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Results tagged ' Joba Chamberlain '
Rodriguez Made the Moment, Thames the Hero
Talk about a roller coaster ride.
On Monday night, the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 11-9 in what was probably the most heated game this season.
The Bronx Bombers have adopted the policy of kicking the Red Sox when they are down.
A lot of wild plays and standout performers in this one…
Marcus Thames
Bottom of the ninth. Tie game, 9-9. One on, two out. Jonathan Papelbon vs. Marcus Thames. In my mind, we were heading for extra innings.
Papelbon left a floater right over the plate for Thames to crush, a moon shot into the left field stands to send the Yankees home with smiles on their faces.
That…was a BOMB! No extra innings tonight, just a pie to the face, courtesy of A.J. Burnett
Heading into that at-bat, Thames was 1-for-4 on the night with two RBIs and a strikeout. I will admit, when he struck out in the bottom of the eighth and the Yanks were down 9-7, I doubted him.
"Add Thames to the list of terrible signings this past off-season, along with Nick Johnson Randy Winn, and Chan Ho Park."
So Thames had a good night. I cannot bash him at press time. I'm still not saying he was the best pickup this off-season, but he had his moment tonight. Tonight is the night he "earned back his pinstripes," if you will.
But back to my point.
Everyone can keep tonight in their minds the next time he struggles. I mean, has everyone forgotten how poorly he played in Boston on May 9? He looked like giraffe in left field, he could not chase the ball down, and he didn't hit.
On that night, no one wanted to be within 10 feet of him.
Yet when he succeeds, everyone worships him, as is the nature of the game and the fans.
Thames is currently hitting .365 with two home runs and 10 RBIs. Will he keep it up?
Perhaps. Perhaps not.
Just remember tonight next time he doesn't come up big.
Alex Rodriguez
Thames was the hero, but Alex Rodriguez afforded him the opportunity.
Down 9-7 in the bottom of the ninth with one out, Rodriguez came up big time, blasting a towering, game-tying two-run homer into the Boston bullpen off Jonathan Papelbon.
That…was a BOMB!
When he smacked that homer, two things came to my mind:
A) June 3, 2007. Rodriguez homered off Papelbon at Fenway Park that night and the Yankees went on to beat Boston. On his way back to the dugout, Rodriguez playfully placed his hand over the ESPN camera.
That's A-Rod for you. Just as you saw him acting like a little leaguer when the team waited for Thames at home plate, he showed everyone the five year-old in him.
B) 2009 Postseason.
How many games did the Yankees win last October, simply because Rodriguez was there?
A lot!
He had game-tying homer after game-tying homer all throughout the playoffs. Better yet, all of his game-tiers came in the seventh inning or later.
In his own words, "To say I'm not clutch is ridiculous."
He answered all his critics with his performance last postseason. But if you ask me, I say he proved everyone wrong in 2007. He put the team on his back the whole year and just like tonight, they would have gone nowhere without him.
Chalk up another clutch hit from A-Rod.
Yankee Pitching
The 5-0 Phil Hughes made the start for the Yankees tonight. He tossed five innings and gave up five earned runs on six hits. He walked one batter and struck out three.
Not his best game.
It's pretty impressive when I can say Hughes did not pitch his best game, yet he was in line for a win when he left. The Red Sox really just wore him out, put good at-bats together, and made him throw a lot of pitches.
No decision for Hughes tonight, but his ERA did climb up to 2.25. All things considered, it's a pretty good number. I still think he has the ability to make a Cy Young Award push if he keeps pitching the way he is.
So overall, a below average start from Hughes, but it was not bad.
The Yankee bullpen however…meh.
When the offense scores six runs over the first two innings, there really is no excuse to be blowing the game. Now a good part of that you can pin on Hughes's shoulders, but he maintained the lead. The bullpen's job is to hold the lead, even in a tight game.
Lately that's been a serious problem. Case in point: yesterday vs. the Twins.
Tonight the 'pen combined for four innings and gave up four runs on seven hits. They walked one batters and collectively struck out three.
Boone Logan recorded a hold despite giving up a home run to Victor Martinez. Simply put, I do not trust him. When he comes into a game, I hold my breath. Logan has velocity, but his control is becoming an issue.
Then there's Chan Ho Park. I hope he has less diarrhea now.
On his first day back from the disabled list, he blew a save and gave up back-to-back home runs. It was his second blown save of the year and ironically enough, his first one came against…the Red Sox, back on Opening Night.
Park was charged with three earned runs on four hits. After the game, manager Joe Girardi said he was the only guy available for the eighth, since Joba Chamberlain and David Robertson pitched yesterday.
So far, Park is making it hard for me to say anything nice about him.
Damaso Marte tossed a scoreless 1 1/3 innings, working around a walk and a hit.
Finally Girardi was forced to go to Javier Vazquez, who is actually starting Friday night vs. the Mets at Citi Field. With runners on the corners and two outs, Vazquez did probably the best thing he has done all year–got out of the inning and kept the game where it was.
Vazquez needed just four pitches to get it done, meaning he is still available to make the start Friday. He really had the best night out of all the pitchers and for his performance, he was rewarded the win.
Although his ERA is a bloated 8.01, Vazquez now has a 2-4 season record.
It will be interesting to see how he does Friday night. As it has been documented, he has had success in the National League. Well, his expertise from the other league will be put to the test: Yanks are in an NL ballpark and he is facing an NL team.
We'll see how he does. As for tonight, he can relax. Job well done.
However, it's no secret the Yanks' bullpen is rattled. There needs to be more consistency among the relievers if the Yankees are going to succeed. I think I put it best when Hughes left after the fifth:
"Tonight would have been a great night for Alfredo Aceves."
It's too bad he's (one of the many Yankees) bitten by the injury bug.
Great win for the Yanks; the best of the year if you ask me. Tampa Bay won their game tonight, so we remain two games out of first place. The Red Sox however, are 8 ½ games behind. That's bad news for them.
Tomorrow night CC Sabathia (4-2, 3.71 ERA) vs. Josh Beckett (1-1. 7.46 ERA).
Might have the makings of another classic.
Go Yankees!!!
Cervelli and Burnett Bust O's, Yanks Take Series
Call the New York Yankees "butter" right now, because they are certainly on a roll.
Tonight the Bronx Bombers continued their winning ways and beat the Baltimore Orioles by the same score they beat them by last night, 4-1. They have won 15 of their last 18 home series, extended their winning streak to three games, and have now won eight of their first nine series this season.
Only three other Yankee teams in history (1928, 1939, and 2003) have won eight of their first nine series, so obviously the 2010 group is standing out and has gotten off to a magnificent start.
A pair of plays and players stood out tonight…
Francisco Cervelli
This youngster did a wonderful job filling in for Jorge Posada, who is battling a balky right calf muscle. Francisco Cervelli was 3-for-3 with a triple, a bunt single, and two runs scored.
Not bad at all.
The Cisco kid was also playing amazing defense, making a beautiful catch to end the top of the fourth inning. Garrett Atkins popped a foul, high-fly ball toward the Yankee dugout. Cervelli kept his eye on the ball the whole way and falling stomach-first over the railing, made the putout.
Manager Joe Girardi actually caught Cervelli and bench coach Tony Pena nearly got toppled as he landed practically on top of him. It was a huge out, because there was a runner on third and the game was tied 1-1 at that point. That brilliant play prevented the O's from going ahead, which certainly could have changed the complexion of the game.
I noticed as Cervelli rounded second base he flipped off his helmet. I guess he had to, since it is much bigger than a normal helmet. Because the young catcher has sustained multiple concussions in his career, he has to wear that funny-looking headpiece.
It makes him look like Gazoo from "The Flintstones." Or maybe "Dark Helmet" from "Spaceballs"…
At any rate, Cervelli stole the show tonight. A few hits, a pair of runs, and a web gem. Not a bad night at the office. He must keep up the good work, especially since Posada has been hurting.
A.J. Burnett
Once again, A.J. Burnett came out dealing like a man on fire. (Had to change it up; the "blackjack in Vegas" line is actually getting old, but that's a good thing!)
The number two hurler tossed 7 1/3 innings tonight and gave up only one unearned run on five hits. He walked just two batters and he struck out eight.
Last week Burnett started against these same Orioles and only struck out four hitters. He seemed to be pitching to contact a lot more and was a lot more effective; he got a lot of fly ball outs and also induced a few outs on the ground. Tonight however, he was striking more batters out with a fastball, which was dancing all over the strike zone.
Burnett did not rely so much on his breaking ball tonight, but when he did throw it, he got the ball to move nicely. Girardi said after the game his curve ball was "outstanding, he used it effectively, and it had great depth."
Could not have said it better myself.
The top of the third was really Burnett's only hiccup. He allowed a run on a throwing error, but quickly settled down. With runners on second and third and no one out, he struck out Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, and Matt Wieters–all swinging–to get out of the inning without any further damage.
Maybe instead of "Dr. Jekyll-Burnett" I should call him "Harry Houdini-Burnett."
Now with a record of 4-0 and ERA of 1.99, Burnett's next start will come Sunday night against the Red Sox. He has not had much success in the past vs. Boston, but after tonight he may have given us all a reason to have more faith in him.
He is off to the best start he has ever gotten off to in his career. And by the way, he hasn't allowed an earned run in each of his last four starts.
Other Notes:
–Derek Jeter started at the designated hitter spot tonight while Ramiro Pena got the nod at short. Jeter was 1-for-5 but Pena had a sacrifice fly and two RBIs in the game.
He knocked in his first run in the bottom of the third, bunting and reaching on an error to drive in Brett Gardner and give the Yanks the lead. His sac fly came in the eighth to give the Yankees' their 4-1 lead.
–Greg Golson got called up today and Mark Melancon was optioned back to Triple-A. Golson didn't have an at-bat tonight, but he made a nice catch in center field to rob Miguel Tejada of extra bases. A HUGE play and a great catch!
–Alex Rodriguez has not been hitting well lately, but he was 0-for-2 on the night with an RBI bases loaded walk in the bottom of the fifth. Even when he isn't killing the ball, he is still helping the team win.
–Mariano Rivera did not pitch tonight, because of that "discomfort" he spoke about after Friday's outing vs. Chicago. Joba Chamberlain (playing the role of "Joba the Heat") came in and slammed the door for the second time in as many games.
Chamberlain now has three career saves. He isn't doing badly as an understudy, but he can't get too comfortable in the closer role. Rivera will probably be back by Friday.
