text:
Tag:Justin Masterson
Posted on: July 31, 2009 5:11 pm
Recapping the Sox' Deadline Deals
The Boston Red Sox were one of the busier teams leading into today's 4pm trading deadline.
The major deal was the Sox acquiring Cleveland Indians All-Star catcher Victor Martinez, and the minor deal was swapping first basemen to get Casey Kotchman from the Atlanta Braves.
Martinez is the biggest offensive pickup of the 2009 trading deadline. Martinez had a injury plagued 2008 season that lead to mediocre numbers, but he has picked it up again in 2009 and reestablished himself as one of the best offensive catchers in the game.
A switch-hitter, he gives the Sox excellent versatility in the line-up and on the field. While not official, it is expected that he will play predominantly at catcher and designated hitter. He is a better left-handed hitter, and that will allow the Sox to rotate Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek in the line-up against lefties.
The Sox gave up RHP Justin Masterson, who had been splitting the year in the bullpen and rotation, and minor league pitchers Nick Hadagone and Bryan Price.
Masterson was a solid cog of the Red Sox team, but often found himself as the odd man out. The Indians will probably utilize him as a starter, which is where most scouts see him headed, but the Sox were never in the position to give him a chance to develop in that respect.
Hadagone was the biggest chip the Sox gave up. A left-hander in class-A Greenville, Hadagone underwent Timmy John surgery and recently returned from the disabled list and was very impressive. Price is a right-handed pitcher also in Greenville.
The other trade, while it possesses less excitement, was much more peculiar. The Sox obtained Kotchman, traded as the major component of the deal that brought Mark Teixeira to the Angels, for recently acquired Adam LaRoche.
It is odd not because LaRoche only spent a few days with the Sox, or that the Sox traded him because of the surplus of first basemen the Sox possess after getting Martinez. It is strange that the Sox would trade him, an everyday player, for another left-handed first basemen used to playing everyday.
Terry Francona is going to have to do an incredible job of juggling the line-up to make sure everyone gets enough at-bats to be happy. Kevin Youkilis has to play everyday, an one would expect that Martinez is also going to be in the line-up everyday.
This means that somehow Francona has to rotate them so that Varitek, Mike Lowell and David Ortiz get playing time. Lowell's time figures to be cut the most, as Youkilis will likely play most of him games at third base for the rest of the season.
Given Martinez's poorer numbers against lefties, and Lowell and Varitek's success, they will be playing against left-handers. But while Varitek has been described as a walking ice-pack and Lowell is coming off of hip surgery, they can't be thrilled at the prospect of their playing time being reduced.
Kotchman has likely drawn the shortest straw. His playing time will be significantly reduced as virtually every other player in this rotation can play multiple positions, where Kotchman is relegated to first only.
Back up catcher George Kotteras will return to triple-A Pawtucket. He is the personal catcher for knuckle-baller Tim Wakefield, who is on the disabled list. He won't be activated for a few weeks, at which time the Sox will have to decide who should catch him.
To replace Masterson, the Sox have several immediate choices to pick from. Southpaw Javier Lopez was optioned down at the beginning of the season because of terrible struggles, but he has turned his season down in the minors. The Pawtucket Red Sox' closer Fernando Cabrera is mowing down hitters with an ERA under two while being perfect in save chances. Lefty Hunter Jones and righty Michael Bowden have already pitched out of the bullpen this season for the Sox, and they also have Japanese prospect Junichi Tazawa.
Until Wakefield comes back from the DL, one of those triple-A relievers figures to replace the gap in the bullpen.
Heading into tonight's game against Baltimore, the Sox are a significantly upgraded team both offensively and defensively. The only problem will be getting a group of good players fair playing time, which any manager will tell you is a good problem to have.
Category: MLB
Tags: Adam LaRoche, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Bryan Price, Casey Kotchman, Cleveland Indians, David Ortiz, Fernando Cabrera, George Kotteras, Greenville, Hunter Jones, Jason Varitek, Javier Lopez, Junichi Tazawa, Justin Masterson, Kevin Youkilis, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Mark Teixeira, Michael Bowden, Mike Lowell, Nick Hadagone, Pawtucket Red Sox, Terry Francona, Tim Wakefield, Victor Martinez
Posted on: July 24, 2009 12:04 pm
How the Sox can get Halladay and keep Buchholz
Roy Halladay is on the trading block, and there are only about 29 teams who would be interested in his service.
If the Red Sox swung a deal for arguably the best pitcher in baseball, they would be able to march out Halladay, Josh Beckett and Jon Lester in a playoff series, which is enough to make any opposing manager wish they weren't in the playoffs.
The problem with trading for the best pitcher in baseball is that it will come at no easy price. The Red Sox and GM Theo Epstein are reluctant to part with prized pieces of the minor league system, and none more so than Clay Buchholz.
Buchholz has been nothing short of remarkable in the minor leagues this season, compiling a 7-2 record with a 2.06 ERA. He was the leading vote getter among all minor league players for the Triple-A All-Star game and was tabbed to start before getting called up to the big leagues.
The Sox have spent a great deal of time and effort on Buchholz, priming him for what hopes to be a long and productive major league career. Naturally, they do not want another team, especially a fellow A.L. East team, to reap the benefits of the work that they put in for him.
Ignoring the fact that Buchholz will never be Roy Halladay and the Sox should go offer him up for Halladay, it is possible to put together a deal without Buchholz. It will still be painful, as several key contributors would have to be a part of the trade.
If I am Theo Epstein, and I am told that if I trade Buchholz then I will be fired and hung out by my entrails over Gate A on Yawkee Way for all of Red Sox Nation to throw overpriced sausage and pepper sandwiches at me, then I can manufacture a New Deal.
The Jays want at least one starter in return. If it is not Buchholz, then the next best piece in the Sox farm system is Michael Bowden. Can we make a trade and avoid both top prospects all together? Let's try.
Any trade for Halladay will include players who can make an immediate impact as well as future prospects. For players who can make an impact now would be: Justin Masterson, Daniel Bard and Jed Lowrie. For future prospects: Lars Anderson and Casey Kelly.
The Jays, understandably, want a starter in return. Scouts see Masterson as a starter who needs regular rest. The Sox use him in the bullpen based on their needs, but he has shown that he can be stretched out. Kelly also fills the need for a starter and has been very impressive in the minors.
Bard gives the Jays a shut-down guy out of the bullpen, and a potential future closer. Bard is the player that hurts the most to see go in this scenario, but the Sox bullpen was considered to be the best in baseball before Bard was called up.
Before Sox fans say that the bullpen takes a terrible hit, remember that Bard's replacement in Pawtucket is Fernando Carbrera who is 17-for-17 in save opportunities with a 1.73 ERA, 40 strikeouts in 41 innings pitched and a .193 opponent batting average. The Sox also have Junichi Tazawa, who is a great young Japanese prospect.
Lowrie's impact on the team since his call-up last year was more out of need rather than desire. He plays excellent defense, but is below average as a hitter. He was injured, and may simply be slumping this season, but Lowrie was never viewed by the organization as the shortstop of the future. The Jays reportedly want a shortstop/middle infielder who can play defense. Of course, Nick Green's play has certainly been solid enough so that the Sox are not loosing much if Green is officially the everyday shortstop.
As for Anderson, there is not much room for him in Boston. Scouts tout him as an excellent hitter who uses all fields, but still learning defensively. In Boston, the Sox have their first baseman in Kevin Youkilis, although some have said that Youkilis will move back over to third when Mike Lowell's ailing joints give out and Anderson would take over at first.
The Sox would love to have Anderson mature into an excellent hitter, but he is a piece that they see as possible trade bait. They will certainly not hesitate to trade him for a player like Halladay.
Masterson, Bard, Lowrie, Anderson and Kelly for Halladay. It gives the Jays exactly what they are looking for position-wise. Talent-wise, it does not have the same big names like Buchholz and Bowden, but the Jays get a great core of young players to compliment the ones they have. (They can also have Brad Penny if they want him, too).
Tell me what you think – is this plausible?
Category: MLB
Tags: Boston Red Sox, Brad Penny, Casey Kelly, Clay Buchholz, Daniel Bard, Fernando Cabrera, Jed Lowrie, Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, Junichi Tazawa, Justin Masterson, Kevin Youkilis, Lars Anderson, Michael Bowden, Mike Lowell, Nick Green, Pawtucket Red Sox, Roy Halladay, Theo Epstein, Toronto Blue Jays
Posted on: June 2, 2009 5:37 pm
Not Your Typical Six Man Rotation
The Boston Red Sox have the deepest rotation in baseball. If the top eight starters from each team were rolled out, the Sox's eight would be the best in baseball. The five that currently sit in the rotation, Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield and Brad Penny, are all proven starters, and it is arguable that these five, though they have not performed that was thus far this season, are the best five in baseball, on paper at least.
It is the next three that propels the Sox to the top spot when it comes to having the deepest rotation in baseball. Justin Masterson has already filled in the rotation when Matsuzaka went on the disabled list, although he is probably the eighth best starter in the organization. John Smoltz completed his third rehab start, going five innings of one run ball with six strikeouts, and he cannot stay with class-A Greenville much longer. Clay Buchholz meanwhile is dominating the hitters at the triple-A level.
Fans across Red Sox Nation have speculated about the switch from a five-man to a six-man rotation. The Sox starters have disappointed thus far, although recent performances by Beckett, Lester and Penny have buoyed hopes for future success.
Most people then dismiss the idea of a six man rotation, saying that it would disrupt the order of the starters, particularly Beckett, who clearly would want the ball every five days. Beckett leads the A.L. in pitches per start and has the strength and stamina to be a workhorse and go deep into the rotation.
So, instead of a traditional six-man rotation, where each starter makes a start every six days, the Sox should implement a different kind, which we will call a "wheel rotation."
With the wheel rotation, Beckett will make his scheduled starts every five games. He gets the usual amount of time off in between starts, including scheduled off-days. The other five starters then pitch in order around Beckett, but pitching every six games, instead of five. Here's what I mean:
When the wheel rotation is implemented, the rotation would look like this:
Beckett – Game 1 (first game of the wheel rotation)
Lester – Game 2
Matsuzaka – Game 3
Wakefield – Game 4
Penny – Game 5
Beckett – Game 6
Smoltz – Game 7 (for discussion purposes; could be Masterson, or Buchholz, etc.)
Lester – Game 8
Matsuzaka – Game 9
Wakefield – Game 10
Beckett – Game 11
Penny – Game 12
Smoltz – Game 13
