Interesting Oscar telecast this year. I think it was much more family-friendly with Billy Crystal hosting. It’s so amazing to see him perform his clean jokes without taking jabs at anyone and still being funny. That’s a lesson today’s comedians could learn from (not that I don’t love cursing and sarcasm).
I’m not sure why they started at 8:30 this year. I feel like it’s always been at 8 and they try and wrap it up by 11. This year went past 11:30 (because it never comes in under 3 hours). It didn’t feel long, which was good, even though there were so many technical categories early on that no one cared about.
Babbler and I watched Moneyball and Midnight in Paris earlier in the day so we could have some Best Picture rooting interests beyond just The Help. I think looking past the ceremony we still want to see The Descendants, maybe The Artist and possibly Hugo.
Below is the full list of 2012 Oscar Nominees that we did see (and their major category):
Bridesmaids (Supporting Actress)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Lead Actress)
The Help (Best Picture)
Midnight in Paris (Best Picture)
Moneyball (Best Picture)
The Muppets (Original Song)
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Movie Review: Midnight in Paris
I’ve been wanting to see this movie since it was released early last year. I am a Woody Allen fan although I can’t claim to have seen even 50% of his work. Annie Hall is timeless and 2008’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona proved he still had it.
Midnight in Paris is a very cool concept (and won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay). Every night at midnight, Owen Wilson is transported back in time to the 1920s. Wilson plays a Hollywood screenwriter who is trying to become a serious author. He is in Paris with his fiancée (Rachel McAdams playing a bitch, as always) and she detests everything he loves about it.
Wilson’s favorite era is the ‘20s and he feels like he was born in the wrong time. Amazingly, he gets drunk one night and is transported back into the world of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Cole Porter, Gertrude Stein, Pablo Picasso and many, many more. The settings in this movie are absolutely gorgeous. I don’t know how much work the set designer actually had because Paris doesn’t need any touching up.
It was really interesting seeing these famous people come to life and to see and hear just how intellectual they were. But they also had so much fun. There were parties every night, alcohol was a constant, and stealing spouses was the norm (I’m looking at you, Hemingway).
I enjoyed the film but didn’t fall in love with it. I almost felt preoccupied while I was watching it (which never happens to me). It’s a cool movie though, and definitely something to check out.
3.5 out of 5
Midnight in Paris is a very cool concept (and won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay). Every night at midnight, Owen Wilson is transported back in time to the 1920s. Wilson plays a Hollywood screenwriter who is trying to become a serious author. He is in Paris with his fiancée (Rachel McAdams playing a bitch, as always) and she detests everything he loves about it.
Wilson’s favorite era is the ‘20s and he feels like he was born in the wrong time. Amazingly, he gets drunk one night and is transported back into the world of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Cole Porter, Gertrude Stein, Pablo Picasso and many, many more. The settings in this movie are absolutely gorgeous. I don’t know how much work the set designer actually had because Paris doesn’t need any touching up.
It was really interesting seeing these famous people come to life and to see and hear just how intellectual they were. But they also had so much fun. There were parties every night, alcohol was a constant, and stealing spouses was the norm (I’m looking at you, Hemingway).
I enjoyed the film but didn’t fall in love with it. I almost felt preoccupied while I was watching it (which never happens to me). It’s a cool movie though, and definitely something to check out.
3.5 out of 5
Movie Review: Moneyball
I thought this movie was pretty good. It wasn’t as all-encompassing as Michael Lewis’ book but it found a way to cut out some details and still tell the story the right way. It started pretty slow but picked up from there. Once Jonah Hill got onboard, and they started playing games, it got interesting. The best scene had to be when Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) was trying to trade for Ricardo Rincon and was calling Shapiro, Sabean and Dombrowski (other GMs) and negotiating like a champ. It was the coolest.
Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman) was a real dick. He was the old-timey manager of the A’s that played the part of MLB purists trying to keep math and science out of baseball. When Oakland went on their 20 game win streak, Howe was the one receiving the credit. No one wanted to believe that Beane’s methods were working.
What the movie (or book for that matter) never mentions is just how great the A’s pitching staff was that year. The whole story revolves around batters but the triumvirate of Barry Zito, Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder was (at the time) looked on just as highly as the famous Braves’ trio of Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz. Hollywood is supposed to ignore these things to make a “better” film but this is definitely a fault I find with the book.
4 out of 5
Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman) was a real dick. He was the old-timey manager of the A’s that played the part of MLB purists trying to keep math and science out of baseball. When Oakland went on their 20 game win streak, Howe was the one receiving the credit. No one wanted to believe that Beane’s methods were working.
What the movie (or book for that matter) never mentions is just how great the A’s pitching staff was that year. The whole story revolves around batters but the triumvirate of Barry Zito, Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder was (at the time) looked on just as highly as the famous Braves’ trio of Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz. Hollywood is supposed to ignore these things to make a “better” film but this is definitely a fault I find with the book.
4 out of 5
Friday, February 24, 2012
An excerpt from "Age"
by: Robert Creeley
I stood so close
to you I could have
reached out and
touched you just
as you turned
over and began to
snore not unattractively,
no, never less than
attractively, my love,
my love—but in this
curiously glowing dark, this
finite emptiness, you, you, you
are crucial
I stood so close
to you I could have
reached out and
touched you just
as you turned
over and began to
snore not unattractively,
no, never less than
attractively, my love,
my love—but in this
curiously glowing dark, this
finite emptiness, you, you, you
are crucial
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Good Eats: Ikea Restaurant & Papa John's?
On our trip to Ikea we arrived around 11:30. It’s definitely a good idea to go before lunch because when we were leaving around 2:00 there was a line of cars all the way to the traffic circle (which won’t mean anything unless you’ve been there but it’s far).
So of course we had to make a stop at the Ikea Restaurant. I’m not talking about the Ikea Bistro or “Exit Cafe” that they have near the cash registers (pizza, hot dogs, ice cream) but the Real McCoy upstairs. Your choice of Swedish meatballs, chicken tenders, breaded salmon, spinach crepes, buffalo chicken wraps and a half-rack of ribs. Plus a couple different salads, garlic bread, cornbread and chocolate cake & apple pie for dessert.
We both got the Swedish meatball meal which included 15 meatballs in sauce (more like gravy than marinara), mashed potatoes, a side salad and a soda. Guess how much… $5.99 per. Plus we got 2 pieces of cornbread (at an exorbitant $.99 per). Now, you know where I’m heading with this. I wouldn’t be overly excited about the prices if the food sucked. And it’s true, the food was fantastic. Even more so paired with that price. I’m so used to places like the Museum of Science that crank up the prices and crank down the taste. Ikea is the exact opposite. It’s almost like the restaurant is a business unto itself and they actually try to please the customer.
