Byfuglein goes bye-bye....DANG!!!

That was quick. The guys name is not even etched on the Cup. This is the business side of modern sports, a salary cap casualty.


http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nhl/columns/story?id=5321554

SPEAKING WORDS OF WISDOM....

“Government is the only agency that can take a useful commodity like paper, slap something on it, and make it totally worthless.” - Ludwig von Mises

Mischief springs from the power which the moneyed interest derives from a paper currency which they are able to control, from the multitude of corporations with exclusive privileges… which are employed altogether for their benefit. - Andrew Jackson

We have tried spending money. We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work. We have never made good on our promises. I say, after 8 years of the Administration, we have just as much unemployment as when we started... and an enormous debt to boot! -Henry Morgenthau, Secretary of the Treasury during the New Deal, May 1939

Now that was an exciting 1-0 soccer game

GOOD FOR LANDON DONOVAN, GOOD FOR U.S.A. SOCCER, GOOD FOR U.S.A.

"This team embodies what the American spirit is about," Donovan said. "We had a goal disallowed the other night, We had another good goal disallowed tonight. But we just keep going. And I think that's what people admire so much about Americans. And I'm damn proud."

I'm glad that FIFA and their cabal of evil referees who seem to feel it is their job to keep the Yanks from advancing, did not get their wish.

What gazelles and valedictorians teach us about success

SAME CAN BE SAID FOR WINNERS!!! LUCK HAS LITTLE IMPACT IN DETERMINING WINNERS LONG-TERM.

I read a couple of articles that highlight some of the difficulties teams have come draft time. The reason that the draft sometimes seems like such a crap shoot, especially if you focus exclusively on the more highly decorated success / failure stories.

Some of the commenters, after the jump of this story, try to spin it into a racial argument but really they miss the entire point of the article IMO. Can anyone really control your effort level? Isn't that what coaches preach, take care of the things you can control? And isn't hustle or effort at or near the top of the list.

ST. PETE TIMES ARTICLE ON THE SUCCESS QUALITIES OF VALEDICTORIANS

http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/only-one-african-american-in-pinellas-elite-class/1101710

In last Sunday's Neighborhood Times feature, "They rose to the occasion," the valedictorians and salutatorians were asked to give their "parting thoughts" by answering five questions.

Two of the questions caught my attention because the answers reveal the major sources of the students' achievement. The students were asked to discuss the "secret" to their success so far, and they were asked to identify the one person who has influenced their lives.

To the first question, the majority said that hard work, motivation and determination were their secrets.

My favorite two four letter words, HARD WORK.

The SPT Article cites:

- Hard Work, motivation and determination cited as qualities that led them to success and the top of the list of valedictorians and salutatorians in their schools. PERSEVERANCE.

- Becoming a valedictorian is similar to a HS player getting drafted in terms of percentile % of kids that participate versus those that rise to this the desired level of success. About 1 in 500-1,000 per class?

- These same qualities--observable but not easily measurable--are unfortuantely what tends to be the difference-maker, what will ultimately separate the high-draft pick that blossoms into a super-star versus the one who turns into a bust.

- It is the same qualities that will give us the free-agent who turns into a quality players at the major league level, in spite of having none of the more easily observable, readily measurable qualities.

It's easy to look at the Peyton Manning / Ryan Leaf draft and say that all this player evaluation / NFL combine stuff is so much wasteful exercise. By the same token, you can look at some of the more successful teams that use the centralized information better than their peers and succeed, and say the process works.

At the team level, we can point to the examples like the University of Michigan continuing to turn to Drew Henson over Tom Brady to show that the intangible qualities that many times you can see and feel but can't quite put a number on will sometimes conspire to throw objective analysis and reliance on measurable standards for a loop.

The player evaluation system works better in the NFL than in the pre-combine days. It is not a perfect system, but is continually evolving and getting better and while the goal is perfection-- a goal that theoretically can never be achieved -- the victory is in continually improving the product and the results. Especially in this day and age of ever-escalating bonuses. Teams simply must be able to justify their investment dollar decisions more objectively than in the past.

--------

Financial expert Dave Ramsey uses the analogy of having a Gazelle-like Intensity in order to modify behavior and get out of debt when the culture does everything possible to encourage you to be in debt.

SOME MORE FINANCIAL WISDOM FROM DAVE RAMSEY:

http://www.creditwithdrawal.com/wordpress/2008/02/05/dave-ramsey-and-the-great-debt-payoff-debate/

http://daveramseyguru.com/

http://www.daveramseyguru.com/baby-steps/

- 19 of 20 gazelles under attack eventually evade the cheetah, even though the cheetah is faster than the gazelle.

- The main reason is that while the cheetah is faster in a straight line than the gazelle, if the gazelle manages to zig-zag his way long enough to prolong the pursuit, the cheetah eventually tires and goes on to a weaker prey. The ones that fail are the weaker ones who quit and die.

We do not have the tools to measure this type of quality objectively in humans, so we are left to subjective analysis in our grading. "The kid is a gamer", "A bulldog", "The intensity of a junkyard dog".

HARD WORK, PERSEVERANCE, INTENSITY, FOCUS - DETERMINE SUCCESS OR FAILURE IN SPORTS,

BUT THEY ARE OF LIFE AND DEATH IMPORTANCE TO THE GAZELLE.



They are all factors that allow the "chosen few" to rise to the top and to do so often against peers who appear on the surface to be equally well-endowed as far as the physical gifts that are required for success. Could any of us identify the gazelle that is most likely to give up in its pursuit by the cheetah?

DEFINITION OF RAMSEY'S GAZELLE-LIKE INTENSITY:

http://www.paidtwice.com/2008/01/31/im-a-cheetah-not-a-gazelle/

According to Ramsey, gazelle intensity is a role play exercise. The gazelle has to be smarter, not faster, than the cheetah to escape it. In Ramsey’s world, you are the gazelle, and the credit card company is the cheetah. To escape the cheetah, you must be smarter than it. Just as the gazelle has to bob and weave to avoid the cheetah’s single minded straight line attack (apparently, a cheetah is only super-fast when running in a straight line), we must bob and weave and stay on our toes like a gazelle with never-ending intensity to avoid the credit card’s evil single-minded attack via numerous offers and specials and rewards.

-----

There are 10-15 kids in each graduating class every year that have the inherent academic skills necessary to be the class valedictorian. But only one makes it each year. I suspect it is often the one that has that gazelle-like, almost life-or-death devotion to success.

There are 10-15 baseball players drafted each year that have the requisite ability to succeed at the major league level. Certainly every first-round pick should be capable enough to succeed from the standpoint of physical gifts. But five years after each draft, you can review the selections and wonder what happened to well over more than half of them.

Only 1-2 attack the mission of gettig from draft-day to major league debut with "gazelle-like" intensity needed for success.


THIS STORY ILLUSTRATES THE ISSUE PERFECTLY:

One day a hound dog went hunting by himself in the woods. He spotted a rabbit in the underbrush and chased him out into the open. The rabbit darted this way and that. The dog followed. The rabbit ran, with the dog at his heels, around trees and through an open field.

When the dog began to tire of the chase, the rabbit, with one last burst of energy, dashed into the thicket and escaped to safety.

As the dog turned back for home, a goat herder who had seen the chase jeered at him, saying, "Some hunter you are! You let that rabbit get the best of you!"

"You forget," replied the tired dog, "about the rabbit's strife! I was only running for my supper. He was running for his life!"

In summary, Ramsey is illustrating that in order to get out of debt ( a financial goal ), you have to want it as if your life depends on it!

He uses the following bible verse as an example:

“Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids. Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.” - Proverbs 6:5-5

Many times, elite coaches in sports or events that are geared even more towards standardization are surprised by the success of athletes who did not measure up well in the so-called "measurables".

This casts doubt on whether we really know what we are looking for come draft day. What qualities correlate best to future success? Perseverance, confidence in oneself, the patience to tolerate the deliberate practice required to make small gradual improvements at ones craft. These are the qualities one must have to tolerate the 10,000 hours some experts say are required to become an elite master at almost every craft.

Perhaps in the future we will be able to develop a better test to determine who has this "gazelle-like" intensity and perseverance or, better yet, how to develop it in every athlete.
Maybe more of an emphasis on these positive qualities over winning and losing as part of the sports culture.

Oh Slav, there you go dreaming of a better day.....