What happens with the above schedule is that Beckett remains on his usual amount of rest. He pitches once every five games. The five remaining starters pitch on an extra day of rest and have five games in between starts, rather than four.
Both Smoltz and Wakefield are over 40 years of age, and they would benefit from the extra day of rest. Wakefield has been slowed by injuries in recent years, and Smoltz is returning from shoulder surgery.
Matsuzaka benefits most from the extra day of rest, because teams in Japan also use a six-man rotation, and there is a day off every week. Lester is a younger, left-handed version of the type of pitcher that Beckett is, and he likely needs the rest least. But, his statistics nose dive terribly in the later innings of ballgames this year, and the extra day of rest could give him an extra boost.
This wheel rotation will fit nicely with the Red Sox structure of their pitching staff. If Beckett ever needs an extra day of rest, it will be easy to accommodate that. If Penny is traded or any other starter goes on the disabled list, it allows for one of the younger pitchers like Masterson or Buchholz to have more rest in between starts as they build up their arm strength for the rest of the season.
While a traditional six-man rotation has become almost taboo in baseball, this scenario gives the Sox a great way to utilize their talented arms and depth.
Category: MLB
Posted on: May 22, 2009 11:18 am
Smoltz: Starter or Reliever?
John Smoltz is a baseball anomaly.
Everyone is well aware of the career that Smoltz had during his 20 seasons with the Atlanta Braves. He compiled 210 victories during his tenure in Atlanta while also racking up 154 saves. While these numbers are very impressive, and no one denies the inevitability of Smoltz's induction into the Hall of Fame, there have been others who have made the switch from starter to reliever as their career ages.
Red Sox fans are well aware of one such pitcher. Dennis Eckersley spent six and a half seasons in the late 70s and early 80s as the Red Sox top-of-the-rotation starter, and recorded a 20-win season in 1978. He later returned to Boston in his final year in baseball in 1998 after spending the last decade establishing himself as one of the best closers in baseball. Eckersley finished with 197 victories and 309 saves, with career bests of 20 and 51, respectively. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
But, through his work with the Red Sox television network NESN, Eckersley will speak to the uniqueness of John Smoltz. Why?
While Smoltz is not the only player to have great success in being both a starter and then a converted reliever, but he is the only player to have great success in making the conversion back to the starting rotation after spending time as a reliever.
From his rookie season in 1988 to 1999, Smoltz compiled very impressive numbers like a 157-113 record with a 3.35 ERA in 356 starts, and no appearances out of the bullpen. But after undergoing Tommy John surgery following the 1999 season, he missed the entire 2000 campaign, and returned in '01 coming out of the bullpen. In 2002, his first full season as a closer, he recorded 55 saves, breaking the then National League record of 53. In slightly more than three seasons as a closer, Smoltz racked up 154 saves and a 2.65 ERA.
So far to this point, Smoltz's career almost mirrors Eckersley. But following the '04 season, the Braves need for pitcher fell more to the rotation than it did in the bullpen. So Smoltz returned as a starter, and in the following 2006 season, at the age of 39 no less, Smoltz lead the N.L. with 16 wins at 35 starts.
Shoulder injuries forced Smoltz to the disabled list last season and eventually to season-ending shoulder surgery. But in the three full seasons after his return from the bullpen, Smoltz put together a 44-24 record, for a .647 winning percentage, with a 3.22 ERA. Although a significantly smaller sample, the numbers after his return are better than his numbers during his original stint as a starter (.647 winning percentage to .581).
After the Sox signed the just-turned 42 year-old Smoltz to a one-year, $5.5 million contract, the discussion of what role he would play as a member of a new team for the first time in his career was somewhat mooted by the fact that he was still rehabbing from the surgery and he was not going to be ready for Opening Day.
Well, Smoltz took a big step to returning to the big leagues after tossing three scoreless innings for the Red Sox single-A affiliate in Greenville. Smoltz three 29 pitches, and reported that while he was throwing about 85%, he touched 92 MPH on the radar gun with his fastball. Smoltz's target date during spring training was to return to the team in early June, and it certainly seems as though that was a good estimate.
Now that his return seems eminent, we have to wonder what role Smoltz will be contributing in this season. Certianly the bullpen, leading the A.L. in ERA, does not need help. They are already bolstered by prospect flame-thrower Daniel Bard, who replaces Javier Lopez. Also Justin Masterson returns to the pen now that Daisuke Matsuzaka is back from the disabled list tonight against the New York Mets.
So the place that most needs Smoltz's help and experience is the starting rotation, as the Sox's starters ERA is last in the majors. Tim Wakefield is the only starter among the opening day rotation that has pitched well, and some, like Brad Penny, have been very poor at times. But, the question then becomes, whom does he replace?
Penny is likely the first starter to be given the axe because he was a gamble, by the admission of the Red Sox front office. Wakefield is pitching well, so he will remain. As for the other three, Josh Beckett, John Lester and Matsuzaka, they are all tied to long-term contracts and supposed to be the Sox's front of the rotation for many seasons.
So while Penny is a likely candidate to be replaced, it may be possible that if Beckett or Lester do not show signs of improvement, and Lester certainly showed some last night, then one of them might find themselves on the disabled list ala Matsuzaka. The Sox, and certain other teams like the Yankees, are getting a reputation for placing players on the disabled list with mystery injuries so that they are not embarrassed by sending them down to the minors to work things out. So, if things don't improve for Beckett or Lester, they may come down with an "injury," paving the way for Smoltz to contribute.
So, what do you all think, is Smoltz a starter or reliever in 2009? (If you are thinking about a "both" option, bear in mind that he is 42, and that arm is not a durable as that of the 23 year old Masterson, who can flip flop back and forth easily.)
Posted on: May 20, 2009 6:13 pm
Red Sox First Quarter Report Card
Tonight is the 40th game of the season for the Red Sox, which means they have now completed one quarter of the 2009 season and here's one look at how Boston has stacked up:
Offensively, the Red Sox have been solid in most areas, despite injuries and slumps to significant players. However, after one quarter, the Sox find themselves fifth in the A.L. in batting average, first in on-base percentage, fourth in OPS, fifth in home runs and fourth in runs scored. These are all good numbers and averages, but unfortunately for the Sox, the are often trailing in these categories to the Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays and in some of the statistics, the New York Yankees (needless to say, the A.L. East is a stacked division). Individually, the Sox are getting huge contributions from the people that we would most expect, with Jason Bay (second in the league in home runs, RBIs; third in OBP) leading the way. Mike Lowell has been much better than anticipated, not only ranking 12th in the A.L. in RBIs, but also playing in all but one of the Sox games, surprising after undergoing surgery in the off-season. Kevin Youkilis was the best hitter in baseball through the first 25 games of the season (leading the A.L. in BA, OBP, OPS) before landing on the disabled list with an oblique strain. While he has just returned to the Sox, it will be interesting to see if he continues being productive, as oblique injuries are some of the toughest to gauge and return from. Predictably, the Sox are getting sub-par performances from some players. Jason Varitek has showed some good power with five home runs, but his other numbers reflect last year's offensive debacle. J.D. Drew is now in his third year of not producing his value, but a juggle of the lineup may increase his statistics. Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia are stalwarts at the top of the lineup, both hitting over .300 and setting the table for the offense. On the other side of things, the Sox bench and bit-players Rocco Baldelli, Jed Lowrie (before going on the disabled list), George Kotteras and Jeff Bailey (filling in for Youkilis) have all struggled offensivly. And that brings us to David Ortiz. Ortiz, as we all know, was benched for the Sox entire series with the Seattle Mariners because of his abysmal start to the season. Although now playing again, the Sox will have to make changes if Ortiz continues to struggle, and that means bumping him down in the lineup. The most likely scenario is switching him with Drew, who has done very well in his career in the no. 3 hole in the lineup. If the struggles continue, the Sox will need help from outside the organization because the bench is not getting the job done.
Grade: B - The Sox offense has won them games early on, but will need Youkilis and Bay to remain productive to pick up the slack for other hitters.
Starting Rotation:
The starting pitching for the Sox has been, well, terrible in relation to pre-season expectations. Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, and Daisuke Matsuzaka, the Sox top three starters, all have ERAs well above five. Matsuzaka went on the disabled list with "shoulder fatigue" which was more likely an excuse to simply get him properly rested and ready for the start of the season which was interrupted by the World Baseball Classic. Beckett has pitched better than Lester has thus far, but both are struggling with command issues and leaving too many pitches up in the zone. Lester has already given up 10 home runs (he gave up 14 all of last year). If the top three in the rotation have been bad, then the Sox number five starter has been even worse. Brad Penny was thought of as a low-risk, high reward signing for the Sox when he came to Boston on a one-year contract. He has been knocked around in almost all of his starts and despite a 3-1 record, his ERA is an unsightly 6.69. With Michael Bowden and Clay Buchholz ranking 1 and 2 in the International League in ERA, the time may come very soon when Penny finds out what a "low-risk" contract is all about. Tim Wakefield has been excellent all season, and the one starter that has really pulled his weight. He tossed back-to-back complete games earlier this season, one of which was a no-hitter for seven innings. He leads the rotation in ERA and in innings pitched. Justin Masterson has filled in well for the injured Matsuzaka, but inconsistent; in four of his six starts he has yielded two runs or less, while he has given up six in each of the other two starts.
Grade: C- - The Sox have their top three starters are performing well below average, one starter performing well, and one performing badly. Change will come to the rotation if some of these starters continue to struggle.
Relief Pitching:
