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Completely forgot I wrote this in November 2008, but @GTown_Dave on twitter sent it to me, reminding me of that under-the-radar move. The move was choosing Ruben Amaro over Mike Arbuckle to take over for Pat Gillick as GM of the Phillies. Amaro got the job, Arbuckle moved to Kansas City, and here we are today.
I wrote this nearly five years ago for examiner.com:
On Monday, the Philadelphia Phillies announced their new General Manager, the man who would take over for the legendary Pat Gillick. Ruben Amaro Jr., just 43, is the new GM for the World Champion Phillies, filling in for Gillick who has won three titles in that position.
It's a feel good story for Amaro, who in 1980 was a batboy, winning a championship with the team in quite a different capacity. He now gets to take over for the top franchise in baseball and will have a busy first off-season ahead of him as players like Ryan Howard and Cole Hamels look for big-time raises and Pat Burrell becomes a free agent.
With the promotion of Amaro, an assistant GM for 10 seasons with the Phils, Mike Arbuckle will be leaving the team. Arbuckle, an assistant General Manager himself, was also considered for the position before the Phillies' decision to go with Amaro.
Arbuckle has been in baseball since 1979, when he entered the game as a scout. In 1992 he took over as the Phillies Director of Scouting and just two years later was promoted to assistant GM. One of the main cogs behind this championship season, Arbuckle is responsible for drafting Howard, Hamels and Burrell along with Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Madson, and Brett Myers.
He is from the Kansas City area, and there are rumors around the league that he may join the Royals in some capacity. His departure would be huge, and may even be the biggest loss of the season. This guy has been with the Phillies for nearly two decades and knows the Phillies system inside and out. Amaro himself has been with the franchise for a while too, but he is not as seasoned as Arbuckle.
Baseball America had Arbuckle ranked as the third best GM prospect in 2003. Five years have passed since then and Arbuckle is still an assistant, so its understandable that he wants his shot at losing the assistant moniker.
While it was great to see Amaro's promotion, it is just as alarming to see Arbuckle leave like this. He perhaps should have been the leading candidate, but the Phils brass chose to move along with younger blood. Keep an eye on Arbuckle's whereabouts during the off-season. Just a week removed from a title, the Phillies are undergoing their first bout with in-house turmoil.
So, looking back, was it the right move to choose Amaro over Arbuckle?
25 Comments
I don't know enough about KC's drafts, trades, re-signings, and FA signings to compare the two, but my gut tells me that no, the Phillies did not make the right choice.
I assume this was a rhetorical question. Amaro has taken a perennial powerhouse and turned them into one of the most hopeless franchises in baseball. They have a bad farm system, an ancient team, and a ton of crippling contracts. It will be years before they turn this train wreck around, and the turnaround cannot begin until they fire Amaro, which may not happen anytime soon. Meanwhile, they let the genius go who was responsible for Howard, Madson, Rollins, Burrell, Utley, Hamels, Kendrick, Bourn, JD Drew, and Scott Rolen. And the result has been a full fledged disaster that we have not seen the bottom of yet. In 5 short years, the Phils have gone from World Champions to one of the most hapless franchises in baseball, and it's primarily because they made the terrible decision to hire Amaro instead of Arbuckle.
You're saying Arbuckle would have made good trades and FA signings because he was good at drafting? Not sure the two have much to do with each other. Amaro has had his issues, but maybe Arbuckle would have been worse. Or maybe they wouldn't have gone to the playoffs in 2009, '10, or '11, but would be more competitive this year and have a better farm.
Fair point. I'm saying that Arbuckle proved that he was a genius, and he knew the Phillies organization better than anyone. No way of knowing if he pulls the trigger on the Cliff Lee or Halladay deals, but the team had enough talent and played in a weak enough division to that I can't imagine them missing the playoffs those three years by maintaining the status quo and us assuming Arbuckle made minor tweaks instead of flashy big name signings. And I really, really doubt that we'd be in such a dire position today.
In 2009 they won the division by 6 games — do they still win it without Lee? maybe. WIthout Lee and Ibanez? I don't know.
In 2010 they won also won by 6 games — do they still win it without Oswalt? maybe. Without Oswaldt and Halladay? doubtful
In 2011 they won by 13 games — do they still win it Lee and Halladay and (yes, even) Pence? maybe.
In 2010, all RAJ had to do was keep Lee at well below market value and he wouldn't have had to re-sign Blanton to that awful three year contract, and he wouldn't have had to make the Oswalt deal during the summer. He could have gone into the season with a rotation led by Halladay, Lee, and Hamels. The Phillies would then still have Villar (age 22) and Gose (age 23) instead of the lackluster return they received from Seattle for Lee.
Sure, but it's been described by "knowledgeable sources" as that he was told he could have either Lee or Halladay, and not both.
Arbuckle was great at drafting. That's it. He didn't have nearly the experience with the operationa side of things as Amaro and both were and are VERY traditional minded executives.
Trades may have been different, signings different, who knows. But the basic end game and lack of analytics would have likely led to a similar path.
Looking back at the past few years' drafts is enough to give me the answer. If both of them are about equal with regard to trades, signings, and avoidance of advanced analytics, at least give me the guy who can spot talent.
Breaks my heart to see the Phillies make bad decisions over my lifetime time and time again. I admire franchises like StLouis ,NY Yankees ,Boston all the time.
Should Amaro take the fall for this season?
I guess Amaro have foreseen the injures to Halladay, Howard, Revere and others?
well most people could have told you last year halladay wasn't right and should have had surgery then and possibly could have been ready for this year… Howard was a different injury than last year, Idk if it is all his knee now, but the way he ran this year it wouldn't appear that his Achilles is fully healed yet, which it does take a very long time for the Achilles to fully heal…
However all of that being said I can't lay all the blame on amaro.
Great point!! The Phillies were the hottest team in Baseball at the all-star break. Then bang, Revere, Brown, Howard go down with injury. NOT Amaro's fault there!!
How many games have the Phils lost to injury this year? How does that compare to the other 29 teams? I ask you because you are the one who always comes up with statistics that I can never find.
I honestly didn't have the faintest, but after some searching, I found a site that has "games lost" data. Some of it is just wrong (Lee and Hamels lost 90 games each?), but if it makes the same errors across teams it's somewhat useful. It also doesn't put any value on the player, so a game lost by MiniMart is no different from a game lost by Utley.
Having said all that, the site shows that Phillies have the 9th most games lost in MLB this year.
Thanks, man, but I found that site, too. Unfortunately, they count a man game lost as any game in which a player – healthy or injured – does not player. That's why Lee and Hamels have missed so many. They assume that all of the noise (i.e. starting pitchers missing games when it's not their turn) evens out, but I'm not sure it does. I just don't buy the injury excuse for this year's team or this GM, especially coming off last year when older players like Halladay and Howard also missed significant time.
No one can foresee injuries. However, the lack of interest in advanced statistics led to what was possibly the most colossal failure of a contract in NL history: the Ryan Howard extension. Should Howard have gotten a big deal? Sure. Should the Phillies have made him a franchise player? Sure. Should he have gotten the deal he did, with the years he did, with the AAV that he did given the regression in his stats, his frame, and his age. Should he be held accountable for the biggest albatross in the NL? Yes.
"given the regression in his stats" — over-reached on that one, perhaps, though the rest is valid
I also don't think it's the albatross many make it out to be (as in constraining what the Phillies can do, aside from trading him).
His worst move was giving howard the big deal two years before he had to. He has also single handedly emtied the farm system with nothing to show for it.. he needs to go.
"nothing to show for it"
Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, three playoff appearances, two best records in baseball, and a NL championship say "Hi".
Also, after not trading a key prospect in two years and drafting well this year, I keep hearing the system will be ranked in the middle of the pack somewhere, not far from where it was when he got it (10-12th).
A GM in a place like KC has to be innovative and think outside the box.
You have no other choice.
Ruben just sits here and signs all the old guys long term.
You cant do that in KC.
Ruben sucks compared to any GM.
Jimmy Rollins with his .307 on base and .650 OPS is hitting first again tonight.
I don't think some of you understand how miserable that is.
Ricky Henderson who played till he was 44 and had over 13,300 carried a .401 career on base.
At the age of 44 with a .208 batting average in 84 plate appearences his on base was .321 by far his career low.
Its unacceptable having Rollins hitting 6th or higher.
Don't know if its Charlies fault or Rubens. I tend to think it is a organizational disconnect.
Until these disconnects are changed and Ruben is fired there is no hope.
I always hate to look back in hindsight, but I think it's pretty clear that the organization made the wrong decision by going with heritage and lineage over experience and results. Arbuckle was ranked 3rd best potential GM by Baseball America in 2003…where was RAJ ranked? Arbuckle obviously had an eye for young talent and would have kept the farm system well-stocked! I can't lay all the blame at RAJ's feet but certainly a lot of it!!
Who cares how Baseball America ranked the two. I don't think anyone on their staff actually participated in any Phils Front Office discussions, so they wouldn't really know just how either candidate rated when actual contract details or trade scenarios were being hashed out by Gillick, Amaro, Arbuckle, and the general scouting staff. I'm sure they weren't in there to see just how ideas were presented or argued by the respective people in there.
Only the ownership group would have FULL knowlege of how either GM candid handled various situations or interacted with others on staff.
I think, therefore, I'm going to take those potential GM rankings with a grain of salt. I also think that management probably knew more than anyone else just who would be the best man for the Phils' job. They hired Amaro. I'll go along with that. There's absolutely no way to know if Arbuckle would have been any better; even if he's fine in KC, it's not the same situation there, so you can't even use that as a valid comparison.
This has been the problem since 2008. The team has had a downward spiral since because their scouting on players, ours and the other teams' players evaluations have not been accurate since. Amaro's evaluation and use of talent has been horrendous. Also, I don't think we have the right coaching for the young players on the farm. 3/4 of our MLB infield is now road blocked for the next 3-4 years with players who are declining, (Howard, Utley, Rollins) and two of the positions we have semi-promising younger talent that COULD HAVE moved up into (Ruf 1B, Hernandez 2B). Ruf will not work out in the OF, and Hernandez will be a stretch in CF. Amaro was fooled into giving Howard that contract because of what the thought of the 1B market might be, he thought he was buying low. Problem was that Howard was 30, and is big and lumbering, which means injuries are going to be more frequent and intense than if he was a smaller dude. Look at him, Pujols and even Miggy Cabrera – all at least 6'4″ and 240lbs….all with nagging injuries
The question of whether a different GM would have done better is unanswerable. I assume that if Amaro is canned, then his assistant Scott Proefrock would become the GM. Are all you folks that have been excoriating Amaro happy with that? Would you bring in the GM of the Mets, Nationals or Brewers if they were available. Have they done any better?


