Practice game recap
The Cubs pounded the rangers 11-4. Soriano, Mather, Jackson, and Ian Stewart all homered. Matt Garza threw 81 pitches in five innings, but could have gone deeper had Darwin Barney not committed two errors in the fourth inning. Marcos Mateo left the game with an injury and there's no word on how serious it could be. They were looking at his elbow though, so it's probably not good.
Is there a Cubs game today?
Indeed. Jeff Samardzija gets the start against the Rockies today at 3pm. Len and Mick have the call on Gameday. From what I've gathered from the interwebs, Keith Law should be there to see Samardzija pitch today.
Today in horrifying news
This news about former number one pick Matt Bush is horrible. He was driving drunk and hit a 72-year old man on a motorcycle and fled the scene. When the police later apprehended him he blew a .180. According to the local NBC affiliate, Bush's SUV ran over the victim's head, and he only survived because he was wearing a helmet. (Side point – everytime I see someone on a motorcycle not wearing a helmet or in shorts, I just want to Force-push them over for being fucking idiots).
Not to be outdone, Sox of various colors reliever Bobby Jenks was also arrested for a DUI hit-and-run last night.
I know it's not baseball's job to tell these guys what to do when they're not actively doing baseball job related things, but Jesus.
Opening Day starter to be announced today
I suspect that whoever it is, his name will rhyme with Brian Hempster.
Keith Law on various Cubs prospects
Keith Law has seen a Cubs game or two in the past week, and chatted about Cubs prospects. The highlights
- Vogelbach has lost 20-25 pounds, and looked overmatched, with a slow bat and poor recognition of off-speed pitches. I don't know who he was facing though, he's young enough that he's going to be way down in the system so I'm not too concerned yet. Everyone knows he still has a long way to go
- Klaw loves Jeimer Candelario. He doesn't have great bat speed but his swing is "simple" and has a good feel for hitting
- Klaw thinks the current CBA changes wrt international players will be in place as long as Selig and Reinsdorf are around. I don't think they're going anywhere even after they've departed this plane.
- Hayden Simpson couldn't even hit 90 on the gun earlier this week. Klaw thinks he's donezo, and that his velocity spike that led to the Cubs drafting him was a fluke.
- Klaw on Samardzija: "Have heard it's been an unbelievable transformation – like the light bulb just went on. It's just spring, but I've seen him in past springs where I wouldn't have given him a snowball's chance of big league value, so there's at least something different there."
- He lists Baez (who he's very high on), Candelario, Dunston Jr., and Cuban OF Yasiel Balaguer as players to be excited about in the low minors. He thinks Baez ends up as a 3B, though he won't rule out SS
40-man roster update
Andy Sonnanstine was outrighted to AAA yesterday, so the Cubs have two roster spots open. They'll probably go to DeWitt and Mather.
Is there Wrigley Talk Friday today?
Oh, indeed. If could be at either 1 or 2 pm today. Those crafty WTFers like to keep us on our toes.
Today is Wire Quote Day
Cool Lester Smooth says to leave your favorites in the comments.
Rice Cube wrote:
To demonstrate my geek-cred, I still refer to 20-sided dice as THACO dice.
@ Berselius:
Even I don’t get that one. (dying laughing)
Geez. That article is full of FAIL. Mentions that he hit a pole earlier in the day and how he doesn’t see this as a life changing event (almost killing someone).
Although since it is Florida, he could just say it was self defense and not be arrested.
Also, wrt The Wire quotes. Please keep them spoiler free
Just saw S01 E01 and E02 last night.
Also, it’s not a “trampoline”. It’s a tramampoline.
WaLi wrote:
Good thing we have a spoiler tag then (dying laughing). Though I don’t think most quotes are particularly spoilery in and of themselves.
In case you didn’t read every word yesterday, you can spoiler-hide things with
+spoiler+ some text +/spoiler+, just replace the + with square brackets
Someone put the first part of the Snot story yesterday, but I thought I’d thought I’d quote this line because I find it funny. I have a friend who says “This is America” (Cardinals fan) a lot.
@ Mish:
Various Jacksons, Rizzo, Adduci, Cardenas ———-> minor league camp
@ Berselius:
True (dying laughing)
[spoiler]Kentucky and UNC are going to win tonight
Also I’m in sole posession of 1st place in OV bracket. Suck it Mish & AC[/spoiler]
@ Berselius:
(dying laughing) (dying laughing)
When I ran a game, my friends always complained about how complicated thaco was. I found it incredibly irritating, it wasn’t that hard, no different than base attack these days.
Lineup today
RF DeJesus
3B Stewart
SS Castro
1B LaHair
C Soto
CF Byrd
LF Johnson
2B Barney
P Samardzija
@ koboldekobold:
I remember not finding it all that annoying. I have no idea how it’s set up now. I don’t remember much beyond 3rd edition. All the stuff with feats and minor moves and that shit seemed too complicated for me, and I hated rules lawyering in a game that you pretty much just made up as you went along anyway.
@ Berselius:
I haven’t even looked at a box score since the news of F7 to the rotation. I usually at least checked them. Sometimes during the game even, but now I can’t even bring myself to go anywhere Cubs related other than here and that’s because this place is often not even Cubs related. (dying laughing)
Weren’t we talking about movies?
I have to say The Men Who Stare At Goats, Do The Right Thing, Heavy Traffic, Resevior Dogs, Major League, Superbad, Dead Man, SLC Punk, Trainspotting, Hoop Dreams and The secret of NIHM are probably my top ten, though I give love to Clerks amoung others mentioned.
Dempster ——-> officially offical opening day starter, per Gordo
mb21 wrote:
[spoiler title="Avon Barksdale"]You only do two days, the day you come in and the day you get out.[/spoiler]
Pezcore wrote:
How did I forget that movie? That’s gotta be in my top 10 too. Tarantino at his best.