ADDITIONAL READING:

from the article:
Identifying Talent: What Really Matters by Daniel Coyle author of The Talent Code (highly recommended book)

http://thetalentcode.com/2010/05/05/identifying-talent-what-really-matters/

within the article Coyle recommends the book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck

from the Amazon.com reviews you will find the following synopisis:

From Publishers Weekly
Mindset is "an established set of attitudes held by someone," says the Oxford American Dictionary. It turns out, however, that a set of attitudes needn't be so set, according to Dweck, professor of psychology at Stanford. Dweck proposes that everyone has either a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. A fixed mindset is one in which you view your talents and abilities as... well, fixed. In other words, you are who you are, your intelligence and talents are fixed, and your fate is to go through life avoiding challenge and failure. A growth mindset, on the other hand, is one in which you see yourself as fluid, a work in progress. Your fate is one of growth and opportunity. Which mindset do you possess? Dweck provides a checklist to assess yourself and shows how a particular mindset can affect all areas of your life, from business to sports and love. The good news, says Dweck, is that mindsets are not set: at any time, you can learn to use a growth mindset to achieve success and happiness. This is a serious, practical book. Dweck's overall assertion that rigid thinking benefits no one, least of all yourself, and that a change of mind is always possible, is welcome. (On sale Feb. 28)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Revenge of the Vuvuzela!!!!

A South African fan, blows her vuvuzela as she watches the World Cup soccer game between South Africa and France on Group A, at a fan zone, in Durban, South Africa, on Tuesday June 22, 2010. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)


MON DIEU & SACREBLEU can it be true? The French are out?

FROM THE NEW YORK POST:

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/soccer/host_south_africa_beats_france_but_ruLH2wyU7homxO9WUclLLK

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa -- Bongani Khumalo and Katlego Mphela scored first-half goals to lead South Africa to a 2-1 win over a France team in turmoil at the World Cup on Tuesday. Despite the win, Bafana Bafana became the first host nation to be eliminated in the group stage.

I know this will get me in trouble with my editors but, this just proves that while the vuvuzela may blow, the French suck.

VIVA SOUTH AFRICA!!!

French Soccer in disarray...Vuvuzelas are officially exonerated

So now we know that there is more wrong with the French team than the distraction of the vuvuzelas.

They can still advance, but seem to want to play the role of the diva, the prima donna and the l'enfante terrible, all rolled up into one team personality. Rather than pull together as a team and win these guys would rather lose by wallowing in their own drama. Yeah, these guys are softer than the Maginot Line and they fold up faster than a cheap lawn chair.

HOPEFULLY, THE HOST SOUTH AFRICA TEAM PUNCHES THEIR TICKET OUT OF THE TOURNAMENT ON MONDAY WITH A WIN. NOW THAT WOULD BE POETIC JUSTICE.

FROM ESPN.COM

France director resigns amid disarray

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5307299/ce/us/france-team-refuses-practice-nicolas-anelka-expulsion?cc=5901&ver=us

France's World Cup team refused to train Sunday in protest of striker Nicolas Anelka's expulsion from the squad, prompted by a profanity-laced tirade against coach Raymond Domenech the day before.

The latest round of turbulence also led to the resignation of France team director Jean-Louis Valentin, who said he was fed up with the team.

"It's a scandal for the French, for the young people here. It's a scandal for the federation and the French team," Valentin said. "They don't want to train. It's unacceptable."

France coach Raymond Domenech explained to the media why his team wasn't training on Sunday.
Before getting in a car and driving off, he added: "As for me, it's over. I'm leaving the federation. I'm sickened and disgusted."

Tensions boiled over after the team arrived at training and got off the bus to greet about 200 fans who had gathered there. Domenech, whose tactics and management skills have been questioned, stayed on the bus to talk to France captain Patrice Evra.

Meanwhile, fitness coach Robert Duverne was on the field putting down training cones. After Domenech and Evra got off the bus, Evra and Duverne started to argue. Domenech tried to intervene, but Duverne then stormed off, throwing his accreditation down the field.

Afterward, Domenech read a statement he said was written by the players to explain their protest:

"The French Football Federation did not at any time try to protect the group. They took a decision uniquely based on facts reported by the press. As a consequence and to show our opposition to the decision taken by officials of the federation, all the players decided not to take part in today's training session."

Evra and the players, en masse, boarded the team bus and drew the curtains.

Domenech said he gave Anelka the chance to apologize for his profanity-laced outburst, and that his refusal to do so justified his expulsion from the French World Cup team.

Anelka was sent home Saturday, hours after revelations of his angry tirade was revealed by sports daily L'Equipe.

Domenech said on the French television show Telefoot on Sunday that "I gave him the chance to come and talk and to say sorry" but that "he didn't want to and that's why I went along" with the French soccer federation's decision to throw Anelka out.

Domenech added it was not "a personal problem between the coach and the player," but "a problem concerning the federation and the image of the French team."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

The Ball did WHAT!!!

MLB Photos via Getty Images
Home-plate umpire Tom Hallion maneuvers to get a good view of Stephen Strasburg during his June 8 debut.

A great article from of all places the Wall Street Journal, on the difficulties umpires face dealing with the Stephen Strasburg phenomena.

Judging by the picture shown above, he is equally difficult for batters to deal with.

That pitch is sending the initial, visual stimuli to the batter, "THAT 100 MPH FASTBALL IS COMING RIGHT AT YOUR HEAD, GET OUT OF HERE!!!" Then it turns out to be a knee-buckling curve ball. And the poor batter has only about 0.40 seconds to determine the pitch and it's inevitable destination, all the while suppressing the survival instinct. Even then he has to deliver the bat to the anticipated destination at the right time, in the right place in order to make solid contact.

Talk about an unenviable task....for the batter and the umpire. It's just a lot of fun for fans to watch quality major league hitters turn to jelly-legged blobs of putty in Strasburg's hand.

I think the comparison to Dwight Gooden and others are going to turn out to be valid. This kid really seems to have the goods.

---

How to Call What You Can't See
By DAVID BIDERMAN

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704198004575310961357883580.html?mod=WSJ_hp_editorsPicks_4

Since his debut with the Washington Nationals, Stephen Strasburg has displayed the kind of pitching repertoire that makes baseball historians scramble for their notebooks.

His four devastating pitches (fastball, chanegup, curveball and sinker) have such extreme break that it's nearly impossible to predict where they will cross the plate. He has already struck out 22 batters in just over 12 innings.


MLB Photos via Getty Images
Home-plate umpire Tom Hallion maneuvers to get a good view of Stephen Strasburg during his June 8 debut.

But here's what separates Mr. Strasburg from the vast majority of precocious arms: He's so good he makes the umpires miss.

Thanks to a system called Pitch f/x, which uses digital cameras to track the trajectory of every pitch in major-league ballparks, it's now possible to measure whether a pitch was a strike or a ball and, more to the point, whether the home-plate umpire made the correct call.

According to a consensus of umpires, a good umpire will make one bad call on a pitch every two innings—or about four or five per game. But in Mr. Strasburg's first start, on June 8, Pitch f/x indicated that the home-plate umpire, Tom Hallion, missed seven calls in only seven innings. By contrast, Mr. Hallion only missed two calls in five-plus innings for the opposing pitcher, Pittsburgh's Jeff Karstens.

In Mr. Strasburg's second start, the system said home-plate umpire Brian O'Nora missed six calls in fewer than six innings. Mr. Hallion and Mr. O'Nora couldn't be reached for comment.

"I've known guys who couldn't sleep the night before they had to ump a pitcher like that," said Don Denkinger, a major-league umpire for almost three decades.

Former all-star pitcher Rob Dibble, a Nationals broadcaster for MASN, said he watched almost every one of Mr. Strasburg's starts in spring training and said he was fooled repeatedly—Mr. Strasburg's pitches moved so much that it was impossible to get a good feel for them. When Mr. Strasburg threw a curve in the first inning of his first major-league game, Mr. Dibble thought it was a strike even though the umpire called it a ball. "I knew these umpires would not call these early breaking balls because they've never seen them this good," he said over the air.

Mr. Dibble said it's not unusual for umpires to need adjustment periods with new starters because they're not used to how they pitch, but that a pitcher as unique as Mr. Strasburg demands a longer timetable. "He demands a huge learning curve," he said.