–Before the game, Jeter mentioned that his favorite food to eat in a restaurant is chicken parmesan. I guess I'm a man after his own heart–that is my all-time favorite dish!
–The Yankees are now 18-8, 10 games above .500. If Tampa Bay loses to Seattle tonight, we are dead-even and tied for first place in the AL East.
–Tomorrow afternoon the Yankees look to sweep the O's. Andy Pettitte (3-0, 2.12 ERA) will lead the Yanks into battle against David Hernandez (0-3, 4.55 ERA)
I'd also like to take this moment to remember Ernie Harwell, the famous broadcaster, who passed away tonight. He is a legend with the Detroit Tigers and from everyone's testimony, he was a wonderful person with a great soul.
R.I.P. Mr. Harwell. I wish you peace. My heart goes out to his friends, family, and every baseball fan he touched in his life.
Vazquez To Be Skipped, Girardi Made the Right Move
To borrow a line from Spike Lee: Joe Girardi, you did the right thing.
Before the New York Yankees' 4-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles last night, the Yankee skipper announced that Javier Vazquez would skip his next turn in the rotation. Vazquez's next start would have come Friday night in Boston against the Red Sox but because of his inability to pitch effectively, he has been bumped.
With an off-day on Thursday, the Yankees will start Phil Hughes on normal rest Friday in Vazquez's place. They will then use CC Sabathia on Saturday afternoon and pitch A.J. Burnett on Sunday night.
Heading to Detroit after the series in Boston, Vazquez will make his next start on Monday night against the Tigers.
Vazquez has only made one start this season that has been worth anything. On April 20 he notched his only win of 2010, a game in which he scattered six hits and three runs over 5 1/3 innings of work against the Oakland Athletics. In that start he walked three batters and struck out six.
Other than that game, Vazquez has basically been a ghost.
In his other four starts this season, Vazquez is 0-3 and the Yankees did not win any of those four games. Right now opponents are hitting .337 against the Yankees' number four starter and his ERA is currently at an inflated 9.78.
The Yankees have only lost eight games this year. Half of those losses came on days Vazquez pitched.
Girardi had no choice but to skip Vazquez. His numbers this season are so poor and every team he has faced has decimated him, even the weakest ball clubs. The Chicago White Sox, who have the lowest team batting average in the majors with .227, feasted off Vazquez this past Saturday and touched him up for five earned runs over just three innings.
It's obvious that something is not right with this picture.
Although Boston is not playing well at the moment (as they are currently sitting in fourth place in the American League Eastern Division standings) it was wise for Girardi to pass on him pitching at Fenway Park. If Vazquez were to go out and get Boston massacred, his confidence level would drop even further than it is now.
It's not like he hasn't lost big time to the Red Sox before (insert 2004 ALCS reference).
Last night on Daily News Live (a program in which all the New York Daily News writers sit and discuss sports) the reporters brought up the idea of trading Vazquez back to the National League for another pitcher. One writer suggested dealing him to the New York Mets for Jenrry Mejia, a 20 year-old righty from the Dominican Republic.
Mejia is a reliever for the Mets, so I'm not sure if this move would solve the Yankees' problem. His numbers are not bad; he is 0-1 but has an ERA of 0.90. Plus, he has only given up one earned run in the 10 innings he has pitched this year.
I suppose if they actually went ahead with this idea, they could move Joba Chamberlain back to the rotation and plug Mejia into his bullpen spot. But Chamberlain is too unpredictable, even in the bullpen. Plus, the Yankees will most likely not give up on Vazquez so soon.
However, the off-season move that sent Melky Cabrera to the Atlanta Braves and brought Vazquez to New York is so far looking like a terrible one. At this point, Brian Cashman might not admit he made a mistake in making the trade. His faith in Vazquez might not be gone just yet, and he probably still feels the scuffling pitcher can turn it around.
In the past, Cashman has been known to believe in a lot of the deals he makes.
But if the season reaches (let's say) July and Vazquez is not performing, he might be gone before he had the chance to unpack his bags. Just as Girardi had no choice but to skip over Vazquez's turn in the rotation, Cashman might have no choice but to trade him away because of his ineffectiveness.
Adios Vazquez. Hello some other pitcher who can get the job done.
Hughes Dominant, Comes Close to No-No
When I woke up this morning before school, I opened my dresser drawer. It's a routine I and most people go through every day. I shuffled through several Yankee tee shirts and came across the one I decided to wear today:
The one that read "Hughes 65" on the back.
"He's pitching tonight," I thought to myself. "I guess I can wear Hughes."
Little did I know what was in store for Phil Hughes tonight. En route to the Yankees' 3-1 win over Oakland, the 23 year-old righty flirted with a no-hitter, setting down the A's one by one until the bottom of the eighth inning.
A sharp come-backer off the bat of Eric Chavez (which caromed off Hughes himself) spoiled a beautiful no-hit bid. Believe me when I tell you, Hughes was dealing like he was playing blackjack in Vegas.
Making only his second start of the year, Hughes pitched 7 1/3 innings, and was charged with one run on that one fateful hit. He walked two batters over the course of his outing and struck out a career-high 10.
Talk about doing work!
Hughes became the second Yankee pitcher this season to come within an eyelash of a no-no. CC Sabathia almost got the job done back on April 10, taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning with two outs against Tampa Bay before losing it.
As for Hughes, his fastball was very live tonight; it was exploding through the strike zone. His breaking ball was un-hittable, dancing all over the place and fooling every Athletic he faced. The youngster certainly brought his best fastball with him tonight, along with his Uncle Charlie…
Well, Hughes's Uncle Charlie was present in a figurative way. In a literal way, his parents were in attendance tonight. I noticed he was throwing the no-no in the fifth, and when they showed mom and dad in the crowd, I was really pulling for him. It would have been very special for Hughes to have gotten the no-hitter with his parents there.
The Yankee offense supplied Hughes with just enough runs to pick up his second win of 2010. In the top of the fourth, the Yankees scored two of their three runs, breaking the scoreless tie. Alex Rodriguez tripled and subsequently scored on a triple by Robinson Cano.
Jorge Posada then drove in Cano with an RBI groundout to first, giving the Yankees a 2-1 edge. The Yanks' final run came in the top of the eighth, an RBI single off the bat of Brett Gardner to score Curtis Granderson.
The A's plated one run in the eighth on the strength of an RBI single by Jake Fox to score Chavez. Joba Chamberlain had taken over for Hughes at that point, but since the base runner was Hughes's responsibility, meaning he was charged with the run.
Tonight reminded me a lot of May 1, 2007. Hughes made a start in Texas against the Rangers and was on fire, as he was tonight. He took a no-no into the seventh inning, but was forced to leave with a hamstring injury.
Bobby Murcer (God rest his soul) was calling the action in the game. He said, "If Phil Hughes had stayed in the game, he would have undoubtedly pitched a no-hitter."
I was watching the game too, and I agree. I think he would have done it.
So at the end of the night:
–No no-hitter for Hughes, but he once again came close.
–Hughes is now 2-0 this year.
–Hughes set a career-high in Ks (with 10)
–The Yankees won 3-1.
–The Yankees have now won their first five series of the year.
–The Yankees have won six consecutive games.
–Mariano Rivera recorded his sixth save of the year.
–The Yankees are 11-3 on the year, still in first place in the AL East.
A productive night!!!
Here's To You, Mr. Robinson
First of all, I'd like to say this has been a crazy week. I have had such a "Yankee hangover" (I guess you could call it). Opening Day took everything out of me; I had absolutely nothing left at the end of the day, I was exhausted.
But at least it wasn't for nothing. It was one of the best days I can remember.
After the Yankees dropped a 5-3 decision yesterday, they bounced back and beat the Angels 6-2 on Thursday. With the win, the Yanks took the Opening Series from the Angels, two games to one.
Today was not just any ordinary day in baseball. Today, every player on all 30 teams wore the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson, the legendary Brooklyn Dodger who broke the MLB color barrier on this date in 1947.
The tradition of Jackie Robinson day has been a part of Major League Baseball since 2007, yet has lasted since 1997 when the number 42 was universally retired throughout MLB. Every player who was still wearing the number was able to keep wearing it, as they were grandfathered in. In other words, if you had 42, you could keep wearing it, but it was no longer available to any other player.
Only 11 players were wearing 42 at the time it was retired.
Mariano Rivera is the only player out of those 11 who is still playing the game. Hence, he will be the last player to ever wear the number 42. People often ask why Rivera is the only one allowed to wear 42.
Well, there's your answer.
Before the game tonight, Robinson's widow Rachel was on hand to throw out the first pitch. I find it so wonderful that she tossed the first pitch from Yankee Stadium. She could have just as easily been in Los Angeles and thrown out the first pitch from Dodgers Stadium.
As for the actual game…
It turned out to be the "Robinson Cano Hitting Show," if you will. The young second baseman–named after Jackie–put on a home run clinic, belting two long balls out of Yankee Stadium.
Down 1-0 in the bottom of the second, Cano clubbed a screaming line drive to right field. The ball landed in the short porch for a solo homer, and Cano knotted the game at 1-1.
Later in the bottom of the fifth with one man on, Cano was at it again. He smashed yet another home run to right-center field, putting the Yankees up 6-1 at the end of five innings.
Cano now has a team-leading four home runs on the year and nine RBIs.
Derek Jeter also smacked a home run, a solo shot in the bottom of the third. It was Jeter's second home run of the season, as his first long ball came on Tuesday afternoon in the home opener.
Jeter also knocked Curtis Granderson with an RBI double in the fourth.
Speaking of Granderson, he had quite a day at the plate. The Yanks' center fielder pounded out two triples in as many at-bats. His first triple in the bottom of the fourth drove in Marcus Thames, which gave the Yankees a 4-1 edge.
I thought it was a good sign that Granderson hit off a good left-handed pitcher on Scott Kazmir. Everybody always complains how Granderson struggles against lefties, so the fact that he got around on a lefty of Kazmir's caliber is hopefully a sign of improvement for the future.
I also have to hand it to Granderson for making a brilliant outfield assist. He nailed Hideki Matsui at home plate to end the top of the fourth, showing off his stellar defense on the field.
Granderson may have gunned Matsui out at home, but he showed the Yankees what they are missing in the top of the second.
