by
Greek Giant
I like handshakes. I remember the obligatory line up of post-game handshakes between teams after my Little League Games. The ritual was put in place for young kids to learn the values of respect for one’s opponent and sportsmanship. I will never forget the feeling of having to face your opponent and treat him as a fellow ballplayer and competitor. For a 12 year-old kid this was a valuable life lesson that took nothing away from the experience and intensity of playing baseball.
Our coach was Mr. Jack Boyd, a fierce competitor. My pitching coach was Mr. McCardle, a true Floridia Southerner with a drawl and a wad of chaw in his mouth. Both were old-school disciplinarians who made us run laps when we played poorly at practice or if we were lolygagging! I love that word. We were taught to eat, drink, sleep and think about nothing but baseball… as 12 year-old kids! I mention them because they also taught us to represent our families and teams well no matter where we were. This meant behaving in school, showing good sportsmanship, and shaking the hands of every player after every game.
Similarly, today’s youth sports, indeed life in general, are so imbued with competition and aggression that I believe Major League Baseball can make a strong statement from a beautiful gesture: a team handshake at the end of each game that is the final contest in a series. It would be a ritual to emulate and a statement to adults and youths alike that friendship, civility and respect matter.
In fact, the Little League tradition is alive and well and a strong teaching symbol that resonates with me to this day. In the National Hockey League teams shake hands at the conclusion of each playoff series. The gloves come off (literally but not figuratively) and the beaten down warriors, victors and defeated alike, line up in a handshake ritual that belies the often violent nature of hockey.
I love the pre-game pow-wows between representatives from each team and the home plate umpires. I find these little summits fascinating. Yes, they go over the ground rules. Yes, they talk about their favorite restaurants.. etc… But I love the sight of foes exchanging pleasantries about the rules and ground rules. There is something very gentlemanly about it that hearkens back to the age of baseball teams being gentleman’s clubs.
In the NFL and College Football postgame greetings are a miasma of confusion. Coaches shake hands, often coldly and oh-so insincerely, as a custom to demonstrate their respect and good will.
For Major League Baseball, I think it’s time the Commissioner instituted this tradition and I am going to start an online petition while also writing a letter to send to each Major League manager that states players should shake hands at the conclusion of every regular and postseason series.
Breckeroni shakes everyone’s hand in the receiving line.
Communicable disease experts suggest fist bumps, or air kisses.
Guys refusing to shake hands is another symptom of the wussification of America. Should I consider myself lucky that I’m alive and health, despite still shaking hands?
Maybe you could understand more about rare events, and develop a more cultivated sense of humor. I shake hands too, but not out of a fear of anything, rather because it’s a cultural habit I developed. But then, if you carry a weapon for a living, you occasionally need to demonstrate your non aggressive intent with an open hand, the origin of the practice. I suspect your health and welfare is trivially impacted by germs, given your chosen avocation. Wussification is a surgical procedure. 😉
I meet a lot of guys who don’t.
Different cultures. I had a friend in the 101 Airborne who wouldn’t… 250 pound Tongan gentleman. Wuss might have been a poor choice of words used to him directly, but he smiled a lot, and people smiled back. One of the gentlest, kindest human beings I ever met, except when he wasn’t Cultural greetings imperatives are many and varied and they are generally not related to a man’s masculinity 😉
I’m talking about making a conscious decision not to shake hands because of a fear of germs.
Ohhh. One could never tell by the way you phrased the comment/question. I think I first noted the issue being commented on in a NOVA a few years ago during one of the bird flu scares. I remember an oriental lady being literally forced from a BART car by the abuse piled on her when she sneezed without covering her mouth. It became pretty common among folks working in long term care hospital facilities back in 2004-5.
But do you knock knuckles?
What no turkey taps?
What’s a Turkey tap?
Step over here.
What hole have you been hiding under?
It’s a question.
Having googled the term, I understand my ignorance. I haven’t adopted that behavioral motif.
Maybe, but the current roster has vast experience as using that gesture as a sign of appreciation. It’s openly talked about on the broadcasts and if memory serves Cain even got Duffy at the White House in ’15.
A Zogist salute?
Are you talking about every regular season series…or playoff series?
Playoff series…yes.
Regular season…no. Too many regular season series. Teams (many times) are on a tight schedule to get outta town. Lots of fraternizing between players prior to the game.
both, regular and postseason
Who was the rookie pitcher who shook hands with the home plate umpire as he took the mound? I’d never seen that. I was thinking,”Dude, It’s not going to work”
Good idea, Greek
I really would like to agree but even in College NCAA teams do not shake until after the last game of a series. Money and business has ruined it for everybody. Too many high profile primadonna’s from varied backgrounds. Would I like to agree with the word “should”? Of course but shaking hands 162 times a year would not be approved by the PU.
