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Breakfast links: Bag fee blockage
As for the warnings issue, it does seem to defeat the intent of the 30 day warning period if MPDC doesn't issue the first warning until 25 days into the warning period. Perhaps the law should be amended to have the warning period not begin until the date on which the first warning is mailed (or add to 30 whatever the length of time it takes for MPDC to review and issue the citations).
I've been hit on DC cams for far less -- on that strech of the SE freeway which is marked 35 MPH I got a ticket for going 41.
DC has a service where they email you speed/parking tickets -- perfect for the renegeage valet parking service.
Sounds like a lawsuit and arrest warrant would be an appropriate response. Generally, when you steal $300,000, you go to jail -- even if you pay the first $50,000 back.
There really shouldn't even be a question. HTJr needs to go to prison for his crimes, and DC should be using every legal tool at its disposal to recover the stolen funds.
While I get the purpose and approve of Environmental impact statements in general. You can't help but think the system is broken when an EIS is going to take until 2013 for an infill metro station along an existing line. How does this report honestly take more than a year? And at this point 2-3 in reality.
This guy obviously doesn't understand the state of media these days and the fact he's being raised on his own twitter petard is fitting. He should not be allowed back.
The ICC was not designed to Interstate standards and was only designed for a 60 MPH speed limit. Presumably 65 would be too dangerous.
by Steven Yates on Feb 9, 2012 10:02 am • link • report
Raising the speed limit to 65 effectvly raises the speed limit to 74-75 because cops typically give a 10 mph leeway. I can see how that would be considered when planning for speed limits.
Though at 3 billion why was the ICC not designed at interstate standards.
Why is that article referring to the "new" Community Pref survey that was issued in March 2011?
I bet it wouldn't be hard to convince a delegation of DC politicians to go lobby Hawaii's legislature in person.
Also, if the "constitutional issues" were raised by the NH Republicans against democracy, why were DC statehood advocates unable to nip this argument in the bud (e.g. by promising to keep a federal District but shrink it so it excludes residences).
interstates in the US are so overbuilt -- easily can do 80 or 90. Exit ramps are not that well designed -- you have brake while turning, and for the most part you can't brake in a straight line before a lot of tuns.
Hawaii earned its statehood cred on a "date which will live in infamy" called Pearl Harbor.
It's in this link I posted last week. It doesn't go into any depth on why it wasn't built to Interstate standards or what specifically prevents it from being Interstate standard.
by Steven Yates on Feb 9, 2012 11:44 am • link • report
The Potomac Yard Metrorail Station EIS actually does a pretty good job of outlining the process.
In that case, the District of Columbia earned its statehood on August 24, 1814.
by Matt Johnson on Feb 9, 2012 11:49 am • link • report
Raise the speed to at least 60. If there is no spike in accidents, raise to 65.
Fred Cooke isn't an an idiot. His clients get access to his full bag O' trickery for his exhorbitant hourly fee.
This also includes a standard "deeding the house to the spouse" trick so it can't be seized, which Harry did last November.
The only reason his cars and motorcycles were seized is because her credit was tapped once she was the sole owner of the house and couldn't assume sole responsibility of payments on everything.
You would think that investigations like these would include a standard "freezing or transferral" of property. I guess not.
I don't think anyone needs to be convinced that statehood is deserved simply because fighting took place there.
The simple fact of the matter is that residents of DC are American citizens, and should be able to participate fully in the government.
by Matt Johnson on Feb 9, 2012 12:02 pm • link • report
Presently Maryland is promoting its role in the war of 1812, commemorating its bicentennial. DC could hook onto that.
Being an American citizen does not guarantee you a right to have a voice in Congress. You need to be a citizen of a state to do so...
And according to the constitution, DC is not a state.
Also, the comparison to Puerto Rico is not really apt. The citizens of DC are living in a swath of land that was part of Maryland, but was largely unsettled. The disenfranchisement of hundreds of thousands of citizens was never contemplated. Also, there is no clear consensus even in Puerto Rico about statehood for the island -- so, it is different. Yes, to get actual statehood for DC would require a Constitutional amendment. That amendment is long overdue.
But, you all know that..... I'm just saying what needs to be said about the partisan reality. Republicans won't allow DC statehood because it could tilt the balance in the Senate, but adding a few hundred thousand more Democrats in Maryland won't get so much resistance, given that the state is deeply in the blue column anyway.
If you are an American who lives overseas you DO get a vote.
That's right, people who do not live in the US get a vote for representation but people living within sight of the building where they make the laws don't. Sweet deal.
Also, interstate speed standards are probably set such that curves, sight lines, etc. are safe for large trucks. The standards can clearly be relaxed when the road is only used by passenger vehicles since they are far better at dealing with high speeds.
You vote in your state of last domicile. There are plenty of US citizens who aren't domiciled in a state and lose their right to vote. Just ask the children of all the US citizens in Canada....
So, in that way, DC residents do have a step up with the ability to vote in Presidental elections.
OK -- it's a stupid idea. It makes too much sense and requires everyone to change the way they view the city. Could never happen.
Call it "Douglass County" after Frederick Douglass- so it is still "D.C."
by Douglas Willinger on Feb 9, 2012 2:26 pm • link • report
Being an American citizen does not guarantee you a right to have a voice in Congress. You need to be a citizen of a state to do so...
And according to the constitution, DC is not a state.
The Constitution was written long before the District of Columbia was formed out of land ceded by Maryland and Virginia. Statehood for most of the land now making up DC is well within the Constitution. Admitting this territory is no different from admitting any other territory in our nation's history.
The only point I buy is that for partisan reasons (Dem/Repub, Slave/Free), most states have been admitted in pairs. Clearly DC Statehood advocates need a solution that creates more Republican seats in Congress -- like annexing Northern Virginia to redden the rest of Virginia, or more plausibly, divide California into a red state and a blue state. This latter solution also helps Californians get better Senate representation.
I am sick and tired of people promoting retrocession to Maryland. Yes, it's a tidy solution, but Maryland citizens would never go for it. Also, DC has been on its own for too long to become a subdivision of another state, so DC residents might not go for it either. Retrocession could only work under mutual consent.
Again, the best solution is for Congress to shrink the federal district so it contains no residences and to then admit New Columbia (or whatever it would be called) along with East and West California, expanding the Senate to 54 seats and putting 52 stars on the flag. No Constitutional amendment needed. No need to get 50 states to approve (except California, of course).
I would donate.
The difference is DC residents pay federal taxes without the right of representation. Its not like your examples of PR and permanent ex-pats.
Us income is global. You get credits On what you pay federal governments. Also, if you don't file there is no statute of limitations.
It's not true that PR pays no taxes. For example, they pay excise taxes and payroll taxes. In addition anyone who works for the federal government pays income taxes. So we're full taxation without full representation, but they're less taxation with less representation (since they don't vote for President).
Everyone pays federal taxes. It just may not be income taxes, but, no voting is not tied directly to tax paying. Historically however, we've viewed it as wrong to tax someone without representation.
The last time there was a vote for DC statehood, 40% of Democrats voted against it.
And not so long ago, the Democrats had a majority of the house, a super-majority in the Senate and control of the White House. If they had wanted to they could have made DC a state. It would be interesting to speculate about what Republicans would do in such a situation - all powerful and with a guaranteed all-Republican territory ready for statehood. Would they pass on the opportunity to add three guaranteed Republican legislators? Still, we do know what Democrats will do and that is nothing.
So, the problem isn't Republicans. It's that no one really wants to admit DC as a state. Perhaps it is seen as watering down their own state's power. Or perhaps it's racist. Or perhaps they just like being able to boss around the town they live in. But regardless, there is no way DC will get statehood unless at least one party truly supports it.
That's why I support a constitutional amendment, it's a little watered down and it serves multiple constituencies. But it's a long shot too.
Walkable neighborhoods do not seem to be a high priority in the survey respondents.
"While walkability is seen as a desirable attribute by most, majorities of Americans are willing to live in communities where they have to drive most places if it means they would have larger lots with more distance from neighbors"
Skimming the report, it would seem they rank (1) privacy, (2) good schools, and (3) commute time ahead of walkability which corresponds well with my priors. Not surprisingly, the preference for walkability is correlated with marital status.
Overall, there are few surprises in the report, but it's worth a quick read.
Yes they do. That would be a crazy idea otherwise.
With Crystal City emptying out faster than a busted railroad frontier town, how do the developers on The Exchange hope to fill up 1.9 million square feet of mixed space? BRAC is slowing moving many military clients out to the Mark Center and to Fairfax. CC already has everything The Exchange could hope to have, and it's already built. And it has VRE, Pentagon City, the Pentagon, and a mature residential community behind it.
How does The Exchange fit into this?
If you are a bona fide resident of the Virgin Islands on the last day of the tax year, you must file your tax return on Form 1040 with the Government of the Virgin Islands and pay the entire tax due to the Virgin Islands. You do not have to file with the IRS for any tax year in which you are a bona fide resident of the Virgin Islands
This is exactly what I said. PR [&USVI&Guam] res's are not required to file w/ the IRS.
That's what we need! We could call it a "complete street!"
as far as I care, DC can have anything, but the federal government itself-
carve out all the residential areas and do with it what you will - more voting rights (yes, they can vote for pres already...), statehood, retrocession, whatever..
I don't know about you, but I don't want marion barry or vincent gray's fingers anywhere on our federal goverment!
Call me old fashioned, but Federalist 43 still makes a little sense. Don't have the federal govt beholden to local interests keep federalism alive- we'll still need a federal district for it to exist!
You're old-fashioned.
Federalist 43 never made much sense to me.
How does Madison figure that state legislatures exercise "complete authority at the seat of government?" Don't local and federal governments exercise SOME authority in state capitals?
And how does he figure that other national legislatures exercise "complete authority" in their capital without a federal district, but somehow the U.S. needs one?
