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Plenty to do in the MBU
Here's the Ranter shirt that I ordered.
This is how it showed up.
I have had the worst luck with lettering. I loved the T-Shirt but if you step back a few feet the Rockpile Ranter becomes difficult to read.
Rule # 1 with a Ranter shirt: The lettering has to be large enough to be visible on television.
I wrote the business owner and told him that I wasn't unhappy, I just wondered why he had spaced the letters so close together.
The gentleman wrote me back and said that he would have needed to use two transfer sheets to do that and the auction clearly stated that only one sheet was used for the lettering. He also informed me about how he was tired of people using their feedback on him as hostage.
I wrote back again and informed him that retaliation wasn't my intent. I was just asking in case I ever wanted purchase another one of these T-Shirts. I gave the man positive feedback and left it at that.
About a week later I received a package in the mail. I opened it up and look what I found inside:
Not only did he make me another shirt just the way I wanted, he made me two of them. NO CHARGE. That was cool. See how well you can read this lettering?
Thank you Mr T-Shirt dude? You sir have a loyal customer.
Anybody want the first shirt? I'll give it to you, but you have to hand out my Ranter cards when people say "What the hell is a Rockpile Ranter? Believe me…it happens.
In case your wondering on the status of the letter "P" from a previous entry? I have returned all of the letters for a refund. They couldn't get it right after three times and Dan convinced me that the quality of the lettering was crap and that I could do better elsewhere.
Great Superbowl yesterday (at least the 4th quarter). I had predicted Cardinals over Steelers 24-21.
Had they ended the game a few minutes early I'd have been damn close at 23-20, oh well.
Thank you for your kind comments on the John Breaux entry.
The public outpouring of support for this man has been unbelievable. John literally touched thousands of people. I haven't had anything "hit me" like this particular tragedy has in a long time.
Apparently I'm not the only one, not by a longshot. The cities of Louisville and Lafayette are still grieving.
Twenty days till the MBU makes it's rolling blogging debut. New additions to the MBU will be a meat smoker (for smoking ribs and chicken), and Andy will be bringing his RockBand for the Wii.
Jealous yet? Remember,…. we still have an opening, but much like E Harmony, we have a 100 question compatibility test. gauging you on all different levels.
Most importantly can you sing? If I'm on drums and Andy is on guitar…we'll need a singer.
But hey, sit at home and don't go…just gives us more room and I get your plate of ribs.
Relax,…if you're not up for a "Road Trip" dont fret, You know my coverage of "Rockies Spring Training 2009" is going to be Bullitzer worthy.
MLB Network eat your heart out on this one. You may have your makeup, cameras and writers, but what you don't have is a fan's perspective.
There is only one "Mobile Blog Unit".
(<——–This is not the MBU)
I invented it, I'll be piloting it, and you my loyal reader will be reaping the rewards of it.
I can't wait, less than three weeks.
I'm thinking Rockies Dog, sunblock and margaritas…D
11 Comments
I heard from a reliaable source that this picture is a very close resemblance to the actual MBU. The only difference is that the real MBU has a basement
D Sr.
D- I didnt get to comment on the John Breaux story, it's a sad loss for you and the town of Louisvillle. Sounds like he was a great man and wanted to help out the world. Those t-shirts are really cool. I wouldnt mind having the t-shirt, and i'd give out business cards to alot of people. If its still available, do i have a change to get it? I have something Id give you for spring training… i think itd be good to use. Joe
Wow – what a great t-shirt guy! You should post his website on your blog so we can all use him when we need t-shirts! Good luck on your trip (totally jealous!) and I hope you find a singer.
POPS-The one that's pictured has a basement too..It's kind of ripe though.
YANKEES-Not sure how I'll do the T-shirt. I was thinking about giving it to the reader who correctly guesses how many baseballs I'll snag at spring training. That way I can get it autographed for the winner.
JULIA-Great idea, I'll do that later today…D
Sweet Ts D. I would totally give out your cards to get one. It's good that the T-shirt guy made things right for you, that first one was pretty weak.
(That's cool that your Dad posts on your blog)
Nice shirt, D. Good for the t-shirt guy. That was really nice of him to do that for you. I love the picture of Peter Pan and his wife. That guy has made me laugh for years!!! I can't wait for spring training and the MBU. Have fun with the Wii and have a margarita for me! I love 'em!
Some of those guys an EBay really are out to please the customers.
But then you get people who mislead a bit. Glad to see that he took care of you and gave you a spare in case of mustard attack on Opening Day on that new shirt.
I once both a Roberto Alomar bat on line, but when it got to the house it was the bottom part of the barrel of the bat with no handle, and the guy told me " oh well."
I still use Ebay to get a few odd and end items for signing by players/ I will have to remember this guy in case I ever want to have a shirt done for something.
Awesome that he stands by his product. A guy like that deserves not only a positive feedback, but a huge pat on the back from EBay for being the man.
Rays Renegade
Love the shirt D! I hope you have a great time at spring training!! I'm so jealous!!! Watch out for Rock Band though, it's totally addicting. And I love the picture of not the MBU.
Love the new shirt, D! I wish I could go with you to Spring Training, but I get this funny feeling that my parents wouldn't let me go on a road trip with grown men that they've never met😉
R-LUV-Soon as I read what you wrote I realized I forgot to call my folks on their 45 anniversary…Oh sheet..I'll call tonight.
JEN-Thanks, Tequila on vacation in moderation..is good🙂
RAYSREN-This dude deserves props, I linked his store on my sidebar and thanked him. I'm working on some good seats for you when you come out here. The Colorado/Rays series is June 16-18, but I'm sure you knew that.🙂
EMILY-My wife is proof that it is addicting, she quit smoking and used RockBand as her vice. The problem is there's no "stop playing patch" for RockBand..My family's hooked, it's kind of funny.
ALEX-Nor would we expose you to the schinanigans that may or may not happen in Tucson…You'll learn all about that in college, and in good time. Don't worry with my pictures and my way of telling you like it is, you won't even have to leave your comfy computer chair…That's what I do my friend.
I wish Mark would do another of the Blog Latest Leaders. The Rant has been smoking with traffic lately and I'm curious to see if it has creeped up any closer to the elusive Top 3. I have a "Confession of a he-fan", if you spank a butt hard and long enough, it goes from a red state to a blue state then finally turns purple…Hey, that's the Rockies color…I'm just saying.
Go ahead and think about that :)…D
Also know that if you're on my sidebar, you get a daily visit or two from me. You've got to check back for comments right?
Awesome shirts, D! You've got the idea!! When I'm watching Baseball Tonight on ESPN this season, I better see the Ranter snagging some home run balls…I know you will!


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Inauguration Week: Citizenship Forum
Mon, 11 Mar 2013 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: Festival Ballroom
Time: 6:00-8:00pm
This event is open to the public.
The campus and community are invited to the Citizenship Forum to discuss higher education's responsibility to society to help produce educated, informed and enlightened citizens. The JMU debate program will moderate a panel of experts in civic engagement, community engagement and ethical decision making.
The audience will then breakout into focus groups (facilitated by the JMU Debate program). Come join us for this thoughtful look at our role and responsibility to help shape our communities and society.

subset: commoncrawl


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About BP
BP delivers energy products and services that people around the world need. Our Upstream segment is responsible for oil and natural gas exploration, field development and production. Our Downstream segment is focused on the refining and marketing of fuels, lubricants and petrochemicals
Investing in BP
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The Statistical Review provides historic data on world energy markets, while the Energy Outlook makes projections to 2035
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Pavilion Play Tent
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Brave knights, fair maidens – your pavilion awaits. Featuring an octagonal shape, scalloped top and draped side walls, our lightweight play tent takes its cue from traditional medieval pavilions and makes a fitting setting for modern-day fairy tales.
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Statehouse briefing looks at suicide prevention
MONTPELIER The rate at which Vermonters take their own lives is more than a third higher than the national average, and suicide claims as many lives in the state each year as traffic accidents, but the problem has largely remained in the shadows, advocates and lawmakers said Wednesday.
All those young people, if they died in car accidents, thered be big headlines and people would take huge steps about youth drinking and driving and youth driving, said Rep. Anne Donahue, R-Northfield, who said she survived a suicide attempt while suffering through years of depression.
When it comes to suicide, We hide it, and when we hide it as something shameful, we dont address it. People are not aware of the toll that it takes, she said.
Donahue and other supporters of increased funding for suicide prevention programs spoke at a forum at the Statehouse.
Maria Mercedes Avila of the Vermont Child Health Improvement Program at the University of Vermont said the state annually sees about 16.8 suicides per 100,000 residents, versus a national rate of 12.4.
Suicides and traffic fatalities both typically number between 75 and 100 in Vermont each year, officials said.
No one was sure why Vermonts rate would be higher than the national figure, but there was broad agreement that the state needs to expand prevention programs.
JoEllen Tarralo-Falk, director of the Vermont Youth Suicide Prevention Project at the Brattleboro-based Center for Health and Learning, said she hopes the state will boost funding this year for youth suicide prevention programs from its current $50,000 to $150,000 to make up for dwindling federal funding.
Our job is to elevate the public knowledge and awareness about suicide as a public health issue, she told the forum.
Gov. Peter Shumlin has already called for $50,000 more to fund adult suicide prevention programs in his budget this year.
Wednesdays discussion included stories told by parents of young people who ended their own lives.
Kelly Short, of Brattleboro, told of her daughter Leah, who was a sophomore in high school when she died. She was speaking out now to help other young people, Short said.
I want them to know that she felt the same as they did, whether they were pretty or popular. She was all of that, and she still struggled and didnt feel good about herself, she said.
Vermont loses about nine young people ages 11 to 23 to suicide each year, according to conference organizers. Across all ages, females are more likely to try to kill themselves, while males are more likely to be successful.
Donahue, a member of the House Human Services Committee who follows mental health issues closely, said men tend to use more lethal means, such as a firearm or hanging. Women are more likely to use pills or to cut themselves, Donahue said.
Women try more; men succeed more, Donahue said.
One lawmaker is pushing legislation that would get at part of the problem by imposing a 48-hour waiting period when someone tries to buy a weapon in a gun shop. Rep. George Till, D-Jericho, said time for cooling off could prevent some impulsive suicides.
Donahue, however, said lax gun laws in Vermont mean many residents have guns at their disposal at home. She said she had seen no evidence that Tills proposal, if enacted, would make a difference.MORE IN Vermont NewsMONTPELIER Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt. Full StoryVermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell plans to join the U.S. Full StoryAs Rutland prepares to welcome Syrian refugees to its community, some are continuing to voice... Full Story
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Steve Metzger
New York City, NY, US
Current Home
New York City, NY, US
Steve Metzger grew up in Queens, NYC. He went to Baruch College and received his Masters in Education from Bank Street College. He taught young children for 15 years before moving on to Scholastic, where he has mainly worked with the Book Clubs. During his tenure at Scholastic, Steve began his writing career with the Dinofours' series (28 books). In addition to the Dinofours, Steve has written many other bestselling books, including Five Little Penguins Slipping on the Ice, The Great Turkey Race, and The Mixed-Up Alphabet.