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Today, Acting Assistant Secretary George Sheldon welcomes Tribal leaders for an agency-wide Tribal Consultation on issues and policies involving the Administration for Children and Families programs. Tribal leaders will participate both in person, and for the first time virtually either from ACF Regional Offices or Tribal Administrative offices.
According to the ACF Tribal Consultation policy, the agency will conduct timely, respectful, meaningful, and effective two-way communication and consultation with Tribes. ACF has planned this consultation as a way for Tribes to provide input on multiple program offices at one time, thereby saving money and resources by allowing Tribes to meet with federal officials from the various offices at one time and place. We hope the ability to participate virtually also enables more Tribes to participate.
Several ACF offices have planned program-specific consultation both before and after the day and a half long event in order to have longer, more in-depth conversations about planned changes to programmatic or administrative policy, or to get input on proposed legislation. For example, the Office of Child Care will host consultation on the proposed changes to the Child Care Development Fund regulations and the Administration for Native Americans will ask for input on reauthorization of the Native American Programs Act.
Last year we reported that one request ACF was considering was the creation of an ACF Tribal Advisory Council (Council). The role of the Council will be to advise Acting Assistant Secretary Sheldon on ACF Programs and Policies and they relate to Tribes. The first ever meeting of the Council is happening before and after ACF Tribal Consultation this week on July 8 and July 11. This new ACF-TAC will better inform ACF leadership and provide an avenue for ongoing dialogue on substantive issues impacting children and families in Tribal communities. The Council is an enhancement to the Tribal consultation process, but does not take the place of consultation.
We look forward to our continuing partnership with Tribes to meet the ACF vision of children, youth, families, individuals and communities who are resilient, safe, healthy, and economically secure.
Lillian Sparks, a Lakota woman of the Rosebud and Oglala Sioux Tribes, is the commissioner of the Administration of Native Americans. Sparks was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the commissioner on March 3, 2010, and was sworn in on March 5, 2010. She has devoted her career to supporting the educational pursuits of Native American students, protecting the rights of indigenous people, and empowering tribal communities.

subset: commoncrawl


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By Helena Rodriguez: Freedom Newspapers
A new coalition of more than 100 evangelical Christian organizations is finally stepping up to say what the Catholic church has been saying all along: Show compassion for our neighbors, the weak, and the alien.
According to the New York Times, evangelical leaders are making increasingly visible efforts to push for what they call a more humane immigration policy. This is in keeping with biblical scriptures of showing compassion for our neighbors, the weak, and the alien.
Perhaps they were moved to speak up after seeing televised images of peaceful protesters being shot at with rubber bullets by Los Angeles police during a May Day immigration rally?
CNN's Lou Dobbs says religion and politics shouldn't mix, when it comes to the Catholic church and immigration anyway. Why doesn't he say this about abortion and other churches' involvement with as much vehemence?
As much as we may try to politicize the immigration issue, anyone who calls themself a Christian must make it an issue of humanity first. So although this group of evangelicals are late getting into the game, better late than never. Perhaps the timing was right.
This Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform asked Congress on Monday to pass bills to strengthen our border controls, which I agree are needed. But they also asked to give illegal immigrants ways to gain legal residency, and most importantly, to stop the needless and inhumane splitting of families.
Members of the Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform include the Mennonite Church U.S.A., and the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. Supporters include Dr. Joel C. Hunter, pastor of a megachurch in Florida, and Sammy Mah, president of World Relief, a group affiliated with the National Association of Evangelicals. The Rev. Joel Osteen, whose television ministry reaches millions, is also speaking out for "compassionate changes."
The Rev. Jim Wallis, president of a liberal evangelical group, Call to Renewal, says, "Immigration, for us, is a religious issue, a biblical issue. We call it welcoming the stranger."
While churches risk taking a position their members may not agree with, John Green, a senior fellow at the Pew Forum said, "Given the efforts that evangelicals have been making to reach out to Asians and Hispanic immigrants, if they remain silent, they are great risks as well."
Cardinal Roger Mahony has been an outspoken advocate for the humane treatment of immigrants since his 1962 ordination. In a letter to President Bush, he quoted Matthew 25:31-46: "Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father … For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me …'
"Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you …'
"And the king will say in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'"