Skippers will tip their hat to the other skipper after the last out of a last series game IF they don’t play each other the rest of the year.
Nice thought though. Even Obama and Donald shook hands today. 🙂
Some great photos:
Jackie and Willie https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/0c0c38c558a8712e7afbe2ccf407d3af685c3b1f0f5030f9a0d92f41cc31f1cb.jpg
Juan captures win 22 https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a3f632f27b9e6cb96d94a417278b2a925d2a9af110a99817cca8f109e306dc3f.jpg
The dapper McCovey https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f9f9b7a740f5c16bff072fc75ae18f757525f26c7fbe0bc55753aa3291709546.jpg
Count Montefusco at Bay Meadows in San Mateo https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c03f73be9be02b54af13320fbcecffe964395a2ed880e0bf135455d8c3273792.jpg
Mays and Musial https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9fd5d84bae32e116d5899603051670ed2cdfcaa382c6fd87ea182a2a12085f01.jpg
Mays helping D-Lew https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/cc80ce513d30f555a47bdfacda597a09651ffdbb5c1f458c5d497c4aca5bc23e.jpg
M and M https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e9b8d778a8ad13b9e196e00909860dcee5bc7093ac2dc225dd34c845a2ca6a31.jpg
Roberto – Say Hey and Hank https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/aca5658ef0c8d419ebc6bf72684e52838ebdf710650248eec0194acf318aaa25.jpg
Mays taking CHARGE and helping Roseboro off the field https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/84259e3f8921a4e9f4c7e4e55e6492787edede43d34089862b5db84d23f11782.jpg
Mays and Russ Hodges https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e90cca48877375bbb7be73d521b05fe583544cfe894a59f0372cdf0e33d889ce.jpg
Mays at What age? You make the call https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2f45c3e37fb0d7206ea9b33b6e41dc8fe1d06b75226a1159f852591c2a066b26.jpg
Good Bob Nightengale article on the Marlins and Jose Fernandez
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2016/11/09/jose-fernandez-grieve-gm/93572872/
We are conflicted over the outcome of the Presidential election but Butler University has their thoughts in a different place. By the way, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens is a great human being having delivered the eulogy during Andrew Smith’s memorial service, saying of Andrew: “He tried to help everybody else live a little big better.”
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/bigeast/2016/11/09/butler-basketball-deaths-andrew-smith-baby-em-kampen-joel-cornette/93265550/
Finally, he released the tax returns
http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/55b7dd78dd089539028b45c6-2457-1842/6471018809_7ed7029bcc_o.jpg
Josh Reddick – No worries
@jonmorosi
Orioles pursuing free agent Josh Reddick, sources say. His 1.167 OPS at Camden Yards (87 PA) is his highest in any @MLB park.
I suspect ‘regression to the mean’ will come to have special significance in Baltimore.
Bumgarner loses to Arrieta for Silver Slugger, ending 2-year reign.
Fair enough. Arrieta had a better year. #sfgiants
Billy Hayes Kudos
Posey credited deposed first-base coach Bill Hayes for helping him be a better catcher.
Hayes had a huge impact w/ sfgiants catchers.
and where he ought to stay.
Alex Pavlovic has a new podcast up, an interview he did with Bobby Evans yesterday while both were watching an AFL game. It’s 20 minutes long and covers free agency, prospects, and other topics.
Alex asked about Blach’s chances to be the fifth starter, and Evans’s response was interesting. He referred to Cain as “Blach’s stiffest competition” because of his experience, but then he went on an extended riff about all the things Cain has to “show” (that he can command his stuff, keep the ball in the park, avoid big innings, etc.) in spring training. The way I heard it, Evans was saying that Blach is the leading candidate for the rotation unless Cain “proves” he deserves it more. He also sounded quite dubious about Cain’s ability to do any of that, at least to my ear.
You can listen for yourself and see what you think; the Blach/Cain riff starts at around the 11-minute mark.
http://www.csnbayarea.com/page/giants-insider-podcast-alex-pavlovic
Other interesting insights:
–huge props to Ron Wotus, not just for the three Gold Glovers but also for Belt’s and Duffy’s performances in the infield this year and even for the progress of Nunez and Gillaspie after they joined the team
–some patting of himself on the back for spending the money for two free agent starters last year and pulling the trigger on the Moore trade (though he admitted that was Plan B after they couldn’t land a big-name closer). He’s really happy right now that the Giants don’t have to worry about a terrible free agent market for starting pitchers.