The 2009 World Series MVP smacked a solo homer off his former teammate Phil Hughes, his third home run of the season; a shot that landed in the Yankee bullpen. It was Matsui's first hit of the series, as he went a combined 0-for-9 in the last two games prior to that at-bat.
If you ask me, Matsui was sending a message. Basically telling the Yankees, "This is what you are missing. And you should have paid me."
It kind of reminded me of June 2003, when Tino Martinez homered twice off Andy Pettitte as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. The Yankee crowed roared for Martinez and was happy to see their former hero go deep. In Martinez's words, Pettitte was "a bit flustered after the home run."
The same thing happened with Matsui tonight.
Thousands of people on hand cheered for Matsui after he went yard, and that same look Pettitte had in 2003 was on Hughes's face tonight. Hughes looked a bit flustered after Matsui took him deep.
I was honestly happy for him. I miss him as a member of the Yankees. He was so valuable to the team and proved it last year. In fact, on Tuesday at the game during his first at-bat in Yankee Stadium as an Angel, I overheard an interesting comment from one of the Yankee fans.
"I really want Matsui to hit a home run right here," he said. "I want him to go deep, just to show the Yankees how they should have gone after him and gotten him back."
It may not have come Tuesday, but tonight, Matsui sent the message.
Howard Kendrick grounded out to first in the top of the sixth, allowing Torii Hunter to score, giving Los Angeles their second run.
On the mound, Hughes pitched effectively. The 24 year-old hurler tossed five-plus innings of work. He scattered two earned runs on three hits, walked five, and struck out six. For his efforts, he earned his first win of 2010.
Overall, I saw a lot of good out of Hughes tonight. For a pitcher who barely spent any time in the starting rotation last season, he did very well. The walks were a little bit of an issue, but his breaking ball was absolutely disgusting. His fastball was dancing all over the place and he showed great movement on each of his pitches.
Hughes is going to win a lot of games he pitches the way he did tonight.
Joba Chamberlain tossed a scoreless 1 1/3 innings in relief tonight, walking one and fanning one along the way. Like Hughes, Chamberlain looked very good and I expect his fine pitching to continue. His fastball wasn't as live as it was against the Red Sox, but as long as he is getting guys out, everything is fine with me.
Rivera notched his fourth save of the year and once again ended the game. He's on pace for (I would say) about 45 saves this year. I have a feeling he will reach it. He always does.
It was a very good night for the Yankees. They improved their record to 6-3 and will open up a three-game series against the Texas Rangers this weekend.
CC Sabathia (1-0, 3.46 ERA) will face C.J. Wilson (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Friday night.
First W of 2010
The Sunday night heartbreaker seems like a lifetime ago. The New York Yankees got their first loss of the 2010 season out of the way Sunday night but bounced back and picked up their first win Tuesday night over the Boston Red Sox by a score of 6-4.
It feels great knowing the Bombers won't be 0-8 vs. Boston this year.
There were so many things going on tonight, so I will just dive right into the analysis.
· A.J. Burnett
It wasn't clear which version of A.J. Burnett showed up tonight. In the first inning, the lanky righty gave up a run which wasn't really his fault. Jacoby Ellsbury reached base on a sloppy defensive play in the outfield and eventually scored.
Really the only hitter who feasted off Burnett tonight was Victor Martinez. The Boston catcher was 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs against the Yankee starter.
The final line for Burnett: five innings, four runs (only three earned) on seven hits, one walk, and five Ks. If you ask me, his line was mediocre. Not good, but could have been much worse. For his first start he didn't pitch poorly.
The best pitch he threw all night had to be a disgusting breaking ball he got Kevin Youkilis looking on. Burnett introduced the Boston first baseman to his uncle Charlie!
Also, he and Jorge Posada looked to be on the same page. We need that!
His next start will most likely come Sunday in Tampa against the Rays.
· The Bullpen
What a difference two days make! The Yankee relievers came ready to play tonight. Alfredo Aceves, David Robertson, Damaso Marte, Joba Chamberlain, and Mariano Rivera: four innings, two hits, no runs, no walks, three strikeouts.
A huge, HUGE improvement over Sunday night!
Aceves looked unbelievably good. He can just come into a game and shut the hitters down. He tossed two scoreless innings and for his efforts he picked up the win.
And how about Chamberlain? He turned back the clock! His outing was 2007-esque.
The big reliever entered the game in the eighth inning with one out and sat down Adrian Beltre and J.D. Drew on strikes. But the real story was his velocity. He was lighting up the speed gun at 96-98 mph.
First Pumps for everybody!
And in the ninth–who else but Rivera. He slammed the door for the first time this year and the 527th time in his career. I think he will get a ton of saves this year.
· Nick Johnson and Robinson Cano
Both of these guys had pretty big nights.
Nick Johnson was 0-for-2 but walked with the bases loaded in the eighth to give the Yankees a 5-4 lead. He also took one for the team and was hit by a pitch. He is a patient hitter and has shown that he can reach base, but I tend to worry about his health. Hopefully he doesn't get plunked anymore this year.
And then there's Robinson Cano.
The young second baseman was 2-for-3 with a homer, two runs scored, and two RBIs. He put on a hitting show tonight and he's just going to keep getting better. If he continues to play this way for the rest of the year, he may hit 30 home runs and drive in 120 runs.
I have so much faith in Cano. Every time I watch him, it's like he gets better and better. His solo home run in the ninth gave the Yanks a 6-4 cushion to put Boston away.
- Other Notes
–Alex Rodriguez drove in a run with an RBI double and Mark Teixeira grounded into a force out which scored Curtis Granderson.
–Nick Swisher knocked in the Yanks' first run with an RBI double in the top of the second. Nick at Nite!
–I didn't really get great vibes from Marcus Thames tonight. In the first inning, he missed a ball in left field which could have been easily caught by Brett Gardner…or Johnny Damon…
Thames only started because he supposedly "wears out" left-handed pitching and Jon Lester (a lefty) was on the mound for the Red Sox. Well, Thames only had 0 hits tonight. Way to wear 'em out.
–Derek Jeter made two awesome plays on defense tonight. I'd like to know who the moron was who said his range has gone down. He is ageless.
–The Yankees committed three errors tonight. Boston committed one, but it was a big one–it kept the eighth inning alive for Johnson to draw the bases-loaded walk.
–Hideki Okajima was the Boston pitcher who walked in Johnson with the bases chucked. They call him "Okey Dok" in Boston. Okey Dok, thank you for your lack of control.
–Tomorrow night the rubber game against Boston will be played. Andy Pettitte will make the start against John Lackey.
–The Yankees are off Thursday then open up a three-day weekend series in Tampa Bay.
Rough Start
What an upsetting night. That's really all I can say. On Opening Night, the most exciting day on the calendar, baseball's "New Year" if you will, the New York Yankees dropped a 9-7 decision to the hated Boston Red Sox.
With the tying run at the plate in the ninth inning, Curtis Granderson grounded out to third to end the game. But long before Granderson made the last out, the Yankees coughed up two leads.
Up 5-1, the Yankees allowed the Red Sox to tie the game in the sixth. The Yankees took back the lead in the seventh, going up 7-5 only to let Boston come back and score four runs to win the inaugural baseball game in the 2010 season.
What a crazy and tragic way to open the year. Horrible.
Good Things
· Granderson looked to fit right in, hitting a home run in his first at-bat as a Yankee. The last player to accomplish that feat was Cody Ransom in 2008.
· Jorge Posada, who was recently suffering from a stiff neck, was 3-for-4 with a homer, two RBIs, and a walk. The Yankee catcher looks to be in top form, which is exactly what they need.
Posada now has four opening Day homers and is tied for second place with Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra on the Yankees' Opening Day home runs list. Babe Ruth is first with five. If Posada goes deep next year on Opening Day, he will certainly be in elite company with the Babe.
· CC Sabathia up until the sixth inning. He was rolling, but just seemed to run out of petrol. He finished the night with 5 1/3 innings of work under his belt, and he scattered five earned runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out four. He threw 104 pitches, 58 for strikes.
· Derek Jeter was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Not bad, captain.
· The double steal: EXCELLENT move. It could not have gone better for the Yankees. Credit Brett Gardner with a steal of home! I hope Joe Girardi pushes other teams this way in the future.
Bad Things
- The wild pitch by Damaso Marte. This angered me immensely. He cannot do much more of that this year.
- Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia: combined 5-for-8 with a homer (by Pedroia) and five RBIs. Yuck. I really hope they both cool off before Tuesday.
- Chan Ho Park–everything he did tonight, he should never do again. Maybe the Yankees should have put Royce Ring on the roster…?
- The Yankees left nine men on base. Totally the opposite of cool.
- Joba Chamberlain: 1 1/3 innings, one earned run, two hits, one walk, no Ks. His slider was moving nicely (I'll give him that) but the line…not pretty.
- Neil Diamond singing that awful "Sweet Caroline" song in the middle of the eighth inning. Lame!
Overall, it was not such a great night. Exciting, yes, but it would have been better if the Yankees came out on top.
The Yanks will be back at it Tuesday. A.J. Burnett vs. Jon Lester. We need Dr. Jekyll to show up, because the Yankees could use a win after tonight's sour loss. Just remember that the Red Sox have not "put us back into our place," as they might think.
There are 161 games left. And we are STILL the reigning World Champions!
Yankees vs. Tigers: Thoughts and Notes
With one week and one day left of spring training baseball, the Yankees are starting to get into regular season form. Saturday afternoon the Bronx Bombers beat the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland by a score of 2-1.
Here's what I made of it…
A.J. Burnett
Coming into this game A.J. Burnett was 0-1 this spring, not exactly setting the Yankees on fire. I recently wrote a blog about Burnett, calling out his inconsistency and how everyone compared him to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde last season.
Today, he was "Dr. Jekyll-Burnett."
The Yanks' number two man tossed 91 pitches over 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball. He only gave up three hits, struck out two, and issued three walks. Not a bad day at the office for Burnett and it was a good sign, considering the Tigers played most of their regulars.
Manager Joe Girardi liked what he saw from Burnett today too; the skipper said he was "mixing his pitches, using the fastball more effectively, and was demonstrating better control than his last few starts."
Could not have said it better myself. Burnett was also in a good rhythm with Jorge Posada, who was catching him this afternoon. Many people have made issues about the Burnett-Posada battery in the past, but if they work together as nicely as they did today there won't be many problems.
Overall, Burnett looked great. A smooth and effortless delivery, a good fastball, a great breaking pitch, and everything was working for him. Let's just hope he pitches like this for the better part of the upcoming season.