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4/26/06 at Yankee Stadium
Game time was 7:05pm.
The stadium opened at 5:05pm.
I was there at 4pm, and this was the view right before the #4 train pulled into 161st Street…
I don't get nervous anymore at Shea Stadium. My heart might beat a little quicker as the gates open, but it's more adrenaline than anxiety because I know that I won't be going home empty-handed. Even though I'd snagged at least one ball at each of my last 97 Yankee games, there were plenty of times–21 to be exact–when I'd only snagged one. There's no guarantee at Yankee Stadium. The average attendance is 50,000, and it's almost impossible to get to the dugouts. On top of that, Yankee fans are savages.
I was the first fan to enter the ballpark, and I raced through the concourse and runway and into the right field seats. With a huge crowd behind me, I knew I'd only have the section to myself for a few seconds, so I quickly looked for loose balls.
A minute later, the narrow aisle behind the outfield wall was nearly full. The batter hit a ball to the warning track. Yankees pitcher Ron Villone started walking over, and everyone jostled for position. Villone flipped up the ball without looking. Everybody else reached. I jumped and plucked it out of the air with my bare hand.
"Next one you steal," said the man on my right, "you're goin' over the edge."
The next one I stole was from the Yankees. Bernie Williams was taking fungos in right field and missed an in-between hop. The ball rolled to the wall, and I got it with my glove trick. Less than a minute later, I caught a Johnny Damon homer.
This was fun.
I had to wait for the opportune moment to sit down and label my last two balls. If I'd labeled the first one right away, I would've missed the Damon homer.
"Excuse me," said another man. "Weren't you just on TV on the Mets channel?"
"Yeah, that's me!"
"Hey listen," he said, "I'm here with my kids. Can you give them some tips on how to get balls?"
"Uh, well, I'm kinda busy right now…but if you go to MLBlogs.com, your kids can check out my blog and read about everything I do at games. It's called 'The Baseball Collector'."
"YOU'RE the baseball collector?!" another fan asked.
"Yeah. That's me." And so it went…
I ended up posing for a photograph with the father and his kids. No one asked for my autograph.
I used the glove trick again for ball #4, then ducked into the runway for a moment to coil up my string. The overall fan noise suddenly cranked up a notch, so I looked up, and sure enough, a ball was flying over my head. It landed behind me in the runway and bounced 50 feet away into the concourse, and I was already on the move. I was sure that some lucky stiff who happened to be passing by at THAT moment would end up with the ball…
…but the concourse was empty! The ball ricocheted off a garbage against the back wall, and I was all over it.
A policeman poked his head out around a corner.
"Sorry," I said. "Didn't mean to disrupt the peace, but I had to get the ball."
The policeman shrugged.
Back in the seats, I came close to several home runs. On one of them–a rocket by Hideki Matsui–I raced through the aisle and reached up and to my right to make the grab when some monster of a fan stuck up his glove at the last second and caught the ball six inches in front of me. That hurt.
The Devil Rays took the field, and Jonny Gomes promptly started tossing one ball after another into the crowd. The fans dropped one of them onto the warning track, and Gomes left it there. Glove trick! Ball number six! (Every time I used the trick, a swarm of fans asked me how I did it. I answered as quickly as possible and told everyone to read my blog.)
Gomes hadn't seen me use the trick, so I was able to get another ball from him two minutes later. I was at the far end of the section, close to the bleachers in straight-away right field. Gomes underhanded the ball from about 50 feet away, and I could tell right away that it was going to fall short. I jumped up, hung halfway over the slanted concrete ledge, reached way down over the wall (into that alley type area where the ambulances park) and made the catch. That was number seven.
Moments later, I would've had an easy chance to use the glove trick again from that corner spot, but a fan had quickly taken that spot when I stepped away, and he wouldn't let me in.
"You're NOT gonna let me in?!"
"I don't like you. You're annoying. Go away."
(And YOU, sir, look like you should be the bouncer at a HeII's Angels social club, except you're too ugly.)
I went away…and used my glove trick elsewhere.
Then I used it again.
And again.
And again.
I couldn't believe that NO ONE else had their own trick.
I couldn't believe that security had no problem with mine.
I couldn't believe that every time a ball rolled to the wall, the Devil Rays just left it there.
I couldn't believe that I had just broken my one-day Yankee Stadium record with 11 balls.
I'm ashamed to admit that I had two balls hit my glove in the last few minutes of BP. One was a homer. The other was tossed. I dropped the balls because it was CROWDED, and other people's gloves smacked into mine. But I was still pissed. Really pissed. I mean, to be THAT close and not come up with those balls–and at a time when every ball would've added to my record…
I hadn't gotten to label my last four balls because I'd gotten them all so quickly. I put the first of the four into my right pants pocket, the second in the left, the third in my right jacket pocket, and the fourth in the left. I don't think I've ever been four balls behind, but because of my pocket pattern, I was able to remember which ball was which and write the appropriate numbers on them after BP.
The grounds crew did their thing, and eventually, half a dozen D'Rays came out to run and stretch. If I could've gotten down to the dugout, I would've gotten a ball from Tomas Perez, but instead, I had to go all the way down the 3rd base line, where there wasn't much action. I did, however, get five autographs: Nick Green, Ty Wigginton, and Jonny Gomes on that day's ticket stub…Carl Crawford on an Orioles-Devil Rays stub from last year…and Joey Gathright on a Yankees-Devil Rays stub from 2004.
Earlier in the day, I'd been thinking about sitting near the foul pole in the right field upper deck. It'd been empty there the night before, and I was willing to lower my odds of getting a game ball in exchange for having that potential ball be a home run. But now that I had a record in progress, I didn't care what kind of ball I got. I just wanted ONE more ball to extend my record and undo the pain and sorrow from having missed those two balls at the end of BP. Naturally, I decided to go for foul balls. I just had to pick a side of the stadium. First base for righties? Third base for lefties? At Yankee Stadium, there's no running back and forth. It's too crowded, and security is too strict, so I paid close attention as the starting lineups were announced and counted the lefties on both teams…Carl Crawford, Tomas Perez, Travis Lee, Joey Gathright, Johnny Damon, Jason Giambi, Hideki Matsui, Jorge Posada, Robinson Cano, and Bubba Crosby. That was 10. That meant there were only eight righties. There'd be more foul balls hit to the 3rd base side, so I chose a seat on that side of home plate, just behind the main aisle.
It was a good spot, not only because a foul tip could come right to me, but also because the facade of the press level was directly above me. If a foul ball were to shoot 40 feet over my head, it might hit the facade and drop straight down. This was my view…
In the first inning, several foul tips came close enough that I had reason to jump out of my seat and race down the aisle–but they weren't close enough. Still, I knew it was gonna be a good night. Seth McClung, the 6'6″, 250-pound starter for the Devil Rays, was throwing gas. (An hour and a half later, on his 103rd pitch of the game, he hit 98mph.)
In the bottom of the 2nd, Cano fouled off a couple pitches to work the count to 2-2. Normally, I sit on the edge of my seat in anticipation, but before this next pitch, I just felt something. I can't really describe it. All I can say is that I knew he was going to hit one my way.
And he did.
It was like some weird sixth-sense thing. The ball flew 40 feet over my head, hit the facade, and dropped right into the aisle. I would've caught it on the descent, but my path to the aisle was blocked by a couple of vendors. (I couldn't predict THAT.) The whole event seemed to play out in slow motion–I knew where the ball was going and watched helplessly, blocked by these vendors, as it floated to the ground. To everyone else, it must've seemed like the ball shot back and slammed down in the blink of an eye because no one else was even out of their seats. Luckily, when the ball hit the concrete aisle and bounced back up, it clipped the back of the seats in front of me and settled at my feet. I had my 12th ball of the day.
"Nice catch!" said a lady who passed by moments later.
"Well, actually, I didn't CATCH it."
"Oh, you weren't the one that caught that foul ball?"
"No–oh, nevermind. Thank you."
The fan across the staircase asked to see the ball, so I handed it over.
"You know," he said, "they rub up these balls with mud."
"Yeah, Lena Blackburne Rubbing Mud. All professional teams use it. Secret ingredients. Comes from a tributary of the Delaware River in Southern New Jersey."
"How do you know that!" he demanded.
The fan behind me asked about the ball, then about me, and I briefly told him about my collection.
"You should be on TV," he said.
I really thought I was going to get another foul ball. It was only the 2nd inning, and the game was crawling along. McClung was throwing lots of pitches. "More opportunities for me," I thought, but nothing else came my way.
I really wanted the Yankees to lose. I mean, I pretty much always want them to lose, but it was especially important on this night. After games, it's always easier to get a ball at the visiting team's dugout–that is, if the visiting team wins–so I was bummed when Gary Sheffield tied the game at 2-2 with a two-run homer in the bottom of the 5th…and that's how the score remained through nine innings.
I love Mariano Rivera. He's one of the few Yankees that I will absolutely never EVER root against, but let's just say that I didn't exactly mind when the Devil Rays scored two runs off him in the top of the 10th.
In the bottom of the frame, Posada drew a leadoff walk, Cano and pinch hitter Bernie Williams struck out, and Damon walked. Mr. Clutch–that would be Derek Jeter–then followed with a single to load the bases and bring up Sheffield. It was very exciting. Two outs. Bottom of the 10th. Bases loaded. Tying run in scoring position. Shawn Camp on the mound?! Almost didn't seem like a fair matchup. I was all set for Sheff to end my night with a three-run double to left-center, but instead, he grounded out to Wiggy at 3rd base. Game over.
I bolted down the steps toward the dugout, fighting my way past the dozens of fans who were making their way out. (Silly people.) The Devil Rays gathered near the mound, slapped hands, bumped fists, patted each other's arses, and made their way back.
No balls.
But wait!
The unused relief pitchers were slowly making their way in from the bullpen. At some ballparks, they go from the 'pen to the clubhouse via the underground concourse, but in the Bronx, they just walk across the field. Finally, Yankee Stadium was doing something for me.
The seats behind the dugout were nearly empty by the time Scott Dunn approached. Actually, I didn't know it was him at the time, and I wasn't sure if he even had a ball, so I made a generic request. It worked. He did, indeed, have a ball tucked inside his glove, and he tossed it to me. THIRTEEN!
A couple of tourists asked me to take their picture. I asked them to wait one minute because I saw a couple more guys coming in from the bullpen. I had no idea who they were…until I remembered what my ball-snagging friend Dan (a.k.a. "drosenda" for those of you who read the comments) had told me earlier in the day:
"Head to the bullpen, and ask Tampa Bay bullpen coach Bobby Ramos (#7) for a ball in Spanish. He is short, squatty mexican dude if he has his warmup over his number."
Yes! It was Ramos!
"Bobby!! Bobby!!" I shouted as he approached the dugout. He looked up, pulled a ball out of his back pocket and flipped it to me.
I took a pic of the tourists, then handed them my camera and ran down to the first row and help up my final ball…
What a day. I take back everything bad that I said about Yankee Stadium. (Okay, almost everything.)
• 14 balls = a new one-day record for Yankee Stadium, breaking my old high of 10 on May 10, 2005.
• 33 balls in 4 games this season = 8.25 balls per game.
• 431 consecutive games with at least one ball
• 57 consecutive games with at least two balls
• 56 lifetime games with at least 10 balls
• 90 lifetime game balls
• 8 consecutive seasons with at least one game ball
• 2,785 total balls moves me into 44th place on the all-time hits list ahead of Andre Dawson (2,774). Next up is George Sisler (2,812).
33 Comments
Nice! Maybe security has been lighter this year for the Yanks. You should go back again if that is so.
And thanks! Not sure about security, but yes, I'm excited to go back…
see when i said 4, i knew the last digit would be a "4"
and i did call that jonny gomes auto
Sweet uve got the greatest luck!!! You should definitly go back for more!!!
The Cano foul is the amazing part.
You're a regular celebrity now eh? That show was some nice RP. Oh also, congrats on the amazing yankee day. Really, its like 20 balls, considering the stadium. Give yourself a pat on the back.
good job Zack…
ok I'm watching the Red Sox-Indians game on ESPN2 right now and I saw a great catch by a fan…
1st base line… even with the outfield, ball is slicing towards the warning track and the fan almost dives out of the stands and catches the ball as he is falling onto the field. But his friends pull him back just as he is about to fall… I just thought I'd share that, it was fun to watch
By the way: Johan Santana recorded his first win today! Yay
By By the way: I got Seth McClung's auto on an extra baseball on opening day this year. Nice guy.
looking at your pictures…zack is a ladies man
You DID call that autograph. Very nice. I'll never doubt you again…but I'm not sure I can give you credit for getting just one of the digits right in my ball total. :-)
As for the "ladies man," factor, I won't claim to be Mister Stud, but it's always funny when those idiot radio hosts interview me and then make fun of me for being a big dork. I'm always tempted to say: "Um, actually, I probably get more than both of you guys combined." Hmm, maybe next time I WILL say that.
Thanks so much. I hope to make it back soon. I also hope to answer your email within the next 24 hours. Just been REALLY busy…
Thanks. It did feel pretty darn good when all that planning paid off.
No, I'm not a REAL celebrity. Like I said, no one asked for my autograph. But it's nice to get a little recognition every now and then, and it's even nicer when that recognition can then help younger fans to get some baseballs for themselves.
I was watching the Yankees game, so I missed the great catch by the fan, unfortunately. But man, that sounds amazing. Maybe it was good enough to make it on SportsCenter? Cool about McClung. He was in his own world last night, you know, to get ready to pitch, so I didn't have any contact with him.
That's too bad… he was really friendly on opening day, I talked to him for a while about the new manager, Joe Maddon. Seth says he likes Joe a lot. Although, when I asked him who he likes better, Sweet Lou or Joe, he had no comment and just smiled… I ended up getting Maddon to sign on the sweet spot, so hopefully it will be worth something one day when Maddon leads the Devil Rays to the AL East title!
Is your all time goal 4,257 balls?
AL East title? Uhh….
Very cool that you got to talk to McClung in depth. I don't blame him for refusing to name his favorite manager. That could get him in serious trouble.
I would love to catch Rose someday, and I'm willing to bet that I'll succeed. It's not my ultimate goal, though. It's just something far off to shoot for, but once I get there, I have no doubt that I'll keep going. How about 5,000 balls? Now THAT would be something.
Realistically… I give Maddon until the All-Star break.
5,000 balls would be amazing. You would need an entire room devoted to storing baseballs, though. It could be another 10 years until you get to 5,000… do you plan on doing this into your late 30s and into your 40s? Would players still give balls to you after that long? They would have to start recognizing you, at least in New York.
Yeah, I'm sure it would take at least another decade to reach 5K. At some point, I have to slow down, right? Or maybe not. I WOULD like to have season tickets someday and attend all 81 home games (of whatever team…probably the Mets), so who knows. Maybe it won't take that long after all. I hope I'm still collecting balls when I'm in my 90s. I mean, as long as I'm alive, I'll love baseball, and as long as I love baseball, I'll attend games, and as long as I'm attending games, I might as well bring my glove and show up early for BP. Players change teams and generally have bad memories. I'm not concerned about that. Someday, I hope to get charity balls by being the OLDest fan.
Psh, slow down?! You aren't even in your prime yet! Barry Bonds didn't hit his "prime" until he was 37!
Ahh, but don't forget…
That's when Bonds started using flaxseed oil.
That's when Bonds *unknowingly* started using flaxseed oil.
Right. Let's not leave out that important "fact."
Dude.. how? how in the world did you get that many balls in that game? I was at that game, in fact I'm in new york this week and have been in Yankee stad all week. I had awesome seats, 4 rows behind the Yankees dugout. I tried my best getting a ball, but I couldnt attend BP and got shut out all game long. I'll e-mail you pics of the game I took when I get home saturday. Awesome day!
Beyond the 2,509 words that I wrote about the game, I can't explain it. The glove trick certainly helped, but beyond that, it was just a matter of knowing the stadium and the players' tendencies and planning carefully and trying to stay several steps head of everyone else. It doesn't always work quite this well…this was just one of those days…and yet I'm kind of disappointed because I feel like I should've had 20 balls.
But YOU…four rows behind the dugout and still nothing? What about all the balls that the Yankee fielders tossed into the crowd after 3rd outs?
Send me some pics. I'd love to see what The Stadium looks like from the fancy seats.
I'm glad I could get you the hookup for #14. Like you needed my help, my goodness, what a day.
I do remember a day like that for me last year, at the AA All-Star game in Frisco when I got 10 balls. Everything goes your way. That day, a dude threw me a ball while I was waiting outside of the stadium!
Glad you had a good day, and glad I could help.
OH, did you use your Spanish with Bobby? Probably didn't need to, he was amazed anyone knew a .190 lifetime hitter!
You totally get the assist on that one. Thank you! I'm not sure if I would've gotten the ball if I hadn't known his name. It's possible that I would've, but knowing who it was basically guaranteed it. No Spanish necessary. I shouted his first name, and that was it. I remember your account of the Double-A All-Star Game, and you're right. Sometimes, you go to the ballpark and EVERYthing seems to work out (although I *still* feel like I should've—or at least could've—caught 20 balls).
Zack –
Re your writing in one response to this blog…
"It doesn't always work quite this well…this was just one of those days…and yet I'm kind of disappointed because I feel like I should've had 20 balls."
…and in another…
"Sometimes, you go to the ballpark and EVERYthing seems to work out (although I "still" feel like I should;ve—or at least could've—caught 20 balls.)"
… you conquered Yankee Stadium, completed a feat millions of fans can barely even dream about, and, by your own admisssion, enjoyed a great day at a ballgame doing something you love. Maybe you should think about this the way one must think about life: some of it's positive, some not. To achieve maximum happiness, it's probably wise to focus on the positive and let the other stuff go.
Bottom line: you done good, You Da Man! Embrace it!
Yes, I suppose that's one way to look at it, but I prefer Mike Schmidt's way:
"I'm never satisfied. I can't stand satisfaction. To me, greatness comes from that quest for perfection."
lol…im sure that will go over well
kids clubhouse is on now so im gonna check it out
"Ahh, but don't forget…
That's when Bonds started using flaxseed oil."
Well then Zack, looks like you're gonna have to catch up with Greg Anderson after he is done being on trial with the Grand Jury. Good luck on the rest of the season.
Zack-just saw it. it was pretty sweet. your dad is so cool.
amanda is pretty good looking. too bad shes not in your age group
I missed myself on TV today…and I've been home all afternoon. Duh. I'm glad you got to see it. Both of my parents are cool, though my dad tends to steal the show. I'm not going to agree or disagree with you about Amanda. if I say she's good looking, that makes me a perv. If I say she's not good looking, that just makes me rude. So…yeah. The end.
I'll never touch the stuff. I want to keep living asterisk-free.
excellent work at yankees stadium zach! man do the fans just get dumber or dumber, u got a lot of easy catches. congrats for the 14 cathes. anyway what was the attendence. and im gonne go to a few angels-red sox and angels-yankees games at edison field. hoping to catch another foul ball. ttyl
Hey. Thanks.
The attendance was 35,642…the lowest so far this season. (What a coincidence!)
The dumbest thing about the Yankee fans was that they were booing A-Rod all night long. The guy might go down as the greatest player of all time, and he's the reigning American League MVP…and he goes 0-for-4 and gets booed because he left a few guys in scoring position. Unbelievable! Everyone who booed him should be banned from Yankee Stadium.
Anyway, good luck at the Ed. Let me know how it goes. (And don't boo Vladdy.)
Just found out that in this game, the Yankees became the first team in 52 years to draw 14 walks and score just two runs.
I witnessed HISTORY, baby!!!


