Take Me Out To The Ballgame

Baseball is here to rescue us from the NHL. And in what I hope is a joke, the Times includes this bit of spring training giddiness in their profile of Oriole Brian Roberts, who is coming off injuries and concussions:

Clearheaded Again, Oldest Oriole Is Back

That picture has me worried that he is still a llittle turned around, but maybe I am missing something.

Comments

[GUS]

He's following thru on a practice swing.
I'm sitting right next to a framed autographed game used Jim Palmer jersey.
Orange as well.

[NK]

RH swing follow through?-- or Yoga pose?

[daddy]

Hi TM,

Time again to talk about should we follow India's lead and have Cheerleaders for Baseball.

I am pretty much a purist on the matter and think the answer is "No", but recent developments in the IPL (India Premier League) confirm to me that my answer is correct:

"The guys (in the IPL) treat us like meat", says a South African dancer, (Gabriella Pasqualotto, 22) who was summarily sent home after exposing the antics of some of the players on a blog,..

Another entry read: "The Aussies are naughty. These cricketers are the most loose (men) I have ever encountered."

"I've still got to stay here a long time, so I have to keep by my list of hints: Beware of cricketers!" she said.

Here's Gabby, 1st on the left:

[Dave (in MA)]

The oldest Oriole would be in the middle of the pack if he had on pinstripes.

[Danube of Thought]

On opening day the once-proud Bombers will feature exactly two players in the starting lineup who had more than 15 HR last year.

[Dave (in MA)]

A former Senator fat-thumbing a tweet? HUGE NEWS. The standing Secretary of State making up a country? Bqhatevwr. What difference does it make?

[Jack is Back]

daddy,

The IPL is also ripe with corruption through gambling. But the put on a great show of cricket, if only you could believe the team that won actual won.

[Thomas Collins]

Assuming the Red Sox continue their endless "transition" years, I think I'll root for the O's. I don't think Duquette got enough credit for putting together the major portion of the team that ended the Bambino's Curse in 2004. It would be fitting reversal if the O's won it all this year and Duquette received an inordinate amount of the credit (the O's were largely built before Duquette came on the scene).

The way things are shaping up, it could be the Blue Jays, O's and Rays fighting it out for the AL East crown and one or two wild card berths, while the Yanks and Sox fight to avoid the cellar.

So, are the Rangers, Athletics, Mariners and Angels fans thinking that their teams are going to feast on the newcomer Astros this year? Do the Astros fans think their young players are all going to blossom at once and surprise the American Leaguers?

It's spring training and anything is possible (except, I suppose, A-Rod regaining a modicum of respect).

[Thomas Collins]

For those Sox fans who are still scornful of Duquette, keep in mind that in the Duquette Administration, the big trade and then sign was Pedro. The current guys big trade and sign? Adrian Gonzalez (make that trade and sign and trade in Adrian's case).

[Captain Hate]

Maybe I don't hate all the Ravens:

My brother and I were on a Southwest Airlines flight last Friday morning to Las Vegas from BWI. About two hours into the flight this guy comes out of the forward restroom, grabs the snack tray, and starts handing out whatever anyone wanted. My brother and I were cracking up at his antics. When he got to us I thanked him, we laughed, and I asked his name. He simply said, "my name is Ray."

About five minutes later, over the loudspeaker, we hear, "if you're wondering who the new flight attendant is, he's Ray Rice of the Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens." The plane erupted into cheers and applause. Ray stood in the aisle signing autographs and taking pictures for over 30 minutes until the flight attendants showed some mercy and made everyone sit down again. Ray refused no one.

About an hour before we landed I took my iPad back to him to show him a picture of my brother's three Grandchildren (6, 3, and 1 y/o) in their Ravens jerseys on Super Bowl Sunday. Ray loved the picture. Then he floored me. He said, "when we land, meet me in the terminal with your brother and bring this picture. I'll hold it in my hands and you get a picture of me and your brother together for his grand kids." I was speechless.

We waited, Ray came out, saw us, walked over to us, shook our hands and posed for two pictures. He is one of the very nicest people I've ever met. We talked for a few minutes about his ESPY (he's REALLY proud if it, he said he was going to hang it in his home), the SB win, and some other things. I am still in awe of what a nice, nice guy he is. I am a Redskins fan but I am now a huge Ray Rice fan.

