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Results tagged ' Frank Coonelly '
A few minutes with Frank Coonelly
Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com
President Frank Coonelly stopped by to chat with the media for a few minutes this morning, just following the team's morning meeting. Among the topics he discussed was the contract status of general manager Neal Huntington, who is in the final year of his deal. Coonelly said that Huntington has not had that contract extended, to this point.
So will Huntington be in Pittsburgh beyond 2011?
"He's under contract for this season, and it's our expectation that Neal will be here for a long time," Coonelly said. "We'll continue to evaluate it as we go forward."
Coonelly was asked this same question about Huntington's status at this time last year. In that instance, Coonelly said he preferred not to comment on contractual discussions. It came out later in the summer that, over the winter, Huntington had been given a one-year extension to his contract, which was set to expire after the 2010 season.
Other topics Coonelly addressed on Saturday…
On his expectations for the season: "I expect to see us compete. We're all about doing. As Clint said to the guys in there today, trying hard isn't good enough. This is a doing league and it's time for us to start doing."
On if there is an expectation that the record improves: "I sure hope so. I think that we're poised to make a significant improvement. We don't want to put any limits on ourselves in terms of putting a number out there. We don't want to be limited by a number or a thought on February 19. The expectations with the club better be championship expectations. Then we'll see where we are at the end of the season. I'm confident we're going to be far better than we've been the last several years."
On if money is available to make in-season additions, if competitive: "There are. We've said all along that we're looking forward to the day that we need to make that decision and we're prepared to make it and prepared to add players if we need some players to get over the hump."
On his early observations of Camp Hurdle: "Lot of energy. Getting to know the guy. Good quality work. I'm very happy that most of the guys were in early getting work in. Good communication. Clint has the ability to let the players know that he cares about them. But he also expects things to be done right. The few times that I've been out here and things weren't done right, we did it over again. And the players will also know when Clint is not pleased with the work ethic."
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Day 3: Daily Squeeze
Ladies and gentleman, you have your closer.
Manager Clint Hurdle informed us after workouts today that Joel Hanrahan has been named the team's closer to begin the season. This means, of course, that Evan Meek slots into a set-up role.
You can find the full story and reaction from both players here. Reading Meek's face, the disappointment was evident. He wanted to close. Any good reliever does. I think he realizes that his chances will come (who knows how soon), but the competitor in him believes he is ready now. The question is, how will being passed up for this spot fuel his motivation for this year? We'll find out soon enough.
As for the rest of your workout updates:
- Matt Diaz and Pedro Ciriaco are now accounted for in camp. Both worked out with the position players on Wednesday. That means we are missing just four position players — Alex Presley, John Bowker, Ronny Cedeno and Brian Friday.
- Jose Ascanio remains MIA as well due to visa issues. Word is that he might still get here as early as Thursday, though he has to wait for his passport to be returned. This delay certainly puts him behind the rest of the pitchers.
- Not that it is big news, but Hurdle strongly hinted that Joe Beimel will be the team's left-handed set-up man. It's probably best to compare Beimel's situation to what D.J. Carrasco went through last year. Just as Carrasco signed a Minor League deal fully knowing he would be added to the roster, Beimel is here knowing that unless something crazy happens, he's on the club.
- Keep an eye on the name Jose Veras. He is a non-roster invitee, but one who is turning heads early. His experience (176 Major League relief appearances) is something that is going to help his case for a bullpen spot.
- President Frank Coonelly attended workouts on Wednesday, before speaking to the Bradenton Boosters during a luncheon. Coonelly had been in Pittsburgh to attend Chuck Tanner's viewing on Tuesday. Kent Tekulve has also arrived to help as an instructor. He, too, was at the viewing.
- A private funeral was held for Tanner in New Castle on Wednesday.
- Andrew McCutchen and first base/baserunning/outfield coach Luis Silverio spent considerable time together discussing baserunning. The two talked about McCutchen's tendencies when he is getting ready to steal and his first step. Hurdle has said the team is going to be aggressive on the basepath this year, so baserunning will continue to be an emphasis throughout camp.
- The pitchers had their own baserunning session as well. They also all took time to practice squaring to bunt and then pulling back to hit. Other fielding drills were mixed in.
- Hitters were focused on situational hitting during batting practice today. Thus, we did not see as many home runs as we have in recent days.
- The following 15 pitchers threw their second side session on Wednesday: Paul Maholm, Kevin Correia, Hanrahan, Veras, Beimel, Aaron Thompson, Justin Wilson, Ross Ohlendorf, James McDonald, Evan Meek, Scott Olsen, Kyle McPherson, Rudy Owens, Michael Crotta and Jeff Locke.
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Beasley, Banister, Long express desire to return
Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com
Three coaches from the Pirates' 2010 staff said on Monday that they would consider returning to the organization next season under a new manager.
Shortly after the Pirates announced that John Russell had been removed as the team's manager, hitting coach Don Long, third base coach Tony Beasley and interim bench coach Jeff Banister told MLB.com that they would welcome the opportunity to return to the Major League coaching staff and see the organization's rebuilding process through.
General manager Neal Huntington left that door open, too, saying that the coaches would each be evaluated individually, with the possibility that they could be brought back. But since the Pirates' next manager will have a significant say in hiring his coaching staff, no coaching decisions will be made until after that hire.
In the meantime, Huntington has told each coach that he is welcome to pursue other opportunities.
Reached at his home in Virginia, Beasley expressed a strong desire to return for a 19th season in the Pirates' organization. He has spent the last three serving as the team's third base coach and baserunning instructor.
Beasley is also under contract through the 2011 season, so that could be a factor as the organization assembles its next staff.
"I would definitely love to be back, especially with where we are with the young kids," Beasley said. "I'd definitely love to be a part of that and a part of the growth. The process that we talked about is kind of coming to an end. I see that in the near future, and hopefully I can be a part of that. I know it's out of my hands, but until I'm told otherwise, I hope to stay."
Beasley said that Huntington spoke with members of the coaching staff during the team's most recent road trip and informed them that the immediate future was uncertain for everyone.
"I'm willing to be patience and see how it works out," Beasley said.
Like Beasley, Long was hired shortly after Russell was named manager in November 2007. Though the team finished last in the National League in batting average (.242) this season, Long has been credited by numerous players for the work he's done with them over the past three seasons.
Most recently, he oversaw the rookie success of Jose Tabata, Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez. Two years ago, he helped Jason Bay, Xavier Nady and Nate McLouth take significant strides forward in their approaches and swings.
"The competitive side of me says we started that process and we've been through major overhaul on the roster," Long said. "We've gotten to the point that guys who you thought would have the chance to come up here did, and they showed big signs of what they're capable of doing. I would want to see through.
"For the people on the outside looking in, the most dominant stat is the record," he added. "But to watch a group of players – where there is a lot of youth and not a lot of experience – go from where they started to where they finished, it's definitely a step in the right direction. People on the outside looking in can scoff at that. But for me, as a coach, the most important thing is you take care of the things you can take care of and one of those is how you prepare and how you show up."
Long said a decision on his future will come after he spends some time with his family. He also said he realizes that returning might not even be an option in the end.
"I'm going to take some time to absorb it a little bit and then take some time to look at the options and what I want to do," he said. "You never know, there is always the opportunity to stay. Or there is the potential that whoever they hire will want someone they are more familiar with. And I understand that."
Banister joined the Major League staff as the club's interim bench coach in early August, following the dismissal of Gary Varsho. He has been with the organization for the last 25 years and began his eighth season as the Pirates' Minor League Field Coordinator earlier this year.
Though Banister may not retain his Major League coaching job, his rapport with players and coaches in the Minor League levels would seem to suggest that the Pirates would welcome having him return in some capacity. The Pirates, however, have not announced such a decision.
Asked if he would like to continue working with the organization, Banister said: "That's an obvious yes. There's a lot of guys I know very well who've come up through our system that are there. They've developed, they continue to develop. They're not finished by any stretch of the imagination. I'd love to continue that if Neal, [president] Frank [Coonelly] and [owner] Bob [Nutting] allow that to happen.
"My passion is for this organization and where I think we can go and where I think we are going. It's unfinished for me. Until somebody tells me they don't need my services anymore, I'll always feel that way. I grew up in this uniform and there are a lot of things I think we can and will do. I'm sure some people think we are a ways away. I see it every day, and I know we're not that far away. There's a really strong nucleus of talented athletes that take the field every day. There is some finishing that needs to go along with their Major League experience before they truly know what it takes to win on an every-day basis. Hopefully, I'm part of that, in whatever capacity that is.
The rest of Russell's former staff included Luis Dorante (bullpen coach), Carlos Garcia (first base/infield coach) and Ray Searage (interim pitching coach).
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August 23: Cardinals (67-54) @ Pirates (41-83)
Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com
So yesterday turned out to be a much more eventful day than expected. Apologies for not writing the most insightful game recap on Sunday, but I spent the first half of the game talking finance with president Frank Coonelly and owner Bob Nutting. The session was called in advance of an AP story, which did come out late that evening.
In case you somehow missed yesterday's big story, here is the recap piece to fill you in on all the details. I can tell you that we discussed a lot of accounting jargon in the session, and being that my dad is the accountant in the family, it took me a while to digest. My goal in the above story was to whittle the confusing wording down to simplistic ideas and explanations so that everything could be understood by the common person. I hope I succeeded in that attempt.
I have found the public reaction to the numbers/story to be interesting. I think some fans are glad to see actual figures (and a minimal profit), while others have an inability to believe anything the organization says. If you're in the latter category, then I'll never be able to report anything that appeases you. You might as well realize that now.
All I can say is that the organization had no reason to lie about the information given to us yesterday. Neither Coonelly, nor Nutting, ever wanted such figures to be made public — this is a private company, you know — and seemed somewhat uncomfortable doing so. However with the public backlash both receive almost daily, they hoped it would be beneficial. They also feared how the AP story could construe what they believed to be logical explanations of a 2008 payment to ownership.
In terms of the $5.4 million profit that the team made in 2009… some look at that and say it all should have been added to the Major League payroll. No questions asked. However, step back and think about your own personal finances.
Look at that $5.4 million as almost a savings account of sorts. I like to keep some additional money in my savings account at all times because I never know when something might come up where I have to dip into the fund. Unexpected costs arrise all the time, and if you are working with a savings account of $0, you're going to be in trouble at some point.
That $5.4 million is around for that purpose. It's not going to anyone in the ownership group. It's a fund that is keeping the Pirates out of the red and ensures that they have the money when new costs arise. And really.. in the land of Major League baseball, $5.4 million isn't all that much. Putting that into the payroll would not have sent this team over the top.
OK, enough finances 101 for the day. Now on to baseball, where the Pirates have the ability to affect St. Louis' task of catching the division-leading Reds.
CARDINALS: S. Schumaker (2B), J. Jay (CF), A. Pujols (1B), M. Holliday (LF), F. Lopez (SS), Y. Molina (C), P. Feliz (3B), A. Craig (RF), K. Lohse (RHP)
Lohse vs. PIT: 4-0 in 7 games, 46.1 IP, 37 H, 11 ER, 3 HR, 7 BB, 29 K
PIRATES: A. McCutchen (CF), J. Tabata (LF), N. Walker (2B), G. Jones (1B), P. Alvarez (3B), R. Doumit (C), L. Milledge (RF), R. Cedeno (SS), R. Ohlendorf (RHP)
Ohlendorf vs. STL: 1-2 in 4 starts, 26 IP, 20 H, 8 ER, 2 HR, 3 BB, 22 K
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Day 40: Pirates @ Tigers; Kratz reassigned
Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com
The Pirates reassigned catcher Erik Kratz to Minor League camp this morning, which makes Jason Jaramillo your backup catcher for the start of the season. Don't assume that this means the dilemma of deciding if Jaramillo is better up backing up in the Majors or playing every day in the Minors. That debate will continue. And if Ryan Doumit stays healthy and Jaramillo gets scarce playing time, the Pirates might change course and send Jaramillo to the Minors at some point midseason.
For now, though, this is another roster decision to check off the list.
As for other early morning news…
- The club announced its planned Opening Day festivities and that entire release can be found here. Highlights include: Frank Coonelly will present the "Pride of the Pirates" award to a member of the organization; Andrew McCutchen will be honored for being named Baseball America's Rookie of the Year; God Bless America will be performed by Pittsburgher and recording artist Sarah Marince; National Anthem will be perofmed by nine year old Jackie Evancho; First pitch will be thrown out by Jamie and Ali McMutrie, who were made national headlines for bringing Haitian orphans to Pittsburgh after the earthquake.
- All position players traveled to Lakeland today, which is an unusual thing to see in spring. The Pirates' lineup is as it will be on Opening Day.
- Shortstop Ronny Cedeno (tightness in lower back) was in the lineup this morning and is no longer. I assume this means there is still some lingering tightness. He hasn't played since Saturday.
- Asked if he was ready to name Jeff Clement the team's Opening Day first baseman, GM Neal Huntington stopped short of giving a confirmation. His response: "He's doing what he needs to do."
