The High Heat

Mine is cracked. Yours?

Re-read. One day during the first time I read this book I was enjoying it while eating out for lunch and I noticed the guy next to me reading The Bible. I almost pointed out the coincidence, but at that point in the novel I was navigating through some "questionable content," so I kept my mouth shut.

What'd you think, he flew a kite all night?

Pretty much everyone in history is a jerk.

 

Benjamin Franklin, History's Only Sweethart.

Isn't the noise supposed to be a replication of what is sounds like underneath the tracks when the L is passing? I think I read that on here before anyway.

The A's should acquire Pablo Sandoval if they're going to continue facing the Tigers in the postseason.

Thought we had a thread about this song, but I couldn't find it. Found this video and liked the camerawork, getting up close during the "mayhem of noise" parts of the song.

Just been in a Summerteeth mood today, with the endless rain and gloom this week.

I've always liked Either Way. It's Sky Blue Sky that got old quick for me (and What Light somewhat). I'd probably be okay with Leave Me Like You Found Me if it wasn't song #3 of the woe-is-me trifecta on SBS. Might have made a decent side track, but I can't hack it on that album.

Heh.  I never said I was crazy about Everlasting Everything (I assume that's the one you're talking about), but the similarities are there to me.  Like a hot fraternal twin and her uglier sister.

Hey, I once knew a girl who looked like Shania Twain when she was fresh, but her identical twin chose to look more like Mark Twain and drove a ragged pickup with a "Beyond Bitch" bumper sticker.

Joe Girardi is staying with the Yankees for the next four years.

Cal Ripken has been saying the last few weeks that he wants to be actively involved in baseball again now that his kids are off to college. A conversation with Don Mattingly has him strongly considering becoming a manager. There are wild rumors floating around Ripken being a candidate for the open D.C. job. Jayson Werth has publicly said he wants Ripken. So far no word from the Nationals as to whether they consider Ripken a candidate. It'd be strange seeing The Iron Man in anything but an Orioles uniform, and I'm sure the fans in Baltimore would have a hard time with him being involved with the other team in their area.

What would be the effects of no longer requiring employers to provide healthcare insurance, letting people get it through the exchanges, and raising minimum wage to $12 per hour; so the ACA no longer effects how many hours people can work or full-time/part-time status, number of employees, etc.? I'd like to see corporations no longer using healthcare costs/ACA as an excuse to stifle all labor costs. Getting them to pay higher wages could be a lot easier if they could be divorced from requiring private insurance for their employees.

Of course, I understand that if we had a single payer plan, this wouldn't be a question.

Affordable Chili Act

Dusty Baker is out in Cincinnati.

and...

A-Rod is suing MLB.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/10/alex-rodriguez-sues-major-league-baseball.html

Late night breakfast

Gardenhire is staying with the Twins, and the Mets and Royals are keeping their managers. Eric Wedge has left Seattle, saying there's no contract that could have convinced him to stay, as he has a different philosophy on the direction of the franchise than one or more of the executives he answers to. Jim Leyland also has a contract coming to an end, but I think he's in year-to-year mode at this point in his career anyway. So there's probably only going to be three managerial openings, unless the Brewers and Padres cut Roenicke and Black (which is doubtful). I suppose the Rangers and/or Reds are possibilities, but I would guess that'd be only if they completely tank it early in the playoffs. I don't think the Angels want to eat five years of Scioscia's contract, but if the Nationals wanted to trade a quality player for him...

Several reports are coming out that the Cubs have fired Dale Sveum.

Joe Girardi's recent comments:

Joe Girardi met with reporters today (Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger provides a partial transcript) and admitted he has yet to make up his mind about returning to the Yankees next season. "It comes down to family. They are first," said Girardi. "Whatever is best for the group of us, not one individual, not me or just my wife, or just one of my children, whatever is best for us as a group, that’s what we’ll decide to do. And that’s something I put some thought into, and I’m going to have to think about a lot over the next few days, obviously." Girardi added money will not play a factor in his decision. 

Many have speculated Girardi could be the next Cubs manager, if Dale Sveum is fired. Girardi, however, downplayed the connection to his hometown. "I haven’t lived there since 2006. I have a brother still there, a couple brothers there, actually. But my father’s gone. My mother’s gone. So there’s not as much there as there used to be."

Dave Winfield's ten year Yankees contract is the only one I can think of that panned out.

Amazon has the cd set (pre-order) for $265 and the USB for $365.

Dylan store is $280 and $320.

I recall reading somewhere that the Dylan (1973) album is going to be included in the collection.

This CD boxed set contains 35 studio titles (including first-ever North American release of 1973's Dylan album on CD), 6 live albums, 2-CD "Side Tracks," and hardcover book featuring new album-by-album liner notes by Clinton Heylin and new introduction by Bill Flanagan.

"Side Tracks" brings together for the first time two discs worth of previously released non-album singles, tracks from Biograph and other compilations, songs from films and more.

The Complete Album Collection Vol. One will also be available as a limited-edition harmonica-shaped USB stick containing all the music, in both MP3 and FLAC lossless formats, with a digital version of the hardcover booklet, housed in a deluxe numbered box.

The Bob Dylan Complete Album Collection Vol. One will be available on Tuesday, November 5, 2013.

Robinson Cano is seeking a 10 year/$305MM contract. I guess he doesn't like being out-crazied by Carlos Gomez.

Two interesting free agents this offseason: Joe Girardi and Ron Gardenhire.

There are rumors floating around about Girardi returning home to the Cubs, who like Dale Sveum, but aren't in love with him either. The building process could accelerate with a guy like Girardi. The Yankees aren't looking so illustrious anymore with the retirements of Rivera and Pettitte and the uncertainty of Jeter, Teixiera, Sabathia, Cano, and A-Rod.

Gardenhire could become the next Bruce Bochy if he were to go to the Nationals. While the Twins have some very exciting hitting prospects on the verge of coming up, their pitching is a long, long way off. Gardenhire is an underrated manager who could more likely win a championship in DC than in the Twin Cities. Leaving San Diego sure did work wonders for Bochy's career.

the baseball team was named after the 1967 International and Universal Exposition in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. There were several Vietnam war protesters present. Have you ever smelled a hippie? It would not shock me at all if a Giant, Pirate, Cardinal or Cub ran away with purpose

Oh.

My respect for Rusty Staub has now increased tenfold. He must have felt conflicted.

The Eagles I can tolerate, but I feel homicidal whenever I hear a John Mayer song.