Burnett will have one more start this spring before April 6–his first regular season start in Boston vs. the Red Sox.
Former Teams
What was interesting about this game was the scoring. The Yankees scored two runs, both of which were brought on by former Tigers. The Tigers plated one run, which was scored by a former Yankee.
In the top of the first, Curtis Granderson knocked in Posada with a two-out RBI single. Of course Granderson played for the Tigers last season, as did Marcus Thames.
With the game tied at 1-1 in the top of the fourth, Thames took Tigers' starter Nate Robertson deep to left for a long solo home run, a blast that gave the Yankees the lead they would not relinquish.
I think Thames needed that home run, considering the abysmal spring he is having. Heading into that at-bat, he was only averaging .114 at the plate. Yikes!
As for the Tigers, former Yank Johnny Damon scored in the bottom of the third on an RBI single off the bat of Magglio Ordonez. After Damon hit a two-out double Ordonez drove him in from second with a base hit to right field. I have to give credit to Randy Winn, who nearly made a spectacular outfield assist.
Damon just beat the throw to home plate, which was right on the money. A solid effort and a great throw by Winn, but the former Yankee was called safe at home.
It was just a strange day in terms of the scoring. Not many runs and a former player on each team lent a hand in each run. Crazy!
Joba Chamberlain
As announced on Thursday, Joba Chamberlain will begin the season in the bullpen. Phil Hughes won the fifth starting pitcher's spot, much to the dismay of many people including Chamberlain.
A good friend of mine called me almost immediately after the Yankees made the decision. I answered my phone and he literally went off about how angry he was how Hughes was named the fifth starter over Chamberlain. His argument was that the Yanks wasted time with the "Joba Rules" and how they treated him last year.
Think about it: they put Chamberlain on six days rest and then had him go out and throw 4 1/3 innings in some instances. They put him through all of that just to make him a reliever again? My friend said,
"He may not have been Roy Halladay right off the bat, but Rome was not built in a day."
Excellent point. Chamberlain is only 24 years old. If he was 34 years old and not performing at a high level as a starter, then I would say leave him in the bullpen.
I think many people forget what he did in July 25, 2008 against the Red Sox at Fenway. Chamberlain started the game and tossed seven shutout innings against the BoSox, beating the ace of the Red Sox staff, Josh Beckett. Not only did he pick up the win in that game, he only allowed three hits and fanned nine batters.
The capability and talent is there. He just needs a chance to put it to use.
Chamberlain said Hughes did a better job during spring training and earned the spot, but he also said he was disappointed. He has a right to feel that way. Everyone was expecting him to be the fifth guy and I can tell he wanted to be. But I think one thing has to be made clear:
Even though Hughes is starting the year in the rotation, it doesn't mean Chamberlain won't be there. If Hughes struggles (the way he has in the past as a starter) Chamberlain could very well be plugged into that spot and get some starts. Nothing is set in stone; it just means Hughes is starting the year in the rotation!
Maybe everything will work out fine. Perhaps Hughes will find his niche in the rotation while Chamberlain finds his in the 'pen. Just as he has proven to be a dominant starter, Chamberlain can be just as deadly as a reliever.
After all, he did pitch a scoreless ninth inning today and pick up a save.
Other Notes:
–The Tigers' spring training field is named "Joker Marchant Stadium." Detroit officially wins the award for silliest Stadium name. Ever.
–David Robertson took over for Burnett and got out of the sixth inning. The more I watch him, the more I like him. He is great!
–Chad Gaudin was released by the Yankees. He made seven starts for the Bronx Bombers last year and the Yanks were 7-0 in those games. I hope he finds a new team, he can really help a ball club the way he helped the Yankees.
–Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher, and Robinson Cano did not make the trip over to Lakeland today.
–Nick Johnson played first base this afternoon. I think it's good he can play the field, but unfortunately he went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts at the plate. He did draw a walk though.
–As mentioned before, Randy Winn almost made a great outfield assist. Even though he missed it, he still did a great job in right field. He made some nice catches and even doubled up a runner at first after an awesome snag. I'll give him a lot of credit–he won some battles with the sun and wind today!
–The Tigers have a minor leaguer named Michael Rockett. Deik Scram, Michael Rockett…Jeesh, the Tigers are chuck full of minor leaguers with funny names!
–Chan Ho Park's nickname is "Chop." Cool. Even cooler, he worked his way out of a 1st and 3rd, one-out jam in the eighth inning.
–Joel Zumaya of the Tigers struck out the side in the sixth inning. He whiffed Granderson, Winn, and Ramiro Pena. I am officially scared of him again. He has been practically a non-factor these past two seasons, but his fastball hit 99 mph on the speed gun and his curve ball was NASTY. I am not looking forward to facing him this year.
–During the telecast, Michael Kay and Tino Martinez had a discussion about the pies to the face after a walk-off win. Kay said the dynasty teams were "very conservative" and that Paul O'Neill (at first) did not like the pies after the walk-off wins.
Martinez however liked them and said the team did not look like they were having fun the last five-six years. "The pies loosened them up," Martinez elegantly stated.
I have to side with favorite player during the dynasty (Martinez) and say he was right.
–Tomorrow afternoon the Yankees take on the Tigers yet again, only this time they will play in Tampa at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Yankees vs. Tigers: Thoughts and Notes
In the first game of a split-squad doubleheader, the New York Yankees topped the Detroit Tigers 6-2 on Friday afternoon.
Overall it was a good win. The team looked about as solid as they can be, coming off the 6-4 win over Tampa Bay last night. The Bombers will play the Rays again tonight in game two of their twin bill.
A few players and plays stood out this afternoon. All I can say is the Yankees are looking better and better as Spring Training continues!
CC Sabathia
The Yankee ace wasn't having a great spring coming into today's start. In fact, his numbers were brutal. 0-1 with an 8.31 ERA was the line on Sabathia up until today, indicating a little rust, I suppose. He pitched so much last season and into the playoffs, so he needed that rest in the off-season. But as the old saying goes, "when you rest, you rust."
Yet Sabathia looked anything but rusty today.
The big man tossed 5 1/3 innings, surrendered four hits, and was charged with two runs this afternoon. He walked only two and struck out eight Tigers, making some of Detroit's best hitters look as silly as the Joker at a comedy show.
The breaking ball, the fastball, and the changeup were working perfectly for Sabathia today. I will admit I had some doubts in the first inning. He quickly gave up a run and I thought "here we go again." But he settled in nicely and found a good rhythm with catcher Francisco Cervelli. They looked to be on the same page all afternoon.
After today, I feel a lot better about Sabathia. Not that I ever really felt bad about him, despite the shaky spring. He always finds a way to win and always comes up big when the Yankees need him to.
I said it once and I'll say it again: I believe in CC Sabathia.
Alex Rodriguez
In the bottom of the third inning, Alex Rodriguez stepped into the box against Rick Porcello. The three-time MVP smacked a long, and I mean LONG, solo home run over the left-centerfield fence. As a matter of fact, the ball cleared the scoreboard and landed well beyond George M. Steinbrenner Field.
"That…was a BOMB!" It was all I could say.
Rodriguez went 2-for-3 today and he looks to be in top shape for this season. Last year he did not return to the lineup until May 8 because of the hip injury. The Yankees (and more notably Mark Teixeira) struggled in his absence.
2010 might be a different story, though. There are no injuries and he will be starting the season in regular form. I have a feeling he'll have a typical "A-Rod season." Look for about 35-40 home runs, over 100 RBIs, a batting average around .300, and probably 100 runs scored.
That is, unless, he stupefies us all like he did in 2007. That's always appreciated, as well!
All I can say is "wow" to that homer he hit today. He absolutely crushed the ball and got very good wood on it. I shouldn't even say "crushed." Obliterated is probably the operative word. He said after the game he "lost track of it, but knew he hit it a long ways."
That you did, A-Rod. That you did.
Derek Jeter
Last night vs. Tampa Bay, the Yankee captain looked to have tweaked his hand a little bit. He was grimacing as he was taking warm-ups, but stayed in the game. He also said nothing was bothering him (as usual) and he started today.
Not only did he start today, but he had a good game.
Jeter went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a walk. The captain knocked in both runs on a single in the bottom of the second, which put the Yankees ahead, 3-1. His hitting is exactly what we all expect at this point. Jeter's been through Spring Training so many times, I'm sure he is used to it by now.
Along with his hitting, his defense looks great, too. Whoever said his range has gone down really needs to get their eyes checked. This spring, Jeter has been moving around just as well as he has his whole career.
It's just good to know he did not hurt his hand last night and he had a good day today.
Mariano Rivera
The Yankees' closer needed just 10 pitches to retire the Tigers in the seventh inning today. Mariano Rivera's line for the day: no runs, no hits, no errors, no men left on base…one strikeout.
It never gets old seeing that.
Like the rest of the veterans, Rivera also looks to be in top form. He always is, it's nothing new for him. I noticed that his velocity was down in the low-mid 80s at first, but he eventually made it up to the 90s toward the end of the inning.
I think velocity is not something that really matters when it comes to Rivera's pitching. So many hitters have already said, "We all know the cutter is coming–yet no one can ever hit it." My favorite quote was by Mike Sweeney, who once said,
"People always ask why you can't hit Mo's cutter when you know it's coming. Well, you know what's going to happen in a horror movie, but it still gets you."
Best quote about the cutter. Ever.
I think people also need to realize, it's not an easy pitch to hit. The cutter runs inside on left-handed hitters and tails away from righties. One player once remarked, "At first you think the ball is outside, and then it comes right in toward your hands." Honestly, it's probably the nastiest pitch there is.
Last year Rivera had 44 saves in 46 save opportunities with a 1.76 ERA. With the way he's been pitching for the last 15 years or so, he might duplicate that in 2010. Knowing him, I would not doubt it. He said he will have about five more outings this spring and he is set to pitch again on Sunday.
Other Notes
–Nick Johnson worked an 11 pitch at-bat in the fourth inning, ending in a walk. I expect more of this from him this year. It's good to have a patient hitter in the lineup.
–Royce Ring pitched yet another scoreless inning. I think a roster spot could be in his future. I like him!
–In the 6-4 win over Tampa last night, Chan Ho Park tossed his first inning this spring. No runs, no hits, no walks, and a strikeout, along with making a nice bare-handed play for an out. Good stuff, let's see if he can keep it up!