- Reliever Joel Hanrahan will begin the season on the disabled list and will stay in Florida when the team leaves for Philadelphia tomorrow night. He will continue to pitch in extended Spring Training and then may join the organization's Triple-A team when it begins its season on April 8. Whether Hanrahan joins Indianapolis to finish up his spring work will largely be dependent on the weather. The Indians begin the season in Columbus, Ohio.
- Wednesday will be Zach Duke's final start before he takes the mound on Opening Day. He will be limited to about 60 pitches in order to ensure he's fresh for Monday.
- Also sending a Happy Birthday to president Coonelly, who I heard was turning the big 50 today.
Pirates lineup:
- Aki Iwamura (2B)
- Andrew McCutchen (CF)
- Garrett Jones (RF)
- Ryan Doumit (C)
- Lastings Milledge (LF)
- Jeff Clement (1B)
- Andy LaRoche (3B)
- Zach Duke (LHP)
Ronny Cedeno(SS) Bobby Crosby
Pitchers: Duke, Brendan Donnelly, Evan Meek, Jack Taschner
Tigers lineup:
- Ryan Raburn (CF)
- Johnny Damon (DH)
- Magglio Ordonez (RF)
- Miguel Cabrera (1B)
- Carlos Guillen (LF)
- Gerald Laird (C)
- Scott Sizemore (2B)
- Ramon Santiago (3B)
- Adam Everett (SS)
Pitchers: Justin Verlander, Phil Coke, Brad Thomas, Fu-Te Ni, Jose Valverde
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Day 6: Daily Squeeze
Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com
It was the first day of full squad workouts here at Pirate City and the sun certainly came out to greet the masses. As you'll read on the main site, the day started with a 9 a.m. meeting in which all 66 players listened to president Frank Coonelly and owner Bob Nutting speak.
This will fill you in the rest of the day's activities:
- Right-hander Octavio Dotel sat out of workouts on Tuesday because of a sore left side. The injury isn't expected to keep him out of action for more than a few days. Let's hope.
- On a related note, we (a handful of writers) got a taste of what to expect from Dotel this season. Seeing that he wasn't out on the field, we went to go track him down in the clubhouse. When Dotel was asked about a potential injury, he told one writer that it was a right knee issue that would keep him out for a few days. Writer No. 2 was told a minute later that it was a left knee injury, and that he would be back tomorrow. Huh? Minutes later, Dotel came back into the room laughing, telling us that he had pulled a fast one over us. He had no knee injury. It was an issue with his side. Good thing none of us had pulled out our phone to tweet. I'll remember that for the future…
- Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski has arrived in Bradenton and spent the day working with the team's infielders. Former Pirates manager Chuck Tanner also made his first Spring Training appearance and spent much of the day sitting on a golf cart signing autographs for fans.
- Infielders, outfielders and catchers spent about 30 minutes on defensive drills on Tuesday. And you can tell what the depth chart looks like by how they were divided. On the first field of infielders were Jeff Clement and Garrett Jones (1B); Akinori Iwamura and Ramon Vazquez (2B); Ronny Cedeno and Bobby Crosby (SS); Andy LaRoche and Pedro Alvarez (3B). On the second field, you had Steve Pearce and Brian Myrow (1B); Argenis Diaz and Delwyn Young (2B); Brian Friday (SS); Doug Bernier and Neil Walker (3B).
- Vazquez (right knee) continued to take grounders right at him but did not participate in fielding drills that required side-to-side movement. He was cleared to take BP for the first time, though.
- At this time last year, all of us were enthralled with "Camp Perry." Infield instructor Perry Hill was an extremely vocal presence on the field and could be heard yards away. It's a little quieter this year, and manager John Russell apparently noticed. "It's OK to talk," he quipped as he came to observe infield drills. "Let's act like we're having some fun."
- A total of 15 pitchers threw side sessions on Tuesday. One person who looked remarkedly more comfortable was Brendan Donnelly, who talked afterward about feeling out of sync during his first two times on the mound.
- Pitchers will begin throwing live BP on Wednesday. They will throw two innings (one inning consists of 17 pitches). Half of the pitches will be from the windup and half from the stretch. The only exception to the two-inning deal is for Donnelly, who will throw one inning of 25 pitches.
- Players have all sorts of to-do items this week as things get going. The people who take all the photos and film the clips for the video board at PNC Park are here to get all of that done before games start next week. Each player goes up into a makeshift studio one-by-one to be filmed. There's also media awareness training going on this week. The 20-minute session will introduce players to who we are and hopefully they're told to be nice.
- Excuse the shameless plug here, but Pirates PR guy Dan Hart has been busy with the flip cam all spring and has all sorts of great footage and interviews that he's putting on the site. You can find Dan's videos on the top right-hand side of pirates.com. I would really recommend checking them out. There was a nice one on Ryan Doumit yesterday and a piece on Brad Lincoln that was posted today. I just wanted to make sure that Dan's work wasn't going unnoticed.
- MLB Network is doing its "30 Clubs in 30 Days" series again this spring. The Pirates will be featured on March 7 at 5 p.m.
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Russell, Huntington get vote of confidence
Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com
Pirates president Frank Coonelly and owner Bob Nutting were in Bradenton on Tuesday to address players prior to Tuesday's workout. You'll find a story on the main site about what that message was specifically.
However, on an aside, both were asked afterward if there had been given any thought to extending the contracts of either general manager Neal Huntington or manager John Russell. The two are each in the final years of their contracts. Russell has a club option remaining (you'll remember that he had the first of those two club options exercised about this time last year). Huntington's contract is not believed to have an option attached.
Neither Coonelly, nor Nutting, would discuss the possibility of Russell or Huntington being extended, though Coonelly did reiterate a "vote of confidence" in both. Here are those comments:
Coonelly: "I have a strong vote of confidence for both Neal and JR, but we're not going to discuss contractual situations. I don't believe those are productive."
Nutting: "I really believe that any organization is built on stability. They're not built on speculation. They're built on people who are performing effectively. I have a lot of faith in the leadership team that's put in place – both on the field and in the front office. That's something that's not a great topic for Spring Training. What you have is a solid leadership group with full support of the organization moving forward. Again, I believe that stability is much more important that second-guessing or speculation."
What these responses do not provide are answers to whether or not the results (specifically a won-loss record) in 2010 will dictate the job security of Russell or Huntington next season. It's something to keep an eye on as the year progresses.
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Day 3: Daily Squeeze
Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com
It was nice of the sunshine to come out after the fields at Pirate City had been cleared. But regardless, it seemed to be another successful day of workouts for the club. You'll find stories about Jeff Clement (is he making progress at first?) and the back-up catching job (yes, it is a competition) on the main site before the end of the day. But here are the rest of your tidbits for this Saturday…
- The group of 14 pitchers that threw side sessions on Thursday had their second sides today. (Go back to your Day 1: Daily Squeeze if you want that list in full.)
- Pitchers spent another 40 minutes in fielding drills, while infielders and outfielders had their own fielding practice as well.
- After taking some groundballs at second base on Friday, Neil Walker was back with the third baseman for Saturday's infield drills.
- Garrett Jones joined the first baseman in infield practice. He's going to get reps both at first and in the outfield. While he's projected to be the Pirates' starting right fielder, there could be a need to shift Jones back to first if Jeff Clement stumbles.
- Delwyn Young arrived at Pirate City on Saturday and took the fields for workouts. He took grounders at second. Ryan Church and Aki Iwamura also went out on the fields with position players for the first time. Remember, the first full squad workout isn't until Tuesday.
- Pirates president Frank Coonelly was seen around the Pirate City grounds mingling with fans. He also took some time to observe the pitchers' side sessions.
- We (the media) had a lengthy session with pitching coach Joe Kerrigan after workouts, and you'll see stuff from him spread out in stories over the next couple of days. One thing worth mentioning here, though, is the Pirates' plan on getting Brendan Donnelly and Octavio Dotel ready for the season. Kerrigan said the plan isn't to get them into Grapefruit League games immediately and to limit their work to about 11-12 innings in total. Because they are both experienced pitchers, there isn't the same need to push Donnelly and Dotel as hard as early.
- A couple of Kerrigan's goals this spring are to help Brad Lincoln improve his changeup and to work with D.J. Carrasco to make him more effective against left-handed hitters. Lefty hitters batted .317 against Carrasco in 2009.
- In case you missed it, here was a piece I did yesterday on Kevin Hart and his battle to win the final spot in the rotation. Kerrigan had this to say about Hart today: "He's done really well this winter. He's put a lot of hard work in. He's been really impressive. He looks like he's been [using that delivery motion] for a while. Last year it looked a little raw, a little rough. This year it has more of a flow to it. He's dancing with it. He looks smooth now. There is no jerkiness. It looks natural to him now. He's been downhill instead of flat."
- Workouts are scheduled to begin around 10 a.m. again on Sunday.
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Management Q-and-A, Take 2
Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com
First off, thanks to you PirateFest-goers for keeping the questions much briefer than yesterday. Made my life easier. Here are some of the highlights from president Frank Coonelly, general manager Neal Huntington, manager John Russell as best as I could frantically transcribe. In my opinion, the questions seemed to be more thoughtful (in other words: less ranting and raving) than on Friday, and the tone of fans seemed more tempered than on Friday for what's that worth.
And in case you missed it, Friday's Q-and-A session is typed out further below in the blog.
Can you respond to the report in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Saturday that Penguins owner Ron Burkle is interested in purchasing the Pirates?
Coonelly: The Pirates are not for sale. Bob Nutting is committed to this organization.Your next question might be why would Mario [Lemieux] and Rob be interested in purchasing the Pirates? I'm not surprised at all. They are good business people. What they see in the Pirates, if they're interested in purchasing, is that the Pirates have financial stability. They are saying this would be a sound business investment. The team is not for sale. It's not going to be for sale. Bob is determined to bring a championship back to Pittsburgh and see this process through.
How can this team win if the revenue-sharing dollars aren't being put back into the club?
Coonelly: Your facts are not right. Our payroll last year was well in excess of what we received in revenue-sharing profits. In addition to that, our Major League payroll is only a small portion of what we spend. We spend far in excessive of what we receive in revenue sharing every year.
With such a young roster, where is veteran leadership coming from and isn't there value to having players that know how to win?
Russell: We brought in some veteran guys – Dotel, Donnelly, Crosby. They know how to win. We also have some guys who have been here – Maholm, Duke, Doumit. They aren't young puppies anymore. They have been here for years. We have guys that have that leadership quality. If you listened to guys earlier, you'll hear them talking about the team and pushing each other and helping each other. We have a great mix here with the talent we have and what's coming and the veterans we added. Let's not forget about Maholm, Duke and Doumit because this is their team, too.
Huntington: Part of the mindset is the balance of the roster. There is a nice balance here. As this core group comes together, it's going to be more expensive. My first exposure in baseball was with the Montreal Expos. I don't want to criticize them, but they're not in existence anymore. Those owners were committed to putting every single dollar to the Major League payrolls. Bob [Nutting] is taking criticism because of the decisions that Frank and I have made. To be successful in these markets, you have to build with core players from within.
Would you be interested in being Commissioner of Baseball?
Coonelly: No, I really have no interest in being the Commisioner of baseball. My interest is in Pittsburgh and turning this around.
Do you think that your previous position in MLB has kept the heat off the Pirates for having a low payroll [reference to the Marlins being called out for their use of revenue-sharing dollars]?
Coonelly: We have been investing our revenue-sharing dollars in the baseball operations department. There hasn't been one single request for money that Bob [Nutting] hasn't delivered on. Every team that receives revenue-sharing dollars, you have to provide a report to baseball on how you used it. I think that's why we haven't heard from that and not because of my relationship.
How can we know that core players aren't going to continue being traded away?
Huntington: The toughest part is we deal with media leaks all the time. The best thing might have been if the Nate McLouth deal had leaked out because it became a shock. Our return for Nate McLouth was three players that we felt had the upside to be better than Nate McLouth long term. It may not turn out to be that way. We're not going to find a No. 1 or 2 starter on the free agent market. We're going to have to trade for them or sign and develop them. Charlie Morton is an exciting player. Gorkys Hernandez is a great fit for our ballpark. We really like Jeff Locke. This is a franchise-changing trade. I understand the message that it sent. In this day and age, players come and go. Our goal is to produce a winning team. This is a group that we look forward to moving ahead with. There will still be some trades, but the mass exodus is behind us. We've built the farm system stronger than it's been in a long time and maybe ever.
What will the veteran pitchers teach some of the younger ones?
Russell: I think the biggest thing a veteran guy can do is show how to handle the highs and lows of the game. That's one thing a veteran player can help a younger player. That's some of the things we're expecting from Paul and Doumit and some of the guys we've brought in.
Can you talk to us about the talent in the Minor League system?
Huntington: We're excited about a lot of the arms we added in last year's Draft and about Tony Sanchez. Tony really did some great things for us last year. The Carolina League championship team, as they headed into the postseason it was Brett Lorin, Aaron Pribanic, Jeff Locke, Rudy Owens who stepped up and won big games for them in the stretch. We've got too many arms, candidly, at the Single-A level. We're going to have to piggy-back guys because we have too many good arms that we are excited about developing.
Starling Marte is a sensational five-tool outfielder. Chase D'Arnaud, Jordy Mercer, Colton Cain, Jarek Cunningham, Robbie Grossman, Quinton Miller… there are a lot of names that I could rattle off. The deepest teams are going to be the West Virginia and Lynchburg [now Bradenton] club as we move forward.
What's your reaction to Baseball America ranking the Pirates' Minor League system 16th heading into 2010?
Huntington: We were surprised by that. Last year we were carried by Andrew McCutchen and we lost that impact player. That's what most of these rankings are based on — impact guys. We thought we'd be ranked better. We don't rely on their rankings. It's interesting to know that as Top 30 lists were being put together, we were talking about 40-50 players where as a few years ago we were trying to find 20 players. We're a Starling Marte or Zack Von Rosenberg breakout year from really moving up.