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Ghaffar Hamidzay
Ghaffar Hamidzay, founder of Afghan Saffron, stands in a field of the plant before harvest.
Published at 11:50 a.m. ET: Afghan exports of pricey saffron jumped by 14 percent in 2012, with the crops squeezing out opium poppy production in parts of the war-torn country, according to government statistics.
In the Western province of Herat, 90 percent of the former poppy farmers have switched to growing the pungent and yellow spice, according to the Afghan Ministry of Counter Narcotics.
Saffron has helped turned Ghaffar Hamidzay, 28, into a successful businessman, with his exports ballooning since he set up Afghan Saffron in 2001 after the fall of the Taliban.
"In the beginning, we exported 50 to 60 kilos (110 to 132 pounds) a year. Now we export 1.5 to 2 tons," said the owner of Afghan Saffron, which now employs 5,000 people. "When we first started the business, saffron sold for $200 to $250 per kilo. Today it is worth $1,500 to $1,600 per kilo."
The jump in saffron cultivation comes amid a concerted effort on the part of the government to cajole and force farmers to replace their opium crops. Still, Afghanistan produces more than 90 percent of the world's opium, and much of the revenue from that goes to fund the Taliban.
Majid Saeedi / Getty Images, file
A woman holds a stigma of crocus during the saffron harvest near the village of Goriyan in Herat in western Afghanistan.
Saffron has also proved a boost for smaller farmers such as Abdul Hassib, 35, who until recently planted poppy in his farm in Gozara, Herat.
"I used to sell [my saffron crop] for 70,000 Afghanis ($1,400) per kilo," said the father of nine. "Now I sell it for 100,000 Afghanis ($2,000)."
One reason for the switch was that poppy is a lot harder to grow, Hassib said. Besides, he makes more money from saffron, he added.
Related: Photos: Saffron replacing heroin?
As a comparison, a policeman in Afghanistan earns around $150 a month.
While saffron production is booming, problems still dog the nascent industry.
"We are trying our best to make Herat poppy-free, but we have a lot of problems with neighboring countries," said Zabullah Dayen, an adviser at the Ministry of Counter Narcotics, referring to neighboring Iran, which is the world's leading saffron exporter.
Many of Afghanistan's saffron producers believe neighboring Iran -- one of the world's leading producers of the spice -- is trying to destabilize their market to crush competition.
Farmers switching to saffron from poppy are also not very popular with the Taliban. According to local reports saffron farmers have been threatened and told to switch back.
However in Herat, Hamidzay said he's had no complaints of harassment. The province is relatively stable compared with Helmand and Uruzgan in the south, where much of the country's poppy is grown.
"I'd like to request the Ministry of Counter Narcotics to do more work to convince farmers in those provinces to cultivate saffron instead," he said.
Afghanistan could be well on its way to fulfilling the wishes of Hamidzay and other saffron farmers. In 2011, the United States spent $1.4 million buying Afghan saffron, more than any other Afghan export, according to the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries.