His arguments that erecting public buildings would be too beholden to the states and too onerous an expense could just as easily be applied to forts and other federal facilities.
The fact is that Madison - while truly a genius - was wrong. He was also wrong about which country the US would be aligned with (England not France) throughout her history and slavery and some other non-trivial items. It happens. Even Einstein was wrong about the Cosmological Constant. We know that he was wrong because we have the advantage of hindsight. And if he were here, he'd likely agree. We know that even if the whole of DC were absorbed into Maryland that the federal government would not be brought to its knees, that Maryland would not be bankrupted, and the the government would not have trouble building facilities. These were his concerns and they all seem ridiculous now.
Just look at this whopper "And as it is to be appropriated to this use with the consent of the State ceding it; as the State will no doubt provide in the compact for the rights and the consent of the citizens inhabiting it; as the inhabitants will find sufficient inducements of interest to become willing parties to the cession; as they will have had their voice in the election of the government which is to exercise authority over them; as a municipal legislature for local purposes, derived from their own suffrages, will of course be allowed them; and as the authority of the legislature of the State, and of the inhabitants of the ceded part of it, to concur in the cession, will be derived from the whole people of the State in their adoption of the Constitution, every imaginable objection seems to be obviated." I think we can agree that not EVERY imaginable objection is obviated. Or perhaps Madison just failed to imagine some of the objections. Or perhaps he never foresaw a time that local issues wouldn't be handled entirely by the "municipal legislature... derived from their own suffrages." Or perhaps Madison was only thinking about the people who lived in the federal district at the time of cession, not 212 years later. Regardless, he was wrong.
And frankly, federalism is largely dead. Hate to be the one to tell you, but it's true. And we're better off for it. And we'd be even better off if it were more dead.
Haha! I love your comments, and, unlike most posters on this site, I'll cede some of your points and won't be too argumentative. I'll just harmlessly blather for a while
-regarding federal and state and city power all coexisting in state capitals, I agree that the notion of COMPLETE authority existing in any one level of govt is indeed misguided. As far as I can tell, the interplay between the three is a good way to mitigate excesses. This, of course, varies by context and case.
Also, Yes , times have changed, including that DC wasn't envisioned to be a residential area-- thus all the underrepresented citizenry problem. Therefore, thing that bothers me about DC is the high degree of clientelism and corruption and, really, moving the citizens of DC into Maryland and giving them votes for members of congress might actually result in improved governance and accountability. Dc govt needs a little oversight as far as I can tell. Sure, there will always be corruption, irrespective of how many layers of theoretically accountable government (I.e., that Prince Gorgeous County incident with money in underwear), but more representation, decentralization, and the vertical checks on power that layered government helps, right?
(On a small note, I don't like the way that people from outside of the district are often treated like foreigners, when DC is our federal government, thank you very much, and not just theirs. )
As an aside, I am just getting used to the dearth of incorporated cities down here, along with the emphasis on county government ... It reminds me of Boss Hogg and Hazard county-- where was town, state, and federal government when the duke boys were wishing that his litttle fiefdom had less power. ( endearing / bumbling Cletus et al aside)
Why power isn't partially decentralized below the county level in some parts is beyond me-- in my opinion, the best situation for any John or Jane Q citizen is the whole city -county-state- federal thingy because it spreads power and mitigates excesses as much as possible. Isn't decentralization the norm for democratic improvements all over the world?
It's a good thing I'm not in charge!
Goodnight planning nerds!
Add a Comment
- Are public spaces really public when not everybody can use them?
- Cell service in tunnels, junking old rail cars, getting finances in order. Here's what's in Metro's Back2Good plan.
- If racial inequities didn't exist, DC would look like this...
- Metro now has an official plan for getting better in 2017. It's called Back2Good.
- WMATA recommended express bus service along 14th Street NW four years ago. Is it time to make it happen?
- The DC reps on the WMATA board might veto late-night closures
- What happens when people without cars move to places built for driving?


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Even if you're undocumented, you still have rights! Learn more, get help
Tell Governor Brown to Strengthen Paid Family Leave!
Governor Brown needs to hear from you today about an important bill.
SB 770 (Jackson) would expand the definition of family within California's Paid Family Leave law to allow workers to receive partial pay while taking leave to care for a seriously ill sibling, grandparent, grandchild, or parent-in-law. This bill is now on the governor's desk.
- California's PFL program allows workers to receive partial pay while bonding with a new child or caring for a seriously ill family member. The program is paid for entirely by employees through payroll deductions and is a lifeline for workers and their families. But the law's definition of family is far too narrow, which prevents many workers from accessing the benefits even when a close loved one has a life-threatening illness. SB 770 will help ensure that workers do not have to choose between a paycheck and caring for their families.
- SB 770 is sponsored by the Legal Aid Society–Employment Law Center, and supported by the California Work & Family Coalition. This bill has no opposition.
Take Action Now!
1. Send a letter to Governor Brown today and urge him to sign SB 770!
2. Use Twitter and Facebook to share this action alert and this video news story about the bill.
Sample Tweets
@JerryBrownGov: No one shd have to choose b/w a paycheck and caring for a loved one. Sign #SB770 to strengthen #paidfamilyleave! http://sd19.senate.ca.gov/news/2013-09-06-jackson-bill-strengthen-paid-family-leave-program-heads-governor
Let's celebrate and honor grandparent and grandchildren #caregivers by urging Gov Brown to sign #SB770.
@JerryBrownGov: in honor of #GrandparentsDay, let workers take #paidfamilyleave to care for grandparents and grandkids! Sign #SB770!
Lisa Bautista cared for her grandmother; #SB770 extends #paidfamilyleave to family members like her. http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/state&id=9239682
Expand #paidfamilyleave to allow care for ill siblings, grandparents, grandchildren and in-laws. Urge Gov Brown to sign #SB770!
@JerryBrownGov: #paidfamilyleave is worker-funded; let workers access it to care for multi-generational families. Sign #SB770!

subset: commoncrawl


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Terrorism and 'just war'; an old tradition, new challenges
Hearts and minds
The mainstream of Christian ethics has contended that there can be a legitimate or "just" use of military force—legitimacy being determined by a variety of factors, such as the presence of a "just cause," "right authority," "last resort," and the use of "means proportional to the end," to cite some of the traditional language of just war thinking. In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, Christian thinkers in the U.S. have again drawn on the vocabulary of this tradition as they ponder the proper response to terrorist acts. At the same time, many commentators—including some of the following four—have acknowledged that the categories of just war thinking are not easily adapted to the challenge now facing public authorities in the U.S.—the challenge of responding not to an aggressive state but to unidentified individuals whose aim is to spread terror.
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text:
Home List of Titles Spectral sensitivity of uniform arrays of gold nanorods to dielectric environment
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/193377
- Title
- Spectral sensitivity of uniform arrays of gold nanorods to dielectric environment
- Author(s)
- Ueno, Kosei; Juodkazis, Saulius; Mino, Masahiro; Mizeikis, Vygantas; Misawa, Hiroaki
- Abstract
- Uniform, ordered arrays of gold nanorods on glass substrates were fabricated with high accuracy using electron beam lithography and lift-off techniques. These structures exhibit longitudinal mode of localized surface plasmon (LSP) resonance with spectral position highly sensitive to the refractive index of local dielectric environment of the nanorods. The LSP resonance was found to red-shift nearly linearly, both with refractive index and aspect ratio of the nanorods, to the extent that enables optical detection of the refractive index changes of the order of 10 -2. The entire spectral range of the detection can be defined by tailoring size and aspect ratio of the nanorods during the fabrication and typically falls into the optical communications region. These structures are therefore promising as optical sensors enabling simple and efficient monitoring of chemical and biological processes.
- Publication type
- Journal article
- Source
- Journal of Physical Chemistry C, Vol. 111, no. 11 (Mar 2007), pp. 4180-4184
- Publication year
- 2007
- FOR Code(s)
- 0303 Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry; 0306 Physical Chemistry (Incl. Structural); 0904 Chemical Engineering
- Keyword(s)
- Dielectric properties; Electron beam lithography; Gold nanorods; Sensitivity; Surface plasmon resonance
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society
- 1932-7447
- Publisher URL
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2007 American Chemical Society.
- Additional information
- The authors acknowledge support from a Grant-in-Aids from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, and Culture, Japan (No. 17360110).
- Peer reviewed


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The Rev. Jerry Troyer will present his interactive workshop, "It's My Story And It's Sticking To Me," from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Center for Spiritual Evolution, 204 Spring St.
This workshop, based on Troyer's new book "Coming Out to Ourselves, Admitting, Accepting, and Embracing Who We Truly Are," invites, encourages and even challenges participants to go inside and begin to identify beliefs and feelings that no longer serve them.
The book will be available for purchase.
Beliefs, feelings and attitudes influence choices and decisions, and some came from childhood experiences. Feeling stuck in any area of one's life probably is the result of outdated information. When one changes perceptions and judgments, one starts healing the cause of the negative and destructive feelings within – which many believe are at the core of all forms of substance abuse (food, drugs, alcohol, spending, hurtful relationships) – and begin to make life choices that really are in one's best interests.
The suggested donation to attend the workshop is $20 or two people for $35.
For information, call the center at 847-516-1950.


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CRYSTAL LAKE – The Crystal Lake Police Department announced the results of its recent enforcement effort targeted at motorists who drove while distracted.
On Thursday Feb. 7, between the hours of 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Crystal Lake police officers conducted a special enforcement detail to enforce Illinois Vehicle Code violations related to the unlawful use of an electronic device, commonly referred to as "texting while driving."
During this enforcement effort the Crystal Lake Police Department:
• Stopped 30 motorists for traffic violations.
• Arrested two drivers for driving on a suspended license.
Officers also issued a total of 36 traffic citations including: • 13 for unlawful use of a communications device. • one for commercial motor vehicle cell phone use. • two for graduated drivers license program cell phone use. • five for seatbelt. • one for child restraint. • three for disregarding stop sign. • one each for speeding, fed light violation and driving without insurance. • six for equipment related citations.