Coonelly: It's also important to note that at 16, it's higher than we've been in six years.
The Penguins have become a Championship team by being smart in Drafts, while the Pirates haven't done the same thing. Isn't that what has to be done?
Coonelly: Part of the frustration fans feel here is that as the Steelers have won Super Bowls, the Penguins all of a sudden win a Championship shortly after the salary cap is introduced – the natural conclusion is that salary cap equals a championship in Pittsburgh. How did the Pens get there? The salary cap helps, but it doesn't equal championships.
The Penguins had high Draft choices and they utilized those well. They also got lucky and won the Sidney Crosby lottery. And in two years, they managed to have access to two of the three best players in the league.
The Pirates never did that [in previous management], you're right. We came in here and said we will take the best player available. We agree. We did that with Pedro Alvarez. Last year was different. We were selecting No. 4 rather than No. 2. If we were selecting No. 2 last year, we would have taken Dustin Ackley. We would have allocated that money to a Stephen Strasburg or Ackley. After we got past those two players, we didn't see any other players that we saw it beneficial to allocate $6-7 million on one player. What we saw was a player in Tony Sanchez that we value much higher than Baseball America did. Tony Sanchez would have never gotten to the bottom half of the first round. He would have gone somewhere around No. 10 or No. 12. His first year answered a lot of questions about his bat. He's a terrific leader and a great catcher. What it allowed us to do was let us be extraordinarily aggressive after the first round. Von Rosenberg, Cain, Dodson's, all those guys are very high on the list. We wouldn't have had the opportunity to sign all those players if all our money had been allocated to the first-round of the Draft.
Where do you anticipate LHP Rudy Owens starting the year?
Huntington: Rudy has the chance to make the Altoona roster out of ST, but realistically he'll probably start in high-A because he only had a few starts there last year. If he goes there and does well, there's no reason why we can't move him at the mid-season point. We are known to be a conservative group.
How do you prove that the Pirates are committed to international investments when you weren't able to sign Miguel Sano?
Huntington: I can feel your frustration. [insert the answer that Huntington gave in Friday's Q-and-A, which is printed below].
Last year you said that if Stephen Strasburg dropped to No. 4 in the Draft, you would take him. Can you say the same about Bryce Harper if he drops to No. 2 this year?
Huntington: No. There's light years difference in the two players. Stephen Strasburg is an advanced college pitcher, arguably the best amateur college pitcher ever. We applaud the Washington Nationals for selecting him and are a little bit envious.
We like Bryce Harper, but I can't tell you Bryce Harper is right now in our Top 10. He's getting a lot of hype and publicity. I almost feel bad for the guy because he's going to have to live up to being the next LeBron James.
We will scout Bryce Harper, we will put him on the board and if he's the right player, we'll take him. We're not just going to pick a player because publications like him. We'll select the player that we think is best when we pick.
Would life be easier if there was no Scott Boras?
Huntington: Scott Boras is an incredible advocate for his players. If you're an elite talent and you know where you want to play, he usually gets it done.
With Jeff Clement having the upper hand for the first base job, does Steve Pearce even have a chance?
Russell: We've made it very clear that we'd like Jeff to show us that he is capable of playing first base. I think he can. We're very intrigued with the bat. But we're not giving jobs away. Guys still have to play. I don't just give jobs to guys. I think Clement is going to be a nice addition for us, but by no means does that erase Steve Pearce. We're not closing the door on Steve Pearce. He'll be given every opportunity to hopefully make our club.
Does Neil Walker have a chance to make the team this spring?
Huntington: Neil has made a lot of progress. He struggled a little bit earlier, but did come on stronger. I think Neil still has some development. It doesn't mean he doesn't have a chance to make our club, but he still has development. He needs to continue to work on his approach at the plate. We're excited to have Neil in our system. I'm not closing the door on Neil at Spring Training. Maybe we'll move him around this year. We'll look at our options as Spring Training goes on.
Could the Pirates make a run at remaining free agents whose prices might drop?
Russell: I'm kind of excited to see Pedro Alvarez in Pittsburgh at some point. I'm excited to see Jose Tabata in Pittsburgh at some point. I'm excited to see Brad Lincoln and Starling Marte. If we sign guys then we block some of our younger players. We talked about this. We feel good about the club we have now.
Was there any thought to trying sign Ben Sheets?
Huntington: We did our due diligence. We read the medicals. We watched him throw. There was a point in time where we would have committed to him, but at $10 million, we felt that was an excessive gamble for us.
Follow me on Twitter: @LangoschMLB
Management holds Q-and-A hour
Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com
Pirates management — president Frank Coonelly, manager John Russell and general manager Neal Huntington — just answered a variety of questions at the PirateFest Q-and-A session, which is always one of the most anticipated events at the yearly baseball carnival. Before getting to the highlights, here's a few things to keep in mind.
Note No. 1: I can only type so fast, so I promise that the transcription of this Q-and-A is 87 percent word-for-word. I tried to furiously type as questions were being asked/answered, but I can only be so quick.
Note No. 2: For those of you who plan on attending Saturday's session and asking something, please keep the questions short. I'm sure you have vast baseball knowledge or want to make sure your point is heard or want to sound smarter than the next person, but when a question becomes a dissertation, no one follows you. Just saying…
Note No. 3: I paraphrased the questions. Thank me later. And not every question was able to make it in here. Please forgive me.
Why will results change in 2010?
Russell: A lot of the guys last year, even though they had very good individual seasons, they were trying to establish themselves as Major League players. Unfortunately, that's not really conducive to team baseball. Now the players are really looking forward to playing as a team.
What capital improvements have been made to improve this team?
Coonelly: There are two types of investments you make in a ballclub – operating expenses and long-term investments. The new facility in Bradenton was a huge capital investment. Then we moved to the Dominican Republic where we were renting one sub-standard field and built one of the best academies in the Dominican Republic. That really gives us a competitive advantage in Latin America. Recently, we purchased a Class A team in Sarasota and moved it to Bradenton. That keeps them right in the hub of all our baseball activity. We have made virtually all of our major investments on the baseball operations side because we knew that's where we had to improve this organization to return to a championship-caliber organization.
Will there ever be a salary cap?
Coonelly: We still have to ask for patience because the only way to build this the right way is to build from within. The good news is we're two years into it and we're getting there. In terms of will we stand up to the large-market clubs? It really isn't a question of an inability or unwillingness to stand up to large market clubs. The rest of the industry is on our side that it would benefit us all that there were some payroll regulation. Our issues is it's a subject of collective bargaining. The Pirates are certainly pushing internally for changes in collective bargaining [which expires at end of 2011 season]. In the meantime, we have to win under this system. It's tougher. You have to be more creative. You might not be able to make the mistakes other clubs do, but it can be done.
How did you not sign Miguel Sano?
Coonelly: We were disappointed that we didn't sign Miguel Sano. Miguel is a 16 1/2 year baseball player, however. It's no sure thing that he's going to be an impact player. The Pirates weren't putting out that we were interested in Miguel Sano. That was the local press. We did really like Miguel and did really want to sign him. The good news is that we were in the game for the first time. We were never in the game for a player who was looking for $250,00 out of Latin America before. We were in the game, but this may be the one time where we were overly aggressive. We wanted the player too much. We moved too quickly. Normally if you wait until July 5 to sign the player you want to sign, he's already signed. [Signing period begins on July 2]. We wanted to get the player signed immediately and we were aggressive. We understand the importance of Latin America. We will continue to be in the game.
Huntington: I didn't get it done, quite simply. I relied on the agent to live on his word, which was that he would come back to us after another offer was made. We were the only team that made an offer to him on July 2. We were told he wasn't ready to sign and that the agent would come back to us when he was ready to sign. We were told that when other issues were resolved, he would be ready to negotiate. We made another aggressive offer, bidding against ourselves. Once again, the agent said we're not ready to negotiate. We never got a chance to offer our highest bid.
What to do if there's a logjam at third base?
Huntington: We may make a position change. We may trade players. As we sit here right now, we have one Major League third baseman and that's Andy LaRoche. As we plan for the future, sure we have ideas about what we'd like to do. But to move a player just because we think somebody is coming isn't smart. It's a great sign for the organization when you have too much depth and you have to trade a player. We'll put contingency plans in place for when we have more than one Major League third baseman.
What challenges could it bring if Pedro Alvarez comes up mid-season?
Russell: It's a good problem to have. Basically, that's what we're striving for. You want quality players, quality depth. You can't look that far ahead because baseball is a funny game. Pedro is obviously a great player. If he does come here, at this point, we'll make a decision. As a manager, those are fun decisions to make because I'll have two quality players.
Can we begin to evaluate some of the recent trades and who among those players is closest to making a significant contribution?
Huntington: The true evaluation on those trades will take years. Statistically, we can project all we want on these players, but to predict the human element is almost impossible. We've gone through a talent accumulation mode. It's my job to give John Russell and our Major League staff a better group of players. We need to give them better players.
Why did you commit money to free agents this offseason if you're still projected to have a losing season?
Huntington: Closers get paid based on saves in the arbitration process. We tried to retain Matt Capps. We weren't able to come to an agreement that we thought was fair. We have contractual control for the same amount of years with Octavio Dotel as we do with Capps. If Octavio Dotel and Matt Capps have similar years, Dotel will cost us less money next year than Capps would have. Brendan Donnelly is going to help us shorten a baseball game and help us off the field. In Ryan Church's case, Ryan gives us insurance that is better than what we had in our minds. The [$5 million] dollars invested in real-world dollars a ton of money. In baseball terms, they are very small investments. It didn't take away our ability to invest in other players. Those moves were done because we felt like it gave us a better team on the field.
Coonelly: We think that this young core is going to come together. We're not calling it 70 wins and let's be done. We want to give them a chance to succeed. We need these young guys to know that these games are going to be closed out at the end. We want to give manager Russell a chance to win these games.
Did you consider getting a veteran starter this offseason?
Huntington: We talked about Jon Garland, Vicente Padilla, Braden Looper. But when we talked about what they would bring and what we had internally, we felt like it was a better investment to give those innings to the winner of the Kevin Hart – Daniel McCutchen battle in Spring Training to let them develop. It's always a balance between the present and the future. We felt it was a better use of our innings to let these guys develop.
Who is in competition for fifth rotation spot?
Russell: We feel good about our rotation. Charlie Morton in my opinion, he's going to be fun to watch. This guy's got tremendous stuff. In my opinion, we're looking for a fifth starter to step up. We have Kevin Hart, who is a fierce competitor and is going to do everything he can. We have Daniel McCutchen. We have depth. We've got guys who can come up and help us win games. We're very excited about our rotation.
It seems that there was a lack of plate discipline last year. Are you doing anything to cut down on strike outs and make more productive outs?
Russell: I think our plate discipline has improved since we first got here. When you have young players, plate discipline is going to change a little bit. It takes time. It's tough to really change a guy in a short period of time. If he's a 20 percent strikeout guy in the Minor Leagues, he's a 20 percent strikeout guy in the Majors. Yes, you can change that. But it takes some time. I do think our guys have done a better job. We can do it. With young players, maintaining it is sometimes more difficult than we may like.
Huntington: Church and Iwamura are both players that are tough outs. Part of it is bringing in players with a proven track record. In the Minors, it's selective aggressiveness. A walk is a result, not a goal. We're not going up looking for a walk. We're going up looking for our pitch to drive. If we don't get it, we have to learn to lay off.
Why not get someone for Matt Capps instead of letting him go?
Huntington: In Matt's case, it was a tough one. His highest value was when we came aboard at the end of 2007. We had an opportunity to essentially trade him for a warm body [early in 2009] and chose to hold him because we figured he would bounce back in the second half. He didn't have much of a value at the trade deadline. When we realized we weren't going to be able to come to an agreement, we did make an effort to trade him. No one wanted to risk paying him and give something up for him. No team is going to give up a prospect and pay him that.
Will the organization eventually overpay for talent to keep them in Pittsburgh?
Coonelly: I'm more likely to overpay than Neal. Are we likely to overpay for talent? No. You shouldn't want us to overpay because every million we overpay player A is not available to us for Player B, C, and D. You should want a smart management team that puts together it's team most effectively and efficiently. I object to overpaying. I don't object to a plan of keeping your core players in the organization as long as you can. You should want us to be a smart management team that isn't throwing away money on one player.
Huntington: What's exciting about 2010 and beyond is that you hear the optimism, you hear the excitement about the bonds being formed because for the first time in a while, these guys feel like they're going to be around here for a while. We need to build around this group of players. The reality is that no team keeps all of its player. Baseball has become roster turnover. It's important to keep your core together, and we're going to do everything we can to keep players in Pittsburgh that want to stay in Pittsburgh. To overpay, we're not going to overpay. But are we going to be aggressive to keep players in Pittsburgh? Absolutely.
Follow me on Twitter: @LangoschMLB