The Sox bullpen was tabbed in spring training as one of the best in the majors, and they have certainly lived up to expectations. The overall bullpen ERA is second best in the A.L., and are getting key contributions from talented young arms. Manny Delcarmen and Ramon Ramirez have appeared in 37 games entering tonight, and both have ERAs under 1.00 and 26 holds between them. Hideki Okajima (2.89 ERA and 12 holds) and newly acquired Takashi Saito (3.86 ERA and 16 holds) have both been dependable in the late innings. The Sox's bullpen overall ERA (3.01) is somewhat skewered by Javier Lopez, who is no longer with the team after being designated for assignment and now pitching for Pawtucket, and Hunter Jones, who was brought up as a long reliever to eat up innings after Masterson went to the rotation. Jones figures to be sent down now that Matsuzaka has returned and Masterson will be back in the bullpen. Uber-prospect Daniel Bard has been called up recently after Lopez's demotion and will also contribute solid innings. Bard was the closer for Pawtucket, and posted a 1.12 ERA and six saves in 16 innings pitched while racking up a remarkable 29 strikeouts (16.3 strikeouts per nine-inning). Meanwhile, Jonathan Papelbon has closed the door with the same results as we are used to, leading the A.L. with 11 saves, but has had to labor significantly more through some of his appearances. Papelbon changed his deliver slightly so as to incorporate an off-speed pitch to compliment his fastball and splitter, but the result has been some wildness as he has already walked two more batters this season than he did all of last season. But again, the results have been fine, as he is always able to get himself out of seemingly any jam.
Grade: A - The Sox bullpen has been nothing short of outstanding, and with Bard and Masterson replacing Lopez and Jones, it will only continue to be one of the stronger aspects of this ball club.
Defense has been a bit of a concern for the Sox thus far, as they rank 11th in the A.L. in overall team fielding percentage. But, most of the problems are coming from the shortstop position. With Lowrie out for a couple of months, and Lugo also hurting, the job fell to Nick Green for much of the month of April. Green is a natural second basement, and it has shown in his defense as he has racked up an A.L. leading eight errors. Since his return, Lugo has been little better, if not worse, recording four errors in only 12 starts at the position. Mike Lowell has played better than his numbers will indicate, and has made several higlight reel plays at the hot corner. Bailey has played above average defense in the place of Youkilis. The outfield has been excellent, with Drew committing the only error among them, and Ellsbury will once again be a serious contender for a Gold Glove. George Kotteras does have six passed balls, but has done an excellent job handling Wakefield all season.
Grade: B - The defense has been solid at times, but shortstop, like catcher and centerfield, is a critical position defensively and that the Sox have a huge hole there is a problem that likely won't be addressed until Lowrie's return.
Due to injuries, the Sox bench has become at times the Sox starting lineup. There was not many other options that Bailey at first, and despite his .190 average, he does provide a source of power at the bottom of the lineup. Green is a good hitter, and will be a solid backup later in the season to several positions, including in the outfield. Rocco Baldelli has had to play probably more than was expected, and struggling subbing as the designated hitter, but he is much better suited to play occasionally and in the outfield. Kotteras is having his struggles offensively, but the time has long been since the Sox looked for offense from the catcher position.
Grade: C+ - The bench has had to play more than they should at this point, but Green and Baldelli will provide offense off the bench later in the season, and the return of Mark Kotsay will also bolster the Sox's depth.
Overall Grade: B+
The Sox find themselves a few games back of the Toronto Blue Jays, but ahead of both the Yankees and Rays. The Sox desperately need better performances from their starting rotation, but otherwise find themselves at the level of production they expected. The rash of injuries to begin the season seems to be clearing up, and it is essential to keep the players healthy and within their roles on the club.
Category: MLB
Tags: Boston Red Sox, Brad Penny, Clay Buchholz, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Daniel Bard, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, George Kotteras, Hideki Okajima, Hunter Jones, J.D. Drew, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jason Bay, Jason Varitek, Javier Lopez, Jed Lowrie, Jeff Bailey, Jon Lester, Jonathan Papelbon, Josh Beckett, Julio Lugo, Justin Masterson, Kevin Youkilis, Manny Delcarmen, Mark Kotsay, Michael Bowden, Mike Lowell, New York Yankees, Nick Green, Ramon Ramirez, Rocco Baldelli, Takashi Saito, Tampa Bay Rays, Tim Wakefield, Toronto Blue Jays
Posted on: April 25, 2008 10:48 am
Red Sox Recap 4-24-08
The Sox lost their second straight to the Angels despite a solid start by Justin Masterson. Some thoughts on the day:
With Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka scratched from their starts this week, the Sox had to again dig into the minor leagues for a starter. Justin Masterson made his major league debut, and surrendered only one run in six solid innings. Masterson is the very highly regarded pitching prospect who was at double-A Portland where he had dazzled with a 0.95 ERA. He was thrown around in trade talks as part of package for Johan Santana in this past off-season. He is an imposing force on the mound, at 6-6 and 250 pounds, and has been compared to Derek Lowe because of the great movement on his sinking fastball. However, Masterson has better secondary pitches than Lowe, with a change-up that breaks down and away from left-handed batters, and a hard breaking slider. Although some people may not be that impressed with his performance at the double-A level, the recent trend in minor league organizations is to leave the most talented prospects at double-A, while triple-A is where the border-line and more experienced players go (the Sox equivalents of Brandon Moss, Bobby Kielty, Craig Hansen, Jed Lowrie, etc.) Masterson is projected to compete for a starting job once some of the older starters in the Sox rotation retire, and based on what he showed today, the Sox may have a future 20 game winner.
In the early part of the season, when the offense is in full swing and firing on all cylinders, and even though injuries have affected their starting pitcher, the Sox seem to be getting what they expected from their rotation. The trouble spot for the team so far has been the middle relief and the bridge from the starter to Jonathan Papelbon. We saw the entire corp of pitchers who are going to be looked on to fill that role absolutely collapse. Javier Lopez failed to get out his two batters, and Manny Delcarmen also did not record an out, and Okajima got them out of the inning but not before allowing three inherited runners to score. David Aardsma also surrendered a run later in the game, while Julian Tavarez also let a run score, albiet un-earned. As fans, we hold relievers to a higher standard than we do starting pitchers. If one of our starting gives up three runs in six innings pitched, we consider that a very effective start, and certainly enough to give the team a chance to win. But that is one run allowed every two innings, and would be an ERA of 4.50. Relievers enter the game when it counts the most, and even if they do have a good ERA, when they give up runs, the runs prove to be very critical. The Sox can get by with two youngsters in rotation, but they need their middle relievers to step up and deliever some good quality innings. Masterson should have gotten a win today, and in the same sense that come-from-behind wins do a lot to boost morale for a ballclub, games in which the bullpen lost the lead after a solid outing from the starting will do just as much to hurt a club's outlook.
Look for this recap following tomorrow's game as the Sox travel to Tampa Bay to open the weekend series. (To view all previous recaps, follow this link.)
Posted on: April 21, 2008 8:15 pm
Red Sox Recap 4-21-08
The Red Sox completed the impressive four game sweep of the Rangers, capping it off with another Patriots Day win. Some thoughts on the game:
It is very easy to "Monday-morning-quarterback" the decision of the Sox to trade away Kason Gabbard and David Murphy for closer Eric Gagne last year as Gagne did nothing to help the Sox case. But, as the Sox won the World Series, the taste does not feel quite as bitter. But the move was very questionable at the time. Many thought that it was a steal: the Sox had a surplus of young starters (Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester, Justin Masterson, etc.) and a logjam at the outfield position, also full of prospects (Jacoby Ellsbury, Brandon Moss, etc.). Also, Gagne was 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA and had converted 16 out of 17 save opportunities. But, had Gagne simply done as well in Boston as he had in Texas, he would still have been in a set-up role. Even with the fact that he ablsolutely imploded seemingly every time he was on the mound, going 0-3 in save chances and giving up 14 runs in just over 18 innings, he was still rewarded with a contract by the Brewers that is paying him $10 million this season. So, had he continued to hjave an ERA in the low 2.00s, he would have probably fetched somewhere around the $12 million mark in this past off-season. There was no way that the Sox would have paid Gagne that kind of money, which means that regardless of how Gagne ended up pitching with the Sox, he was going to be a three-month rental. There is no way that Gagne, even if he had pitched lights out in those 18 innings, he was not worth what the Sox gave up for him. Giving up Murphy is one thing, because there really was no place for him on the Boston roster in the forseable future, and both Ellsbury and Moss are better prospects than him, but there is no such thing as having a "surplus" of young starters, especially of the left-handed kind. Gabbard went 4-0 for the Sox last year, and was impressive in the few outing that he worked. He would have likely been the Sox fifth starter, in favor of Buchholz, because he had more experience. It was the kind of deal where there was no way that Gagne could have pitched well enough to prove his worth so that, in a few years, we will not be saying that the trade was a bad move. Gagne, Terry Francona, and Theo Epstein all walked into a strange position.
Clay Buchholz has followed the recent suit of Red Sox starters in providing a very good performance, scattering five hits over six innings without allowing a run. Buchholz continued his very good success at Fenway: he has now given up just three runs in 27 innings pitched in career within the friendly confines. He was able to throw his fastball to get ahead, and used his change-up to get hitters to chase in the early innings. But what was the most encouraging thing for Buchholz was that, during the Rangers' second at-bats, Buchholz started mixing in his curveball more, which gave the Rangers something else to look for. The biggest thing that Buchholz has had struggles with was his inability to get hitters out during their second trip up to the plate. His game plan worked very effectively today in what was his best start of the season. Buchholz was also able to increase the effectiveness of his pitches. He was over 40 pitches through the first two innings, and he looked on the way to another 110 pitches to barely get through five innings, but he was able to stretch his pitches out over the last four innings, as he finished with 61 pitches over the last four innings.
It is official: David Ortiz has come out of his slump. Over the four game series, Ortiz went 7-16 with a home run, 11 RBI, two walks and four runs scored, and he has raised his average 90 points from .070 on April 11. Ortiz is driving the ball with power to the opposite field, as both of his doubles were today, and is connecting with runners on base. As dominant hitters get older, it takes longer for them to hit their stride. Ortiz will continue to heat up as the weather gets warmer and he continues to adjust to opposing pitchers. There is no reason to think that Ortiz will not finish the season with a .300 batting average.
Look for this recap after tomorrow's game as the Angels come to Fenway for a three game series. (To view all previous recaps, follow this link.)