In 2011 more than 3,000 people nationwide were killed in distracted driving related collisions, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Drivers should note that the Illinois Vehicle Code prohibits an operator of a vehicle from using an electronic communications device to send or receive electronic communications of any form and from accessing the Internet.
Motorists are prohibited from using electronic communications devices while on a roadway while the vehicle is in drive for purposes other than for the sole purpose of communicating an emergency situation to emergency personnel.
For information, visit www.distraction.gov.


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How Many Second Chances Make Too Many Second Chances?
My father's words may have been cliche when he told me, "It's not about whether or not you fall down, Jeff, it's about whether or not you get back up", but no words could have been more uplifting to my beaten, battered soul.
At the time, I was in the lowest place I had ever been.
Defeated. Destroyed. Desolated.
To say I had lost the will to live, that I didn't care about anyone or anything anymore — including myself — can not be overstated.
I was, literally, done.
Until I started to believe — really, truly believe — that the cliche was right, that I could measure myself by my ability to get back up, that deep down inside, I had guts.
My situation proposed two options: give up and be nothing forever or fight like hell to be the best Jeffery Lung I could possibly be.
One second chance was all I needed. And I didn't waste it.
It definitely wasn't easy. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but I f***ing did it. And I'm proud as hell to say I f***ing did it.
Of course, not everyone has the guts to get back up. And, somehow, those somebodies often find themselves with third and fourth and fifth chances.
But how many chances is too many chances, Charlie Sheen? How long before we ought to just give up on you like you've given up on yourself, Milton Bradley? Destructive behavior is destructive behavior, whether it's a lifestyle, an addiction or anger management issues; and if one is not willing to help himself, then, in my opinion, he isn't worth helping. Period.
There are too many other issues that the world and its resources should be concerned about. I think it's time we send the Charlie Sheens of the world a message: we don't care about you or your problems anymore. If you screw up, you're done. No more chances, no more tries, no more fake mea culpas.
It didn't work for Steve Howe.*
And after twenty plus years of insanity, I highly doubt it's gonna work for a silver-spooned brat who just doesn't get it (and by "it" I mean, life, in general).
Hate me. Go ahead. Just don't hate me 'cuz I'm right.
*Steve Howe is dead now. He died in a car wreck. He was strung out on meth at the time.
9 Comments
Like his 80's movie peer Robert Downey Jr, Charlie Sheen is still idolized even with his disruptive nature and unhealthy lifestyle. I do not condone his measure of severity to the dark side, but I do envy a slice of it to try on for size.
So I guess we get tolive our preverted exsistence through Sheen's actions with no harm or foul to our bodies, minds or soul.
But this kind of action takes a toll on a man, even if he has a plethora of money and female companionship ( wheither free or otherwise).
But maybe it is all a final cry for help after doing more than one movie with his brother Emilio…..Maybe the carnage of "Men at Work" finally broke Sheen down…..Maybe he needs to do "Hot Shots 3- The Wrath of the Woobie".
Rays Renegade
Good read. I think we all deserve a second chance. I know I have, you have, and many others have and have came back with a vengeance.
This dude needs to get his **** together. Get some help or something. Otherwise, he might get the ole' eliminator….
Johnny — Sweet!
RR — Uh oh, you said the RDJ word!
Timmy D — And NO ONE wants that!
The sad part (well, there are many sad parts) of the Charlie Sheen debacle is that CBS was an enabler for such a long time, because his sitcom was their biggest sitcom. They could and should have intervened at any point, and they didn't.
To me, Sheen doesn't want to get clean and he's a functioning addict still able to perform; if he wants to do his drugs, let him do his drugs.
Jane — CBS… they finally have something decent and evil incarnate is at the root. I'm not surprised.
Prince — I'm sure the string of women who have been abused, beaten (one even died, did you know that?) and manhandled would disagree with you. As do I. If you or I wanna go out and do drugs and cause problems and hurt people, you and I go to jail. This waste of space gets to roam the streets, free.
I think the key is in what your father said (he sounds great, by the way). Second chances are for those who are willing to cease them, or at least realize that they need help ceasing the second chance and ask for it. Most of us need a second chance or three at some point. Heck, I think multiple second chances are appropriate for folks who failed to fully cease the first one, provided there were definite signs of effort and improvement. But people like Sheen who repeatedly don't even try to learn from their mistakes need to be left on their knees the next time they fall. I just feel bad for the film crew, writers and other staff who played no role in enabling Sheen and will now lose their jobs if they cancel the series.
– Kristen


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I like to know those numbers. I tested 5.4 IUs and came back at 22.6, but I am a high responder to GH.
I heard a lot of stuff about uncle Z from couple years ago, I recently talked with him and realized he is a good dude and he explained the situation that occured. He sent me a pfizer geno pen 36iu in exchange for serum blood test. Pack landed yesterday with no problems and very fast t/a.
I like to know those numbers. I tested 5.4 IUs and came back at 22.6, but I am a high responder to GH.
LOL, and what is? I know generics that test at 18 at 10 IUs. The better ones at 28. It is good, most protocol is at 10IUs.
If you pinned 10iu of some good pharm you would feel like dog poo
I get what your saying about the serum levels but sadly that is not all that matters
you guys are making me want this stuff now. waiting for some slin pins to arrive dammit
That's the best gh out now. I have some from Z also and it's good stuff.
Just to clarify this is NOT a geno pen, it's an expired geno cartridge.
Bush aren't they still good for a while after exp?
10 months after expo. They are still good.
I seen a guy take expired hgh that way over two years old and he said it was fine.How do you figure 8 months?
-All of my posts are for entertainment purposes only, & not to be taken seriously
-All content posted is nothing more than a comical skit, & a joke
If you don't have enough for six months I wouldn't even waste my time.
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" A cookie without sugar is just a cracker" ~ ancient voodoo proverb
"A man with infinite patience is never left waiting."~ROID's past incarnation
I talked with experts and the said thats qulity depends for conditions of storage - we hold our geno in fridges so quality will be good and the same ,more than year after exp date
Yes that is true , we don't use ice box to sending package because this is impossible, but as you see, results for HGH serum level is very high and geno can be hold in normal temp. more than 15 days .- so in my opinion you doesn't lose qulity in tarnport, but all HGH need to be transported in ice box with good or bad exp date - but they haven't - because in black market it is impossible
I don't know what do you want to prove bushmaster , do you have any problem with our geno or something ???
Yea maybe if the genos weren't expired it wouldn't be that bad but having them expired and exposed to heat is where I have my doubts
Why all the hostility?It's not a secret there expired. I highly doubt they loose any potency during 7-10 transit.Every other sponsor ship's the same way.
-All of my posts are for entertainment purposes only, & not to be taken seriously
-All content posted is nothing more than a comical skit, & a joke


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The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and Smith & Wesson have
partnered to create a commemorative revolver designed to recognize the
historical significance of the District of Columbia vs. Heller decision
and to acknowledge the six original plaintiffs that united to challenge
the gun ban in Washington, D.C. As part of the project, an
engraved Smith & Wesson Model 442 revolver will be presented to each
of the six plaintiffs - Shelly Parker, Tom Palmer, Gillian St.
Lawrence, Tracey Ambeau, George Lyon and Dick Heller - for their key
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arms. The commemorative revolver is available for consumer purchase and
Smith & Wesson will direct a portion of the proceeds to the Second
Amendment Foundation to acknowledge the organization's pivotal role in
the Heller case and its ongoing efforts to preserve the Second Amendment
rights of U.S. citizens. The Smith & Wesson Model 442 will
be laser engraved with an insignia to commemorate the ruling by the
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The balance is in favor of the "Heller" name with the court date of
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A.J. Pierzynski, whose two-run double in the seventh proved to be the difference in today's 4-2 White Sox victory, modestly told Hawk Harrelson and Steve Stone in the post-game interview that the story of today's game was fifth starter Philip Humber (pictured above).
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text: HI there yesterday at the allergist we discovered that ds had a bulging ear drum. I suspected this bc of the abnormal crying the 2 prior nights before bed and the low grade fever. ( never above 100.7 ) The allergist suggested that we not treat it as long as the fever does not go above 103.0 and he is happy/active during the day. I am treating with Tylenol every 4 hrs and he seems to be OK? Any thoughts, I think that the allergists point of view was the less antibiotics the better and that he felt like this would resolve on its own. Thanks in advance for the advice! Brittan


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Program Memorandum - OVAE/DVTE - FY2001-01
|January 11, 2001
|Project Directors for America's Career Resource Network (ACRN) Grants
|Patricia W. McNeil
|Expanded Authorities
This memorandum is to affirm that the expanded authorities referenced and described in the handout given at the recent America's Career Resource Network (ACRN) conference are applicable to ACRN grants. Following is an explanation of how the expanded authorities are included as part of the terms and conditions of the ACRN grants.
The ACRN Federal Register Notice cites the regulations in Parts 74, 75 and 80 of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) among those that are applicable to the grants. Part 74 of EDGAR outlines administrative regulations pertaining to institutions of higher education, hospitals, and other nonprofit organizations. Section 74.25(e) contains expanded authorities; i.e., four areas in which grantees may exercise authority (within certain prescribed limits) without obtaining prior written approval by the Department of Education. These four areas include: pre-award costs; one-time extensions; the carry forward of unobligated balances of funds; and, post-award budget changes.
Although Part 80 of EDGAR does not contain a reference to expanded authorities, Part 75 of EDGAR does extend the expanded authorities to States, local governments, and federally-recognized Indian tribal governments. Therefore, we are attaching for your information a document which provides further explanation of the expanded authorities and how they apply to ACRN grants: Grant Policy Bulletin No. 19, entitled "Part 75 Amendments (Expanded Authorities) -- UPDATED," with attachments issued on March 22, 1999, by the Department's Grants Policy and Oversight Staff. One of these attachments is the Department's Final Rule on Direct Grant Programs, published on July 28, 1997, in the Federal Register.