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The votes have been tallied and the new favorite Iowa State Fair food is the Shrimp Corndog.
Fair officials said the corndog took top honors in the New Food Contest with 75 percent of the vote by State Fair visitors.
The corndog features three fresh shrimp dipped in corndog batter, fried up and topped with a sweet jalapeno glaze.
It's being served up at the Po Boy Stand on Rock Island Avenue.
The two other food finalists were the Strawberry Smoothie On-a-stick and Bacon Wrapped Riblet.
There are 18 new fair foods this year...view the list

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The word rock star has many meanings to many people and a raft of connotations—largely pejorative if you are a conformer, ameliorative if you have been brought up on and reveled in 1960s American and British culture.
Smashed guitars, bat-eating Brummies and hotel shenanigans may not always be prevalent in modern-day football (at least not the first two). But many wild individuals with a carefree attitude, alarming attitude to fame and money and swagger which have won them more fans than critics have brought color to the sport over the last few decades.
In this slideshow, I highlight the ten most notable "wild things," alluding to some of their purported behavior over the years.
From Dwight Yorke and Mark Bosnich's kinky sex games to Rene Higuita's conviction for smuggling drugs to cat fights and knife brawls, the sporting press has never been short of off-the-field headlines.
Enjoy the mayhem!


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TUSCALOOSA, Alabama — Let the chaos begin.
It's officially Iron Bowl week.
Alabama crushed Chattanooga 49-0 as the embargo on discussion ended in Tuscaloosa on a gloomy Saturday afternoon. The starters exited early as freshmen took over Senior Day in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
But the action on the field wasn't the main topic of conversation with No. 6 Auburn looming next week. Scoring on five straight drives and recording a third shutout of the season kept things tidy against the Mocs.
Quarterback AJ McCarron's final home game included a 13-for-16 passing day for 171 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also completed a short pass early in the second half to younger brother Corey McCarron for his first career catch.
Fellow senior Kevin Norwood was again McCarron's favorite target. His four catches and 84 yards included a 28-yard touchdown to extend his scoring streak to four games.
"It always means a lot. Me and AJ just have that connection," Norwood said. "When we came in, we connected right off the bat. To get the last home touchdown on this turf, it was just exciting.
Several regular starters never saw the field with nagging injuries. Running back T.J. Yeldon and Brian Vogler dressed after spraining ankles last week, but only watched. Cornerback Deion Belue also warmed up but never entered as his season-long battle with a turf toe continues.
The running game didn't suffer without Yeldon as Kenyan Drake led the way with 77 yards on 11 carries. Freshman Derrick Henry chipped in 66 yards on six carries as both young backs scored touchdowns.
Freshman Maurice Smith picked up his first career start in place of Belue and made three tackles.
Things didn't start perfectly for No. 1 Alabama (11-0) Saturday afternoon.
Christion Jones fumbled the first punt and the Tide were stopped short on fourth down to end its second drive.
But those were among the few complaints as the FCS team playing with a backup quarterback had few answers.
Jones also responded with a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown — his second of the season and the first surrendered by the Mocs since Alabama's Javier Arenas returned one 66 yards in the 2009 Tide win.
The Alabama defense didn't have many issues with Chattanooga. Backup quarterback Terrell Robinson had the Mocs moving late in the first half, but freshman A'Shawn Robinson blocked a 48-yard field goal attempt to keep the shutout in play.
Trey DePriest intercepted a fourth-down pass at the Tide 17-yard line after Jones' punt mishap on the first possession.
Senior C.J. Mosley had a team-high seven stops in the first half, but never saw the field after halftime. He made his case with coaches on the sideline early in the third quarter, but remained on the bench for the rest of the chilly afternoon.
"I tried to sneak back in one more play but Coach kind of told me no," Mosley said. "I just took it how it was sat down by the little heaters because it was cold."