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An informational briefing Thursday by the Department of Land and Natural Resources will help the state agency determine if water-propelled jet packs should be regulated beyond current administrative rules.
DLNR Director William Aila said jet packs were initially classified as personal water craft, but two weeks ago, the high-flying platforms were deemed thrill craft by the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation.
The new designation means jet packs used in commercial operations must follow the same rules and regulations as Jet Skis and other thrill craft at 10 Ocean Recreation Management Areas across the state.
"Any operating outside of the thrill craft area, the designated ORMA area, will be dealt with," said Aila. "That's what we do in the short term."
But in the long term, Aila says DOBOR may be forced to consider new administrative rules if jet packs are found to be harming marine life, or disrupting other ocean activities.
Even more worrisome for critics of the emerging technology, are flyboards, which allow riders to stand on small platforms while performing aerial acrobatics or diving below the surface of the water.
Randy Awo, chief of the Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement, played a promotional YouTube video of flyboards that showed a rider launching off a dock in Kahana Bay and giving a woman a ride near Haleiwa Small Boat Harbor, both illegal under existing ORMA rules.
"We currently see violations of our rules and regulations occurring, and in addition to that, what we see as unsafe operational practices," said Awo. "Barely missing coral heads, giving very little heed or attention to what may be below them and what may be in and around them as well."
University of Hawaii professor and director of Kewalo Marine Laboratory, Dr. Bob Richmond, testified the effects of jet packs and flyboards on fish and coral that spawn in near shore waters is unknown. However, he speculated larvae sucked into the pumps of thrill craft would not likely survive.
"So, the question is how many fish larvae and coral larvae are being pulled through these machines and being pumped through?" said Richmond. "It's very hard to make good decisions without good information, and I think that's where we are right now."
The only commercial operator of water-propelled jet packs on Oahu agreed more scientific study is needed, but he urged Aila not to react impulsively. Jeffrey Krantz of Seabreeze Watersports LLC has been utilizing JetLev technology at Maunalua Bay for the past two years.
"Obviously, we can't just say we're going to close our business based on somebody's expression, you know what they feel," said Krantz. "If we have some scientific evidence, things like that, we'd like to work with the department, and we've made that very clear with I think most people."
Kevin Delaney, who is developing a type of flyboard in Santa Cruz, Calif. called Hydroflyer, said the technology is safer than Jet Skis or other thrill craft.
"A normal Jet Ski goes 70 miles an hour," said Delaney. "These things are barely chugging along at not even five, and they can only operate in a 60-foot circle."
At the conclusion of the briefing, Aila told reporters DLNR would include Jet Skis in its review of jet backs and fly boards, and if new administrative rules are needed, the process could take nine to 18 months.
"We have to take a look at what the potential impacts are and try to get some codification of those potential impacts, and then adjust our rules accordingly," said Aila.
Those who testified at the briefing held a broad range of views on how jet packs, fly boards and Jet Skis should be regulated.
Carl Jennings, an akule fisherman from Waianae, said only law enforcement and first responders should utilize thrill craft, while Lisa Hatzenbuhler of The Watercraft Connection in Haleiwa, said flyboards should be banned for recreational users. Mike Sur, of the group Malama Maunalua, urged DLNR to send all thrill craft further offshore.
Aila said a decision on whether the department would seek new administrative rules to govern the use of jet packs and fly boards would take about two months.
A Big Island company, Water Jetpack Academy, is also operating the jet backs, while another company on Maui has applied for a permit.