–He talked about the need to leave some room at the big league level for guys from the system and how having every position staffed by players on multi-year contracts inihibits that. Appropos of that, he specifically mentioned Mac, Parker, Hunter Cole, and Austin Slater. It also sounds like they’re very happy with what they’ve seen from Ryder Jones in the AFL, and he mentioned twice that they’ve been having him play some outfield.
–He gave a long list of names besides Blach/Cain who could be competing for the rotation: Stratton, Blackburn, Beede, both Suarezes. He did NOT mention Chris Heston.
–Regarding the bullpen, he still has high hopes for Osich, and he spoke highly of the young core of Law, Strickland and Okert. He thinks all of them are high-ceiling players and that any of them could be future closers, but he’d like to bring them along while a proven closer holds down the ninth inning.
Most excellent reporting, Lefty. “Proven closer and bring the young core along.” I like the sound of that.
As an avid (as much as I can be) follower of the Australian Football League, I wish they’d come up with a new name for the Arizona Fall League!
So Cain could get Blached?
“Blach this reliever”….
I like most everyone here, the only posters I’ve felt a need to Blach were that vulgar guy Runnit, that lunatic Old Man, and the chick who says her roommate makes $87 an hour performing, I mean working on her computer.
It is in principle possible that Osich’s miserable performance last year was the result of an unreported injury. I am skeptical though.
Alex asked Evans specifically about that (the knee that he just had surgery on), and he said no. Evans said that if they’d thought the injury would affect him on the mound, they would have dealt with it during the season. As with his comments on Cain, Evans said that Osich has great tools but needs to show he can command his stuff.
Didn’t we chat about this same scenario a couple of days ago?
The less time wasted on Cain, the better.
rest in peace leonard cohen, poet extraordinaire…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao0BdtZr2_M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrLk4vdY28Q
So sad to hear this. He was a great musician and songwriter. Hallejuah is an all-time great.
Blach this, Blach that, Blach Blach Blach…
You’d think that the guy had pitched a big game or something..
Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!
The new normal? http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/11/10/white-supremacists-urge-trolling-clinton-supporters-suicide/93617792/
There have been thousands of reports from all over the country of Trump supporters harassing, taunting, and physically attacking people. Blacks. Gays. Women. Jews. Muslims. Hispanics. Disabled people.
People just going about their business. At Starbucks, the gas station, the subway, on college campuses, on high school campuses, on elementary school campuses. The story is always the same. The Trump supporter accosts them, screams at them to get out of the country because Trump is president now and this is “White America.” (The white woman walked by several men on her way to the subway and heard them say “Grab her by the p**sy.” Then one of them tried to do just that.)
One was a Hispanic kindergartner, who got in line to go into class Wednesday morning and had classmates ask him why he was still here. FIVE years old. I just read one about someone in Starbucks conversing in ASL with a Deaf coworker over Skype. A total stranger came over and told her to “Take your retarded self and get out of this country. Trump is president now.” He got inches from her face and screamed at her. Others just watched and didn’t say a word.
I wonder what the stories would have been like in Germany in 1933 if there had been social media.
I grabbed 14 women by the p**sy today. I’m pretty sure none of them were Trump supporters. I’m taking a couple of weeks off work to let the scars heal.
I had a good day, too. Shamed a bunch of students in my class who are people of color. Publicly suggested they must have cheated on the midterm the other day since they did so well on it. Told them I was reporting them to university authorities so they could get deported. The white students all clapped and cheered.
Unfortunately, Moooooooooose is totally unreliable and no one here ever believes a word he says. Now, you, on the other hand are always credible and insightful and devoid of false pretense or any mastery of the Moooooooooose-like absurd. I must conclude, therefore, you must be telling the truth.
I’ve never been so insulted in all my life!!
Yes, perhaps, but do you think I was, in anyway, incorrect in my assessment? Don’t get me wrong, I hold you in the highest regard.
Mooooooooooose is my name, and absurdity is my game! You ever heard of Tom Lehrer? We could use him today.
I don’t see how anyone named Moooooooooose would ever be considered absurd. Can’t people see that you are the epitome of rationality and credibility?
My 16 year old son just showed me a shirt he saw for sale on the internet. It says:
IMPEACH TRUMP
“Make America Great Again”
I suggested on the back he should put “Hillary for Prison.”
He loves it! He’s putting his graphic arts skills to work on the design as we speak!