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GET OUTSIDE: Make your backyard the place to be this summer. All it takes are fun games suited to all ages and abilities. If you build it, they will come, says This Old House.com in an article titled "13 DIY Backyard Games and Play Structures." Check out the article for instructions on building your own Cornhole game, Ladder Golf set, outdoor fort, soccer goals, and many other yard games and play structures, keep reading.
SAY IT WITH FLOWERS: This Easter or Mother's Day, give that special person pink carnations to symbolize maternal love, or daffodils which, during the Victorian era, meant "you are an angel."
The pocket-sized guide "The Language of Flowers" explains the vernacular of flowers for those times when you want to express feelings through flowers. "The Language of Flowers" ($6.95, Waterford Press) and is available in most bookstores, through online retailers, and at www.iwatchwildlife.com.
EASTER LILY LORE: More than eight million Easter lilies are grown in this country every year, according to the University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator.
Lilium longiflorum is the Latin name for the common Easter lily. Popular cultivars are "Ace," which grows to 18 inches, "Croft," which grows to 24 inches, and "Estate," which can reach three feet in height.
It's easy to keep your Easter lily going after the holiday; read these care tips from the University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator.
"Since the beginning of time, lilies have played significant roles in allegorical tales concerning the sacrament of motherhood," according to the website Apple Seeds. Learn more about the lore surrounding lilies here.