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CNJ staff photo: Andy DeLisle
Davide Cabassi performs during an Arts in Healing program Friday at Clovis Community College. The Italy native said in times of sickness he turns to his piano and music for comfort.
By Marlena Hartz: CNJ staff writer
In a metal chair on a chilly stage, ViolaMontoya closed her eyes and heard the beat of horse hooves in crisp snow. She imagined, as concert pianist Davide Cabassi pounded on a piano in the Clovis Community College Town Hall, his entire body — his fingers bending, his head swaying — possessed by his music.
Less than two dozen people, their chairs assembled in an arc just inches from the pianist, were invited Friday to the Town Hall for an intimate meeting with Cabassi, a classical pianist who nabbed a spot as a finalist at the 12th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas.
Cabassi performed Thursday night as part of the Clovis Community College Cultural Arts Series.
Friday morning, illumined by soft blue lights on the stage, he performed for Arts in Healing.
Sponsored by Clovis Community College and Plains Regional Medical Center, the program uses art to refresh and heal.
"Music reaches us on so many different levels. Just the feeling you get from hearing such a magnificent piece of music helps heal the soul," Cultural Arts Director Christy Mendoza said.
"Our goal," said CCC Director of Resource Development Stephanie Spencer, "is to show performing arts can have a positive, almost healing effect on people undergoing therapy."
Senior citizens, cancer and stroke patients, and residents of a treatment center for young males in the legal system were invited to Cabassi's Friday performance, which marked the launch of Arts in Healing.
Cabassi, his hair tucked behind his ears, the ends of his jeans frayed, sat sideways on a piano seat Friday and shared stories with his audience. He conversed as if he were in a living room, rather than on stage.
That was ntil Clovis resident Jeff Jacobs, the tube from his oxygen pack trailing from his nose down his chest and under his chair, urged Cabassi to play something. Jacobs, 81, has a lung condition, and exercises two days a week at Plains Regional Medical Center.
In response, Cabassi played a piece by Robert Schumann, a German composer. His fingers tangoed across the keyboard.
His performance aligned well with Arts in Healing.
A bone-eating virus he contracted as a child led the Italy native to the piano. Unable to walk at the age of 9, Cabassi glued himself to the keyboard.
"I was pretty sick as a kid," Cabassi said Friday. "Then, I started to play."
"What saved me," said Cabassi, who rebuffs the concept of innate talent, "was discipline."
Mastering the piano remained his outlet, even after the virus left his body. Later in life, the artist dealt with depression. "Again, it was this box," he said, pointing to the piano, "that took me out."
Plains Regional Medical Center physical therapist and administrator Nola Pawol agrees with Cabassi. Dedication is essential in recovery.
"It takes a strong desire to recover if you have one side of your body paralyzed," Pawol said.
"Music is a part of the soul," remarked Louise Snell, 88, after Cabassi's performance.
It "takes you from the lowest depths to the highest heaven," she said.
The power of art will continue to be tested with other Arts in Healing performances, Mendoza said.
In the next series performance, magicians will teach magic tricks to patients with a variety of health issues, from learning disabilities to spinal cord injuries.


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Great size, firmness
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This bolster has good length, but I think diameter is too much. Wishing I ordered a half round.
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Artist Brings Poe Portrait to Museum
While taking a tour of Poe sites from South Carolina to New York, Alabama artist Jeremy Adams stopped by the Poe Museum to see the exhibits and to show us the portrait he painted of Edgar Allan Poe. When he left us, he planned to visit the Allan graves at Shockoe Hill Cemetery and Poe's mother's grave at St. John's Church before heading to the Poe House and grave in Baltimore. In this photo taken in the Poe Shrine, the artist is holding the portrait of Poe he developed over the course of eight months.


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The Biz: Do Reality Fans Hate the Fakery?
Feb 20, 2013 7:10 AM EST
For reality-TV fans, the revelation that not every aspect of a show is legit is like learning there's no Santa Claus. They move on and enjoy the presents. But the curtain on "reality" is getting pulled back more and more. Last spring, HGTV acknowledg… Read more


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Eat well, be well,
live well.
A passion and commitment to the culture of great food. Rustic American cuisine with flavors inspired by the season. That is NoMI Kitchen, Lounge and Garden located in Park Hyatt Chicago.
As one of the top restaurants in Chicago, NoMI Kitchen serves up casually elegant dining rooted in the simplicity of food. With a chic ambiance, open kitchen and stunning views of Michigan Avenue from seven floors above, experience artful cuisine at NoMI Kitchen, Chicago's nightlife at NoMI Lounge and stunning skyline views at our rooftop restaurant and bar, NoMI Garden.


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In his book The New Friars, Scott A. Bessenecker tells a story of living in and serving a garbage community in Cairo with his family and some college students. After a month, "what at first was repulsive — rotting garbage piled everywhere, animals feeding off the trash, mothers climbing rubbish mountains with their babies playing next to them in the refuse" became normal. Inwardly, he questioned if that was okay. He wondered if they were "bringing Western standards of housing and cleanliness to people who have developed their own culturally defined norms for quality of life and are just fine with how things are."
The Lord answered him in a dream.
I dreamed about the dung truck. You could always smell the dung truck before seeing it. It was the kind of smell that is more like a taste at the back of your throat; pasty and bitter…. Temperatures of over 100 degrees released the dung's pungent odor with a vengeance, making this task even more intense than can be appreciated by someone reading this in comfort.
In my dream I was walking past the dung truck. To my horror, I saw my children, Hannah, Philip and Laura, sitting on top of the mountain of dung heaped on the bed of the truck. What struck me most about them was that they appeared perfectly content although every inch of their bodies was covered by animal waste. Then I felt the Lord speaking to me. He seemed to be saying, "As their father, are you satisfied? Even if they are satisfied, are you satisfied?"
I'm still sifting the impact of that dream, but the immediate implication is that a person's contentment with a situation of poverty does not make it okay. My passion for my kids is a shadowy reflection of God's heart, which yearns for his children to have more than the dung that surrounds them; not riches, but a life in which their needs are met in a way that doesn't mask their need for him.


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"You have helped me in so many intangible ways! I have grown in my knowledge and wisdom by reading your excellent materials and viewing your videos. I have passed along insight to my friends and family. I'm proud, blessed and happy to be an avid (ardent, dedicated, enthusiastic, keen) Catholic!"
"These are the living springs of great thoughts and great actions. Everything grows clear in the reflections from the Infinite."


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Someone burned a cross in the front yard of Baptist church, but the congregation isn't dwelling on what happened.
"I couldn't believe it, because all the years we've been here, we've never had this to happen. It was just devastating for me," said Vernon Hooks, the pastor at the the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee.
When Hooks takes the pulpit on Sunday, he'll deliver a message of forgiveness.
"There's one person who's kept me here that long, and that's the Lord," he said.
Since the 1870s, he says his New Hope Missionary Baptist Church has belonged to a close-knit, friendly community.
On Tuesday morning, they say they found a burning cross standing up on the gate in front of the church.
"You hear about it at other churches, other locations, but I didn't expect that in a million years here at New Hope," Hooks said.
With no leads, police are classifying this as a hate crime against the historically-black church.
"I know we've made a lot of progress, but when I see incidents like, this takes us back," Hooks said.
Despite the crime still laying feet away from their church doors, Hooks says this is a time for his congregation to follow their church covenant: Be slow to take offense but always ready for reconciliation.
"This is what God wants us to do. Forgiveness is what the Bible talks about. First of all, I would say, why did you do this? The second thing I would say is that God loves you and God can forgive you," Hooks said.
Burning cross found on church's front lawn
Pastor to deliver message of forgiveness
Someone burned a cross in the front yard of Baptist church, but the congregation isn't dwelling on what happened.


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Unknown person found in Cabinent Case Photo Album. See below possible last names
- Maine |
- Massachusetts |
- New Hampshire |
- Rochester NH |
- Boston MA |
- Portraits |
- Unknown Women |
- Gilman |
- Burgess |
- Delano |
- Chesley |
- Weed
Unknown Cabinent Card Photo. Chesley, Gilman, Delano, Burgess, Weed
Click on the City or Town name right under the name of the photograph, to view more photographs from that city or town. If there's a county listed, you can view more photographs from that county. If you see a surname listed under the title of the photograph, you can click on that surname or surnames to view more photos that are associated with that surname. Same thing works with any of the other "tags" listed right under the title of the photograph. You may be able to make the photo larger, if the original photograph was larger than the photo shown here. Click on the word "original" above and a window will open with a the photo in a larger size. Want to add some information or comment on this photo? Click on "Add new comment" above.