All we can do is laugh about it all. If this was a movie, no one would ever buy it.
I have 59 students in my class, so whatever I did or didn’t say today is a matter of public record. 🙂
A very Trump-like non-denial, denial.
Thanks!
My work here is done. Good Night.
…actually, what I really said to a very glum and subdued group of kids is that they are the hope for the future. Believe it or not, that seemed to resonate.
Unfortunately, there are large numbers of racist and retarded white kids elsewhere in the country that feel THEY are the hope of the future.
I know. But I have to tell my students and my own daughter something so that they can get up tomorrow morning and believe that the world isn’t coming to an end.
Tell them to grow up.
Why? They’re in class and doing what they’re supposed to be doing. They weren’t complaining. They’re not allowed to have an opinion or an emotion? And for the record, I wasn’t complaining, either. We had a 30-second interlude in which I said that regardless of how I/we feel about the election results, things go in cycles and life will go on. In fact, I’m sure I didn’t say one word different from what you would have said if you’d been in charge. Then I proceeded to give a lecture on verb forms and subtypes. It’s an English grammar class, and that’s what we did. I did my job and so did the students.
Logic is the most powerful weapon ever invented by humans. You can beat logic using logic only
If it is on the internet, it must be true.
I can’t imagine that kindergardners would turn on a classmate. I just spent a day with 2nd and 3rd graders of various backgrounds and did not see any evidence of of prejudice or aggression. I think these reports must be viewed with a grain of salt
There are thousands of stories. Now, I agree they’re probably not all true, but there are plenty from reliable sources. Google “Trump supporters harass minorities.”
Here’s a link to just one, from a Michigan newspaper. This is about a junior high near Lansing, Michigan. White students this morning taunted Hispanic and Asian students and built a “wall” (a human barricade) to keep them from getting to class. 12-year-olds. There is a statement from the district superintendent acknowledging the incident that was emailed to parents and is on the district website.
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/11/royal_oak_middle_school_studen.html
With respect, I’m an academic and a researcher and I actually TEACH students about how to evaluate sources for credibility. I don’t need you to patronize me about believing everything that’s on the Internet.
damn must have been really good if you got 7 stars.
You have no idea. But I do. When my daughter was in 2nd grade, she was bullied by white boys on the bus pulling the corners of their eyes back, taunting her for having Chinese eyes. I was waiting for her at the bus stop. She was in tears.
And yes, I saw these boys taunting her as the bus pulled up to the stop. I knew who they were. And I dealt with the situation. After that, I taught my precious wonderful smart competent creative Korean-American daughter how to stand up for herself and deal with racism.
Should we have expected anything less, now that we are saddled with a Predator In Chief?
David Brooks on PBS brought up ( after the first debate) what might have been the worst case scenario-what might happen if Trump lost. Others have said the same thing-It wouldn’t be pretty.As president,he’s in way over his head. My goodness, he’s consulting his children on cabinet candidates. He won’t be doing shit- no wall, no “repeal and replace”, and no help for the forgotten people- who really have been forgotten .Feet on the desk, no worries- “not a bad gig”, says the Donald.
“It would be a ritual to emulate and a statement to adults and youths alike that friendship, civility and respect matter.”
Its clear that civility and respect are no longer valued by a significant number of Americans; white Rethuglicans in particular. It’s all about grabbing p***y, mocking the disabled, denigrating women, threatening brown skined people, cruelty and ignorance.
Shaking hands? Ha! Good luck with that.
HI Greek GIant — was Hank Schulman’s twiter feed removed from your site (here)? I liked coming here to see all the beat writers’ tweets in one place. Thanks!
This is a good question. Where did it go?
It’s back! Just a little glitch in the Matrix. Refresh your browser. Thanks for the note.
Good! Thanks much!
Cool! Thanks.
God bless and protect America (and the whole Planet Earth). A Berlusconi-like President, but with a nuclear arsenal at hand. SOB. (Wait, don’t misunderstand me, it’s a verb, an expression of discomfort, not an acronym.)
Like I’ve said, I left the presidential portion of my ballot blank. I couldn’t bring myself to vote for either candidate. But I’m really tired of all the whining, crying and even sobbing of so many of those whose candidate didn’t win. I’m tired of those who can’t possibly understand how, when faced with two poor choices, many chose the big mouth boor over the slick, unlikeable, for sale politician whose judgement and ethics are clearly abysmal. I’m especially tired of the idea that everyone who voted for Trump is, by definition, a racist moron. I can guarantee you that’s not the case, and I bet that elitist viewpoint probably won Trump some of the voters who were on the fence.