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Orioles Gregg, Gonzalez suspended, Johnson fined
I'll have more later, but per an MLB press release..
Designated hitter David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox and pitcher Kevin Gregg of the Baltimore Orioles each have received four-game suspensions and undisclosed fines for their actions in the Friday, July 8th game, which included inciting the benches to clear on two occasions during the bottom of the eighth inning and fighting during the second bench-clearing incident. Unless appealed, Gregg is scheduled to begin serving his suspension tonight, when the Orioles host the Cleveland Indians, and Ortiz is scheduled to begin serving his suspension tomorrow, when the Red Sox play the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg.
Orioles pitcher Mike Gonzalez also has received a three-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for intentionally throwing at Ortiz during the bottom of the sixth inning of the Sunday, July 10th contest after warnings had already been issued earlier in the game. Unless appealed, Gonzalez's suspension is scheduled to begin on Monday, July 18th, when the Orioles are to host the Red Sox. Orioles manager Buck Showalter has received a one-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for the intentional actions of Gonzalez during Sunday's game. Showalter will serve his one-game suspension during tonight's game against the Indians.
If any player chooses to appeal, then his discipline will be held in abeyance until the process is complete.
In addition, three players have been fined undisclosed amounts for their actions during the series. Pitcher Jim Johnson of the Orioles and catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia of the Red Sox have been disciplined for their aggressive actions during the second bench-clearing incident in the eighth inning of Friday's game.
Pitcher John Lackey of the Red Sox has been disciplined for intentionally throwing at Derrek Lee of the Orioles during the top of the seventh inning of the Saturday, July 9th game.
3 Comments
SO Kevin Gregg get 4 games for pitching inside and NOT hitting anybody. and the Red Sox rookie who hit Vlad, who by the way cannot play, gets NOTHING! Seems fair, if your a Yankee fan
Gregg throws at ortiz n misses, 4 games. Lackey throws at lee, misses, discipiined? Nice job mlb!


text: SFI's Journalism Fellowship in Complex Systems is on hold. No fellowships are being offered in 2016. Please watch SFI's news feed for information about fellowships for 2017. Note: If you have previously expressed your interest in the fellowship, you will be contacted by email at the beginning of the next application period. Contact John German, SFI Director of Communications, at with questions.


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The Poulsbo Beat
News, insight and conversation about Poulsbo.
News, insight and conversation about Poulsbo.
A festival a month in Poulsbo? Could it happen?
Mayor Becky Erickson thinks so; she's working to establish a community event for every month of the year in 2012. Those could include a winter fest in January and a St. Patrick's Day parade in March.
The events would join those already marked as holidays in North Kitsap, which include May's Viking Fest, Third of July, August's Street Dance and December's Julefest and host of other holiday celebrations.
What would you like to see established as new tradition in Little Norway? A springtime scavenger hunt? A Thanksgiving 5k? Leave your ideas below. JM
COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in the PNWLocalNews.com community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read.
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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Lifelong West Brighton resident Dorothy Clark, 70, a retired hospital clerk and a mother of six, died Monday in Richmond University Medical Center, West Brighton.
Born Dorothy Gagliardi, she graduated from Port Richmond High School.
She worked as a pre-admission clerk at Richmond University Medical Center, formerly St. Vincent's Medical Center, in West Brighton for 25 years, retiring in 2007. Mrs. Clark was "a coupon queen," according to her son, Donald. He added that she was "a doting grandmother who will be missed by all." She also enjoyed visiting Atlantic City and enjoyed weekly card games with family members.
She was a parishioner of Our Lady of Mount Carmel-St. Benedicta R.C. Church, West Brighton.
Her husband of 42 years, Donald, died in 2005.
In addition to her son, Donald, she is survived by three more sons, Steven, Kenneth and David : two daughters, Dorothy Mickel and Suzanne Curry; a brother, Dominick (Sonny), and a sister, Carmela (Millie) Chironna, and 15 grandchildren.
The funeral will be Friday from the Harmon Home for Funerals, West Brighton, with a mass at 10 a.m. in Blessed Sacrament R.C. Church, West Brighton. Burial will be in St. Peter's Cemetery, West Brighton.


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Air Methods (Nasdaq: AIRM ) reported earnings on Nov. 8. Here are the numbers you need to know.
The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended Sep. 30 (Q3), Air Methods met expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.
Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue grew significantly and GAAP earnings per share grew significantly.
Margins increased across the board.
Revenue details
Air Methods notched revenue of $221.3 million. The six analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ looked for a top line of $220.8 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 20% higher than the prior-year quarter's $185.2 million.
Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.
EPS details
EPS came in at $2.14. The six earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ predicted $2.00 per share. GAAP EPS of $2.14 for Q3 were 49% higher than the prior-year quarter's $1.44 per share.
Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.
Margin details
For the quarter, gross margin was 43.5%, 150 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 23.6%, 370 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 12.6%, 260 basis points better than the prior-year quarter.
Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $202.5 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $1.27.
Next year's average estimate for revenue is $835.5 million. The average EPS estimate is $6.66.
Investor sentiment
The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 247 members out of 267 rating the stock outperform, and 20 members rating it underperform. Among 69 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 66 give Air Methods a green thumbs-up, and three give it a red thumbs-down.
Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Air Methods is outperform, with an average price target of $122.80.
- Add Air Methods to My Watchlist.