text:
Brian Miele at Hillburn Village Hall on Feb. 12, 2009. The building was named in his honor.
- Filed Under
A Rockland grand jury has indicted former county legislator and Hillburn Mayor Brian Miele on 187 counts of falsifying documents that boosted the pay for some Ramapo Central School District teachers, including his daughter.
Miele's indictment comes 2 1/2 years after prosecutors accused the former school administrator of doctoring records on teachers education and professional development credits that qualified them for higher pay.
Miele's actions cost the district at least $40,000, prosecutors said. The indictment charges multiple counts of grand larceny, falsifying business ...

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Update: Amber alert cancelled, missing girl found
An update on the missing Pottsville teen. Pennsylvania State Police have cancelled the Amber Alert, missing 17-year old Cassidy Bowers has been found.
There is no further information from police at this time. WPMT Fox43 will bring you updates when they become available.


text:
Please enter your current email address to receive instructions on resetting your password.
Your password has been reset. Please check your email for further instructions.
You are sending a link to the page. Please completely fill out the form
Add an additional message below.
The URL for the page will automatically be added to your message.
The Alleghany Historical Society was formed June 26, 1958 with 231 charter members. The Society has continually been active in the Community since that time and resides in the restored 1908 C&O Covington Passenger Depot.
Our mission is to preserve the history of the Alleghany Highlands and continue to educate the citizens about the history of our area.
Open Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 2 until 4 p.m.
This facility meets ADA Accessibility Guidelines for wheelchair accessibility, including an accessible entrance,
access to goods and services, usability of rest rooms and accessible parking and drop-off areas. For additional
details, please see the ADA website.
Tell us how we are doing.
Order your Free Virginia Travel Guide.
What's going on around Virginia? Subscribe to the Virginia eNews.
Thank You! For subscribing to the Virginia eNewsletter. You will begin receiving 2 email newsletters each month.
View Our Newsletter Archive
Online Travel Guide
Virginia Green
Weather Forecasts
Virginia iPhone Apps


text:
Worldwide Gasification Database Analysis
The 2010 Worldwide Gasification Database describes the current
world gasification industry and identifies near-term planned capacity
additions. The database lists gasification projects and includes
information (e.g., plant location, number and type of gasifiers, syngas
capacity, feedstock, and products). The database reveals that the
worldwide gasification capacity has continued to grow for the past
several decades and is now at 70,817 megawatts thermal (MWth) of
syngas output at 144 operating plants with a total of 412 gasifiers.
Provided below is a link to the database. Also, below is a flyer with highlights from this summary, detailed data sheets for each plant, and overview slides of this summary.
The 2010 Worldwide Gasification Database was compiled by the DOE
National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) in collaboration with
members of the Gasification Technologies Council.
Go to NETL Gasification Plant Databases
Get Social With Us:


text:
Sorry angels fans, the ticket offer has ended.
You can still win with Mercury, though, because our customers often find they save a few hundred dollars when they switch. That'll buy a lot of sodas, hot dogs and tickets!
So what are you waiting for? Take a few minutes to get a Mercury quote...you'll be glad you did.
Have questions about the ticket offer? Please send us an e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
You now have the final page of issue #3...which means our first trade volume will be availble by (fingers crossed) the end of this year!
C2E2 was a blast. Thanks to everyone that stopped by (and doubly for those of you who took home the print issues--who's awesome? You're awesome). We handed out a bunch of the new Impure Blood totes with any purchase of the comics (we're green nerds like that). Tons of good foot traffic past the table, tons of awesome artists in the alley, and quite the handful of new(er) and independent publishers among the exhibitors. Nathan put the finishing touches on today's page while chatting with fans on their way past. Rest assured, his Wacom tablet still gets as many compliments as the comic itself does...someday people will like us better than the tablet. Right? Right?
And before I forget, a big shout-out to Alexander at the KwikTrip in Windsor, Wisconsin, where we had to stop to gas up the car. You made our night!
Next public appearance of Impure Blood will be SpringCon at the MN State Fair Grounds. May 21 & 22. Be there!
Buy Volume 1!
Buy Volume 2!
|Buy The US Constitution
Impure Blood
Promote Your Page Too


text: Health insurance markets open, but will they run smoothly? Share this story email Share this story «Previous 3 of 8 Photos Next » Read the story « » Health Overhaul In this Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013 photo, Maygan Rollins, 22, a field organizer with Enroll America, left, talks with Roger Smith, 46, about his health care options while canvassing at a bus stop in Miami. Enroll America is a private, non-profit organization running a grassroots campaign to encourage people to sign up for health care offered by the Affordable Care Act. In less than a week Florida residents can start enrolling for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)


text:
RYALS, TEXAS. Ryals, also known as Weisinger, was a rural postal community somewhere in the area now occupied by the April Sound, Walden, and Diamondhead subdivisions eight miles west-northwest of Conroe in north central Montgomery County. The Weisingers and Ryalses were prominent early families in the area. In 1900 the community had a population of ten and two general stores, run by Ben Murphy and W. N. Wood. The post office, named Ryals, operated from 1901 until 1913. It was located in the home of Thomas Benton Fultz, who served as the first postmaster. J. M. Weisinger had a store in 1915, but no population statistics are available for the later years. The exact location of Ryals is unknown, since Lake Conroe and new developments have covered the area.
Montgomery County Genealogical Society, Montgomery County History (Winston-Salem, North Carolina: Hunter, 1981).
The following, adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, is the preferred citation for this article.Will Branch, "RYALS, TX," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hvr82), accessed November 25, 2015. Uploaded on June 15, 2010. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
Get Texas history everyday,
with day by day
Each day's email tells a little bit more of the story of Texas and links to our collection of more than 27,000 articles


text:
On offer is an amazing kelly cut in Argile with incredible Gold hardware.
This is a very very elegant clutch and with gold hardware it really is the height of red carpet elegance. Its the perfect.
This is a brand new item which has literally been taken out of the box to be photographed.
The colour is classic and the neutrality of this piece makes it the perfect accompaniment to many outfit.
L: 31cm xH: 12 cm x D: 2.5cm
You will receive your Kelly cut with:
- Original Hermes box
- Original Hermes Ribbon
Red carpet elegance.


text:
B2B Marketing: Top US and UK Influencers and Brands
We analysed the B2B marketing discussion last year and earlier this year, and we wanted to continue with these reports to show how influencer trends map out over time. It's intriguing to see new influencers entering the discussion and driving the discussion on B2B Marketing. We took a closer look at the brands


text:
Skip to Content
Skip over Site Identifier
Siemens Tunisia
Skip over Language Selection
Skip over Generic Navigation
Skip over Search
Skip over Site Explorer
Site Explorer
History in Africa Siemens has a long and rich history on the African continent, find out more.
Values We strive to meet stakeholders' requirements while staying true to our values.
Our Businesses Our businesses are bundled into 9 divisions, with healthcare as a separately managed business.
Diversity African diversity matches our goal of becoming as diverse as the world itself.
Vision and Strategy Our vision and strategy keep us focused on our goals and help us to serve our customers more effectively.
Jobs & Careers Siemens provides talented individuals with a world of career opportunities.
Innovation Our innovation help us secure and expand our market leadership positions.
Decrease Text Size
Enlarge Text Size
Text Size
Print this page


text:
The 'MedReturn' box at Madison Police Headquarters was donated by Morris County Prevention is Key.
- Filed Under
Morris County residents with expired or unused prescription drugs can drop them off in the Madison Police Department's new "MedReturn" box at police headquarters.
The "MedReturn" box, which was donated by Morris County Prevention is Key, is stationed in the lobby of the police department at 62 Kings Road. Residents can anonymously dispose of unwanted or expired prescription drugs 24/7.
Accepted items for disposal include prescriptions, prescription patches, prescription medications, prescription ointments, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, medication samples and medications for pets. Items that are not accepted include needles, thermometers, hydrogen peroxide, inhalers, aerosol cans, medication from businesses or clinics and ointments, lotions or liquids.
For more information, visit www.americanmedicinechestchallenge.com or www.safehealthymorris.org or call Det. Paul Kosakowski at 973-593-3007.


text:
PARIS (AP) - Tens of thousands of demonstrators have taken to sunny Paris boulevards to protest a bill that would legalize gay marriage.
The march wound its way across the Left Bank and was expected to culminate in a gathering on the vast Invalides esplanade Sunday evening.
A heavy police presence was deployed along the route. Previous anti-gay marriage protests in recent weeks have degenerated into violence. A counterdemonstration by those in favor of the bill was organized across the Seine river on the large Bastille square.
Polls have shown a narrow majority of French support legalizing gay marriage, though that support falls when questions about adoption and conception of children come into play.
Copyright 2015 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


text:
Marquette Road construction starts on Monday, May 5
Work is ready to begin May 5 on the Marquette Road project in Prairie du Chien.
The project will involve the reconstruction of nearly one mile of the four-lane Marquette Road, from Mooney Street north to Washington Street. During the time the project is underway, there will be several detour routes for motorists to follow. Once completed, Marquette Road will feature three roundabouts, at Blackhawk Avenue, Iowa Street and Wisconsin Street. (In 2017, Marquette Road will once again be under construction and become three lanes from Mooney Street south to La Pointe Street.)
For more information, please contact City Administrator Aaron Kramer at 326-6406 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Public meetings with the city, Department of Transportation and contractor (H. James and Sons) will be held every other Wednesday, starting on May 7 at 2:30 p.m. in the Community Room at City Hall. These meetings will give impacted and concerned businesses the opportunity to have their questions and concerns addressed regarding the project.
"With the possibility that this project will not be entirely completed in 2014, we want to make sure the flow of information to everyone affected is very clear," Kramer said. "I would also like to remind people that if they cannot attend meetings, they can email, call or stop by my office to have their concerns and questions addressed."