[Dave (in MA)]

The Yankees are the Evil Empire and went to court to secure that designation.

[matt]

I have always wanted to visit Khyrzakistan to take the waters. I also understand the bird watching is superb.

[hit and run]

daddy:
Hi TM,

Time again to talk about should we follow India's lead and have Cheerleaders for Baseball.

Indeed.

[GUS]

John Kerry is a CLOWN, that is not a bug for a LIBTARD.

[Sue]

Capt'n,

I didn't know anything about Ray Rice so I looked him up.

“I want to be known as somebody who is always smiling even on a gloomy day,” said Rice, whose still upbeat disposition can be traced to his roots in the church.

Nice to know he is really a nice guy.

[NK]

CaptH-- cute post about Ray Rice. He's a regular on NY talk radio, terrfic public persona, already started some restaurant deals up here for post-football, I'm sure he's a much bigger deal in Balt-Mer. Have to root for him, out of New Rochelle high, no really big-time scholarship offers (Syracuse maybe), so he goes to Rutgers. Shines there, and becomes a big time NFL player. Feel good story.

[Tom Maguire]

On opening day the once-proud Bombers will feature exactly two players in the starting lineup who had more than 15 HR last year.

Re the upcoming Yankeee power failure - we aren't the Bombers, we are the Smart Bombers - no more indiscriminate pounding away for us.

Or maybe we are the Droners...

Anyway, we are targeting carefully.

[Neo]

What better way to take advantage of the dawning of the Age of FUNloughs and FUNemployment than to go to the ball game.

[Tom Maguire]

but I am now a huge Ray Rice fan.

The Pride of Rutgers and New Jersey.

[Jack is Back]

Neo,

You mean we are ushering in the age of FUNgo bats?

[NK]

TomM-- heh, heh... keep whistling past that graveyard. The Yanks will manage to win 85+ games (weak AL East), but this year may be like the 2011 Bosox-- the START of the fall.
One difference, in 2013, Yankee fans won't be able to blame it all on Bobby Valentine-- Sacred Heart Univ ath. director?

[NK]

Ray Rice = New Rochelle HS (Westchester, NYS.) An easy mistake, the FinServ guys on MetroNorthRR tend to avert their eyes when going through the New Rochelle station. BTW-- it was the 1960s home of Rob and Laura Petrie on the Dick Van Dyke Show!

[Soylent Red]

Can we drone strike Kyrzakhstan until they agree agree to become our 58th state? Of course we'll need several platoons of corpse-men armed with breathalyzers and these things called aircraft carriers (but not bayonets) on standby in case someone answers the 3 a.m. phone call.

Did anyone expect any better from this Administration? Then again, at this point, what difference does it make?

[Soylent Red]

Feeling very sad today. Buster the wonder dog is very sick and I may not return to Nebraska in time to see him alive again.

[NK]

Soylent-- feel better.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Soylent-

I hope you get that chance to visit.

[B Buckner]

While running for president, Kerry said his favorite Red Sox player was Manny Ortez.

[Porchlight]

Cap'n, thanks so much for posting that about Ray Rice. Great story.

[Porchlight]

So sorry to hear that, Soylent.

[Captain Hate]

You're welcome, Porch; I found that at the Terrapin sports bbs I post at. Can the enneffell make Rice a player/commissioner in recognition of all the goodwill he created while off the clock?

Soylent, I hope Buster can hold on.

[The absence of evidence was not evidence of absence.]

Listen, I'm quite sure dogs go to Heaven. That was one of the first internet controversies I involved myself in.
=====================

[Frau Pirx]

Soylent, you have my wishes that you will be able to be with Buster. Dogs do their best to deliver their love.

[GUS]

Kerry loved his visit to Green Bay and LAMBERT FIELD.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21672-2004Sep14.html

I wonder if he's seen the White Sox at KAMINSKY FIELD?

http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2010/04/obama-i-lived-close-to-kaminski-park.html

[sbw]

Soylent, hope you get there in time.

If it goes otherwise, remember that dogs live with you forever.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Gus-

I have been to both Soldier and Soldier's Fields. Hard to do nowadays.

[sbw]

And Buffalo Soldiers Field?

[Melinda Romanoff]

Nope, never been in the Academy. Drove on the other side of the river though.

[Sue]

Soylent,

I hope you make it.

