text:
One last WBC entry from Mark Langill
With more than 50,000 fans in the stands and a worldwide television audience, Monday's World Baseball Classic thriller between Japan and South Korea arguably is the most significant international event at Dodger Stadium since "The Three Tenors" concert on the eve of the 1994 World Cup soccer final in Pasadena. It also might've been the loudest since The Beatles made their second-to-last concert appearance as a group in August 1966. Thunder sticks, flags of all sizes, painted faces, whistles and drums provided an unforgettable setting for Japan's eventual 5-3 victory in 10 innings.
Nobody could've predicted the future nearly 15 years ago when pitchers Chan Ho Park and Hideo Nomo joined the Dodgers in 1994 and 1995, respectively. Park became the first Korean to appear in the Major Leagues, although it took time for him to establish himself as a consistent performer. Off the field, Park was a natural ambassador to the Korean American community. In attendance at Monday's game was professional golfer Charlie Wi, who grew up in Southern California and excitedly recalled watching Park's early years with the Dodgers.
Nomo's career path took a fateful turn after stalled contract negotiations with the Kintetsu Buffaloes following the 1994 season. At the time, free agency did not exist in Japan and no player had appeared overseas in the Major Leagues since Giants pitcher Masanori Murakami in 1964-65. Murakami was a 20-year-old playing for the team's Single-A Fresno team when a September promotion to the Majors caused both surprise and international drama as Japan didn't want to lose its player. Murakami missed the first 23 games of the following season while the issue was debated and he eventually returned to Japan after the 1965 season.
When the Buffaloes agreed to release Nomo, it provided an opening to the Major Leagues. The Dodgers didn't have any active scouting reports on Nomo, but Director of Asian Operations Acey Kohrogi checked his sources in Japan. Fred Claire, the team's general manager at the time, was impressed someone with Nomo's credentials in Japan would sign a minor league contract with the Dodgers because in Nomo's words, "I haven't proven anything yet."
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The pitching is starting to concern me too. Weaver was a favorite of mine, so I'm prejudiced, but I'd give him a shot as a starter.
Stultz is a mystery to me. You know he's capable, so where is it?
In no particular order. My pitching staff. I'm not worried.
Hiroki Kuroda
Chad Billingsley
James McDonald
Randy Wolf
Clayton Kershaw
Let's rock !
Good Evening ITD readers and writers!!!!
Boy….slow, slow night. You must all be thinking about our BP and how wonderful it's looking right now.
Roberto – I don't think too many here are worried about the SP. It's the BP that is a little frightening right now IMO, of course.
Well, roberto, if you're not worried, you're in very limited company!! Assuming that Bills is o.k., the starters should be fine but the bullpen and the 5th spot are areas of huge concern. If by no other reason than default, McDonald should lock up the 5th spot in the rotation with a solid performance tomorrow. The performances of the other PVL candidates have been mediocre at best, embarrassing at worst. McDonald is young and has an upside, something none of the others can claim. As for the bullpen, Kuo and Wade have been physically shaky all spring. Hopefully, they will right themselves. By being part of the WBC, Brox didn't get enough work this spring so he has some catching up to do. In fairness to him, he got squeezed on a couple of pitches on the first hitter in the 9th Tuesday night. If he gets either one of those, the inning might have ended differently. Management missed the boat(again) by not resigning Beimel. He would have given us a solid situational LH, something we definitely don't have now. All in all, there are lots of pitching question marks as we go into the last 10 days of ST. Hopefully, Bills, Kuo, and Wade continue to get healthy and McDonald steps up and takes the 5th spot. That would go a long way towards ending a lot of the uncertainty.
No kidding seesky!!! …where do we go from here. Hopefully there is a upside to this mess.
I was hoping Lindblom might be an answer, nelly, but he's only pitched 34 innings in professional baseball. That's way less than even Kershaw had at this time last year. He's definitely got a terrific upside but I'd hate to take a chance on screwing him up in the short term due to management's inability to get us enough quality pitching for this season. Even if we signed Pedro tomorrow, he probably hasn't pitched enough this spring to be up to speed for Opening Day. He'd have to have extended ST for a couple of weeks or more. Not a lot of options right now.
If you are one of the 4 SP for the Dodgers right now, what must be going through your mind as you are watching the game get completely out of control once you leave the game. Not so much today, but yesterday and the day before. Both Wolf and Kershaw had leads when they left the game. If this BP problem doesn't get fixed, what will be their mental state?
Hey all,
Been along time since i posted…Time to get back in the groove
For those of you that don't know i live in Tucson,Az…I'm sure some of you are like…Where in the hell is that lol….About 110 mile's south of Phoenix
I'm going to see the Dodgers and Rockies tomorrow here in Tucson at Hi Corbett field….Can't wait to see Andre….McDonald is scheduled to pitch tomorrow
Can't wait 🙂
Before i go…Ned get some pitching ok
I alway's like reading enchanted's post
Good to see you to Nelly,trublu,dcollins,seesky
Good Evening dodgerzona!!!! Have a great time at the game.
Thank's Nelly….Let's hope McDonald pitch's well and we say bye to Vargas,Estes,Milton….I can hope right lol
I know many people who are thinking the same thing.
And i'm sure one of those people is enchanted lol….
really? ……..not enchanted 🙂
Goodnight Nelly….I'll be sure and post more often
Enchanted has to at least write about 300 more songs to get us to 1000, and he will need Vargas, Milton and Estes to move those songs along. However, I think he we gladly accept their walking papers. There's plenty of pvl material out there for him to write songs about. Then there is always Joe, Ned, Frank and now Jamie.
Good night dodgerzona – Once again, have a great time at the game tomorrow. I am sure our pitching will make it interesting for you to say the least.
Think we could use Chan-Ho back?
C Park 1 0 2.87 4 3 0 0 0 0 15.2 14 5 5 1 0 1 18
I didn't think letting him go would be of much concern, but after watching Weaver et al., I'd even take Tomko back.
B Tomko NYY 0 1 1.46 6 1 0 0 0 0 12.1 9 2 2 1 0 1 11
By enchantedsunset on March 25, 2009 5:46 PM
Oh man Enchanter did you have to mention Bombko.
I have heard this song alot lately and the rhyming of the original word in the song "roam" and my new JP name "gnome" just had to be made into a song. I took liberties in how the song is sung to make it fit my needs for some of the wording.
Song : "Gnome"
Original Song: "Roam"
Artist: B 52s
This live version does not have the opening lines of the song.
I hear a gnome
whistling air
in our ear
Joy! juanpy slappin through every at bat
See juan speedin' down those DIRTY and DUSTY trails
but taking hit for hit to the infield grass
back to the mound the hit becomes a miss
A gnome if you want him
this gnome can be yours
A gnome if you want him
without pop, without throws
A gnome if you want him
this gnome can be yours
A gnome if you want him
without anything but the love we feel
ship the pop gun to the sunset
can't hide the arm which will throw rainbows
they take hit for hit rockin in the outfield grass
around the field the batter gets an extra base
A gnome if you want him
this gnome can be yours
A gnome if you want him
without pop, without throws
A gnome if you want him
This gnome can be yours
A gnome if you want him
without anything but the love we feel
He tries the great big cries, here comes the real Juanpy
kickin and pouting calling his mommy
they take it hit for hit, rockin thru the outfield grass
around the field the batter gets an extra base
A Gnome if you want him
This gnome can be yours
A gnome if you want him
without pop, without throws
A gnome if you want him
This gnome can be yours
A gnome if you want him
without anything but the love we feel
take it hit for hit pop it to the infield grass
take it hit for hit pop it to the infield grass
take it hit for hit pop it to the infield grass
take it hit for hit pop it to the infield grass
take it hit for hit pop it to the infield grass
I believe that's another hit for JP, Nelly was really selling him this time. LOL!!!!
Dodgers take on the Rockies with MacDonald on the hill.
Good Night and God Bless us all 🙂
Well Vargas and Stults are certainly not the answer to our pitching problem. Maybe Mcdonald will have a great game today. Otherwise, we are going to be in trouble.
Great song Nells!!
Yes Tomko.
Can anyone say he's any worse than the crap we've trotted out there? Milton – Estes – Weaver – Stults – Vargas.
ERA – WHIP – OPP BA (ST 2009 Only)
Tomko 1.46 / 0.81 / .213
Vargas 8.22 / 1.96 / .419
Milton 4.91 / 1.98 / .400
Weaver 7.88 / 1.75 / .395
Estes 8.44 / 1.97 / .426
Stults 12.96 / 2.64 / .500
Is Tomko going to keep those numbers up all year? – of course not. But if he were on the Dodgers right now we wouldn't be looking for a 5th starter or swing man.
Look at those numbers… I prefer WHIP as a true indication of pitching because ERAs are misleading (see Milton's 4.91)… Weaver's the cream of the crop, and he's pitched just about every bit as awful as Milton and the rest.
I think by default, McDonald's going to be #5. I can see Lindblom being the swing man. But someone(s) from that illustrious list above is going to have to fill out the pen and be the situational lefty.
Nice job Ned.
Good Morning ITD readers and writers!!!!!
It's good to see you Boblee…………yes, pitching is a bit disturbing at the moment as enchanted just pointed out once again.
enchanted – not only that what happens if a SP gets injured. We are going to be really screwed. McDonald should be that guy if someone gets injured, but now if he is put into the starting rotation, then what? What a shame to have the best lineup in the entire league, but they will have to score at least 10 runs a game to keep their BP in the game. What a change from last year where we were begging for 3-4 runs a game and couldn't give pitchers enough run support.
..oh and enchanted…….. thanks!!!! it's hard living up to your uniqueness ……………………well, I guess I owe some credit to yougnomewho a tad too 🙂
Management was obviously hung up on dealing with Manny over the off-season and nothing else – at least nothing else that cost money, even if it was a couple of million in comparison. Juan Cruz was available, and I kept pointing out that he was an established BP guy with an improving three year major league record. That could have solved a major BP problem, especially if we also re-signed Beimel. Management thought we'd do better with a bunch of PVL's and Mota instead of Cruz. So, we've got what we bargained for, and no surprise to me. Let's hope that Wade can come through and that Brox is ready to be a closer.
The lack of total management planning is there as always when it comes to the outfield situation. If we're going to have JP around as the 4th OF'er, what're we going to do with the Repkos, DY's and Pauls and anybody else that's pushing up through the system. They're all blocked by somebody irrelevant to the team, except that he'll still be around for three whole years. If we don't keep DY on the major league roster, he'll get picked up by somebody else. If JP is to remain a permanent fixture, then we need to trade a couple of guys like Repko, DY and maybe even Paul and get some pitching.
I used to put all the blame on Ned, but I'm getting to think that he's just a perfect fit for the McCourts. They don't have any baseball sense, and they don't care about the team in the sense that most owners seem to. I continue to hope that this recession will bring Frank and his brilliant new CEO down to where they have to sell the team and maybe even a mansion or two.
In the meantime, we all love the team however it will shape up for the season. I'm afraid that it will be just mediocre, and that is clearly the fault of the owners and the management. I don't even feel that Torre really gives a Schmidt at this stage in his career. It's just a good thing we're not in a more competitive division, so anything can happen yet.
Enchanted ~ I think you are right about all of our pitching woes. And, McDonald probably will be #5. According to Joe, Lindblom will not be on the starting roster but, he loves the kid and will call him up if needed. I think he is needed now.
Right now, he is better than Huggy, Estes, Milton and Weaver. Here we finally have a team capable of scoring lots of runs but a BP that will give the runs back, So sad.
Good Morning trublu!!!! ….have to agree, it's sad.
Good Morning to you too messagebear and very well said as always.
Fortunately after the first week we can skip the #5 the next two, so let McDonald start, then be the swing man for a couple weeks.
I agree bear, trade DY or Repko or both for some pitching. Trouble's going to be is that with the contract they gave Manny, he may or may not be here next year. That leaves us with JP and little else unless we keep Paul. Lambo's also up and coming and if he keeps progressing, he should be ready by mid 2010, 2011 latest.
Of course we'll still have JP the Whining Wonder blocking him.
It's my understanding that we are going to lose DY if he is not on the roster. He can't be sent to the minors…..if this is true, why not either trade him, as you say, Enchanted, or use him?
Use him or lose him Tru.
WW – Whining Wonder vs. Wonder Woman:
Wonder Woman can have bullets bounce of her bracelets.
Whining Wonder can have baseballs bounce off his glove.
Wonder Woman flies around in her invisible airplane.
Whining Wonder has an invisible OBP.
Wonder Woman has a lasso of truth.
Whining Wonder has a noose of a contract.
Feel free to add your own comparisons.
Wonder Woman does things for others.
Whining Wonder does things for himself.
Wonder Woman is great to look at.
Whining Wonder is …… n't.
Wonder Woman can throw a mile.
Whining Wonder throws like Gomer Pyle.
Good Morning all,
The lineup today
75 Xavier Paul (L) RF
12 Brad Ausmus C
7 James Loney (L) 1B
27 Matt Kemp CF
33 Blake DeWitt (L) 3B
17 Jason Repko LF
60 Chin-lung Hu SS
14 Juan Castro* 2B
52 James McDonald (L) RHP
I'm going to the game…It's in Tucson
By the way…Get some pitching Ned….I don't want Vargas,Milton or Estes on this team
Have a great time Zona!!!
Messagebear I think the problem with Juan Cruz is that he's not a SP and would cost us another draft picks. I still think the bullpen is ok is that #5 spot I'm worry about like most of us here.
GO-O-OL-LY True!! LOL
Come on McDonald we need another good game from you.
I really wanted to see Manny today…But no way he and other reg's make the trip from Glendale to tucson
Have a good day all
Have fun dodgerzona!!! Too bad Manny and Dre aren't there, but you get Kemp, Loney, DeWitt, Paul, Repko, and no Pierre 🙂
Glad i'm not seeing Pierre…But i'm sure he will stumble up to the plate in the later inning's lol
Gotta go…I'll let you all know how it went
Zona ~ I'll be JP is mad that he's not playing…..even in ST games, he wants to play all the time! LOL
Great song, nelly! We're well on our way to 1000. And enchanted only wrote about 125 songs to get us to 500, so another 125 should suffice! Get busy, e!
All of our griping about the staff and the reserves is well-founded. Bear and enchanted, your arguments are always logical and well thought-out. Our potential predicament this season is reminding me of watching the San Diego Chargers for the last 25 years. A killer offense under Fouts with no defense whatsoever, then a lockdown defense with no offense. It's quite frustrating.
A temptation for a casual reader of this site would be to criticize us for 20/20 hindsight. But regular readers know much better. I think bear was the first of us to champion the signing of Cruz way back in the fall. I agreed with him then and still do, especially after we signed Hudson. At that point, all Cruz would have cost us was a second-round pick and a couple of million dollars. A bargain in any market. But no. We'll regret that.
As far as DY is concerned, his release would be shameful. As a lifetime fan, my concerns are easily broken down into two: 1) Win the World Series and 2) Build for the future. Pierre does neither, IMO. DY should be part of our future as well as our present.
If you have a car that is in good shape but, for whatever reason cannot keep, do you park it on the curb with the keys in it?
I know this is a baseball blog, but there's a great article on goalies in hockey in the Times today. As the father of one, albeit only a high school one, I think it's a great insight. If you're interested:
Eventhough I just skimmed it for now, I will definitely go back and read it during lunch. Thanks for article and the Kudos. It seems like enchanted has written a lot more, but that is good………it means the rest of us are doing pretty good as well. What a group. BTW – speaking of hockey goalies……….I heard Matt was somewhat hurt last night after a great block……..is he okay?
Let's hope Repko and Paul go a combined 10 for 10. At some point, if the Dodgers truly want a BALANCED team, Pierre can not possibly be chosen as the fourth outfielder for defensive purposes. And not wanting to lose DY on the waiver wire, look for the Dodgers to slap that "convenient" DL tag on either DY or Loretta when the season starts.
He already has the DL tag……….for now. From an article yesterday.
Add to the growing list pinch-hitter Delwyn Young, whose surgically repaired right elbow flared up on a swing Friday night and has taken him out of action. An MRI on Tuesday showed no damage more than irritation from the area that underwent offseason cleanup and the relocation of the ulna nerve.
Young is out of options, meaning the Dodgers can't send him to the Minor Leagues without risking losing him off waivers to another club. Until this week, it seemed he had lost his job as primary pinch-hitter to Mark Loretta, but Loretta is sidelined with a groin strain he suffered Monday. He reported improvement Wednesday but will still miss several more days.