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Thelma Schoonmaker on how Martin Scorsese's 'Raging Bull' changed her life
Talking with Thelma Schoonmaker recently, it became quickly apparent that I wasn't even going to scratch the surface of her career's work with Martin Scorsese in a single piece. I couldn't help but play the retrospective game with her, and while I of course didn't address all 19 feature collaborations, I was curious about six films in particular that I think represent a nice cross-section of their work together. Each of them — "Who's That Knocking At My Door," "Raging Bull," "The Last Temptation of Christ," "Goodfellas," "Bringing Out the Dead" and "The Departed" — will get its own space in the next few days.
When people force Thelma Schoonmaker to pick a favorite of her collaborations with Martin Scorsese over the years, she always says "Raging Bull." Indeed, when talking with her about a myriad of other projects, the 1980 Jake LaMotta biopic always finds its way into the conversation. It's clear the movie changed her life and took her career into a whole new stratosphere. Suddenly she had assistants for the first time ever. She was finally in the union, able to work with Scorsese again after a long hiatus since "Who's That Knocking At My Door." And ultimately, she won her first of three Oscars for the boxing film, which is largely considered one of the greatest films ever made.
"When I talk to students, it's like a textbook," Schoonmaker says. "You can talk about directing, camerawork, acting, improvisation, costume design, set design. The footage was like gold. I'd never seen anything like it. I couldn't take my eyes off De Niro when he was in my monitor. It was long and arduous because of the improvisation and waiting for him to gain the weight and all that, but it was a brilliant moment in my life. And when Marty and I saw it for the first time, just the two of us, we said, 'Who the hell made that?' I mean it was so strong, even in the first cut, which isn't usually the case. It was so powerful."
The movie was as much a milestone in Scorsese's career and personal life as it was Schoonmaker's. As recounted in last week's larger interview with the editor, Scorsese was not interested in making the movie after having had a tough go at things in Hollywood. It took actor Robert De Niro visiting him countless times and encouraging him to, for lack of a better phrase, get back in the ring. And what he had in store was one of his most creatively aggressive accomplishments, the explosion of artistry and command of form that would come to be a hallmark of his greatest work.
"Marty's use of music is so wonderful, too" Schoonmaker says. "When he scores a movie himself it's a great joy to work with him as he's finding the music, trying different things. But when I heard that Mascagni music that is the theme — who would think to do that? It was just so unexpected."
Paul Schrader had cooked up a marvelous script but there was stripping away to be done. The famous final moment which features an overweight LaMotta commenting with sad levity on his life was actual strewn throughout the story originally, with a running commentary on his various fights and life moments. Schoonmaker says she and Scorsese felt it was more powerful to save that for just the denouement.
And then there was the way Scorsese envisioned the fight scenes. He used different sized rings depending on LaMotta's psychological state. "The first time he knocks Sugar Ray [Robinson] through the ropes, his great rival, it's a big wide ring with lights," Schoonmaker says. "And then when he loses in a decision, which he doesn't think he should have lost, everything is covered in smoke and Marty booms down into this pit of hell. It's very hard to be in a ring with two fighters and a referee and do camera moves, because they're moving all over the place. [Marty] was always in the ring, whereas in 'Rocky,' it's seven cameras from mainly outside the ring. He was committed to being in the ring and that was very hard."
Many of the shots throughout the film were carefully planned and storyboarded, which made Schoonmaker's job easy enough, she says. But there were times when something would surprise them. Such as the scene in which Robinson beats LaMotta to a bloody pulp, capped off with LaMotta's retort, "You never got me down, Ray." There was something like 90,000 feet of film to go through, which is a massive amount, and they had a structure in mind. But certain elements stuck out, like LaMotta's wife, Vickie (played by Cathy Moriarty), putting her head down in dismay.
"That became an emotional moment that we built the montage around," Schoonmaker says. "We spent a long time on that because of the emotional power of it. And Marty wanted to use the original ring announcer voice from the kinescope. It's the actual original voice because, he said, 'We'll never get that kind of poetry from somebody else.'"
It truly seems like we — and for that matter, Mr. LaMotta — would never have gotten the kind of poetry that is "Raging Bull" from anyone else, either.
Don't forget to read our longer interview with Schoonmaker about "The Wolf of Wall Street" and its place in the grander scheme of her career's work with Scorsese.
"The Wolf of Wall Street" opens on Christmas Day.


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ORANGE COUNTY – Your newest state representative has his work cut out for him in 2014 as he'll have to fight for his seat before ever officially sitting in it.
Representative Graig Meyer was appointed to the House 50 seat in late October and was sworn in on November 7. However, the General Assembly doesn't reconvene for the short session until May 14, and the 2014 Primary is May 6.
Rep. Meyer replaced Valerie Foushee who replaced Sen. Ellie Kinnaird in Senate District 23. Both seats were highly sought after as five OrangeCounty residents announced their intention to fill the House seat; seven people said they wanted the appointment to the Senate.
The filing period for the North Carolina Legislature this year is February 10-28.
Tune in to the WCHL Morning News at 7:06 a.m. as Ran Northam talks with Rep. Meyer about his plans for 2014 as far as securing his seat in the House.
I'm talking w/ @NCLeg Rep. @GraigMeyer live tomorrow at 7:06a. Tweet your ?s to me with #NCHouse50Election and I'll pick one to ask. @WCHL
— Ran Northam (@ransvoice) December 31, 2013
CHAPEL HILL- Newly-appointed State House Representative Graig Meyer will take his oath of office this Thursday, and the person he's chosen to swear him in is the last to hold the position.
"State Senator Valerie Foushee is going to swear me in. Valerie held the seat before I did," says Meyer. "But the real reason I asked her is that Valerie has always been a mentor to me, both in terms of the work that I've done in education and in my political aspirations. I really hope to follow in her footsteps and live up to the example that she set for me."
Meyer takes Foushee's place representing House District 50, which covers most of rural Orange and Northern Durham counties. He was appointed by a committee of Democratic Party officials in October.
Foushee herself went through a similar process when she was appointed in September to fill the N.C Senate District 23 seat left vacant by the resignation of Ellie Kinnaird.
Orange County Democratic Party Chair Matt Hughes says Meyer's appointment will help bring stability to the local delegation, which has seen the retirement of three long-time leaders in the past year.
"Three of our legislators we had last year are no longer serving in the legislature: Bill Faison, Joe Hackney and Ellie Kinnaird," says Hughes. "I think that we are at a point where we are settling down with our legislative delegation and it's starting to solidify. I think Graig and Valerie and Verla [Insko] will all be able to work together really well in the legislature to produce some good work for Orange County."
Looking ahead, Hughes says Orange County Democrats are in a strong position to help candidates who might face tight races in other parts of the state next year.
"Orange County is one of those places that, once you take care of a little housekeeping, you can go elsewhere and really help other counties and other candidates that are just a few points away from declaring victory in certain key races," says Hughes.
Meyer says he hopes to help re-energize local progressives during both the May primary and the November election.
"Having a little period of uncertainty in the local area has made loyal democrats feel uneasy in knowing who's going to fight for us, so I do believe people feel really relieved and excited knowing we have a strong delegation going into 2014," says Meyer.
Meyer's swearing-in ceremony will take place Thursday at 6:30 at the historic courthouse in Hillsborough.http://chapelboro.com/news/state-government/new-house-rep-meyer-to-be-sworn-in-on-thursday
ORANGE COUNTY – Your new state representative will be selected Thursday, October 24.
The four-person committee that will nominate the new legislator met Monday night.
Five Orange County residents announced their intention to fill the North Carolina District 50 House of Representatives seat formerly held by Valerie Foushee. We spoke with Graig Meyer, Laurin Easthom, Drew Nelson, and Bernadette Pelissier; Tommy McNeill never returned WCHL's calls.http://chapelboro.com/news/state-government/house-50-nominee-to-be-named-october-24


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This deal has ended.
Disney Store offers free shipping on any order that includes a new arrival item with code SHIPNEW today only. For example, the pictured 2-Piece Pajama Sets are included, which reduce from $16.50 to $13 each when you buy 2. Even better, all other items in your order will ship free too, so check out the clearance section for items like this Vinylmation Popcorns Series Mickey Mouse, lowered from $24.95 to $4.99. Sales tax is charged in most states.No longer available