text:
Health Care Proposals
Senator Hillary Clinton spoke about rising costs of health care and access to health insurance for all Americans. In her remarks she… read more
Senator Hillary Clinton spoke about rising costs of health care and access to health insurance for all Americans. In her remarks she introduced a seven point plan for health care reform that included reducing bureaucracy, improving efficiency, funding research and development, and extending coverage to low income Americans. close
People in this video
- Richard Becker M.D. Chief Executive Officer George Washington University Hospital
- Hillary Rodham Clinton U.S. Senator [D] New York
- Stephen Joel Trachtenburg President George Washington University
Hosting Organization
Related Video
Clinton Campaign Event
Senator Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, held a rally for her presidential campaign on…
Clinton Campaign Event
Former President Bill Clinton hosted a fundraising dinner for Senator Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign at…
Senator Clinton News Conference
Senator Hillary Clinton spoke to reporters at the Westin Embassy Row Hotel in Washington, DC. She talked about her…
Presidential Health Care Proposal
Following an introduction by Mr. Bulger, Ms. Clinton spoke on President Clinton's health care…


text:
POSTED: 4:35 a.m. HST, Jun 15, 2011
LAST UPDATED: 4:37 a.m. HST, Jun 15, 2011
A two-story, wood-frame house in Pahoa was destroyed by fire last night, according to the Hawaii County Fire Department.
The home, on Kahukai Street in Leilani Estates, was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived at about 7 p.m. Fire officials said a resident lived on the second floor, but was not home at the time of the fire.
The structure was partially collapsed and a pickup truck and backhoe on the property were also destroyed in the fire. The cause of the blaze is under investigation. Fire officials estimated the loss to the structure and contents at $150,000.
Thirteen firefighters responded to the 6:46 p.m. call between Leilani and Mohala streets.
A power line was knocked down onto Kahukai Street at the scene, officials said.


text:
At 25, Christina Warfield's life is looking better and better. Living with her husband, Josh, in Idaho, she is pregnant with their first child, a girl to be named Emma Rose. She also has a master's degree and enjoys helping at-risk mothers.
Getting to this point wasn't easy, especially 10 years ago, when she was a teenager living in Newcomerstown. She was 14 the day she and her three siblings were taken from their parents' home and placed into foster care.
"We grew up in a family where there was domestic violence and drug and alcohol abuse. I grew up kind of thinking that was normal," she said. "It was all I'd ever really known.
"I was angry at first," recalled Warfield, formerly Triplett, explaining she resented the social workers who she believed were taking her away from her parents.
"I felt bad about everything. I felt a little bit of responsibility to take care of my family, even my parents," she said. "I tried to be my parents' parent. It wasn't healthy for me, but it was my way of thinking."
Warfield and her siblings were sent to live with a family member. But four additional children proved to be too much for Warfield's relative. The children soon found themselves back in foster care.
Warfield said she was extremely anxious and depressed at that time. She was worried about meeting a new family and starting over again.
"I remember thinking, 'Am I going to like this person? I have to change schools again.' My parents had kind of moved us around. We changed schools quite a bit. I was dreading having to do that."
When she met her new family, she felt reassured. "The family was just really great. They cared about us," Warfield said.
She had to get used to new rules, such as keeping up with chores, asking for food from the refrigerator — and no chips before dinner.
Warfield said it was the first time people had real expectations of her. She never paid attention to her grades in school, but her foster parents pushed her to do well, and she did. She got her first job and joined a youth group. At 16, she was allowed to get her driver's license even though that privilege wasn't usually given to foster children.
"They advocated for me to do normal things," she recalled.
At the same time, Warfield's parents were fighting to regain custody. They attended classes and counseling and the children started visiting regularly.
However, their visits were suspended when their father failed to show up on time, and when he did, it was clear he'd been drinking, Warfield said. "I didn't like it when they drank before. I felt like it was selfish of them putting us through that again," she said.
Page 2 of 3 - It was a confusing time for the children, especially Warfield's younger brother, she said. She said her brother would become very angry and refuse to respond to anyone. After her parents' rights were terminated, the Triplett siblings were put up for adoption. Warfield was close to 17 at the time.
But the foster family hoping to adopt them couldn't. "We doubled their family as well," she said.
The siblings waited in another foster home for eight months. While there were a few families willing to take the three youngest children, they feared Warfield was too old or may be a bad influence. Social workers struggled to find families willing to take a teenager.
Tim and Kristen Ohler of Sugarcreek always felt it would be a great idea to adopt. The Ohlers had two biological children, Garrett and Bryce, but they always wanted more.
Still, Kristen Ohler said she was a little surprised when social workers asked if she would consider becoming a foster parent to four children. It didn't take much convincing; when she heard that Warfield was about to age out of the system, and possibly be separated from her siblings, she knew she had to take them in.
"Christina (Warfield) had raised them basically. She was like a mother to them. How could you take her out of their life?" Kristen Ohler said.
Warfield was turning 18 in a week, graduating from Tuscarawas Valley High School and set to attend Malone University. "If you don't have that family unit, how do you function in society without knowing you have a family of your own to go home to? What would she do on breaks? I kind of put myself in those shoes. It's heartbreaking to think about, to be alone in this world," Ohler said.
Warfield said the transition to the Ohlers' home was the easiest of their four placements. The Ohlers took each child out individually, showing them their animals, introducing them to grandparents, and, of course, their younger siblings Garrett and Bryce Ohler.
"They were concerned about us, and caring about us completely made a huge positive impact on us kids," Warfield said.
It still took a lot of patience for everyone involved, Ohler recalled. The children came with a lot of sadness and anger, and a strong desire to be accepted and loved.
"It did take some time for us all to adjust and feel comfortable. We sat down and talked and had real conversations," Ohler said.
Ohler recalled having some moments of confusion when it came to adopting an older group of children. "I had a hard time learning what it was they could do at the age they were at. We didn't work our way slowly to those years. It was just right in front of us," she said.
Page 3 of 3 - After six months, the Ohlers adopted the three youngest Triplett children, but Warfield was already 18 and studying at Malone University.
At 20, Warfield was set to marry her high school sweetheart, Josh. Even though she was looking forward to happier times, she still felt as though she was in limbo. She wanted a family to call her own. She thought about touching base with her biological family, but the issues cut too deep.
The Ohlers wanted her to know they loved her, and seeing her dilemma offered her the option to be adopted, if it would help her feel more secure. She accepted.
The Ohlers said they were thrilled to make Warfield part of their family officially, and three months before her wedding, they adopted her.
"It kind of seems silly to do that," Warfield said. "It's something I needed for my own personal growth. It really brought closure for me. It was exciting."
It's been seven years since the Triplett siblings became a part of the Ohler family. Kristen Ohler has watched her six children grow a lot, she said, especially the four she adopted.
She said Nichole Triplett is 21 and very independent; Billie Jean Triplett-Ohler, 18, is incredibly sweet and is attending school to become a dog groomer; and Montie Ohler, 19, is a completely different person.
"He's the character in the family. He gets everybody to laugh, and entertain you by making you laugh. He's just thriving, (there's) a complete change in him. He smiles all the time," Ohler said.
Shortly after getting married, Warfield followed her husband to Idaho. Influenced heavily by the caseworkers from Tuscarawas County Jobs and Family Services, Warfield completed a bachelor's degree in social work. She later received her master's. Today, she works with at-risk mothers.
The Ohlers said they are very proud of Warfield and her siblings. Ohler says her life changed when she picked up the phone seven years ago and kept an open mind about adopting four older children. It's her hope that more foster families will consider taking older children into their homes.
"Give older children a chance because they deserve it. They need homes just as much as the babies do," she said. "And the sad thing is they are fully aware. I think it's harder to consider that and give them a chance."
Comments are currently unavailable on this article
Location, ST | website.com


text:
Mahalo recently made some cuts in their costs in view of the recent economic crisis, thereby laying off just under 10% of their staff. Mahalo's CEO, Jason Calcanis, previous co-founder of Weblogs Inc., made a blog about this move. He defended that the company has sufficient amount of funding and is ahead of its schedule; yet it is aware of the upcoming advertising climate which is going to be severely low, and to ignore this fact would be bad for business.
Jason stated that they shifted things around with renting desks, and by reorganizing their editorial department to focus on freelance positions over in-house editors. Mahalo, a human-powered search engine, now lookings towards another year of dry power to complete their mission, as stated in his blog post.
The staff that was laid off is supposed to be the best of the best, as Jason mentioned at FOWA, London, that he hires only the top and best possible talent.


text:
Partner Special
Become a Jo-Ann VIP!
Price: $10% off
If you are a reseller, member of a professional sewing or crafting organization, or an interior design professional, you can become a Jo-Ann VIP! As a Jo-Ann VIP, you'll save 10% on every total purchase*, including regular- and sale-priced items!
About Jo-AnnJo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores have been inspiring creativity since 1943. Why is Jo-Ann the unique resource that it is? It starts with the great product selection in every store and on Joann.com and only gets better with knowledgeable customer service, a clear focus on value, and an unmatched opportunity to connect with a vital creative community.
Inspiration is everywhere you look at Jo-Ann! Along with the wide array of merchandise, Jo-Ann Team Members are eager to provide assistance and answer questions. How To projects are always on hand in our stores, with almost 2,500 available online. Discover the commitment to service and quality of selection an your local Jo-Ann store today!


text:
Tucson's Cameron Maybin steals second base as Aces' Taylor Harbin wait for the ball in Tuesday's game at the Aces Ballpark on June 4, 2013.
An extra inning home run by Tucson's Cameron Maybin proved to be the difference, as the Reno Aces fell to the Padres in 10 innings, by a score of 5-4.
The two teams went back and forth Tuesday afternoon, which included two ties, and two lead changes. Reno mounted two separate two-run comebacks in both the fifth and seventh innings.
Reno entered the seventh inning trailing by two runs, but second basemen Taylor Harbin delivered a game-tying 2-run triple to even the score at four apiece.
Despite the two separate comebacks, Tucson outfielder Cameron Maybin would re-gain the lead for the Padres in the tenth inning, with a monster home run to center field. RHP Miles Mikolas entered the game for Tucson in the bottom half of the inning, and retired the Aces in order en route to his 10th save of the season.
The Aces had an array of career milestones, and individual achievements reached in the loss. Shortstop Chris Owings extended his hitting streak to 23 games, with a two-hit effort. Reno starting pitcher Chase Anderson started his 50th career MiLB game, and LHP Joe Paterson recorded his 300th career MiLB strikeout.
Reno will enjoy the third league-wide off-day of the season Wednesday, before kicking off an 8-game homestand against Colorado Springs (6/6-9) and Sacramento (6/10-13).
Tickets are on sale for the remainder of the homestand, and all Aces home games, at RenoAces.com, by calling (775) 334-7000 or by visiting the Aces Ballpark Ticket Office.