Yeah, he's ok. Big sissy. 🙂 They were more upset with the crappy refs (again) and the fact that they were undermanned. They hit a stretch late in the second period where they just ran out of gas. They lost one to bad grades and three others just didn't show up, so they only had one sub for the whole game.
Although the coaches say no, I think that the school being on spring break had something to do with it. I think those 3 boys assumed that there wasn't a game and didn't even bother looking at their schedule. Last year they didn't play games during these two weeks, but it seems that this year all the schools are taking these two weeks differently. Aren't they?
LOL!!!! ….for your big sissy remark only because when I asked Mariya if he was okay , Mariya's comment was "he said don't worry about me……I'm a man!!!" He was very proud of his block. Well, I am glad top hear he is okay, sissy or not 🙂
red pen – I don't know where the "p" came from in the word "to"
Backing up a little, I agree with enchanted about the WHIP being a better indicator than ERA. But an even worse indicator of a pitcher's success is wins. Very, very overrated. By the way, if anyone doesn't know (because it's a newer term), WHIP is a ratio like ERA. Walks + Hits per Innings Pitched.
Actually a decent, informative article without a bunch of hooey:
However, I have a question. Since (at least right now) 1) McDonald and Lindblom are the two best candidates for the #5/long jobs, and 2) since McDonald has been a starter most of his career and 3) since Lindblom has been a reliever most of his career and 4) absolutely no one else has shown even a glimmer of ability to produce and 5) since there is enough to adapt to in just making the big leagues …. (here comes my question) ….. why on God's green earth are we asking them to reverse their roles and push Lindblom into the rotation and McDonald into the pen? Can't management put their 'creative' egos away and let these two kids enter the big leagues in the job that they've been most comfortable?
And I truly hope that, if they send Lindblom down, it's not so that his arbitration eligibility gets delayed. That seems to be a new management practice for some people now. We all know about 'Super Twos' now, right? Here's the rule:
"A player with three or more years of service, but less than six years, may file for salary arbitration. In addition, a player can be classified as a "Super Two" and be eligible for arbitration with less than three years of service. A player with at least two but less than three years of Major League service shall be eligible for salary arbitration if he has accumulated at least 86 days of service during the immediately preceding season and he ranks in the top 17 percent in total service in the class of Players who have at least two but less than three years of Major League service, however accumulated, but with at least 86 days of service accumulated during the immediately preceding season."
Put a little more simply, if a GM does his homework, he can keep a player (especially one who figures to stay once he makes it) in the minors until he cannot qualify to be a Super Two. And if you can avoid arbitration for a year, well, look at Andre Either for example. If he didn't qualify as a Super Two, he'd probably be making $500,000 – $600,000 this year instead of $3 million (or whatever it is, I forget already). It's smart money management, but lousy if you're really trying to put your best team on the field every day. So, depending on the calendar in each year, anyone called up around July 1st may or may not get in those 86 days. Kershaw just popped into my head, but it looks like we called him up at the end of May, so he got his 86 days in last year. But I'm going to start paying attention, because it's going to happen to someone.
I know where the 'p' came from. It's right next to the 'o'. My fat finger hits it all the time.
…thanks for the insight – LOL!! 🙂
As far as your thinking, it will interesting to watch for things like that now knowing how Frank doesn't seem to like to spend money, or perhaps, doesn't have the money to spend.
Of course all of the Super Two nonsense would be moot if you didn't sign crap like JP, Jones and Schmidt. That's $127M wasted.
That's a lot of super twos.
Ned obviously was going for the super screw instead.
He succeded.
Multiple choice of the day:
Ned and Frank:
A) Stupor Two
B) Stupid Two
C) Party-pooper Two
"It's tough because I'm used to playing every single day," Pierre says. "Last year was torture for me. If this organization thinks I'll be happy making money and sitting on the bench, they signed the wrong guy."
Translation, I don't care if we have a better team that does not excite me, i care about Juan Pierre.
Changing gears again.
It's been a long time since I've spent a better 12 minutes and 22 seconds.
Eric – that video is truly remarkable……thanks for sharing 🙂
You never have D…. "all of the above"
jungar – some clubhouse guy he's going to be.
I'm with Nellyjune D – all of the above!
Did you see the video on the homepage where they talk to JP, Ethier and Kemp on their roles in the outfield?
"If this organization thinks I'll be happy making money and sitting on the bench, they signed the wrong guy."
Don't we all know that.
LOL, Enchanted. Let's have him removed from the bench permanently!
I knew both of those facts – LOL!!!!!
Andre Ethier fun-fact: Besides having the dreamiest eyes in
baseball, Andre Ethier also writes a food blog called 'Dinning With Dre'.
more on our outfielders…..
…and we are going to know it for three more years enchanted.
Nellyjune ~ Andre is dreamy and Pile is a nightmare!
Poor me. Poor me. Poor me. That's all you ever hear from JP. You want to know why you can't trade the guy?
1. Ability
2. Contract
3. Attitude
Ned should have his *** kicked everyday for signing him. Now if he'd just grow a pair and cut the guy, I might actually have some respect for him.
Looks like DC's fears are coming true with Billingsley – first it was a mild twinge, now its a groin strain that'll keep him back a start. Next it'll be a "setback" followed by the 15 day DL.
BTW Vargas has been eliminated from 5th starter candidacy because has a sore elbow due to a new grip on his slider.
I'm sure the 6 HRs allowed in 15 innings had nothing to do with it.
enchanted – that news about Billz is not good at all 😦
hey guys, it's sara..
i was reading back on your posts and for a sec i thought i was back to last off-season.. JP whining about being a bench player?? some things never change.. what is wrong with that guy? i guess he thinks that we'll all care that wants to play so badly and feel sorry for him.. even if it's at the expense of the team's success.. GROW UP
Enchanted. I was checking the pitchers statistic and was like Woa! Vargas has given 6?!
Sara: You changed your name?
i didn't change it.. i still have the other email address.. but i guess i was signed in with this name because of my fantasy league.. so i just posted with this one instead of signing out and signing back in..
Another 3 RBIs for Xavier Paul to go along with a .352 BA. How can you not carry this guy in favor of JP?? Any club that lets contract dictate a spot on the roster over the best players for the team is PATHETIC.
McDonald another three shutout innings today. Give him the 5 spot already and let's be done with the PVLs.
Hey Emma and Sara!!
Hi sara, long time no time!
Yeah, e! Not to mention a REAL defensive replacement for Manny!
Milton is a lost cause………get him outta here!
Got that right Tru.
Ned won't learn that guys like Chan-Ho and Sele are the exceptions, not the rule.
Vargas is just a bad, Enchanted. We are really in deep (you know what) and I don't know if we can get out of it. Real fine planning by Frank and Ned!
Sara, That reminds me! We need 3 more people in the ITD fantasy team. anyone here wants to join? Draft was moved to today at 8:30 p.m.
Hey Sara – love the name, but I like the other one too 🙂
I can see X. Paul is doing well, once again. So, three years of seeing guys like him come close but don't make the big club because of yougnomewho. Just simply unacceptable!!!!!
Breaking news! (in the near future)
Camelback Ranch, AZ –
The Dodgers announce their 2009 pitching staff as they break camp
Kiroki Kuroda – 34
Chad Billingsley – 24
Randy Wolf – 32
Clayton Kershaw – 21
James McDonald – 24
Jonathon Broxton – 24
Hong-Chih Kuo – 27
Cory Wade – 25
Guillermo Mota – 35
Scott Elbert – 23
Ramon Troncoso – 26
Josh Lindblom – 21
Jason Schmidt will start the season where he's spent the vast majority of the last two – on the 60-day DL. Writers and broadcasters were quick to note the obvious youth program and the lack of lefthanders in the bullpen. General Manager Ned Colletti was quick to reply, "We have always had total confidence in our youngsters, but we decided early on that we'd sign a bunch of losers, um, veterans and scare the kids into thinking they'd be riding buses again. They have really responded to the competition and pushed themselves to find new levels of their ability. We thank all of the flotsam, er, Proven Veteran Leaders for their contribution to our young player's development and hope they find employment elsewhere in Major League Baseball. We're sure there are still a lot of jobs in the broadcasting booths."
Asked about the potential overload of the bullpen due to the starters being either very young or injury-prone, Colletti said, "As John McKay, the former head coach of the USC Trojans football team once said when asked why he had OJ Simpson carry the ball so much, 'Why not? It's not heavy!'"
Just how many more times does Torre need to see guys like Vargas and Milton pitch before he can make a decision? It's really beyond laughable. If he doesn't have enough pitchers in camp to finish out Spring Training, let's just bring up a couple more from the minor league camp, and we just might find another Lindblom there. I'm getting so sick of winning games after three or four innings and then giving them up because Torre is managing the team right into the ground. What a damn waste!
Just had a scary thought – does Torre qualify as a PVL?
Hello everyone, I have not been on lately. I see everyone has the same cncerns the BP…If Wade and Kuo are not healthy we are in deep S…!! Lindblom, I think can be a n asset in the BP, but I hate to see his confidence shaken if it does not work out…but he has the closer mentality from college, so 1 bad outing may not affect him as much..It is just alot to ask for a young kid with only 34 innings in the ML…
I remember asking Juan Bustabad, manager of the Loons about him last year and he said he had really good stuff and had a good head on his shoulders…He thought he would move quickly.
With the rosters to be trimmed in the next week or two, it may be an opportunity to pick up someone that can help us in the BP…Some good arms get crunched in roster numbers and are released or traded for PTBN., much like DY may become….It is early and I have faith in the following
1. Chad…if he has to miss one or 2 starts in April, I am ok with that, he has groin issues every year and seems to know when to back off. Still think 16-19 wins…
2. Kuroda…looking real good 15-18 wins
3. Wolf…will be a very good 3 and will win 1-2 games with his bat…14-16 wins
4. Kershaw is the real deal and wil win 10-13 games
5. McDonald looks like the winner by default and it will be a blessing…10 plus wins out of 5 spot which would be a big improvement over the last 3-4 years..
Broxton, not happy he missed valuable camp time for the WBC, not a fan of it…he will be ok and yes he will blow some but will convert 85%..
Wade and Kuo are the keys…both have swing and miss capabilities, if injured, wow big trouble
Mota…will be consistent not great
2nd lefty…I am rooting for Elbert because of his swing and miss capabilities but has to get the command. NOt enanmored with the others..this is where a lefty being let go may be the answer this week…
The last 2 spots Lindblom is looking good but it is alot to ask and Weaver I was hoping his stuff would work for 1-2 innings, Keeping my fingers crossed.
emma, i think one league is all i can handle right now.. but thanks for asking!
i think it's clear that james mcdonald has, and will win the 5th starter spot..
but things that are clear to me, aren't always clear to joe =P
eric, you're hilarious.. as always 🙂
Are those real news on the pitching staff or your wishes?
anyone else wants to join the ITD baseball fantasy. We only have 7 people.
I think Torre is very much the PVL-M (manager) Bear.
Exactly how much more of Milton does Joe need to see before letting him go? He's toast.
emma, i think those are his wishes/predictions
Burnt toast.
maybe he'll develop an injury to cut himself, yet save face.. ie. vargas
i don't expect penny to do well.. during the season.. but his ST numbers have been good so far, haven't they?
and we already know what chan ho's been doing..
haha, yeah emma.. i'm sure that was his plan 🙂
okay, about penny.. i think he only had one actual outting.. it was a stellar one.. but just one.. so nevermind..
Might we have a winner in the situational lefty derby?
B Mazone
could be
Penny may be great for the Red Sox, but his arrogance and prima dona attitude will not be missed…Great arm but….
Enchanted good numbers on Mazone, I have not seen him to see what type of stuff he has. I like the hit to innings ratio, the walks are a little scary, but it is the best lefty so far…
Ramslover ~ good to see you back. You have been missed!
Good Evening ITD readers and writers!!!!
It's good to see you again ramslover. A great post by the way too.
dodgereric – you have had me laughing all…….day……..long. Hilarious once again 🙂
:))) Great Songs!!! LOL!!!
Beav, my answer to your earlier question about Frank and Ned, D. Dumb and Dumbest.
Hope everyone is having a great day/afternoon/evening/night.
Please release Milton soon!!!!
And Good God, No Bombko!!! Geez!!!!
Good evening ITD!! I hope everybody is well!
Good to see you Ramsfan & everybody else! I wish I had your (Ramsfan) positiveness about the pitching! I do think that they won't be as bad as they've been because ST #'s in Arizona are inflated. The concern is that the BP has allowed many runs and they are going in the late innings against A-AAA players.
I think a large problem from what I've seen has been walks. Many of them have lead off innings. The worst thing you can do as a relief pitcher is to walk the leadoff batter when you come into the game. Especially when your team has just put up some runs. You want that "shut down inning". I hope the coaching staff works on these with the pitchers.
Bad news about Bills. Hopefully he'll be okay.
I think it's pretty clear there are some pitchers that need to be trimmed for the cattle call. I guess that's why the call it Camelback RANCH!
Go Blue!!
Bring the Ring to LA in 2009!!!
Hello there Wally!
Hi'Ya Colly, good to see you. Very nice post.
Good Evening jhall/Wally and dcollins!!!!!!
I was just thinking about you jhall seeing how tomorrow you are a year older, as well as joepierre.
Great post dcollins!!! You called it the other night with Brox without even watching the game.
LOL Nelly!!! Appreciate your thoughts. Thanks!!!
Maybe its just me, but I really think we could swing a Pile for Dontrell Willis trade with Detroit. Swap two bad contracts. Detroit could actually use Pile and he would be back with Leyland who he won the Series with in Florida. Willis, if physically OK, could be turned around and possibly be a good 5th starter. If his problems are not physical, he definately has shown he can get it done. I haven't heard about any physical problems so I can only surmise most of his dysfunction is mental and mechanics. Just a thought. Either way, we've got nothing to lose. Pile is obviously not going to be a major player on our team.
…especially if we are going to have to put up with three more years of players like X.Paul, Repko and DY being blocked. Boy, it's gotta suck to be them right now. All three have been literally busting their *ss out there for virtually nothing.
Dysfunction – now you're talking Ned's language.
Exactly Nelly!!! All of them are better than Pile.
Stop the Ignorance!!!©
I wish I could join the conversation but I'm having compuet issues.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEAV!!!! LOL!!! Hello, my friend/brother!!!!!
…..dysfunctional is just the nice word for effed up!!!
Sorry to hear it Colly!! Computer issues s*ck!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Wally, Mom and DC!!
How many more games they gonna let Milton pitch?
Here's a job for someone – what's the staff ERA WITHOUT Weaver, Milton, Estes and Vargas. Gotta be a good run, run and a half better a game.
LMTO Nell'!!!!!!!!!!!! I love it when girls use the F word.
Hey Wally, suck is one of the words you can say.
Jon Weisman's most recent post, "Juan Pierre Adrift" (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgerthoughts/) PERFECTLY sums up my feelings about Juanpy and his role on the team. As an ex-Journalism student, I know how you can pick and choose what quotes you put in a story, and if you don't care how you might be perceived, you can really manipulate that sucker. BUT it's what Juanpy HASN'T SAID in ANY OF HIS INTERVIEWS that bugs the hell out of me.
I won't unleash personal attacks against him for it. As long as he's in Dodger Blue, I'll respect that. Hell, I even respected Kent after the beating he took out on the Dodgers in Orange and Black. As I've said previously, I don't take joy in beating the dead horse into glue, which has broken down and seeped into the ground over the course of the past 2 years. His performance says more than I ever could.
But I have the feeling that I respect JP and the Dodger uniform a hell of a lot more than Juan does. I doubt every single sportswriter who chooses to write about Juan Pierre is leaving out comments about sacrificing for the good of the team.
I'll let Jon's quotes do the talking (regarding JP's USA Today quote "Last year was torture for me. If this organization thinks I'll be happy making money and sitting on the bench, they signed the wrong guy."). Excerpt:
I don't know how closely quotes like Pierre's deserve to be analyzed. This might simply have been Pierre's grim way of saying he wants to play every day, like anyone else, and nothing more. We don't know what he also said that Nightengale didn't print. And not for nothing, Pierre has some respect from me for his candor.