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I think everyone is at least a bit concerned about the Phillies performance this season, but when should we hit the panic button? Is your response different than when we asked back on April 7th?Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.
0 Comments
Really stretching for a topic here.
My answer and w no disrespect meant at all- who cares?!!!!! It doesn't matter what we think. Let's all just relax and (hope GIO Gonzalez gets hurt) have faith!!!
Besides who knows who really signs onto here. We know the smart, real Philly fans- lefty, ericL, the dip, the nice version of jeff,Pat, etc etc- others will just skew our poll.
We are 8 back. U didn't think all these injuries would eventually catch up w us???!!
One would think we would take 2/3 from Minny- but w the unpredictability of Kyle and Joe- who the heck knows.
Let's go Phillies….oh and for the poll, I was worried when, for the second consecutive season, Ryan Howard ended our season being carried off the field. He is our guy. And I was worried or just po'ed when I realized that JMJ was NOT going to be able to step up for us.
I think if we are 10 out of the last playoff spot (currently 5.5 GB) by the deadline then we have to be worried enough to shake a few things up and look towards 2013 and beyond. What those "things" are I have no idea – that's why I'm not the GM. And, while I will remain hopeful, I have my serious doubts. I've said it a few times – I just don't think this is their year.
Lets see, Phils are 2-8 in June – 0-5 in one run games in June (5-11 for the season).
Lee has 0 wins for the year, Hamels is 0-2 with a 5.9 ERA in June, Doc is out, Howard and Utley are still out –
How are things looking?
Peachy, just peachy
hey guys i don't know how you guys feel but is it me or are a lot of people getting to dislike lee? i don't see it here as much as i do on other sites. but a lot of people are ragging on lee! i feel for the guy! most pitchers in both leagues would chomp at lee's stats except for wins and losses! i'd take a 5 man rotation of lee's. i mean the guy gives up a 3 run bomb to a carreer minor leaguer yeahhhhh! it happens. if we score when we have the chance, or just field the ball duhhhhh you get the picture. the bomb doesn't matter we should hve had a 6 or 7 run lead! and if wiggy fields the ball or pence catches that ball ( which he should have) we were still playing.
i remember a game lefty was pitching back in 72 the year he won 27! it was against the xpos a guy named bombo rivera hit like 2 hr's and one was a salami. it happens to the best. the guys playing now are subs bench guys who belong on the bench. they were brought in to fill in, ph. and be temp replacements to give guys days off blah blah. but they're playing every day. is it any wonder that they're in last place? if guys like j-bag and vic would play like they're capable and if pence would play balls in the OF better it would sure go a long way helping us weather the storm till we start getting some guys back. what your feelings on my thoughts fellas?
oh by the way i read a lot of the other sites and it's hands down THIS site is way better! and in my eyes the commentors seem to have a grasp on what you're commenting on! so when i ask for your input i know i'll get an intellegent response! keep up the good work PN!
The problem is the people that get too low-and- too high instead of staying even keel….. Lee is a very good pitcher, but for some reason people fell in love with him and he was more of a fan favorite than Cole Hamles !?? (Hamels, the guy that delivered us a World Series) ….
Those same people are now the reactionaries that want to trade Cliff Lee, etc. . . . the good news is that Eagles training camp starts soon and some morons start worrying about who the Scout Team's backup inside-linebacker is … and they'll stop pretending they know anything about the Phillies
Freddy Galvis is injury prone
Think about it this way: If we DO make it after coming from behind, we will be THE hot team come playoff team. Hehe
Remember: The Cardinals were 10 1/2 games out of the Wild Card race on Aug. 25 last season, but got hot, won the Wild Card, upset the Phils in the NL Division Series and won the World Series.
Read that again… 10 1/2 games in late August… and here we are panicking over being 5 1/2 games out (sans Halladay, Howard, and Utley). I just don't buy that a team that won over a 100 games in a year can suddenly drop to out-of-contention status when it's not even August. Label me cautiously optimistic.
"THese are all your players. your old. your crippled. sign them all. ruben minaya jr. the donnys and the chucks. third highest payroll. you did this"..
oh sorry, I just figured I'd input what a certaub someone is going to eventually say now, to get it out of the way.
I agree completey.. people blaming Amaro fail to see that improved a team that won 102 games last year …. and while they may be older, and on the decline … to decline from 102 wins ain't too shabby. . . . . . . no Howard, Utley, Halladay, Galvis, Worley, Polanco, etc. at times this year . . . . playing as bad as we possibly can … and we're 29-33
from cnnsi: "Philadelphia's position players have the most WAR (7.3) in the majors over the past 30 days, along with the highest wRC+ (105) in the NL over that span. As the Phillies await the returns of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz and Hunter Pence have paced the offense with 21 home runs between them. Despite their 29-33 record and last place standing in the NL East, the Phillies still have the third-best run differential in the division."
Ryne Duren – I wasn't for the Lee signing in the first place. I thought it was excessive and, at the time, I wondered if it would hamper them in their efforts to sign Hamels long-term.
That said, Cliff Lee is a very good pitcher and his 0-3 record doesn't even begin to tell the whole story this year.
BUT…. he coughed it up in the playoffs last year and he did the same against the Orioles this weekend. A pitcher making $25M per simply can't give up a 3-run bomb to a .231 hitter with 2 career HR…..especially having him at a 1-2 count. Can't happen.
Lee has looked disinterested to me at times this year . . . . the fact that he has 0 wins is a joke, but the fact that he just plain doesn't care and doesn't focus 100% this year concerns me. . . . .
for all the sh!t that Howard gets as the $25 M-man …. I'm surprised (not really) that Lee isn't getting sh!t on for his lack of focus
"but the fact that he just plain doesn't care and doesn't focus 100%"
Don, you say this as if it's fact. The second part you might — might — be able to guess at by his pitch selection and execution, and even that is far from certain. But as for the first part, we really have zero clue whether that's true.
I've heard him say that he pitches the best he can and that's all he can worry about, and maybe that's what you mean, but I hear that as 1) it's hard enough to pitch in the majors without worrying about things you can't control, and 2) it's a way to avoid throwing your teammates under the bus.
Sorry Don, but I have to completely disagree with you here. You can't seriously blame Lee for anything this year… He has the THIRD xFIP in baseball (Greinke, Strasburg, Lee… then Gio, then Dickey, then Hamels)… the SECOND in K/BB, an outstanding 5.69…. and also the THIRD best SIERA in all baseball (Greinke, Strasburg, Lee..then Cole, etc).
"Lee has looked disinterested to me at times this year." Didn't he also look disinterested during Game 1 of the 2009 WS? Yea, I thought so. That's he style and we should know that by now. The guy has been a stud and nobody can honestly ask any more from him at this point in the season.
true… I should have said … "IT LOOKS LIKE he just plain doesn't care and doesn't focus 100% …………"
his "whatever" attitude that some thought made him the coolest dude ever, has always rubbed me the wrong way. I like the fact that Hamels gets pissed off on the mound sometimes, show some emotion, be human …
the HR that Lee gave up to whoever-the-hell-that-was on Sunday was a TERRIBLE pitch, and I think* it was him being mad that he wasn't getting the outside corners, deciding to go inside, but throwing a lazy pitch – not committing to it 100%, and thus not executing it as he should
I don't know if I can blame the pitchers, when they have no offense, and now no defense behind them
I suppose the offense will have to stop being an excuse sooner or later.
Totals so far: more offense than Miami or Washington.
Last 46 games: more offense than all but 2 teams.
yea chuck i hear ya pal but unfortunately that dumb stuff happens
I have been saying it for 2 years now (look at my old comments on other articles if they are still here). They are cooked. Ruben Amaro looks at this team and only sees injuries as a problem. I see a Chase Utley who had been in decline for a few years BEFORE the knee injury that "popped up" before 2011 season. He looks at Jimmy Rollins and says "if he can get back to where he was". I see a guy that has been in decline for 4 seasons before 2012. You can't rely on these guys, as good as they once were. He was looking at Polanco after last season and saying he isn't old, he was injured. I think he was injured because he was old, and his body is breaking down. He has mortgaged our future for championships…that's fine if you win them. He hasn't. Werth left, and instead of letting Brown (who suddenly is a prospect again) learn on the job, he sends away our future for a guy that is almost as good as Werth. Burrell left, and he is still looking for his replacement (though I will admit that Ibanez for 1/2 a season was exciting, and his overall numbers were better than Burrell's over that 3 year period). But look at us now…we have nobody to bail us out in the minors, and we won't for at least 1 more year. Our rotation is suddenly looking old, and Hamels is walking after this season. And so we have the possibility of having no offense OR pitching in 2013. Amaro is the problem. He only sees the guy starting the game on the hill, and has let the rest crumble.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I have lost a lot of interest now. One of the few bright spots about this otherwise cloudy season was seeing how Galvis performed. Since he went down and his ROY chances right with him, there's not many reasons to turn on the tv.
Nobody that we traded would be helping us right now either . . . . They are all still in the minors, and still unproven against MLB talent.
people act like as soon as a player starts to decline, he's garbage??
A declining Rollins, is still a better SS than most others in baseball …… a declining Utley is still better than most others in baseball, etc . . .
there were people that wanted to trade those guys after their career years "because their value was at its peak" …. but I think people forget that PROSPECTS are prospects, not sure things – so the more proven talent you have at the MLB level, the better off you'll be.
Really, a declining Utley is better than most? He has underperformed every 2b in the league in April and May, and now June, simply by not being there. Rollins can't hit anymore. Why have we lost in the playoffs/WS for 3 straight years? Offense. If something is not working, you have to fix it. This season was a throw away year anyway with Howard's injury. Amaro should have let Rollilns walk, use that money to spend on Hamels, and stick Galvis at SS and see what he can do. Rollins contract will be an anchor around the neck of the team for 3 seasons, and a vesting option for a 4th. We are 3 months into the contract, and he is cooked. He is a 240 hitter now, with no power to speak of. That $11 million would go a long way to paying the $20+ you need for Hamels. But you would rather have a 240 hitter than a stud LHP?
The prospects are our future, but even if you decided to trade them, get them to fill positions of need. SP was not a need. You already had Lee, and Halladay was going to be a FA. Keep the prospects, resign Lee and then buy Halladay on the market. Then you can use the prospects to fill that hole in LF that has been there for 3 years. You (Amaro) claim that the Phillies need to be more patient at the plate, become contact hitters to manufacture runs then you go and sign Laynce Nix and Ty Wigginton?
The point is (about Utley) is that you can't count on him to be healthy anymore. He played in 115 in 2010, 103 in 2011, and will play in less than 85 by the time he comes back in 2012. Amaro has to replace him. He is done. The knees will not be getting better/stronger.
Amaro has let this team grow old. There is nothing in the minors to replace the players that are done, and nothing to trade with anymore. You are fooling yourself if you believe otherwise.
On Utley, we don't know what we're going to get this year when he (presumably) eventually returns.
Last year, when he was on the field he was arguably the best second baseman in the NL in terms of value per PA (neck and neck with Phillips). More here…
But you're right that by not playing he is being outperformed. If you just compare his total stats last year (so that he gets dinged for missing time), then he was still 2nd best in the NL, behind Phillips but ahead of Weeks, Espinosa, and Walker.
The bottom line on Utley is that he is owed $15 million this year and next NO MATTER WHAT, and he missed only 16 of the last 116 games after returning last year (and 8 of those to a concussion). Given a limited budget, expecting him to manage through his knee issues rather than getting another starting-quality second baseman was a very reasonable decision.
And you want more offense, yet you want to "stick Galvis at SS and see what he can do"? Rollins is not the issue here. He was the best option this off-season, and he will earn his contract.
By the way you didn't mention how sheepish you felt when you said they were cooked two years ago, and they then proceeded to win 97 games, and then 102.
Actually Schwenkman, I was not sheepish at all…2 years ago, in the offseason, when Utley still had trade value. You could see that his play was diminishing. Each of the past 2 years (at that point) there was talk that he played hurt throughout the year, which was the excuse that was being given for his diminishing play in the later parts of the season and the postseason. So no, I was not sheepish…I was more like Nostradamus.
As for Galvis vs Rollins, my point is 2 fold. ONe, with replacing an aging SS with a young player with potential to better than the aging guys is today, we save close to $11 million, which would have allowed us to pursue Aramis Ramirez, who would be an upgrade over Polanco, or go towards resigning Hamels. Or save the money and put it to this upcoming offseason's moves. Galvis actually has produced more than Rollins this season (in 67 less PA, from the 8 hole, he has 24 RBIs to Rollins' 16. 15 doubles to Rollins' 9. Now, Rollins has more runs, but he also has guys like Pence hitting behind him instead of the pitcher. The 2nd point is at this point in his career Galvis has an upside. If he gets his experience playing in this abortion of a season, wouldn't he be better than next, when we can expect to contend with a healthy Howard all season (and, presumably Halladay, Lee and Hamels)? This was not a season that any reasonable baseball observer could expect the Phillies to contend in. I am on record as saying that since they got knocked out by the Cards. If you were saying otherwise, then you were wrong. This team says that they cannot spend more money, they are at their limit. Then why spend $11 million a year for 3 (maybe 4) years on an aging 240 hitter, who can't hit anywhere but leadoff, and doesn't do that well either. This was a year to retool, get younger.
Even if Utley comes back and hits 40 homeruns in the last 80 games, he still was only there for this team for half a year. The trend is he is playing less and less. That comes with age and injuries. Would you rather have a 300 hitter for 80 games, or a 280 hitter for 162 games? They got lucky when Galvis could field at 2b…he had never played 2b in the minors…all but 1 inning (3b, 1 chance) in the minors had been at SS. Oh, and Galvis hit 278 in the minors last year…Rollins never hit above 274 in the minors. You have to give young players time to grow.
Colin – If you mention that Rollins scores more runs than Galvis because he is followed by 2-3-4 instead of the pitcher, then you need to consider the same lineup positioning for RBI's. Freddy hit behind Ruiz for a while, and even after Chooch was moved up, still had position players batting ahead of him to drive in. Jimmy has the pitcher batting ahead of him, so that reduces his potential for RBI's.
Just like Nostradamus indeed. Interpreting vague predictions to match actual events.
On Galvis, he had exactly one season where he did not suck at the plate, so it's understandable that chose to re-sign Rollins. And while he's had some key hits, he's also the second worst hitter on the team at the moment, just ahead of Mayberry, while Rollins has been hitting better lately.
ARam is not much of an upgrade if at all, by the way. He turns 34 this month, is not very good defensively, and has only 30 more at bats than Polanco over the last 2+ years.
If you had a choice, spend $11 or 12 million a year for the (then 33 year old) guy who had a 278 batting average over the past 4 seasons, 23.25 HRs, 88 RBIs, 71 runs, playing at a position that you had ZERO prospects in, or the 33 year old who averaged 261 (from the leadoff spot), 14 HRs, 60 RBIs, 77.75 runs over the same period in a spot where we had 1 prospect, which would you take? Furthermore, Ramirez's numbers had not been in decline. Rollins' have been, and continue to decline. Neither signing was ideal, but one gave you an upgrade at 3b, while providing you with some insurance at 2b if Utley couldn't go (Polanco was a 2 time GG at that position) and allowed you to get Galvis some experience at his natural position.
While you are right that Galvis only had 1 good season at the plate in the minors, he was developing, and the key was he had that season at the higher levels. And if you are saying that Galvis sucks, but look at what Rollins has done lately, then take out Galvis' 0-12 start and he is hitting 242, which is better than Rollins…along with more RBIs.
And with respect to Galvis' numbers in the minors, he came to a foreign country at age 17, and began playing ball. The adjustment to the different culture, language, etc., had to take its toll. Maybe at age 21 (last season) he finally matured and adjusted. What were you doing at 17? The kid is in the majors because he can play.
Ozzie Smith batted 258, 211, 230, 222, 248, 243, 257 during his first 7 seasons, but you probably would have sent him back to the minors, huh?
Lee said in his post-game interview on Sunday that the pitch he made to Tolleson (he of the 2 career HR and .231 average) was a GOOD pitch….and that he just hit it out. Huh??? THAT was a good pitch?? Sorry, dude, I just don't get you on that.
So, Manny, yeah…. I CAN blame him for something this year.
Look…maybe I'm just resentful that BECAUSE of Lee's contract that there's now a good chance that the Phillies won't be able to re-sign Hamels…who I think is a better pitcher and is only going to get better as he keeps maturing.
With the exception of 2013, the Phillies WILL have enough money to pay Hamels in the future. I don't know what's all the fuss about us not being able to resign him anymore… I swear it's 98% media-driven.
Seriously, if you complain about Cliff Lee, realize that it's exactly the same as a Nats fan complaining about Gio, a Brewers fan complaining about Greinke, a Mets fan complaining about Dickey, a White Sox guy complaining about Sale….
The only difference is that Lee has ZERO wins… and as much as people pretend to not care about that stat, in the end… when the $hit hits the fan (like now)… they do… Just to blame somebody for something.
It's called frustration. Take it on something/someone else, cause Cliff Lee is doing a stellar job. So are guys like Cole + Chooch.
(well) Said!
It's not exactly the same. Lee is the second highest paid pitcher in the game.The average fan isn't looking for Lee to just be good, they're looking for him to dominate. When a player's salary reaches those of the elite, the expectations of the fanbase also become greater. They aren't going to be happy when he blows a four run lead in the NLDS. They aren't going to be happy when he hasn't won a game by the middle of June. They aren't going to be happy when he blows a three run lead in Baltimore. Expectations reach another level when a player makes as much money as Cliff Lee does. Reasonable or not, that's what the average fan is complaining about.
Maybe they will have enough money…whatever that is….but the real question is will they spend it. I just have this feeling that after committing all that money to Cliff Lee that they now feel that they need to go in another direction.. A big bat maybe??
Amaro has been on the radio a few times and he repeatedly talks as if Hamels is OVERvalued. And he says it in a sort of smug way, like he knows the market that well in order to make a statement like that. He said it in S.T. and he said it recently on 97.5 FM. All of that kind of concerns me..
That is concerning… but at the same time, it's sports radio. Gotta take everything on there with a grain of salt.
First, I see Amaro's comments as simply a negotiating tactic (I wouldn't expect him to say that Hamels is worth every penny of $25, or he'll have a hard time staying under $30), and secondly, I don't think Amaro knows how to speak on any topic without sounding smug.
Listen to the last third of the interview where he talks about Cole and his value.
I listened to the interview, and just didn't hear any spot where Amaro indicated that Hamels is overvalued. He just seems realistic to me.
It was the part where Missanelli mentioned the conversation he had with Ruben in S.T. and it came out where Ruben felt that he couldn't understand how Hamels could be valued the same as someone who won a Cy Young Award. The reference was obviously Lee. THAT makes no sense to me when you realize just what Hamels HAS done, how old he is compared to Lee,and the fact that he's home-grown lefty.
My feeling is that Amaro is downplaying Hamels' worth in order to justify his signing of Cliff Lee, which was something he did to win over the fans after the public relations debacle over him trading Lee away in the first place. He realized that he made a mistake or that a mistake was made (ownership was involved with that decision), had the opportunity to correct it and he did.
Somewhere, though, in the whole chain of events of trading for Lee, trading Lee away, signing Halladay, trading for Oswalt and signing Lee to come back….somewhere in that whole thing I think he sort of forgot about Cole Hamels and HIS worth to this organization.
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm full of sh!t. But this is my opinion for right now.
Schmenkman – There is simply no precedent for Cole to get anything close to 30m. He's a smug bastard though.
The Dipsy
(I didn't mean the $30 literally — just a big round number)
I don't know if this is crazy…but I had this thought about Cliff Lee. I wonder if unconsciously he is losing because he is hoping to be traded to a younger team who are contenders to win the WS. Many of these pitchers signed with Philly because they wanted most of all to win a WS ring and be in the playoffs. Perhaps they see this downward spiral with all the injuries etc. as a look into the future. It may takes the Phils 2-3 years before they are up and running again and on a run for the WS. Afterall they may be privy to things we don't know about Hamels, Utley and Howard. And maybe they are thinking that at their age they can't afford to wait. Any thoughts?
Who would want to trade for a losing pitcher $100 million left on his contract? If Lee wanted to get out of town, he'd continue to pitch well and try to drive up his trade value.
Try naming the last player traded with $100 million left on his deal.
It was probably A-Rod to the Yankees in 2004.
I don't think Lee will be traded within the next few years, but if that really was his goal, he wouldn't try to lose his way out of town.
Another thing….I saw an interview after one of the games early in the season and Jroll was asked about being in contention for the WS. His answer was a smile and said not with this group. I think there is alot of contention in the clubhouse and alot of finger pointing as to who is to blame.
I've heard that, that the clubhouse is a mess. It was a sports radio thing so, again, you have to take it with some grain of salt, but just the fact that it's being talked about isn't good.
There is ZERO chance that Cliff Lee is traded. 1) just what Jeff Dowder said – players don't get traded with $100M left on their contracts. 2)Ruben doesn't want to have another public relations disaster on his hands because of Cliff Lee. 3) he has some sort of no trade clause I'm sure. Remember, he WANTED to come back here.
No, Ruben is boxed into a corner with this one. He went out and got Lee back but, I think, failed to realize just how valuable Cole Hamels is. Now he has some tough decisions to make. And it will be another public relations problem for him, most likely. If he wants Hamels back someone has to go. Vic?? Pence?? It's not gonna be Cliff Lee.
Phillies wouldn't trade Lee unless Lee requested a move…… doesn't anyone remember all the fallout from the last trade, and doesn't anyone think there must be some kind of no-trade talks in the new contract. . .
I think Lee must realize this Phillies team is operation at 75% right now . . . and next year with Howard back the lineup is different. I don't think Lee will be traded this year or next, and if the Phillies go into a complete rebuilding-mode, maybe they move him in 2014 with 1.5 years left on his contract (i'd imagine they'd have to eat some salary to get any prospects)
I mentioned it yesterday, but I really think that trading Victorino is a legit move to make at this year's deadline… I would try to get prospects (not bullpen help for this year), since the strength of our organization seems to be a lot of young bullpen arms anyway . . . lets try to land some positional talent
Do you think that the Phils could land a decent prospect for Victorino? Maybe a 2B or 3B to replace Utley or Polanco? Would it be better to try to move Pence for a higher level prospect and extend Shane? Pence is already at $10.4 million and will likely get an increase next year.