[spoiler title="Stringer"]Well get on with it motherfucker[/spoiler]
@ Pezcore:
I have a hard time making top 10 lists. I could probably do Top 10 bands, but that’s about it. Even then, the bottom 5 probably change depending on the mood. Movies I could never do. There are just way too many different movies out there. My Top 10 list would change daily.
[spoiler title="Wire favs"]
See that bowlegged motherfucker? I made him walk like that.
I got the shotgun, you got the briefcase.
You see these, McNulty? These are for you. One is going in your fucking eye, the other straight up your narrow Irish ass.
You know why I love you, Bunk? Because when it was your turn to fuck me, you were always gentle.
The Bunk is strictly a suit-and-tie motherfucker.
SHEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTT
This look like money, motherfucker?!?!? MONEY BE GREEN.
Look the part be the part, motherfucker.
Do the chair know we gonna look like some punkassed bitches out there?
Wars end.[/spoiler]
Dude you don’t have to spoiler tag the wire quotes for me (dying laughing). I don’t think there will be anything in there that will be spoilerish, plus I click show anyways
@ WaLi:
Some in my top 10 would change often, but some of them are in there for good. I can name my 5 favorite bands and that’s never going to change. It hasn’t change for nearly 20 years. Dead, Floyd, Beatles, Doors, Neil Young
@ WaLi:
I thought you were serious so we were just trying to be nice and professional like we always are. (dying laughing)
@ mb21:
Fuck did I do?
@ Berselius:
Ya happy now, ya bitch?
My fave movies are Predator, Shawshank, Glory, Saving Private Ryan, Unforgiven, Point Break, Forrest Gump, Gladiator, Menace II Society, Bad Boys…..in no particular order. I’m more into action movies.
My top 3 bands are Radiohead, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin, usually in that order. It’s a fluid thing though, just like my favorite songs/movies.
@ Mish:
@ Berselius:
I played GURPS and Mechwarrior a little as a kid, but mostly Star Wars the RPG.
@Mucker:
Re: Dean Koontz: I liked Midnight, the first one I read, quite a bit. That one got me hooked on Koontz. Watchers was highly enjoyable, one of his best. I really liked The Bad Place because it was so weird. Lightning and Strangers were good. I think the ’80s was his pinnacle. Maybe he was on cocaine like SK, or something. Funny story, I made it a point to read all of his books when I was a kid. Except for a few out of prints and anything written after about 2000, I pretty much have. After a while, a lot of them blend together. Handsome hero who loves dogs, check; beautiful woman he will sleep with, check; government conspiracy, check.
From BA today
“If everything works out as the Cubs’ hope, at some point in the future, Javier Baez will be snaring grounders at Wrigley Field and firing them across the diamond to first baseman Dan Vogelbach.
For now, the top two picks in the Cubs’ 2011 draft are getting ready on the back fields of the club’s facility in Mesa, Ariz., as they ready to head to low Class A Peoria together.”
While Baez and Voglebach appear ticketed for low Class A, righthander Dillon Maples, a 14th-round pick out of a Southern Pines, N.C. high school who signed last August for $2.5 million, is not going to be joining them anytime soon.
i find that interesting. Really excited for baez.
“Still had the idea though.” – Wallace.
@ Berselius:
These days, instead of your thaco going down, your base attack bonus goes up, which is largely a function of AC starting at 10 and going up instead of down. It’s just a different way of expressing the same basic concept, but for some reason, people have a much harder time with it if the lower number is the better AC. I don’t mind third edition, though I miss some of the flexibility of second, with called shots and the like (I also miss the fact that there was a reason for me to own a d12 back then, as now it collects dust because I don’t play barbarian characters).
Not surprised at all that Dempster is the opening day starter, he would have been my guess before ST
@ josh:
We could be brothers Josh. (dying laughing) I have the same exact feelings toward Dean. His newer stuff hasn’t been as good but his earlier stuff was awesome. Watchers was the first book I read that wasn’t homework related and that’s when I was hooked on Koontz. I love Midnight, Lightning, Strangers but my favorite is Phantoms. That book scared the shit out of me when I was younger. But I agree that his storylines are pretty much the same in almost every book.
@ josh:
The thing I didn’t like about the Star Wars rpg, is that as you got more powerful, it seemed like it would be nearly impossible to fail at anything.
@ mb21:
Yeah my top 4 would be constant. I can’t really order most of my list though, but I’ll try. I think I just suck at making definitive decisions as far as favorites go (dying laughing) My current 10:
1) Dead. Hands down will never change from the top.
2) Jerry Garcia Band (I’m cheating here by adding this because I couldn’t decide on a 10)
3-4) Beatles/Floyd
5-6) Yonder Mountain String Band / Railroad Earth
7-8) Allman Brothers / Neil Young/ Bob Dylan
10) Widespread Panic
Honorable Mention: Doors, moe., Simon and Garfunkel
Cubs minors might be interesting this year. Very interesting
Maybe it’s just me, but I always preferred Tull to Zepplin. My top ten fluctuates wildly at times, but Tull is always in there somewhere.
@ koboldekobold:
That’s true. My brother had a character who was so insanely powerful I made him retire the guy, but he liked that kind of simple-minded all-powerful type, so it worked for him.
@ Mucker:
I almost forgot about Phantoms. Yeah, that was a good one, one of his scariest for sure. In some of his later books he would have characters go on long political diatribes. That’s when I quit reading him. Show, don’t tell, dude.
@ Mucker:
My Junior High principal was this terrifying hardass with a PhD, so she was “DOCTOR Brummet.” One of the most terrifying educators I’ve ever come across, and purely on reputation. I never had any encounter with her until one day I was in the principals office (I wasn’t in trouble….long story) she saw me reading a Stephen King book. SK was banned in our JH library, so I thought I was in trouble for sure. She goes “If you like Stephen King…. you have to try Midnight by Dean R. Koontz.” Most terrifying/gratifying moment of my young life.