If you have questions about expanded authorities, you may contact your State liaison within the Division of Vocational and Technical Education.


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Berlin board punts ambulance decision
BERLIN — The high-stakes battle for Berlin's ambulance business remains unresolved after the Select Board refused to declare a winner this week and took the matter under advisement for the second time in less than a month.
After listening to brief presentations from two of the bidders and quizzing the third at length, board members agreed they weren't ready to make a decision that basically boils down to a choice between maintaining business as usual and fueling the birth of a brand new ambulance service.
"I'd certainly like to digest the information for awhile," Selectman Pete Kelley said after listening to presentations from the town's current ambulance provider, its volunteer fire department, and the man behind an intriguing no-cost offer that dominated discussion Monday night.
Kelley didn't get any argument from the rest of the board, as members unanimously agreed to table action on the matter until their April 1 meeting. A decision is expected at that time.
For the complete story, see Wednesday's Times Argus.MORE IN This Just InNEWBURY Police said somebody stole booze and change from a Welch Road residence. Full StoryBRATTLEBORO Six people were displaced by an apartment fire on South Main Street Saturday morning. Full StoryMANAMA, Bahrain Drawing the U.S. Full Story
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700 Sundays
In New York City there's a fine line between baseball heroes and legends. On that line live the New York Yankees. You got your Derek Jeters, your Mariano Riveras – the players that will go down in history as some of the best to ever play the game.
Then you got the other guys. Like yesterday, heroes Dellin Betances and John Ryan Murphy. Both youngsters proved to be instrumental in the Yanks' 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels.
Betances, in relief of Vidal Nuno, picked up his first major league win while Murphy slugged his first career major league homer; a solo shot that cleared the left field wall in the sixth inning to decide the game.
Tonight newcomer Masahiro Tanaka can be a hero; he's looking to collect his fourth win this season and give the Yankees the rubber game of their three-game set vs. the Halos.
Should the Yankees win, it would mark their 15th win of this early 2014 season – and even if they were to lose tonight, they'd still be atop the AL East here in the early going.
And that – that's great.
In the midst of all the Yankees' success in the infantile stages of the year, I happened to come across an HBO special the other day starring none other than Billy Crystal, a famous Yankee fan and technically, a former Yankee himself.
Even if it was just for one at-bat during Spring Training, 2008 and he was struck out by Paul Maholm of the Pittsburgh Pirates. We all remember it, and his words,
"I only ever wanted to be a comedian or a Yankee. Or a very funny Yankee."
Anyway, the special, entitled "700 Sundays" is in fact Crystal's one-man show about his growing life. He chronicles his years as a young man and a teen, and does so in the only way he can: comically.
In between the comedy though, he retells sweet stories from his youth, including his first trip to Yankee Stadium. He talked about how excited he was to see Mickey Mantle, or as Crystal called him, "Elvis in pinstripes."
Now, I don't really want to give too much away; I think the best thing for all readers would be to check the special out for yourselves. It's been on HBO frequently, so keep your eyes peeled for it. "700 Sundays" runs about two hours – and it's worth every second.
One last lesson
The Yankees have started 2014 quite nicely, winning nine of their first 15 games. The Bronx Bombers are on an early tear, in fact, as they've won seven of their last 10. After taking three of four from the Boston Red Sox at home, they swept a doubleheader yesterday vs. the Chicago Cubs thanks to the brilliant pitching of both Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda.
Both starting pitchers shut the Cubs out, and are hot commodities in the infantile stage of this season. I had tickets to Tuesday night's game – which subsequently became Wednesday afternoon's game on account of the rainout – but I could not go.
Yes, unfortunately I was not able to attend Yankee Stadium or "the Mecca" for the first time this season because I was saying goodbye to my grandfather. He passed away last Saturday morning.
There'll be other games to hit. My grandfather – he was one of a kind.
At his wake Tuesday night, the priest from his church gave a nice speech about the astronomical amount of faith my grandpa possessed, and it taught me a real lesson I'll carry with me for the long haul.
My grandparents were married for 50 years, until my grandmother passed away in 2002. The priest said my grandfather attended church every Sunday, and they usually spoke when mass ended. After every conversation they had, my grandpa asked the priest to pray for my grandma.
Even after my grandma passed on, he still loved her. For the past 12 years my grandmother may not have phsycially been around, but the love my grandparents had for each other never went away. The lesson there is that love never dies – so check that off the lessons learned list.
Similarly, the love I have for my grandparents will never die and I'll always remember them; the love they freely gave and the big important moments in my life, from birthdays to graduations, that they never missed.
I've missed my grandma for the past 12 years, and now I'll miss my grandpa. However, I'll take so much comfort in knowing they are sharing love eternally now.
The love that never left.
Yankees sign Shumway after loss to Houston
HOUSTON – To most people the Yankees went berserk with their free agent signings this offseason. But it appears Jacoby Ellsbury, Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran just weren't enough – and we won't know until Friday whether or not Masahiro Tanaka will deliver the goods.
After a deflating 6-2 loss in their season opener against the Astros last night, the Yankees announced today they have signed utility free agent slugger Gordon Shumway to a 5-year, $65 million deal. He is expected to play tonight.
Shumway, a native of the planet Melmac who most people recognize as "Alf" the alien life form, held a press conference this morning at Minute Maid Park and talked about how he plans on helping the Yankees pick up a winning attitude.
"I watched the games last year," he said. "I saw how disappointing it was for the fans, so I decided it was time to get in the batting cages and start swinging. I found that, like most things, I was really good at baseball. A scout for the Yankees saw me playing against some Little Leaguers and said 'we need ya, Alf ol' boy!' How could I say no to that?"
In that game vs. the Little League team, Alf hit three home runs and stole five bases on the way to a 10-0, mercy rule win in five innings. To say the least, he has plenty of confidence he will bring that type of energy to the Yankees.
"I knew I'd win that game," Alf said. "Just like I know, with my skills, the Yankees will win the World Series this year. My real name is Gordon Shumway but everyone knows me by the nickname 'Alf' – and well, after the 2014 baseball season is complete, everyone will know me by three other letters: MVP."
Alf brings a swagger to the Yankees like no one skipper Joe Girardi has ever seen.
"Not even Al (Alex Rodriguez) is as – I don't want to say cocky – but as confident as Alf is," Girardi said. "He certainly brings a different dynamic to the team that we need right now. We're happy to have to have him here."
General Manager Brian Cashman also drew a comparison between Alf and Rodriguez, though he expects no problems with the radical, rookie extraterrestrial.
"I had to tell A-Rod to shut up in my own way last year, only because he was mouthing off about things he couldn't back up," Cashman said. "I know I'm not going to have to tell Alf to shut up in an animated way, because I know he'll back up every bit of what he says on the field and in the batter's box."
Alf foresees no troubles in the next five years, citing his only desire is to play ball and win it all.
"I just want to win, which we will because it's all I do," he said. "This season with the Yankees, all I can say is, no problem!"
Tonight's starting lineup will include Alf. He will bat cleanup against the Astros and promised the fans back in New York he would hit not one, but two home runs to make up for, what he called, an "embarrassing" loss last night.
Another one of my ill-fated attempts at humor in a (belated) April Fool's Day effort. You can check out some of my past foolish attempts here (Ted Danson/Paul O'Neill), here (Michael Pineda selling ice cream), and here (CC Sabathia playing Fat Albert).
Tonight – without the help of Alf – the Yankees look to pick up their first win of what will hopefully be a prosperous 2014 MLB season.
#NewDay #BeatTheDrum #AndHoldThePhone #TheSunCameOutToday
Side note: I did an interview last Friday for my fellow blogger Alicia Barnhart and her (awesome!) blog Ballparks on a Budget. Feel free to give it a read right here!
No hits and hat tips
If you watched the brilliant 2007 miniseries The Bronx is Burning, which detailed the radical 1977 New York Yankees season, you might remember how eccentric former Yankee owner George Steinbrenner was portrayed. The Boss would get ticked off very easily at the most minute happenings, if you recall.
"We lost an exhibition game to the Mets – to the METS!" he snarled in one scene.
It leads me to believe that if Steinbrenner was still alive, and saw what happened last night in Panama, he would have lost his marbles. Not only did the Yankees lose an exhibition to the Miami Marlins, baseball's biggest joke in the eyes of most fans, they were no-hit.
I repeat: the Yankees were no-hit by the Marlins.
Though only an exhibition, or a game that doesn't count, Joe Girardi was not thrilled, saying afterwards,
"You never want to be no-hit. I don't care what game it is, what level. You never want to see that."
The fact that the game was being played in honor of Mariano Rivera in his native Panama at Rod Carew Stadium – and the fact that Rivera was in attendance to witness this negative piece of history – only hurt more, in this writer's eyes.
Now granted, a number of big names like Ichiro, Jacoby Ellsbury, Mark Teixeira, Brian McCann and Brian Roberts didn't participate in the no-hitter, as they were stateside in Florida playing the Baltimore Orioles. Yet a few of the key regulars didn't impress. In fact, they played a royal hand in being no-hit.
Derek Jeter, Carlos Beltran, Alfonso Soriano, Brett Gardner and Francisco Cervelli were a combined 0-for-14 with one walk and six strikeouts. Gardner was the only one of the five regulars to reach base via a walk, and was only one of two base runners all night. Zelous Wheeler drew a walk in the eighth inning but that was all the offense – if you can call it offense – the Yanks could muster.
The question I kept asking myself was, when is the last time the Yankees were no-hit in spring training? Better question: have they even ever been no-hit in spring training?
The last time they were no-hit (to any capacity) was June 11, 2003 at the hands of the Houston Astros. Coincidently enough, Jeter and Soriano were a part of the no-hitter in '03 to Houston, as well as a part of last night's struggle.