The problem dates to Mr. Strasburg's college days, before he was picked No. 1 overall by the Nationals. In November 2008, before Mr. Strasburg's final season at San Diego State, Jim Paronto, the coordinator of baseball officials for the Mountain West Conference, said he always made sure any umpire working one of the kid's games was a good balls-and-strikes guy. "He's a special kind of challenge," he said.

When watching Mr. Strasburg pitch, Mr. Paronto said, the first thing that would go through an umpire's mind is, "Wow, did the ball really just do what I think it did?"

Mr. Strasburg isn't the first phenom who has had this problem. Former umpires and managers say baseball immortals like Jack Morris and Dwight Gooden got similar treatment during their careers because their pitches moved too much.

Former New York Mets manager Davey Johnson managed Mr. Gooden for seven seasons, including his rookie and sophomore years, when he struck out 544 batters and won 41 games. Mr. Johnson said Mr. Gooden had robot-like control of his pitches, but umpires were often overwhelmed by their movement.

To make things more difficult, Mr. Gooden would turn his body during his windup in a way that made it harder for umpires to see the ball as it left his hand. "No question about it—umpires can struggle seeing pitches," Mr. Johnson said. "They're human like the rest of us."

Early in his career, Jeremy Bonderman of the Detroit Tigers was dogged by inconsistency. He'd pitch well one day, terrible the next, mixing horrible pitches with great ones. His coach at the time, Bob Cluck, said he thinks part of the pitcher's problem was that umpires weren't familiar with the immense amount of movement on his breaking pitches—so they would call them balls when they'd actually landed in the strike zone.

Mr. Cluck said the sharp lateral movement on Mr. Strasburg's pitches will probably make them similarly difficult to grade. "Those are the toughest pitches to call," he said.

Former umpire Dave Phillips, a 31-year major-league veteran, said Mr. Strasburg is a walk in the park compared to another wildly talented pitcher: Hall-of-Famer Nolan Ryan. For all his greatness, Mr. Ryan was known for his lack of control, famously holding the records for most strike outs of any major leaguer and the most walks.

This made him especially tough to ump, Mr. Phillips said, because his pitches often ended up streaking far outside the strike zone. When they saw Mr. Ryan was pitching on a given day, Mr. Phillips said the reaction was universal: "Oh, God."

Steve Palermo, a major-league umpire supervisor who called balls and strikes for 14 years, compared Mr. Strasburg's pitches to former greats like Bert Blyleven and Mr. Ryan. "Some of the veteran umpires have seen it before, but you have to know it's going to be different than normal" he said.

The key to working with a pitcher with so much talent, Mr. Palermo said, is to force yourself to wait an extra second to make a call. A home-plate umpire's cardinal sin, he says, is to make a judgment too early, then watch helplessly as the ball jumps in a different direction at the last moment.

Blame it on the vuvuzela, or the goalie's HGF.....

OK, IT'S THE VUVZELA THAT'S THE PROBLEM HERE RIGHT?

Yankees ban vuvuzelas from stadium:

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/06/17/vuvuzelas-banned-from-yankee-stadium/

Actually, a poll of virtually every other major league teams fans would reveal that most fans would prefer the "soothing" drone of the vuvuzela to the obnoxious emanations of the typical Yankee fan.

Scientists indicate that early research shows that the overwhelming majority of Bronx denizens are actually immunized from the harmful effects of mind-numbingly inane and obnoxious noise that would cripple the ears of those from other regions of the country due to the many years of having to listen to local bellowing of natives such as Mike Lupica, Howard Stern and Yankee broadcster John Sterling. To say nothing of the cacophony of civil sounds one hears on a leisurely jaunt down the streets of Manhattan most mornings.

EXHIBIT A:

JOHN STERLING YANKEES WIN CALL:



Sorry folks I still don't get it. We're going to ban vuvzelas from Yankee Stadium and that is going to lower the level of obnoxious behavior at Yankee Stadium? By Yankee fans? This where you choose to draw the line? Oh yeah, and iPad's.

OK, whatever. The vuvuzela or John Sterling? Which is more obnoxious? Seems like an easy call.

To me it sounds a bit like the French blaming their first loss on the vuvuzela. What, the French lost again to Mexico? They're 0-2 now? Well that goes to my theory that the French just suck. At more than just soccer, BTW.

At least go down like the Spaniards and the British, Pepe LePew. Blame the goalie's hot girlfriend. This girl is tailor made for TV. She asks her BF after the game, "How did you muck this up?". Well played, sister. Well played, indeed.

DISTRACTION?? OH, OUI, OUI MONSIEUR!!! VIVA LA DISTRACTION!!!



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/17/sara-carbonero-iker-casil_n_615832.html

Sara Carbonero, a beautiful sideline reporter and girlfriend of Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas, is being blamed by some fans for Spain's shocking World Cup loss to Switzerland on Wednesday.

The Guardian reports that the gorgeous sportscaster is accused of distracting her boyfriend by being so close to the field before and during the crucial match. Casillas allowed the game's only goal, and Spanish fans are worried that Carbonero could be to blame.

The Spanish beauty later shot back at critics, dismissing claims that she "destabilized the team" as "nonsense."

After the game, Carbonero interviewed her boyfriend and asked him about the team's unexpectedly lousy performance. On live TV, she asked her lover, "How did you muck this up?" (Video of the interview -- in Spanish -- is below.)

Spain's former coach also criticized the team after the surprising loss, telling reporters that the team didn't have "enough conviction" against the Swiss.

Casillas is not the only World Cup goalkeeper whose performance is said to have been affected by romantic complications. English goalie Robert Green may have been torn up by his split with a young lingerie model when he allowed an infamous goal to the United States.

So, English goalie Robert Green may have been torn up by his split with a young lingerie model when he allowed an infamous goal to the United States, you say? You think?

I guess I will never fully be able to understand the full range of factors that conspire to effect the performance of today's elite athlete.

Yes, I suppose a split with a young lingerie model could affect one's focus at just the most critical moment in a huge international match. Sort of makes the case for limiting oneself to dating the older, skankier lingerie models now doesn't it? At least until one's playing career is over. Note to self and play on, I guess. Right fellas?

In other sports news, the Lakers beat the Celtics to win the NBA championship. BFD. My apologies to Joe Biden.

Also, now that the Giants seem to have a semblance of an offense, they have crawled back into contention in the NL West.

The bad news is the Giants best player this side of Tim Lincecum, Pablo Sandoval, is now close to hitting his weight. The real problem with having said that is, Sandoval is currently hitting about .280 recently. Apparently, the Camp Panda effort at weight management is not working well for the Panda. The dilemma becomes, do Giants fans and management want to see Pablo return to his career average of .300 plus or lose weight and get in better shape? Stay tuned.

I'll bet this World Cup will have higher ratings......and why I hate soccer

A minute and a half and you get to see all the scoring.



Final score: U.S.A. Nil + 1, England Nil + 1.

And they left in the VUVUZELAS, which I love!!!!

SERIOUSLY, WHO DOESN'T LOVE THIS???

Oh, like we're any better over here in the States with our goofy thundersticks?

Or our annoying Cowbells? Right St Pete.?

Or how about those idiots that go to Little League games with jugs filled with coins and shake them all game long? If ever there is a case for justifiable homicide at a LL game, this is it. There's actually a site that shows you how to make these and other noisemakers.

I mean, how much of a retard do you have to be to need instructions to fill a 2-liter jug with coins and shake repeatedly?

THE HARD PART FOR MOST OF THE ROCKET SCIENTISTS MUST BE SQUEEZING ENOUGH COIN OUT OF THEIR PAYCHECKS TO FILL THE JUGS ENOUGH TO BUG THE CRAP OUT OF DECENT FOLKS WHO JUST WANT TO WATCH THEIR KIDS PLAY BASEBALL (OR SOFTBALL FOR THE YOUNG LADIES) IN PEACE!!!

Oh, you gotta love them.

So let's leave South Africa alone and let them enjoy their moment in the international spotlight for just a few minutes, PLEASE!!

Anyway, getting back to why I hate soccer.

I just can't get over the memory of the Monty Python skit where the sportscaster is reading the evening's soccer...er, football scores.

Yorskhire Nil, Worchtershire Nil.

Blackpool Nil, Liverpool Nil.

Man City Nil, Man United Nil.

Arsenal Nil, Chelsea Nil.

Sorry, but here across the pond, we play on to victory. To Sudden Death if necessary. We like our opponents beaten, not tied. And we like scoring, we like it a lot actually.