This is a democracy, which is obviously a huge part of what makes this country great, and it isn’t less so because your candidate lost. There was nothing unfair about it. The media couldn’t control the result, and neither could those that view themselves as superior. Many said that they’d move to Canada if Trump won. Well, for those that are unwilling to live with the results of a fair election, maybe moving to another country would be a good idea. But I doubt they’d choose one that doesn’t allow its citizens to vote.
If you are really that distressed about the result, I suggest you dry your tears and start focusing on what you can do make sure the evil Trump isn’t able to do all the terrible things you think he will. Contrary to popular belief, the world isn’t coming to an end. The political process that has helped to make this country great brought Trump to power. The same process can weaken and then remove him, if that’s the will of the people. Sobbing isn’t going to accomplish anything.
If you call Democracy a political system which allows that a candidate can win the Presidency with less popular votes of other candidates…I’d call it a fraud.
It’s a good point. I haven’t studied the electoral college process in a long time but would guess that good arguments can be made that it has passed it’s shelf life and needs to be amended. Not everything that made sense that long ago makes sense in modern day America. Birthright citizenship, abused as it is and of zero benefit to us is another obvious example of an obsolete section of the constitution yet no viable traction can ever be gained to amend that problem.
Quite telling; I just went to Google and typed in “what” and aside from a recent search I did on this tablet the first suggestion was “what is the electoral college?”
Well said, TO. I’ll add that a good start to a better America is for each of us to be the best people we can be. Stay friendly, open doors for people, smile and be pleasant, use courteous and proper language (start that one with please, thank you and you’re welcome–they’re disappearing from our vocabulary). My faith tells me to love my neighbor the same way I love myself. I pray every day that I can be better at following this simple commandment.
Good point TF, and I would like to add that it would be nice if that concept could apply here as well. Yesterday I read an election results commentary by a blog regular followed by an opposing response from another regular who had a long list of grievances. Fine, but it was preceded by unnecessary name calling, the original poster became defensive and they lost all hope for any meaningful discussion as well as anyone else jumping in. Now we are all more or less anonymous here on the blog, insults really are not hurtful coming from another anonymous blogger, but they do make people defensive and divert the focus at times such as this when there is great opportunity for productive and interesting onversation.
First of all, I didn’t start the political discussion. I’ve actually tried to respect George’s request from a few days ago about keeping that off here. In fact, I deleted comments (in response) I made last night solely for that reason, not because there was anything wrong with what I said. I also don’t consider what I said to Matthew “name calling,” but you’re entitled to your opinion. He’s called me plenty when I’ve criticized St. Bochy, but whatever.
As for my shutting down a “meaningful discussion,” we shouldn’t have been having it here. George started this blog and has put time and resources into it. Requesting that we stay away from politics and stick (mostly) to baseball was reasonable, and he has earned the right to decide to try to keep this a safe space for everyone.
I’m trying to respect that now, after a few lapses (again, only in response). I wish others would do the same. There are plenty of other places to discuss politics.
I didn’t know that GG had wanted to limit the conversation to just the Giants or baseball or sports in general. Must have been after that early post he did about (I think) black players in the MLB. I must have missed some follow up on that. I saw you retracted a number of comments and wondered about that, now I understand. You did start your response to Matthew along the lines of a smug by-product of straight white male privelege, I could see why he got defensive about that, I thought it took away from your valid fears that followed but as you say, that’s just my opinion.
My two comments were specific examples from my family’s life of how yes, there can definitely be bullying and racism by white first and second graders toward their non-white classmates. I removed my comments to protect my daughter.
dgg it’s a bummer when you are anonymous on a small Internet forum and you still feel you have to self-sensor.
I revealed too much in my two comments in last night’s discussion. My family is a diverse international family with natural-born citizens and naturalized citizens.
I was too late. You’re still the nice retired Montana doctor to me. I put my pic on for the first time the other day. Think that is trouble with all the facial recognition software out there these days?
Your story and pictures of you and your sons playing in a baseball tournament was wonderful, PS35. I think I suggested then that you consider writing a guest blog. Then after I said that, I wondered if you already had written one. I went all the way back to the first guest blog by Lefty to see if you had.
I know what I said. Again, I don’t consider that name-calling. “Racist” or “Moron” are examples of name-calling, in my opinion. But it’s all semantics.
He was trying to tell people, barely 12 hours after the election, that they should just get over it, now, immediately. That’s like telling someone who got hit by a bus yesterday that they should hop up out of traction and run a 10K today. The results were shocking and very upsetting to many people. The results would have been upsetting REGARDLESS of which side won. People should be allowed space to process and to feel what they feel, at least for a little while.