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College News
St. John Fisher College Honors Local Communications Professionals at the Jack Palvino Excellence in Communications Awards Gala
St. John Fisher College School hosted the Jack Palvino Excellence in Communications Awards Gala earlier tonight, honoring six local professionals in the communications industry. Dr. Donald Bain, St. John Fisher College President, and Jack Palvino were there to recognize the winners and present each with their award. Rich Funke, who retired from News10NBC at the end of 2012, received the Jack Palvino Lifetime Achievement Award, the night's highest honor.
Funke attended Adelphi University, where he played quarterback and received his bachelor's degree in Business. While at Adelphi, he joined the University's radio station, fell in love with the broadcasting business, and landed a summer job as a disc jockey at his hometown radio station, WBTA in Batavia. By the time he was a senior in college, he was working fulltime at the Long Island Radio News Network.
After college, Funke joined WHAM Radio and wound up being the first reporter on the scene at the Attica Prison Riots in 1971. In 1972, he was named News Director at WAXC Radio, and, in 1974, he became Sports Director at News10NBC.
In 1980, he left Rochester to join WTVJ in Miami, but missed the quality of life Rochester has to offer and returned a year later. He stayed at News10NBC from that point on. In 2005, he left the sports desk to become primary anchor of the evening news at 5:00, 6:00, 7:00, and 11:00 p.m.
Funke has covered numerous national events, including Final Fours, Superbowls, and the five-year anniversary of 9/11. He has won a variety of awards, including a Florida Emmy Award, numerous sportscaster of the year awards in New York State, and an Edward R. Murrow Award for Best TV Newscast. Additionally, he has done play-by-play for the Rochester Knighthawks and Amerks, along with local college and high school football and basketball during his career.
In the community, Funke has devoted his time to Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong, where he has co-hosted the annual telethon since its inception. He has also served on the boards of Cancer Action and Ronald McDonald House, and hosts a monthly radio show for Camp Good Days and Special Times.
Funke is a member of the Frontier Field Walk of Fame, the Section 5 Football and Basketball Halls of Fame, and the Chase Scholarship Basketball Tournament Hall of Fame.
After 35 years in the broadcasting industry, Funke retired in 2012. He is enjoying retirement, spending time with his wife of 40 years, Patricia, and his seven grandchildren.
Other award winners were: Ray Martino'71, Media Gold Award in Public Relations and Advertising; James Redmond '79, Media Gold Award in Corporate Public Relations; Evan Dawson, Media Gold Award in Journalism; Todd Clausen, Media Gold Award in New & Social Media; and Shannon Lappin '08, Rising Star Award.
Jack Palvino '55 with award winner Ray Martino '71.
Martino '71 graduated from Fisher with a B.A. degree in economics, but he knew he wanted to pursue a career in communications. And over the past four decades, he has done just that. Martino earned a master's degree in public communications at S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, worked as an administrator and instructor at Fisher and the University of Rochester, and started several businesses. Today, he is a partner at Martino Flynn, LLC, a full-service regional marketing agency based in Rochester.
Martino is active in professional and community organizations, including: American Association of Advertising Agencies (Regional Board Member), Public Relations Society of America-Rochester Chapter, Literacy Volunteers of Rochester (Vice President of the Board), and Rochester Press-Radio Club.
In 2007, he was the recipient of the PRSA Rochester Chapter's Sharleen M. Bruse Award, which is given to a PRSA member who epitomizes the integrity and professionalism of a public relations practitioner. Recipients are also very involved in community service, and routinely help advance the career development of other chapter members.
Martino and his wife, Jeannie, have two adult children, Andrew and Olivia, and a grandson, Henry.
Jack Palvino '55 with award winner Jim Redmond '79.
Redmond began his career in communications as a reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle. In 1983, he moved to television, serving WOKR-TV/NewsSource 13 for 15 years as a general assignment and investigative reporter.
In 1998, he joined BlueCross BlueShield as a public relations manager. His work would earn him expanding responsibilities, and he would serve as director of communications and regional vice president of communications. Since 2009, he has served as regional vice president of communications and community investments at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. He is responsible for developing and implementing communications strategies to protect and enhance the reputation of the largest health insurer in Rochester, as well as overseeing the allocation of donations and sponsorships to community organizations.
Redmond serves as board chair of the Rochester Genesee Regional Transit Authority and is a member of the North Greece Fire Department Exempts Association. He has been a member of the boards of the Rochester Catholic Press Association, the Greater Rochester Northwest YMCA, and has volunteered as a soccer coach and an announcer for Greece Cardinals Youth Football.
Dawson has been a reporter and anchor with 13WHAM News for ten years. He anchors 13WHAM News This Morning on 13WHAM and CW-WHAM (cable channel 16 and digital 13.2). He also reports for 13WHAM News throughout the day and at 13wham.com. Additionally, he acts as the Managing Editor and Finger Lakes Editor of the New York Cork Report, the two-time winner of the award for Best Single-Subject Wine Blog.
After growing up in the Cleveland area, Dawson attended Ohio University. He moved to Rochester in 2003 with his wife, who grew up on Keuka Lake.
He is passionate about several charities, and helps coordinate alumni contributions for YMCA Camp Onyahsa on Lake Chautauqua, where he helped run children's programs in his younger days. He is also passionate about travel, wine, and politics, which he blogs about for 13wham.com.
His first book, "Summer in a Glass," was published in 2012. It developed out of his passion for the local food and wine scene. It has achieved sales in every part of the country, a dozen overseas countries, and also won the 2012 Louis Roederer International Wine Book of the Year Award.
Dawson and his wife, Morgan, live in Perinton with their one-year old son, Rhys.
Jack Palvino '55 with award winner Todd Clausen.
Clausen is an editor with the Democrat and Chronicle, and has been recognized throughout his career with awards in reporting and design from The Associated Press, the New York State Press Association, and the New York Newspaper Publishers Association. Gannett also made Clausen one of its 50 scholarship recipients to attend the Online News Association conference in San Francisco last fall, and the Democrat and Chronicle has recognized him with its first ever Making Rochester Great Award for contributions to the community.
He also remains active in the community, and has volunteered in city and suburban schools, spoken at several local colleges, and helped raise funds for the West Webster Fire Department, the March of Dimes, Habitat for Humanity, United Way, and other community groups. He is also a high school and collegiate basketball official and a former high school football referee. Clausen also served on the Board of Directors of the Rochester Chapter of Certified Football Officials, and the Rochester District Board of Approved Basketball Officials (IAABO Board 60).
A graduate of Marquette University and Eastridge Senior High School, Clausen resides with his wife, Jennifer, and daughter, Bella, in Webster.
Jack Palvino '55 with award winner Shannon Lappin.
Lappin '08, is a public relations specialist at Manning and Napier, and provides strategic counsel, support, and guidance for the firm's external communications on the national, regional, and local levels.
She specializes in business-to-business, executive message development, and internal/corporate communications, using creative news solutions across multiple business units.
Prior to joining Manning and Napier, Lappin used her skills at Eric Mower and Associates (EMA), where she spearheaded a national media tour for the newly appointed CEO of Paychex, Inc.
When she was a Fisher student, Lappin honed her skills as an intern with Dixon Schwabl, Toshiba Business Solutions, and Text 100 Public Relations Consultancy. She was a contributing writer for Fisher's C-Magazine and served as vice president of the College's chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America.
Lappin is the president-elect of the Rochester Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, and a member of the community awareness advisory committee of Action for a Better Community. She also volunteers at Our Lady of Mercy School, offering guidance on the institution's marketing communications.
Check out photos from Move In Day 2016 on Flickr!
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The Walters Art Museum is open Thursdays until 9 p.m., Sponsored by BGE.
Date: Saturday, June 29, 2013–Sunday, August 11, 2013Every Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
Time: 10:00 AM–05:00 PMEvery Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
The Walters Art Museum and the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA) present the Janet and Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize Finalists Exhibition. Artists compete for top honors and a $25,000 fellowship in the Greater Baltimore area's most prestigious arts competition. Held in conjunction with Artscape (July 19–21), America's largest free arts festival, the finalists and semifinalists exhibitions are presented in partnership with the Walters and Maryland Institute College of Art.
Date: Saturday, July 6, 2013–Sunday, September 8, 2013Every Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
This exhibition of photographs by contemporary artist Gregory Vershbow explores the interactions of art objects within environments and circumstances ordinarily beyond public view. In storage facilities and conservation laboratories, and at monuments under restoration, Vershbow photographs art objects wrapped in plastic, protected by foam, nested in boxes and set in surprising juxtapositions with other objects from different eras.
Date: Saturday, July 6, 2013–Sunday, July 28, 2013
Time: 10:00 AM–03:00 PM
Marvel at Minimalism, get excited over Expressionism and delve into Dada! In celebration of hosting the special Janet and Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize exhibition this July, we will look toward the art stars of the 20th century for our inspiration. Add color, subtract graphite and stack paint to create your own gallery-worthy work!
Date: Saturday, July 13, 2013–Sunday, September 29, 2013Every Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
Today, medieval books are treated as works of art, untouchable treasures to be locked away in cabinets. Yet many were intended for regular use as vital components of everyday life for monks and nuns.
Date: Monday, July 15, 2013–Friday, July 19, 2013
Time: 09:00 AM–04:15 PM
Take a deep breath in the midst of our amazing Asian art collection this week. We will create calm and beautiful pieces of art inspired by nature. Together, we will move our bodies like bamboo in the breeze and dragons in the air. Learn about a variety of Asian traditions through stories and spark your imagination during a special camp tea ceremony. End the week by practicing yoga surrounded by original art created by our campers!
Time: 09:00 AM–12:30 PM
Create artwork inspired by natural elements found in our Asian art collection. Squish mud, splash water and touch the sky as we create original work of art in the studio. Discover the plants, animals, environments and legends depicted in Asian art – just watch out for the fire-breathing dragon!Campers will use sumi-e ink, clay and other art materials to depict the many fables and traditions that Asian art has to tell. We will end the week with a nature filled exhibition!


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Enjoy the outdoors with a hike on the Damascus Forest Trail
August 21, 2013 —
BEACH LAKE, PA — Join National Park Service Ranger Katherine Szupillo on a hike on the Damascus Forest Trail on Saturday, August 24. This easy two-mile hike will explore all that is to be found in the forests of northeastern Pennsylvania. The hike will begin at the Damascus Forest Trailhead at 10:30 a.m. The trailhead is located on MacCubbins Road, Beach Lake. Come enjoy and explore the outdoors, but be prepared with plenty of water, bug spray, and be sure to wear sturdy hiking boots.
Ranger Szupillo has worked for the National Park Service on the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River since 2009, and has a bachelors degree in Biological Sciences and Social Sciences from SUNY Buffalo.
The Damascus Forest Trail is one of six trails featured in the "Take a Hike!" brochure, which gives names, locations, descriptions, and difficulty levels of trails in the Upper Delaware River Valley. It also provides a checklist to keep track of the trails you've hiked, which can be turned in upon completion for a Take a Hike! patch.
This program is free of charge and all are welcome. To learn more about this program or other programs offered throughout the summer call 570/685-4871.


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Writer did not understandMay 14,2014
Writer did not understand
In a recent letter to the editor of The Times Argus, Patrick Cashman has accused VTDigger, and its nonprofit parent organization, the Vermont Journalism Trust, of managing its policy on political activity by news staff in an inappropriate manner. Cashman has misunderstood the wording of the policy and has asserted that it applies to all board members. Unfortunately, he has singled out board member Ina Smith for criticism, which is inappropriate and unfair to Smith, who is not covered by the policy in question. The policy states specific limitations on political activity by staff members and board members who are directly and actively involved in preparing VTDiggers news reports. Those staff members, such as business-side and support staff, who are not involved in preparing news reports are not covered. Likewise, board members who are not involved in news preparation, like Smith, are not covered.
This is a typical news organization policy on political activity, meant to insulate news reports from political influence. The only board member who plays a role in news preparation is myself, as chairman of the Ethics and Practices Committee. The role I play is to provide occasional editorial counsel to VTDiggers editor, Anne Galloway. For that reason, the policy on political activity does apply to me.
Patrick Cashman is one of the most frequent contributors to VTDiggers Comments section. We are very sorry he does not feel we dealt with him in a forthright manner. But his interpretation of our policy as applying to all board members, regardless of whether they are involved in the news report or not, is not correct.
Maxwell King
Vice president
The Vermont Journalism TrustMORE IN LettersA sixth-offense DUI gets plead down to a misdemeanor. A breathalyzer is refused. Full StoryBurr Morses recollection (Whats good for the goose, Nov. Full StoryMSNBC news analyst Rachel Maddows report on the election of Republican Rutherford B. Full Story
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Gemco Coins & Jewelry has been around for a quarter of a century — not an easy task in this industry.
You can choose from several places around Columbus to sell your gold, jewelry and collectibles — but only one place has been around for 25 years and will always be honest and fair with you.
"I truly want you to get the best price for your coins and jewelry, and I will show you exactly what your items are worth," said Gemco owner Greg Martin. "Not only do I show you what I will pay for it, I will also show you what I will sell the item for."
In the Tuesday edition of The Columbus Dispatch, Martin lists current prices he is offering for various items. You will not see any five-figure numbers, because coins worth tens of thousands of dollars are extremely rare.
"The prices are the lowest I am offering — not the highest — and the prices are starting points in most cases," Martin said. "Your items could be worth more, and if you bring them in we can determine the actual worth of your coins and jewelry."
That figure could change based on the market, because those numbers fluctuate — just like the stock market. For instance, a stock at 10 a.m. likely would have a different price at 4 p.m.
Examples of the types of jewelry Gemco buys include rings — especially class rings — necklaces, earrings, chains, bracelets and pocket watches — new or broken, used or unwanted. Martin is interested in your gold, silver, platinum and occasionally, costume jewelry. If you have a collectible not listed here, call or bring the item in to be appraised.
Regardless of what you have in your possession, you will find that you can get the best price for your jewelry and coins by taking them to Gemco.
"For years, customers have come in after being at multiple places and can't believe how much more I offer for their items," Martin said.
Gemco Coins & Jewelry is located at 5311 W. Broad St., in the Saxton Real Estate building,
just west of Norton Road. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Call (614)
878-COIN (2646). The prices for gold and silver may change, but not the level of trust or the
tremendous service you receive from Gemco. *Prices are subject to change due to market fluctuations.