I know it sounds ridiculous but I highly recommend it (the meatballs at least). If I lived closer I might go there just for meals and not even shop.
We also tried Papa John's for the first time in years (I've only had it once in life) because I signed up in time to win the free one topping pizza and 2 liter soda from their Super Bowl coin flip promotion. It didn't taste like "better" ingredients or a "better" pizza but it wasn't bad. We might start tossing it into our pizza rotation (not that we eat it weekly or anything).
So of course we had to make a stop at the Ikea Restaurant. I’m not talking about the Ikea Bistro or “Exit Cafe” that they have near the cash registers (pizza, hot dogs, ice cream) but the Real McCoy upstairs. Your choice of Swedish meatballs, chicken tenders, breaded salmon, spinach crepes, buffalo chicken wraps and a half-rack of ribs. Plus a couple different salads, garlic bread, cornbread and chocolate cake & apple pie for dessert.
We both got the Swedish meatball meal which included 15 meatballs in sauce (more like gravy than marinara), mashed potatoes, a side salad and a soda. Guess how much… $5.99 per. Plus we got 2 pieces of cornbread (at an exorbitant $.99 per). Now, you know where I’m heading with this. I wouldn’t be overly excited about the prices if the food sucked. And it’s true, the food was fantastic. Even more so paired with that price. I’m so used to places like the Museum of Science that crank up the prices and crank down the taste. Ikea is the exact opposite. It’s almost like the restaurant is a business unto itself and they actually try to please the customer.
I know it sounds ridiculous but I highly recommend it (the meatballs at least). If I lived closer I might go there just for meals and not even shop.
We also tried Papa John's for the first time in years (I've only had it once in life) because I signed up in time to win the free one topping pizza and 2 liter soda from their Super Bowl coin flip promotion. It didn't taste like "better" ingredients or a "better" pizza but it wasn't bad. We might start tossing it into our pizza rotation (not that we eat it weekly or anything).
Planting my family tree
Last night I finally signed up for Ancestry.com. I’ve been thinking about it for months but I kept resisting taking the plunge. Like a 2 week free trial is something that needs debating. For whatever reason, at 8:00 last night I signed up. It was a bad idea and I’ll tell you why. I spent 3 1/2 hours on the site working on my family tree. That meant that I went to bed at 11:30 the night after a 3 day weekend. That’s the worst possible combination for your first day back. Can’t drag yourself out of bed x 2.
The site is so addicting. I was going to do a bare bones tree just to see if there were some cool things on my parents and grandparents in there -- I did find a rockin’ pic of my dad in his high school yearbook -- but it was so interesting that I just kept growing it and growing it. Let’s add all my uncles, aunts and cousins. Let’s go back to my great-grandparents and even one set of great-great-grandparents. It’s really amazing to see the US census from 1930 and see your great-grandparents’ names in there along with their newborn child, my grandparent.
I think the reason I put it off for so long was because I thought it would be boring or tedious. It’s definitely time consuming but it’s so much more interesting because it’s your family. Even people I never met are brought to life by this site.
Plus, you can make multiple family trees. I can research my girlfriend’s family, my godmother’s family, pretty much anyone I want. But it’s not creepy or invasive. They use publicly available information like censuses and old phone books.
It’s definitely worth a (time) investment although I don’t intend on extending my subscription beyond the free trial. It’s not as though new records are being uncovered from the 1930’s every day that I can attach to my relatives. But it’s fun while it lasts. Kinda like disco.
The site is so addicting. I was going to do a bare bones tree just to see if there were some cool things on my parents and grandparents in there -- I did find a rockin’ pic of my dad in his high school yearbook -- but it was so interesting that I just kept growing it and growing it. Let’s add all my uncles, aunts and cousins. Let’s go back to my great-grandparents and even one set of great-great-grandparents. It’s really amazing to see the US census from 1930 and see your great-grandparents’ names in there along with their newborn child, my grandparent.
I think the reason I put it off for so long was because I thought it would be boring or tedious. It’s definitely time consuming but it’s so much more interesting because it’s your family. Even people I never met are brought to life by this site.
Plus, you can make multiple family trees. I can research my girlfriend’s family, my godmother’s family, pretty much anyone I want. But it’s not creepy or invasive. They use publicly available information like censuses and old phone books.
It’s definitely worth a (time) investment although I don’t intend on extending my subscription beyond the free trial. It’s not as though new records are being uncovered from the 1930’s every day that I can attach to my relatives. But it’s fun while it lasts. Kinda like disco.
Happy Birthday, Mr. President
This was my first President’s Day holiday since I graduated from college in 2007. I kind of knew how bad I had it at my last job but now that I’m living with freedom it’s a whole new world. (Now if only we got MLK Day.)
Taking advantage of the extra day I took my inaugural trip to Ikea. I had heard only good things about the Swedish furniture store and wanted to go for the experience alone. There are plenty of things I could use in my home but I didn’t go with a list or any sort of expectations of bringing home a certain item.
The place is ridiculous. It is massively large and easy to get lost. The car garage is a little easier to navigate but let me repeat, they have a parking garage (read: HUGE). There is one floor with all the different displays (bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms, family rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, offices, baby rooms) as well as a cafeteria-style restaurant. On another floor are all the products where you actually pick them up and purchase them. The biggest issue with the store besides the size (I don’t know if you heard but it’s large. Finding things can be difficult.) is that you can’t just toss something in your cart. For example, we saw a magazine rack type thing in one of the displays and I thought I could use something like that. But instead of being able to grab it you have to read the tag on it and jot down the necessary information: the name, description and location. Then you have to go downstairs and try to find it. What makes this even harder is that the location information makes no sense once you get down there. Nothing is labeled as H1 or F3 so you spend half your time trying to figure out if your item should be in section Home Decorations or Home Furnishings. What’s the difference?!
Besides that it was a fun time. There were quite a few more people than (500) Days of Summer led us to believe and a hell of a lot of kids. Why, parents? It isn’t fun for them. Or anyone else for that matter.
We needed to decompress afterwards but the Babbler wanted to buy some new running sneakers. She’s running a 10 miler in May. We went to this specialty store in Cambridge and I’m convinced the employees could be podiatrists. Or that they have foot fetishes. Maybe both.