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Museum Accessions: A Wedgwood Revival
February 2, 2009 |
The mantelpiece featured here is one of twelve designed for a large neoclassical Georgian house on the estate of Buckminster Park in Grantham, Leicestershire, one of the family seats of William Tollemache, ninth Earl of Dysart. In 1881 or 1882 the young Lord Dysart commissioned the architect Halsey Ricardo to completely remodel and redecorate the house.
Both an interior and decorative designer, Ricardo had trained under the noted arts and crafts architect Norman Shaw and was very mindful of the movement's purist spirit and stress on fine workmanship. He was for a time a partner in-and is the best-known of the designers for-the ceramics firm of William De Morgan. Perhaps the eighteenth-century style of the house and Ricardo's proclivity for pottery gave him the idea of reviving the Wedgwood surrounds of the time when the house was first built.
by Émile Jacques Ruhlmann (1879-1933), 1926. Macassar ebony, amaranth, and ivory. Metropolitan Museum of Art. By Cynthia Drayton» View All


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Syracuse, NY -- Syracuse native Larsen Jay brings "That Evening Sun," starring Hal Holbrook, to the Syracuse International Film Festival today.
Jay is an executive producer of the film that won two awards at this year's South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin: Audience Award for Narrative Feature and Special Jury Award for Best Ensemble Cast. Holbrook plays an aging Tennesee farmer who must confront family betrayal and the loss of his farm.
The screening at 9:15 p.m. at the Palace Theatre will be followed by a discussion with Jay and writer-director Scott Teems. Tickets to the special event are $10, or $8 for seniors and students.


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Metro wants help to plan future bus service for Bellevue, Redmond
King County Metro Transit is considering changes to Eastside bus routes that currently serve parts of Bellevue and Redmond to prepare for the arrival of the RapidRide B Line in 2011.
The B Line is part of Metro's new Bus Rapid Transit system. It will run between the transit centers in downtown Bellevue and Redmond via Crossroads and Overlake. As part of the planning for the B Line, Metro is forming a community sounding board that will provide advice about public outreach and what changes to bus service would be best for the local communities.
In order to maximize bus routes and avoid duplicating service, Metro will consider routing changes, schedule adjustments, or consolidation of approximately 20 existing routes, including: 221, 222, 225, 229, 230, 233, 240, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 253, 261, 265, 266, 271, 272, and 926.
Metro is looking for sounding board members who:
* Ride the bus frequently;
* Live or work in an area that will be served by one of the bus routes listed;
* Represent a set of special-interest bus riders – such as students, night-shift workers, and people who are elderly or have disabilities; and
* Enjoy participating in a diverse group, with many points of view, to develop recommendations.
The sounding board will meet once or twice a month on Wednesdays from September through next March.
The deadline to submit an application to serve on the sounding board is Monday, Aug. 23. You can apply online at: www.kingcounty.gov/soundingboardapp. Or, to request a written application, contact:
Ashley DeForest, Community Relations Planner
King County Department of Transportation
201 S. Jackson St., KSC-TR-0824, Seattle, WA 98104-3856
Phone: 206-684-1154 (TTY Relay 711)
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
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Lawmakers Take First Steps Toward Reforming Ethics Commission
The Texas Ethics Commission has two basic jobs. First, it's the state's repository for candidates' campaign filings and lobbyist disclosure forms. Second, it's supposed to police the system and make sure people are complying with the rules. State government watchdogs like Craig McDonald of Texans for Public Justice say the problem is that it only does that first function well.
"It's getting a little better, but as it gets better the tendency in the Legislature is to clip its wings," McDonald said. "It gets all its money from the Legislature, and ...


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FLUSHING TOWNSHIP, MI -- Flushing Township may use former Police Chief Dale Stevenson as an expert witness in two lawsuits that former police officers have filed against the tiwnship.
Officials may try to recoup money for legal fees regarding frivolous lawsuits.
Township board members recently discussed the option of using Stevenson as a witness at his previous pay rate of $30 an hour.
Stevenson, whose contract expired in March, left the police department after township officials had discussed a possible three-month contract extension while the township switched police service to the Genesee County Sheriff's Department.
Stevenson was hired as chief in January 2010.
Board members voted in February to disband the township's police department in favor of contracting with the sheriff's department for no more than $445,490 until at least year's end for the services of four full-time deputies and one part-time detective sergeant.
Stevenson, who previously served 25 years with the Michigan State Police and six years with the Caro Police Department, has been named in one of two lawsuits following his tenure with the department. Former officers Mark Bolin, Louis Cook, Brian Farlin, James Hough and Andrew Owens filed a class-action lawsuit in U.S. District Court against Stevenson, Supervisor Terry Peck, Treasurer Bill Noecker and trustees Mark Purkey, Scott Minaudo and Michael Gardner.
The officers claim in the suit that their First Amendment rights were violated and their character defamed by Stevenson, Peck and the board members. They are seeking more than $75,000.
The suit claims after board members voted to disband the police department, Peck told Montrose Township officials that officers pulled guns on each other, and that he placed officers on immediate administrative leave because, "he feared for the safety of his family and himself due to potential retaliatory acts by the officers."
A second lawsuit, by former police Sgt. Brian Fairchild against Flushing Township Supervisor Terry Peck, trustees Scott Minaudo and Mark Purkey, claims Fairchild was let go because of his involvement in a recall attempt against board Trustee Michael Gardner and treasurer Bill Noecker – also named as defendants. He is seeking more than $100,000 in damages.
Peck said the township is exploring the idea of potential counter-lawsuits to collect money in legal fees that ate up more than $11,500 in funding from May through July alone.
Board members questioned what the potential trigger for a frivolous lawsuit may be, to which township Attorney Steve Moulton said, "Your procedure on that would have to be on a case-by-case basis" and the idea needs to be further explored.
"We're spending thousands of dollars in legal fees we could be spending on township business," he said, calling the current lawsuits frivolous in nature.
Peck told board members the defense against the current lawsuits is in the best interest of the defendants.
"To protect ourselves and the township, we're going forward with that (defense)," he said.


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SEATTLE -- Who was the Yankees' Most Valuable Player on Saturday night? Relief pitcher David Robertson? Home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor? Or even Mariners' star Ichiro Suzuki?
After the Yankees' 5-2 victory against the Mariners, any of the choices would suffice.
Just the facts:
- Robertson, the Yankees' right-hander entered the game in a huge spot. The Yankees were up two runs with the bases loaded with just one out when Robertson entered for Sergio Mitre. Robertson struck out Josh Wilson with a 93 m.p.h. fastball then went 3-2 to Ryan Langerhans before throwing another fastball in the lower portion of the zone. Langerhans tossed the bat away thinking he'd just walked and knocked in a run.
- Bucknor had another idea. The umpire gave an animated strike-three call, bailing the Yankees and Robertson out of a jam, of trouble.
- The Mariners had something going in the seventh with runners on first and second with two outs. Russell Branyan -- he of a team-high 27 homers -- was at the plate. But Ichiro Suzuki violated a cardinal rule. The veteran was thrown out trying to steal third base -- making the third out on the bases -- an error that killed his team's rally.
- Nick Swisher hit a two-run homer and Derek Jeter hit a solo shot. Jose Molina knocked in a run and made the throw to get Suzuki at third.
The big picture:
- After the Red Sox lost to the Rangers earlier in the day, the Yankees increased their lead in the AL East to 7 1/2 games. They have won five in a row and 12 of their last 13.
- Mitre, the Yankees' embattled fifth starter, did his job. Mitre picked up his first victory since his Yankees debut on July 21 against the Orioles. He scattered seven hits in 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned). Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Mitre will remain in the rotation.
- Designated hitter Hideki Matsui felt stiffness in his legs and did not play, though Girardi said after the game that he would have been available off the bench. Matsui has been hot, collecting 12 hits in his last 36 at-bats.
From the clubhouse:
"It was questionable, but I thought it was a strike." -- Robertson said with a smile after the game. Robertson pitched allowed two hits but struck out three in an inning of work.
"My job is to go out there and stay out there as long as possible, keep the team in the ball game and give us a chance to win. That's my main goal." -- Mitre, on his performance.
"It's a situation where a guy like Russell (Branyan), he's got power and he can hit the ball out of the ballpark at any time. So, (I) was really surprised with two outs and two balls, it was 2-0, you're just more surprised. I got lucky and made a good throw." -- Molina, on his reaction to Ichiro's attempted steal of third base.