I think that Victorino could very well be the best available offensive player on the market this year . . . . and so yes, I think he could land a decent prospect. …..and because the Phillies have pretty good talent evaluators in their system, I'd love to see us get multiple young players (even A+, AA) instead of just one AAA player – unless of course we really can get a great, young 3b prospect that has a chance to play next season (not sure if that player exists)
Pence is better than Victorino offensively and is under contract for another year. He is the more valuable commodity if you're looking from a purely "what can I receive in return" standpoint.
Add to that, Eric, that you pretty much hate Hunter Pence and want him off the team.
Yeah, nice try Eric. Pence is slightly better offensively, but Vic is the somewhat better overall player. The only real advantages Pence has are the two-year age difference, and being under team control for 2013.
Exactly schmenk, we're in total agreement. Pence is the better commodity if you want the largest return.
And, yes, Chuck, I have some small amount of disdain for Hunter and would not shed too many a tear were he to be shipped off to another team or Dante's third circle of hell or wherever.
The Phillies are just pathetic right now. They will nevr win the pennant with the likes of Kyle Kendrick and Joe Blanton. These two guys are like hot and cold …. mostly cold. When the Phillies score runs …. these guys just give up more runs. If they gave Lee the same run support they give Blanton and Kendrick … he'd win some games. Everyone keeps saying, wait till Utley comes back …. he was 0-4 today. I don't think Utley will make a difference. If anything, the first time he has to stretch to make a play … I think he's done. On the other hand … Howard will probably be back too late. And, when he does come back …it usually takes him a half of a season to get hot. Unfortunately, we're heading into July and this guy has not even got started yet. My question is …. 'What the heck was Howard doing in the off season?' Whit all the money he's getting he could have afforded some great rehab and wound healing treatment. The Phillies are also playing like crap in the field. Hunter Pence has to stop diving for ever ball that's hit to him. Sometimes it's better to hold a guy to a single then let the ball go by and get a triple.Then there's great Charlie moves like taking Thome's hot bat out off the lineup(Baltimore game) so Mayberry can run for him. Now, instead of Thome coming up to bat again with runners on base …. Mayberry strikes out. Just brilliant!!! This is only the tip of the ice berg. This team is really in trouble.
What was Howard doing in the offseason? Are you kidding me? This is a 6 month minimum, generally 12 month injury. He won't be the Ryan Howard you want this season. Nothing he could have done would have sped up recovery. This injury was about as serious as they come. SAM, you have to give the guy a break. I don't recall a guy with his size ever coming back from this injury in less than a year, and I don't recall them being the same, ever. Next you are going to go to an Eagles forum and complain that Jason Peters isn't at the OTAs working out and getting ready for the season, and why can't he get back by opening day. I can't think of an injury I would want less for a big man.
Colin – It's not even worth responding to clowns like this sometimes.
Most teams put their best pitchers on when Halladay, Lee or Hamels play. And they match the crappy pitchers with Blanton and Kendrick. That's why our guys can't get any hits when Lee is on. I haven't been watching the games recently too closely because it depresses me ….but I noticed that since Galvis went down, there haven't been as many double plays.
It's difficult to turn a douple play when the other team keeps hitting the ball deep into the seats
Due to what the Phillies gave up to get Pence, combined with the fact that they could lose Victorino after the season -and get no prospects in return . . . I don't think they would look to move Pence. .
Imagine a lineup next year without those two … with Utley still likely to be battling knee issues…. I think you need to keep Pence around at least until the 2013 deadline- to help give your team some offense
It's been mentioned multiple times that because of the 2nd Wild Card team, more teams will think they have a shot – which likely means more BUYERS at the deadlines… if you have a lot of demand, and not a ton of supply (sellers with quality players) … the price goes way up. . . Again, I think the Phillies can make a run at this with a healthy-ish Utley and Howard added to the lineup – and if Halladay and Lee can be the pitchers they usually are (and get the "W" results they usually do). . . I would not trade Cole Hamels, but I would trade Shane Victorino
some people have mentioned a Polanco trade- but that gives us a hole at 3b next year, and I don't think he'd get the kind of value in return to make trading him worthwhile . . . Another question though . . . if we bring Dom Brown up, does Juan Pierre become trade bait? He's having a solid year- I think i'd look to capatilize on that
If Victorino walks after the season the Phils will likely get a compensatory pick between the first and second rounds next season. It's not a huge return, but it's also not nothing.
I agree in your assessment as I doubt the Phils will look to move Pence, but I'm saying that's their best option and would bring back the most/best prospects.The package they gave up to acquire him is irrelevant. It's a sunk cost at this point, so you have to ignore that previous trade. It's like if you own stock in a company that is floundering and looks like it might be a bankruptcy candidate, you should sell your shares regardless of what you paid for them. You have to look at what you can get in return now, versus what you can get in return if you hold onto the asset; the original price is not involved in that calculation.
So, hypothetically, if Pence were to be dealt and Victorino walk, you've just freed up something like $2o-22,ooo,ooo or so in salary, which allows for the acquisition of someone to fill in that hole, like a Michael Bourn or Melky Cabrera type, frees up some money for Hamels, or you could even bring back Victorino at something reasonable (he's already indicated he's willing to take a home-town discount) which, again, should work out to be less than what Pence will command (which I'm estimating at around $13 million next season and even more when he hits free agency). Corey estimated a few posts ago that Victorino will likely go for something like $12 million per, which is cheaper than what Pence will likely make (plus he plays a more premium position and is the better overall player).
Really, i don't see the upside in keeping Pence if you're going to make a deadline move. He's both more expensive and less talented than other options out there, and at the same time probably holds the most trade value. It's basically a "no-brainer" to me, which, ironically, is also what I think Hunter Pence is.
Polanco isn't being traded because there's not a huge market for defensive-minded 3B and I really can't see Juan Pierre having much interest because he's Juan Pierre and, sort of like Chris Carter, all he does is get on base. He's not very good in the field and he has no power and no arm, and it just that players who get moved at the deadline are more often than not sluggers, starters and relievers. Scrappy slap-hitters aren't typically highly coveted. Hell, look at the pathetic package the Braves gave up for Bourn last season, and Bourn is about 3x the player Pierre is.
Unless you've talked to 30 GMs, I don't know how you can judge what the market for thirdbaseman will be next winter. A list of pending free agents is not the market. The market consists of players available through multiple means. As far as I know, baseball teams are still allowed to trade players. It's RAJ's job to find available talent, and that goes far beyond just looking at the free agent list.
You're right, without complete information I can't know precisely what the market will be.
But I can make an educated guess, based upon everything we know about baseball and the transactions we've seen happen over the last few years in baseball, as they set precedents as to how teams tend to operate. With that in mind, you'll notice that players with little offensive prowess but who are exceptionally skilled defensively very rarely command any kind of significant return in trades. (They also tend to command less on the free agent market)
Don M, a Polanco trade would not leave a hole at 3b next year, because he is a Free Agent at the end of this year and that would leave the hole. But losing an injury prone aging 3b without any pop should not be a cause for concern. There has to be something better out there than him. And I love Polly's game, but he is going to be 37 next season…with the problems he has had, I don't see him gettting a shot to be anything more than a backup 2b/3b from anybody next year. Youkilis, Wright, Inge are all FAs next offseason. With the exception of Wright (who the Mets have an option on) none are world beaters, but I would take just about all of them over Polanco right now (which may be why the Phillies were scouting Youkilis). I would bet on them trying to trade for a 3b, or treading water with Wigginton/Martinez and looking at what is available in 2014. but Polly will be gone. I would trade him now, but there is no market for him, which is what they found out last offseason when they tried to move him to make room for Aramis Ramirez.
I would certainly take Polanco over Inge, and I think chances are he'll still be here next year.
Polanco has a $5 M option for next year . . . and while he has no pop, he plays Gold Glove defense at a premium position – – – there is value in that, to the Phillies, and to teams that would like to improve their defense, and have a lineup where Polanco and his .289 avg, and .318 OBP would look pretty good in the 7th or 8th spot in the lineup …
The reason why Polly has to go is offense. The Phillies have failed this year, and the previous 3 playoffs, because of their offense. I think at this point the Phillies will trade defense for offense. You know Rollins doesn't have offense anymore. You know Utley is declining, in production and health. And both are getting up there in years. You can't have another player like that in your infield, and Polly is the oldest of the 3. If he comes back it is because Utley finally calls it quits (and he won't), or the Phillies realize he will only play half of next season, then you use Polanco at 2b. But I believe that the Phillies will try to upgrade and get younger at 3b during the offseason. The fact that they were scouting Youkilis indicates that they want an upgrade (though he is not much younger).
" The reason why Polly has to go is offense" — not enough of a reason (and no reason at all if you're going to throw out names like Inge).
Even forgetting for the moment, that the Phillies have scored the 2nd most runs in the NL for their last 48 games, defense is no less important than offense.
The Phillies may very well try to upgrade and get younger at 3rd. As always it's a question of how much of an upgrade, and at what cost (salary, players, prospects)?
Schmenkman, really? Are you on the Phillies payroll? A publicist maybe? 2nd in runs scored in the last 48 games?
How about wins? I know that they have lost 9 of 11, so how they doing? They are doing awful. Last place. They are getting old and are breaking down. How can you look at what they have and see a silver lining? They are the worst team in the league for runners left on base (that means they have left the most, in case you were having trouble figuring it out).
Last place, and you want to keep everybody? A 2b that can't play a half a season. But he is awesome baby! A 3b with no pop and he is injured every 2 to 3 weeks, and will be 37 by Thanksgiving, but you want to keep him. Why don't we see if Pat Burrell can solve our LF problem? And maybe Rick Schu can bounce between 1b and 3b when Polly needs a blow or Howard's ankle is bothering him. Dave Hollins might be available too.
You are insane. This team is garbage, and you don't seem to see anything wrong. Amaro has watched this team burn to the ground and all he can think about is pitchers.
Colin, I never said they didn't have problems, or every that they're a good team. They've allowed the 3rd most runs allowed since April 23rd, and yet you have a laser-like focus on the lineup.
Utley will be paid $15 M no matter what. Last year he was one of the best second basemen in the league when he returned, so of course they should see what he has left.
I'm all for making improvements, but a) you need to look at all-around performance (not just offense), and b) what's it going to cost in players, prospects, salary?
Interesting article for you: http://www.thegoodphight.com/2012/6/14/3087845/the-phillies-are-a-good-baseball-team
Yea i don't think the Pierre is likely to get us anything big in return – but again, with a crop of talent evaluators, that is generally pretty good ….and I doubt that Pierre is coming back next year, maybe we can pluck a young talent from someone's farm system ……. that's the whole point of rebuilding, right?
Say you trade Pence – and you lose Victorino . . . and Utley isn't the same…
you just lost your intended 2-3-5 hitters in your lineup …… if you want to have any chance to have power in the lineup next year, while you still have Roy Halladay, and owe it to him to try to win …. you keep Pence to bat 3rd or 5th around Howard next year
I like Bourn too, but I don't think him or Victorino are the type of player to build your team around …. If you're committing $12-15 M to Vic, Pence, or Bourn …. I'd pay Pence because he gets on base and has power
You got me curious about Pence and Victorino's differences, and if you look at what % of their plate appearances they do what, these are the differences:
Pence K's more (18% of PA's vs. 11% of PA's for Victorino)
Pence makes other outs less (47% vs. 54%)
Pence hits more singles (18% vs. 15%)
Extra base hits are essentially the same (9%), with Pence hitting slightly more of those for HRs (4% vs. 3%) instead of doubles/triples (5% vs. 6%)
Their rate stats for 2010-12:
Pence's OBP .010 higher (,347 vs. .337)
Pence's SLG .031 higher (.481 vs. .450)
Isolated power (ISO), difference between slugging and batting average is essentially the same:
Pence .187 vs. Vic .185
Well, if Chase Utley isn't going to play next season you're going to have that 3-hole hitter problem either way. And if you replace Victorino/Pence with Bourn or resign Victorino you've gone a long way toward filling that hole in your lineup.
I've said they should keep Vic or sign Bourn as they're better overall players because the defensive side of the game is just as important as the offensive side.
Since 2009, here are their fWAR numbers by season (2012 in parentheses):
Bourn – 4.9, 4.7, 4.2, (3.6) – Total: 17.4
Pence – 4.0, 3.2, 4.9, (1.4) – Total: 13.5
Shane – 3.7, 3.7, 5.9, (1.5) – Total: 14.8
rWAR totals are similar.
WAR is the best metric we have to asses the value of a player on both sides of the ball, and Hunter trails both Shane and Bourn there precisely because he is so deficient defensively. If you had a team of 8 players as productive as Hunter Pence you would lose to a team with 8 Shane Victorinos, and both would lose to a team consisting of 8 Michael Bourns. The Pence team would hit more home runs yet still lose to the better overall teams.
That's the classic Amaro-Ryan Howard mistake. Yes, the guy hits for some power, but he's bad everywhere else, and that really detracts from his value as an all-around baseball player. For example, if a guy hits a home run and then goes out and misplays a ball in the field allowing the opposing team to score they've negated the value that they provided offensively. If, however, you hit a single, steal second base and score on a base hit, and then go out and play exceptionally well in the field, you're providing your team with a lot more value than the "slugger." Ryan Howard got a lot of RBIs but only because guys batting in front of him did a pretty damn good job of getting on base. Same reason why Freddy Galvis has more RBI than Jimmy Rollins, who has a better slash line. Don't overvalue home runs and "sluggers." The Mets have only 44 home runs, 13th in the NL, yet are 5th in the league in runs scored. The Dodgers are 4th in runs scored while they're in 14th place in the NL in HR. Good, productive hitters are what you want. If they happen to hit the ball over the fence a lot, great. If not, that's fine too. But you want the best overall player, not just the best offensive player.
Cliff Notes: Shane Victorino and Michael Bourn are better/more valuable players than Hunter Pence.
"Ryan Howard got a lot of RBIs but only because guys batting in front of him did a pretty damn good job of getting on base."
– Yes, that, AND he was very efficient in driving them in (among the highest ROI% over the past several years).
Sure, but the larger point (which I may have deviated from) is the RBI/HR he's produced coupled with his baserunning and defense are nowhere near worth $25,ooo,ooo/yr.
Excellent point (about Bourn vs Victorino and Pence). We probably should have gone after Bourn instead of Pence last season. The Phillies have been lacking contact hitters for the past few years, which is why they went out and got Polanco…if his injuries hadn't taken that away from his game late in the season last year, it may have been a different story. You need table setters in front of guys like Utley and Howard, and while Victorino had a great year last year, Rollins and Polanco did not perform. Bourn has turned into one of the better all around CFs in the game. Anybody know Atlanta's $$$ situation? Can they resign him?
I disagree with you about Howard though. You need that big bat in the lineup because it does change the pitchers approach to the lineup. Howard is that kind of player. Pence isn't, because he just doesn't have that raw power. He may give you 30 HRs, but he doesn't scare you. Howard has the ability to put it into the seats at any given atbat. Pence is a complementary player, much like Werth was for us. Now, I do believe we overpaid Howard, but that is not the issue here.
And I don't agree with you about how good the guys in front of him are. Polanco had his worst season ever last year. Utley was out for 60 games (and in 2010 he missed 47 games). Rollins hit 268 from the leadoff position. The year before (when he missed about 75 games) Rollins hit 243. the year before that 250. So how good were the 3 guys in front of him? And they pitched around him much of the year because he had guys like Ben Francisco or Mayberry (before he started raking) and Dom Brown behind him. Ibanez spent sometime in that 3 hole and 5 hole and hit a whopping 245. And yet, even while injured for the 2nd half of the year, he hit 33 HRs and 116 RBIs. Give the man some credit. He is still a very good player.
"Rollins and Polanco did not perform" – obviously you don't care about defense.
Rollins — 3rd best shortstop in the NL last year: http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=ss&stats=bat&lg=nl&qual=0&type=8&season=2011&month=0&season1=2011&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&players=0
(also the 6th best hitting shortstop)
Polanco — 5th best 3rd baseman in the NL last year: http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=3b&stats=bat&lg=nl&qual=0&type=8&season=2011&month=0&season1=2011&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&players=0
(below average bat, but excellent defense)
Schmenkman, Rollins hit 268 as the leadoff guy last year. That sucks no matter how you want to spin it. As for his defense, Galvis might be as good, is cheaper, might have a bigger upside at the plate as Rollins' production slips (as it has, if you include this year, for 5 straight years), and the money saved can help pay for Hamels' new contract.
Polanco hit 277, the worst since 1999 by him, and produced 89 runs. For a power position, that is horrible. And he is 36 and starting to break down.
While I value defense, I also value offense. The Phillies have 3 stud SPs, 1 of whom is out for 2 months, another is winless, and the 3rd is in a walk year and it looks like the Phillies are playing games with him while he knows that the Dodgers (who are a hell of a lot closer to his hometown of San Diego than Philadelphia is) are sitting there with a huge bankroll trying to buy back their fans after last years debacle. They have a nice defense on the left side of the infield, an average one on the right (if you consider Utley and Howard), a bad one at the corner outfield positions (Pierre and Pence) and your GG CF is in a walk year of his contract and does not look like they are signing him. And their offense, while near the top (surprisingly) in batting average, is not producing runs. Oh, and the bullpen sucks. So while you are dreaming of yesteryear with the big bats of Rollins and Utley and the steadiness of Polanco, I am in the real world watching them get old and injury prone. They have to reload, and to continue to sign old guys like Rollins (and now you want them to retain Polanco) and hope that they capture 2008 again is foolish.
And if you don't believe me, just look…they have lost 9 out of 11 games, and are in last place. And once they leave the AL parks and can't use the DH, or Thome hurts his back again, who are they going to rely on for offense, since he is the only one that is producing right now?
colin, you keep throwing a lot of stuff out, almost all of it just plain wrong. I'll hit on a couple:
– Even though he's a shortstop Rollins was not a terrible leadoff hitter last year; he was about average — how many shortstops can say that?
– So bat Rollins somewhere else if you have a great leadoff hitter (which you don't).
– A little advice: don't just focus on batting average — broaden your horizons, because BA is a crap stat. At least start talking OBP for crying out loud.
– You must have seen the list of NL third basemen ranking Polanco 5th; yet you continue to think he's not very good, simply because he doesn't have power. There is no rule that says you need a power hitter at 3B (or any particular position for that matter) to be successful.
In their last 48 games, the Phillies have scored the 2nd most runs in the league — I wouldn't start suggesting changes under the mistaken assumption that this offense "is not producing runs".
Schmenkman, I didn't even bother looking at your list. You can spin it all you want, but the bottom line is that they are getting old, they are not producing like they once did, have lost their last 2 playoff series (and 3 of 4) due to an inability to score runs, and they are injury prone. The bottom line is results. They are not getting any now. 2008 was a long time ago. So was 2009.
When players get old you replace them. The Phillies won't move Rollins from the top spot because he is even worse at other places in the lineup. But the truth is Victorino is better suited for the leadoff, if you look at his BA or OBP. Neither are ideal, as neither are patient at the plate.
But when a team is not winning, then it is time for change. Paying Rollins $11 million a year is stupid when you can get younger and use that money for somebody else who will help you. Would you rather have an aging Rollins and no Hamels, or Hamels w/Galvis at SS? I would take the stud pitcher. Galvis doesn't solve your leadoff spot or offensive woes, but Galvis has potential, where as Rollins is on the downside of his career. Look at his offensive numbers for the past 5 years and tell me how he is NOT on the downside. Galvis is unknown, but if he doesn't work out he is cheap, dispensible, and you go find a plan B. But you still have a base to build on with that pitching staff. To stand still is to die. That is what they have done with this offense. This year was a throwaway year. You knew Howard wasn't coming back until late summer, no matter how much you hoped for him to be back in May. Any normal person would have at least had concerns about Utley's knees. You knew that Mayberry was a gamble in LF. And you knew that Polanco was 36 and coming off an injury riddled season. 36 year old major league baseball players do not get sturdier and healthier unless they follow the Bonds plan.
This lineup is done.
Give me your address so I can send you a quarter. Go buy a clue.
LOL — ok.
My interpretation is that the Phillies would get two picks for losing Victorino (the pick of the team that signs him as well as a sandwich pick). This is dependent on the Phillies making him a qualifying offer (one year deal worth at least the average of the 125 top salaries). The same would obviously apply to losing Hamels.
"The Elias free-agent rankings system is dead. Free-agent compensation is not. In order for a team to receive compensation for losing a free agent, that free agent must have played with the team all season. After the year, the team must offer the free agent a one-year contract worth the average of the 125 highest salaries. If that free agent signs with another team, the other team will give up its first-round pick, unless it picks in the top ten, in which case it will give up its second-round pick. The original team will also gain a supplemental pick between the first and second rounds. In the event that there are multiple such picks, the teams will draft in reverse order of winning percentage."
and generally the players take what … 3-5 years to reach the majors, if ever…
The Nats have Strasburg, Storen, and Harper because they sucked for so long – and drafted well ….those players also made a quick rise to the MLB. .
I'd rather trade Vic for prospects that have been evaluated in professional baseball, instead of obtaining draft picks
Well, it works both ways. The Seattle Three were evaluated by the Mariners before coming here, and they're not really on the fast track to the majors.
Florida picked Giancarlo Stanton in the second round (76th overall) in 2007 and he was in the majors by 2010. If the Phillies have confidence in their scouting organization, I'd have no problem with two high draft picks.
It's pretty easy to draft well when the best available talent is so obvious. Seriously, did anyone think the Nats WOULDN'T draft Strasburg and Harper?
Does anyone have any idea what the average of the top 125 salaries is going to be? If management believes it will be more than they're willing to pay, then they should trade Victorino, rather than make that "qualifying offer." At least they'd get someone in a trade, which they wouldn't without a salary offer they might not want to pay.
That new CBA sucks for everyone except the players, and even the players get shafted in some instances.