The girl asked Brig to take off her shoes and roll her pant legs up. Once, twice, a few more times, need to see a little more. Then she asks her to walk down to the register so she can observe her gait. "Wait, you walked too fast, I’m going to need to see that again." Then she wows us with her foot knowledge and finds Brig the perfect pair of sneaks. (All the while never allowing the pant legs to be rolled back down.)
To celebrate our productive day Brig parked illegally and I ran into the liquor store and picked up some Bud Light Limes. We got drunk watching Bad Teacher. It wasn’t terrible but it definitely confirmed why neither of us wanted to see it in theaters. But just like Cameron Diaz's character, we agree that the best part of working is the holidays.
Taking advantage of the extra day I took my inaugural trip to Ikea. I had heard only good things about the Swedish furniture store and wanted to go for the experience alone. There are plenty of things I could use in my home but I didn’t go with a list or any sort of expectations of bringing home a certain item.
The place is ridiculous. It is massively large and easy to get lost. The car garage is a little easier to navigate but let me repeat, they have a parking garage (read: HUGE). There is one floor with all the different displays (bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms, family rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, offices, baby rooms) as well as a cafeteria-style restaurant. On another floor are all the products where you actually pick them up and purchase them. The biggest issue with the store besides the size (I don’t know if you heard but it’s large. Finding things can be difficult.) is that you can’t just toss something in your cart. For example, we saw a magazine rack type thing in one of the displays and I thought I could use something like that. But instead of being able to grab it you have to read the tag on it and jot down the necessary information: the name, description and location. Then you have to go downstairs and try to find it. What makes this even harder is that the location information makes no sense once you get down there. Nothing is labeled as H1 or F3 so you spend half your time trying to figure out if your item should be in section Home Decorations or Home Furnishings. What’s the difference?!
Besides that it was a fun time. There were quite a few more people than (500) Days of Summer led us to believe and a hell of a lot of kids. Why, parents? It isn’t fun for them. Or anyone else for that matter.
We needed to decompress afterwards but the Babbler wanted to buy some new running sneakers. She’s running a 10 miler in May. We went to this specialty store in Cambridge and I’m convinced the employees could be podiatrists. Or that they have foot fetishes. Maybe both.
The girl asked Brig to take off her shoes and roll her pant legs up. Once, twice, a few more times, need to see a little more. Then she asks her to walk down to the register so she can observe her gait. "Wait, you walked too fast, I’m going to need to see that again." Then she wows us with her foot knowledge and finds Brig the perfect pair of sneaks. (All the while never allowing the pant legs to be rolled back down.)
To celebrate our productive day Brig parked illegally and I ran into the liquor store and picked up some Bud Light Limes. We got drunk watching Bad Teacher. It wasn’t terrible but it definitely confirmed why neither of us wanted to see it in theaters. But just like Cameron Diaz's character, we agree that the best part of working is the holidays.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Magic: The Gathering
Magic is a card game that was invented in 1993. It is based off some of the earlier fantasy role-playing games (RPGs) like Dungeons & Dragons. The game was hugely successful upon its conception and that continues today with approximately 12 million players. Because of Magic, you now see card games created for everything from Pokemon to Dragonball-Z to Yu-Gi-Oh.
I first learned of Magic in 7th grade. A group of kids in my study hall would play in the back of the room. It seemed really cool so I started playing. My brother picked it up too and we would play at home. We spent a lot of time poring over our decks and would buy booster packs hoping for even better cards. I was so proud of my deck. It was a White/Blue* and was full of walls (to block my opponent) and flying creatures (who cannot be blocked by anything).
I started playing less as I got older and into high school. Not because I was maturing at all but because Pokemon got big and then my brother switched allegiances to the Dragonball-Z card game. My brother was legit. He played in tournaments every weekend. I don’t know if he was any good because anyone can join those things but he must have enjoyed it.
But something mysterious happened when I went away to college. During my freshman year I got the urge to play Magic again. I think it was mostly because of Halo. A bunch of people on my floor would play against each other on the LAN. We would keep our doors open and shout at each other as we were playing. It was awesome and it made me remember the good times of my old RPG card game. So over summer break I was looking around my bedroom trying to find my cards. I couldn’t find them anywhere. I still don’t know what happened to them although there are plenty of conspiracy theories I’ve bandied about.
Anyway, fast forward 7 years and I randomly have the urge to play Magic again. I really don’t know why. About a year ago I had the urge to pick up my Game Boy and play Pokemon again but I didn’t give in to that. Maybe it has combined into this even more powerful Magic urging. But this time it’s serious. I was at Newbury Comics last weekend and was pricing decks. Of course I have to buy one for the gf as well so I have someone to play against. (Can you believe she’s on board with this? How lucky am I?)
This week I went on eBay and Amazon to find some good deals. Today I finally took the leap and bought 2 new intro decks. One is a Blue/Black and one is a Blue/Red. They each come with a 60 card starter deck and a 15 card booster pack. Total cost: $20 (plus shipping). Perfect for when this random comeback goes the way of Pogs.
But for now, I can’t wait until they get here. I’m feeling like a kid again.
*There are 5 different colors you can play with: White, Blue, Black, Red, Green. Most people combine 2 of these but you can have as many variations as you want (though strategically that is difficult).
I first learned of Magic in 7th grade. A group of kids in my study hall would play in the back of the room. It seemed really cool so I started playing. My brother picked it up too and we would play at home. We spent a lot of time poring over our decks and would buy booster packs hoping for even better cards. I was so proud of my deck. It was a White/Blue* and was full of walls (to block my opponent) and flying creatures (who cannot be blocked by anything).
I started playing less as I got older and into high school. Not because I was maturing at all but because Pokemon got big and then my brother switched allegiances to the Dragonball-Z card game. My brother was legit. He played in tournaments every weekend. I don’t know if he was any good because anyone can join those things but he must have enjoyed it.
But something mysterious happened when I went away to college. During my freshman year I got the urge to play Magic again. I think it was mostly because of Halo. A bunch of people on my floor would play against each other on the LAN. We would keep our doors open and shout at each other as we were playing. It was awesome and it made me remember the good times of my old RPG card game. So over summer break I was looking around my bedroom trying to find my cards. I couldn’t find them anywhere. I still don’t know what happened to them although there are plenty of conspiracy theories I’ve bandied about.