Pity, I couldn't find that skit. IT WAS A CLASSIC.

Speaking of which, without a doubt the most exciting football match (soccer, really) ever witnessed. Also courtesy of the Monty Python crew. Funny chaps.

It's only 3 1/2 minutes long, what have you got to lose, really? And don't act like you were sitting there splitting atoms, or researching a cure for cancer. You're on my blog.

GERMANY VS. GREECE - PHILOSOPHY FOOTBALL ( SOCCER, REALLY ) FROM MONTY PYTHON



CLASSIC!!!!

I TELL YA' I HATE SOCCER, EXCEPT FOR THESE TWO EXAMPLES

THE GREAT DUSTY BAKER (AND STEVE STONE) VS. LOU PINIELLA DEBATE

THE GREAT DUSTY BAKER VS. LOU PINIELLA DEBATE

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/way-things-should-be/2010/03/dusty-baker-v-lou-piniella-who-will-win.html

These links provide some of the current debate that has provided a little sub-drama to the inter-city Cubs - Sox rivalry. I thought it was Kenny Williams who cautioned outsiders to stay out of White Sox business. I guess that caution doesn't preclude Sox employees and commentators from sticking their noses in other folks business.

It has morphed into a bit of a Lou Piniella v. Dusty Baker debate among the local reporters and commentators who are circling the wagons and defending the brethren against the evil "Uncle Lou".

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=5275860

STEVE STONE COMMENTS:

"I think that means that Lou doesn't have a great grasp on what to do with young players," Stone said in the interview. "Because with Tyler Colvin, if you take a look at what he has accomplished in a short period of time, with limited play, you realize that he very well could be the one thing the Cubs have been looking for for six years. That's a left-handed run producer. Colvin could be that one guy. But he can't do it on the bench, so you make a decision that you play the guy."

LOU PINIELLA REBUTS:

Piniella said he's sick of hearing critiques from people that "haven't managed and won any games in the big leagues, but they think they know everything."

After railing against anonymous media for several minutes, Piniella outed Stone as the object of his ire.

"And Steve Stone, he's got enough problems doing what he does with the White Sox," Piniella said in the home dugout, his voice raising. "What job has he had in baseball besides talking on television or radio? What has he done? Why isn't he a farm director and bring some kids around? Why isn't he a general manager? Why hasn't he ever put the uniform on and be a pitching coach? Why hasn't he been a field manager? There are 30 teams out there that could use a guy's expertise like that.

"I'm tired of some of these guys, I really am. That's it. Let's go to baseball."

STEVE STONE ON RE-DIRECT:

Stone was asked by ESPN Chicago if Piniella is acting out of frustration.

"I can't look into Lou's psyche. I don't know," Stone said. "I do know he's getting $4 million a year to manage. I get paid to broadcast on Comcast SportsNet and WSCR radio. I have two TV shows and two radio shows a week. I also get the MLB package, and I watch a number of games every night. I spend my winter in Arizona watching the Arizona Fall League and seeing young kids from everybody's system. I go to all of spring training and make my way around various camps.

"I've seen more baseball players than Lou has. I just haven't managed them."

I'm with Lou via TKO on this one. Even though recently he has indicated that Tyler Colvin will get more PT, Stone's logic that because he has "seen more baseball players" than Lou has is a pretty weak basis for the validity of his points and perspective.

But this is the climate we operate in today. Everybody is a quasi-GM in waiting on the basis of directing a fantasy league team or two to their company championship. All the Monday morning QB's think that years of observation qualifies them to second guess those who are out there doing it.

I could watch doctors do open-heart surgery for years, read numerous books on the subject, watch the Heart Transplant Surgery channel on cable and play the old-school game "Operation" until my fingers fell off and my guess is most people would not want me to perform heart surgery on them should the need arise.

So Lou wins on the basis of the strength of his "there's a reason Steve Stone isn't a GM-Farm Director-Scouting Director-Manager-Pitching Coach for any team in MLB" even though he has openly pined for said positions in the past.

Lou Piniella was an accomplished hitting coach, a three-time Manager of the year, led the Mariners to a 116 win season, led the 1990 Reds to a World Championship and has a plus .500 record with the Cubs. He has led them to two first place finishes and while he has treaded water recently with the Cubs, all items that are not on the Johnnie Baker resume except for perhaps the hitting coach part. Piniellas Cubs teams have not fallen off a cliff like the D. Baker Cubs did. ( Baker's teams went from 88-89-79-66 win totals during his regime - Piniella's are all plus .500 )

Now I like Dusty Baker -- the Giants have not been the same since he left -- but in this argument, Lou Piniella wins by a decisive KO. It's not even close people. And the little weasels who even imply that there might be a racial component involved, should take another look at the Baker record before they wax nostalgic about how great those years were (ESPN1000 JHood is the leader of this cabal). Baker simply did not get the job done and the team stopped listening to him.

They may do the same to Lou, or he may get tired of talking, as he appears to be doing, but Lou Piniella is a better manager, by far, than either Dusty Baker or Steve Stone.

"It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly...who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at best, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt

YOU GO LOU!!! YOU EVEN HAVE TEDDY ROOSEVELT ON YOUR SIDE!!!

HAPPY FLAG DAY!!!

HAPPY FLAG DAY!!!

CHICAGO VICTORY PARADE!!!

THE CHAMPIONS HAVE ARRIVED WITH THE STANLEY CUP IN CHICAGO!!

Our on-site photographer sent this picture (which I stole from FB) of Blackhawks fans descending on the downtown area where the victory parade will be held.

WAY TO GO, CHICAGO!!

Giants Draft Notre Dame WR Golden Tate

I LIKED THIS GOLDEN TATE, A LOT!!!

The wrong Giants, I really would have liked for the FOOTBALL GIANTS to pick Tate, but this has been my luck lately. Pretty much Bass-ackwards.


FROM BLEACHER REPORT BLOG:

http://bleacherreport.com/tb/b4vaS

With their last pick, the Giants selected Golden Tate, a former Notre Dame wide receiver who was drafted in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks.

Tate did not play baseball this season for the Fighting Irish, but started in 54 of Notre Dame's 59 games in 2009, batting .329 with four triples and 13 stolen bases. Tate was drafted out of high school by Arizona in the 42nd round of the 2007 Draft but opted to go to Notre Dame. Although it appears Tate will continue to focus on football, Barr said Tate's tools were too good to pass up.

"We felt he was one of the best athletes in the Draft. We felt like we took a great athlete at the top [No. 24 overall pick Gary Brown] and were still taking great athletes at the end of the Draft," Barr said. "Our scout in Indiana wrote him up as a prospect and said this guy could play the game and he pictured him as a guy with the ability and tools to play. Does he have football as an option? Sure, but it also gives us the opportunity to be able to talk to him or, if he changes his mind, then he can come to the Giants and we can give him the opportunity."

WHO KNEW ABOUT THIS GOLDEN TATE??

Another high-profile player, at least in baseball circles, was San Francisco's 48th-round pick, Devin Harris. Harris, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound right fielder out of South Carolina, was drafted in the eighth round of the 2009 Draft by Baltimore.

As a junior, Harris hit .344 with 14 home runs, 48 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. This season, he hit .324 with 13 home runs and 53 RBIs, and Barr said Harris didn't fall because of ability, but signability.

Barr said the Giants would monitor Harris in the Cape Cod League this summer and try to work on a contract agreement later in the summer.

Another late pick with some potential.

FROM MLB.COM

Giants pick #588 overall Austin Southall, 6-2,CF B-L, T-R from University HS (LA)

Comments: Southall didn't face the best competition this spring, so it made it a little difficult to evaluate him. He did hold his own at the East Coast Showcase last summer, a sign that he can rise to the level of better players. He has a strong arm from the outfield and has worked hard to get his body into better shape. At the plate, he has some raw power to the pull side. It might take him a while to get there, but he has the chance to be a decent big-leaguer some day.

Not a bad draft by John Barr, the Giants Scouting Director, and his staff. They have done a lot of the heavy lifting in bringing the Giants back to respectability.

Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup

As predicted here, the Blackhawks end a 49 year drought and bring th Stanley Cup home to Chicago.

http://slavieboy.blogspot.com/2010/05/this-is-how-we-do-it-in-chicagoa.html


CONGRATULATIONS BLACKHAWKS, PARTY ON CHICAGO!!!

LEGALIZE THE CONSTITUTION, STUPID!!