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Country Situation
HIV prevalence among adults was estimated at 1.2% in 2014 and there were 4,800 new HIV infections among children representing a 65% decline from 2009.
In 2014, 73% of pregnant women living with HIV received ARVs for PMTCT, while 22% of children living with HIV received treatment.
Ethiopia has developed an accelerated national EMTCT plan (2011-2015) and has adopted WHO Option B+ regimen for PMTCT.
Link to the Ethiopia_National EMTCT Plan_2012.
Link to the Ethiopia Ministry of Health.
Country Milestones
In Progress
Countries have conducted an expenditure analysis, harmonized expenditure categories as needed, identified financing gaps in their action plans and have develped and begun to implement a strategy increasing financial assistance from domestic and international sources to support the national EMTCT plan.
National EMTCT plans are costed.
National guidelines on PMTCT and infant feeding in line with WHO 2010 recommended guidelines on ARVs for PMTCT.
National annual EMTCT progress report includes community (civil society) analysis of progress and feedback from civil society is reflected in revisions to national EMTCT operational plans. Community engagement milestone has been revised and will be reported in June 2013.
Baselines for essential commodity needs for EMTCT have been established.
Relevant support and management capacity has been increased (IATT focal points in place).
Policy review has been conducted to dentralize and task shift essential HIV activities to the primary care and community levels.
Country has reported on estimated number of new HIV infections among children averted and number of mothers kept alive.
Estimated number of new pediatric infections reduced by 50% from 2009 levels in at least 10 priority countries.
Relevant targets met in at least 50% of districts in the country.
Every district reports regular supplies of drugs and commodities without stock outs.CompletedBehind