@B
I read the entire Narnia series, but the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is the only one I can even remember, honestly, except the Magician’s Nephew which was like a prequel to LWW written later, that one was okay. I liked the origin story of the wardrobe (hint: magic tree).
GBTS, what’s the extent of Sapp’s liability with regards to federal whistleblower protections over this Shockey thing? Being as he’s an NFL employee, if Shockey is actually the whistleblower (and Florio says he has credible league sources that say Shockey was not involved in the investigation in any way), then case seems clear, i.e. Sapp committed a federal crime, and the NFLN abetted it by allowing him to do it on-air. But if Shockey is not the whistleblower–as it now appears he is not–what’s Sapp and the NFLN’s exposure here?
@ bubblesdachimp:
Let me know when they get to AA. Among all the young players I’m probably most interested to see how Candelario does. Dude has a great walk rate and puts the ball in play. Only 17 last year and just DSL, but still.
@ mb21:
Agreed. If he starts at Peoria too they will be my favorite team to track
@ josh:
Really? SK was banned in your school? That seems ridiculous.
@ EnricoPallazzo:
Nice pic of Vogelbach.
[spoiler]Dan Vogelbach’s blood type is Glendon Rusch[/spoiler]
That picture lost a girl on the way down looks like. 10 jump up, 9 come down.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
The early reports on him aren’t encouraging. Losing weight is great and I hope for his sake he keeps it off, but I’m getting the impression that weight is part of the reason he’s been so good at his age (kind a like Fielder). Slim Fielder would still be good, but probably not nearly as good and definitely not nearly as much fun to watch.
Carrie Muskat @CarrieMuskat Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Sveum on B-Jackson: “He’s the best young player I’ve seen in Major League camp. I’ve seen some good young ones.
Carrie Muskat @CarrieMuskat Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
More Sveum on B-Jackson: “I think he’s the type of kid who will put pressure on us to get him here one way or the other.”
nice to see
@ mb21:
Yeah, that report from KLaw is deflating. “Slow bat” is never something you want to hear about a guy.
@ mb21:
I don’t know about that. You have to be strong too. You just can’t be a fat peice of shit and hit balls like that. If that were the case, I’d be in the big leagues right now. (dying laughing) He’s very young and his strength hasn’t even come close to maturing yet. Maybe he’s still getting used to swinging without the extra weight or trying to swing around extra body mass.
Sveum’s just waiting for Jackson to get the handle on his bunts and TOOTBLANs. Then he’ll be ready for the big time.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
It is early in camp… Also his sister is kinda cute…
/twitterstalk
Jeff Saturday——> Packers
Agreed on the fluidity of the Top 5 bands. I’ll try to keep it to 5, but…
The Band
The Velvet Underground
The Clash
Iggy & the Stooges (Ron Asheton version)
The Drive-By Truckers
Even I think its ridiculous that 3 of those 5 bands only lasted about 3 years. What the fuck is wrong with me? Anyway, fighting it out to knock one of these out on any given day:
Neil Young & Crazy Horse, The Beatles, The Hold Steady, The Dexateens, The New York Dolls, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Otis Redding w/the Stax House Band, & Big Brother & the Holding Company.
also, these people:http://youtu.be/KgjSHxEeyhE
@ josh:
I played a little MechWarrior in my erstwhile youth, played a lot more Warhammer in highschool/college. I sold all my stuff a few years ago though, didn’t have the time or skill to deal with all those minis.
Ok, I don’t know how to embed a video so that it shows up with a preview and not just a link. Maybe this will work:
@ Mucker:
Bears ought to swoop for Dallas Clark.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
No money for that until we cut barber. Plus he doesnt really block. I know with Martz gone that isnt as big of an issue. But if we realyl wanted him we should not have resigned Davis
Mucker wrote:
I like it.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Agreed. The Bears need a good receiving TE. Unless they plan on looking to the draft to fill that void, I’m surprised that haven’t kicked the tires on Clark or Tamme.
@ WaLi:
I listen to the classics some, but I’m a punker at heart. Favorite musical acts:
1) Streetlight Manifesto
2) Lagwagon
3) The Geto Boyz
4) The Ataris
5) The Mountain Goats
6) Big D & The Kids Table
7) House of Pain
8] Operation Ivy
9) Bright Eyes
10) Jedi Mind Tricks
I usually only listen to about one album by each of these acts. For example, I love the Ataris, but I can’t stand anything after Blue Skies, Broken Hearts, Next Twelve Exits. Three Rap Ensembles and Seven Bands make up this lineup. I actually like Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution, Common Rider, and Bad Astronaut to Streetlight Manifesto, Operation Ivy and Lagwagon, but these are the most well known incarnations of the songwriters I listed.
I have no idea who would make my top 5 bands list. I do know that I fucking hate The Beatles. Though if you remove Hey Jude from their songography (or whatever the fuck you call it) my hate would be much less.
@ Berselius:
Was that a need for the Pack? I don’t know much about their line other that it wasn’t very good.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
I have no idea, I know nothing of labor law.
@ bubblesdachimp:
Barber is as good as cut. Clark blocks just fine, too. I don’t know how he ever got the rep as a guy that doesn’t block, but it’s just a complete falsehood. He didn’t get a lot of chances to block because Moore liked to use him in the slot, but Clark blocks just fine when he’s asked to block. How do you think Edgerrin James used to get the corner so often? Not because Marvin “No Contact Sport” Harrison was out there blocking. He’s basically a better version of Desmond Clark at this point in his career.
@ GBTS:
That’ll be $350.
GBTS wrote:
@ Mucker:
Yeah, their line was not great, and they lost Wells. I see people on twitter complaining about the Packers needing to improve their defense, but 2011 defense was more or less the same one as their dominating 2010 one, minus Nick Collins and Cullen Jenkins. Packers build better out of the draft anyway, they just need a new pass rusher.