What's funny is today, in the second game of the Legends Series in Panama, the Yankees no-hit the Marlins through six until Giancarlo Stanton singled to begin the seventh inning. So, the day after being no-hit by the Marlins, the Yanks took a no-no of their own deep into the game.
Can't make this stuff up, folks.
Luckily after all the excruciating, no-hit nonsense to report on last night, the Yankees took out their frustrations in split squad action this afternoon. The stateside crew beat the Atlanta Braves 7-4 and the team that was no-hit last night pounded out 15 hits today, and shutout the Marlins 7-0.
Everyone looked good in this afternoon's action, including Masahiro Tanaka and CC Sabathia. Tanaka pitched 4.1 innings at "The Boss" vs. Atlanta and only let up one earned run on just three hits. He walked two but fanned six, looking as tactical and as effective as Mike Mussina once looked.
Mussina, if you remember, was not incredibly overpowering but so methodical in facing hitters; he had a game plan. Tanaka looked to possess that "Moose"-like style today, at least in my opinion.
Sabathia, in the meantime, worked his best outing of the spring, tossing a perfect five innings against the Marlins; no walks and five Ks. Coming off such a subpar 2013, and not exactly turning any heads this spring, you have believe he needed a performance like today.
Tip of the Hat on #TBT
I've recently become "one of those people" on Twitter who partakes in #ThrowbackThursday, posting an old picture from the past and describing it.
This past Thursday, March 13, was the five-year anniversary of my story on John Flaherty; the former Yankee catcher and current YES broadcaster came to my college (Mercy; Dobbs Ferry, NY) in 2009 to speak to the baseball and softball teams at their fundraiser breakfast.
Flaherty told some awesome stories that morning, including how he was hung over the day he was called up to the major leagues – because he and his friends had gone out for "sodas" the night before.
To celebrate the fun memory, naturally I decided to post a collage photo of my newspaper article on the former Yankee catcher, the ball Flaherty signed for me that day, and the picture he took with me.
Tweeting the photo at him, Flaherty remembered the day and offered me kudos on a job well done, which was very nice of him.
Thanks for the kind words, John!
You can follow me on Twitter @YankeeYapping and @AJ_Martelli
Another silly baseball story
Spring Training is hardly about final scores, which is why the Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays ended their game in a 3-3 stalemate today in 10 innings. As we all know, there doesn't need to be a winner in most exhibitions, as long as everyone gets their necessary work in.
The Rays showed off a great deal of their minor league arms in this afternoon's spring tune-up, and in watching along as I put the finishing touches on my girls' hoops articles for the week, I took notice of some recognizable names.
In the eighth inning Tampa Bay skipper Joe Maddon brought in a lefty by the name of C.J. Riefenhauser – a familiar name if you're a Westchester County, N.Y. sports buff such as myself. Riefenhauser attended Mahopac High School, and if I'm not mistaken, my editor has written a number of features on him.
It's quite possible Riefenhauser makes the big club this year, and I couldn't be happier to see a product of a school in my newspaper's coverage area make it to the show, though I never had the chance to interview him personally. Today Riefenhauser threw (I believe) just two pitches in the 1/3 of an inning he tossed and got Ramon Flores to pop out to short, earning a hold in the process.
Making a note of Rifenhauser's appearance on Twitter seemed to go over well with those who know him. Ten re-tweets, four favorites and counting.
Before Riefenhauser did his work, as short as it was, another southpaw by the name of Adam Liberatore was on the mound – yet another familiar name. Liberatore pitched for the Hudson Valley Renegades in 2010, a (short season Single A) farm team of the Rays, and a team which longtime readers of Yankee Yapping might remember I interned for.
Again, it was nice to see a name I recognized get some playing time in Spring Training. Then the Rays called on their final pitcher in the 10th frame. And all the memories – the good memories – raced back to me.
Maddon brought in Merrill Kelly, a 25-year-old right hander, for the last inning. Kelly, like Liberatore, was a member of the 2010 Renegades. Kelly was called up to extended-A Bowling Green in the middle of the Renegades' 2010 season, but a few weeks before he was promoted, this writer had a rather humorous exchange with him.
It was a Sunday in July at Dutchess Stadium – which meant it was kids' day; children were picked out of the crowd for the wacky activities on the field, in between innings. Then at the end of the game, the kids in attendance were permitted to step onto the diamond and run the bases.
My cousin Thomas (16 at the time, yet short in terms of height for his age), who I went with to the Yankees' home opener earlier that year, was at the game. I had greeted him when he got to the ballpark but soon after, he ventured off with his friends, while I (doing my duty as an intern) helped set things up for the daffy entertainment in between innings.
A little while later before the game started, I was on the field near the first base dugout and saw Thomas – from the front row of the stands – talking to Kelly. I walked over to see him, only to hear an apparent argument going on between my cousin and the reliever.
"Yes I am!" Thomas kept saying.
"Dude, no you're not," Kelly retorted.
"Yes, I AM!" Thomas persisted.
"NO, you're NOT," Kelly answered.
Confused, I asked what was going on.
"A.J., tell this guy I'm 16! He doesn't believe me!" Thomas defiantly said.
Being Thomas's cousin, knowing he was telling the truth, I was able to vouch for him.
"He is 16, Merrill – I'm his cousin," I calmly told Kelly.
The cleat/shoe was certainly on the other foot, as Kelly examined me, looked back at Thomas and said to him, "Dude. You're going to get carded for the rest of your life!" before walking into the dugout.
It was one of the funnier moments of the day, probably second to Thomas participating in the fun in between innings, playing the "dizzy bats" game as part of kids' day.
I've mentioned it before, and I'll say it again now – I'd really be interested in writing a book about that summer, interning for the Renegades; include all the fun shenanigans and hoopla that ensued that summer. At the moment I'm not exactly sure how to go about pursuing such a project. Hopefully I can find out and go after it, because I think a lot of folks who enjoy the child-like aspect of baseball would appreciate it.
Keys to the Kingdom
'Tis the season of the cracking of the bat and the popping of the leather. Yes, MLB Spring Training is finally here, and yesterday the Yankees began their string of exhibition games. As it is, the Bronx Bombers dropped both of their first two Grapefruit League games to Pittsburgh, losing 6-5 Wednesday and 8-2 today – though we all know final scores are probably the least important stat when it comes to Spring Training.
It's all about fine tuning and getting ready for April, when the scores count and the Yanks embark on their quest for World Series title number 28. Yankee Captain Derek Jeter, who as we all know announced his retirement after this upcoming season, declared today that he wants to go out a winner:
"We're the last team standing and we win the championship.
That's the only way I envision it ending."
In order for that happen, a lot has to go right. First of all…
CC Sabathia needs a bounce-back campaign
Last year CC Sabathia faced arm problems, really for the first time ever in his career. The Yankee ace lost 13 games in 2013 and only won 14, coming off 2012 when he won 15 – a far cry from the 21 and 19-win seasons he put up in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Last season Sabathia's ERA was 4.78, the highest earned run average he's ever posted in his career.
If you're the type of analyst who likes to throw wins and ERA out the window, here's something to chew on: Sabathia let up 28 home runs in 2013 – another career-high for a single season. If that isn't enough, here's something else to consider: Sabathia served up more taters than Phil Hughes last season, the former homer-happy Yankee and now-Minnesota Twin. Hughes allowed 24 hitters to leave the yard last year compared to Sabathia's 28.
Yes. You know it's bad when you've given up more long balls than Hughes.
There's no debating the fact that Sabathia needs to turn it around; be the ace the Yankees bought him for prior to 2009, or at least be close to what he was. It's not too much to ask, mostly because he's already proven the type of anchor he can be to a pitching staff.
To his credit, Sabathia slimmed down and lost some weight. According to Michael Kay of YES, Sabathia came into Spring Training last year just under 300 lbs., whereas this year he showed up around 275 and visibly thinner.
Obviously Sabathia is taking serious steps towards getting back to form, but he needs to cut down on the home runs and be clutch this year if the Yankees want to be that last team standing.
Stay healthy, New York
You cannot predict injuries. It's a fact of sports life. In recent times the Yankees have had a ton of hard luck when it comes to injuries, and they haven't been able to field a complete team.
New Yankee Jacoby Ellsbury has failed to appear in 100 games in two of the last four seasons because of injuries. In 2010 the speedy center fielder only played 18 games and in 2012 he played just 74, thanks to fractured ribs as a result of an outfield collision ('10) and a collision on the base paths trying to break up a double play ('12).
In between he's been as solid as they come, though. 2011 was Ellsbury's best season to date. With 32 home runs, 105 RBIs, a .321 batting average, 212 hits, and an All-Star nod, he was arguably the best all-around player in the American League. Being the runner-up for the AL MVP award, while taking home a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger, is only a testament to how fantastic he truly was in '11.
That begs the question, which Ellsbury will be showing up in 2014? The perennial All-Star or the injury prone player who gives up his body en route to disabled list stints?
And Ellsbury is just one example.
To supplant Herculean second baseman Robinson Cano, who split for Seattle, the Yankees signed Brian Roberts – a 36-year-old second sacker once feared by all as a Baltimore Oriole, but has only played 192 games over the last four seasons on account of injuries. (Roberts managed to play 77 games last year, 17 in '12, 39 in '11, and 59 in '10).
Doing the math, Roberts has missed 456 games over the past four seasons; DL stints and concussions have eaten him up. Keep in mind, specifically, he ruptured a tendon behind his right knee last April vs. Tampa Bay attempting a steal of second base.
Knowing all that, will Roberts be a comeback player and offer reliability, or will he simply be unproductive and relegated to the disabled list for a large chunk of the season?