–In addition to Park's good outing, Colin Curtis hit another three-run home run in last night's win. I like this kid. I know he won't make the team coming right out of the gate, but Curtis may make a case for a call-up this year, even if it's at the end in September. He has a great left-handed swing, tailor-made for Yankee Stadium. I hope we see more of him, he's got some pop!
–Joe Girardi stated that he hopes to have a decision on the fifth starting pitcher by March 25 or 26. If you ask me…anyone but Joba Chamberlain at this point. I have no clue who I would choose for that spot at the moment.
–Johnny Damon did not make the trip to GMS Field today. We didn't see our old friend.
–We did however see Austin Jackson (we barely knew ye) and Phil Coke today. I have to ask…WHAT did Phil Coke do to himself? He looks like a hippie straight out of the 1970s! He has long hair and a mustache and looks…not right. Cut your hair and shave, Cokey!
–Coke did however have a good outing, as he struck Alex Rodriguez out swinging and then proceeded to retire Robinson Cano and Marcus Thames in order.
–The Tigers played one of their AA minor leaguers by the name of Deik Scram. He is a centerfielder. Nice name! Kind of reminds me of Stubby Clapp.
–Tomorrow the Yankees will play the Houston Astros, Sunday the Tigers again, and then Monday they travel to Clearwater to play Philadelphia Phillies.
Final Thought:
Francisco Cervelli played today. As we all know, he has suffered three concussions and needs to wear a somewhat large, protective helmet. The YES Network made a reference to Gazoo, an imaginary cartoon character who always talked to Fred Flintstone.
I have to admit, Cervelli's helmet does resemble Gazoo's…
Yankees vs. Rays: Thoughts and Notes
As we all know, spring training isn't really about final scores. It's about warm-ups, getting in shape, and finding rhythm. Today the Rays handed the Yankees their rear ends for the better part of the day and won 12-7 over the Bronx Bombers.
Instead of getting into all kinds of detail about who scored and when, I'm just going to tell you all my thoughts on what I saw today.
· Curtis Granderson
Curtis Granderson failed to reach base today and is still without a hit this spring. He flew out twice against two different left-handed pitchers. One of the knocks against him is his inability to consistently hit lefties, so I'm a little concerned for him. But I have a feeling he'll find his stride.
We'll give Granderson a little time. I think his bat will come alive soon and he just has to adjust to the new environment. His defense wasn't bad, but he did however have a fly ball sail over his head. Better to have it happen now than next month.
· Phil Hughes
In the first inning he gave up a solo homer to Sean Rodriguez (who had a career day at the plate, missing the cycle by a single) Other than that hiccup, Hughes wasn't bad.
Rodriguez's home run was the only hit Hughes allowed over the two innings he pitched. He walked one batter and did not record a strikeout. Other than that, Hughes's changeup was good and there was a lot of movement on it.
I know he wasn't happy with his performance. But that's the idea of spring training–to work the kinks out and get ready for the season. Hughes wants to be a starter but he'll have to fight for it.
If you're counting statistics, Hughes registered the loss today.
· Joba Chamberlain
I saw nothing today from Joba Chamberlain. He only pitched 1 1/3 innings and gave up a total of five earned runs on three hits. He walked three batters and only fanned one.
Chamberlain was extremely flat today; he left everything up in the zone and most of the hitters he faced feasted off him. I would say 85% of the pitches he threw were up and he missed the other 15%.
Not to make excuses for Chamberlain, but he is just getting over the flu. In fact, when the team went out on their "field trip" to the arcade a few days ago, Chamberlain stayed back because of his ailment.
It's difficult to do anything when you're sick, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt in that respect. Catcher Francisco Cervelli even noted after the outing that Chamberlain looked "a little bit off" and said it was probably because of his flu.
I guess we'll have to wait and see if Chamberlain can rebound next time out.
· Nick Swisher
Nick Swisher had kind of a rough day.
He was picked off at first on a snap throw in a very sloppy play. He took a secondary lead (although he was so far off the bag, you could've called it a tertiary lead) and stumbled trying to get back before he was picked off by Dioner Navarro.
After getting caught napping, Swisher nearly fell into the bullpen trying to run down a fly ball hit by Justin Ruggiano. To me, he looked like a bowling pin out there today. At least he walked in his one at-bat and he looks like he shed some pounds, which is good.
As for the falling and getting picked off–Swisher! Come on, dude!
· Kei Igawa
Sporting a new number (17) Kei Igawa tossed 1 2/3 innings today. And for the first time, I can safely say he did well! Igawa hasn't had much to feel good about since signing with the Yankees, but today he proved he might just have it.
The Japanese non-roster invitee was perfect, not allowing a hit in his outing. He recorded two strikeouts on the afternoon, including a whiff of Ben Zobrist with a nasty breaking ball. His pitches looked a lot better than they were two years ago.
Igawa will without a doubt be in the minors this year. But if he continues to progress and pitch as he did today, the majors could be in his future.
I was very impressed with him today.
· David Robertson
Pitching the sixth inning, David Robertson had a perfect day. No runs, no hits, no walks, one strikeout. I feel good about him and I think he is going to be a valuable part of the bullpen this season. Robertson had such a good postseason last year. I think that sometimes goes overlooked.
Not to mention he and his family teamed up with Tino Martinez and his family last night. Collectively, the Robertsons and the Martinezs attended a Taylor Swift concert in Florida. I thought that was a neat little factoid Martinez mentioned while calling the game today.
And if you ask me, Martinez needs to call more games on the YES Network. He is more fun to listen to than Michael Kay!
· Jesus Montero
As a late inning defensive replacement, Montero was brought in to replace Cervelli behind the plate. He only had two at-bats. He walked and struck out looking.
Montero was one of my five players to watch this spring and I really feel we'll see better things from him this month. I didn't realize until today how big he is! For a 20 year-old kid, he is a monster.
It'll be fun to watch his growth and development, so keep an eye on him.
· Other Notes
–Tomorrow afternoon at GMS Field, A.J. Burnett will start for the Yankees against the Blue Jays. I believe I heard them say Shaun Marcum will make the start for Toronto.
–Nick Johnson did not start today due to a stiff back. He received heat therapy on his back and his activities were limited. His treatment may continue for the rest of the weekend.
The reason his back stiffened up was because of his shoes, believe it or not. According to the YES Network, Johnson wore regular turf shoes instead of spikes while practicing. Somehow that affected him and he hurt himself.
I don't understand it either, but he has to be more careful.
–The Yankees are now 1-2 in Grapefruit League play.


text:
Pinnacle Activity Ticker
Chart Shows Dumb Money Sold in May While Smart Money Bought
Pinnacle Digest writes: Gary Tanashian wrote a compelling piece on the likelihood of a market rally in the second half of 2012. In his article, Gary breaks down the money flow index. He includes a telling chart of the 'Dumb Money' mass exodus from the market this May. Gary provides a chart of the 'Smart Money Confidence' rising rapidly at precisely the same moment 'Dumb Money' exited the market.
What's important to note about the market right now is that the last time sentiment was in such a compelling bullish structure, it was towards the end of last summer's euro crisis. We all remember 'euro crisis part II' in 2011 right? And we all know what happened after September's bottom (a massive rally).
Gary points to the fact that policy makers have succeeded in making the general public believe inflation is under control (with gold, oil, copper and basically all commodities collapsing of late). This will allow Bernanke to flex his inflation muscles once again. And as we've stated several times in 2012, it is an election year and it's now or never for Obama. QE is coming.
Find out every reason why Gary Tanashian of biiwii.com believes we are due for a market rally in the second half of the year. Click here to read his article and see the contrasting confidence between smart and dumb money.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|DM Nick
Oh dear, have I made a mistake? Father Isaak, who is he? I'm sorry I 'mistook you for some of my 'oldest friends' who were comming to see me. Anyway, maybe I have made a mistake.The human priest mutters, obviously ill at ease.
sense motive DC 10, Xenarchy and Roh-Kai use your old rolls.
--The guard captain and two of his men are looking at you from across the temple square.They seem pretty bored, but the amount of guards, 5, is excessive for a temple square this time of day, especially one with nothing to steal, and so few people around.
|Garesh Vin'dell
Garesh nods to the priest, "My young friend here always gets the name wrong, but we are here to get supplies from priest..." He suttley waves his hand to fellow elf to give a priests name. " Yes, oh you are him excellent. Well let's go see if they got my order right this time." Garesh turns and gives a smile to the group and he'll follow the priest if he leads them inside, and whispers back in elven.
Sense Motive:1d20 ⇒ 2 Awesome!hehe
|DM Nick
City guards much like city cops, are not much known for their language skiils.By the way the priest is human, he is speaking elf, why? You don'tknow.
--Having heard what Gareshhad to say, the priest points in the direction of the largest outbuilding, and suggests That is the apothecarium, I suggest we go there and begin the 'treatments'. He actually hisses the last word, in hopes that even the slower members of the party understands the need for secrecy.
|Garesh Vin'dell
|Vuk Mänork
|DM Nick
If nobody objects he ushers you into the largest building, the apothecarium.--The priest shuts the door, and locks it. He turns to you and says in Cheloveki,
--I'm afraid we can not be too careful, after all, the words on the notice are true and you are on the Tsar's business. First I must make sure where your loyalities lie. Glancing at the orc and the elf he quickly explains I do not refer to you, of course, rather there is a rather delicate political conspiracy. Namely, the boyar of Rekagrad is quite hostile to the current Tsar, and is interested in making his position weaker. Thus the city is full of spies. Father Isaak is not only, or rather not simply a Priest of Marfya, but also an agent for his majesty, Tsar Dmitri. I think you can all understand the need for secrecy. Should you have any questions or objections, please make them known now, for I can't let you meet Father Isaak until you have decided you are ready to work for the Throne.
|Vuk Mänork
Vuk shifts his weight to his left foot as he cocks his head in confusion, "If such hostilities exist, why post on the board, for all to see, that the tsar is funding this exploration?" He nervously shifts his weight back to his other foot before continuing, "I am unsure how I could prove my loyalties, which in fact I don't think I have any to anyone other than me and my family. Though, I suppose that means that I do not wish ill upon any group or person."