Anyway, fast forward 7 years and I randomly have the urge to play Magic again. I really don’t know why. About a year ago I had the urge to pick up my Game Boy and play Pokemon again but I didn’t give in to that. Maybe it has combined into this even more powerful Magic urging. But this time it’s serious. I was at Newbury Comics last weekend and was pricing decks. Of course I have to buy one for the gf as well so I have someone to play against. (Can you believe she’s on board with this? How lucky am I?)
This week I went on eBay and Amazon to find some good deals. Today I finally took the leap and bought 2 new intro decks. One is a Blue/Black and one is a Blue/Red. They each come with a 60 card starter deck and a 15 card booster pack. Total cost: $20 (plus shipping). Perfect for when this random comeback goes the way of Pogs.
But for now, I can’t wait until they get here. I’m feeling like a kid again.
*There are 5 different colors you can play with: White, Blue, Black, Red, Green. Most people combine 2 of these but you can have as many variations as you want (though strategically that is difficult).
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Good Eats: The Melting Pot
What a great place for a Valentine’s Day dinner. It’s cheesy in a good way.
First, we got seated in “Lover’s Lane” which was this little alcove that was extremely private. They had a prix fixe 5-course menu for the holiday that included cheese fondue, salad, sorbet, an array of entrees and a white chocolate fondue.
The burner was right on our table so our server made the cheese fondue in front of our eyes. We chose the Fiesta version which included some salsa and jalapenos. They provided an assortment of bread, chips, fruits and vegetables to dip. The skewers took a little getting used to and we kept losing our food in the pot.
We ordered a couple Love Martinis because, what the hell, it’s Valentine’s Day. They tasted great and included a couple strawberries which we promptly dipped in the cheese as well.
The entree course was an experience. I thought we would each select one from the listed options but instead our server brought out a platter with a little bit of everything. We had to cook it ourselves! At this point, our cheese fondue had been replaced with a new pot that we selected in the coq au vin cooking style. Our server instructed us “2 if by land, 1.5 if by sea” meaning our filet mignon, sirloin steak, pork and chicken all needed to be cooked at least 2 minutes and our lobster tail and shrimp would be fine after a minute and a half. I give her credit for explaining the salmonella factor (skewer to pot to plate, never skewer to plate) without going overboard to the point of fear mongering. It took us a few tries before we figured out how to time these things so we’d be eating while the next round was cooking and not eating first, then putting in the next couple pieces, and then just waiting for 2 minutes. We also had vegetable sides (potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower) and at least half a dozen different dipping sauces. It was pleasantly overwhelming.
But the piece de resistance had to be the dessert. They brought out a white chocolate fondue and provided us with pound cake, brownies, cheesecake, chocolate powdered marshmallows and a whole bowl of strawberries. As good as all the other courses were this will be the main reason we go back.
First, we got seated in “Lover’s Lane” which was this little alcove that was extremely private. They had a prix fixe 5-course menu for the holiday that included cheese fondue, salad, sorbet, an array of entrees and a white chocolate fondue.
The burner was right on our table so our server made the cheese fondue in front of our eyes. We chose the Fiesta version which included some salsa and jalapenos. They provided an assortment of bread, chips, fruits and vegetables to dip. The skewers took a little getting used to and we kept losing our food in the pot.
We ordered a couple Love Martinis because, what the hell, it’s Valentine’s Day. They tasted great and included a couple strawberries which we promptly dipped in the cheese as well.
The entree course was an experience. I thought we would each select one from the listed options but instead our server brought out a platter with a little bit of everything. We had to cook it ourselves! At this point, our cheese fondue had been replaced with a new pot that we selected in the coq au vin cooking style. Our server instructed us “2 if by land, 1.5 if by sea” meaning our filet mignon, sirloin steak, pork and chicken all needed to be cooked at least 2 minutes and our lobster tail and shrimp would be fine after a minute and a half. I give her credit for explaining the salmonella factor (skewer to pot to plate, never skewer to plate) without going overboard to the point of fear mongering. It took us a few tries before we figured out how to time these things so we’d be eating while the next round was cooking and not eating first, then putting in the next couple pieces, and then just waiting for 2 minutes. We also had vegetable sides (potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower) and at least half a dozen different dipping sauces. It was pleasantly overwhelming.
But the piece de resistance had to be the dessert. They brought out a white chocolate fondue and provided us with pound cake, brownies, cheesecake, chocolate powdered marshmallows and a whole bowl of strawberries. As good as all the other courses were this will be the main reason we go back.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Something funny happened on the way to the zoo...
Before I met my girlfriend I hadn’t been to a zoo since I was a kid. Because of that I assumed that they were a place for kids and not something that would mesh with my pseudo-adult interests. However, I have been to 3 zoos in the past year and I freaking love them.
Just yesterday we were at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence. Before that was the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. And all the way back last summer I visited the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse. Wow!
I can’t believe what I’ve been missing all these years. Elephants, giraffes, lions, tigers, monkeys, seals, the list goes on and on. It is so cool to see these wild animals up close. It’s really an opportunity you would never get otherwise. I mean, humans have pretty poor attacking abilities (perfectly manicured nails, sharpness-lacking teeth) and aren’t that quick for running away. All we have is intelligence which will only come in handy if you can fashion some weapons MacGyver style from shit lying nearby. So it’s fascinating to see these creatures relaxed and unthreateningly.
There are some things I’ve learned about zoos too. Never go between 12-1:30 because the animals are taking their post-lunch naps. Also, if you can, go when it’s 30 degrees out (like yesterday) so you’ll have the place pretty much to yourself. Some of the animals were off exhibit of course because of the cold (zebras, emus, river otters) but others were just moved inside where we could still enjoy them (elephants, giraffes, tortoises).
It’s pretty much a win-win because you get the ability to view something you wouldn’t ordinarily see and the price of admission goes toward helping take care of these animals and protect some of them that are endangered. Take your kids but better yet take your camera. You never know when Willie the mini donkey will start braying and you won’t have your camera out to capture it (You couldn’t have waited 5 more seconds, Willie?)
Just yesterday we were at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence. Before that was the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. And all the way back last summer I visited the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse. Wow!
I can’t believe what I’ve been missing all these years. Elephants, giraffes, lions, tigers, monkeys, seals, the list goes on and on. It is so cool to see these wild animals up close. It’s really an opportunity you would never get otherwise. I mean, humans have pretty poor attacking abilities (perfectly manicured nails, sharpness-lacking teeth) and aren’t that quick for running away. All we have is intelligence which will only come in handy if you can fashion some weapons MacGyver style from shit lying nearby. So it’s fascinating to see these creatures relaxed and unthreateningly.