@ GBTS:
Cases go from red to black by way of green.
I’m a hard rock/metal head……Sabbath, Priest, Pantera, Van Halen, GnR, UFO, Whitesnake(John Sykes era), Zeppelin, early Journey, Kiss, Racer X, Dio, early Metallica, Megadeth, Skynyrd…….those are my fave bands. I do enjoy most genres of music though.
The NFC North is bizarre. Three top-flight QBs protected by what are probably the three worst OL in the NFL.
@ Mucker:
Just from the library. It was a weird school in New Mexico. I don’t know the reason why. Could have been just because of violence, or kids were defacing Stephen King books, or a religious group petitioned. I actually thought that you couldn’t have Stephen King books at all, so when I got called to the office and had that book on me, I was expecting the worst.
Ramones, Elvis Presley, Beastie Boys, Hank Williams Howlin’ Wolf, Bo Diddley, Clash, Sex Pistols, Modern Lovers, Pogues, Rolling Stones, Cramps, Run DMC, Stooges, Chuck Berry in no particular order
Next tier would include Kinks, Velvet Underground, Beatles, Dead, Zeppelin, Dylan, Gene Vincent, Muddy Waters, Woody Guthrie, Link Wray, Johnny Cash, James Brown, Billy Childish, Buzzcocks, Public Enemy, the Who, the Smiths, Undertones, and loads more you’ve probably never heard of.
I was waiting forever for you to ask!
I am going to see Mick Jones play some Clash songs next week.
Purple lentil algebra
@ Urk:
Never heard of them, but dig the song.
I’m fickle like the wind. I rarely listen to anything I listened to even five years ago. I constantly search for new bands.
@ josh:
Yeah, I would’ve been shitting my pants. To me, there was no worse feeling in the world like getting called down to the prinicipal’s office. I didn’t give a shit about school punishment. But having to go home and face mom and dad was brutal. I grew up in the 80s when an ass whooping was expected.
Really, the only artist whose albums I consistently buy and enjoy from childhood to the recent present is Weird Al.
First 45: I Want to Hold Your Hand
First album: Jackson 5′s Greatest Hits
Most recent download: “Girls Talk” by Dave Edmunds
@ Berselius:
There are some bad Beatles songs, but they have a lot of really good shit too. I think that happens when you play music for so long (and start doing drugs)
Ok, since Ryno isn’t here to do it, to bring this thread to completion:
a/s/l/pic?
Suburban kid wrote:
What is this I don’t even
GBTS wrote:
That’s SK showing his age.
Mucker wrote:
It’s one band for every decade he’s lived.
@ Berselius:
@ Mucker:
It’s not just about weight, but if losing weight made him a better player and made him more valuable then I think we can safely say he’d do just about any thing possible to lose weight. What I’m saying is that I don’t think excess weight is necessarily going to hamper anyone’s career just as I don’t think losing weight is suddenly going to improve anyone. In fact, gaining weight can have a negative impact and I would assume for some of the larger players that losing weight could as well. It’s why I don’t like the idea of teams taking someone like Vogelbach. The dude can hit a baseball a long way for someone his age, but it’s only going to be more difficult for him to lose weight as he ages. The Cubs drafted someone who was a great hitter and they’ve had him lose a significant amount of weight. While that’s undoubtedly healthy for Vogelbach, it does not mean he’s going to be as good or better. It means he’ll be different than the player they drafted.
I don’t have a problem with Vogelbach losing weight, but I wish he would have given some of his excess bulk to Hayden Simpson.
I wish our macros would do more than one word. I’d love to to a Hayden ———> Homer macro (dying laughing)
http://www.theonion.com/articles/tim-tebow-absolutely-horrified-after-first-phone-c,27717/
Suburban kid wrote:
I bet I’ve heard of ‘em! Especially since we seem to be cultural twinsies. I love that you list the Buzzcocks and the Undertones. I am now kicking myself for leaving off X, The MInutemen, Big Star, The Replacements, and Yo La Tengo, any of whom could end up in my first tier on any given day. And the Cramps. ooh, and The Gun club! and…and….
I tried to limit my list to “Bands” just to keep it more do-able. Lots of the folks you have up there-especially in the Presely, Dylan, Bo Diddley, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, Link Wray vein- would have made mine otherwise. And Patti Smith, Howlin’ Wolf. And James Luther Dickinson, the father of the two brothers in the North Missisippi All Stars.
The All Stars are as close as I get to really loving any jam band, tho I like a few Dead and Little Feat records a lot. Anyone who was digging the SRV talk here the other day should give the North Mississippi All Stars a listen. Amazing rhythmic interplay and total guitar genius. I went and saw them last november in Iowa City and they melted my face. It was a show in a bar and I kept thinking that i’d go get a beer in a minute, didn’t manage to pull myself away until the end of the set.
@ Urk:
I’m not the hugest Buddy Guy fan in the world, but I did see him live once, and he puts on a pretty good/very drunk show.
Marion Barber ————-> Retired
@ mb21:
I hear what you are saying. I was just saying that I don’t think we can attribute his recent struggles or slow bat to him losing weight. It’s quite possible that it has but I think we need more information to make that assessment. Common sense tells me that losing weight means losing fat. Which should result in a faster bat. Unless he lost 20-25 lbs of muscle and kept the fat, I just dont’ see how this weight loss contributes to his struggles. I guess I would just like to hear from someone other than KLaw to support his opinion.
Mercurial Outfielder wrote:
Way to go out on top, buddy!
Suburban kid wrote:
I love “girls Talk.” Both Edmunds & the Costello Original.
first 45: Convoy – CW Mcall
First Album: London Calling (well, first album bought with my own money. Actual first album was “The Green Hornet Theme and other TV greats!”