The question marks of Ellsbury and Roberts are of course piled on top of apprehension about Jeter and Mark Teixeira. Jeter (39, 40 in June) as we all know is coming off ankle injuries that limited him to 17 games in 2013, while Teixeira (33, 34 in April) is coming back from wrist problems that only allowed him to play 15 games last year.
How each of these players respond is obviously a "to be determined" but at the same time there is no crystal ball in existence to let us know if they'll be able to grind out the entire season injury-free.
The bullpen has to be effective
It's fair to say the Yankees' bullpen was probably their weakest link last year, even with the legendary Mariano Rivera at the back end closing everything out – which really tells you the whole story. This writer keeps asking himself,
"If the bullpen wasn't that good with Rivera last year, what can we expect without him this year?
David Robertson, as of now, is expected to succeed Mo in the closer role, which is scary to think about. If you recall in 2012 when Rivera's season ended on May 3 on the warning track in Kansas City, Robertson was plugged into his spot as closer, but he didn't cut it.
In just his second save opp a week after Rivera went down, Robertson failed to protect a 1-0 lead over Tampa Bay, giving up a three-run homer to Matt Joyce. He later gave up another run and the Yankees went on to lose, 4-1. Robertson called it afterward "the worst feeling in the world."
Luckily in 2012 the Yankees had the option of using Rafael Soriano in Robertson's stead – an option that worked out well, given that Soriano saved 42 games in Rivera's absence.
Now, similarly, the Yankees have signed former Oakland A's closer (and 2009 AL Rookie of the Year) Andrew Bailey, albeit to a minor league contract. Bailey has 89 saves to his name in his short career, with experience as a closer, making him the logical choice to succeed Rivera over Robertson.
Bailey, like a lot of other Yankees, has a history with injuries. In 2012 he had reconstructive surgery on his right thumb, and just last year an MRI revealed he had a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder.
It'll come down to whether or not Bailey can make it back from injury and be a shutdown pitcher like he once was. For now though, the Yankees have a premiere setup man in Robertson – and that's about it, because Robertson isn't a proven closer.
At least not yet.
Looking outside the back end of the bullpen, the middle relievers need to step up too. Shawn Kelley and Preston Claiborne are going to be two important pieces to the bullpen, along with newcomer Matt Thornton, the tall order who'll replace Boone Logan (now with the Colorado Rockies) as the main southpaw out of the 'pen.
Sources are saying former top Yankee pitching prospect Dellin Betances will be vying for a spot in the bullpen this spring, as it's already been established by Yankee GM Brian Cashman that he will be a reliever in the long run. Betances could either prove to be a key middle reliever or long reliever, yet he has to pitch well enough for the Yankee brass to have faith in him – and well enough to keep himself off mopping duty.
The Opening Day bullpen is likely going to come down to whichever relievers are effective during Spring Training, and the point stands: they have to be effective, whoever they may be when camp breaks.
Masahiro Tanaka has to adapt
Nobody is expecting Masahiro Tanaka to go 24-0 and post an ERA under 2.00 in his rookie season, but if there is one thing the new, prized Japanese import must do, it's get acclimated to the MLB style. His numbers in Japan were far better than a lot of the other Japanese-born pitchers who've come over from the land of the rising sun, meaning he could potentially have a huge year, but the average fan might not realize a couple of things.
First off, pitchers in Japan throw only once a week, whereas here in the states, Tanaka will have to toe the rubber once every five days. Not only that, but the NPB in Japan also uses smaller-sized baseballs compared to an official MLB rock, therefore an adjustment needs to be made in that respect.
The biggest difference will be the hitters Tanaka faces. Monsters such as David Ortiz, Miguel Cabrera, Mike Trout and Prince Fielder will probably pose bigger threats (and are more intimidating) than the more tactical batters he went eye-to-eye with in Japan.
Though one could argue Tanaka won't be fazed by the Goliath-like giants he faces here in the U.S., given his cool demeanor and calm presence at his introductory press conference.
While it's perfectly fine to expect Tanaka to succeed – and he will – it's reasonable to presume he will go through his growing pains. Adjustment is the biggest part of his game.
We'll get our first live look at Tanaka on Saturday afternoon in the Yankees' exhibition vs. the Phillies.
They have to make each other better
The key to any successful team is chemistry. Most of the 2014 Yankees will be first-time teammates, not having played with each other before. While some like Jeter, Teixeira and Brett Gardner have been together for a few seasons, newbies like Ellsbury, Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran have not had a chance to jell as teammates.
If you look back to 2009 – and the Dynasty years, for that matter – a player could have an off-night, but the rest of the team would be on. For example,
In 1998, Tino Martinez might have an "0-for" night, but Jeter, Bernie Williams, Scott Brosius, and Paul O'Neill would be firing at will, and the Yanks would win. The next night Jeter could have gone 0-for-4, but Martinez and everyone else would still be en fuego.
Those teams were the masters of picking each other up.
If the 2014 Yankees can perfect that same art, they'll be as lethal as any team in baseball.
And the kingdom will be theirs.
Omega, 2014: Derek Jeter announces this season is his last
If you pick up a Bible and thumb your way through to last book – the book of revelation – you'll find the story of the end of the world, otherwise known as the apocalypse. Flying, fire-breathing dragons, the harvest of the earth, and the final battle between good and evil are discussed, and it advises all readers to maintain faith. In its epilogue, the Bible's final line is, "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all."
Now, we will never know when, exactly, the apocalypse will transpire; it's an unknown phenomenon in terms of its timing. But if you're a member of Yankee Universe, you found out today the end of the world will come at the conclusion of the 2014 season.
Or at least the end of a significant era.
This afternoon Yankee Captain Derek Jeter announced (via his "Turn 2 Foundation" Facebook page) that this coming year will be his last, and he will retire when this forthcoming season is over.
"…it was months ago when I realized that this season would likely be my last. As I came to this conclusion and shared it with my friends and family, they all told me to hold off saying anything until I was absolutely 100% sure.
"And the thing is, I could not be more sure. I know it in my heart. The 2014 season will be my last playing professional baseball."
This is the end. The day we all had nightmares about.
Jeter has pretty much earned the right to hang 'em up though, having conquered basically everything there is to conquer in baseball. Cooperstown, for all we know, might already have a special room designated for the wonders of Jeter's career; there's no question he'll be enshrined in upstate New York's hallowed halls with the ghosts of baseball's past.
Here's a little bit of input on my part:
Why now?
For one, his age. Although in recent times certain players have been able to suit up and take the field at 40 years old (and beyond), eventually they can't do it anymore, for whatever reason. Some players, like Randy Johnson for example, hang around to meet career goals. In Johnson's case he stayed in the game to reach 300 wins, but he put his cleats away almost immediately after he reached the milestone.
Jeter has no more real goals to reach, being a five-time World Series champ, a World Series MVP, an All-Star game MVP; having 3,000 career hits, being the all-time Yankee hit leader . . . and so on and so forth. Think of doing something unfathomable in baseball, and then realize Jeter has been there and done that.
Summing it up, Jeter will be 40 in June and he has nothing left to accomplish on the field.
Another reason, clearly, was the injury to his ankle that he sustained in Game 1 of the 2012 ALCS. Since that fateful October night, nothing has been same for him. He only played 17 games in 2013 because his ankle wasn't quite right, batting an uncharacteristic .190 (12 hits in 63 at-bats) which was a sizable drop from the .316 BA he put up in 2012.
It was evident his afflictions impacted him in 2013. He didn't have it last year – and he knew it.
"Last year was a tough one for me. As I suffered through a bunch of injuries, I realized that some of the things that always came easily to me and were always fun had started to become a struggle.
"The one thing I always said to myself was that when baseball started to feel more like a job, it would be time to move forward."
One last piece of info Jeter slipped into his reason for retiring: his desire to be more of a businessman and start a family.
"Now it is time for the last chapter. I have new dreams and aspirations, and I want new challenges. There are many things I want to do in business and in philanthropic work, in addition to focusing more on my personal life and starting a family of my own . . ."
It's good the captain is willing to dive into the business world and try to master it the way he did the game of baseball. The question is, however, as far as beginning a familial lifestyle,
With whom will he start a family?
Given his glorious track record of dating attractive women, he can practically pick any woman he wants at this point, and then take it from there. Lucky guy.
How he announced it
Facebook. It shocked most people in the press, including myself.
Jeter isn't the type of person who takes to social media every time a thought pops into head (like the rest of us), so the fact that he wrote up a note and threw it on his foundation's Facebook page was a little bizarre. This writer even kept saying to himself, over and over again after the news broke,
"Facebook? Really?"
You would think he would've waited until Spring Training started, and called a press conference for all to see. At the very least it would've been a little more formal than a Facebook post, but kudos to Jeets going against the grain and breaking the huge news in an unconventional manner – well, at least unconventional by his standards.
He rose through the ranks of pro ball by being an uncommon player, so he might as well go out doing things in uncommon ways.
What it means for the Yankees
In a nutshell, they'll need a shortstop after this year. The questions about whether or not the Yankees will pursue Stephen Drew are already rising, though they aren't expected to make anymore deals now that the offseason is on the downswing. That and the fact they've already spent nearly half a $billion already.
Buster Olney, ESPN analyst and former Yankee beat writer, speculated that the Colorado Rockies – if their season starts to crumble and they're non-contenders before July 31 – might explore the idea of moving their All-Star SS Troy Tulowitzki.
Tulowitzki is owed somewhere around $140 million over the next several years. Who better to pick up that contract than the Yankees: a team notorious for having deep pockets and not being afraid to show it, especially when they're in need of a key player.
Discussing the topic, MLB Network brought up two other names who will apparently be free agents after this year: Hanley Ramirez (LA Dodgers) and J.J. Hardy (Baltimore Orioles). Ramirez however made a statement today claiming he "wants to be a Dodger for life."
Yet, should the Yankee brass offer him a larger sum of money than LA does, Ramirez might reword that statement. Robinson Cano made similar remarks about staying with the Yankees, and we all saw what happened there.