[Captain Hate]

How can we miss you if you won't go away: http://washingtonexaminer.com/why-wont-team-romney-go-away/article/2522497

[narciso]

Or at least pretend to have learned something from the exercise.

[Captain Hate]

Tammy Bruce is blasting the Romney aide for what he said to Kurtz.

[narciso]

What's the proper word, for this;

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Hollywood/2013/02/25/Ben-Affleck-and-George-Clooney-s-Argo-Bagged-6-21-Million-In-Taxpayer-Money?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BreitbartFeed+%28Breitbart+Feed%29

[Janet]

I am so sorry, Soylent. What a great lookin' old dog. Dogs are the best....gifts from the Almighty for sure. It's a privilege to get to have them in your life for a bit.

[NK]

Thought I posted this earlier-- alot of truth in this Santelli CNBC rant. Doesn't go far enough as far as I'm concerned: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-02-25/santelli-what-if-fed-did-less

[narciso]

So sorry to hear that, Soylent.

[DrJ]

Boehner on Obama (from NRO):

Speaking on a conference panel in Palm Springs over the weekend, investment adviser and New York Times bestselling author John Mauldin relayed a story from a dinner he had with John Boehner during the debt-ceiling crisis.

According to Mauldin, he told Boehner it was “too bad” he had to work with Harry Reid to forge a deal on the debt ceiling, to which Boehner responded, “Harry?! Harry ain’t the problem. It’s Obama. The man can’t make a decision. He’s got balls made out of marshmallows.”

[Jane: Mock the Media]

Oh Soylent, I know how you feel. I'm sad for you.

[NK]

Blast from the past-- el Baradei- saying that the MB is brutal to muslims and other Egyptians.. hmm... UNpossible, JEF and John Effin'Kerry say the joooz are the cause of all ME problems:

"ElBaradei, a leading figure in the National Salvation Front (NSF) coalition, told the BBC that torture, abductions and a lack of social justice were still blighting Egyptian society.

"We need to send a message loud and clear to the people here and outside of Egypt that this is not a democracy, that we have not participated in an uprising two years ago to end up with a recycling of the (Hosni) Mubarak regime."

[Janet]

This is good -
Stockman said Obama's anti-gun activists "are trying to defraud Congress using the same scam that sells 'male enhancement pills.'"

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/284679-gop-lawmaker-says-obama-using-fake-people-to-flood-twitter-with-gun-control-messages#ixzz2LwmKYTud
Follow us: @thehill on Twitter | TheHill on Facebook

[Danube of Thought iPad]

"Listen, I'm quite sure dogs go to Heaven."

Mark Twain said that if they don't, when he dies he wants to go where the dogs are.

[Jack is Back]

Soylent,

As Harry S Truman once said: "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog". Ain't it so.

I told Bandit and Jazz about Buster and they said to tell you, woof, arrf, arrf, woof, woof.

[Ignatz Ratzkywatzky]

--Baseball is here to rescue us from the NHL.--

Yeah, nothing like the couple of centuries between now and October when the fat boys of summer dog it around the bases and drip spittle down their chin to rescue us from a sport that actually remains interesting, despite the idiots managing it.

[matt]

My theory, Soylent, is that when we die they are there waiting for us.

I almost cannot live without the creatures. When we lost our Aussie 2 years ago I was forlorn. If you just uttered the letter "b" he would get this crazy look in his eyes and start doing backflips looking for a ball. Smartest dog I ever met.

I didn't have a chance to say goodbye. I was at the bottom of the world. When I got back to civilization it had been a week since he was gone. It affected me deeply.

And as if a miracle, a friend of a friend found a bloodhound bitch the day after Christmas that had a litter of 14 a week later. I wasn't ready, but we have two incredible hound dogs who actually helped keep Heinz 57 chipper for a while.

Then we lost Heinz 57 a few months ago. She was literally falling apart; blind, deaf, kidney failure, arthritis. And most of it happened over only a couple of months. She defined the word feisty.

Having dogs is like that. A period of time and then they're gone. We had one for a couple of months and others for 15 - 16 years not including fosters.

Always keep Buster in your heart, but whenever you can, know that there is another, different, dog out there that will love you just as much. It's what they do best.

And if anyone on the West Coast is looking, we have a really good line on fosters.

[NK]

A very important measuring stick of the humanity of a man is how he relates to dogs and how they relate to him. Not scientific, probably not fair, but I'm sticking to it.