text:
- Age / Gender:
- n/a, Male
- Location:
- Location not disclosed
- Joined:
- 8/28/07
- All Stats >
User Statshot
- Community Stats
Level 5 Blank Slate
Normal Whistle
Ranked as Civilian
Contact Info / Websites
Recent Game Medals
Medium unlocked 5 Points Finish 5 easy levels Medal Stats.
DEAD 5 Points You died. Medal Stats.
Oink 5 Points Play the game. Medal Stats.
Thunder Slam 5 Points Unleash Lunar Pounce at the highest peak. Medal Stats.
Dispatcher 5 Points Kill 100 enemies. Medal Stats.
Combo Training 5 Points Get 100 combo streak Medal Stats.
NoNovice 5 Points Finish the tutorial Medal Stats.
Strong 5 Points Achieve level 15 Medal Stats.
Treasure Hunter 10 Points A medal for children who seek out gold. Medal Stats.
Teenagehood 5 Points Bring up a child to his teenage years. Medal Stats.
Total Medals Earned: 535 (From 89 different games.)


text:
(Photo credit: Eye, by Paul Fly; CC-Attribution-ShareAlike)
(See also Part I: 'ÄúDefine Sustainability'Ä?)
A few days ago, we had our first local Austin WorldChanging blogger meeting. One question that arose was that of scale: what level are we to write on? Purely in terms of local events, or could we write more globally as well?
The WorldChanging Manifesto speaks of the myriad models and tools existing at all levels of scale, and the challenge of bridging them. 'ÄúThink Globally Act Locally'Ä? takes on new meaning when the tools and models exist at all scales. Of course, we are in physical bodies, and thus always localised. But the stakes are global. We know that our concern is global, but if we don'Äôt anchor our approaches in the real day to day challenges which face us, then they will not connect fully at the crucial transition points between one-another, as they will need to for the sake of synergy.
In A Pattern Language, there are several ways of thinking at work. We will talk about each of them as we go. I call those aspects relevant to the personal dilemma of 'Äúwhere to place one'Äôs emphasis and energy'Ä? as Scale, Sequence, and Scope. The text does not use these terms, but they are useful tools for understanding some things about Pattern Languages.
Scale is a raw measure of size and context; it simply acknowledges the fact that the planet is larger than its regions, which are larger than its cities, its houses, and our posessions. Although globalization has made the world smaller in the realm of commerce, a raw sense of physical scale is crucial to the way A Pattern Language encourages the creation of whole systems.
Sequence is a question of taking problem-solving steps in the proper order; this is most important when creating solutions which depend on one-another to come to fruition. We understand that in a networked world, events will happen simultaneously; sequence simply relates to self-contained actions and situations at the level of individual or small-group efforts. Sequence of events turns out to be an inevitable result of unfolding wholes in a pattern-based way. In developmental biology, wholes differentiate sequentially into parts; parts are not stuck together randomly to create wholes.
Scope would seem to be similar to scale, but it is a different concern. Scope relates to the fact that, while problems and contexts may interconnect at many scales from local to global, at some critical point the problem-solver must exercise sound judgement in determining the proper scope of a single given project.
This a form of triage; and in the case of Pattern Language thinking, it means including the context slightly larger than the central problem at hand, as well as the issues slightly smaller; and ignoring all the rest for the moment. This pragmatic method solves the problem of thinking too broadly about situations which call for rapid response, which anyone who realizes that the stakes are global is prone to.
From Stuff to Planet; from Global to Local...
WorldChanging, as a book laid out with numbered pages and ordered chapters, moves sequentially from the smaller-scale to the larger, beginning with Stuff and ending with Planet. One reason may be that individuals are saturated with their stuff, and that to start there and expand outwards is the clearest way to ground a reader in real-world solutions.
A Pattern Language, as a book, moves quite deliberately from the larger-scale to the smaller; from global and regional patterns (Independent Regions being the largest) to personal details (Things From Your Life being the smallest). This ordering is very intentional.
However, the intent is not to say that we should start at the level of the planet when seeking solutions. For instance, it's unwise at this time to spend our energy planning for the day the sun expands to consume the earth, or even for the possibility that an asteroid will strike us tomorrow. Even if we must remember to start larger and work our way in from the context, defining realistic scope is crucial to engaged action in the world.
The scope-finding method, suggested by A Pattern Language, is to find the largest level of scale that we can reasonably effect which relates to and contains the problem at hand. This sets the scope of our design problem, and from there, related patterns connecting all the way down to the smallest reasonable aspect can be found as well. Rather than simply thinking globally or acting locally, Pattern Languages empower you to stretch your view as far towards the global and the local as is reasonable, without losing sight of the scale of your immediate problem. It becomes the pivot for all that follows.
In order to help us avoid seeing problems as isolated things, A Pattern Language suggests we always look first at the causes and factors surrounding them; at the immediate context of a problem. Because its central thesis is that wholeness and synergy must be evolved rather than assembled, A Pattern Language takes a morphogenetic view on wholeness (in the biological sense of a whole differentiating then into proportionate parts).
If building a house, this may mean that you start with an Entrance Transition even though what you really want to do is get around to A Room of One's Own. By approaching challenges sequentially, in an unfolding order, from largest relevant pattern to smallest, the designer finds that each larger solution plays an important part in shaping the palette of options for each smaller solution. Once you are at the stage of laying out your room, you find that half of its elements have already found their perfect relations through the work done at the larger scales. You have not wasted excess time and energy trying to design your yard while lying in your bedroom, only to have to go back and redo it later because it fails to relate as a whole.
Back in The Real World...
Is A Pattern Language only useful for design problems in the built world? However important one might feel the physical configuration of our built world to be to the problems facing us (and I find it to be more important than most), a truly viable strategy for WorldChanging must work in many situations. Let's try one; and just to be fair, let's make it a hard one.
My own personal 'Äòuh oh'Äô moment, the moment when I realized that the problems facing the planet in the 21st century would be far more intertwined than I had been taught, was in 1994. There, in the midst of my hip young strivings towards cyberculture, I read an Atlantic monthly article by Robert Kaplan called 'ÄúThe Coming Anarchy: How scarcity, overpopulation, tribalism, and disease are rapidly destroying he social fabric of our planet.'Ä?
Yes, I know; but let's be real: had its title not thrown tact to the wind, I might not have read it back in 1994. Yet only now, years later, are some few of us beginning to come to grips with the idea that endemic civil wars might actually be be better tackled through scarcity and poverty than by other means. And yet, one of the reasons the desire to put out fires rather than tackle flammability endures is that a single fire might actually be put out; we aren't always able to see how to tackle problems through their contexts.
A basic principles of WorldChanging is that we do not present problems without possible solutions. If all problems are interconnected, then so also must be all solutions; it takes only the right way of seeing wholes, of putting the solutions together. Perhaps they must be evolved; perhaps scale, and sequence, and scope all matter. Certainly, maximizing impact matters.
One of the many tools within the WorldChanging guide which lends itself well to pattern thinking is 'The Virtuous Circle' (p355). It is a concrete, real-world method of maximizing the impact of small actions. It is the heart of the concept of 'Giving Well'. Through generosity at levels where the most desperate needs exist (the poorest of the poor, whether in a global or local context), the relative buying power of a small amount is amplified, empowering that beneficiary to in turn aid those around them. This may turn out to be one of the only truly effective ways to combat the vast middle ground of global conflict: by creating patterns of prosperity which can spread and saturate the context of individual problems.
With projects such as One focusing global attention on the dynamic, we are better equipped than ever to take on poverty as a context for a variety of problems, through patterns that connect. 'ÄúIndeed, no social phenomenon is as comprehensive in its assault on human rights as poverty. Poverty erodes or nullifies economic and social rights such as the right to health, adequate housing, food and safe water, and the right to education. The same is true of civil and political rights, such as the right to a fair trial, political participation and security of the person.'Ä? (UN-OHCHR)
A weed not pulled up by the root will regrow, and a problem not solved at a scale somewhat larger and smaller than its single instance will remain and recur. By seeking out the context for an immediate problem, one instantly discovers a synergy of options which can actually tackle the problem from multiple angles, far more efficiently than if each were trying to tackle it alone.
A Pattern Language suggests that so long as we fail to work our way sequentially inwards to a given problem from its context, we will fail to birth true synergy in our solutions, holding instead in our hands a pile of loose parts.
As the WorldChanging Manifesto tells us, there's simply not the time for our tools to remain disjointed. A Pattern Language would suggest that the key to joining them is to learn the art of triage and contextual thinking; to start a few steps larger than the heat of the moment compels (which also has the advantage of giving one some breathing room) and to delve somewhat deeper in the details our solution yields up to us.
In the third (and final?) part of this series, I will make a try at rephrasing The Virtuous Circle as a Pattern in a Worldchanging Pattern Language, along with a more simplified template pattern or two. Not because I believe it is singular, but because I believe it is deep within a vast web of potentially worldchanging patterns. And because a pattern based around it would demonstrate quite well that Pattern-based thinking is not limited to the built world alone.
By the way: the outcome of our discussion at our local WorldChanging blogger gathering was that we should seek out articles at the scale and scope which most compelled us, exploring the slightly larger context and then the slightly narrower as appropriate. Sound familiar..?
Next Time: Initiating the Fractal: A Worldchanging Seed-Pattern


text:
When you think of the phrase "next man up," what comes to mind? Right, football. Offensive lineman goes down, next man up. Running back limps off the field, next man up. Nature of the beast. Not generally used in baseball. But "next man up" perfectly summarizes the St. Louis Cardinals' season thus far. In football, you have a 53-man roster; in baseball, it's a 25-man roster.
A football team uses 20% (11 players) of its roster at a given time. A baseball team uses 36% of its roster (9 players) at a given time.
All teams in sports have critical, virtually irreplaceable players, but football teams generally are able to assemble more depth than a baseball team. So when a baseball team (like the Cardinals) suffers a sudden rash of injuries, it's usually more noticeable. Continue reading Next Man Up