On the other hand the Yankees could go the in-house route to supplant Jeter next year, which could mean Eduardo Nunez is the guy going forward. But if they want to look beyond Nunez because of his defensive foibles, every shortstop in the farm system needs to perform well enough this season – or do something extraordinary enough this season – to prove they might just be the heir apparent.
Cito Culver, I'm looking at you.
The farewell tour
Like last year (for Mariano Rivera), fans from all over the place are going to flock to wherever the Yankees are just to see Jeter during his last hurrah. The Yankee captain is going to be like a giant neon light in 2014, and the fans are going to be like moths on hot summer nights, flying towards him.
If they can afford it, that is.
Ticket prices for the Thursday, Sept. 25 game vs. Baltimore – the Yankees' final home game of the 2014 regular season – have absolutely skyrocketed. Before Jeter announced his plans, it was just an average game. Now that his final appearance at Yankee Stadium could potentially fall on that date, you cannot buy a ticket for less than $397. At press time; that figure could be inflating as I'm typing this.
While Sept. 25 may be Jeter's final game at the big ballpark in the Bronx notwithstanding a playoff run, it's possible the Yankees honor him with a special day on Sunday, Sept. 21 at home vs. the Blue Jays. Tickets for that game have also become astronomical in terms of price, and it would make sense they pay homage to the captain on that day, being that the Yanks honored Rivera on Sunday, Sept. 22 this past year.
Either way, fans will be coming from near and far to see Jeter this year. 2014. The final year. The apocalypse. The end of the world, or at least the true end of the Yankee dynasty era.
Rising Son: Tanaka separate from the pack
In 2008 Sports Illustrated published an in-depth article on the life on Yankee starter Chien-Ming Wang, appropriately entitled, Chien-Ming Wang has a secret. In his native country of Taiwan, the former sinker-baller was a celebrity. He couldn't get out of his car in Taiwan without getting mobbed by worshipping fans. Yet when he walked down the streets in New York City, he was barely bothered; no one hounded him or even recognized him. The piece delved into his personal life, as well as how he developed his signature pitch.
It was an interesting story on the foreign pitcher. One a reader could thoroughly enjoy.
Yesterday the Yanks landed 25-year-old Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka, luring him to the Bronx with a pact worth $155 million over seven years; thus snagging the hurler from the Rakuten Eagles. Tanaka has put up staggering numbers in Japan since his debut in Nippon Pro Baseball in 2007, winning several awards and attaining superstardom along the way.
This writer does not in fact know whether or not Tanaka can walk down the streets of Tokyo without being mobbed. Only time will tell if he will be able to take a stroll in Times Square without the hassle of adoring fans and media. But over the next seven years, rest assured, we'll learn a lot about this newcomer.
What we do know now is that he was 24-0 in NPB last year with a microscopic earned run average of 1.27. Over the last three seasons alone he piled up 53 wins and only lost three games, posting an ERA of 1.44. For the sake of getting too analytical, most folks are predicting his WAR to have impressive range, meaning he will be worth a heck of a lot of victories throughout his Yankee tenure.
His total WAR is going to be 16.8 after seven years.
No! It's got to be 6.8 per season.
Thanks for your input, Twitter.
Notwithstanding the ever-glorious, overanalyzed "wins above replacement" stat, his regular numbers from the Far East are unheard of here in the United States – and even in Japan, those numbers leap out at you, giving a lot of pundits and writers the impression he is separated from the pack of aces.
Take for example Daisuke Matsuzaka, who was a well-sought-after pitcher during the 2006-07 offseason. His best season in Japan (pitching for the Seibu Lions) was the year right before he signed with Boston, being 2006.
Dice-K's numbers that season: 17-5, 2.13 ERA, 186.1 innings pitched, and 200 strikeouts. His transition to Major League Baseball wasn't anything special, going 15-12 with an ERA of 4.40 his first season in Beantown with the Red Sox, which was of course '07. His workload got a bit heavier that year (204.2 IP) but the number of Ks was consistent; in fact, one more than his previous season at 201 strikeouts.
His claim to fame was his 2008 season in Boston when he went 18-3 with a 2.90 ERA, which could be attributed to a lighter amount of innings – 167.2. His K total also fell to 154 strikeouts. From there, the "Dice Man" became nothing to write home to Japan about.
Point being Dice-K is not exactly comparable to Tanaka. Neither is Kei Igawa (a teammate of Matsuzaka's from the Seibu Lions) who the Yanks acquired prior to 2007. Igawa's best year in Japan came in 2003 when he was 20-5 with a 2.80 ERA; 206 IP, amassing 179 strikeouts. It's also worth mentioning he never won more than 14 games in a single season for the Lions after '03.
That being said, Igawa never made a difference in New York. Before he was let go he finished with a 2-4 record in pinstripes, a 6.66 earned run average, and he struck out just 53 batters.
In other words, he was a bad investment. Igawa's ERA describes his time in New York perfectly, being the mark of the devil, and for the record, there's no chance he was mobbed by fans. Frankly, if Yankee fans were to have seen Igawa in the street (that is if they would have even recognized him to begin with) they probably would have thrown eggs and tomatoes at him.
And no, he cannot be compared to Tanaka.
Even the great Yu Darvish cannot truly be compared to Tanaka. His best season for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters was 2011, the year before he came to the states and joined the Texas Rangers. In '11, Darvish went 18-6 with a 1.44 ERA; 232 innings pitched and a mind-blowing 276 strikeouts.
While 18 is a strong number in terms of win total, it's not quite on par with Tanaka's 24 from last season, although Darvish's first two seasons in MLB weren't bad:
2012: 16-9, 3.90 ERA, 232 IP, 221 Ks.
2013: 13-9, 2.83 ERA, 209.2 IP, 277 Ks.
And while we won't know what Tanaka's numbers will be over the course of his first two seasons in pinstripes for another couple years, we do know his numbers were better than Darvish's were overseas.
Hisashi Iwakuma, a Japanese starter who joined the Seattle Mariners in 2012, only mustered up 29 wins over his last three seasons in Japan (2009-11, for the Golden Eagles) – a far cry from the 53 Tanaka has racked up over his last three seasons pitching in the land of the rising sun.
It's quite possible Tanaka is the best Japanese-born starting pitcher we've ever seen – at least that's what the numbers suggest. Better in his native Japan than Matsuzaka; better than Igawa, better than Darvish, better than Iwakuma – and maybe even better than Hideo Nomo.
Nomo was MLB's first notable Japanese import, and he pitched for the Kintetsu Buffaloes from 1990-94. The most wins he notched in a single season in the Far East: like Darvish, 18. Again, not as many as Tanaka's 24.
The truth is we won't know how well his stuff will translate from NPB to MLB until we receive a sample size, which could be a year or two. Yet if his numbers, compared to the other Japanese-born starters, are any indication, he will surely succeed. He could potentially go soaring above and beyond the realm of accomplishments of the other Japanese pitchers.
And if Tanaka does indeed dominate, there's a good chance he won't be as lucky walking down the streets of New York as Wang once was. The man from Japan might just become a little too popular to go unrecognized in the city that never sleeps.
But that all depends on how he does. And you can bet your life Yankee Universe will be watching.
Mo vs. Mick: Why Mo is better
I will assume most of the readers of Yankee Yapping are familiar with the Wall Street Journal, a prestigious newspaper founded in 1889, based out of New York City. Now, unless you are a journalism major or have taken a newspaper history class, I will assume most readers are unaware of how the Wall Street Journal developed its own style of story.
A Wall Street Journal-style story always starts with a specific example; names and situations, usually focusing on one topic. The story then gradually delves into that topic with general information, and then at the end reverts back to the specific example used to start the story.
And most of the endings have what's called a "circle kicker" or a twist; a turn of events.
It's all very fantastic, genius even. Think of what's about to happen here as a Wall Street Journal-style blog post. Chances are there will be some backlash, another journalistic term, meaning a strong or adverse reaction by a large number of people. Although some readers might very well agree and feel the same way I do about this next graf.
Mariano Rivera was better than Mickey Mantle.
(Ducks, hides, takes cover)
There. I said it. That's your specific example; the topic. Now, general information might contradict that statement, or at least suggest otherwise.
Mantle, in 18 seasons with the Yankees, was a 20-time (allow me to reiterate, 20-time!) all-star, a three-time AL MVP, and a seven-time World Series champion. The "Commerce Comet" won the Triple Crown in 1956 (52 HR, 130 RBI, .353 BA), and was selected (first ballot) to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. Mantle's number 7 is lying proudly behind the center field wall in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium.
Rivera, in 19 seasons in pinstripes, was a 13-time all-star, an ALCS MVP (2003), a World Series MVP (1999), an All-Star game MVP (2013), and a five-time World Series champion. He saved more games than any other closer in baseball history (652), owns more saves than any other closer in the postseason (42), and his number 42 was also placed in Monument Park – even before his last game, making him the first Yankee to have his number retired while still a part of the active roster.
In general consideration, both of these Yankee legends' numbers speak for themselves. It's difficult to even compare their numbers, as Mantle was a hitter; a position player, while Rivera was a specialty pitcher. Many folks may even say the two are incomparable – or, there is simply no comparing them. It's impossible to say who was better on the field.
On the field, yes. Maybe incomparable. But here's where it gets specific again.
In 1973, Yankee Stadium was coming up on its 50-year anniversary. The president of the Yankees at the time, Robert Fishel, reached out to a number of former Yankee players before the House that Ruth Built's anny, asking them to write down their "most outstanding" Yankee Stadium moment.
Fishel sent a letter to "The Mick" and asked him to name his most outstanding moment at Yankee Stadium, and also asked him to describe it as best he could: where it took place and when. Mantle's answer was childish and disturbing.
I had to censor some of Mantle's answer, for fear of MLBlogs and the MLB community becoming offended, but using your knowledge, it's not difficult to determine what Mantle wrote.