Most Recent download: Cracker Live at…I don’t remember where. Live album from somewhere in Europe I think. Recent.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Really? That’s kind of sad. I’ll admit, I wished death upon him after that Broncos loss but I didn’t think he needed to retire.
@ Suburban kid:
Shit, It’s nice to see someone else who isn’t repeating just “Stones, Beatles, but Greatful Dead is better”. I prefer Dylan to both, I used to rock Velvet Underground. The Clash are probably my favorite early punk band. There will always be a place for the Beasties and the Sex Pistols on my shelf.
I like that hip-hop is represented here. I don’t like Run-DMC or Public Enemy. I haven’t heard much but it’s just not as good as other stuff out at the time. 3rd Bass, NWA, Ice-T, and KRS-One are the best of that decade. Tupac writes some great stuff too.
@ Urk:
As far as Jam Bands go, I like Gov’t Mule alot, along with Les Claypool’s Flying Frog Brigade. Another band right up that alley is the Contential Drifters. Sort of Alt-Folk Country, but some really good stuff. Hard as hell to find though.
No Prog fans here??
King Crimson
Pink Floyd
Porcupine Tree
Dire Straits
Dream Theater
Railroad Earth (probably fav contemporary act now that Porcupine Tree looks defunct)
solo work – Steven Wilson, Knopfler, JJ Cale, Peter Gabriel, Miles, DiMeola
EDIT: also love the Mule and Warren Haynes stuff.
http://kissingsuzykolber.uproxx.com/2012/03/phil-taylor-lofty-troll-traveler.html
(dying laughing)
@ Suburban kid:
SK, you oughtta check out The Dexateens. Semi-local band from Tuscaloosa who started out like Southern 3-guitar punk rock, and calmed down a little later, but had great songwriting and attitude all the way through. Really really good free record for download here, that catches them about halfway between the out of control early stuff and the later acoustic material: http://www.skybucket.com/media/dexateens/
Via: Aaron Gleeman
Matt Forte take note
@ AB:
I dig some of the Dream Theater stuff. I can usually listen to Floyd if its on the music player, unless I need something louder. I go back to Floyd more than most 60s/70s bands.
Mucker wrote:
i just checked out racer x b/c of your post. not really sure how these dudes stayed off my radar for so long because they are righteously awesome. thanks man. ever listen to gamma ray? they’re another band i recently discovered.
the first CD i ever bought was sir mix-a-lot. no shit. i still have it.
Belvedere has now apologized for this ad.
Pretty badass: http://www.businessinsider.com/lebron-james-trayvon-martin-killing-2012-3
@ AB:
The only thing I know about King Crimson is New Standard Tuning. I tried it for a while. I liked it for rhythm, but I’m not enough of a musician to figure out solos with it.
@ Urk:
Oh yeah, the first 45 that I bought wasn’t actually a Beatles record. That was given to me by my babysitter and was all scratched up.
The first one I bought was just as sublime as yours: Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Suede.
I don’t listen to any bands enough to develop deep meaningful opinions on them, but most of what I listen to these days (in no particular order) is Eagles, Journey, Bon Jovi, Joan Jett, CCR, Steve Miller Band, Def Leppard, Deep Purple, Skynard, Fleetwood Mac, Guns n Roses, Bryan Adams, Johnny Cash, probably some more things that I’m forgetting. I like blues rock and big dumb arena rock (dying laughing)
@ Urk:
Good name, I’ll check em out.
Wow @ Belvedere. That’s fucked.
@ AB:
I like King Crimson a lot, esp. the 80s Adrian Belew era stuff. Fripp is an awesome and really interesting player. I have a soft spot in my hear for Jethro Tull, left over from my pre-punk early teens mostly. Other than that, prog has mostly defeated my attempts to get interested in it.
I do like Gov’t. Mule, tho more to see live than on record. I worked sound for them a few times and really enjoyed it a lot.
Once I got over my punk rock purity phase, I pretty much don’t discount any genres. The core of what I like the best tho is basic rock and roll with smart lyrics and a bad attitude.
@ Suburban kid:
You’d do well to watch Another State of Mind. It follows the 1982 tour of punk bands Social Distortion and Better Youth Organization. BYO is a really interesting story (and quite a good outfit) while it gives an early look into the chaotic career of singer/songwriter Mike Ness. BYO was actually headlining the tour. I believe they also meet up with Minor Threat late in the documentary.
It gives a lot of insight into the early Cal-Punk scene.
@ EnricoPallazzo:
I discovered Racer X through Paul Gilbert who is the guitarist. I was really into the shred guitar in my early 20s and had his instructional video. He was also the guitarist for Mr. Big which I knew from their ballad To Be With You. I had no idea how good he was until I saw that instr. video and he blew my mind. If you liked Racer X from what you’ve seen, check out their live album “Live at the Whiskey: Snowball of Doom”……..fucking epic.
@ EnricoPallazzo:
No, i’ve never heard of Gamma Ray but I’ll check them out.
On my MP3 player right now is The White Stripes, Slipknot and Leonard Cohen. I recently discovered Blotted Science, a cool instrumental guitar band. If you name an album “The Animation of Entomology” I’m probably going to buy it. Lately, I can’t hear enough Mastodon.
@ Mucker:
i will download it as soon as i get home. thanks! been looking for some new metal lately.
Mucker wrote:
they’re fronted by kai henson of “helloween” fame, if that means anything to you.
Urk wrote:
Adrian Belew is an interesting guitar player from what I’ve heard on Crimson, although ‘beat’ and ‘Disciplie’ are the only 80s Crimson I’ve heard all the way through. Bill Bruford is probably my favorite rock drummer.
@ Mucker:
German metal band. I like some of Hammerfall’s stuff, in the power metal genre. Edguy has a few good songs.