Somehow, however, in all the interviews conducted with Pierre since the Andruw Jones signing first put his starting position in jeopardy, you never get the sense that Pierre is excited about the Dodgers' potentially improving themselves, even though it's at his expense. Instead, there's an overwhelming feeling that Pierre's happiness depends solely on his own well-being.
C'mon Juan, GET WITH THE PROGRAM. Be proud to wear that uniform. You don't have to be happy for your situation, but you're getting paid $45 million to BE HAPPY ABOUT YOUR TEAM.
Didn't Jon Weisman violate one of his own rules??
He's probably dying to say stuff like we do LOL!!
Beav- If your father were around, he would be figuring out your stat right now, and he still might if nobody beats him to it.
Good evening northstateblues!!!!!
Hi'Ya North. Nice Post!!! I think Pile is having a real problem dealing with the reality that he is really not a front line starting major league baseball player. No one wants him at any price and that has to hurt his ego. He needs to accept it and try to find a way to contribute and do the uniform and Dodgers proud. It really is the only way he can come out of this looking good.
I am hoping the Dodgers pick Troncoso as one of the BP, I know he has been a little erratic, but he did a good job last year and his upside is more than Weaver or whomever else they pick…I still believe a waiver wire or a deal could be had this next 10 days with the rosters being pared down…..
LOL Beav!! Ned Sucks!!!!!!!!! That felt good!!!!!
Hi'Ya Ram!!!!
What stuff do we say about Pile, Enchanted?! lol Isn't it funny that not one day goes by without him being mentioned.
Good to see you Jhall.
Te starting pitching will be okay. It's thr BP that is in shambles.
Or, as Dodgereric would say, FIRE NED!!!!!!!!!!!!
Personally I would rather not read or talk about the little guy with no pop….why waste the time…he will be gone soon…thats all that needs to be said..
Ignore it and it might just fade away into the wild blue yonder…
Hi'Ya Trumom, always a pleasure when you are in the house.
Ramslover ~ you've got to admit, it"s pretty difficult not to mention him……….after all, he was the inspiration for at least 100 of Dodgereric 500+ songlist. And the countless names he has conjured up……..Popupaholic, yougnomewho, Phew and Pile just to name a few. Oh, I almost forgot Slappy.
At least this year we don't have to worry about JoJo the "So There" clown taking starting time and AB's away from Kemp and Ethier, obviously better players to passify Pile and his Mama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What I can't figure out is why JoJo only wants to carry 4 OFers when everyone knows damn well JP can't field and he can't hit the ball out of the infield. Its a waste of a roster spot when any one of 10 other players could fill it better and contribute more. What's the difference? Cut him and if someone picks him up, you get the league minimum back that you'd be paying Paul to fill his spot.
I'm sorry, but I'm gonna ride JPs sorry *** (a word you can't say) all freakin' season.
Hello JHall, I hope all is well with you and the family,…CAn opening day jurry up and get here!!!!
Isn't it arrogant of him to think he is better than they are, Jhall?
The outfield right now is the least of our worries. The bullpen seems to be the top priority right now and making sure Billz is healthy as well. We aren't going to need an outfield if the BP keeps giving up bombs all season.
Amen Beav!!! Its time to Stop the Ignorance!!!©
Thanks Ram, likewise. I'm with you, opening day can't come too soon.
LOL Trumom!!! Yep, arrogant and ignorant.
10 days and 19 hours until Opening Day according to the homepage!!!!
Let's name the end of the bench in honor of JP. We can call it Gnomemans's Land.
I don't mean to be harping on JP but, how in the heck can he be a team guy with those feelings? How can he not want wants best for the team? And how can he not feel like s*** when he knows DY, Repko or even XPaul deserve to be playing and probably would be if it weren't for his outrageous salary?
:))) Beav!!! Isn't it refreshing not to have to think about the PVL's like Kant, Nomor, Procto, Sweeney, etc.. this year. Geez, I am so glad they are gone.
Very good, Encanted!
You go Trumom!!!! LMTO!!!!!
I must admit it is very strange seeing Nomar in green and yellow……..Holliday too for that matter. We tend to see and hear about them more often up here in gnat land.
I'm afraid our PVLs are going to be in the pen this year Wally.
I'm loving the fact that the RedSux are starting to get what they will see more of in the future. Lugo, either injured or underperforming and Princess on the DL most of the time. I hope they truely regret the day they signed both those bums.
And, Enchanted, we can have a new beverage in his honor……the Piledriver delivered in a Gnomemobile.
Unfortunate but probably true Beav!!!!
LMFTO Trumom!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tru, understandable, but why put ourselves thru the misery of speaking about him…There is nothing more that can be said that has not already been said…We surely can find better things to talk about….Like the article in ESPN magazine about Manny…Great article!!! I for one will not use his name or mention him from here on out….
As for the others, have fun with it!!!
Dewitt is having a great camp…love the kid!! XPaul made me a believer last spring in Vero…he just stings the ball!!
Really hate the fact that we gave up Carlos Santana for 36 yr old blake..I saw Santana in an intrasquad game last year gun down 2 runners he had a cannon..and he get freaking hit….Blake Dewitt should be the 3rd Baseman..for many years …He will be a .280 15 plus hr and gold glove caliber player.
Good night all!!!
Monkey Whiskers has been on fire this last week. I've got no problem with him on the team as long as he keeps that up. I'm just afraid the clock will strike twelve as soon as the season starts and he'll turn into Sweeney.
Night Ram, good seeing you today!!!
LOL TruMom!!
A pvl BP with the best lineup in the entire league. This will be a season not short of another crazy rollercoaster ride that we keep riding over and over again because it's too much fun to get off.
Frank should buy the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile to drive Ned around. LOL!! And Pile should be the driver as that is probably the best use of him. Instead of Little Oscar, we'll have Little Juanpy!!!!!!
Ramslover ~ I know what you mean and believe me as soon as the season starts we will have lots of good things to talk about. I for myself am just venting and having some fun before the season starts and we are on our way to the division championship and beyond.
G'Nite Ram!!!!
LMTO, Jhall!!!!!!!
And, by the way, I don't have much to spare!! lol
Good night ramslover!!!!!
Nells – we're just going to have to hope that another Wade or Troncoso comes out of nowhere to help stabilize the pen.
It would help tremendously if Troncoso himself could right the ship with a few weeks back in the minors and comeback strong.
Oh, I'd love to be a Ned Colletti PVL.
That is what I'd truely love to be-e-e!!
Cause if I was a Ned Colletti PVL.
I'd get paid to and not succeed!!!!
paid too much to not succeed. LOL!!!!
Okay – it's officially midnight on the east coast. Now I can officially say…………………………..
LMAO Jhall!!!
Well Happy Birthday Wally and Joe!!!
Thanks Nelly!!!!
Thanks Beav!!!!
LMAO!!!!! too funny jhall!!!!
enchanted – I think we will be okay. Hopefully our lineup fuels the fire once the season starts, and keeps everybody, including the pitchers going strong. We do have one wicken lineup if they are all in sync together.
Me too…………HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR JAHLL & JOEPIERRE, HAPPY BIRTDAY TO YOU!!!!!!!!! Don't I have a great singing voice?!
red pen – "wicked" not "wicken"
Thanks Trumom!!! Yes, you certainly do!!!
Did you guys see the article about McDonald being the frontrunner for the 5th spot, but that its "too early" for Joe to write off Vargas, Milton and Stults? PATHETIC. Stults I'll give a pass to because he lost his mom a couple weeks ago and doesn't appear to be coping with it very well, but Milton the Toaster and Huggy Bear are strictly glue factory material.
I've never heard you any better Tru, and that's a fact!!!
You are welcome kind sir 🙂
Didn't see that one Beav. I agree, give Stults a pass and cut the other two. We don't need more glue.
Wow!!! enchanted – sounds kind of like last season and this time he can't blame it on being in China.
Go with McDonald and Lindblom!!!!
"But one by one, Jason Schmidt, Shawn Estes, Claudio Vargas, Eric Stults and Eric Milton have been unable to win the job. Schmidt and Estes have been ruled out of the running, but Torre said no decision has been made on the remaining four and probably won't be until next weekend."
"Everybody has to be in [the running]," Torre said. "It's the only fair thing to do. We won't make a decision until we have to. Everybody's still in it. It's not fair to eliminate anyone."
Sometimes I wish we could have a manager like old Billy Martin who wasn't afraid to call a spade a spade.
JoJo wouldn't know a Pile of Schidt if he stepped in it. Geez!!!!
……………but he had no problems making Pierre the 4th outfielder in the first few weeks of spring training. I am sorry…….I can't help it. This topic drives me crazy!!!!!
It's OK Nelly, it gets my underwear in a bunch too!!!!
EXACTLY Nells. Seems he'd already ruled out Paul, DY and Repko right from the start.
That's another thing that irks, no it pisses me off about JP – he's never even felt like he's had to compete for the 4th OF position. He's always assumed that he was entitled to it.
See, we can't stop talking about him!
I know……………I started it that time 🙂
I agree Beav!! He's playing the big contract card because Ned and the Clown let him. Furter and JoJo are the enablers.
Well, when you've got a big freaking zit on your face, you don't talk a heck of a lot about how good the rest of your complexion is. Geez!!!!
That is a very swell analogy Wally – LOL!!!!
Glad you liked it Nell'!!!
LOL!!! jhall- it has been a non stop laughing day since around 7 this morning.
W-w-w-w-what's a zit W-w-w-ally? It that what ya get from kissin' an icky girl?
Sorry, my mistake. That's herpierres.
LOL Beav!! No, that's probably a cold sore!!!
I watched an episode of "Leave it to Beaver" and I can't watch them anymore without LMAO. Too funny Beav…………….LMAO!!!!!
Herpierre's, the gift from Ned, that keeps on not giving. Just pops up at the most unopportune times. Unbelievable.
….with no way of getting rid of it.
LOL Nelly!! Apparently!! We might need a medical/baseball miracle to get rid of Herpierre's!!!!
I believe in miracles!!! I believe in miracles!!!!
There's a hooker joke in here somewhere but I can't coax it out.
Wally ~ Not to change topics or anything, but the Indians were having some pitching issues today, but with their starter today. I always let my class watch a game from about 1:20-2:00. Most are done with their math,and the rest are doing free activity time. They like watching vs. listening so we turned it to the Angels/Indians game, and in the short time we were watching….three home runs had been hit off of whoever was pitching for the Indians….two were back to back.
Too cool Nell'!!! Lucky kids. Indians will be OK. Fun team to watch.
LOL Trumom!!! We need a miracle!!!
Anything is possible between now and opening day.
Well, now most can tell time, so I have one little boy everyday who will come and ask if the Dodgers are playing about 1:15. He sits at my computer and watches from there while the rest of us go about our business,but we can watch it on the tv monitor. So, he sits there pretty much every afternoon usually with something built from legos or magnetix and watches which ever team is on the computer and let's us know what number is up and if they are switching sides. He's my smallest student and he's got a life-threatening immune disorder so it's pretty cool he has taken a liking to baseball.
Hey Gang, I'm heading for the old rack. Getting late/early here. I truely appreciate the Birthday wishes and thank you with all my heart. Being part of this blog and interacting with you all is a true pleasure and a great gift.
Good Night and I will catch you all down the road.
jhall – I am going to enjoy watching them as well.
Heartwarming Nelly, give the little fellow my pats on the back and hello's. I will keep him in my prayers.
Good Night/Morning Wally – Have a wonderful day tomorrow/today!!!! The pleasure is ours as well jhall. Happy Birthday once again!!!
Nite Wally, have a great day tomorrow!!
Think I'd better hit it as well.
Have a great Friday everyone!!
Good night enchanted/Beav!!!! Thanks for the laughs today. Take care and have a wonderful Friday as well 🙂
Wow what a windy day at the ol'ballpark…We had 40-50 mph wind's here today…Anyway on to the game….McDonald looked great i thought…He had a rough first two inning's then he settled down. X.paul what can i say…this kid should be on the 25 man roster come opening day…He had a base's clearing triple today…And what to say about Milton lol…NOTHING…Guy is horrible….Anybody up?
And Mazone looked good to
Good evening dodgerzona ~ I can't imagine having to pitch in wind like that or having to catch a fly ball.
Good late evening to you Nelly,
Yes all the outfielders were having alot of problem's today
Could be why McDonald wasn't doing that good the first two inning's to
And no sighting of Pierre…really bummed me out lol…NOT
I am sorry to hear you didn't get to see JP. I know you were looking forward to it – LOL!!!. They said Kemp was getting a work out today with all the wind so I can only imagine what it did to the ball. I am not sure about So-Cal, but it was pretty windy up in the central valley this afternoon and somewhat now…….not quite 40-50 miles per hour….that's pretty strong.
We normally don't get wind's that bad here…I really hope we have seen the last of Milton,Estes, And Vargas…I will be going next Tues to…Dodger vs D'Back's…Look's like we will lose spring training down here…With everyone going up to the Phx area
So Tucson is going to lose ST sites?
The White sox gave Tucson 5mil to leave…And if we don't have 4 team's down here that mean's the D'Backs and Rockies can leave
wow- I didn't know that. That's too bad.
It look's like it….D'Back's and Rockies are already looking for sites in the Phx area…You know i don't mind cause i will still go up to cbr-Glendale and see the Dodgers…Plus there's more to do up there
All we will have here is the Tucson Toros…Golden baseball league…Which start's in May….Very low single A team
You would think that would make it kind of strange for the dbacks to have ST in the same area the play normally.
I know…But that's the way it look's…I'm tired…Long day
To much sun and wind today
Have a great night Nelly
Good Night dodgerzona! I am glad you got to see a game today and a win on top of it. Get some well deserved rest. I am heading to bed in a few myself. Take Care 🙂
Gooooood Mornnnnnnnnnnnning ITDDDDDDDDDDD! Ok that is my Robin Williams impersonation…Happy 29th Birthdays to JHall and Joe Pierre….Enjoy!
It is 61 in Dallas going to 30 tonight!!! An rtic balst coming thru, should be fun,,,
Go Dodgers!!! And it is ok, if you are in the BP, to start pitching well, we will not get mad if you do!!!
Well I guess I have proof read…artic blast coming thru…
See proof reading does not help..I am going to work..will check in later….
Good Morning ITD Dodgerfaithful,
I missed the game yesterday, My kids are visiting this week so my computer time has been reduced to almost nothing.
I am happy to see MacDonald did well. How are ya Ramslover?? We have weather aproaching 60 degrees today also. I asked the girls to turn the heater down before going to sleep last night and they turned it off, so there's a little arctic blast around here also. Brrrrrrr……
Dodgers ~ Royals… Kuroda on the hill and free web-cast today, dodgers.com 1:05 PT. Enjoy the game everyone .
Good morning Ramslover and Dodger4life ~ Looking forward to the game and hoping to see the BP settle down.
Good morning ITD boys & girls
For the birthday boys, Las mañanitas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW9ONaDhpzM
Happy Birthday JHall!
Happy Birthday JoePierre!
I hope everyone has a great day!
Good Morning ITD readers and writers!!!!!!
We actually get to watch a game today – YEAH!! 10 days, 8 hours and counting until Opening Day 2009. GO DODGERS!!!!!!!
Good morning ITD'ers!
Just a quick hit & run seeing as I've got to get working!
Happy Birthday to Joe Pierre & Wally!!!
I hope everyone out there has a great day!
Go Blue!!
Brig the Ring to LA in 2009!!!
Gosh is opening day here yet. It taken forever to get here. Have we realeased Milton and Pierre yet.
Happy Birthday JHall and Joe Pierre!!!!
oops released
I wish they give the job to JMac. Happy Bday Wally and Joe Pierre.
I'm still ********** they we could've had resigned Lofton to another 1 yrs deal and he was the only one that show up in the playoff against the Mets but did we really have to signed Pierre to that huge contract? Lofton would had never complaint about playing time and he does take more walks, have more pop and a better obp than Pierre. It's so hard to believe Lofton in 1998 had 18 assists and the next year he had 11 something Pierre would had never been done.
lol at the O's rotation. Good god do they need pitching?
Starting Rotation
J. Guthrie
K. Uehara
R. Hill
D. Báez
M. Hendrickson
Of course that's on the yahoo draft chart so nothing is final yet
It look like they having problem find a 4th and 5th while we trying to find our 5th but Jmac should win it fair and square.
Here's today's lineup thanks to Kenny G's Around the Horn…..
Manny starts, but Casey Blake went home for the birth of his third child.
Rafael Furcal SS
Orlando Hudson 2B
Manny Ramirez LF
Andre Ethier RF
Russell Martin C
James Loney 1B
Matt Kemp CF
Blake DeWitt 3B
Hiroki Kuroda P
Wow, close to the real deal on that line-up.
I think that Kuroda/Wolf/Billz/Kersh/McDonald is a pretty solid starting 5. The line up we have now should be able to put enough runs on the board to get these guys through the 6th. Let's just hope Wade/Kuo/Brox pitch like last year and not this spring.
I'll drink to that, Enchanted!
Hey enchanted!!!! – you know there is a new thread, right? (jk) I posted the lineup not knowing the thread had changed 6 posts ago.