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Ardmore resident Jamie Chadwin, coach of the U.S. youth division basketball team at Maccabiah, reflects on the road to victory.
UPDATE: The U.S. youth division basketball team, coached by an Ardmore resident, beat Israel in Sunday's gold medal match.
Futsal coach Michael Monheit and the 10 young men on his team pray for two sports miracles that would allow them to stay in the competition.
Team USA Fencing finished its Maccabiah competitions with record-setting results, including medals in all six team events for the junior division.
Reflections, photos and a little play-by-play from area athletes and coaches participating in the 19th World Maccabiah Games in Israel.More from this author


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We trust that as regular readers of our blog, you're familiar with Michelle, Tony and Richmond — our first three Moody scholars. So we'll forego the explanation of who they are and get right to the point.
Each one of them is going be in Colorado Springs very soon. And they'll actually all be here at the same time, which is a rare occurrence.
What this means to you is that we've grabbed a sizable block of their time so we can serve as a proxy interviewer on your behalf, kind of like we did with the Ask Wess series of blog posts. But this is going to be captured on video.
Let us know what questions you have for them as formerly sponsored children-cum-Leadership Development Program graduates, students at Moody Bible Institute and emerging Christian leaders, and we'll get you some answers.
We wanted to do this whole thing live, but the tool we are looking to use isn't cooperating — at least for now.
We'll choose the questions we ask from what you submit today and tomorrow.
P.S. If you're new to the blog, you can learn a little bit about Michelle, Tony and Richmond by using the tags below "read these related posts."


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A tribute long overdue
Pasadena needs a permanent educational facility to enshrine Jackie Robinson's place in our local and national history
By Peter Dreier 04/25/2013
Thanks to the new film "42," Jackie Robinson's ties to Pasadena are getting national attention. At the same time, the city government is putting resources into fixing up Robinson Park and expanding the Jackie Robinson Center on North Fair Oaks Avenue. Those two landmarks, along with the huge busts of Jackie and his older brother, Mack, in front of City Hall, help keep their memories alive in their hometown.
But this is not sufficient. There is no place in Pasadena where young people can learn about the Robinsons' upbringing and athletic exploits, or Jackie's odyssey as a sports pioneer and civil rights activist. There is no local site that documents the brothers' athletic triumphs at Muir High School and Pasadena Junior College (now Pasadena City College). Where in Pasadena can residents or tourists learn about Jackie's struggle against segregation as an Army officer in World War II, his brief career in the Negro Leagues, or the protests that broke baseball's color barrier? Where can they find out about the hardships Mack endured as a black member of the US team at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, which Adolf Hitler and the Nazis sought to use as a celebration of white supremacy?
Pasadena needs a Jackie Robinson Museum to make sure that the current and future generations of Pasadenans and visitors can learn not only about this American icon, but also about the local and national racism that Robinson confronted and fought to overcome.
In the Robinson brothers' youth, Pasadena's black residents (5 percent of the city in 1940) were second-class citizens; its movie theaters and municipal pool were segregated and blacks faced constant harassment from local police.
When Mack (1914-2000) returned from Berlin, where he won the silver medal in the 200-meter race (coming in fourth-tenths of a second behind Jesse Owens), he was not welcomed back as a local celebrity. "I looked forward to a hero's welcome," Mack recalled, "but the family greeted me and that was basically it." In 1937, he set a national junior college record in the broad jump (later broken by Jackie) and he won national collegiate and Amateur Athletic Union track titles at the University of Oregon the next year. But despite the fact that he had attended college and was a well-known athlete, the only job Mack could get when he returned to Pasadena was cleaning the city's streets and sewers.
In the 1940s, Mack joined an effort to push the city to desegregate the public swimming pool at Brookside Park (which was open to blacks only once a week, just before the water was changed). In 1944, after a judge ordered local officials to desegregate the pool, the city retaliated by firing its black employees, including Mack. He later became a truant officer at Muir High and fought to get the city to sponsor youth programs.
After two years at PCC, Jackie (1919-1972) attended UCLA, where he was its first four-sport athlete (football, basketball, track and baseball), twice led the Pacific Coast League in scoring in basketball, won the NCAA broad jump championship and was a football All-American. Many consider him America's greatest all-around athlete. During World War II, Jackie confronted racism when his superiors sought to keep him out of officer's candidate school. He eventually broke that barrier and became a second lieutenant. But in 1944, while assigned to a training camp at Fort Hood in segregated Texas, Jackie refused to move to the back of an army bus when the white driver ordered him to do so, even though buses had been officially desegregated on military bases. He was court martialed for his insubordination, tried, acquitted, transferred to another military base and honorably discharged four months later. After his military service, Jackie was barred from playing in the all-white major leagues and played for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro Leagues.
In 1945, Branch Rickey, the Dodgers' general manager, selected Robinson to break the color barrier. He selected Robinson not only because he was an outstanding player, but also because he was well-educated, religious, articulate, an army veteran and had lived among and played with white teammates in Pasadena and at UCLA.
Robinson first took the field in a Brooklyn Dodgers uniform — the first black major leaguer — on April 16, 1947. His actions on and off the diamond paved the way for America to confront its racial hypocrisy. His dignity in handling ugly physical and verbal abuse among fellow players and fans, and persistent racism in hotels and restaurants, stirred white Americans' consciences and gave black Americans a tremendous boost of pride. Thanks to Jackie's achievement, the Brooklyn Dodgers gained the loyalty of millions of black and white Americans who saw it as a steppingstone to tearing down other forms of racism. His efforts were as important as the Supreme Court's school desegregation decision or the Montgomery bus boycott in dismantling legal segregation and reducing bigotry. Martin Luther King told Robinson's black teammate Don Newcombe, "You'll never know what you and Jackie and Roy [Campanella] did to make it possible to do my job." In fact, the integration of baseball was bigger than Robinson's personal crusade. A decade-long campaign waged by the Negro press, civil rights groups and the political left set the stage for Robinson and Rickey.
Robinson recognized that the dismantling of baseball's color line was a triumph of both a man and a movement. During and after his playing days, he joined the civil rights crusade, speaking out — in speeches, interviews, and his newspaper column — against racial injustice. In 1949, testifying before Congress, he said: "I'm not fooled because I've had a chance open to very few Negro Americans." He viewed his sports celebrity as a platform from which to challenge American racism. Many sportswriters and most other players — including some of his fellow black players, content simply to be playing in the majors — considered Robinson too angry and vocal about racism in baseball and society.
When Robinson retired from baseball in 1956, no team offered him a position as a coach, manager or executive. Instead, he became an executive with the Chock Full o' Nuts restaurant chain and an advocate for integrating corporate America. He lent his name and prestige to several business ventures, including a construction company and a black-owned bank in Harlem. He got involved in these business activities primarily to help address the shortage of affordable housing and the persistent redlining (lending discrimination against blacks) by white-owned banks. Both the construction company and the bank later fell on hard times and dimmed Robinson's confidence in black capitalism as a strategy for racial integration.
During the 1960s, Robinson was a constant presence at civil rights rallies and picket lines, and he chaired the NAACP's fundraising drive. He was proud of his accomplishments on the baseball field and in society, but he was frustrated by the slow pace of racial change. "I cannot possibly believe," he wrote in his autobiography, "I Never Had It Made," published shortly before he died of a heart attack at age 53 in 1972, "that I have it made while so many black brothers and sisters are hungry, inadequately housed, insufficiently clothed, denied their dignity as they live in slums or barely exist on welfare."
Jackie was also bitter about Pasadena's segregated schools and public facilities. He rarely visited the city after he moved to the East Coast to play for the Dodgers. During his lifetime, the city did little to honor its most famous son. For example, Jackie was never invited to serve as grand marshal of the Rose Parade.
Today, Pasadena prides itself as a diverse city with an international profile. Whatever racial progress the city has made since Robinson grew up here is due in large measure to the efforts of civil rights activists (including Mack and his wife, Delano) and their allies. But the city still confronts a wide economic divide and persistent racial injustice. It is important for Pasadenans to learn from this history in order to celebrate its triumphs and confront its ongoing problems. The Pasadena Unified School District and surrounding school districts should incorporate the Robinson saga into their curriculums as a way to teach about the history of race relations and the civil rights movement.
I recently talked with several teens who attend Muir High School, Robinson's alma mater. They all knew that Jackie was a baseball player who had lived in the city. But none of them knew anything about the obstacles he faced growing up in Pasadena and during his army and baseball career, his involvement with the civil rights movement, or the protest crusade that helped open the door for Robinson to break baseball's color barrier.
Pasadena needs a permanent educational facility to enshrine Robinson's place in our local and national history. It is time for the city to work with PCC and the Los Angeles Dodgers — as well as local businesses and foundations — to erect a Jackie Robinson museum, library and archives. It would be an educational resource and a tourist attraction, like Babe Ruth's boyhood home in Baltimore, the Ty Cobb Museum in Royston, Ga., and others. Robinson's courage, persistence, intelligence and accomplishments should serve as a model to all young people. Current public anger with both spoiled players and greedy owners should make professional baseball eager to remind disenchanted fans that the game's establishment was once on the cutting edge of social change. And Pasadena should reclaim Robinson as a local hero who was one of the country's greatest pioneers.
Peter Dreier, a Pasadena resident, chairs the Urban & Environmental Policy Department at Occidental College and is author of "The 100 Greatest Americans of the 20th Century: A Social Justice Hall of Fame" (Nation Books, 2012). Jackie Robinson is one of the people profiled in the book
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A fitting museum and historic homage to Jackie Robinson is well overdue. I am surprised that no one has seconded this idea.