Vuk goes silent as he lowers his head as if deep in thought.
|Garesh Vin'dell
"My loyalty is with my faith, and Ios wishes for me to do this task. So that is what I can offer...." He pauses and starts to think then his eyes brighten up as he remembered something. "Hmm the lucky one also wished for me to look out for this one." He pulls out the wanted poster he took from the board and begins to read it to the priest then asks, "Do you know such a person? Or do you think the priest incharge of the caravan would?"
"I will not swear loyalty to you or your Tsar. I had no idea the mission would demand such, your poster simply asked for guards. An orc swears allegiance only to his Clan, his Hold, and his brothers in arms. I care not for your politics."
Roh-Kai pauses for a bit before speaking again, although the words come out a little tentatively.
"However, if your money's good, I'll not betray you if that's your concern. Despite the situation I find myself in I'm not a common" Roh-Kai spits on the ground before saying the next word "mercenary. If you hire me as a guard, then a guard you'll have, and one of the best. As much as I swear to never bow before your Tsar I will never betray an honest employer."
|DM Nick
--The priest hurries to explain I see you are not familiar with our politics, Orc, nor do you wish to be. Our worry is that your loyalities lie with the Boyar of Rekagrad. He is the strongest voice against Tsar Dmitri. Since it seems all of you are from elsewhere, you are in fact ideal for this expedition.
--As to the wanted poster he adds, I have never heard of a person, and to be honest find the description a bit vague. In fact I think it could apply to most of the female adventuring types I have seen.
--He pauses before continuing And yes the money is good, very good. No, you won't have to swear any oaths, and if that is all let's go see Father Isaak
You can make a knowledge:nobility or knowledge:history check to learn more about the political climate in Mir
|Xenarchy Malzash
Xenarchy dispels a portion of her false meekness once the party is within the private confines of the apothecarium. With mere shift in stance and expression, she seems to radiate a sense of power. She feels more comfortable being herself in here, and that may be a subtly frightening thing. "Aha, so it is the clash of crowns that brings us here? Very well, friend. I have no love of the Boyar nor the Tsar, but nobody is offering me payment to fight the Tsar so here we are. Besides, now that you know this, it would be drastically poor for my health if I betrayed your trust, wouldn't it?"
Xenarchy almost glides like a snake as she turns to face the gathered party. "Friends, you may not know what you are about to get into but trust me when I say, we will do well to trust each other and work together. A conspiracy is not something you can simply strike with an axe to make it go away."
She turns back to the priest and smiles. "I think that settles it. Now, naturally, you could be one of those very spies, looking for those who would fight the Boyar so his agents can eliminate them. Please, as a gesture of trustworthiness, would you mind allowing yourself to be enspelled for just a moment? No harm will come to you, I assure you."
|DM Nick
--The priest looks rather alarmed, and mutters, You know Father Isaak is, ahem, ready to see you now. I merely had to make sure you weren't the Boyar's men. But you , casting spells, in here, I don't think Father Isaak would approve. I mean, does one usually ask first anyway?How do I know my head won't explode?
Knowledge:arcana checks DC 10
--The priest asks you to follow him, as he pushes a bookcase sideways, revealing a small secret room. In a measuring only 8 by 8 feet, or about 2.5m square, is a desk, a cot, and a chair. Sitting at the desk is a short, clearly Rajul human. His red eyes blazing in the dim light...
|Father Isaak Ovechkin
--I felt it was time I ended this cloak and dagger charade, as you are all clearly men and, ahem, a woman of action. Please forgive me for the security measures I have taken. In case you haven't noticed, my being in the city is not a secret,hence I posted my real name and location on the advertisement in Short's. That said, my every move outside this temple is being watched, and my room was broken into last night.
--Father Isaak has a shaved head, and a short black beard. He looks to be about 55 years of age. His words are slow and cultured. Around his neck is a small medalion in the shape of a woman holding a baby.
Knowledge religion
--Let me be honest with you, this is not simply a research expedition. Rather we are looking for a lost treasure, the tomb of Verthelinael. I do not expect that to mean anything to you. In the tomb, is the Raven's Mirror. an artifact which is said to show a king the time and nature of his death. The Tsar, has bid me find it, and bring it to him. He fears the Boyari are plotting to murder him, and this wold give him the proof he needs. The expedition will give you 100 gold coins now, and 900 should we return alive at the end. Murder me, or run off with the payment, and you don't get the rest.
Knowledge checks for History, Arcana, Dungeonering,
--We will take canoe up river for 5 days, after that we must cross into the Orc Holds. There you,he points to Roh-Kaiwill be of great service. In particularly, I believe we will be in the territory of the Yellow Dog Clan. In addition, we will cross through forests with Kett Hunters. The Kett are fiercly xenophobic and we will be in grave danger. Even worse, gods know what beasts lurk among the trees. Finally all I can offer at the end, is a chance to find a high elf tomb, which is likely to have undead or even magical constructs guarding the Raven's Mirror. A terrible, terrible time don't you think?
|Xenarchy Malzash
Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
Knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5 (untrained, maximum result of 10)
Xenarchy recognises the man's ignorance of magic and decides to leave him alone. Once they are taken to see the priest, she spots the holy symbol and says nothing of it.
Knowledge (history): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9 (untrained)
Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
Knowledge (dungeoneering): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19 (untrained)
Xenarchy smiles, remaining silent during Isaak's explanation of the plan. Once he has finished, she nods curtly. "This is quite fascinating. I cannot say I possess the means to deal with undead or constructs, as they tend to lack minds to be beguiled. Friends," she says, turning to the others, "I trust you will be steadfast in the face of mindless foes. I will support you in what ways I can. I am quite eager to see this mirror, myself."
She levels her shoulders and exudes confidence. "We should have little to fear from the orcs, Kett and beasts. The orcs and Kett can be spoken to and the beasts are hardly likely to outwit us."
|Father Isaak Ovechkin
--Father Isaak grins at Xenarchy and says Soon we will have a chance to put your confidence and abilities to the test, but not yet. First I must ask you, what can you do? Orc, I take it you are a powerful fighter, but what of the rest of you?What are your talents? I can provide a certain amount of healing, and am a capable scholar, but quite weak in all other areas, to be honest.
For the first time since you've met him, you witness an expression of happiness from Roh-Kai. In fact, as soon as Xenarchy finishes speaking he lets loose a low, throaty laugh.
"Little to fear from the orcs? Little enchantress, the orcs of my hold would consider that enough of an insult to kill you where you stand and we are much more civilized than the Yellow Dogs." He laughs a few more chuckles before continuing "It's just ... so funny that you think your words will save you, when it is your very words, I bet, that would get you killed."
Roh-Kai seems to lighten up a bit after his simply appearance was enough to convey his talents.
|Vuk Mänork
|Xenarchy Malzash
|Garesh Vin'dell
"Intresting treasure indeed, though I always like my death to be a suprise." He gives a crooked smile, "I am a conduit to Ios, and will provide our journey with a great deal of good luck. Though I am also versed in combat as well and my god has granted me a few other talents." His smile goes wider and takes out his cards and begins to shuffle them as he listens to his newley found friends responses.
Knowledge(Arcana):1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Knowledge(Relgion):1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
|Father Isaak Ovechkin
--Having heard from everyone, Father Isaak grins, and draws out a paper from his sleeve. It is a contract stating that you will be paid 100 gold coins now, with the rest to be paid upob return to Rekagrad. Should you die, you will not be paid. Please sign your name or make your seal at the bottom of the contractHe asks.
--If there is no objection, you need to meet me at dawn tomorrow, in the docks district of the city. We will begin the canoe trip up river. I have aranged for two boats. You should buy any materials you think you will need, but I have gotten the supplies for the trip up river ready. Once we get to the forest, I hope Vuk can help us keep fed.
So until dawn tomorrow you are free to take any character actions you wish.
|Vuk Mänork
"Dawn tomorrow it is." Vuk happily takes up the pen and signs his name at the bottom of the contract. He looks to everyone else, "I will be doing a little shopping and hopefully some studying before calling it a night this evening. Any of you are welcome to join me."
Vuk will wait for everyone to sign and if no one offers to join him he will head out to find a new Longbow. Once that is accomplished, he will try to find a library or cartographer that has a map of the region we will be traveling into.
Knowledge Geography: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
|Garesh Vin'dell
|DM Nick
post will be up in the AM. sorry about the wait.
|DM Nick
--Father Isaak explains Yes, food, tents, and so on are provided. We also have a hammer, saw, 30 feet of rope, and a shovel. Anything more than that I suggest you buy yourself.
--Each person receives 100 gold coins after signing the contract. Rekagrad is a large city, and any mundane object can be bough with little effort.Simply pay normal book prices for any mundane object. Anything magical or rare will need to be mentioned.
--VukThere are no maps because the region mentioned is uncharted. No one has mapped the orc holds. The orcs are not map makers, and the region is poorly explored. You are not even sure how Father Isaak has located the tomb. In fact it seems rather impossible.
|Xenarchy Malzash
Xenarchy spends a while considering this amount of coin given and her first thoughts are of finery. Since this is an expedition into places where garb of the noble courts might not be so useful, she just frowns and sets those plans aside for another time.
Xenarchy purchases:
- Explorer's outfit - 10 gp
- Crossbow, light - 35 gp
- A dagger that isn't reserved for special occasions - 2 gp
- And a few nice things for herself that don't serve any useful purpose - 10 gp
Total spent: 57 gp
Do we need to track mundane ammunition?
|Vuk Mänork
|DM Nick
Shopping taken care of? Garesh hasn't bought anything? Feel free to make a retroactive action before we leave. You find a longbow at the normal price. No maps of the area though.
--As planned you meet at dawn, at the river docks. The river will be against you, and thus it will take 5 days of rowing up river. Father Isaak is checking the supplies and making sure everything is ok.
35 days of trail rations
30 feet of rope
1 hammer
10 nails
1 spade
1 crowbar
6 fish hooks
1 flint and tinder box
1 clay jug
1 bottle of alcohol 150 proof
1 lantern
1 sketch book
1 box of artists pastels
1 bottle of lantern oil
6 paddles
2 canoes
--It appeas to be a nice day, the weather is good. Most traffic on the river is going down stream, and your party alone will be going against the current.
|Father Isaak Ovechkin
--I'm glad to see you could all make it. I believe I have sufficent supplies, and we have a woodsman, so I figure you can hunt and forage should we run out. I know there are delicious fish upriver. Our first order of business will be how to divide ourselves up between the two boats. There are 5 of us, but I'm not a very strong rower. How about the rest of you? Any experience on the water?