It’s also very hard for people in a place of privilege to admit that they’re in one. I’ll give you a very different example. I’m a tenured university professor. The number of tenure-track positions in academic has dropped precipitously in the past generations, and a huge percentage of college instructors now are adjuncts, meaning they work for low pay, no benefits, no job security, no power or respect. I’ve been told, directly and indirectly, that I should use my privilege to advocate for colleagues who are less fortunate than I am.
I resisted that characterization. I reasoned that I got where I am through hard work and talent and I have nothing to apologize for. But on reflection and through listening to people, I realized that I WAS lucky–I came of age in a time and place where I had minimal competition for the job I wanted, and I was able to rise through the ranks from there. But the same version of me 25 years later might be an adjunct, not in a comfortable, well compensated position. Today’s aspiring academics are also hard-working and smart. I know this because I sit on search committees and read applications. I’m glad I don’t have to compete against them for my job.
It’s very, very easy, when you’re one of the favored ones, to simply conclude that you deserve to be there and that if others would just do what you did, they’d be in the same place. But it’s truly not that simple.
You’re right, it’s definitely not that simple. You make an interesting and thoughtful analogy. My point was that you made relevant commentary about the situation, quite a few valid concerns but none of the followup pertained to those points because of the intro. If GG doesn’t want such content on his blog then fine but I think it is a good place for it. We have an intelligent and diverse group and the forum is small so the potential for meaningful discussion is there. Lord knows we (or at least I) cannot talk about this stuff at work.
Nice talking to you, gotta hit the road but at least all you government workers won’t be in my way today, lol. Seventy five minutes becomes 50.
Have a good one. Yep, campus is closed today for me. But if it makes you feel any better, my husband is now in the private sector (after 20 years at a state agency), so HE’s working today.
Thanks. Look at Ryan up there trying to talk about baseball. What’s up with that?
I tried last night, too. I listened to a 20-minute podcast of Alex P interviewing Bobby Evans and provided a synopsis here!
The first person that I saw begging for a non-political conversation was Matthew, of all people.I stayed away for a couple days,so I didn’t see if he took his own advice. Did he?
There was nothing wrong with what you said, Lefty. I know, because we were both here at the same time last night participating in the discussion. My two comments were specific examples from my family’s life of how yes, there can definitely be bullying and racism by white first and second graders toward their non-white classmates. I removed my comments to protect my daughter.
Thanks. I didn’t think I’d said anything wrong, either, except that the whole discussion was against the spirit of what George (Greek Giant) had explicitly requested. I decided to self-police so that he didn’t have to. 🙂
I figured out last night when I refreshed the blog and saw you had removed your comments, that that was what you decided to do. You know, this is the place where we come to hang out and where many of us have been for a long time, and where we often talk about other things besides baseball. It’s hard to just stick to baseball right now.
We certainly do talk about LOTS of other things, and I’m not trying to point fingers. But this election is already dividing families and ending friendships. It would be nice if we could try to avoid the same dynamic here.
My boss was despondent on Wednesday. He told me the whole thing had caused him on delete people off of Facebook and caused riffs in his family. And he’s one of the osteoporosis calm and thoughtful people you’ll ever meet. Plus he’s a UCD grad.
I’m used to having my dictates ignored but thanks for thinking of me Lefty. I appreciate your efforts. C’est la vie. I guess the gang is mostly civil. If you ever see anything offensive and unacceptable just email me.
You’re a kind and generous Emperor, GG. Thanks for your benevolence the past several days. Much appreciated.
p.s. Where is the contact form?
Thanks DGG. The form is on the Contact page which is part of the menu at the top of the site.
Well, duh. I should have known that. The Contact form is under Contact. How could I have possibly missed that?
I essentially did the same thing only I voted for the none chance Libertarian, Gary Johnson. Many months ago when it was looking more and more likely that it was going to come down to the two unappealing choices that we were left with I thought maybe this could be the year where a third party finally gained some traction and could at least get a candidate in the debates which I think would be beneficial to the discourse. Bring in some alternate ideas and maybe help keep the discussion topical instead of sensational. But no, Johnson was a lamo candidate for the Libertarians and our way too powerful and influential media would have none of that, we can only have the stars in the debates because the dumbed down and star struck population only wants the stars. Dispicable. Now we have a president-elect who is probably best known to his supporters as a reality TV star, a phenomenon of American culture that I truly detest.
