One Month In...

Well, here we are in May already, and the baseball season is 1/6th over. Given the struggles of the Yankees, which are well-documented, I'm happy to be 13/11 after today's embarrassing loss to another no-name, carerr minor leaguer named Matt Palmer. What is it about players in pinstripes, that when they face a pitcher for the first time, they are INCAPABLE of putting good wood on the ball? I've seen this DOZENS of times, now... Its very annoying. Usually, its not a good prospect that handcuffs the whole lineup, its a no-namer, 30 year old making his first start of his career, throwing 88 mph. I would love to see them interview each batter individually after each AB in which they made another routine out against these pitchers, and find out what they feel went "wrong." I could see it now:

Susan Waldman: Johnny, what did you see from Matt Palmer just now?
Johnny Damon: Well he was spotting his fastball pretty good, and mixing up his pitches, and he just kept us all off balance.
SW: We've only seen him throw that "fast" ball and a change today through the first 5 innings. Were you looking for something else?
JD: No not really. I was looking dead red fastball, but I was so focused on the middle of the plate, that when he opted for the outside corner, I was totally caught off guard, and didn't know what to make of it.
SW: How is his delivery? Are you finding it difficult to pick-up the ball out of his delivery?
JD: No, he's a standard, over-the-top pitcher.
SW: So if I understand, the pitcher threw a flat fastball at 88, then a change-up at 70, he has done this for 85 pitches over and over, and in your 12 years in the MLB, you couldn't anticipate his next moves?
JD: Well, we're just going to come out there tomorrow and keep doing what we're doing. I'm just so happy to be a part ofa winning organization and Mr. Steinbrenner is great and I play LF.
SW: ..........Thanks, Johnny.

I would imagine that each and every player would say the same thing. You could say they aren't prepared, and that their hitting coach isn't doing his job, but they have gone through at LEAST 2 pitching coaches since I can recall forst seeing this trend. And the only players still in the lineup from that far back are Jeter and Posada. I got nothin'. Any ideas?

10 Pillars

I thought this was relevant to this blog. Below are the 10 Pillars of Communism, as outlined in the Communist Manifesto...


1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes (LAND TAKINGS BY GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT OWNED LANDS, ABUSIVE PROPERTY TAXES, Eminant Domain).
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax. (DONE)
3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance. (The "Death Tax")
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels. (THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED)
5. Centralization of credit in the banks of the state, by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly. (Federal Reserve)
6. Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the state. (THE FCC HAS BROAD POWERS IN THIS AREA)
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state; the bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan. (THE FARM BILL HAS ACCOMPLISHED SOME OF THIS)
8. Equal obligation of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture. (PEACE CORPS, JOB CORPS, Obama's "National Service" Law)
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of all the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the populace over the country. (PARTIAL-LAND USE PLANNING, KELO RULINGS, ETC.)
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children’s factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, etc. (DONE)


Open your eyes, people.