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Did you know Storyfest has a Horseshoe Tournament? Well, we do! Sign up is 12:00 noon; Tournament starts at 1:00 PM. $20 per team to the jack pot + $5 per team to be donated to the Live Oak County Boys & Girls Club. Saturday, November 5. For more information, call Joe at (361) 492-3531.
If you are considering entering the 5K Run/Walk but haven't gotten around to actually entering, remember that the early entry deadline to secure a t-shirt is Tuesday, October 25. You can mail your entry, drop it by the GW Chamber office, or give it to Mary Margaret. There will also be registration opportunities on the day of the event.
There will be door prizes provided by ConocoPhillips
Click here for 5K Run Entry Form
Entry forms for our Little Red Wagon Parade are available at the Buck West House in GW or online at our website. Entry fee is only $5 and a great advertisement for your club, business, organization, pageant court, etc. Plus, the wagon parade is a lot of fun!
Entry form for Little Red Wagon Parade
Dobie Dichos -Campfires, Chili con Carne, and the Words of J. Frank Dobie
A night of campfire cooking, booksigning and Texas authors' reading from the works of the master South Texas storyteller (Live Oak County born and raised).
Friday, November 4, 2011 - dinner starts at 6 p.m.
Readings til 9:30 p.m. - Oakville, Tx
(on IH 37 - between George West and Three Rivers exits)
On the grounds of the 1887 Oakville, Tx Jailhouse and Town Square.
Tickets: $15.00 Adults, $7.00 Children under 12 - can be purchased in advance by calling (361) 449-2481, or 888-600-3121.
Proceeds to benefit restoration of the Dobie-West Performing Arts Center, George West, Tx.
Don't miss out on any of these great events!