text:
We'll start by quoting the Twitter thread between Chris Brown and Trent Dilfer, over the phrase "arm talent" (Some light editing, to improve clarity):
Smart Football @smartfootball 26 Jan — Can we drop the phrase "arm talent"? What happened to "strong arm"?
Trent Dilfer @TDESPN — @smartfootball "Arm talent", a phrase I started using encompasses the ability to change speeds, trajectory & off balance. Strong=meaningless
Smart Football @smartfootball 26 Jan — @TDESPN Not just you. Just not my favorite phrase; not very descriptive. Understand need for all those things but not sure "arm talent"
Smart Football @smartfootball 26 Jan — @TDESPN Does it. "Talented passer" more descriptive (and grammatical) than "arm talent." Also to be fair you define the term usually, but
Smart Football @smartfootball 26 Jan — @TDESPN most scout and wannabees throw it around without any backing or understanding. Fine for you to say it's your term for all of that
Trent Dilfer @TDESPN 26 Jan — @smartfootball understandable, football phrases can be very polarizing if the picture they paint doesn't make sense. fun conversation
Smart Football @smartfootball 27 Jan — @TDESPN I agree – thanks for engaging. Wasn't targeted at you and this is partially me as football guy and also as overly pedantic lawyer
Smart Football @smartfootball 27 Jan — @TDESPN as you know, I think you do great work. Look forward to future discussions
I'll note the phrase "exceptional control" seems to cover what Trent is trying to get at with the phrase "arm talent" as well. And this gets us back to an issue often seen in both coaching and fan circles. Ideas aren't always born in the minds of the best writers. Some very ordinary folks come up with original, profound, or perhaps just useful concepts and they end up expressing them a little awkwardly. I can't help but wonder how much more penetration the modern analysis of play by play data would have if we didn't have to deal with awkward, and sometimes confusing language. If Brian Burke had used the Bill James phrase "Win Shares" instead of Win Probability Added and perhaps "Net Points" instead of Expected Points Added, how much faster would his analysis been assimilated?
In my discussions of expected points curves, I can get gnarled up in the phrase, "the value of a touchdown", because that has two distinct meanings, depending on your point of view. If you're thinking about adjusted yards per attempts formulas, that term refers to what I've called a "barrier potential" in other contexts. It's considered the value of the touchdown because of some unfortunate language and usage in The Hidden Game of Football.
The other notion called the "value of a touchdown" is the average score of a touchdown (7 points in general, by logic well discussed here) minus the yardage value of the average kickoff return. For years this was around 6.3 to 6.4 points, because the average return was to about the 27 yard line. This term has to be larger now, with the recent adjustments to the kick off line. This value has meaning in expected points curves, and the Romer/Burke model explicitly uses this notion of the value of a touchdown.
Hopelessly generic terms
The one driving me nuts these days is 5-technique, applied in sloppy fashion to a defensive end of any kind. The term gets used whether or not the defensive end is actually using a 5 technique (on the outside shoulder of the OT), a 4 technique (directly opposing the OT) or a 3 technique (outside shoulder of the OG ). Especially in drafting circles, people start talking about 5 techniques as a draftable position, as opposed to a place you line up and a way you play. More accurate, in drafting circles, would be to talk about ends capable of one or two gap technique, instead of this "5" nonsense.
The "5" nonsense is getting bad enough that confusion is being sold as fact. Despite Jene Bramel's excellent work on the topic of where defensive linemen line up
and with the comment:
In a majority of systems, even numbers denote an alignment that is head-up or helmet-to-helmet on an opposing offensive lineman while odd numbers denote an offset alignment, i.e. over the inside or outside shoulder of an opposing lineman.
Pro Football Focus just had to go and mess it up.
People *pay* to be told these kinds of explanations?
Eagle Defense
John T Reed has plenty to say about the term Eagle Defense in his Football Dictionary, finally concluding that:
After looking it up in several books, I have a sense that the Eagle defense generally has something to do with shifting the defensive tackle or end outside the weak tackle or tight end and putting a linebacker over or on the weak tackle or tight end. Until the football coaching world gets more precise and consistent, the word "eagle" should be dropped.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
NOTICE: Many events listed here have been canceled or postponed due to the Covid-19 emergency. It is best to call ahead or check with organizer's websites to verify the status of any local event.
|Other Tour Dates (1)
|Dec 11
|The Slackers
|Cornerstone Craft Beer & Live Music Berkeley, California
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The Aggrolites are more than a band they are a movement unto themselves. They carry a banner - one created with their own hands. This banner reads, "Dirty Reggae," and represents their signature fusion of reggae, soul, grit and determination. For seven magnificent years, this dirty reggae bunch has rolled from city to city, across the pond and up main street USA. They rally the kids, the parents, the students, the cops, the bosses and the drifters. The people come, they relish in The Aggrolites, the dirty reggae and the joy that comes with it all. The liberating rhythms and catchy grooves demand a return trip.
Out of the Los Angeles school of hard knocks, The Aggrolites have earned a Ph.D in "feel good music." On the road they educate with the thunder and punch of the reggae drums and bass, the ripping, soulful melodies of the organ and guitars, and Jesse Wagner's voice - a gift from the heavens, a perfectly intact gift from Otis, Sam, Ray and Wilson.
The Aggrolites have a specific way of making music. They don't over think it, they don't obsess over pop culture demands, they walk onto a stage or into a recording studio and let "it" happen - a culmination of inspiration - from the road, from playing along side music legends, and from the energy and motivation of their die hard fans. A new album is due for release in June 2009 and they call it IV. It is a definitive chapter in The Aggrolites journey with 21 tracks; each one a story of their struggle to thrive and their quest to spread soulful music around the globe.
So, when you are in the mood to drop your troubles and kick your baggage to the curb, call on The Aggrolites. Forget yourself and feel the dirty reggae!
The Aggrolites are Jesse Wagner (vocals, lead guitar), Brian Dixon (rhythm guitar), Roger Rivas (organ) and Jeff Roffredo (bass).
They have three full-length albums to their credit -- Dirty Reggae (Axe 2003), The Aggrolites (Hellcat 2006) and Reggae Hit L.A. (Hellcat 2007), featuring the hit "Free Time." "A glorious, surprising treat. Ideal for your next soul shakedown party," raved Peter Relic from Rolling Stone about Reggae Hit L.A.
Their songs are featured on the 2008 Vans Warped Tour Compilation and numerous Give 'Em The Boot compilations on Hellcat. In 2007, the band also collaborated with Rancid front-man Tim Armstrong on his solo A Poet's Life (Hellcat 2007) CD/DVD release.
The Aggrolites are well represented in film, television and video games. Their songs have been featured in NBC's Friday Night Lights, MTV's The Hills, Nick Jr.'s Yo Gabba Gabba, USA's Dr. Steve-O, MavTV's Rad Girls, the award-winning surf film The Pursuit, and Australian video game Cricket. The Aggros-backed, Tim Armstrong and Skye Sweetnam duet, "Into Action," is featured in Dream Works Pictures' Hotel For Dogs. Their renditions of The Specials' "Ghost Town" and Musical Youth's "Pass The Dutchie" will be heard in the upcoming teen surf comedy Endless Bummer, and "Free Time" will be in Walden Media's musical-romantic comedy Band Slam.
The Aggrolites have shared the stage with Social Distortion, Madness, Rancid, Flogging Molly, 311, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Dropkick Murphys, The Vandals, Against Me!, The Aquabats, Hepcat, The Skatalites, Prince Buster and Derrick Morgan. They have graced the stages at such notable events as Vans Warped Tour, SXSW, Bumbershoot, CMJ, Sundance Film Festival, L.A. Film Fest, Sunset Junction, Detour Music Fest, KROQ's Weenie Roast, 94/9 Independence Jam and Ragga Muffins Fest. In 2009, they will add Coachella and Lowlands to this growing festival list.
All video content is provided by Youtube, and any questions, comments, or concerns regarding such content should be directed to Youtube


