you think we miss any Kevin Smith movie? I'll post a review later. It's a Santa Ana day, so the theater will be crowded. For those who are not familiar with the Santa Ana, they are really nasty winds that come up off the California desert and turn where I live into a combination of windtunnel and EZ-Bake Oven. Both Mrs. and I get unnaturally cranky during Santa Ana winds, so wish me luck.
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