I completely agree that the appropriate response now is to do what one can to make the world a better place. I intend to act on that in a number of ways, but the first is that I’m going to stop giving money to any evangelical Christian organizations. (We support some missionaries and parachurch staff workers, most of whom are friends from college or from churches we’ve attended. We’ll give them fair notice before we stop.). Evangelical Christianity in America today does not represent my values, nor, in my opinion, the values of Jesus Christ, as I understand his life and teaching.
Instead, we’ll direct our charitable giving toward organizations that help truly needy and oppressed people. For example, Nothing But Nets, the organization repped by Steph Curry and started by Rick Reilly, which buys and distributes malaria nets in Africa. We’re also going to support the International Justice Mission, which fights sex trafficking and slavery around the world. You get the idea. To me that’s a small but practical way I can act on my own beliefs in a constructive way. The election is over, and wasting energy on the results is just that, wasted energy. There are real problems in this country and world. Time to put energy and resources into those.
Thanks for the simple minded approach to a complicated situation.
No problem. Glad I could help.
Your message seems to be ” Love it or leave it”. We tried but Filipino authorities threw us out of our cave.Seems that Trump defectors had dibs on it.
You should have written in The Oracle
HotStoveGuy™ … Add your Guesses to those here
Position FIrst Addressed … First Player Traded … First Player Re-signed / Terms
Me … C … Blackburn … Bum 5/$125
KIR … CL … Osich … Conor 2/$3
Lefty … CL … Mac … Bum 6/$180
TF62 … CL … Parker …Bum
Anti-L … CL … Blach … Moore
steveK … C … Coonrod … Bum 6/$175
Noce … CL … Parker … Nunez 3/18 [Bum to 2022 adding $80M]
Sgbssfg … CL … No One … Romo 1/current salary
PerSpeier reserve catcher, Mac, Beckham
What do you think Beckham will be signed for? This is a Tie-Breaker for you becasue I do not know if anyone else will go for him; but I like the Outlier pick.
Right handed back up infielder to offset the lefty hitting Gillespie.
Terms question: How many years for how much money would you say?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TDfPgd3Kyc
That’s how it goes, everybody knows !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lin-a2lTelg
Just watched on Hot Stove Rosenthal specubating that the Athletics are listening on Gray, Doolittle and Vogt. Haven’t paid much attention to that side of the Bay, and as if Beane would pick up Evans’ calls, but would Doolittle be a good back end of the rotation piece and Vogt a back up backstop?
Doolittle, back of the bullpen, you bet. Vogt would be a theoretical option for splitting C/1B with Posey but Belt interferes with that notion. Doesn’t seem like they are really keen on dealing any of those three names right now, but who knows, depends on the offers – the market for starters is ridiculously thin. If the Giants had one to sell, they could get some real nice prospects back.
Billy doesn’t trade with no stinkin’ Giants.
The Marlins (sadly) need pitching. The Giants are overloaded with major-league-ready or near-ready pitching. What would it take to pry Marcel Ozuna away? Loria doesn’t like him, anyway.
My wife came across this poem the other day and followed suit to help her own healing:
When despair grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting for their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
-Wendell Berry
And then she came across this story yesterday; a few other people had the same idea, quite a remarkable meeting in the woods:
http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/woman-heartbroken-after-election-runs-hillary-clinton-while-hiking-n682301
Not everyone has such easy access to nature. But get outside if you can, and breathe. Be with your pets if you have them. I know I find relief and therapy playing with the dogs or visiting the cats (one cat likes to jump in the bathroom window while you are seated, doing your thing – hello!).
May you all heal where you are broken. And comeback strong so that we can do what we can on this broken broken planet and in this fractured society.
My kind of cat
Toonces?
https://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/toonces.png?w=549&h=382
Very good advice. I wrote a song once, one of the lines is “.. the world is still spinning, and it’s your little top.”
But that’s not why I’m here right now. I’m going to share some song lyrics by the late Leonard Cohen. About a week ago a friend posted elsewhere a quote to the effect that the wound exists so that the healing may begin. I hought, wow that idea is familiar. Then it came to me. I was remembering a line from a song on a Cohen record from about 1993. And I never forgot it. “There is a crack where the light gets in.” I would post the song here, but if you are so inclined it’s easy enough to find and listen to. I looked up the lyrics and found them very effective just sitting on the page. If you’re still with me, might as well read the whole thing:
Anthem. By L Cohen
The birds they sang
at the break of day
Start again
I heard them say
Don’t dwell on what
has passed away
or what is yet to be.