There are some things I’ve learned about zoos too. Never go between 12-1:30 because the animals are taking their post-lunch naps. Also, if you can, go when it’s 30 degrees out (like yesterday) so you’ll have the place pretty much to yourself. Some of the animals were off exhibit of course because of the cold (zebras, emus, river otters) but others were just moved inside where we could still enjoy them (elephants, giraffes, tortoises).
It’s pretty much a win-win because you get the ability to view something you wouldn’t ordinarily see and the price of admission goes toward helping take care of these animals and protect some of them that are endangered. Take your kids but better yet take your camera. You never know when Willie the mini donkey will start braying and you won’t have your camera out to capture it (You couldn’t have waited 5 more seconds, Willie?)
Thursday, February 9, 2012
I'm a balla, baby
I am in the weirdest fantasy basketball league. Normally, I’m in 2 leagues a year but I’ve been trying to stop completely. I just don’t pay it as much attention as I did in college. Unlike fantasy football and baseball -- which I still make time for -- I usually show up for the basketball draft and then never look at my team again. So I was extremely close to going cold turkey this year. But my girlfriend’s friend was looking for another player so I joined. (I really had to resist the urge to join a second league that I was invited to as well. It would have been the same cycle all over again.)
I looked at the league categories and positions and it seemed pretty standard. Easy enough. What I didn’t even realize until one of my colleagues pointed it out a week or two into the season is that it isn’t a normal scoring league. It isn’t head-to-head or even rotisserie. It’s a combination of the two which is practically unheard of. It takes all your points for the week, regardless of category, and if your team has more than your opponent overall then you win the week. That changes everything! I need to go heavy on guards who score more and don’t even have to worry about extra centers because it doesn’t matter what stats they get (blocks, rebounds) as long as overall they are getting a lot of points.
I actually feel kind of cheated because this is such a weird situation. I’ve never been in anything like this and it really takes all the thought out of the game and having to choose between a guy who get you 3’s and a guy who gets you steals. Since the categories don’t matter at all it really is a basic, basic league. So of course now I need to back all this talk up and win the damn thing. See you in April.
I looked at the league categories and positions and it seemed pretty standard. Easy enough. What I didn’t even realize until one of my colleagues pointed it out a week or two into the season is that it isn’t a normal scoring league. It isn’t head-to-head or even rotisserie. It’s a combination of the two which is practically unheard of. It takes all your points for the week, regardless of category, and if your team has more than your opponent overall then you win the week. That changes everything! I need to go heavy on guards who score more and don’t even have to worry about extra centers because it doesn’t matter what stats they get (blocks, rebounds) as long as overall they are getting a lot of points.
I actually feel kind of cheated because this is such a weird situation. I’ve never been in anything like this and it really takes all the thought out of the game and having to choose between a guy who get you 3’s and a guy who gets you steals. Since the categories don’t matter at all it really is a basic, basic league. So of course now I need to back all this talk up and win the damn thing. See you in April.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Things you don't talk about at dinner
I am not political at all. I don’t know if apolitical is a word but apathetic is and that’s me in regard to politics. Yet I love election years, mainly because of the debates.
I’ve never been good with words and to see these semi-professional orators in action is a real treat. It’s also interesting to watch them try to restrain themselves from going too far when arguing a point with another candidate. They want to be confident and secure in their beliefs but they can’t bully or belittle.
I really can’t get over the fact that they can talk non-stop for minutes on end. I remember in school having to do 5 minute presentations and it was completely impossible for me to get beyond 2-3 minutes. And that was with notes! How the heck do these guys remember everything and how do they turn it into proper, rational thoughts? It’s really impressive.
I of course take things away from these debates but it’s never who won or who lost or who made their point or who strayed from their message. It’s more facts about America. What’s working, what isn’t, and how we can fix it. Debates and elections are about hope* for the future and I like taking part in them, even if it’s just on this small scale once every four years.
*Not an Obama plug. The word existed before his presidency.
I’ve never been good with words and to see these semi-professional orators in action is a real treat. It’s also interesting to watch them try to restrain themselves from going too far when arguing a point with another candidate. They want to be confident and secure in their beliefs but they can’t bully or belittle.
I really can’t get over the fact that they can talk non-stop for minutes on end. I remember in school having to do 5 minute presentations and it was completely impossible for me to get beyond 2-3 minutes. And that was with notes! How the heck do these guys remember everything and how do they turn it into proper, rational thoughts? It’s really impressive.
I of course take things away from these debates but it’s never who won or who lost or who made their point or who strayed from their message. It’s more facts about America. What’s working, what isn’t, and how we can fix it. Debates and elections are about hope* for the future and I like taking part in them, even if it’s just on this small scale once every four years.
*Not an Obama plug. The word existed before his presidency.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Book Review: Shoeless Joe
by: W.P. Kinsella
If I hadn’t seen Field of Dreams I probably would not have been able to get into this book. It is so fantastical and it seems to come out of nowhere. Ray and his family are normal Iowa farmers trying to get by and then all this supernatural stuff starts happening. I like how Wikipedia describes it as a “magic realist” novel because that’s exactly what it is and why it seems so off-putting at first. You’re expecting ‘real’ and then you get blindsided by ‘magic’.
I also think it helped that I had seen the movie because I could picture the story more easily in my mind. I know people love books because the reader can imagine whatever they want but I liked being transported to the scenes of a movie that I really enjoy. Plus, Kinsella is very wordy in his visual descriptions and it can feel tedious at times. Instead, I could imagine their lines of dialogue and pick out which ones came directly from the book.
My recommendation is to stick with Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones for a more enjoyable experience.
If I hadn’t seen Field of Dreams I probably would not have been able to get into this book. It is so fantastical and it seems to come out of nowhere. Ray and his family are normal Iowa farmers trying to get by and then all this supernatural stuff starts happening. I like how Wikipedia describes it as a “magic realist” novel because that’s exactly what it is and why it seems so off-putting at first. You’re expecting ‘real’ and then you get blindsided by ‘magic’.
I also think it helped that I had seen the movie because I could picture the story more easily in my mind. I know people love books because the reader can imagine whatever they want but I liked being transported to the scenes of a movie that I really enjoy. Plus, Kinsella is very wordy in his visual descriptions and it can feel tedious at times. Instead, I could imagine their lines of dialogue and pick out which ones came directly from the book.