Kansas City Fed President Hoenig said that the US economy is in a sustained recovery, and he repeated his call to raise the Fed funds rate to 1.00% by the end of Sep.

Hoenig warned that "monetary policy can cause asset-price bubbles and that we need to take out the excess stimulus."

He also said that the US has a "very serious fiscal situation" and that "we need to pass a law that is very firm that says you cannot spend more unless you cut something else."

- What happened to PayGo? I thought we had such a law?
- What we need is a law that our reps in D.C. OBEY THE LAW, RATHER THAN CIRCUMVENT THE LAW - RESPECT THE CONSTITUTION, RATHER THAN TREAT IT LIKE TOILET PAPER.

THE CONSTITUTION MEANS SOMETHING

2010 MLB Draft - The Final Day - Rounds 30+

The 2010 MLB Draftt concludes today with round 30-50. The "follow and filler" stage. Most of those drafted today fall under the categories of "draft and follow" or "roster filler". Which is not to say that anyone drafted in these rounds, given the opportunity cannot make it to the bigs. And mlb.com has a ready list of guys that have made it to give everyone hope. The roster filler or organizational guys, are simply a reality which recognizes the fact that the guys drafted the last two days -- who will get the heavy bonuses and the most opportunity to succeed or fail -- need somebody or some bodies, to play against.

The Nats celebrated Stephen Strasburg's coming out party last night. In addition to landing Bryce Harper in the first round, the Nats add former University of San Diego LHP Sammy Solis and prep RHP A.J. Cole in the fourth round. That's quite a haul.

The Cubs rebounded from their first round selection to land OF Reggie Golden, a raw potential, five-tooler and LSU C Micah Gibbs in the third round. Nice save, Cubbies.

The Pirates did well with back to back prep RHP's Jameson Taillion and Stetson Allie.

The Mariners added LHP James Paxson in the 4th round to save an otherwise lackluster draft.

I like the Dodgers pick of prep RHP Kevin Gausman in the 4th round to go with RHP Zach Lee. If they sign both this is a good draft for them. I suspect Gausman fell due to signability concerns.

The largest fall from grace has to go to prep OF Austin Wilson, a toolsy 6-4,210 power hitter with a commit to Stanford. It seems if year to year Stanford commits seem to have the highest signability issues. The Cardinals finally selected Wilson, a consensus 1st rounder, in the 12th round. If they can sign him, an already very good draft goes off the charts for the Cardinals.

The Giants followed up on their first selection with another college CF from Virgina, Jarrett Parker. Strange how all the OF prospects the Giants drafted were listed on MLB.com as CF specifically. Are the G-men trying to tell Aaron Rowand something? I hope so.

After Parker, the Gigantes drafted a boat load of college prospects with no bio attached, possibly indicating they were off most peoples radar. This shapes up as a lackluster draft for the Gigantes.

I did like their selection of University of South Florida LHP Andrew Barbosa. Barbosa is a 6-7, 245 LHP who I believe just started pitching recently but showed considerable promise this year. A project to be sure, but one with enormous upside.


FROM ESPN.CHICAGO:

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=5265747

Several other notable names were called on the second day, including Cory Vaughn (New York Mets), son of Greg Vaughn; Dickie Thon Jr. (Toronto Blue Jays), son of Dickie Thon; Garrett Buechele (Texas Rangers), son of Steve Buechele; Kellen Sweeney (Toronto), brother of Ryan Sweeney; Mel Rojas Jr. (Pittsburgh Pirates), son of Mel Rojas; Benjamin Gamel (New York Yankees), brother of Mat Gamel; Connor Narron (Baltimore Orioles), son of Jerry Narron; and Drew Cisco (Cincinnati), grandson of Galen Cisco.

The Nationals, who watched Stephen Strasburg strike out 14 in his big league debut against Pittsburgh on Tuesday after being taken No. 1 almost exactly a year ago, took San Diego left-hander Sammy Solis to start the second round.

After taking touted right-hander Jameson Taillon second overall, the Pirates got another impressive high school righty in the second round with Stetson Allie. Projected as a first-rounder, the 6-4, 225-pound Allie has a fastball that sits in the mid- to upper-90s.

Former Kentucky left-hander James Paxton went in the fourth round to the Seattle Mariners after being the 37th overall pick by Toronto last year. He didn't sign, left Kentucky after a legal battle over whether his adviser negotiated with the Blue Jays -- a violation of NCAA rules -- and then opted to play for Grand Prairie of the independent American Association.

Rounds 31-50 of the draft were scheduled to be conducted Wednesday.

2010 MLB Draft - 1st Day Review

The picks are in and now is time for the knee-jerk reaction / report card style analysis.

The Winners:

Cardinals - The Cardinals did about as well as anyone out there scooping up Arkansas 3B Zack Cox with the 25th pick. Nobody would bat an eye to see him listed on a top ten list. RHP Seth Blair was picked with the 46th compensation pick for losing Mark DeRosa. Again a good value, Blair was a borderline 1st rounder. RHP Tyrell Jenkins was picked with the 50th compensation pick for losing Joel Pinero, a good deal for the Cards, as Jenkins was maybe a touch under the 1st round.

Red Sox - The Sox picked up 2B Kolbrin Vitek in the 20th spot, a virtual wash from a value standpoint. Later they picked up OF Bryce Brentz with the 36th compensation pick for losing Billy Wagner. Brentz was rated higher going in maybe a mid first-rounder. They also scooped up LSU RHP Anthony Renaudo with the 39th compensation pick for losing Jason Bay. If he's healthy this is a huge bargain. Renaduo was rated somewhere around the 20th slot. A good pick on value that could really swing in the Sox favor.

Blue Jays - Picked Georgia Tech RHP Deck McGuire with their 11th pick. McGuire may have been the top collegiate RHP available and a top five talent. Later they selected Citadel RHP Asher Wojciechowski with the 41st compensation pick. Most had Wojo in the first round pretty solidly. The Jays should see quick return on these two collegiate pitchers.

Tigers - Recovered from the loss of their 1st round pick, compensation to Astros for signing Jose Valverde, by selecting prep SS Nick Castellanos with the 44th compensation pick for losing Brandon Lyon. Castellanos was a borderline top ten value, so he may be a signability problem. Also picked Texas RHP Chance Ruffinf with the #48 compensation pick for losing Fernando Rodney, a decent pick here, good bloodlines as Ruffin is the son of former big leaguer Bruce Ruffin.

Rays - Continue to stockpile young talent. Picked prep OF Josh Sale in the 17th slot, a borderline top ten talent. Select prep C/SS Justin O'Connor in the 31st slot, O'Connor looked to be a top twenty selection. They followed with OF Drew Vettleson in the 42nd slot, a wash as a value selection.

I also like the Reds pick of Yasmani Grandal in the 12th slot, a top ten talent. The White Sox get good value out of their 13th selection LHP Chris Sale.

The Rays, Red Sox and Tigers situation highlight some of the problems I see with the draft as currently constructed. MLB has set up this "unofficial", gentlemen's agreement slotting system whereby there is an informal agreement on what to pay in bonus to a player based on where he is selected. The Rays receive compensation for not signing their last years 1st rounder, LeVon Washington and the Rangers also received a compensatory 1st rounder for failing to sign last years first rounder Matt Purke.

I would think part of the rationale for having these compensatory picks in place is to provide incentive for teams to toe the party line on the bonus slotting system. You lose one years worth of player development if you don't sign a player. But there is no penalty in place for teams that violate the slot and overpay (Yankees, Tigers come to mind). This allows the agents to shop their guys to the large-revenue clubs by holding fast to their inflated bonus demands, even if it is above slot to the team that selects. This allows talent to slide down the ladder from the teams that most need it, to the teams that do not and circumvents the slot system. If you approve an above slot contract you should lose a corresponding future draft pick, similar to the compensation for losing signing. Otherwise, there is no penalty for these teams that continue to violate and go over slot.

The other problem is the free-agent compensation, which was first put in to help the small revenue teams who lost marquee players. In the first day, the Red Sox had three picks, the Angels had four picks, the Rangers had four picks, the Cardinals had three picks. This game of renting high-priced players at the end of their contracts to receive compensation is another deck stacked in favor of the large revenue teams versus the small revenue teams.

When talk turns to "fixing" the draft, these two items should be near the top of the list as well.

