An open question for those still reading:
What is the difference between a blog and a personal website?
Is it a matter of scale, or substance?
Please answer - creativity will be rewarded.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Our Pennant Winners
The World Series is about to begin.
I don't go in for pomp and ceremony, so I haven't watched the pregame or the anthem or the announcing of the lineups.
Not very interesting. Leave the show for the Super Bowl. The World Series is about the game.
In the next 4-7 games, some players will create reputations. Some will lose them. Some will reinforce them.
It'll be exciting.
Another thing that's exciting is planning a wedding. But that's also pretty stressful. I have a lot more riding on this than on the World Series. I can simply watch the World Series and enjoy the process. I won't get to enjoy the wedding for another 11 months or so.
I'll keep you posted.
I don't go in for pomp and ceremony, so I haven't watched the pregame or the anthem or the announcing of the lineups.
Not very interesting. Leave the show for the Super Bowl. The World Series is about the game.
In the next 4-7 games, some players will create reputations. Some will lose them. Some will reinforce them.
It'll be exciting.
Another thing that's exciting is planning a wedding. But that's also pretty stressful. I have a lot more riding on this than on the World Series. I can simply watch the World Series and enjoy the process. I won't get to enjoy the wedding for another 11 months or so.
I'll keep you posted.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Out with a Whimper....or Less
In the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, the Atlanta Thrashers had the right of deciding who goes first. Passed up by the Atlanta braintrust were future regulars including, the Sedin twins (taken 2nd and 3rd by the Canucks), Martin Havlat (26, Ottawa) , Mike Comrie, David Tanabe, Barret Jackman, Henrik Zetterberg, Ryan Miller, and a host of guys who produced a limited impact in the game or no impact at all.
Probably not the best year in which to own the number 1 pick. But at the time, I'm sure the Thrashers headmen were thrilled to bits to call out the name of Patrick Stefan.
Today, Patrick is 27 years old. To his NHL credit, are 455 games, 64 goals and 124 assists. 188 points. That works out to about 34 points a year, in an 82 game season (something he managed once). Not bad from a 4th line forward. Not so hot for a former Number1 who should have been in his prime. Unless he changes his mind (and even if he does, there would be no guarantees), that will be as much as he does as a professional hockey player. On Sunday, October 7, Patrick Stefan announced his retirement.
Few noticed.
Probably not the best year in which to own the number 1 pick. But at the time, I'm sure the Thrashers headmen were thrilled to bits to call out the name of Patrick Stefan.
Today, Patrick is 27 years old. To his NHL credit, are 455 games, 64 goals and 124 assists. 188 points. That works out to about 34 points a year, in an 82 game season (something he managed once). Not bad from a 4th line forward. Not so hot for a former Number1 who should have been in his prime. Unless he changes his mind (and even if he does, there would be no guarantees), that will be as much as he does as a professional hockey player. On Sunday, October 7, Patrick Stefan announced his retirement.
Few noticed.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Election Day Aphorism
Last week I was walking with an old friend who has been going through a difficult phase in life.
Among other things, we discussed politics and how this friend, who was once very active politically, is no longer so.
I asked why, trying to find a possible connection between previous involvement and a general state of well being, and non-involvement and depression. In response, my friend said that a epiphany came connecting a disconnect with internal needs and too much connection with local needs. With that realization, my friend left the political spectrum and began to focus those energies into internal healing.
And today is provincial election day. In spite of the general tone of this post, I will vote. More so for the referendum than for any actual candidate. I am registered in a riding with a very strong incumbent who has not experienced any recent scandals of magnitude that would lessen his current grip on the area.
There are only two sources of political thought that have any true import: internal and global. All other measurements of locality: municipal, provincial/regional/state, federal are only stepping stones on our own paths to making things right.
Nietzsche once said something to the effect that the infinitely small is just as hard to grasp as the infinitely large. Maybe that's why we tend to ignore the real importance of our true political feelings and spend so much time on the more graspable regional stuff.