A lot of people undoubtedly laughed at the response. Some surely even commended it. "That's our Mickey! Ha ha ha! Way to go!"
When I first read it, however, I didn't find humor in the sophomoric response. I didn't think of the way everyone most assuredly got a chuckle out of Mantle's answer. Perhaps I just don't think the way everyone else does, because I only thought of one person:
I thought of Mariano Rivera. I thought of what "The Sandman's" response would have been to that letter. I thought of what moment he might have picked – and how classy the answer would have been. I thought of how Rivera would have thanked God for whatever the moment was.
Maybe Rivera would have selected celebrating the 1996 World Series victory on Yankee Stadium soil as his favorite moment. Mo's most outstanding memory could have also been closing out Game 4 in 1999, riding out of the big ballpark in the Bronx on the shoulders of his teammates after being named MVP of the fall classic.
Collapsing with pure joy on the mound after Aaron Boone clubbed the Yanks into the World Series on that fateful October night in 2003 – perhaps that was Rivera's special moment. Or maybe Sept. 22, 2013, "Mariano Rivera Day" would have been what he wrote back.
Whatever his answer would've been, it would've defeated Mantle's in classiness.
Readers are certainly entitled to their own opinions on this rather controversial topic, but the specific example is what it is. Rivera outclassed Mantle in every way over the course of his career, even if their stats are incomparable.
And that's why Rivera was better. There's your circle kicker.
Oh no, Cano! Wait, Beltran?!
We may never know if Jay-Z made the Yankee cap more famous than a Yankee could, but we do know he made Robinson Cano richer than he was before he ever put on a Yankee cap.
As we all know by now, Cano and his rap star agent agreed to a 10-year, $240 million pact with the Seattle Mariners this morning, giving the Pacific Northwest a perennial all-star second baseman while leaving Yankee Universe high and dry in disbelief. The Yankees had made futile efforts to re-sign the studly second baseman, making him a final offer of a seven-year deal worth around $175 million. Seattle dug deeper into its pocket and voila. Cano is a Mariner.
Michael Douglas was right. Greed is good.
Being a homegrown Yankee, and arguably the best product of the Yankee farm system over the last decade or so, it's a huge blow to the Yankees on a personal level; on a sentimental level. On a professional level, it's a huge blow, considering Cano is a consistent player, always good for 100 RBIs; he smacks close to 30 homers a year, and the last time he batted under .300 was 2008 (.271).
Losing Cano's defense is also tragic for the Bronx Bombers, as he's a durable piece – he's missed just eight games since 2010. Two Gold Gloves on his ledger also prove the point the Yanks have lost not just a great player, but an outstanding player.
On the Yankees' side, Cano's signing with Seattle is only good from a business perspective. They weren't forced to succumb to his high salary demands, and can use the money to pursue other free agents that can help turn them from an 85-win team into a contender again.
And if you remember back to the 1999 movie For Love of the Game, pitcher Billy Chapel (Kevin Costner) was told he was being traded from the Detroit Tigers to the San Francisco Giants at the end of the season. The team owner Gary Wheeler explained,
"Everything's changed, Billy. The players, the fans, TV rights, arbitrations. It isn't the same. The game stinks."
While baseball is and always will be the best game in the world, today – for the Yankee fans who adore Cano – the quote holds true. The game stinks.
It's a shame. Cano was my favorite current player, and the most impactful player on the team over the past three or four years. Losing him doesn't even seem real.
There have been some solid products of the Yankee farm system these past few years (David Robertson, Brett Gardner) but I don't think they've been as valuable on a daily basis as Cano. I don't believe there's been another thoroughbred that has been as clutch as Cano, and his presence will be missed next year.
Do I think Cano is greedy?
Yes, but so are the rest of the players that take big money. So is the rest of the world, in fact. He was offered a sum and a certain amount of years by the Yankees. He was offered a greater sum and more years by the Mariners and chose to go in the direction of money, rather than a full, career legacy in pinstripes.
It's sad that he didn't want to stay, because in the past we've seen players get offered fat contracts with ridiculous money attached to them – only for them to just plain go where they wanted to go, regardless of money or years.
For example, Cliff Lee.
In the 2010 offseason, both the Yankees and Texas Rangers were prepared to give Lee (a then-free agent) a lot of coin and a lot of time. In the end, however, he chose to go to the Philadelphia Phillies, a team he had already pitched for and enjoyed playing for – and he signed back for less money than the Yanks and Rangers were going to give him.
At the time I (and the rest of Yankees Universe, and the front office, I'm sure) were upset with Lee for holding them up, practically, at the winter meetings. The Yanks held off on talks with other players waiting for Lee to decide what his plan was in terms of choosing a team.
Now, however, I wish Cano had taken a page out of Lee's book, and had just gone back to the team where he made his name, even if it meant taking a pay cut.
Sometimes I just don't understand it all. Cano is already a multi-millionaire. If he's being offered $175 million by the Yankees and $240 million by the Mariners – with millions and millions banked and probably invested properly – what's the difference? Is another $65 million going to make that much of a difference at the end of your career?
The truth is, Cano could retire today, use 100 dollar bills as toilet paper, and still remain financially secure for the rest of his life.
Bottom line though: his decision was based on money and not legacy. Cano is a goner and there is nothing we can do about it.
But let's weigh the good with the bad here.
The Good
- The Yankees have money to spend now. There are a lot of other free agents on the market and the Yankee brass can go after basically whomever they darn well please.
- Four significant free agent agreements (one official signing so far) have already taken place. Just yesterday the Yankees unveiled their new catcher Brian McCann, who is a seven-time all-star and has a lefty swing tailor made for Yankee Stadium. The Yanks also stole one of Boston's reigning World Series champs, outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury. Like McCann, his left-handed swing will likely translate well to the Yankee Stadium short porch. And NOW, literally as I was typing this up, the Yankees have agreed to a three year, $45 million deal with outfielder Carlos Beltran – a switch-hitting power hitter who is as clutch as they come in October. Also coming back is P Hiroki Kuroda, who earned himself a year and $16 million.
- Cano didn't go to a team that poses a threat to the Yankees taking the AL East. Or, really a team that poses any type of threat to the Yankees at all. When you think of the Seattle Mariners, you think of ace starting pitcher Felix Hernandez and nobody else. Now when you think of the Seattle Mariners, you'll think of Hernandez, Cano…and nobody else. If Cano had gone to Boston or even Baltimore, Detroit, or Texas, I'd be worried.
- The insight of Hal Steinbrenner at McCann's introductory presser yesterday. In his words, the Yankees are shooting for that "189 mark" (trying to keep the payroll under $189 million) but it won't come at the expense of putting a winning team on the field. He also mentioned the Yankees are not done this winter. There will be more signings, and they could come at really any time – as evidenced by the timing of the Beltran deal tonight.
The Bad
- The Yankees have a little bit of a void at second base. They picked up Kelly Johnson, a 20 home run type of guy – but at the same time a .230 batting average type of guy and a "who's that?" on defense. They'll need offensive production from the second base spot, as well as good D. They'll miss Cano in that respect.
- Again, the sentimental value of Cano. He was a real Yankee, and he beat feet. His minor league number is even retired by one of his first Yankee teams, the Staten Island Yankees (short season Single-A). What's better than being a Yankee? Being a Mariner? I don't know if the teal and navy blue measure up to what the pinstripes mean, but either way Cano was one of us. Now he's a Mariner. If the Yankees want to seek retribution, they could always retire number 24 in the name of Tino Martinez as a middle finger to Cano. (I know they would never do that, but it's nice to think about!)
- Cano's age and durability – and how the Yanks might miss it. He is only 31 and obviously has a lot of baseball life left in him. An according signing, Beltran, is 36 (37 on April 24). Cano's health and durability has never come into question, whereas there will surely be a lot of questions surrounding Beltran's health and durability. While Ellsbury's age (30) isn't a concern, his durability is. Ellsbury's career has been injury-ravaged, and an eye opening stat came up today: he's missed 264 of his last 648 regular season games. Ergo, the Yanks know what they had with Cano, but are uncertain with two of their big three free agent agreements thus far this winter.
- Too many outfielders, not enough infielders. Now with Beltran in the outfield, there's Alfonso Soriano, Brett Gardner, Ichiro, and Vernon Wells (he's still a Yankee, remember?). Along with the void Cano left, third base could be a question mark, given A-Rod's situation. Not to mention the Yanks need pitching too.
Last thoughts
Today was one of the craziest days in recent memory, as far as the Yankees are concerned. I joked on Twitter that the YES Network could make Dec. 6, 2013 into a Yankeeography episode. It's true. How often is it that a team loses its perennial player and responds the same exact day, hours later as a matter of fact, with a huge free agent agreement?
Not too often, I'd wager.
To Cano, best of luck in Seattle. You'll be missed.
To Beltran, it's my hope you stay healthy and durable, and put up power numbers similar to what Cano would have put up for the Yankees in 2014.
And it's funny. Using the For Love of the Game analogy, Billy Chapel responded to the "the game stinks' comment with,
"The game doesn't stink, Mr. Wheeler. It's a great game."
When I started typing this, yes the game did stink. Now with a blockbuster free agent agreement – in the middle of completing this very blog post – the Yanks get a power hitter and the game doesn't stink as much.
It is a great game. But man, a crazy one.


text:
Buy for$3.82(15 items)
Written by Mr. Doctor on 21.04.2012 at 12:31
Slayer's best album hands down. Underrated compared to the later albums, that's for sure.
Written by Angelic Storm on 21.04.2012 at 16:49A weird but accurate way of describing this album, is it's a thrash album with the atmosphere of a good black metal album.
Written by Guest on 09.11.2012 at 22:50
A great album, but i have one problem with it. The album could be a bit longer then i would maybe rate it with a 10
Written by Maco on 07.05.2013 at 01:00
KILLL AGAIN. that part scares me to shit.