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"Listening to your programs, I have learned a lot about apologetics and have enjoyed playing broadcasts for my youth group, friends, and family who are looking for answers. Your ministry is invaluable. I hope to continue as a Radio Club member forever."
~ Sean, Highland, NY
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"Your rank and possessions are nothing to us, for we have long before this sacrificed the like for the sake of Christ and rejoice in what we have done."
~ Saints Crispin and Crispinian, to Emperor Maximianus after he had used threats and bribes in an attempt to persuade them to renounce their faith; their martyrdom gained them heaven; Maximianus, after losing his crown, killed himself in despair.


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It's truly amazing to me with all the wildland fires across the West this spring and summer that there has been very little loss of human life.
We've had some truly huge fires this year with the Whitewater Baldy fire becoming the largest fire in state history by scorching nearly 300,000 acres. The Little Bear Fire near Ruidoso wasn't nearly as large but it has gone into the record books in New Mexico for being the most destructive to human habitation with 242 structures burned.
Hundreds of firefighters have been involved in fighting these fires and the risk of something going wrong in all this hot, dry, windy weather is great. Yet these brave men and women continue to hike into hell.
I saw one photo that told the whole story as a line of firefighters in yellow Nomex shirts headed up a trail from Ski Apache to work fire lines.
About 35 years ago, while backpacking not far from Whitewater Baldy in the Gila Wilderness we passed a group of firefighters going down the mountain as we were going up. They had been dropped on a fire along with supplies and had finally contained it and were heading out. The sight of their soot blackened faces and the easy gait they employed going down the trail made me long after that kind of adventure. Fortunately the next year when I took the civil service test I didn't score high enough.
Years later I was living on Colorado's Western Slope when Storm King Mountain claimed 14 young lives in the 1994 South Canyon Fire near Glenwood Springs. I was living 130 miles away at the time but that day cast a pall on the whole state.
A few years later I was living 10 miles from Glenwood Springs and went to church every Sunday in the shadow of Storm King Mountain. I hiked the Storm King Memorial Trail where the 14 fell and I still can't imagine what it must have been like trying to outrun fire on that hillside.
John N. Maclean wrote about the South Canyon Fire in his book "Young Men and Fire" and his investigation led to positive changes in wildland firefighting. His father, Norman Maclean, who wrote the best-selling book "A River Runs Through It," investigated a similar incident in Montana called the Mann Gulch Fire in the book "Young Men and Fire" which his son John helped finish after Norman's death.
Both books are excellent for someone wanting to understand the mindset and dangers involved in fighting fires.
In 2003 we all feared a replay of the South Canyon Fire when a fire started in the same general area and blew up into the West Glenwood neighborhood. City firefighters trying to defend homes barely escaped with their lives. Lots of homes were lost that day.
The fires that burned neighborhoods in Ruidoso and Colorado Springs recently are sobering. Some of the Colorado Springs neighborhoods seemed pretty urban but they backed up to heavy, dry fuels capable of unbelievable movement when the winds howl in the dry mountain air.
Houses are usually insured and can be replaced, young lives are a different matter. Let's all pray that the brave firefighters locally and across the West stay safe this deadly season.
Karl Terry, a former publisher of the Quay County Sun, writes for Clovis Media Inc. Contact him at:


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Re: Happy St Patricks Day Everyone 3/17
Famous Irish Americans
The talented and driven people of Ireland have contributed so much to the to world. Below are a select few Irish Americans that have left their mark their respective fields of work or history.
U.S. Presidents:
Joseph Biden (VP)
James Buchanan
Bill Clinton
Ulysses S. Grant
Andrew Jackson
John F. Kennedy
William McKinley
Richard Nixon
James K. Polk
Ronald Reagan
Woodrow Wilson
Music & Dance:
Mariah Carey
Rosemary Clooney
Judy Collins
Billy Corgan
Chris Cornell
Bing Crosby
Jimmy Dorsey
Tommy Dorsey
Michael Flatley
James Hetfield
Gene Kelly
Tim McGraw
TV & Film:
Gracie Allen
James Cagney
George Clooney
Walt Disney
Errol Flynn
John Ford
Judy Garland
Mel Gibson
Alfred Hitchcock
Ron Howard
John Huston
Buster Keaton
Diane Keaton
Grace Kelly
Kevin Kline
Michael Moore
Bill Murray
Conan O'Brien
Rosie O'Donnell
Gregory Peck
Regis Philbin
Tyrone Power
Martin Sheen
Ed Sullivan
Spencer Tracy
John Wayne
Arts & Letters:
Nellie Bly
Jimmy Breslin
William F. Buckley Jr.
Raymond Chandler
Kate Chopin
Tom Clancy
Pat Conroy
Maureen Dowd
Dominick Dunne
James T. Farrell
F. Scott Fitzgerald
William Harnett
Mary Higgins Clark
Henry James
Frank McCourt
Margaret Mitchell
Peggy Noonan
Flannery O'Connor
Georgia O'Keeffe
Eugene O'Neill
Bill O'Reilly
Anna Quindlen
Augustus Saint-Gaudens
John McEnroe
Tom Brady
Jimmy Connors
Ed Delahanty
Ben Hogan
Connie Mack
John McEnroe
Mark McGwire
Danica Patrick
Nolan Ryan
Sam Snead
Ed Walsh
Other Notables:
Daniel Berrigan
Phillip Berrigan
William Brennan
Molly Brown (Margaret Tobin Brown)
Pierce Butler
John Carroll
Eileen Collins
Michael Collins
Henry Ford
John Joseph Hughes
Herb Kelleher
Anthony Kennedy
Billy the Kid (William Henry McCarty)
Tom Monaghan
Charles Townes
John Walsh
Jack Welch
Fun Beer Facts
About 4000 years ago, it was the accepted practice in Babylonia that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer, and because their calender was lunar based, this period was called the "honey month" or what we know to day as the "Honey moon"
Before invention of the thermometer, brewers used to check the temperature by dipping their thumb, to find whether appropriate for adding Yeast. Too hot, the yeast would die. This is where we get the phrase " The Rule of the Thumb"
In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts. So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender used to yell at them to mind their own pints and quarts and settle down. From where we get "mind your own P's and Q's".
After consuming a vibrant brew called Aul or Ale, the Vikings would go fearlessly to the battlefield, without their armor, or even their shirts. The "Berserk" means "bear shirt" in Norse, and eventually to the meaning of wild battles.
Way down in 1740, the Admiral Veron of the British fleet decided to water down the navy's rum, which naturally, the sailors weren't pleased with. They nicknamed the Admiral Old Grog, after the still stiff grogram coats he used to wear. The term grog soon began to mean the watered down drink itself. When you are drunk on this this grog, you are "groggy", a word still in use.
Long ago in England, pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim of their beer mugs or ceramic/glass cups. The whistle was used to order services. Thus we get the phrase, "wet your whistle".
Paddy spies a letter lying on his doormat.
It says on the envelope "DO NOT BEND".
Paddy spends the next 2 hours trying to figure out how to pick the bloody thing up.
An Irish Family Tradition
Paddy had long heard the stories of an amazing family tradition. It seems that his father, grandfather and great-grandfather had all been able to walk on water on their 18th birthday. On that special day, they'd each walked across the lake to the pub on the far side for their first legal drink.
So when Paddy's 18th birthday came 'round, he and his pal Mick, took a boat out to the middle of the lake, Paddy, stepped out of the boat...and nearly drowned! Mick just barely managed to pull him to safety.
Furious and confused, Paddy, went to see his grandmother.
"Grandma," he asked, "It's my 18th birthday, so why can't I walk 'cross the lake like my father, his father, and his father before him?"
Granny looked deeply into Paddy's troubled brown eyes and said, "Because your father, your grandfather and your great grandfather were all born in December, when the lake is frozen, and you were born in August, ya dip!"
Good Luck Omens to Look for on St. Patrick's Day
1. You find a four-leaved clover while removing belly-button lint from your navel.
2. Green water is flowing uncontrollably from all water outlets in your home.
3. You notice a leprechaun's bloody shoe in your dog's mouth.
4. You hear an echoed voice saying "Manly, yes, but I like it too" while you're showering.
5. You follow a rainbow to its end and find a pot of steamin' hot Cheez Whiz.
6. During breakfast, you realize that Lucky Charms truly are "magically delicious."
7. Someone has replaced the water in your fish tank with green beer, resulting in loud, drunken, unruly fish singing "Oh, Danny Boy" at the top of their gills.
8. You find a patch of four-leaved clovers growing in your sock drawer.
9. You receive junk mail addressed to O'Current Resident.
10. You have cornered a wet, shivering, frightened leprechaun in your laundry room and are taunting him, saying "Do you feel lucky... Punk?"
You Might be a Leprechaun if...
You snicker uncontrollably all through "Darby O'Gill And The Little People."
Their record collection is stocked only with very short artists -- Paula Abdul, Sheena Easton, Prince, Phil Collins.
You get jumpy every time friends ask you if you can cover them for lunch.
When you see a rainbow, you get a greedy little look in your eye. (Arrrr, there's me pot o' gold!)
In your cupboard -- nothing but Lucky Charms cereal.
Every time you get your paycheck, you convert it into gold coins and bury it somewhere.
You insist on dancing a jig on your way to work each morning to the embarrassment of all your friends.
You've been under a rock for the past few years.
You just despise fairies. ("Wing Envy" if you ask me!)
You try to pick up women by saying "Ah, lassie, you have dazzling kneecaps, you do."
When drunk, you discourse endlessly on shoes, and annoy folks by saying things like "How can ye not know what a grommet is, lad? You're wearing several on yer feet! What are ye, dumb?"
Around St. Patrick's Day, you stock up on Shamrock Shakes at McDonald's.
When you say something is "magically delicious," it really is.
And the number one way you can tell you might be a Leprechaun:
You're three feet tall, Irish, have red hair, cuss, drink and wear green a lot!


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Tea Party
Dear Editor
Maybe it is time for a little history lesson. Let's take a brief look back in an attempt to understand why the left in Erica finds it necessary to pain the Tea Party as the enemy of "real Americans." With members of Congress calling members of the Tea Party names like "Domestic Terrorist", suicide bomber, and black mailer; with support from many in the media, is it any wonder so many people have a negative attitude them. In Social Media recently there have been calls for interning conservatives in "reeducation camps" and even for their execution. There is a historical basis for this behavior.
When the ancient Roman Empire was in its decline the individuals needed a scape goat. They found them in a new little understood religion; Christianity. They were easy to blame. After all, they refused to honor the old Gods. They were Atheists. They were different.
In the post-Civil War Reconstruction South, White Southern Democrats needed someone to blame for the plight they found themselves in. Again, an easy choice presented itself. Another minority, with little real political power was an easy target, the Black race. They formed the KKK and institutionalized their hatred. The easy choice deflected the blame off the politicians and unto an easy target.
In pre-World War II Germany Hitler needed an easy target for the economic disruptions caused by his military buildup. Again, an easy minority was available, the Jew. Blame the Jew and convince people they are at fault. By doing this, Hitler and his government became blameless in the eyes of the people. Many in England and America were happy to go along with this as it gave them cover for the Economic Depression that was happening throughout the world. Blame the Jew and politicians gained cover for their errors.
Today politicians and their media mouth pieces again need a scape goat for their failures. Again, an easy target presents itself, the Tea Party. Like the politicians of ancient Rome, The Reconstruction Era and pre-World War, today's' politicians need cover for their errors and corruption. Like those earlier politicians they use half-truths and outright lies to paint their chosen scape goat as anti-establishment. They make disagreeing with the party line appear to be criminal, even treasonous. They brand it as racist because the President happens to be a racial minority. They conveniently forget that less than six years ago they considered similar behavior "patriotic." Then disagreeing with the president was the height of patriotism; now it is racist and treason.
I submit that the Tea Party is today's Christian, today's black, and today's Jew. Like the corrupt politician of the past, today's Democrat Party has found a scape goat and has convinced the people that they should hate them. The shame is the tactic seems to be working.
Paul Smathers


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VIDEO: Sneak Peek - 'The Amazing Race's Phil Keoghan on CBS's I GET THAT A LOT
|Related Links
|CBS's KENNEDY CENTER HONORS Leads Network to Holiday Week Win
January 06, 2016
|CBS Posts Highest Weekly Averages of Any Network This Season
January 15, 2013
|CBS is THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE for Wednesday Night!
January 10, 2013
|VIDEO: I GET THAT A LOT Promo - Airing Tonight on CBS
January 09, 2013
I GET THAT A LOT, featuring popular stars pulling pranks on everyday people, returns with its fifth one-hour special, to be broadcast Wednesday, Jan. 9 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Below, check out a clip featuring 'The Amazing Race's' Phil Keoghan.
Celebrity participants include "The Amazing Race's" Phil Keoghan working at an outdoor gear and apparel retailer, Olympian and Kardashian patriarch Bruce Jenner selling shoes in a high-end boutique, actress Jane Seymour working as an inept home goods store greeter, actor and comedian Cheech Marin behind the counter at party supply store, racing superstar Jeff Gordon selling automotive supplies and the late Larry Hagman offering food samples at a membership warehouse shopping club.


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Soft Sanders 6-Pack
Item #19311 Brand: Style-Line
different hardnesses and profiles
About Soft Sanders 6-Pack
If you've every tried to sand the style lines in bodywork with a folded up piece of sand paper you know how easy it is to loose the sharpness of the details. These closed cell foam blocks are molded in 3 different hardnesses, in a wide range of profiles, to fit most detail sanding needs. Tapered round edges prevent gauging. Pliable and durable. Kit also included 3 sheets of sandpaper 80, 120, 180 grit and an instructional DVD.Made in USA.
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