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August 1, 2013 to August 31, 2013 – Greenwood, Indiana Come join us in a log raising August 1st in Greenwood, Indiana. Call us for time and directions. Organized by Tim and Anita Dyer | Type: indiana, log, raising
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In 1977, Fleetwood Mac released Rumours, a magical, haunting, complicated album detailing the breakups of the two couples in the quintet, and it quickly became the best-selling record of that era. The band had begun in the '60s as a dude-ish blues-rock outfit, but in the early '70s two women were added to the lineup: the British keyboardist/singer Christine McVie and a California-by-way-of-Arizona singer called Stevie Nicks.
In the band photo on the album's back cover the two look like the same stripe of hip and witchy gals, but in their music they were opposites. Christine's songs were breezy, romantic, direct—all smiley faces and hearts. Stevie's songs were plodding, mysterious, and bittersweet—she sang about drugs, the man she'd loved (Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham), and her best girlfriends (she wrote the demo "Think About It" to support Christine during her divorce from Mac bassist John McVie). The two wrote an equal number of songs on this album, but the only number one hit ("Dreams") was Stevie's. Onstage, Christine sat behind the piano, while Stevie, who couldn't play any instruments and so was given a tambourine, took center stage, twirling in her diaphanous gowns and enchanting the audience. She was the spectacle. Christine was the background.
In any true girl best-friendship, I think it's natural to feel like one of you is the Christine, the competent one behind the shadows, while the other is the Stevie, the dazzling rock star with natural charm. If you're the Christine, your friendship is like a passport to another life, and you feel extra-lucky that you get to know the private, life-size version of your sparkly friend. I know, because in seventh grade, I was the Christine, and my best friend, Jennifer,* was Stevie.
Jennifer was a master flirt who didn't seem to come with the default mortal fear of boys that the rest of us did. She barely cared what anyone thought of her, period. And of course, since she didn't care whether the boys paid attention to her, that's all they wanted to do. They'd even meet up with her at the mall, which all the other girls in our junior high marveled at (the boys never wanted to go to the mall).
I was not a girl that boys wanted to get to know, but being Jennifer's sidekick meant fielding endless questions about her from them, and there was a funny power to that. I was the one she hung with on the epic boring days, the one who knew who she really had a crush on. Friendships can be wholly different on the inside, and privately, Jennifer and I were equal. How other people saw us had no bearing on our closeness.
Christine had been in Fleetwood Mac for about five years before Stevie joined. When the band's drummer Mick Fleetwood, proposed adding the songwriting duo Lindsey and Stevie to the lineup, he arranged for Christine to meet them. Recounting that meeting in the Fleetwood Mac bio The First 30 Years, Christine said, "The last thing I was thinking about at that point was another girl in the band. I had been so used to being the only girl!" But Stevie and Christine hit it off from the beginning. "I liked her instantly," said Christine. "She was a bright, very direct, tough little thing. I liked her not because she was like me—quite the contrary. We're complete opposites…. The one thing we had in common was a good sense of humor." If the two women hadn't become friends, the band wouldn't have become what it did.
The first Mac record that the pair made together was 1975's self-titled album, and listening to Christine's congenial "Over My Head" vs. Stevie's brooding "Rhiannon," you can already sense the difference in their personalities. Then came Rumours. During the making of it, both Stevie and Christine broke up with their dudes, who were obviously still in the band—and in the recording studio, and in their faces all day every day while they were working in Sausalito, California. The ladies rented a condo overlooking the San Francisco Bay and retreated there while the rest of the band stayed up all night partying in the studio accommodations/rock & roll frat house. Christine and Stevie talked through their heartbreaks and hopes for the future, encouraged each other, and hid in each other's rooms when their exes showed up drunk and yelling in the driveway, according to Ken Callait, who produced Rumours and co-wrote a book about it.
The band toured sporadically during the recording, and while "Over My Head" had given Fleetwood Mac their first hit in America, "Rhiannon" made it so girls started showing up to the shows in flowing lace dresses and silk hats and screamed when Stevie came on stage. When Rumours came out, it made the whole band hugely famous, but Stevie became an icon; the press dubbed her the "Queen of Rock." Christine got no such honorific—she wasn't the co-Queen, or the Queen of Piano Rock, or even, like, the Princess.
You'd think that sort of thing would cleave even the most solid of friendships, especially given that the women were also creative collaborators making art that was all tangled up in self-expression and ego. From the outside, you might assume that there was some competition between them, and that Stevie was winning it, because Christine seems subdued and plain and, well, Stevie is Stevie. She wore a top hat. But you never hear anything about jealousy or resentment between them, and if there were even a drop of it, don't you think you would? People love to discover this type of tension, as if there can never be two of anything when it comes to women. It's possible that Christine saw in Stevie what I saw in Jennifer: a rare person naturally suited to the spotlight. And maybe Stevie saw in Christine a genuine talent who didn't crave or need fame.
The band reunited for a tour in 1997, but a year later, Christine, who had developed profound anxiety about air travel and performing, quit the band for good. Now Stevie was "the only girl" in the band, but she wouldn't accept the mantle without Christine's blessing (which was freely and gladly given). To this day, Stevie laments her friend's departure. A month ago, she told the Guardian, "I'd beg, borrow, and scrape together five million and give it to her in cash if she would come back. That's how much I miss her." ♦
* This name has been changed.