@ EnricoPallazzo:
If you are looking for some new metal……I would also suggest Accept’s ablum “Blood of the Nations” which came out in 2010…….fucking brutal. What kind of metal are you into? I don’t know if you’ve heard of Lynch Mob which has George Lynch in it but their first album “Wicked Sensation” is an album that most people never heard of but is one of my fave albums of all time.
@ Pezcore:
I was over hardcore by ’82. From So-Cal I loved Black Flag and TSOL, enjoyed Flipper and the DKs from the Bay Area. I didn’t listen to Minor Threat till much later but it’s pretty awesome — pretty much the quintessential hardcore blueprint. Chicago produced really boring hardcore bands.
@ EnricoPallazzo:
No, doesn’t ring a bell. I have very peculiar taste in my metal. Everything has to mesh for me to enjoy. But i’ll give them a look.
@ EnricoPallazzo:
Not exactly like Gamma Ray, but Poisonblack, Soilwork, Samael, and Century are bands that Gamma Ray kind of led me to. Red Fang and High on Fire if you guys like stoner metal. I like The Sword. Kind of a modern American Black Sabbath.
@ AB:
Hey buddy, huge Pink Floyd and Dream Theater fan. I also bought Dire Straits greatest hits just for Sultans of Swing, but I like most everything else on it too.
I could never list movies, but for music…
Lyle Lovett
Barenaked Ladies
Stan Rogers (Canadian folk)
Alan Parsons Project
Five for Fighting
(Early) Ben Folds
Paul Simon (w or w/o Garfunkel)
Fleetwood Mac
Joni Mitchell
Willie Nelson
Plain White T’s
For me, lyrics matter a lot. That’s why I never listened to metal except when my friends played it, because I couldn’t make out the lyrics, and even if I don’t sing along in key, I don’t want to scream.
Evolution of NFL logos:
@ SkipVB:
Same. I actually used to listen to a ton of metal in my youth but as I mellowed out *cough cough* lyrics became more important than thrash solos.
@ SkipVB:
I have a absolutely terrible ear for lyrics, and couldn’t even tell you what they were on many songs that I’ve listened to dozens of times. I love songs that have great driving bass lines (e.g. Smoke On The Water).
As far as Dream Theater goes, I’d say both John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy deserve to be in the discussion of best guitarist and drummer, respectively. Liquid Tension Experiment (Petrucci’s side project) is all instrumental, but some very powerful stuff. I love State of Grace and Freedom of Speech.
Colin’s piece on the rise of the relief pitcher: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=16287
@ Mish:
Opposite for me. I used to think Bon Jovi had the answers to why I was sad and lonely encoded on his magic words. The only time I get really interested in lyrics is something really poetic, like Leonard Cohen’s “Take this Walz.”
This is kind of an obvi quote but still a goodie:
On a related note, I’m not usually one to call for MLB rule changes, but I wholeheartedly agree with those who think we need to stem the tide of time delays caused by multiple pitching changes.
@ ACT:
I like the suggestion that a mid-inning reliever can only be removed if a run has scored since he entered the game.
@ Berselius:
@ Mish:
Yeah, well, I have to admit that Lyle Lovett mumbles a lot when he sings, but some of his songs are incredibly funny or twisted, so I look listen with the insert open right after I get a new CD. (I don’t have an mp3 player yet.)
Getting to the point now where I’m think that the old days with the Graceland cassette on full volume in Mom’s Accord is going to make me have to get my ears checked now.
@ ACT:
Well, less so now that LaRussa is done, right? No, I agree.
I’m getting bored of Spring Training.
AAAAAOUCH!
Yankees right-hander Joba Chamberlain underwent surgery Thursday night for an open dislocation in his right ankle, general manager Brian Cashman said Friday morning.
An open dislocation is one in which the bone protrudes from the skin. It’s conceivable that Chamberlain could miss all of the season as a result.
@ josh:
Sometimes life just be that way.
I’m partial to the idea that once a pitcher is brought into a game (mid-inning), he can’t throw warm-up pitches. He already had a chance to do that in the bullpen. Advertisers would fight that rule, though, as would relievers and managers.
@ josh:
As Colin’s article shows, LaRussa has left a huge mark on all managers. And I agree, Spring Training is boring. I watched part of last night’s ESPN game between the Yanks and Sawx, and it should have been exciting, but both teams had their ace pitchers throw in minor league games instead, at the risk of “over-exposing” their pitchers to their opponents. Ugh.
@ josh:
Interest in lyrics/singing happened when I started playing guitar and realized that a dying llama has a better voice than I. So that part of songwriting became something that I envied and appreciated.
I like all the metal talk. I had no idea any of you were into it. I used to be a big metal head and wrote for a few metal publications. I fell out of the genre for about 10 years, though, and am just starting to get back into it. In fact, I just recently joined a new metal band and we’re working on our first album.
@ ACT:
I didn’t read it, yet. I’ll check it out later when I get some time.
Now we’re at that point where the Cubs have already said they’re sending B Jax and Rizzo and anyone who was interesting down. My interest tanked.
@ WenningtonsGorillaCock:
Hey, and you’ve already got a good name for it.
@ Mish:
See, again, I had the opposite reaction. I realized I was an atrocious singer, so I would never be able to emulate the singers I admired, so I just lowered my standards. I always just liked high-energy stuff where you sing really loud. I’m not much of a screamer, in my day-to-day life, but I like the energy of it.
@ WenningtonsGorillaCock:
Awesome. What instrument to you play?
Marion Barber just retired. Weird he was only 28, although not very good.
@ josh:
I need to work on my folk rap guitar skills, cuz I can at least cut a rhyme every now and then. (dying laughing)
@ Mucker: yeah i am a big fan of george lynch. i am not ashamed to admit that dokken is one of my favorite bands. just checked out a random accept vid on youtube – pretty good. will have to check that album out too. i usually listen to like glam/speed/thrash/hair if i am in the mood for metal, but i like pretty much any kind except for death metal. so megadeth/dragonforce/crue/kiss/anthrax/sabbath/etc.