text:
The Village of Sceppi
The village of Sceppi belongs to the municipality of Avigliano, in the province of Potenza, region Basilicata.
The village of Sceppi is 6,47 kilometers far from the same town of Avigliano to whom it belongs.
To the municipality of Avigliano also belong the localities of Badia Sant'Angelo (8,46 km), Bancone di Sopra (3,82 km), Bancone di Sopra e di Sotto (5,05 km), Bancone di Sotto (5,02 km), Bruciate (2,45 km), Bruciate di Sopra (2,74 km), Bruciate di Sotto (2,47 km), Bufolaria (8,74 km), Cacabotte (6,98 km), Canarra (7,60 km), Canestrelle (5,80 km), Carpinelli (1,88 km), Cascia (5,46 km), Castel Lagopesole (8,48 km), Cerza Montanara (9,61 km), Chicone (9,48 km), Ciccolecchia (7,40 km), Contrada Cefalo (0,68 km), Frusci (6,25 km), Gianturco di Sant'Angelo (8,61 km), Giardiniera Inferiore (8,37 km), Giardiniera Superiore (7,57 km), Lacciola (11,91 km), Lazzi e Spilli (8,17 km), Limitone (8,80 km), Masi (8,20 km), Masseria Bozzelli (11,15 km), Masseria Nardella (9,04 km), Mezzomiero (6,15 km), Miracolo (8,52 km), Moccaro (4,63 km), Montemarcone (11,39 km), Montemarcone Alto (11,55 km), Montemarcone Basso (11,51 km), Pantani (1,79 km), Paoladoce (6,55 km), Patacca (8,02 km), Patacca Giardiniera (7,50 km), Piano del Conte (11,61 km), Piano del Lago (10,04 km), Possidente (8,48 km), Riseca Don Ciccio (10,03 km), Salinas (4,45 km), Salinas Cascia Moccaro (4,74 km), San Nicola (9,08 km), Sant'Angelo (8,64 km), Sarachelle (6,86 km), Sarnelli (7,55 km), Sassano (10,56 km), Signore (7,49 km), Sorge (9,14 km), Spinamara (1,77 km), Stagliozzo (9,58 km), Stagliuozzo (9,58 km), Stolfi (3,93 km), Torretta (9,22 km), Ualano (6,13 km), Valvano - Corbo (6,93 km).
The number in parentheses following each village name indicate the distance between the same village and the municipality of Avigliano.
The locality of Sceppi rises 881 meters abobe sea level.
The population of Sceppi counts 7 inhabitants.
Please find in what follows:
- A set of photos about Sceppi (when available)
- Weather and weather forecast for the municipality of Avigliano, to whom Sceppi belongs.
- Map and road map of Sceppi
- A selection of videos about Sceppi
- The latest news about Sceppi, the municipality of Avigliano, the province of Potenza and the Basilicata region.
Where to stay in Sceppi and its neighborhoods
Hotels, Resorts, B&B in Sceppi and its neighborhoods.
You can arrange the results by number of stars, by popularity, by distance or even by the guest review score choosing among young couples, mature couples, families with young children, families with older children, people withfriends, or solo travellers.
Free ads in Sceppi
Most recent free ads in Sceppi, municipality of Avigliano, province of Potenza, Basilicata region, updated at 19:50:01, 30 November 2015. Place your free ad on Sceppi: no registration needed. Place your free ad.
Up to now there is no free ad placed in Sceppi
|Most recent free ads in the province of Potenza
|Most recent free ads in the region Basilicata
|Lavora con L`ambre
|Vendita immobile
Photos of Sceppi
Photos provided by Panoramio. Photos are under the copyright of their owners.
Il Vulture
Fortezza 3
Pendici Del Monte Carmine Avigliano Potenza
Stazione Di Castel Lagopesole (lato Esterno) Mc2009
Vista Dal Monte Carmine (view From Mount Carmine)
San Giovanni Battista
Fontana Frusci.
Map and road map of Sceppi
Look at the interactive map of Sceppi and get the road maps, the satellite maps and the mixed ones too. Interactive maps of Sceppi also allow an immediate view of: bar,restaurants,pubs,pizzerias,dancing,night clubs,banks,jewellers,beauty centers,hair stylists,supermarkets,pharmacies.
Just fill in the free text search box placed on top of the map with any of previous categories and then press enter.
Please feel free to use the same free text search box placed on top of the map to find any kind of business activities you're interested into.


text: You are viewing Poor Sports - 135 of 135 Volleyball Head Shot By That Happened! Getting a volleyball to the face looks like it hurts a lot more than this guy is showing. Published May 02, 2013 5.7k views More Info » Full Credits That Happened! Uploader Stats & Data 110 Funny Votes 97 Die Votes 5,729 Views Published May 02, 2013 Categories: Sports Real Life Fails Keywords: volleyball volley ball face face shot painful pain facial game sport gym hurts knocked out knocked down knock down knockdown pwned owned Up Next: Big Lady Bull Ride AUTOPLAY Up Next In: 10 Big Lady Bull Ride Hurdle Like a Boss Girls Hurdle Fail Sports Drink Fail Follow Facebook Twitter Tumblr Instagram Browse Related Comments Poor Sports 130+ more View All ▶ 2960+ more View All ▶ That Happened! Vaguely Related Videos Vaguely Related Pics & Words Advertisement


text:
Mining equipment market
Though mining and exploration can be conducted by smaller players and individual merchants, the global mining equipment market is populated by large multinational companies with huge financial backing. The industry is a capital intensive one, requiring massive investment and long term commitment, not only to business partners but to personnel safety and the environment as well, not to mention the aftermarket. The players who succeed in this difficult playing field are those who recognize the conditions for success and have the financial clout to pull it off. Those who do so are liable to make huge profits in the quarter of a billion dollar mining industry.
The demand for materials like copper and iron ore has increased over the last few years, raising the demand for mining machinery. The reserves of coal for most countries are slowly but surely reducing; in these times of high gas and oil prices, the demand for alternative energy like coal is rising.
The main producers of mining equipment are located in the United States, the industrialized countries of Western Europe and Japan. These countries have developed markets for mining equipment owing to their long history and proficiency in the equipment development market.
Apart from these traditionally strong markets, and Brazil among Latin American countries, Russia too commands interest in the mining equipment market.
The major players in the Asian market are China, India and Australia. China's energy requirements have soared - coal production in China nearly doubled from 2001 to 2006 - and the country has been investing heavily in the mining industry in recent years, enabling it to emerge as a major market for mining equipment. India too has increased its coal output due to a greater energy requirement. Australia is one of the leading producers of iron ore and bauxite.
These gains in the Asia Pacific region market, and the fact that larger reserves of natural resources are located in developing countries such as India and China, have led to the trend of large mining equipment producers moving production to these parts of the world to take advantage of the huge market for mining equipment.
Until 2008 the forecast for mining equipment demand were fantastically positive, and the demand was expected to grow by 5% annually through 2011 to more than $30 billion. After the recession struck and global markets went into free fall in 2009, the industry has had to face up to the reality of the markets. Economies were down, and this translated into lack of spending and slowdown in sales. The mining equipment markets in America forecast a sales and production decline of 15 to 20 percent, European sales are expected to decline by 20 to 25 percent in 2009 and Latin America and the Rest of the World sales might also fall up to 20 to 25 percent.
Reports indicate that the markets should start to improve by the end of the year, and this should translate into an improvement in the mining equipment market as well, but it will be some time, if ever, before the markets reach the frenetic pace which we have witnessed in the last few years.
Mining equipment prices
Although mining has been around since pre-historic times, it wasn't until the Romans developed large scale mining methods that used aqueducts to bring large volumes of water to the minehead that mining began to develop a level of sophistication.
Mining today has reached high levels of sophistication with precision machines weighing hundreds of tones and some worth $20 million apiece. Some of these machines include bulldozers, drills, explosives and trucks. With the increase in demand for mined minerals and ore bodies, investments in mineral exploration and new mining projects have soared to unprecedented levels with more than $300 billion is being invested in mining projects worldwide. Mining equipment prices have been steadily increasing across the years.
On the other side, however, the mining industry has to deal with increasing costs for diesel fuel, natural gas, and steel. This reduces profit margins. In order for mining equipment manufactures to stay ahead of the game, they need to come up with smart strategies to sell their equipment though this cannot compromise the mining equipment prices.
Depending on your budget, you can either buy mining equipment or lease it. You can buy equipment directly from manufacturers such as J.C.B or Caterpillar who offer a gamut of after-sales services as well as providing maintenance on the bought machinery.
Leasing mining equipment has many benefits, but the most important is that it offers better cash flow for your company as it carries little in the way of up-front costs. Leasing is also easier and faster than bank financing as it allows you to have the latest equipment. The downside is that it is more expensive than bank financing in the long run, and you have to pay even if you stop using the equipment. You'll also need to guarantee the lease payments personally.
There are three main types of leases. The first is a capital (or finance) lease, which is like more like a loan. The lease spans the entire expected life of the equipment and is preferred if you plan to keep the equipment at the end of the lease as it lets you treat the gear as a depreciable asset. The second type of lease is an operating (or true) lease, which is more like a contract, tying up less of your cash even though the lease is shorter than the life of the equipment. And lastly, a skip lease lets you skip payments during slow months, which is ideal for seasonal businesses.
Another option is to buy used or refurbished equipment (or Rebuilds). Used equipment can offer the same reliability as buying machinery directly off the assembly line, but at a fraction of the cost. Buying pre-owned mining equipment and tools can perform first-rate jobs for a low price. Buying used machinery also allows you to try out certain brands or manufacturers without making a substantial investment. In fact, used machinery and tools can help your business save money on start-up and expansion costs. Pre-owned equipment also increases productivity, business assets and net worth, as well as providing additional tax benefits.
Mining Equipment Sale
The market for mining equipment is massive since the mining industry is a cornerstone of human progress. As Joy Global, one of the world's leading providers of mining equipment and services puts it: everything is grown or mined. An industry worth billions of dollars annually has a lot to offer for companies which manufacture or distribute mining equipment. Mining equipment sale can be hugely profitable business and the cost has been steadily increasing over the years.
A mining company with a demand for mining equipment has a few options at its disposal: It can either buy equipment either new or refurbished. New equipment is advantageous, not least since manufacturers offer aftermarket support on their products, which is essential, considering that the equipment can get worn quickly or require frequent service depending on the kind of mining process which is being followed.
One of the problems related to sale of mining equipment is that industry costs have been increasing, that for diesel fuel, natural gas, and steel. Higher production cost adversely affects the bottom line and profits are greatly reduced. This pushes manufacturers into developing smart strategies to sell their equipment if they want maintain their market position. This is even more so considering the current market environment.
Another option for the buyer is used or refurbished mining equipment. The advantage of buying used equipment is that at a fraction of the cost, the same reliability is achieved as buying machinery directly off the assembly line. The job can be carried out efficiently with pre-owned mining equipment and tools, and at a low price. Purchase of used machinery also allows mining companies to test the waters with a brand or manufacturer without making a substantial investment. In fact, used machinery and tools help businesses save money on start-up and expansion costs. In addition to some tax benefits, pre-owned equipment also increases productivity, business assets and net worth.
Rebuilds are usually according to stringent OEM guidelines and are available for up to 60% of the price of a new machine, with the same productivity. But as with new mining equipment sale, companies selling rebuilds also offer extended warranties which can be serviced around the world.
Another option for sellers is to offer mining equipment on lease. This is quicker and simpler than bank financing and allows mining companies to avail of the latest equipment, though it does have its drawbacks. Equipment is more expensive in the long run, payments have to be guaranteed personally and have to be made even if use of the equipment is discontinued.
The range of mining equipment available for sale is vast, and the kind of equipment depends on the type of mining process being undertaken. Even though the world economy is in a recessionary period, there is still a demand for mining equipment, though reduced. The world demand for natural resources is such though, that it will only be a matter of time before the markets recover.