Anyway, on to the losers from yesterday:

Cubs - Did anyone cause more jaws to drop and eyeballs to roll than the beloved Cubs with their selection of RHP Hayden Simpson with the 16th pick? I think it is safe to say that no team had him in their top 100. Maybe Top 200. The Cubs clearly must have turned to their tenth round selection page instead of the 1st round and went with who was on the top of that list. Or they know something about this kid that nobody else on the planet did before yesterday. This one needs to work out for the Cubs pretty quick.

Diamondbacks - I thought the Diamondbacks looked like they were going to lead the list with RHP Barret Loux with the 6th pick. Not sure if he was on many 1st round lists and it would have been towards the bottom if that.

Rangers - The Rangers did the Cubs times four. Four picks that they seem to know something that nobody else knew. OF Jake Skole in the 15 spot I thought was a big time reach. Canadian C Kellin Deglin with the 22nd pick was an OK pick, he was getting late buzz as a possible surprise first rounder, but probably not a huge value here. RHP Luke Jackson at #45 and college 3B Mike Olt at #48 were head scratchers here. Two players from cold weather climates going down to the Texas heat?? They have a couple of minor league seasons to get acclimated, I suppose.

Angels - The Angels went quantity over quality it looks like. RHP/3B Kaleb Cowart was OK at #18.
RHP Cameron Bedrosian at #29 seemed like a reach, but the bloodlines are good. SS Taylor Lindsey was a head scratcher as was CF Ryan Bolden in the 40th spot. Both could have been had later it seems and there was better talent available.

Most interesting picks:

Astros - I thought the Astros could have picked OF DeLino DeShields with their 19th pick rather than their 8th pick, I think he still would have been there. But if that's the guy you really felt strongly about and you didn't think he would be there at 19, I can't fault the team too much for that. They followed with IL RHP Micahel Foytenowicz at #19 (my #1 rated area prospect). Again, he may have been a late first-rounder, sandwich pick type but if he's the guy you really wanted....The Astros ended their day by drafting collegiate OF Michael Kvasnicka as a C prospect, I believe. Kvasnicka did get a lot of late buzzas one who could crash the first round.

Best talent still on the board:

RHP Brandon Workman
RHP A.J. Cole
RHP Stetson Allie
OF Austin Wilson
RHP/OF Brett Eibner
RHP Jesse Hahn
RHP Chad Bettis
SS Yordy Cabrera
LHP James Paxson
RHP Kevin Gausman
LHP Sammy Solis
OF Ryan LaMarre
OF LeVon Washington
C Micah Gibbs
SB/SS Jedd Gyorko
OF Jarrett Parker
1B Hunter Morris
OF Reggie Golden
OF Austin Wates
OF Todd Cunningham
OF Kyle Parker
RHP Ryne Stanek
3B Kris Bryant
RHP Jacob Petricka
RHP Tyler Thornburg

If the Giants can pick up one or two of these guys today, I will be pretty happy with this draft. I like the 1st pick a lot. Could be a potential successor to Aaron Rowand in CF.

The most hated song in Nashville, Vancouver, San Jose and now Philly.....

HE'S BAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!! WELCOME BACK BUFF!!! TWO GOALS, TWO ASSISTS, NINE HITS!!!!



CHELSEA DAGGER - THE FRATELLIS

Now that Dustin Byfuglein has been found it seems like the choice for the Flyers is simple - either go quietly in front of the faithful or come back to Chicago and listen to this song until their ears bleed.

YOUR CHOICE PHILLY!!!

Giants select OF Gary Brown in First Round

The only two picks I selected in the correct spot were Bryce Harper to the Nats and the Giants Gary Brown. An omen perhaps?

SO HAPPY TOGETHER??? GOSH, I HOPE SO!!!




GIANTS SELECT GARY BROWN IN FIRST ROUND

With the 24th pick of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, the San Francisco Giants selected center fielder Gary Brown of Cal State Fullerton. Brown, who attended Diamond Bar, Calif., High School, hit .438 this season in 48 games. He scored 62 runs and stole 31 bases in 36 attempts.


MLB.COM REPORT AND VIDEO ON GARY BROWN

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?topic_id=8080130&content_id=7189183

Gary Brown - OF
Cal State Fullerton, Jr.
Birthdate: 8/27/1988
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 185 lbs.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Scout's report filed: 3/2/10
Game(s): San Diego
Scouting Report
Hitting ability: Brown consistently gets the barrel on the ball. It's not pretty, his feet are moving, but the bat is always in the right place, particularly against fastballs.

Power: He doesn't look like he should, but he's got some surprising pop.

Running speed: He's got plus, plus speed.

Base running: He wreaks havoc on the basepaths, though he's still raw and needs to learn the nuances of baserunning.

Arm strength: His arm is not quite average and isn't really a part of his game.

Fielding: When he first started playing center, he did not look good out there. But he's improved quickly in his routes and reading the ball off the bat.

Range: With his speed, he's got more than enough range for center.

Physical Description: Brown is an athletic, though not overly big, speedster. He's got a Reggie Willits body type.

Medical Update: Healthy.

Strengths: Plus, plus speed. Better hitting skills than expected.

Weaknesses: He's still raw in many facets of the game.

Summary: There may not have been another hitter in the 2010 Draft class who got off to a hotter start than Brown. Speed is his best tool, and he can wreak havoc on the basepaths. He's got more strength and power than it would seem, and while his approach is unorthodox, he's got good overall hitting skills. Relatively new to the outfield, he's come a long way in terms of his defensive skills in center. Pure speed guys who can hit don't grow on trees, and if Brown keeps hitting the way he started out the year, he's going to hear his name called sooner rather than later on Draft Day.

The 2010 MLB Draft

THE BRYCE HARPER COMING OUT PARTY BEGINS MONDAY!!

The 2010 MLB Draft takes place Monday and while we will try to project the first round picks for each team, I will note that this exercise is in many ways different from doing the same exercise for the NFL or NBA drafts.

Due to the economic differential between the small market/large market teams and the fact that teams draft HS players who could go to college instead of playing pro ball there is a signability consideration that doesn't exist as much in the other two sports. Therefore, in theory the teams are not drafting entirely based on who the best player is talent wise as much as who the best player they can afford. The NFL and NBA drafts are based primarily on evaluation of the player’s talent; with organizational needs a second consideration. In baseball, organizational need is a minor factor because even college players may be a year or two away from helping the big club and HS players generally require 4-5 years of development.

Some teams focus on collegiate players who have less negotiating leverage (more signable) and can help the team now (or in the near future) but are more WYSIWYG-type players (What you see is what you get). Other clubs lean more towards the younger HS players, who are more projectable, have a "higher ceiling" or higher developmental potential. The feeling is these are potentially the superstars of the future and you have to lock them up and get them in your organization before they go to college. They are higher-risk, higher reward type players.

Add in the pre-draft agreements and the day of the draft last-minute calls to prospects to determine if they will sign for a certain figure if the team calls their name five minutes later and the draft can become a bit of a crap shoot. "Hey future Mickey Mantle, we're on the clock and we'd like to pick you with the 15th pick, how's $750,000 sound for a signing bonus?" If the kid laughs hang up, you just proceed to the next guy on your board. The kid sits on his signing number and hopes a better-heeled team will match his ticket price later. Even if the number doesn't meet the MLB imposed bonus number for that slot in the draft. A high-stakes game of poker goes on behind the scenes before the pick is delivered to MLB.

For these reasons, there may not be a Mel Kiper type equivalent in the MLB draft who can project the teams picks in advance with a high degree of accuracy. The way the system is set up doesn't allow for it. But we will try anyway, knowing in advance that theoretically, if you position enough monkeys in front of keyboards, eventually one of them will type out all 32 teams draft picks in correct order. The question then becomes, would you sign that monkey to your clubs farm director of the future? Heck, the Giants might.

HOW MANY MONKEYS WOULD IT TAKE BEFORE ONE OF THEM WOULD REPLICATE THIS BLOG POST??? HMMM......

Anyway, this draft seems laden with sandwich picks and RHP's. A little lighter on LHP's than prior years especially at the top if the draft. Maybe a little lighter on talent than the average year, so there will be a real premium placed on making your first pick count.

The Giants pick 24th in the first round and then not again until the 74th pick due to all the sandwiches. The Rays select 17th, WHAT!!! and the Cubs 16th. Doesn't seem to have much of a connection with reality does it. The White Sox pick 13th, which restores some semblance of reality to the picture.