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No longer only plain vanilla, men's wedding rings today come in a wide range of styles as unique as you. Stylish men have discovered that a wedding band design with gems, interesting texture, or meaningful symbols expresses your own personality. Gemvara's wide selection of Men's Blue Sapphire Unique Wedding Rings means you can find the perfect style. Gemvara selects the finest possible materials to make one of a kind Men's Blue Sapphire Unique Wedding Rings to order, just for you. Our precious metals are recycled or responsibly mined. A gift of a sapphire is a pledge of trust and loyalty. This tradition makes sapphire engagement rings a perfect symbol of the promise to marry. Sapphire is the September birthstone, the 5th and 45th anniversary gem, and the zodiac gem for Virgo.Gemvara's beautifully custom-made Men's Blue Sapphire Unique Wedding Rings are handcrafted to order, just for you, by skilled craftsmen in the United States.
We can help right away. Chat with a jewelry expert now!


text: We are in the business of helping designers and design agencies succeed and grow. This is precisely the reason why we launched the LightCMS Developer Program more than a year ago. The Developer Program enables designers and resellers to focus on what they do best in creating leading-edge websites with a standards-based platform that does not require special programming languages while offloading server maintenance, hosting and upgrades to us.


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By meWATCH Published: 01 Aug 2020 Audio: Malay
Utter 2014 Utter returns this year to spotlight four short stories made into new films, directed by local filmmakers Wee Li Lin, Sanif Olek, Don Aravind, and Kenny Tan, and produced by Nicholas Chee Inspired by Tin Kosong by Muhammad Salihin Sulaiman
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Reduce manual intervention by IT staff for tape operations and cut the physical storage space needed for backup cartridges with up to 3 TB (with 2:1 compression) of capacity in a single cartridge.
Leverage the fast sharing of cartridge-dependent data with tape drives to speeds up load and unload cycles.
Use IBM LTO Ultrium 5 in products featuring LTO Gen 5 tape technology to provide value as your storage needs and infrastructure grow.
Designed to help improve read/write reliability by storing IBM's statistical media read/write analysis on every use of the cartridge when used with IBM LTO tape drives.