My recommendation is to stick with Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones for a more enjoyable experience.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Super Bowl XLVI
I have done everything in my power to ignore the Super Bowl these past 2 weeks. I haven’t written about it, I haven’t read about it, and I haven’t talked much about it. Now I’m all in.
I was rooting for the 49ers. Hard. The Giants have scarred me for life because of Super Bowl XLII and now they have the most talented, well-balanced team in the league. Kill me.
I have not gotten over 2008. 18-1 just doesn’t have the same panache, you know? I don’t care if David Tyree is out of the league and Plaxico Burress went to jail for shooting himself. Fuck the Giants.
What happened to the Josh McDaniels uproar? Did Bill O’Brien already leave for Penn State? No one’s talking about them anymore. When the Pats signed McDaniels to their coaching staff before the Denver game it was a huge story. He used to coach the Broncos! The Pats are getting inside information! I haven’t heard his name mentioned once since that game. And Bill O’Brien? Now that the decision has been made no one’s making a big deal out of it. It just is.
I’ve been growing a playoff beard since the Denver game. My girlfriend’s not a big fan but I can’t shave it off until after the game. Not that I’m superstitious or anything but if I shave it and they lose then that’s on me.
Tomorrow we are going to the Museum of Science. I would be too anxious if we were just hanging around the house or something. I need to take my mind off the game. Sunday is going to be awful. Pregame shows start at like 9 in the morning. I don’t know how I’m going to make it to 6:30.
I’ll leave you with this. My mom called me last week and asked if I wanted an AFC Champs shirt. I said no. She said “Oh, you must be waiting for the Super Bowl Champs shirt.” Yes, I am. The DVD too. What a season.
I was rooting for the 49ers. Hard. The Giants have scarred me for life because of Super Bowl XLII and now they have the most talented, well-balanced team in the league. Kill me.
I have not gotten over 2008. 18-1 just doesn’t have the same panache, you know? I don’t care if David Tyree is out of the league and Plaxico Burress went to jail for shooting himself. Fuck the Giants.
What happened to the Josh McDaniels uproar? Did Bill O’Brien already leave for Penn State? No one’s talking about them anymore. When the Pats signed McDaniels to their coaching staff before the Denver game it was a huge story. He used to coach the Broncos! The Pats are getting inside information! I haven’t heard his name mentioned once since that game. And Bill O’Brien? Now that the decision has been made no one’s making a big deal out of it. It just is.
I’ve been growing a playoff beard since the Denver game. My girlfriend’s not a big fan but I can’t shave it off until after the game. Not that I’m superstitious or anything but if I shave it and they lose then that’s on me.
Tomorrow we are going to the Museum of Science. I would be too anxious if we were just hanging around the house or something. I need to take my mind off the game. Sunday is going to be awful. Pregame shows start at like 9 in the morning. I don’t know how I’m going to make it to 6:30.
I’ll leave you with this. My mom called me last week and asked if I wanted an AFC Champs shirt. I said no. She said “Oh, you must be waiting for the Super Bowl Champs shirt.” Yes, I am. The DVD too. What a season.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Mound Pounders
This is for you. No, no, it’s not something you actually care about. I just feel bad that January became a book/movie review-fest and not much else. So here’s something different that still won’t interest you.
I am in a dynasty fantasy baseball league with some of my friends. There are 20 teams and each team has 25 active roster spots and 5 DL spots for injured players. We also have 5 minor league slots and a separate minor league draft but I won’t bore you with that. If you don’t know, a dynasty league is different from a normal fantasy baseball league because we keep the same players year after year. We draft one time and our teams carry over. It’s like the real life Red Sox. Ben Cherington became the GM this year and he has the players he has. He’ll make some trades or signings but next year he’ll have those same players. Dynasty is based off the same principle.
We started in 2010 and I had the ninth pick in the draft. I wanted to go pitching first because I always end up waiting and piecing together my staff. I did not want that to happen in the dynasty league. I took 2x Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum. Only one other pitcher went in the first round (Felix Hernandez). In the second round I went to a scarce position (2B) and picked the best player, Robinson Cano. I had a choice between Cano and Pedroia which was tough because I love Pedey in real life but in fantasy Cano is the (slightly) better option. In the third round I got nervous about the lack of quality 1B left so I grabbed Billy Butler. He doesn’t have much power but he is an asset in a league that counts OBP (On-Base Percentage) like this one. Moving along the diamond I wanted to take a 3B in the next round. I was iffy on Gordon Beckham or Ian Stewart. I went with Beckham, only to find out that the White Sox were moving him to 2B. Complete waste of a pick (although it would later pay off in a trade). Luckily, Stewart made it back to me (I had to sweat through 20 picks by other people) and I grabbed him with my next pick. In the 6th round I wanted to get a SS and I chose Ian Desmond over Erick Aybar. I still regret this choice. At the time, I thought Aybar had peaked the year earlier and I heard reports stating that Desmond could be a 20/20 guy. He got the 20 steals last year but I’m still waiting for some pop in his bat. At this point in the draft I have no outfielders so I added the power hitting Jason Kubel. I had owned him before and considered him a pretty consistent 25 homers. In round 8 I reached for another outfielder, Michael Brantley. In the draft guide I was using it didn’t rank players dynasty-style (valuing youth and potential) so I wasn’t sure where to take him. I feel this was a little early. In the ninth round I couldn’t believe that David Price (former #1 overall draft pick) was still available. I grabbed him and didn’t think twice. Round 10 I went back to the young outfielders with Travis Snider. Round 11 was another young, Tampa Bay pitcher, Wade Davis. His strikeout numbers have yet to follow him to my team. Cameron Maybin was next… a former prospect whose shine had come off a bit. I picked J.A. Happ next because he was a former rookie of the year and had looked good in his short career. Back to the OF for Gerardo Parra, who hasn’t bloomed yet although he’s shown ability. He’s a player I see now on the waiver wire and always want to give another shot. I finally gave in and selected a closer in round 15 – the Cardinals’ Ryan Franklin. I never like to overrate saves. At this point I have a starter at every position except Catcher. Come on down, Carlos Ruiz! I like him because he’s in the stacked Phillies lineup. Next I choose a reliever JP Howell. An interesting choice because he is not a closer, but he is young and has high strikeout totals. Unfortunately, he’s been hurt and hasn’t amounted to much. I wanted some consistency on my pitching staff so I drafted Nick Blackburn. For 3 straight years he had 10-11 wins with an ERA in the low 4.’s. Round 19 I selected OF Marlon Byrd. Marc Rzepczynski is the pitcher I took with my 20th pick. Round 21 I went with another young pitcher, Wade LeBlanc. He pitches in San Diego which is one of the best pitchers’ parks in the league. I chose another non-closing reliever, Mark Lowe with pick 22. Next up was infield prospect Jason Donald. He was one of the prospects the Phillies sent to the Indians in the Cliff Lee trade. In round 24 I selected Cuban defector Dayan Viciedo who was quite green but a definite source of homers. The final round was upon me and, after choosing prospects with my last 2 picks, I selected an unsexy, unexciting, uninspiring player named Casey Kotchman. Ladies and gentlemen, your inaugural Mound Pounders.