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Cold War
The CV-240/340/440 series was used by the United States Air Force (USAF) for medical evacuation and VIP transport and was designated as C-131 Samaritan. The first model Samaritan, the C-131A, was derived from the CV-240 model, and was delivered to the USAF in 1954.
The United States Navy used the Samaritan, initially designated as the R4Y until 1962, at which point the naval aircraft were also redesignated as C-131s.
Nearly all of the C-131s left the active inventory in the late 1970s, but the U.S. Coast Guard operated the aircraft until 1983, while the Air National Guard and Navy units operated additional airframes, primarily as Operational Support Aircraft (OSA) for Air National Guard flying wings and as naval air station aircraft until 1990.
Service History of 141013
|MFG: Convair/General Dynamics
First Produced: 19
Powerplant: (2) P&W R-2800-52W
Horsepower: 2,500 lbs each
Service Ceiling: 24,500 ft
Cruise: 289 mph
Top Speed: 294 mph
Range: 1,600 miles
Empty Weight: 30,464 lbs
Gross Weight: 47,000 lbs
Wing Span: 38'9"
Wing Area: 375 sq. ft
Length: 46'1.5"
Height: 16'
Armament: None
Obtained by Yanks June 2004, arrived Oct 26, 2004.


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North Central student Jacqueline Roller hosted her first solo art show July 16 at the Naperville Art League. The Naperville resident plans to complete her studies in 2012 with a double-major in studio art and psychology.
"I love exploring the textures, patterns and colors found in the ocean and in nature," Roller told The Naperville Sun in a story about her solo show. "The work I've been doing the past three years has been very experimental; I'm trying to find what expresses the appreciation I have of the natural world, while adding touches of the free-spirited youthful energy I have coursing through me."
Roller hoped to raise money from sales during the show to help cover the costs of a study abroad experience this fall in Greece, where she plans to study art and art history.
Roller is among the artists whose work is featured in "Current Visions," an exhibit of works by members of the Naperville Art League and winners of the annual Riverwalk Fine Art Fair awards. The exhibit runs through July 31 in the College's Schoenherr Gallery at the Fine Arts Center.


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So sit down, listen up, and whip out your pencil. Class is in session.
Take Her Off the Clock
Just as you're concerned about lasting longer, many women are so self-conscious about taking too long that they end up faking orgasm or deciding to go without. The solution? Stop obsessing over orgasms—yours and hers. A brain-imaging study by Swedish researchers shows that relaxation is the single most important factor in bringing a woman to orgasm.
So tell her she has all night. The better you convey not just tolerance for a lengthy buildup, but also appreciation of her sexual pleasure—orgasm or not—the easier it will be for her to unwind and explode. Oh, and studies show that it takes 15 to 40 minutes for the average woman to reach orgasm. Going somewhere?
Turn Her On with Your Talent
The best sex starts long before the clothes come off. Talent—more than rugged good looks or a chiseled midsection—is a powerful aphrodisiac, according to research by my colleagues at The Kinsey Institute. (Less surprisingly, poor hygiene and a messy home are among women's biggest turnoffs.)
So nail "Ice, Ice Baby" during karaoke. Or make her die laughing at your self-deprecating display of atrocious dartsmanship. Yes, humor is a talent, too.
When She's Naked, Speak Up
Women who worry about the way they look down there are less likely to orgasm easily during oral sex, according to my research. And a recent study published in the Journal of Sex Research suggests that women who feel embarrassed or ashamed about their bodies have less sexual experience and are less sexually assertive.
Clearly, you have everything to gain with flattery. If you love the way she looks naked—and you do, right?—share the news.
Always Be Tender Up Top
During foreplay, gently brush the tops, bottoms, and sides of her breasts; these areas are actually more sensitive than an unaroused areola and nipple. Gradually move in toward her nipples, paying attention to how she responds. As things heat up, the nipples will become flushed with blood, and the sensory receptors will become primed for direct stimulation. You'll kickstart the bloodflow and lubrication down below, starting her slow buildup toward orgasm. (Need more foreplay ideas? Here are 14 Foreplay Tips to Pleasure Your Woman.)
Learn Her Key Strokes
One thing many women love during manual stimulation: a slow buildup. Here's how to do it: Lie next to her, lightly bracing the heel of one hand just above her clitoris. Now run your ring and middle fingers along the length of her outer lips. Graze the skin at first, adding pressure as the tension builds. Cup the area around her clitoris with your palm to add indirect stimulation—most women are too sensitive to receive direct contact early on. As she becomes aroused, brace your hand on her mons—her pubic mound, the fleshy area that covers her pubic bone—and tease the clitoris with the middles and tips of your fingers as you move your entire hand.
Change Your Angle
Play Ponce de León and explore various types of penetration to figure out what turns her on most. Your first stop: her G-spot, located about 1 to 2 inches up the front wall of her vagina. This spongy region swells during arousal. Try massaging the area slowly with your fingers. A lot of women find it mind blowing. Not her thing? Just move on.
Use Moves that Multitask
To maximize her pleasure, increase the amount of contact you'll have with her most sensitive parts. Here's one move that will drive her wild: Ask her to lie on her back, with her legs stretched out. Now climb on top. Curl your arms around her shoulders, supporting yourself with your elbows and moving your chest up by her chin. The goal is to bring the base of your penis in contact with her clitoris. Thrust slowly, focusing on up-and-down movement instead of in-and-out penetration.
Related: 45 Sex Positions Every Couple Should Try
Another great trick: Move your pubic mound in a circle or up and down against her clitoris. You'll get a break from high-intensity stimulation, and she'll receive focused attention where it often matters most.
Learn to Sense Her Orgasm
Ease into oral sex—don't just attack. First kiss her inner thighs and her inner and outer lips, then work your way inside using firm, broad strokes with your tongue. Watch her hips for a clue to the rhythm she likes. Listen to her gasps and moans as you experiment with different techniques.
And watch for signs she's close to orgasm, such as a subtle deepening in the color of her labia caused by increased bloodflow. Or rest a hand on her stomach and feel for the muscular contractions that immediately precede her orgasm.
Follow Her Lead
Once you reach your point of no return, you'll climax even if you're interrupted by a tuba-playing, thong-clad Bea Arthur. But your lady could hit the "off" switch if you stop or change moves midway to orgasm. We love it when you try new things, and it's important to vary your technique, but once you've found a winner, stick with it until she crosses the finish line.
Let Her Finish First
Stalking the elusive tandem orgasm is an admirable goal, but many women—especially those with sensitive clitorises—respond better to a "ladies-first" strategy. If you rub the clitoris for a long time—during thrusting, for example—it can become too sore or desensitized to respond to manual or oral stimulation later. So satisfy her before intercourse.
Bonus: A woman's orgasm threshold drops after her first one, so it's often easier to bring her to climax through penetration after she's already had one. How does that sound for an encore?
(Now that she's satisfied, increase your pleasure with these 8 Tricks to Make Your Orgasms Even Better.)


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Rethinking Chinese Policy on Commercial Reprocessing
March 18-23, 2012
Author: Hui Zhang, Senior Research Associate, Project on Managing the Atom
Belfer Center Programs or Projects: International Security; Managing the Atom; Science, Technology, and Public Policy
By 2011 China is operating fourteen nuclear power reactors with installed capacity of 11.88 GWe, and it plans to increase its total nuclear capacity to 70 GWe by 2020. China is seeking to reprocess the civilian spent fuel, and to recycle the plutonium in MOX fuel for its fast breeder reactors. A pilot reprocessing plant with a capacity of 50tHM/a conducted successfully a hot test in December 2010. Meanwhile, China is building a pilot MOX fuel fabrication facility with 0.5 t/a. A larger commercial reprocessing plant and a MOX fabrication plant are expected to be in commission around the year 2025. The China Experimental Fast Reactor (25 MWe) started operation in July 2010. Furthermore, larger commercial FBRs are planned to be commissioned around 2030-2035. This paper will discuss the status of Chinas nuclear power reactors, breeders, and civilian reprocessing programs. In addition, this paper will examine whether the breeders and civilian reprocessing programs make sense for China, taking into account costs, proliferation risks, energy security tradeoffs, health and environmental risks, and spent fuel management issues.
- ChinaReprocessing_hzhang.pdf (275K PDF)
For more information about this publication please contact the MTA Program Assistant at 617-495-4219.
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