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Auckland Climate & Weather
Auckland has an oceanic climate, with warm, humid summers and mild, damp winters. The city experiences plenty of rain throughout the year, but predominantly in winter; the summer months are the driest. In summer, between December and February, temperatures average between 57°F (14°C) and 74°F (23°C); and in winter, between June and August, temperatures average between 44°F (7°C) and 59°F (15°C). The weather can be very changeable in Auckland year-round, with tropical cyclones and cold fronts causing occasional extreme conditions like hailstorms.
Become our Auckland Travel Expert
We are looking for contributors for our Auckland travel guide. If you are a local, a regular traveller to Auckland or a travel professional with time to contribute and answer occasional forum questions, please contact us.


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Rubio Warns Of UN Takeover Of Internet
en. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) plans to introduce strong belt buckle legislation to prevent a "takeover" of the Internet as we know it by the weak and corrupt United Nations or even another less friendly government regime. Speaking at Google's office in Washington, the possible presidential contender said he will introduce legislation to codify U.S. support of an open Internet as other countries attempt to control its growth. "Since the Web is worldwideand since it has proven such an effective catalyst for pro-democratic revolutionit has become a battleground that many fight to control," he said. Rubio pointed to 42 countries that...Read More


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First, praise:
Bolding 'section' headers to make this easy to process... but I wanted to start out by saying that I have been using FEBE for a couple of months or so, and loving it. The ability to take *my* profile to a new computer is... priceless. As well as being able to rebuild my OS and know that all I have to do to have a seamless experience with my Firefox profile is install Firefox, FEBE, and restore my latest backup. That's just awesome.
I just discovered TEBE as I was having troubles moving my Tbird profile from a portable Tbird install to a permanent one. TEBE exists? HOLY COW AWESOME. ...*ahem*. Sorry. Just a little excited.
The Error:
From the pop-up dialogue box's "Copy to Clipboard":
[Exception... "Component returned failure code: 0x80004005 (NS_ERROR_FAILURE)
[nsIZipWriter.addEntryFile]" nsresult: "0x80004005 (NS_ERROR_FAILURE)" location: "JS frame ::
chrome://tebe/content/tebeZip.js :: anonymous :: line 80" data: no]
Error adding global-messages-db.sqlite to zip archive
Tbird version: 3.0.2
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.1. Gecko/20100216 Thunderbird/3.0.2
No addons except TEBE.
This is a "Portable" Thunderbird, from PortableApps.org
1. Installed TEBE
2. Defined backup directory
3. Tools -> TEBE -> Perform Backup
While the status window with "Abort" displayed, after a few moments, the popup by the system tray appeared, with the error above. After copying, then closing; TEBE/Tbird unresponsive; had to end-task.
Anything you'd like me to try, I will do my best. My bug report is an intrusion on your time, so no worries if nothing presents itself.
I'm really hoping that it has nothing to do with the fact that this is a portable installation of Tbird.
EDIT: Forgot to mention that I did search the forum first; found some FEBE issues, but nothing that seemed to really apply...
EDIT2: Using TEBEbeta(20090111_192528).xpi


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Active Directory / Azure Active Directory Management
KuppingerCole PLUS
Get access to the whole body of KC PLUS research including Leadership Compass documents for only €800 a year
KuppingerCole Select
Register now for KuppingerCole Select and get your free 30-day access to a great selection of KuppingerCole research materials and to live trainings.
We Are Detective: Data Scientists to the Rescue for Cybersecurity and Governance
If the line "We are detective" only reminds you of "guilty pleasure" radio songs from the 1980s, despite the fact that you are responsible for cybersecurity or compliance in your company, then you should read on. In any case, you probably should read on because this is a trend that is becoming increasingly important in times of growing uncertainty and loss of trust – in contracts, in companies in the supply chain, in "the Internet", and in nation-states. Trust as the foundation for [...]
Stay Connected
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Casual Button-Down ShirtsPlainPatterned
Casual Button-Down ShirtsPlainPatterned
Eligible for Free Shipping with Jumia Express (Lagos Only) OR Jumia Prime
Discover check shirts online at Jumia that will separate you from others as it comes with bold designs that will make you look rugged yet relaxed from formal to casual outing. Choose from our wide selection of check shirts that comes with different designs to get the ultimate wardrobe staple at the click of the button on Jumia. The shirts is tailored down with smart style and clean lines that will offer you a sharp silhouette for your formal outing. Express your style in small check patterns, multi and bold patterns with bold colours. Match it up with jeans, chinos trouser and different shoes for men that will brighten up your mood all through the day.
Get fashionable check shirts for men at Jumia as it is essential for the sharply dressed city guys to the rugged blue collar workers to have in their wardrobe. Match the check shirts with tie, trouser and other accessories for that less formal occasion to stay stylish and not to lose your edge among your peers. Think outside the box when wearing this timeless check wear and make the proper entrance by matching it up with the right footwear and trousers. Whether for a Sunday outing or to the bar with friends, get your perfect size to have the unique contemporary look. Match the check shirt with suit to have that timeless look as it will accentuate your profile for you to wear to work while exuding the air of a confident man.


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Modelling the impact of a combined varicella and zoster vaccination programmeArchived
This study updates previous work on modelling the incidence of varicella and Herpes Zoster (HZ) following the introduction of childhood varicella vaccination.
Does monastic life predispose to the risk of Saint Anthony's fire (Herpes Zoster)?Archived
The impact of the epidemiology of varicella on zoster epidemiology is still debated.
The risk of immune thrombocytopenic purpura after vaccination in children and adolescentsArchived
From the results of this study, ITP events seem unlikely after early childhood vaccines other than MMR.
Long-term Effectiveness of Varicella Vaccine: A 14-Year, Prospective Cohort Study
This post licensure study assesses the long-term effectiveness of varicella vaccine and the impact on the epidemiology of varicella and HZ.


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Cabot Financial
Have Cabot Financial been chasing you for debts? Cabot Financial are debt collectors who are authorised by their client to collect money on their behalf.
If Cabot Financial have been in touch, contact us immediately for independent, free and confidential advice. We will look at all of your options and try to stop the debt collectors from taking any further action. Act quickly to avoid repossession and possible entry to your property.
Cabot Financial have a company number of 03439445.
Their mailing address is:
1 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME194UA
Important: Don't let Cabot Financial into your property, no matter what they tell you about their rights. Contact us immediately and we will try to stop them before the matter escalates.
Your rights against debt collectors:
- Bailiffs are not allowed to push past you.
- They can not enter your property between certain times.
- They can only enter through a door, no windows.
A debt collector can make a visit to your property when you do not pay your debts on time. Their usual collections are for council tax arrears, court fines, county court judgements, criminal fines, credit cards, loans, payday loans and many more.
Cabot Financial Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get rid of my debts with Cabot Financial?
If may be possible to write off a portion of your debts through a formal arrangement called a Scottish Trust Deed. This depends on how the people you owe money to handle the proposal you submit. You should seek independent financial advice to see the best way for you.
Can Cabot Financial come into my property?
In certain situations, it is possible that your lenders get a court order to allow them access to your property. This is usually for criminal offences such as: parking fines, council tax arrears, benefit fraud and unpaid parking fines.
What is a Scottish Trust Deed?
A Scottish Trust Deed is a formal way to consolidate all of your unsecured debts in to one affordable monthly payment, starting from £80 per month.