My very first move after the draft – which will go down in history – was picking up Jose Bautista off the waiver wire. He went on to have a breakout season and became a superstar for the Blue Jays. My other big move was trading Gordon Beckham (who was stuck on my bench) for Ricky Romero, an up and coming pitcher whom I was a big fan of. Here is how my team looked at the end of that first season:
C: Ruiz, Ryan Hanigan
1B: Butler
2B: Cano, Donald
SS: Desmond, Yuniesky Betancourt
3B: Bautista, Stewart
OF: Kubel, Brantley, Maybin, Snider, Byrd, Andres Torres
SP: Lincecum, Price, Romero, Davis, Happ, Blackburn, LeBlanc, Brian Duensing
RP: Franklin, Joaquin Benoit, Jason Motte (26)
As you can see I ended the season over the allowable 25 players. Since we have those 5 DL spots, we can “stash” additional injured players at the end of the season. We can hold onto them until February when we have to officially get down to 25. This is a good strategy to buy yourself a few extra months to see who is recovering well and allows a more informed decision in February rather than having to in September.
During the season I obviously made many transactions. I wanted to add a backup catcher and ended up with Hanigan. The same can be said for SS where I grabbed Betancourt. Andres Torres was a great pickup for me because he helped a lot in the steals category. And as you can see, I picked up two other relievers to go along with my draftee, Franklin. Always be reactive and not proactive with relief pitchers.
Year 2 of the dynasty league was very exciting. I was able to pick up some veteran difference makers to help my team now. My goal in last year’s draft was to find young talent with high upside. I want to be good for a long time. Of course working within that strategy usually implies that you’re ignoring the present and waiting for the prospects to blossom. This year I was able to get solid HR contributors like Derrek Lee and Garrett Jones to help my offense, as well as Paul Maholm to boost my starting pitching.
As I already mentioned, I’m not one to overrate saves. The flip side is you never want to ignore them either. My relief corps is 100% changed from last year. In hindsight, dropping Jason Motte was a bad move but he didn’t win the closer role until August – many months after I dropped him. But I was able to pick up Sergio Santos and Javy Guerra who both came out of the woodwork to lead their respective teams in saves. If you play it like I do then you really need to keep a hawkeye on the waiver wire.
I got a stay of execution this year when Jose Bautista managed to reclaim his 3B eligibility. He plays RF now but due to an injury he got enough time at 3B for me to be allowed to play him in that spot. My problem was that Ian Stewart was the only other 3B on my roster and he had the worst year of his career this year. So bad, in fact, that he was traded in the offseason. Knowing this was a weakness on my roster I picked up a couple kids before the season ended to see if they might stick. Brent Morel is probably the best bet to be my 3B of the future. Kyle Seager gained SS eligibility at the end of the season too so I can use him to back up Ian Desmond, which was another glaring hole on my roster. But because of my late season moves it allowed me the opportunity to try and trade the disappointing Ian Stewart. The thing is he had a great season a couple years ago with 25 home runs. Now he’s getting a fresh start with another team so I knew someone would be willing to take a chance. And when approached, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to trade for my old draft pick, Dayan Viciedo. I dropped him early in 2010 because he was still a couple years away from the pros and I didn’t have the roster flexibility to keep him on my bench. But in this past year he has blossomed and looks to be a star in the making. I’ll take the future star over the reclamation project every day of the week. Of course, my trade partner took note of this and also requested Wade Davis for Carl Pavano. Davis is young and Pavano is quite old but I’m not a huge fan of Davis. He’s never put up big strikeout numbers and if he didn’t play for Tampa Bay then he’d just be average. So while Pavano is still a bit of a downgrade, the swap of Stewart for Viciedo more than makes up for it.
C: Ruiz, Nick Hundley
1B: Butler, Lee, Jones
2B: Cano
SS: Desmond
3B: Bautista, Morel, Seager
OF: Kubel, Brantley, Maybin, Snider, Byrd, Viciedo, Chris Carter
SP: Lincecum, Price, Romero, Happ, Blackburn, Maholm, Pavano, Kevin Correia, Jon Garland
RP: Santos, Guerra, Greg Holland, Felix Doubront (30)
*2010 – finished 17th
*2011 – finished 11th
*2012 - ???
I am in a dynasty fantasy baseball league with some of my friends. There are 20 teams and each team has 25 active roster spots and 5 DL spots for injured players. We also have 5 minor league slots and a separate minor league draft but I won’t bore you with that. If you don’t know, a dynasty league is different from a normal fantasy baseball league because we keep the same players year after year. We draft one time and our teams carry over. It’s like the real life Red Sox. Ben Cherington became the GM this year and he has the players he has. He’ll make some trades or signings but next year he’ll have those same players. Dynasty is based off the same principle.