Some other things I'll keep and eye on:

- IL RHP Michael Foltyniewicz may elevate past the sandwich picks and into the lower first round, although sandwich-early second round seems most likely.

- The usually highly regarded proving grounds for prepsters in Tampa Bay FL may not have a HS players name called until round 5. Perhaps LHP Daniel Gibson goes early or C Shame Rowand.

- The high pedigree players led by RHP Cameron Bedrosian, OF Delino DeShields Jr., RHP Mel Rojas, Jr. and INF Dickie Thon, Jr.

- The Giants first pick. Most of the early buzz centered on HS OF Austin Wilson, Jermaine Dye type corner OF with power. HS SS Yordy Cabrera's name has surfaced along with Nick Castellanos and Christian Colon, but neither prep SS nor Colon may be available when the Giants select. Cal-Fullerton OF Gary Brown could be a pick here, opinions vary on him but he could provide the most help immediately. I wouldn't argue with either Wilson or Brown, but would probably prefer Brown at this point.

It's where the pack of 12-15 RHP's sort themselves out that will make or break each prognosticators score. Add to that the occasional surprise and the seemingly annual tradition where the Twins surprise everybody with their first-rounder and you have the makings of a downright watch-able Major League baseball Draft.

------

Here it goes:

1. Nationals - Bryce Harper, C 6-3 205 Southern Nevada CC – Will team up with Stephen Strasburg to give marquee value for the DC crowd. The LeBron James of baseball hype has faded a bit and his rep took a few dings, but the kid has future star written all over him.

2. Pirates - Manny Machado, SS 6-2,180 Miami Brito HS - A Scott Boras client with a plus arm, advance hitter with power potential, enough range to stay at SS. Committed to FIU.

3. Orioles - Jameson Taillion RHP 6-6,230 The Woodlands HS (TX) - High 90's FB, major league frame. Old school delivery. What's not to like?

4. Royals - Drew Pomeranz LHP 6-5, 235 Mississippi - Plus FB and CB. 12-6 type delivery.

5. Indians – Chris Sale LHP 6-5,175 Florida Gulf Coast - Next best LHP after Pomeranz. Could also go for a bat here, Michael Choice is a fit, but Sale may be too tempting to pass up here.

6. Diamondbacks - Deck McGuire RHP 6-6,220 Georgia Tech - Could be a workhorse top of the rotation starter. Three good pitches.

7. Mets - Zach Cox 3B 6-1,215 Arkansas - Safest pick for the Mets right now, fills need for a bat, good defensive player. Mets figure out the gloves later.

8. Astros – Michael Choice OF 6-1,215 Texas-Arlington - Will sweat it out but won't take long to grab this athletic, power prospect with good patience and discipline. NCAA leader in BB's.

9. Padres – Kolbrin Vitek 2B 6-3,195 Ball State – Good tools, productive bat. Can steal bases.

10. A's - Bryce Brentz OF 6-1,185 - Middle Tennessee State - Seems best fit for their budget and organizational philosophy. Advanced hitter with power potential.

11. Blue Jays - Christian Colon SS 6-1,190 Cal-State Fullerton - Top glove, average athlete. line drive, high contact, gap type hitter.

12. Reds - Alex Wimmers RHP 6-2,195 Ohio State - Could be Renaudo too. Wimmers may have home-field advantage. Polished pitcher, good control, advanced breaking stuff.

13. White Sox - Brandon Workman RHP 6-5 220 Texas - Talented and durable, four pitch pitcher. Good FB with workable change.

14. Brewers - Josh Sale OF 6-0, 200 - Strong and athletic, power potential. Signed with Gonzaga.

15. Rangers - Karsten Whitson RHP 6-4,190 Chipley HS - Good mechanics and commands the FB well. Solid mechanics, workable slider. Project for Nolan Ryan to work with and could begin the run on HS RHP's.

16. Cubs - Andrew Cole RHP Oviedo HS 6-5,190 - U. Miami signee. Strong-armed, three-pitches with low 90's FB and plus CB leading the way.

17. Rays - Nick Castellanos SS 6-4,210 Archbishop McCarthy HS - U. Miami signee. High ceiling type the Rays love. Might be the best pure hitter in the draft with some pop. Strong arm could move from SS-3B.

18. Angels - Dylan Covey RHP 6-2,200 Maranatha HS - San Diego signee. Good curveball, solid FB. Safe pick here.

19. Astros - Matt Harvey RHP 6-4, 225 North Carolina - FB can get to mid 90's. Cruises low 90's and gets ground balls.

20. Red Sox – Yasmali Grandal, C 6-2,210 U. of Miami - Switch-hitting C, good power, strong arm.

21. Twins - Asher Wojciechowski RHP 6-4,205 Citadel - His stuff turns heads, but opinions vary on where he'll go. High ceiling.

22. Rangers - Kaleb Cowart 3B/RHP 6-3,190 Cook HS (GA) - Two-way player has good power, plus hitter with minus speed limits him defensively and may move him to the bump.

23. Marlins - Austin Wilson OF 6-4,200 Harvard Westlake HS - Stanford commit. Big time power bat, strong hitter. Athletic corner OF.

24. Giants - Gary Brown OF 6-1,180 Cal State Fullerton - Good speed, could play well at top of the order. Plus speed with some pop. Defense may be an issue, weak arm.

25. Cardinals - Stetson Allie INF/P 6-1,180 St. Edward HS (OH) - Power arm, FB 93-95, with plus breaking ball.

26. Rockies - Kevin Gausman RHP 6-4,180 Grandview HS (CO) - Another power arm with clean mechanics. Breaking stuff needs work. Local product that Rocks may not be able to pass on.

27. Phillies - Yordy Cabrera SS 6-4, 190 Lakeland HS (FL) - Miami commit. Power potential. Smooth at SS. Too good to pass on here.

28. Dodgers - Aaron Sanchez RHP 6-3,170 Barshow HS (CA) - Oregon commit. Good upside potential here. Dodgers looking for an easy sign due to budget.

29. Angels - Justin O'Connor C/INF 5-10,170 Cowan HS (IN) - Versatile, solid hitter with power potential. Plus arm.

30. Angels - Brett Eibner P/INF 6-4,210 Arkansas - Two-way prospect, Pitching candidate. FB hits 95 with sink, plus slider.

31. Rays - Jesse Hahn RHP 6-5,190 Virginia Tech - Power arm with some injury concerns. Too good to pass on here. Solid three pitches.

32. Yankees - Zach Lee RHP 6-4,195 McKinney HS (TX) - LSU commit. Great arm, QB prospect for LSU with signability concerns. Not a problem for the Yankees.

Missing Persons Alert: Blackhawks LW Dustin Byfuglein

MISSING PERSONS ALERT!!!

LOST: Chicago LW Dustin Byfuglein

LOCATION: Chicago, IL

MISSING SINCE: The San Jose Series

AGE: 25

MISSING FROM: The Blackhawks Offense

SEX: Male

HEIGHT: 6-3

WEIGHT: 245

BIRTH DATE: 3/27/1985

CLOTHING DESCRIPTION: Blackhawks Jersey #33

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: see if he knows where Toews and Kane are.

PLEASE CALL: The Chicago Blackhawks if you have any information about the whereabouts of DUSTIN BYFUGLEIN

LAST SEEN: In front of the net, creating havoc in the San Jose series. Unconfirmed reports of sporadic appearances in the Stanley Cup Finals being checked into submission by Chris Pronger.

IF FOUND: Please return to the United Center, Chicago in time for Game 5 vs. the Flyers, No questions asked.

IF CONTACTED: Please tell Dustin we love him, we miss him and we need him back.

GO BLACKHAWKS!!!

Giants bring up Pat the Bat

GOOD NEWS FOR THE LADIES!!! AND GOOD NEWS FOR AARON ROWAND !!

REUNITED AND YES!!! IT DOES FEEL GOOD





But I digress. OK, so the Giants just called up Pat Burrell. After first acquiring Pat Burrell from the Rays for a bag of balls or something. Hat tip to my son Erik -- a Rays fan who seemed to be happy to see Burrell leave BTW -- for letting me know about the Gigantes most recent acquisition. I couldn't see that coming BTW. Jermaine Dye must not have been by the phone or didn't want to be reunited with Aaron Rowand.

This move fits right in line with the Sabean philosophy, a sort of reverse-Moneyball or perverse-Moneyball philosophy, whereby we overpay for overvalued assets that nobody wants. Seems like an oxymoron or something.