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EU takes major step to protect sharks
BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union took a major step to protect sharks on Thursday, banning the brutal practice of hacking off their fins before throwing the fish back into the sea to die.
The European Parliament voted by an overwhelming 566-47 margin to force all boats in EU waters and EU-registered vessels around the world to land sharks with their fins attached and prove the animal had not been thrown back finless.
The practice of shark finning stems from the high price the body parts fetch in China for the shark fin soup, a specialty at high-class banquets, and the low value of the rest of the body. The consumption of fins has risen as China's living standards have increased. Fins can sell for as much as $700 a pound.
The European Union has said that some 75 million sharks are killed for their fins only. Since the EU is the biggest exporter, the move should have a sizable impact on shark populations.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature says that about one third of sharks and rays are threatened both in EU waters and around the globe.
Uta Bellion of the Pew Environment Group said that "the parliament's vote is a major milestone in ending the wasteful practice of shark finning." EU nations are expected to back the rule soon.
The EU had rules in place which included the loophole that fins and bodies could be landed in different port, making enforcement that no sharks were tossed back overboard next to impossible.
Now the EU is moving toward a total ban of finning, following a six-year legal fight.
Spain is the top fin exporter. The Oceana conservation group said the EU is the largest shark fishing power in the world with 17 percent of reported shark catches and the largest exporter of shark fins to Hong Kong and mainland China.


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With Passover right around the corner, many of us are starting to clean every corner of our houses. While being able to eat off your floors does leave one with a sense of satisfaction, all that scrutinizing can also bring to light many of the things around the house that need replacing or repairing.
"My ceiling needs a new coat of paint"…"I really should think about replacing my kitchen cabinets"… these are just a few off the proverbial to-do list. While many home repairs are out of reach for the average person (who among us is crazy enough to get up on a ladder and paint their own ceiling? *wink, wink*), there is one quick and easy update that's inexpensive, makes a world of difference and lasts for years. I'm talking about painting the floors.
I recently got married and so had the pleasure of renting and decorating my first apartment. As with any apartment, there were many repairs to be done and plenty of design decisions that I was all to happy to make. One of the first things that had to go was the kitchen floor. The linoleum tile was truly no less than horrific. The pattern, which was odd to begin with, had over the years become cracked, faded, stained and just plain disgusting.
I recently got married and so had the pleasure of renting and decorating my first apartment. As with any apartment, there were many repairs to be done and plenty of design decisions that I was all to happy to make. One of the first things that had to go was the kitchen floor. The linoleum tile was truly no less than horrific. The pattern, which was odd to begin with, had over the years become cracked, faded, stained and just plain disgusting.
One look at it and I thought, "No matter how much I mop and sweep this thing, it will always look dirty"
Now, replacing linoleum flooring with new wood is quite an expensive undertaking, and certainly not something I'd be willing to spring for to spruce up someone else's home. So, instead, I turned to paint. As a rule, any surface that's properly prepared and finished can be painted. It didn't take too much time and wasn't very difficult. The results are fabulous, and every time someone comes over I love to brag about how I painted the flooring myself. It's fun to watch their jaws drop. Having the floor painted also makes the rest of the room look nicer and more pulled together. Read on for how-to instructions for this inexpensive and easy renovation.
1) Sweep and mop the floor. This may seem obvious, but it's important to mention for the simple fact that whatever is on the floor when you paint it will be forever stuck there. You really don't want dust and debris making their permanent home on your floor.
2) Sand it down. Uneven spots, dirt that was immovable by plain sweeping- you want it all gone so that the paint will adhere nicely to the floor. This was the most time-intensive part of the project, and to save time and effort you may want to invest in a power-sander. If not, embrace if as a workout or get someone to help. Remember
to sweep and mop once again after you finish this step.
to sweep and mop once again after you finish this step.
3) apply a coat of oil-based primer to the floor. Use a roller attached to a long handle and you won't even have to bend down! This was extremely easy. and took less than ten minutes. Just remember to make sure to apply the primer evenly and smoothly everywhere. Make sure you use oil-based materials so that mopping the floors later on won't wear away and chip your work; the oil will help repel water.
4) after the primer has dried (a few hours, but the best would be to wait one day), apply two even coats of oil based paint in the color of your choice using, again, a long handled roller. Of course, you may want to create a design on the floor instead of one simple color. For more detailed instructions on this, see http://www.designspongeonline.com/2011/03/diy-project-stenciled-floors.html
5) Wait at least a day for the paint to dry, then seal it with any oil-based varnish (that long roller will start to seem like your best friend). Polyurethane is best, however, the fumes can be quite overpowering and even harmful. Leave windows open for ventilation.
That's it- just five steps and you have a new floor! You may want to walk on it in socks for a while until it fully dries and hardens. If you follow each precaution, the paint job will last for years. You can buy all of the materials for this project, from the power sanders to the varnish, at www.homedepot.com or www.loews.com.
Obviously, this project requires a general avoidance of the room being painted for a good few days. A good idea is to either wait until right before you go away, or to paint it in small sections at a time. Try taping off small areas to remind your family not to step on your work, or better yet, let them help.Good luck and enjoy your new floors!For more how-to projects, pictures of my artwork and to keep up with what's new out of my studio, check out my blog at www.Facebook.com/lenmiz or follow me at twitter.com/thatartistgirl.Until next time,Lenore (Mizrachi) Cohentwitter.com/ ThatArtistGirl


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Kle på Keanu Reeves
Navn:Keanu Charles Reeves
Bursdag: September 2,1964
Loves ballroom dancing. He owns at least two Norton Commando motorcycles. Named after his uncle Henry Keanu Reeves. "Keanu" is a derivation of Reeves' great-great-uncle Keaweaheulu, whose name means "the soft breeze raising" in Hawaiian. Stepson of film and stage director Paul Aaron. Had a job sharpening ice skates.


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GDUFA 'self-identification' plan not flawed says SOCMA after FDA extends deadline
Late yesterday the US FDA gave generic drug manufacturing plants an extra two weeks to 'self-identify' after revealing that only around 1,700 of the 2,000 expected to register under the Generic drug user fees act (GDUFA) had done so by the original December 3 deadline.
Under the statue, generic drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) made at plants not registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by the deadline – now December 18 – will be deemed as misbranded, which means they cannot be exported to or sold within the US.
The idea is that in addition to providing an accurate list of plants required to pay annual 'user fees' for inspections, self-registration will help promote transparency within global supply chains and improve the quality of non-branded drugs sold in the country.
The FDA said: "To date, more than 1,700 facilities have self-identified for FY 2013. This figure is below estimates of the universe of generic drug facilities." The agency added that – based on a comparison with ANDAs submitted since October – not all of the facilities required to register are doing so.
"One out of eight facilities in these recent submissions has failed to self-identify, a trend that, if uncorrected, will result in higher individual facility fee amounts," it said, adding it does not want to raise fees as doing so would penalize firms that have already complied.
GDUFA 'self-identification' law not flawed, photo from Shutterstock
Industry response
John DiLoreto, executive director of the Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates' (SOCMA) Bulk Drug Task Force – which helped develop GDUFA – told in-pharmatechnologist.com that although below expectations, the fact 1,700 plants had registered in the time available is encouraging.
"This is the first year of the program and communicating this information to other parts of the globe is a little more difficult than just to the US and Europe. The number is actually quite good for the time allowed for the self-identification process and can only get better."
"The word is out, but will take time to reach all suppliers. Unfortunately, in the first year there was not much time for this self-identification process. Also, the penalties for failure to self-identify and pay the fee are significant, and should, in themselves, encourage manufacturers to qualify."
DiLoreto also rejected the idea that the lower than expected registration rate indicates that 'self-identification' will not work, arguing that "it is not flawed, but will yield a slightly lower number of sites, as more sites will register even after the process is done."
He concluded by reiterating that: "We are glad the FDA extended the period to allow the greatest number of companies an opportunity to identification."


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The SH7455 and 7456 Groups are high-performance RISC microcontrollers embedded with an 32-bit SH-4A CPU core.
They have a maximum operating frequency of 160 MHz, CPU performance of over 288 MIPS, support single and double-precision floating point arithmetic operations, and achieve a maximum single-precision performance of 1.12 GFLOPS.
They incorporate enhanced communication functions required for in-vehicle networks, such as 4 channels of CAN and 2 channels of FlexRay. The SH7455 and SH7456 also incorporate camera interface functions required for in-vehicle camera control such as DRI interface (2 channels) and I2C-bus interface (1 channel), and components required for in-vehicle millimeter wave systems such as PDAC, PSEL, and DRI circuits, Timer unit TMU (3 channels), and multifunction timer unit ATU-IIIS (59 channels). Furthermore, an on-chip inter-board communication function for multi-CPU configurations enables higher performance driver-assist systems.
Main Solutions
Key Features:
- Operating frequency: 160 MHz
- Performance
- On-chip large capacity memory
- RAM: 256 KB + 8 KB + 16 KB (Total: 280 KB)
- high-speed RAM for instruction: 8 KB, high-speed RAM for data: 16 KB, medium-speed large capacity RAM: 256 KB
- Cache memory: divided into 32 Kbytes instruction and 32 Kbytes data, 4-way set associative
- FlexRay*module (compliant with FlexRay 2.1 specifications): 1 module (2 ch)
- Peripheral functions
- Timer ATU-IIIS: 59 ch
- A/D converter: 12-bit, 16 ch (8 + 8) 2 modules
- Direct memory access controller (DMAC): 12 ch
- Direct RAM input interface (DRI): 2 ch
- Direct RAM output interface (DRO): 1 ch
- Parallel DAC control interface (PDAC): 1 ch
- Parallel selector (PSEL): 1 ch
- Serial communication interface: 7 ch
- Controller area network (CAN): 4 ch (64 message slot)
- Clock generator: multiplication PLL
- On-chip debugging function (H-UDI)
- RAM monitor function (AUDR)
- Package: BGA176 (13 mm x 13 mm, 0.8 mm pin pitch)
*FlexRay is a registered trademark of Daimler Chrysler AG. Only the SH7455 has 1 module (2 ch).
Pin Count / Memory Size Lineup:
Below you will find information to support the development of your application.
You can find an explanation of orderable part numbers here.
Resources for Software and Hardware
|My Renesas
|Create a My Renesas account to use our tool download services, receive e-newsletter/update notifications, and take advantage of our other services.
|Information for studying and learning about microcontrollers and microprocessors.
|Frequently asked questions and useful hints for development.
|A forum and community site to share technical information, questions and opinions with others who use Renesas products.
|Watch videos related to this product.
Hardware Design Support
IBIS standard simulation data is required for high-speed board design and can be used to run simulations to examine and troubleshoot issues such as waveform reflection, ringing, and so on, before producing the actual board.
BSDL is a data input format supported by most IEEE 1149.1 (JTAG)-compliant tools. The automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) and automatic test equipment functions of these tools facilitate testing.
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