@ josh:
thanks man, haven’t heard of most of those bands but i will check them out. saw the sword a few years back at a bar that held about 100 people. likewise for high on fire. crowded/loud/awesome shows.
@ Mish:
This sounds promising.
The best part about not talking about baseball here is figuring out a lot of us have plenty in common in terms of music, movies, etc, and tend to be as intelligent about those topics as we are about baseball.
/kumbaya moment
@ Mish:
I’m the hiphopapotamus, my rhymes are bottomless….
…..
…….
josh wrote:
Bass. I do some vocals in this band as well.
@ EnricoPallazzo:
Those are two bands I would like to see live, and I’m not a big concert goer.
@ WenningtonsGorillaCock:
I was going to guess bass. But then I thought you might be a drummer. Hey how do you get a drummer off your porch? Pay for the pizza.
@ Berselius:
I’m wary of forcing a pitcher to stay in a game against his will. For instance, he could be dealing with an injury issue or on a strict pitch limit.
josh wrote:
“Is it true we should wait at least an hour after eating before we go in?” – Marge Simpson
“Look, question lady, this job is not what I really do, okay? I play keyboards.” – Pool Sharks Guy
@ ACT:
I didn’t mention it, but yeah, injury rules would still stay in effect.
Every McBain clip:
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/121273
I think there is a solid chance this could be the opening day lineup but with soriano and not reed…
Thoughts?
Also, DMB, Guster, Zac Brown Band, Corey Smith, Rubblebucket
Enrico, if you like Lynch, then you will dig Lynch Mob. I think they are better than Dokken and I’m a huge fan of Dokken. I saw Lynch Mob open for Michael Schenker a couple years ago in a small club venue…………unfuckingbelievable.
@ Berselius:
It’s not just an issue of sudden injury, though. It could be that the pitcher is recovering from an injury, but the manager thinks he is strong enough to face one batter, for instance. Restrictions on how a manager can control a pitcher’s playing time leads to a lot of gray areas, I think.
@ Mish:
Mish, I would agree with you about Portnoy and Petrucci. Portnoy was supposed to be in a band with John Sykes(Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, Blue Murder) but Sykes had to drop off project. That would have been fucking epic. Sykes is one of the underrated guitarists and it’s a shame more people don’t know who he is.
@ ACT:
If a guy is around but can only physically face one batter, he should be DL’d or at least not on a MLB roster.
@ bubblesdachimp:
Yeah I do the jam band thing now too, but DMB and Umphrey’s McGee are the only ones I really seek out at this point. In college I listed to moe. and String Cheese and all that. I used to be a huge Phish fan (I can tell you about my far out experince in 2009 at one of their shows) but now it doesn’t resonate as well with me. I like long solos and jams but they have to hit the right chord (no pun intended); a lot of theirs seem indistinguishable from their own other songs.
@ Berselius:
It would definitely force the manager to make decisions. Maybe you only bring in a guy like that at the end of the inning (I’m assuming between inning changes are allowed still). If he gets the out, you’re done, if he doesn’t, and they don’t score, he has to keep pitching. It could create some interesting strategies.
@ Mucker:
I know the bands Sykes was in (well, the first two), but I never heard his name before today.
@ Mish:
Yea i cant get into UM or Phish at all. I skipped UM this summer at the Chicago Caravan. Just isnt for me.
@ bubblesdachimp:
You mean the DMB Caravan? I was there too. Kid Cudi f’n killed.
@ bubblesdachimp:
I have to be in the mood for it, and only certain songs I really like.
Mish wrote:
/Every Phish fan I’ve ever met
@ Mish:
Yea i was there. Was kid cudi on saturday? If so i was so dehydrated that i ddint do much moving after dave and tim. I was insanely fuckign twisted (first show being sober for in a longgggg time)
I really enjoyed Alberta Cross if you got to check them out. Of all the shows i am seeing this year no real openers i am intrigued by. But i do get to see Guster acoustic with Jeff Garlin opening. So i am excited for that
Mish you going to Alpine?
Is this the end for Shark!?
@ Mish:
Contrary to the claim, these are not in sequence (e.g., the ending is the second clip, and he talks about avenging his partner’s death before he dies). I’ve seen them put in order elsewhere, though it may have been taken down.
@ Berselius:
It’s funny, because I know a LOT of stoners, but I don’t know a single Phish fan.
@ Berselius:
This is insanely accurate.
@ bubblesdachimp:
Alpine for DMB or Phish? I have neither on my docket right now but that may change. I’m seeing Death Cab in April; they are playing with an orchestra which is something I dig (loved Metallica’s S&M album), and I’m seeing Radiohead at Tinley Park. Those are the only shows I have scheduled right now.
Cudi was on Saturday, and I think either during or right after Dave & Tim. We didn’t get there early enough to see Dave & Tim, which sucked cuz I havent seen them together ever.
I made the papers!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-buzz/post/batman-pulled-over-in-silver-spring/2012/03/23/gIQAzjmPWS_blog.html
Geo ——> yard
Soto is trying to save F7. I don’t know. I’m so bored I’m listening to the game. I hate editing.
@ ACT:
I actually haven’t had a chance to see it, because the video itself is blocked at work. I figured posting it here would make it easier to find later.
Rizzo, Jackson ————> minor league camp
@ Mish:
They’re put in order here: http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/81308507/
@ Mish:
Alpine for DMB I am flying in for that one. Always a great time
@ Mish:
Probably just GBTS trying to frame you
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Boo.
Well, at least we have DeJesus’ bunting to look forward to, amirite?
@ bubblesdachimp:
Yeah if friends were going and an extra ticket popped up, I probably would go. But I saw them last year at Caravan and the year before at Wrigley Field (which was awesome, especially when they covered Talking Heads), so I’ve heard most of their new stuff live.