Then again, I am a a middle child, striving to contain myself.
Among other things, we discussed politics and how this friend, who was once very active politically, is no longer so.
I asked why, trying to find a possible connection between previous involvement and a general state of well being, and non-involvement and depression. In response, my friend said that a epiphany came connecting a disconnect with internal needs and too much connection with local needs. With that realization, my friend left the political spectrum and began to focus those energies into internal healing.
And today is provincial election day. In spite of the general tone of this post, I will vote. More so for the referendum than for any actual candidate. I am registered in a riding with a very strong incumbent who has not experienced any recent scandals of magnitude that would lessen his current grip on the area.
There are only two sources of political thought that have any true import: internal and global. All other measurements of locality: municipal, provincial/regional/state, federal are only stepping stones on our own paths to making things right.
Nietzsche once said something to the effect that the infinitely small is just as hard to grasp as the infinitely large. Maybe that's why we tend to ignore the real importance of our true political feelings and spend so much time on the more graspable regional stuff.
Then again, I am a a middle child, striving to contain myself.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Blue Jays Regular Season Review
The Jays finish another decidedly mediocre plus season and the word in the press has it that changes will not be taking place. A little shuffling of the coaching staff, and that's that.
Mind you, the coaching staff needed some work on it. Especially from the position of hitting coach. He may have helped Aaron Hill maximize his potential, and I certainly hope that Aaron does not forget the lessons that he has learned.
It just seemed to me that most of the other players, from the injured Vernon Wells, to the injured Troy Glaus (well, they were all injured at one point or another, weren't they?). Far too often, a Blue Jays batter would swing on top of a pitch, missing it completely. I know I only returned to Canada towards the end of June and I can't comment on the season's first three months, but outside of Hill and , at times, Matt Stairs, I never saw an actual "approach" taken by any of our men at the plate.
The coaching shuffle will not be enough to save this team. As I understand it, both Gibbons and Ricciardi are in their last year. It's time to bite that bullet and begin afresh.
Gibbons, among other faults, cannot construct a working lineup. We all know that Wells was playing hurt the entire season and that affected his hitting. His power was markedly sapped. Yet his ability to get on base without swinging has never been great - why bat him leadoff? What actual benefit did the Jays glean from having Vernon swing at the first pitch and ground it weakly to 2nd? OK, without power, he had minimal benefit to the middle of the order. But without discipline, he has NO benefit to the top. If he needed to play, he should have been batting around 6th or 7th.
I won't delve more into the minutiae of what went wrong, but I will make some suggestions about what they can start to do right.
Get rid of Glaus, Johnson, Thomas. They bring a marginal package to the table and might be able to bring back more useful pieces if dealt astutely. The Jays could use Lind over Johnson, and Stairs in place of Thomas (Stairs should never wear a glove again, though).
Don't touch the pitching. Don't let Chacin back in unless Litsch bombs.
Work on baserunning. Offensively and defensively. The statistically minded community (to which I have a loose affiliation) preaches the harm a stolen base gives when successful under 75% of the time. I think that is true, but misses a prime element to thievery. When a team is either totally unwilling to run outside tactically necessary situations, the opposing team can safely ignore the threat and focus more on other aspects of fielding, improving their glove game. Stealing bases is a risk with a low payoff, but it is unfortunately a tactical risk to not run either. Aaron Hill, for example, stole home against Andy Pettitte. Yet he only attempted 7 thefts all year. Why not more? Rios was good 17 times out of 21. He should have ran double. Wells' injury was to the shoulder. So why did he only attempt to steal 14 bases?
Conversely, we need to be able to defend against the steal. The Jays only threw out 24 would be thieves in 2007 (least in the AL), while allowing 134 (only 2 behind the league leading Yankees, who also threw out 20 more). That stat alone probably can be said to have cost the Jays a few wins.