text:
Matt Holliday hit a monster two-run home run in the third inning off Ricky Nolasco. / Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports
LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers manager Don Mattingly admitted Tuesday before Game 4 of the National League Championship Series that he had spent much of his team's 3-0 Game 3 victory Monday night thinking about whom to pitch in the next game.
Would he go with the better pitcher, Zack Greinke, on three days of rest?
Or would he go with the fresher pitcher, Ricky Nolasco, who hadn't started a game since Sept. 25, had slumped down the stretch of the regular season and was skipped in favor of Clayton Kershaw on short rest in the Division Series against the Atlanta Braves?
The answer turned out to be Nolasco, and no doubt Mattingly spent a fair bit of Game 4, too, wondering about that decision as the Dodgers lost 4-2.
The Cardinals lumber, which had mostly slumbered in this series, woke up against Nolasco and produced a 3-0 St. Louis lead in the third inning. Shane Robinson's pinch-hit home run in the seventh built the Cardinals' lead to 4-2.
Nolasco shined for the Dodgers much of the season after being acquired from Miami in early July. From then until early September, Nolasco was 8-1 with a 2.07 earned-run average.
But his last three starts of the season were a complete about-face â?? 0-2, 12.75 ERA â?? the main reason there has been all this debate in the postseason about the Dodgers shortening their rotation and using aces Kershaw and Greinke on short rest.
Nolasco got the first six Cardinals hitters in order, striking out the last two batters in the second inning.
But he was hit hard in the third. No. 8 hitter Daniel Descalso singled to right field, moved up on a sacrifice and was driven in on a sharp double to left field by Matt Carpenter.
Carlos Beltran made the second out on a ground smash that second baseman Mark Ellis handled nicely, but Matt Holliday hit the next pitch â?? a 92 mph fastball down the middle â?? over the left-field fence for a two-run homer and a 3-0 Cardinals lead.
The Dodgers responded off Cardinals starter Lance Lynn in the fourth, when Yasiel Puig, after nearly being hit by a high, inside fastball, drove in a run with a ground single to center and catcher A.J. Ellis followed with an RBI line drive single to center.
That brought up Nolasco's spot, and Mattingly sent up pinch hitter Skip Schumaker, who grounded into a double play.
Mattingly sent out rookie right-hander Chris Withrow to pitch the fifth inning.
Copyright 2015 USATODAY.com
Read the original story: Holliday's blast powers Cardinals in Game 4


text:
Memory is a fleeting thing, often constructed with fragments of objects and places in a nonsensical arrangement in the mind. Golden Age - Simulation attempts to visualise this development of memory from the very abstract to the construction of whole environments in a single strand of memory (translated as one long camera shot).
The abstract concepts explored in this short, developed into a film about simulated reality, which can be seen here:
Directed and Produced By Paul Nicholls.
Constructed in 3d Studio Max, with particle flow, box2, Thinking Particles, Krakatoa, Fume FX, and rendered in vray. Composited in after Effects and exported from Premier.
Visit my site: WWW.FACTORYFIFTEEN.COM
Loading more stuff…
Hmm…it looks like things are taking a while to load. Try again?


text:
Cosmic Wonder Press Kit
Experience the Night Sky Like Never Before at the Adler
Cosmic Wonder Brings the Universe So Close You Can Almost Touch It!
Take an exciting journey of discovery as the world's most technologically advanced dome theater transforms into a virtual observatory. In Cosmic Wonder, opening May 17, 2013 at Chicago's Adler Planetarium, visitors are invited to look up! The night sky reveals the mysteries of the Universe in the most immersive space environment ever created. Cosmic Wonder will run daily through April 1, 2014.
Presented as a live show, Cosmic Wonder tells the compelling story of how, through time, we have pieced together an understanding of the cosmos, inviting audiences to ask questions and help scientists unlock modern mysteries of the unknown.
Throughout time, humans have connected with the cosmos in an ongoing cycle of wonder, observation, and discovery. As we observe and form an understanding of our cosmos, leading-edge technology allows audiences to experience the night sky like never before, bringing the Universe to you so close you can almost touch it.
"Wondering about the Universe we live in is inherent to who we are as human beings," said Michelle B. Larson, Ph.D., Adler President and CEO. "Our ancestors looked up at the same night sky thousands of years ago, and today we are still compelled as much as ever to ask questions and search for answers. Science is not about memorizing a bunch of facts. It is a very active and exciting process. You observe things, you wonder about them, and then you try and solve the mysteries. Cosmic Wonder invites visitors to be part of this ongoing process of discovery."
Cosmic Wonder begins with a naked eye tour of the night sky. From a true dark night sky in Yosemite Valley, audiences travel back in time three hundred years to Jaipur, India to explore an ancient observatory built by Maharaja Jai Singh, who was inspired by the wonders of the night sky. Inventions like telescopes improved how humans viewed the night sky, which led to even better tools that furthered discoveries. Over time, instruments have evolved with modern devices such as the Hubble Space Telescope, advancing space exploration in ways our ancestors would have never dreamed possible. This continuing human drive to observe and discover pushes advancements in technology that will help us solve existing mysteries and reveal new ones.
Cosmic Wonder takes visitors on a thrilling, visual adventure through a familiar night sky to explore distant and less familiar places. Using constellations as a road map, audiences will explore the night sky like never before. Presented on the world's largest single digital image in ultra high definition, Cosmic Wonder utilizes special effects only available in the state-of-the-art Grainger Sky Theater. Leading-edge technology allows visitors to witness the breathtaking beauty of the Crab Nebula as it descends, coming so close you can almost touch it. Zoom into Orion the Hunter and become bathed in a hotbed of active star formation. Zero in on a small patch of the night sky as you are surrounded by the Hubble Extreme Deep Field image containing more than 5,500 galaxies.
"The Grainger Sky Theater is the most technologically advanced dome theater in the world that displays space images in the highest resolution possible. By combining that technology with the World Wide Telescope software from Microsoft Research, the Adler has fundamentally devised a new way to use a planetarium," said Mark SubbaRao, Ph.D., Adler astronomer and show creator. "For the first time, audiences will be able to experience the Hubble Space Telescope's breath-taking imagery in their full resolution and in the real context of space. The public is used to seeing these immense space objects condensed into tiny images on their computer screens. In Cosmic Wonder, Adler audiences will zoom into these massive astronomical objects where they will be fully immersed and can truly experience the immensity and grandeur of our Universe."
The Adler Planetarium gratefully acknowledges The Grainger Foundation for its leadership in transforming the historic Sky Theater.
Cosmic Wonder is presented by Bing.
Adler Collections
The Adler's Webster Institute for the History of Astronomy features one of the world's most important collections of scientific instruments, works on paper, and books relating to astronomy. Cosmic Wonder features stunning star charts and other important historic works on paper. These historic works on paper give insight into some of the earliest ideas about astronomy and how we interpreted the night sky in the past.
Planetary Machines
To complement the show, visitors will have the opportunity to see approximately 20 stunning pieces from the Adler's renowned collection in the temporary exhibition Planetary Machines. The objects in this exhibition include two star maps highlighted in Cosmic Wonder. Visitors will also have the rare opportunity to view the oldest tabletop planetarium in the world. Planetary Machines opens May 17 and continues through August 23.
Citizen Science
To better understand dark matter, we need to discover more gravitational lenses. To do that, we need you! The Adler invites the public to join in the excitement of discovery and help scientists with important research by taking part in one of the museum's Citizen Science initiatives. The Adler's next citizen science project is Space Warps, which asks for the public's help in finding gravitational lenses in deep space. Space Warps launches in early May.
Cosmic Wonder Image Gallery
Cosmic Wonder Fun Facts
Media Contact
Molly O'Connell
Director of Museum Communications


text:
- Age / Gender:
- n/a, Unspecified
- Location:
- Location not disclosed
- Joined:
- 7/31/13
- All Stats >
User Statshot
- Community Stats
Level 3 Blank Slate
Normal Whistle
Ranked as Civilian
Contact Info / Websites
Recent Game Medals
Volcano 5 Points Jump on top of the pixel volcano. Medal Stats.
Slider 5 Points Die sliding. Medal Stats.
500 m 5 Points Reach 500 meters in a single run. Medal Stats.
Super Orb 5 Points Hit a Super Energy Orb. Medal Stats.
3 Orbs 5 Points Collect 3 Energy Orbs (yellow or blue). Medal Stats.
First Blood 5 Points Die for the first time. Medal Stats.
First Picture 5 Points Uncovered a picture for the first time Medal Stats.
First Pop 5 Points Poped your first balloon to uncover a picture Medal Stats.
Story Easy 25 Points Beat Story Mode on Easy, Normal, or Hard Medal Stats.
WSW Tribute 25 Points Defeat Final Weapon Medal Stats.
Total Medals Earned: 85 (From 18 different games.)