Mercurial Outfielder wrote:
Rob G says no dinner for you
http://www.obstructedview.net/news-and-rumors/daily-facepalm-3-23-12-too-many-duis-edition.html#comment-85277
Samardzija getting knocked around so far today, though at least it seems he’s still throwing strikes.
Now Samardzija’s Spring ERA is over 4. So much for his preseason performance being used as justification for his entering the rotation.
@ WenningtonsGorillaCock:
Well if you guys play the Twin Cities (chambana) let me know.
@ Berselius:
I wanna see you land okay, Jimmy. So, tell me, where don’t you want to go?
@ ACT:
I think he’s a lock either way. They’re talking him up too much.
@ Berselius:
This has always been his problem. When he throws hard and with movement, he’s got no idea where it’s going. When he takes something off, he can control it, but then it’s straight as a fucking arrow.
@ josh:
I think so, too. But he’ll be back in the ‘pen before the trading deadline.
@ josh:
Yes, but my point was that his making the rotation based on a few good Spring innings is silly.
My audio feed keeps crapping out, so I missed the epic clash of shitty Cubs prospects in Samardzija vs Colvin
@ ACT:
Oh I’m with you there. They claim he’s a different looking pitcher, but it’s been said before. I’m not getting too excited about him. Like MO said, he’ll be in the pen before long.
@ Berselius:
I’m reduced to listening to the Rockies broadcast.
@ Mish:
Wrigley was so much fun… God i love that poster too…
@ Berselius:
Jammed him with some inside heat. Jeff actually made the right pitch in the right spot, if you can believe the Rockies radio guys.
@ ACT:
Actually, now it’s even worse. Hey, maybe they’ll make him the long man or something. I don’t know if it matters, but it probably matters.
His ERA is 6.00 now. If he had this start earlier in the pre-season, would we have heard anything about his being a lock for the rotation?
@ ACT:
No way.
Oh shark…. What to do with you
Just to be that guy, this outing is also a small sample size.
@ bubblesdachimp:
Give him back to football.
@ Berselius:
This whole spring is small sample size.
I really don’t have a good answer. It doesn’t bother me if they want to start him, because I don’t think it’s going to make a huge difference.
@ josh:
Anything in on Colvin’s hands is the right spot. That is his undoing.
[spoiler title="What do Phish fans say when they run out of weed?"]This band sucks![/spoiler]
@ Berselius:
Yes, in spite of its alarming consistency with everything he’s done up to this point in his career. (dying laughing)
Berselius wrote:
I like the idea of allowing only one pitching change mid-inning. I don’t care about runs being scored. (dying laughing)
@ Berselius:
That was my point, really. It’s all small sample sizes. Better to use his whole career.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Right, but Samardzija could easily have thrown it out over the plate. It’s happened before, once or twice.
@ josh:
My point was the hole in Colvin’s swing there is so huge, it’s not a tough spot to hit. It’s not like trying to go inside on Barry Bonds. (dying laughing)
@ Berselius:
I think if this rule was adopted you’d have to set it up so that relievers who came out with an injury were at the very least unavailable to play in the next game. I’d even consider it a 3 game period of being unavailable. Otherwise the rule is useless. Every reliever will just have to come out with some kind of injury.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Yeah, good call. It was a battle of semi-ability and Jeff didn’t lose.
Geo ———-> yard again
Soto again.
mb21 wrote:
Eh, I don’t know. There are already injury rules in place and no one really exploits them. If that was the case you’d see a lot more faked injuries when a guy is being lit up and no one is warmed up enough in the bullpen.
Berselius wrote:
Except Joe Maddon.
@ ACT:
Like berselius said, he’s still throwing strikes so that’s more than enough reason. The 42 innings he threw at the end of last season he had an average walk rate!
@ Berselius:
But when that happens they take their sweet ass time so a reliever can get ready. The catcher goes to the mound slowly. Then the pitching coach crawls to the mound and after 15 seconds the infielders come in. Then they call and order a pizza and the umpire tells them to go back to the dugout.
That would happen considerably less if you allowed one change per inning and there would be no incentive to stall as managers do now.
bubblesdachimp wrote:
Since they needlessly re-signed him and are paying him $2 million or more they can either use him in mop up work or release him. That’s about all he’s worth.
JefF7 is the new Kevin Foster.
Hey b, some new ACIII stuff: http://geek.pikimal.com/2012/03/23/unearthed-assassins-creed-iii-details-reveal-weapons-boats-and-beavers/
Samardzija still hasn’t walked anyone all Spring.
I saw a topless ventriloquist the other day.
I never saw her lips moving once.
I’m a bit late to the party but I see that Soto had a very good day.
@ Rice Cube:
Yup. It’s as if the Rockies manager instructed his pitchers not to throw him any breaking balls.
@ ACT:
He would’ve just watched them go by for a ball, or swung and missed anyway.
It could go either way.
What the fuck is up with all these TOOTBLANs?
@ Rice Cube:
I’m amazed anyone ever throws him a fastball.
@ ACT:
Why let it go by when you can hit it?
Soto said a year or two ago that he knows he’s seeing the ball well when he takes a lot of walks. He’s cyclical like that, where sometimes he can see them and lay off then he’ll go into long stretches at swinging at all of the. Sori does that too.
@ josh:
I noticed last year that he let some hittable pitches sail by, as well, even with 2 strikes.
My ERA may be over 6 now but I still got a winning record, bitches!
My ERA may be over 6 now but I still got a winning record, bitches
@ ACT:
That’s true. Probably overcompensating. Hopefully he has more good stretches than bad this season.
@ Jeff F7:
and you ain’t walked anyone. In 14 innings.
new shit: http://www.obstructedview.net/commentary-and-analysis/cherry-picking.html
It’s only a coincidence that I posted this after Samardzija had a shitty outing. Then again, I could say the same thing at many points this season since he’ll have so many of them.