If we can't run, they don't need to worry about it and can hold their defensive ground more often. If we can't stop the run, they will take bases at will. Part of the defensive problem lay with Gregg Zaun and his string arm. He is a very good catcher in that he is marvelous at blocking the plate and does a creditable job at handling the young pitching staff. A bit more of Curtis Thigpen next year will probably help out a bit. Pitching coach Brad Arnsberg (who kept his job, last I checked) needs to pound it into the heads of McGowen and Burnett (among others, but especially them) that they need to work on holding the runner a bit better. Their slow deliveries are giving extra steps on the bases to the opponents.
It's hard to talk/write about the Blue Jays without mentioning the two elephants in the division. I say that the Blue Jays, managed properly, can also be a team of elephants. We can do better. We need to do better.
Mind you, the coaching staff needed some work on it. Especially from the position of hitting coach. He may have helped Aaron Hill maximize his potential, and I certainly hope that Aaron does not forget the lessons that he has learned.
It just seemed to me that most of the other players, from the injured Vernon Wells, to the injured Troy Glaus (well, they were all injured at one point or another, weren't they?). Far too often, a Blue Jays batter would swing on top of a pitch, missing it completely. I know I only returned to Canada towards the end of June and I can't comment on the season's first three months, but outside of Hill and , at times, Matt Stairs, I never saw an actual "approach" taken by any of our men at the plate.
The coaching shuffle will not be enough to save this team. As I understand it, both Gibbons and Ricciardi are in their last year. It's time to bite that bullet and begin afresh.
Gibbons, among other faults, cannot construct a working lineup. We all know that Wells was playing hurt the entire season and that affected his hitting. His power was markedly sapped. Yet his ability to get on base without swinging has never been great - why bat him leadoff? What actual benefit did the Jays glean from having Vernon swing at the first pitch and ground it weakly to 2nd? OK, without power, he had minimal benefit to the middle of the order. But without discipline, he has NO benefit to the top. If he needed to play, he should have been batting around 6th or 7th.
I won't delve more into the minutiae of what went wrong, but I will make some suggestions about what they can start to do right.
Get rid of Glaus, Johnson, Thomas. They bring a marginal package to the table and might be able to bring back more useful pieces if dealt astutely. The Jays could use Lind over Johnson, and Stairs in place of Thomas (Stairs should never wear a glove again, though).
Don't touch the pitching. Don't let Chacin back in unless Litsch bombs.
Work on baserunning. Offensively and defensively. The statistically minded community (to which I have a loose affiliation) preaches the harm a stolen base gives when successful under 75% of the time. I think that is true, but misses a prime element to thievery. When a team is either totally unwilling to run outside tactically necessary situations, the opposing team can safely ignore the threat and focus more on other aspects of fielding, improving their glove game. Stealing bases is a risk with a low payoff, but it is unfortunately a tactical risk to not run either. Aaron Hill, for example, stole home against Andy Pettitte. Yet he only attempted 7 thefts all year. Why not more? Rios was good 17 times out of 21. He should have ran double. Wells' injury was to the shoulder. So why did he only attempt to steal 14 bases?
Conversely, we need to be able to defend against the steal. The Jays only threw out 24 would be thieves in 2007 (least in the AL), while allowing 134 (only 2 behind the league leading Yankees, who also threw out 20 more). That stat alone probably can be said to have cost the Jays a few wins.
If we can't run, they don't need to worry about it and can hold their defensive ground more often. If we can't stop the run, they will take bases at will. Part of the defensive problem lay with Gregg Zaun and his string arm. He is a very good catcher in that he is marvelous at blocking the plate and does a creditable job at handling the young pitching staff. A bit more of Curtis Thigpen next year will probably help out a bit. Pitching coach Brad Arnsberg (who kept his job, last I checked) needs to pound it into the heads of McGowen and Burnett (among others, but especially them) that they need to work on holding the runner a bit better. Their slow deliveries are giving extra steps on the bases to the opponents.
It's hard to talk/write about the Blue Jays without mentioning the two elephants in the division. I say that the Blue Jays, managed properly, can also be a team of elephants. We can do better. We need to do better.
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