We started in 2010 and I had the ninth pick in the draft. I wanted to go pitching first because I always end up waiting and piecing together my staff. I did not want that to happen in the dynasty league. I took 2x Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum. Only one other pitcher went in the first round (Felix Hernandez). In the second round I went to a scarce position (2B) and picked the best player, Robinson Cano. I had a choice between Cano and Pedroia which was tough because I love Pedey in real life but in fantasy Cano is the (slightly) better option. In the third round I got nervous about the lack of quality 1B left so I grabbed Billy Butler. He doesn’t have much power but he is an asset in a league that counts OBP (On-Base Percentage) like this one. Moving along the diamond I wanted to take a 3B in the next round. I was iffy on Gordon Beckham or Ian Stewart. I went with Beckham, only to find out that the White Sox were moving him to 2B. Complete waste of a pick (although it would later pay off in a trade). Luckily, Stewart made it back to me (I had to sweat through 20 picks by other people) and I grabbed him with my next pick. In the 6th round I wanted to get a SS and I chose Ian Desmond over Erick Aybar. I still regret this choice. At the time, I thought Aybar had peaked the year earlier and I heard reports stating that Desmond could be a 20/20 guy. He got the 20 steals last year but I’m still waiting for some pop in his bat. At this point in the draft I have no outfielders so I added the power hitting Jason Kubel. I had owned him before and considered him a pretty consistent 25 homers. In round 8 I reached for another outfielder, Michael Brantley. In the draft guide I was using it didn’t rank players dynasty-style (valuing youth and potential) so I wasn’t sure where to take him. I feel this was a little early. In the ninth round I couldn’t believe that David Price (former #1 overall draft pick) was still available. I grabbed him and didn’t think twice. Round 10 I went back to the young outfielders with Travis Snider. Round 11 was another young, Tampa Bay pitcher, Wade Davis. His strikeout numbers have yet to follow him to my team. Cameron Maybin was next… a former prospect whose shine had come off a bit. I picked J.A. Happ next because he was a former rookie of the year and had looked good in his short career. Back to the OF for Gerardo Parra, who hasn’t bloomed yet although he’s shown ability. He’s a player I see now on the waiver wire and always want to give another shot. I finally gave in and selected a closer in round 15 – the Cardinals’ Ryan Franklin. I never like to overrate saves. At this point I have a starter at every position except Catcher. Come on down, Carlos Ruiz! I like him because he’s in the stacked Phillies lineup. Next I choose a reliever JP Howell. An interesting choice because he is not a closer, but he is young and has high strikeout totals. Unfortunately, he’s been hurt and hasn’t amounted to much. I wanted some consistency on my pitching staff so I drafted Nick Blackburn. For 3 straight years he had 10-11 wins with an ERA in the low 4.’s. Round 19 I selected OF Marlon Byrd. Marc Rzepczynski is the pitcher I took with my 20th pick. Round 21 I went with another young pitcher, Wade LeBlanc. He pitches in San Diego which is one of the best pitchers’ parks in the league. I chose another non-closing reliever, Mark Lowe with pick 22. Next up was infield prospect Jason Donald. He was one of the prospects the Phillies sent to the Indians in the Cliff Lee trade. In round 24 I selected Cuban defector Dayan Viciedo who was quite green but a definite source of homers. The final round was upon me and, after choosing prospects with my last 2 picks, I selected an unsexy, unexciting, uninspiring player named Casey Kotchman. Ladies and gentlemen, your inaugural Mound Pounders.
My very first move after the draft – which will go down in history – was picking up Jose Bautista off the waiver wire. He went on to have a breakout season and became a superstar for the Blue Jays. My other big move was trading Gordon Beckham (who was stuck on my bench) for Ricky Romero, an up and coming pitcher whom I was a big fan of. Here is how my team looked at the end of that first season:
C: Ruiz, Ryan Hanigan
1B: Butler
2B: Cano, Donald
SS: Desmond, Yuniesky Betancourt
3B: Bautista, Stewart
OF: Kubel, Brantley, Maybin, Snider, Byrd, Andres Torres
SP: Lincecum, Price, Romero, Davis, Happ, Blackburn, LeBlanc, Brian Duensing
RP: Franklin, Joaquin Benoit, Jason Motte (26)
As you can see I ended the season over the allowable 25 players. Since we have those 5 DL spots, we can “stash” additional injured players at the end of the season. We can hold onto them until February when we have to officially get down to 25. This is a good strategy to buy yourself a few extra months to see who is recovering well and allows a more informed decision in February rather than having to in September.
During the season I obviously made many transactions. I wanted to add a backup catcher and ended up with Hanigan. The same can be said for SS where I grabbed Betancourt. Andres Torres was a great pickup for me because he helped a lot in the steals category. And as you can see, I picked up two other relievers to go along with my draftee, Franklin. Always be reactive and not proactive with relief pitchers.
Year 2 of the dynasty league was very exciting. I was able to pick up some veteran difference makers to help my team now. My goal in last year’s draft was to find young talent with high upside. I want to be good for a long time. Of course working within that strategy usually implies that you’re ignoring the present and waiting for the prospects to blossom. This year I was able to get solid HR contributors like Derrek Lee and Garrett Jones to help my offense, as well as Paul Maholm to boost my starting pitching.
As I already mentioned, I’m not one to overrate saves. The flip side is you never want to ignore them either. My relief corps is 100% changed from last year. In hindsight, dropping Jason Motte was a bad move but he didn’t win the closer role until August – many months after I dropped him. But I was able to pick up Sergio Santos and Javy Guerra who both came out of the woodwork to lead their respective teams in saves. If you play it like I do then you really need to keep a hawkeye on the waiver wire.
I got a stay of execution this year when Jose Bautista managed to reclaim his 3B eligibility. He plays RF now but due to an injury he got enough time at 3B for me to be allowed to play him in that spot. My problem was that Ian Stewart was the only other 3B on my roster and he had the worst year of his career this year. So bad, in fact, that he was traded in the offseason. Knowing this was a weakness on my roster I picked up a couple kids before the season ended to see if they might stick. Brent Morel is probably the best bet to be my 3B of the future. Kyle Seager gained SS eligibility at the end of the season too so I can use him to back up Ian Desmond, which was another glaring hole on my roster. But because of my late season moves it allowed me the opportunity to try and trade the disappointing Ian Stewart. The thing is he had a great season a couple years ago with 25 home runs. Now he’s getting a fresh start with another team so I knew someone would be willing to take a chance. And when approached, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to trade for my old draft pick, Dayan Viciedo. I dropped him early in 2010 because he was still a couple years away from the pros and I didn’t have the roster flexibility to keep him on my bench. But in this past year he has blossomed and looks to be a star in the making. I’ll take the future star over the reclamation project every day of the week. Of course, my trade partner took note of this and also requested Wade Davis for Carl Pavano. Davis is young and Pavano is quite old but I’m not a huge fan of Davis. He’s never put up big strikeout numbers and if he didn’t play for Tampa Bay then he’d just be average. So while Pavano is still a bit of a downgrade, the swap of Stewart for Viciedo more than makes up for it.
C: Ruiz, Nick Hundley
1B: Butler, Lee, Jones
2B: Cano
SS: Desmond
3B: Bautista, Morel, Seager
OF: Kubel, Brantley, Maybin, Snider, Byrd, Viciedo, Chris Carter
SP: Lincecum, Price, Romero, Happ, Blackburn, Maholm, Pavano, Kevin Correia, Jon Garland
RP: Santos, Guerra, Greg Holland, Felix Doubront (30)
*2010 – finished 17th
*2011 – finished 11th
*2012 - ???
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