Ah the wars they will
be fought again
The holy dove
She will be caught again
bought and sold
and bought again
the dove is never free.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.
We asked for signs
the signs were sent:
the birth betrayed
the marriage spent
Yeah the widowhood
of every government —
signs for all to see.
I can’t run no more
with that lawless crowd
while the killers in high places
say their prayers out loud.
But they’ve summoned, they’ve summoned up
a thundercloud
and they’re going to hear from me.
Ring the bells that still can ring …
You can add up the parts
but you won’t have the sum
You can strike up the march,
there is no drum
Every heart, every heart
to love will come
but like a refugee.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.
That’s how the light gets in.
That’s how the light gets in.
A tear-jerking, heartwarming article linked by Baggs about a sports writer (no tissue handy, so I tore a section of paper towel):
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-plaschke-sportswriter-resnick-20161110-story.html
My prospect guy, John Sickels, was deeply hurt by the outcome, his mother was a Palestinian refugee that came to the United States in 1948 – a refugee from another land as all of our ancestors are in some capacity refugees, settlers, invaders, immigrants, domesticators…
But alas, the show must go on. There are prospects to review. The Minnesota Twins are his team. Here are their top prospects in what is a very strong system, although not bubbling with the elite talent it once was perceived to have:
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2016/11/8/13555840/minnesota-twins-top-20-prospects-for-2017
And yes, I do have a My Guy in this system. Spotted him in Visalia. I believe the first time I saw him he was smacking Chris Stratton all over the yard, the second time he couldn’t get the bat on the ball vs. Keury Mella.
18) Daniel Palka, OF, Grade C+: Hit .270/.348/.547 with 21 homers in 300 at-bats in Double-A, then .232/.296/.483 with 13 homers in 203 at-bats in Triple-A; drew 56 walks combined but also struck out 186 times. Like Triple-A teammate Adam Walker, Palka has very impressive power but strikes out a lot, won’t hit for average, and is already 25. Both are capable of going on huge power tears. One advantage over Walker is that Palka hits from the left side, making it easier to fit him as part of a platoon. ETA 2017.
Mejia is their #9 from last I saw. Gotta pull for those Giants even when they go Twins on us.
7) Adalberto Mejia, LHP, Grade B-: Acquired from Giants for Eduardo Nunez over the summer, posted 3.00 ERA with 126/30 K/BB in 132 innings between Double-A and Triple-A; heater is a tick above average with average slider, curve, change-up, throws strikes, has had trouble controlling his weight in the past and was once suspended for using a banned stimulant. Projected as a number four starter but could be more dominant if used in a bullpen role; age 23, ETA 2017.
1) Closer
2) Blackburn
3) Then I get stuck. No one will get extended before Bumgarner, but I’m not convinced Bumgarner will get extended this offseason. So it will be Bumgarner, but not right away. Will this work as a response?
Yes that is a answer. I would read that as a “No One” gets extended in this off season
[I am also allowing re-signings though, Romo? Conor?]
Blanco? I’m not sure. I’ll have to think it over. How long do we have?
That is controled by Evans. We have until one of these moves is made and then it is closed.
Okay. Then I’ll go with:
1) Closer
2) Blackburn
3) Bumgarner, in the spring, 5/$175
Got it. You are the first to join me on Blackburn. I think the Giants are strongest in the SP Dept. and will be asked for him in the thin SP FA situation right now. You gotta give up something to get something as much as we like all OurGuys™.
It’s hard and sad sometimes, like with Duffy. Someone here months ago said Duffy is now doomed to playing baseball on a parking lot.
New Post: http://fe0.84e.myftpupload.com/interviews/exclusive-interview-with-austin-slater/
Great article GG.
Just because you go all the way to the pros, doesn’t mean you can’t be classy and show a sense of good sportsmanship to your opponent — no matter how it hurts. It is definitely humbling, and I think the sport needs a little bit of that.
Greek,
In essence I truly understand where you are coming from but its a bit big brotherish.
It’s nice to speak about class but at the end of the day this is major sport with many rivalries that make that sport exciting for the fans.
The sport does not need anymore pomp and circumstance. Already with all the required activities during the games, the games are being extended too long. Each game feels like a combination of 4th of July + Memorial Day.
After a long hard fought battle that may have been extra innings and ended bitterly for one side, the last thing the players want is to line up formally for a handshake line to appease a small minority of the fanbase. This action could lead to bad blood and fighting after games. These are grown men,, not little leaguers where such a tradition is fine.
It behooves the sport to attract a younger audience not turn it off with such archaic traditions.