Anyway, using the Sabean "AAA pitching is horse-shit, batting average conversion", Burrell's robust .313 average in limited time should translate into just the .220 Mendoza-line power surge we need inserted into the middle of our lineup.

BEAUTIFUL!!!

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/sports/20100605_Giants_call_up_Pat_the_Bat_from_minors.html#axzz0pzTRs559

Giants call up Pat the Bat from minors

Associated Press
PITTSBURGH - The San Francisco Giants have purchased Pat Burrell's contract from Triple A Fresno, 3 weeks after the longtime Phillies leftfielder was released by Tampa Bay.

Burrell, 33, hit .313 (5-for-16) with one homer and six RBI in five Fresno games. He went hitless in two at-bats at Las Vegas on Thursday before joining the Giants in time for last night's game in Pittsburgh.

Burrell was in the second year of a 2-year, $16 million contract with Tampa Bay when he was released May 15. He hit .202 with two homers and 13 RBIs in 24 games for the Rays. Last season, he batted .221 with 14 homers and 64 RBI in 412 at-bats. Burrell has 267 home runs and 904 RBI with the Phillies (2000-08) and Tampa Bay (2009-10). *

BTW:
Buster Posey is hitting .478 and last game batted fifth in the lineup, behind clean-up hitter Juan Uribe, yes Juan Uribe!!

This Burrell for Posey shadow-deal is right in the Sabean wheelhouse as well.

"I don't care if you're hitting .478 here, you're embarrassing the organizational brain trust. Besides, everyone knows that the best pitching isn't here at the major league level, it's......it's......it's......it's in the Hall of Fame, dang it. Now get back to Fresno where you belong." - Brian Sabean

And yes, dang it, any blog post where you can reference Peaches and Herb is a good blog post.

UPDATE: I would urge all readers of this post to read it again with the song "Reunited" playing in the background. It really seems to enhance the blog reading experience, if I do say so myself. Enhanced - for your blog reading pleasure.

UPDATE II: It's John Bowker who gets sent down to make room for Burrell. Posey may have to wait until DeRosa comes off the DL or his average slips under .300 whichever comes first. Giants are not on the hook for many $$'s for Burrell, but he didn't hit late in Philly or in TBay. Two hitters ballparks and two strong well-balanced lineups.

RIP: John Wooden (1910-2010)

We lost one of the greatest sport coaches of all-time, maybe the best ever. The Wooden Pyramid should be on or near every coaches desktop. This link shows how much the great minds do think alike. Some wisdom from Wooden, Lombardi and Ben Franklin to boot.


http://www.squidoo.com/coachjohnwooden

Contemporaries

Lombardi and Wooden

I hesitate to include this, but Lombardi quarterback Bart Starr has written that the philosophies of these coaches of different sports were "very much the same." (A Perspective on Victory, Follett Publishing Co., 1972). Wooden did not give pre-game motivational speeches; professional football coaches may need to; reportedly, at the close of the following speech, inebriated middle-aged businessmen in the 1960s were ready to take the field or run through a brick wall.

From When Pride Still Mattered by David Maraniss (Simon & Schuster, 1999) (pp. 397-406)


February 8, 1967
New York
Speech to American Management Association
Vince Lombardi

Block One
The Meaning of Football


Football is a game very much like life, a game which gives 100 per cent elation, 100 per cent fun, when you win, yet demands and extracts a 100 per cent resolution, 100 per cent determination when you lose, a violent game and to play it any other way but violently would be imbecilic, a game played by millions of Americans, yet completely uninhibited by racial or social barriers, a game that demands the Spartan qualities of sacrifice, self-denial, dedication and fearlessness.

I have been in football all my life, and although I sometimes wonder why I stay in an occupation as precarious as football coaching, I do not feel particularly qualified to be part of anything else.

Block Two
The American Zeal


Over the years I have grown increasingly worried about the lack of interest in competition, particularly athletic competition among our young people. Men need the test of competition to find their better selves, whether it is in sports, politics or business.

I need no greater authority than the great General MacArthur, and I would like to quote some of the things he said to me. Namely: "Competitive sports keeps alive in all of us a spirit of vitality and enterprise. It teaches the strong to know when they are weak and the brave to face themselves when they are afraid. To be proud and unbending in defeat, yet humble and gentle in victory. To master ourselves before we attempt to master others. To learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep, and it gives a predominance of courage over timidity.

Block Three
A Man's Personal Commitment to Excellence and Victory


While complete victory can never be won, it must be pursued, it must be wooed with all of one's might. Each week there is a new encounter, each year there is a new challenge. But all of the display, all of the noise, all of the glamour, and all of the color and excitement, they exist only in the memory. But the spirit, the will to excel, the will to win, they endure, they last forever. These are the qualities, I think, that are larger and more important than any of the events that occasion them.

Block Four
Abuse of Liberty


For most of the twentieth century, we as individuals have struggled to liberate ourselves from ancient traditions, congealed creeds and despotic states. Therefore, freedom was necessarily idealized against order, the new against the old, and genius against discipline. Everything was done to strengthen the rights of the individual and weaken the state, and weaken the church, and weaken all authority. I think we all shared in this rebellion, but maybe the battle was too completely won, maybe we have too much freedom. Maybe we have so long ridiculed authority in the family, discipline in education, and decency in conduct and law that our freedom has brought us close to chaos.

I am sure you are disturbed like I am by what seems to be a complete breakdown of law and order and the moral code which is almost beyond belief. Unhappily, our youth, the most gifted segment of our population, the heirs to scientific advances and freedom's breath, the beneficiaries of their elders' sacrifices and achievements, seem, in too large numbers, to have disregard for the law's authority, for its meaning, for its indispensability to their enjoyment of the fullness of life, and have conjoined with certain of their elders, who should know better, to seek a development of a new right, the right to violate the law with impunity. The prevailing sentiment seems to be if you don't like the rule, break it.

Block Five
Discipline


It could be that our leaders no longer understand the relationship between themselves and the people they lead.

That is, while most shout to be independent, they at the same time wish to be dependent, and while most shout to assert themselves, they at the same time wish to be told what to do.

Block Six
What Makes a Great Leader?


Leaders are made, not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.

A leader must identify himself with the group, must back up the group, even at the risk of displeasing his superiors. He must believe that the group wants from him a sense of approval. If this feeling prevails, production, discipline and morale will be high, and in return he can demand the cooperation to promote the goals of the company. He must believe in teamwork through participation. As a result, the contact must be close and informal. He must be sensitive to the emotional needs and expectations of others. In return, the attitude toward him should be one of confidence and, possibly, affection. The leader, in spite of what was said above, can never close the gap between himself and the group. If he does, he is no longer what he must be. He must walk, as it were, a tightrope between the consent he must win and the control that he must exert.

Block Seven
Character and Will


The character, rather than education, is man's greatest need and man's greatest safeguard, because character is higher than intellect. While it is true the difference between men is in energy, in the strong will, in the settled purpose and in the invincible determination, the new leadership is in sacrifice, it is in self-denial, it is in love and loyalty, it is in fearlessness, it is in humility, and it is in the perfectly disciplined will. This, gentlemen, is the distinction between great and little men.

The love I'm speaking of is loyalty, which is the greatest of loves. Teamwork, the love that one man has for another and that he respects the dignity of another. The love that I am speaking of is charity. I am not speaking of detraction. You show me a man who belittles another and I will show you a man who is not a leader; or one who is not charitable, who has no respect for the dignity of another, is not loyal, and I will show you a man who is not a leader. I am not advocating that love is the answer to everything. I am not speaking of a love which forces everyone to love everybody else, that you must love the white man because he is white or the black man because he is your enemy, but rather of a love that one man has for another human being. Heart power is the strength of your company. Heart power is the strength of the Green Bay Packers. Heart power is the strength of America and hate power is the weakness of the world.

A Precursor

Thirteen Virtues of Benjamin Franklin

Legendary coach Pete Newell quoted Ben Franklin to explain his own philosophy, "Want of care does us more damage than want of knowledge. For want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost, and for want of a horse the rider was lost, being overtaken and slain by the enemy, all for want of care about a horseshoe nail." It sums up John Wooden's philosophy as well.

From The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin:

1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.

3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.

4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.

5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.

6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.

7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

9. MODERATION. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.

10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.

11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.

13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.