[Jack is Back]

In honor of Buster and Soylent's lament may I suggest we post photos of our favorite pets. They don't have to be dogs but those we love and care for and vice versa (more times then the former).

[centralcal]

Oh, bummer, Soylent. So sorry to hear that and I agree with others here, that they DO go to heaven.

[maryrose]

Hang in there Soylent.A good dog really is man's best friend.
I admit I love the Oscars but Moochelle giving out the award for Best Picture-not so much.
I liked Ann Hathaway's speech, Ben Affleck's choking up at the end and Charlise and Tatum Channing dancing.
I would have replaced Kristen Stewart, who always looks like an unmade bed with Hermoine and Ron aka Emma Watson and Rupert Grint to join Dan Radcliffe in presenting an award. That would make up for the Academy snubbing them for 10 years.
Fun fact: the WH press corps had Carney running from the podium when questioning him about Bammy's 500,00 pay to partici[pate organization.

[maryrose]

should be 500,000 dollars

[Soylent Red]

Thanks for all the well wishes and thoughts.

Aflatoxin. Comes from mold that grows on dog food with corn meal or peanut meal glutens in it.

If you are feeding your dogs anything with corn meal or peanut meal, it is a word you need to know. Catastrophic liver damage, 70% mortality rate, limited treatment.

Buster was healthy and charging around a week ago. Today, his chances are slim. Beneful and Diamond dog foods are probably what did it.

[Sue]

Aflatoxin wiped out herds of cattle a few years back. Corn was the culprit.

[Beasts of England]

Baseball - what is it?

It's a big stadium with very few people in it, but don't worry about that now...

[Beasts of England]

And not to brag too much on my athletic prowess, but I was the backup right fielder for the 1969 Hillbrook Esso team. Just sayin'...

[centralcal]

Well, that's just horrible, Soylent. (I mistakenly thought he was dying of old age.)

[Janet]

A very important measuring stick of the humanity of a man is how he relates to dogs and how they relate to him. Not scientific, probably not fair, but I'm sticking to it.

NK, When my Naomi met her boyfriend's family for the first time she drove out to their house..got out of the car...& played with the ranch dogs for awhile. Throwing a ball & petting them. Her boyfriend's mom said she liked Naomi right away because of that. :)

[Jack is Back]

Twi words on dog food: Nutri Source

[Chubby]

It's lovely to read about pet love today on this day when I'm mad at my cat. The relationship has been rocky since day one. I love dogs, they are so easy to please, all the dogs I have had have been so easy to feed, would eat anything that is set before them. With the cat, I'm throwing out catfood to the point where it is really starting to bug me. What she likes one day, the next day she turns her nose up, I find it extremely stressful. There is not a thing wrong with her health, she is just plain fussy.

[Jack is Back]

Chubby,

Just leave the food there and retire. It eats or starves. Never met a cat who starved,

[Chubby]

I have always fed both my dogs and cats meat based diets. (the cat gets meat and fish.) A past acquaintance of mine was in the business of reviving pets back to health and she did so by putting them on diets of pure meat.

[Sue]

I can't tell you what I really think about cats.. Too many cat lovers around here.

[Chubby]

JiB

((Just leave the food there and retire. It eats or starves. Never met a cat who starved,))

you seem to be speaking from experience. the bowl of food has remained untouched since morning but she is meowing for me to give her something else. The food in the bowl is starting to look a bit stale so I'm afraid she's going to win this battle of wills

[Chubby]

((I can't tell you what I really think about cats.. Too many cat lovers around here.))

it is probably the same thing that I think about cats right now. this was my mother's cat that I took after my mom passed on. when she is gone, NEVER AGAIN

[Extraneus]

What? Male enhancement pills don't work???

[Sue]

Thankfully my mother didn't leave a cat when she passed. She wasn't fond of them either.

[Extraneus]

I love cats, but I have no patience for their b.s. Put the food down and if she doesn't go for it within 60 seconds, throw it out and try again in 24 hrs.

You have to show cats who's boss. They respect that.

[Jane - Mock the Media!]

Okay I have a way off topic question - even off the pet topic.

Some chick is on trial for murdering her boyfriend by stabbing him a zillion times and then shooting him in the shower.

I heard something about her getting caught today jury tampering.

Anyone know anything about that?