--He pauses, and continues, There are stories of river pirates, and I'm afraid we will run into them. Do you think we can fight them off? They are said to work in small groups, no more than 5 or 6 at the most. We might be able to bribe our way past...
The boats are 12 feet long, and 30" wide. It will be crowded and uncomfortable. Most likely you will sleep on shore each night.
|Xenarchy Malzash
Xenarchy returns with an actual weapon! It looks like she spent a bit of extra gold getting an artist to add embellishments to it to match her aesthetic. None of this looks like it would make the weapon function any better than a common crossbow.
"I do not take joy in swimming, so let's make sure we stay on the boat, shall we? River pirates, we can deal with in a number of ways. While I know I am no marksman," she says, looking over the crossbow, "The pirates are not privy to that knowledge."
|DM Nick
-The White River, or Beli Reka, is the 2nd major river in Mir. It flows from a glacial lake in the mountains, south west. It joins the Great River at Tsargrad. The river can be navigated as far north as Zhurk, at which point there are several waterfalls. Most trade is flowing south to the Capital, and away from the Dwarf Fortresses of Zhurk and Kazum. Metals are shipped south, and the Dwarves import food and alcohol.
-The point of the river you are going to travel, varries. However, the river is at least 200 feet wide, at the narrowest point, 1000 feet wide at the widest. Depth varries from 15-30 feet. Obviously this is a river and it's dimensions can change for rain or snow melt. The current is dangerous for a weak swimmer, but not a problem for a human powered craft going up river.
-From Mir:geography and geology a book in Father's Isaak's collection
Oddly enough, the skill used for boating is survival, unless one has profession sailor.
|Vuk Mänork
Vuk looks down at Xenarchy's crossbow and sighs a little. "I'm not sure if adding colorful art to your weapon is going to disuaid a bandit from attacking you. Though if you are insistent on using it then I could help teach you. Might as well be deadly with it if you're going to use it." Vuk turns back to Father Isaak, "Would you by any chance have a map of the area that we are going into? I would find it easier to hunt as I don't know the area or terrain. I tried looking for one last night, but was unsuccessful."
|Xenarchy Malzash
Xenarchy shakes her head. "Do not be concerned. The common bandit does not likely understand magic, either. A few harmless tricks might convince them that doom has come upon them. If their hostility is too persistent to be intimidated, we have other tricks. It is not as if all our chances lie with this silly thing," she says, gesturing with the unloaded crossbow.
|Father Isaak Ovechkin
Well, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure where we are going. All I know for certain is that after 5 days up river, we should see some ancient high elf stones sticking out of the water near the west bank of the river. From there we need to follow the ancient trail west, until we locate the tomb. But as nobody has done this before, I'm not sure how succesful we will be. To be honest, I've been more of a scholar, and not an explorer. Perhaps if you make a map of the area, you will become famous. But the area is populated by both Orcs and Kett, so perhaps we will be able to find a local guide...although, since both tribes are xenophobes, I find it unlikely.
|Xenarchy Malzash
|Vuk Mänork
|Garesh Vin'dell
Sorry about late response but was catching up on my sleep, Garesh will pick up a thunderstone, Acid flasks(2), twine, magnet, brass knuckles, bag of marbles, and a bottle of that fine(cheapest) wine that he had at "Shorts". All that comes to 57gp he lets young pickpockets take the rest of his money he got from the priest. Seeing as they need it more then himself. Vuk will see him smile as the pick pockets snatch his money and the kids look odd at the man when he nods his head at them after the theft.
"Haven't really taken many boat trips myself but I have a feeling lucks on my side." After Vuk asks there benefactor about the map and hears his answer, "Hey those are better directions then most, and at least in the orc area both me and Roh can speak to them. Though I am sure if a kett is willing to talk to us before filling us full of arrows then they'll talk our language and hey you got an elf with ya that helps out a lot when dealing with Ketts or that's what I've heard." After the father makes the comment of Vuk becoming famous from making a map, "Sounds like a good idea for ya lad, right up your alley."
|Father Isaak Ovechkin
We have a orc to interpret, and I have a spell that helps me understand what they are saying. But I've heard the Orcs are one of the most savage clans, and the Kett will accuse us of tomb raiding and disturbing the dead. I don't really expect encounters with the natives to go well. Pirates are mostly ex-soldier of fortune types, or dwarven exiles. They'll speak Cheloveki just fine.
|DM Nick
So we have 3 in one boat 2 in the other, but how you want to divide the party?
|Vuk Mänork
"Well, woodsman, why don't you go with the enchantress. Keep her from shooting me with her pretty toy. I'll go with the father and garesh can take his pick. Some of the orcs will speak other tongues from their dealings with the other races. But don't expect hospitality and try and talk as little as possible if we meet them.
|Vuk Mänork
|Garesh Vin'dell
STR checks will be used for rowing speed and power, and Survival will be used for keeping the boats afloat and on course. Every person including Father ISaak will make a STR check to represent the need for rowing against the stream. In addition the party needs to make one survival check, but only the highest will be used. So you may use aid another, if you wish. [ooc]
1d20 ⇒ 18 Isaak's STR check
1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13 Isaak's survival check, he will be aiding another Vuk, on his check.
[ooc]The DC for the survival check is 15.You need a total of 10 to aid another. Every party member can add their +2 bonus to the same lookout.
--Vuk please note that you have bought paper and coloured pencils. You can simply write mapmaking supplies on your paper. Figure 1 gp in total cost, with weight less than 1 pound.
--As you cast off from the docks, with the rising sun on your eyes, you feel a refreshing breeze. The river and wind are against you, but the current is quite lazy. The day passes slowly, and you joke and fool around to pass the time. You pass several slow moving flatboats, which are headed in the direction of Tsargrad. They are easily avoided.
--Father Isaak suggest that two people row, and one take a break in the middle, so as not to exhaust any one person to much. The sun is shining, and it soons becomes uncomfortably warm by noon day. Still you are a hardy lot, and expected this.
--As the sun begins to set, you are still on a fairly wide stretch of the river. The river is 200 feet wide, with forested banks on both sides. Should you continue it will be night, and darkness will become an issue.


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Square-Enix today revealed Sleeping Dogs as the latest game in the True Crime series. Activision is out, Squeenix is in, and so is the new title. Dig it?
Sleeping Dogs puts players in the shoes of of undercover cop Wei Shen, tasked with taking down the criminal Triads from the inside out. It will take place on the island of Hong Kong and the story will deal with themes like loyalty and betrayal.
Much is being hyped about Sleeping Dog's Imaginative combat system. Supposedly, combat will seem natural and players will easily be able to perform martial arts from an extensive list of moves and easily pull off other tasks such as shooting while driving.
Like previous games in the True Crimes series it will be an open world. According to Square, "every street corner, market stall, harbour dock or city skyscraper can become an opportunity for intense shoot-outs, adrenaline-fuelled street races and intense, brutal martial arts combat."
Check out the live trailer and screens below. Tell me what you think, will UFG's Sleeping Dogs have what it takes to keep up with similar games such as Saints Row: The Third and GTA 5?
Via [vg247]


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Edmund Tse, M.D., has been elected chief of staff at Huntington Memorial Hospital, effective immediately. A native of Hong Kong and a resident of San Marino, Dr. Tse now leads a medical staff of more than 800 active physicians in serving residents of the greater San Gabriel Valley and beyond.
Dr. Tse is a diplomat of both the American Board and Nephrology and the American Board of Internal Medicine. He is currently a member of Pasadena Nephrology Medical Group, which is comprised of physicians specially trained to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the kidneys or renal system. He also serves as co-medical director of Huntington Dialysis Center in Pasadena.
"Dr. Tse is tremendously passionate about his profession, our hospital and the patients he serves," said Stephen Ralph, president and CEO of Huntington Hospital. "We know that this commitment and enthusiasm will carry over into his new role of chief of staff, and all of us at the hospital are looking forward to working in partnership with him and our medical staff in finding new and even better ways to serve our community."
Since joining Huntington Hospital's medical staff in 1994, Dr. Tse has assumed numerous leadership roles including chairman of the department of medicine and chairman of the hospital's pharmacy, therapeutics and diet committee. In 1998-99 he was named "teacher of the year" for the hospital's residency program and in 2006-07 earned the same honor for his leadership with the hospital's internal medicine residency program.
Dr. Tse, 49, earned his medical degree at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia after attaining a Bachelor of Science degree (magna cum laude) in biochemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles. He did his fellowship in nephrology at Stanford University Medical Center and his internship/residency at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Since 2007 he has served as clinical professor of internal medicine/nephrology at the Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona.
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PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, Man. — The first day of work can set the tone for the hundreds of days that follow.
With that in mind, the Manitoba government will soon require all employers, including farmers, to hold a job orientation session for new employees.
Jeff Shaw, provincial farm safety co-ordinator, said orientation plays a key role in accident prevention.
It can make a world of difference if new employees know what to avoid, where to find emergency equipment and when to ask for help.
"Every company I've worked for has had an orientation. Take a tour of the farm. Go through where everything is…. Get them familiar with your farm," said Shaw, who spoke at the Manitoba Young Farmers conference held in Portage la Prairie Feb. 26-27.
"You might go through the tasks that the worker is going to be doing…. You might talk to them about water shutoffs, where the electrical shutoffs are, where first aid kits are, where fire extinguishers are located."
The Manitoba government intends to make workplace safety orientations mandatory for every new worker, according to a provincial document released a couple of years ago.
Shaw said the legislation would apply to all new workers, even farm labourers who might work for only a few days at harvest time.
Glen Blahey, safety and health specialist with the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association, said he isn't aware of another jurisdiction in the country that requires orientation for all new employees.
"Legislation aside, it's just good business sense when you have a new person working for you, that you make sure they understand all the implications of what they're doing … and what they should be doing and shouldn't be doing."
Blahey, who also spoke at the Young Farmers event in Portage, has preached about the value of farm safety orientation for years. He re-called a comment from several years ago when a farmer scoffed at the practicality of orientation for short-term employees.
"This gentleman, he said, 'Glen, get real. I'm hiring the guy for four hours…. I'm not going to waste an hour talking to him about safety and being careful. I want him to do the work.' "
In response, Blahey asked the farmer to consider the issue from a personal perspective.
"That individual is someone's grandchild, it may be someone's husband or it may be someone's father," Blahey said. "Would you want (orientation) for your child or your grandchild or your brother?"