[narciso]

I think the name is Jodi Arias, I don't know the details,

[narciso]

Here are some of them;

http://news.yahoo.com/jodi-arias-attempts-explain-away-lies-220259256.html

[Jane - Mock the Media!]

Thanks Narc. I'm sure Greta will be all over it - if I can stay awake that long.

[narciso]

I have avoided much of this weirdness, in the LUN

[Chubby]

((throw it out and try again in 24 hrs))

I hate throwing out food. It really, really irks me.

[Thomas Collins]

"And not to brag too much on my athletic prowess, but I was the backup right fielder for the 1969 Hillbrook Esso team. Just sayin'..."

Well, Beasts of England, when I was an eighth grader, I was the starting power forward on the James L. McGuire Elementary School North Providence, RI basketball championship team (no junior high then; we went from 1st-8th grade in the same school)! And in the season ending All-Star Game, I was on the court with Ernie DiGregorio's brother! Take that!!! :-))

[Extraneus]

I hate throwing out food. It really, really irks me.

They have an uncanny ability to detect weakness in humans, too. :-)

[Chubby]

((Thankfully my mother didn't leave a cat when she passed. She wasn't fond of them either.))

after this experience I am a strong advocate of pet owners leaving provision/instruction for their pets in their wills. leaving decisions like that to the heirs is an imposition imo.

[Extraneus]

.

[narciso]

So, that memo that TM featured in that thread, had some legs;

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/NRA-Justice-Memo-Guns/2013/02/24/id/491684

[Jane - Mock the Media!]

They have an uncanny ability to detect weakness in humans, too.

Boy that's the truth. My day dog, Kiwi walks all over me, including walking/running me on our daily walk even though she barely weighs 7 lbs. But when she goes home with Amy at night she is completely and utterly well behaved. Hell she won't even go in Amy's office but demands to spend half the day in my lap.

It's a damn good thing I never had kids - they'd be in prison by now.

[Chubby]

((They have an uncanny ability to detect weakness in humans, too. :-)))

that is a fact. I have a semi-outdoor space where she likes to go. but the minute I think to myself, I hope she stays out there for a long time today, she starts meowing to be let in

[Sue]

There's a picture of Jane Fonda on drudge. 72 is the new 30 is the headline. Cool. I'm still a teenager. She has so much Botox in her. Without it she would not look that good. Look at her eyes. Lots of wrinkles they couldn't hide.

[Sue]

I should add I still think she is pretty.

[Chubby]

thanks JiB and Ext for the practical ideas on how to handle feeding problem. I have tried leaving the bowl down to no avail, so will try the Extreus method.

[Chubby]

"Extraneus"

[Chubby]

Soylent I will pray for your beloved dog.

[centralcal]

I should add I still think she is pretty.

Agree. Plus, despite probably having "word done," she still looks like herself and not some alien from the Fat Lips and Cat Eyes Planet.

[centralcal]

sheesh - word = work!

[Extraneus]

You have to be strong, Chubby. They respect that.

Take kids screaming in their cribs, for example. You put them down and walk away, and they scream and scream. But the one thing you can't do, ever, is respond by coming back and picking them up. My ex-wife has rued that day for almost 16 years now.

It's hard, but you have to be strong. :-)

[sbw]

Jane Fonda

. . . has so much wrong inside her head she could never look good.

[Thomas Collins]

Even at Brady's age, the salary deal described in the LUNed article seems pretty thin by NFL quarterback standards. I wonder whether the Player's Association will weigh in and try to crater the deal on the ground that Brady is undercutting the market for aging but still elite QBs.

[Sue]

So I hear Nelson Cruz might have juiced and then nothing. I guess I should google to see if he was guilty.

[Extraneus]

Cats can go a long time without eating or drinking, btw. I had one stuck in a tree in my back yard for five days once. It finally decided to come down.

[matt]

Querida is a hoot! Our Aussie was a rescue dog. Undisciplined and he would nip. He tried that once with me and I kicked him in the butt.

He tried it on Querida, and she, all 5'4' of her, grabbed him around the middle, lifted him up, and tossed him in the garage. Between us we had the discipline problem done with in a day or so.

We had a cat, semi-feral when we adopted him. He would scratch where he shouldn't, and Q would grab him by the nape of his neck like a kitten and chastise him and put him in the garage. He got the message as well.

The kids know that there is no real choice either. The key is to never show fear. Same goes for wild animals.Firmness is necessary in life.