Blahey said it's important to view orientation as a benefit to the farm rather than an annoying task.
"It's really all about business risk management," he said. "Ensuring that you're protecting your assets … the human capital, the people that work for you, (who) are in extremely short supply in the ag sector."
Shaw agreed, adding the health of all farm employees, from novice to veteran, can have a major impact on the bottom line.
"So if a worker goes down, who's going to replace that worker in a short amount of time?" he said.
"That's a huge strain to your business, your family and other workers as well."
Shaw said farmers often assume new employees possess the common sense required to perform agricultural tasks. However, certain things are common sense only when you've spent a lifetime on the farm.
"I hear the common sense myth a lot. It bugs me," Shaw said.
"To you it is common sense…. To somebody else it's not."
He said it's also important to document the orientation and any other training on the farm. If there is an accident, investigators will want to know if and how the employee was trained.
"You want to have the proof," he said. "You want to make sure you're protecting your business."
Employees need to sign a document stating the training occurred.
That sort of documentation may be tedious, but Shaw said it's important to treat farm safety as something more than regulatory compliance.
"Paperwork alone does not solve anything."


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Boulevard Lounge
Zürich Regensdorf | Im Zentrum 2 | 8105 Regensdorf | Switzerland
+41 44 871 51 11 | email@example.com
+41 44 871 51 11 | email@example.com
The international meeting place between Zurich airport and Zurich city
Reflect your day in the cozy atmosphere of our Boulevard Lounge. Enjoy a creative cocktail with friends or a tasty glass of wine from our famous Mövenpick wine cellar.
We offer also a menu of culinary treats. Our team will be happy to serve bar snacks as well as hot and cold dishes from our Mövenpick Hotel Restaurant.
Nadine Gehring & her Team
What we offer:
- Creative cocktails and a generous selection of wines
- Delicious bar snacks
- Hot and cold dishes from the Mövenpick Hotel Restaurant Menu are available
Nadine Gehring
F&B Manager
Boulevard Lounge
Im Zentrum 2
8105 Regensdorf
+41 44 871 51 64


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Review of performance by Cuban pianist at L'Astral in Montreal
The unique aesthetic of pianist Raphael Zaldivar synthesizes jazz with his classical training at Havana's Instituto Superior de Arte and the musical heritage of his native Cuba. Noted for his virtuosity and fluid phraseology, Zaldivar's compositions are characterized by structural and rhythmic complexity, balanced by a strong sense of harmony and emotional depth. On October 12th Zaldivar introduced his trio to a warm, supportive audience at L'Astral, a venue located in the Montreal Jazz Festival's new headquarters, as part of its Jazz All Year Round series. Accompanying Zaldivar, who's been dubbed "THE new Montreal jazz piano sensation," were Morgan Moore on bass and special guest Francisco Mela on drums. The concert was recorded by the CBC for broadcast at a later date.
The 27-year-old Zaldivar, born in Camagüey, central Cuba, relocated to Montreal in 2005; he has since made an impact on the local jazz scene, winning the Jazz en Rafale New Talent Contest in 2009, and the Radio Canada award for Jazz Revelation of the Year for 2010, appearing at the Montreal Jazz Fest two years running. Zaldivar cites Bud Powell, Art Tatum, McCoy Tyner and Chick Corea among the American jazz pianists who have influenced him, alongside Cuban pianists Chucho Valdés, Emiliano Salvador and Gonzalo Rubalcaba. Danilo Perez, with whom Zaldivar studied briefly in Havana, serves as one of his main role models – a Latin American musician "who has done his jazz homework."
Zaldivar enjoyed a full room, despite the heavy competition presented by Pat Metheny's Orchestrion project happening next door at Place des Arts. The audience was instantly captivated by the opening "Tierra and Fuego" (Earth and Fire), an intricate tune penned by Mela, appearing on his 2007 recording Cirio. Zaldivar was visibly thrilled to have Mela (Kenny Barron, Joe Lovano) on board, noting his stature and influence as he introduced the band. "I have no words to describe Francisco," he reflected as we spoke backstage before the show. "He is one of those rare musicians who has really investigated the music deeply, who can go anywhere. He is an example for all Cuban musicians around the world." The fiery, whirlwind drummer mesmerized without overshadowing the leader.
The trio proceeded to play mostly Zaldivar's originals – some drawn from Life Directions, his recently released debut recording on Effendi Records, as well as two new tunes – the meditative ballad "Alma" and the aptly titled "Funky Blues." "Remembering Felito" (a diminutive of Rafael) is a musing on his childhood framed within a funky, hip-hop beat (the tune was performed with multilingual Montreal MC Lou Piensa at Jazz en Rafale earlier this year). The dynamic Mela, putting a different spin on the tune than did Kevin Warren on the album, took off like a speeding train; mid-tune Zaldivar left Mela and the dexterous Moore to chase the beat. "Cimarron Part One" – an allusion to the Afro-Cuban word meaning "free spirit," used by Colonial slave masters when referring to their runaway slaves – denotes, for Zaldivar, the Cuban aspiration for freedom and new possibilities.
The second set opened with "Baila mi changui" (Dance My Changüí, the mother of Son) – yet another example of Zaldivar's incorporation of Cuban rhythms into his modernist conception of the music. "Just Now" – another Mela composition – featured him on mallets and elbows, his voice filling in the beat. Moore skillfully and enthusiastically ran up and down his bass as Zaldivar bent over the keys, his face nearly touching his fluttering fingers. The band returned for an encore, Mela calling out Thelonious Monk's "Rhythm-a-Ning" in 7. "It's his approach to time and harmony, his play on accents, up-beats, the degree of tension, the openness of his scores," Zaldivar responded when I asked about Monk's influence (the only non-originals included on his debut album were two Monk tunes). "Monk had a melodic sense of rhythm, and he brought African music into jazz. I'm still learning from him."
The Rafael Zaldivar Trio will be hitting Europe in November.


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In baseball, maybe more than any other sport, fans gravitate toward phenoms. The thought of a pitcher that can be the next Justin Verlander or outfielder that can match the swing and power of a young Ken Griffey, Jr. can almost be more tantalizing than watching a finished product through the latter stages of a career.
The world of social media, instant gratification and, in the minds of baseball executives, cost-controllable stars equal fan interest, victories and potential.
A phenom can be described as anyone who is outstandingly talented. In sports, we add an addendum to our phenom criteria: youth.
Sure, Ryan Braun and Robinson Cano are phenomenal baseball players. They're also old news. We know how good they've been and that their next likely destination in Cooperstown. While fans yearn and search for the next big thing, a list has been compiled here.
While each team in the sport would love to possess four or five of these players, it's more fun to imagine an entire roster of phenoms.
In searching through the respective rosters around baseball, two criteria for this team became clear: First, no phenom could be older than 24. Second, no player with more than two full seasons in the big leagues would be considered.
Imagine needing to win one game using only phenoms. What would the lineup card look like? Who would toe the hill? Who closes out the ninth inning?
Let's take a look at MLB's All-Phenom Team.


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US defense secretary offers assurances to Afghan leaders
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Friday that America will stick with Afghanistan for years to come as a new U.S. president takes over what is already America's longest war.
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South Korean president impeachment tarnishes family legacy
Foster Klug, Associated Press | Posted
Dec 9th - 8:20am
Park Geun-hye could always rely on one unwavering gift throughout a political career that saw a triumphant return as South Korea's first female president to the palatial Blue House where she'd lived as a girl: She enjoyed the reflected devotion, some might say worship, that half the country felt for her late dictator father.
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The Associated Press | Posted
Dec 9th - 8:00am
Military: Twin bomb blasts blamed on Boko Haram kill 30 in northeast Nigerian market.
Dutch government to discuss US border checks in Amsterdam
The Associated Press | Posted
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The Dutch government says it is going to open negotiations with U.S. authorities about the possibility of carrying out American border and customs checks at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport to save time for passengers flying to the United States.
Investigative journalist Phillip Knightley dies at 87
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Spain to send more soldiers to help Iraq forces combat IS
The Associated Press | Posted
Dec 9th - 7:30am
Spain says it plans to send an additional 150 soldiers and police to Iraq to help train Iraqi security forces combatting the Islamic State group.
Rats! Paris fights back against rodent infestation
John Leicester, Associated Press | Posted
Dec 9th - 7:20am
Both Nadine Mahe des Portes and the rat panicked when she inadvertently stepped on it on her walk back from work through Paris.
When neo-Nazis have doubts, there's a number to call
Frank Jordans, Associated Press | Posted
Dec 9th - 7:20am
Felix Benneckenstein was a rising star on Germany's far-right scene, a young songwriter whose rousing guitar anthems made white nationalism sound romantic and rebellious.
Hungarian leader defends central Europe from critics
The Associated Press | Posted
Dec 9th - 7:11am
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says critics should not spoil the growth and stability that Central Europe is building through cooperation.
Iraqi officials: Separate bombings kill 10 people in Baghdad
Murtada Faraj, Associated Press | Posted
Dec 9th - 7:00am
Separate bombings in the Iraqi capital killed 10 people and wounded another 22 on Friday, according to Iraqi officials.
Macedonia: Final rallies take place ahead of elections
The Associated Press | Posted
Dec 9th - 6:50am
Eleven political parties and coalitions in Macedonia are holding final rallies ahead of general elections called to defuse a nearly two-year political crisis sparked by a wiretapping scandal.
Colombian president to collect Nobel without rebels in tow
David Keyton and Karl Ritter, Associated Press | Posted
Dec 9th - 6:40am
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos brought no members of the leftist FARC rebel group to Oslo for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony because he didn't want to "create a problem" for the Norwegian government, he said Friday.
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text:
Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Dr. Jerry and Carolyn Savelle, and Dr. Creflo and Taffi Dollar
Nations raged kingdoms moved; HE uttered HIS Voice, the earth melted.
|What a power-packed night we enjoyed with KENNETH & GLORIA COPELAND, DR. JERRY & CAROLYN SAVELLE, and DR. CREFLO & TAFFI DOLLAR! These great Bible teachers agreed the Church must Make use of the Light while there is still time and become LIGHT BEARERS to a lost and dying world (John 12:36 TLB). So, this month, lets invade the theatres a stronghold of satans kingdom for far too long and lets take this great SOUL-WINNING FILM, MEGIDDO, and use it (as Reinhard Bonnke says) to plunder hell and populate HEAVEN.