Cup of Coffee: July 29, 2008
Posted by SBG on Tuesday, July 29th, 2008 at 6:00 am
The Twins pounded the White Sox 7-0 to start a four game series with the AL Central leaders. It's nice to see a couple of balls go over the fence, including one from Denard Span. Span's gonna make it tough for the Twins to take him out of the lineup. I'd like to see him get a couple of starts in center field while Carlos Gomez recovers from his injury (I know, he got an at bat last night and scored a run). Plus, any time the Twins beat Mark Buehrle, it's good day, even if Dread Pirate Will Young loves Mark (I'm ducking!).
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Happy 55th, Ken Burns...
My papers from Trinity came in the mail yesterday. I'm that much closer to my trip to Europe.
Did said papers include a note from Morpheus too?
+ 2 sequels.
I just got two bags of cookies from the vending machine. It's the best thing to happen to me at work in a long tmie.
It's a good thing you won't have to do that job too much longer.
That's great! Now try saying that while doing your best Kevin or Stanley impression and you'll have your very own episode of The Office!
That would be funny. Kevin would be super excited about the prospect of double cookies, while Stanley would be disponent that that is, in fact, the best part of his day.
Kevin - "I put money in the vending machine... and two bags of cookies came out.... that's soooo awwwwesome!"
Stanley - "After 10 years with this company the biggest bonus I have received is a second bag of cookies out of our vending machine"
Tobey - "Pam... I was getting a bag of cookies for a snack, and thought you would like one too, so here.... it's a bag of cookies"
Michael- "You know, as a beloved leader, I get extra benefits, such as extra cookies out of the vending machine"
Dwight- "Ok, everyone... we have a crisis... it appears that the vending machine is dropping extra product on a random basis. Everyone will cease and desist from using the vending machine until I, your safety and security officer, can have it fixed. Also, I will be searching everyones bags, desk drawers and garbages to make sure all Dunder Mifflin product is accounted for."
Pam- "Jim, I got an extra bag of cookies out of the vending machine... would you like a treat" Michael- "That's what she said"
Phyllis- "This must be my lucky day. I just got 2 bags of cookies out of the vending machine" Angela- "Cookies are whorish!"
Creed- "I thought no one else ever ate cookies here, so I swung a deal with the vending guy. He sets the machine up to drop me extra cookies, and I leave 2 reams of paper on top of the machine the day he reloads. Some might call it stealing, but I call it seizing the moment."
speaking of The Office, I am watching the series DVD (thanks Netflix!) and I love the commertary
The Office has got to be my favorite network show on the air right now (close behind is 30 Rock)
The Office does rock. I have season one on disc and when people say they have tried to watch it and did not like it, I loan them my disc. You really have to watch at least 4-5 episodes before you really get what is going on and become hooked.
A side note: I was wearing my Dunder Mifflin T-shirt when I dropped my kids off at Bible School today. My pastor walks up and laughs: "Dunder Mifflin... I love that show. So are you the assistant to the Regional Manager or the Assistant Regional Manager"
Also, Dunder Mifflin has a great monthly newsletter. Check it out.
hahah. thats great. I love the little aside lines "To The..." when Dwight tries to claim to be the ASR
That's awesome! Is zooomx really Ken Tremendous?
"That's awesome! Is zooomx really Ken Tremendous?"
I have not used that moniker in over 20 years. Give me a break... I was a poor college student, the lady said it was for her own private collection, and she was actually cute for a retiring english professor.
Well, here I am once again, at work with a magnificent hangover. But boy did I ever have a blast at the Twins game! And the bar afterwards! And the other bar afterwards! And the other bar afterwards!
But seriously, it was one of the most fun games I have ever been to.
Every single team in the AL Central is 5-5 over their last 10 games.
Mediocre!
small sample size
DustinJasonJustin Morneau has been in full 'Beast Mode' this monthstat line: (22 gms 97 plate appearances).372 /485 /.705 /1.190
Im glad he is on our team
Ozzie called him the best hitter in the American League in his post game last night. He does just plain look solid right now. He knows when to turn on the ball, and when to go with the pitch. He is smart with the situation. You don't see him swinging for the fences when there is a man on second and a tight game. He will take the single.
thats sweet. Ozzie has a guy on his team that is having an awesome season in Jermaine Dye.
It's hard to argue with that. Watching Joe and Justin bat back-to-back is a lot of fun. Each time it looks like they're trying to win a battle against the pitcher, and not one against themselves. Mauer's always been that way, and it's been awesome watching Justin become that type of hitter.
Anybody interested in writing one of the Twins "Splinters" for Gameday next month? You get to write a one-page preview of the series. Part of it is devoted to the upcoming starting pitchers (you can pull about 5 short bullet points for each pitcher) and then a longer essay on something to do with the team.
Let me know if anyone wants to give it a shot.
Are you editing?
Yup. I'm writing the Twins entry for the upcoming Cleveland series now, but am looking to "outsource" some of the writing for one of the Yankees, Mariners, or A's series. I just think I would probably produce something pretty stale by the end of the month if I write all four.
I might be interested in writing a feature article. How long are those supposed to be?
I'll shoot you an email shortly with the template.
A few minor league transactions to note today. The season is over for the mayor of Ft. Myers, who undergoes surgery for a torn labrum today. Brian Duensing takes leave to prepare for the Olympics. Also, Anthony Swarzak moves up from New Britain to Rochester. And Jason Pridie has been swinging a hot bat.
Sen Ted Stevens (R-AK) indicted
Man, that story got out on the "series of tubes" fast. I guess the Internets aren't a bridge to nowhere.
For Banjo, Greenmachine, Suspended, other bike gurus,
I spent some quality time with my old bike, and it turns out it's not in as bad shape as I previously thought. I scrubbed the rust off the front wheel and it looks like it will hold up fine, The only real problems are the dented/warped rear wheel, the brake cables, and a broken front derailer. I'm excited about getting it fixed up! Seems much more fun than just buying a bike.
I did a little forensics on the decals, and discovered that it is the "Tour of Britain" model made by a company called Wearwell. I still don't know exactly what year, but I'm pretty sure it was built in the mid 70's. I tried to find more information about it on the internet, but there's practically nothing out there about the company after the 1950's.
I also have a question about converting it to a single speed. Do I really want a single speed? What exactly makes it better than a multi-gear bike? Would I still need to fix the derailer if I got a single speed wheel?
The guys here might know some more stuff about the bike and be able to help you out...
That sounds great...and there is something about saving an old bike. Why a singlespeed:
From my perspective, the # 1 reason would be less maintenance. If the rear wheel was not damaged, you'd be able to re-build and get this bike functioning great for around $100. In the terrain around the city, there are very few hills which cannot be navigated on a singlespeed. You're also young enough to grunt out the hills that might be too tough for an old geezer too. Also, short of an internal rear hub, this bike is best ridden year-round in this terrain, or as they say in the "shoulder-seasons" where mud, snow rain, dirt and grime will mess up the drive train.
There's nothing to say you can't restore the bike to a working 10 speed. It sort of depends on the condition of the components and if they can be salvaged.
I've ridden thousands of miles around Minneapolis on my singlespeed and have had only one mechanical issue ---- a broken chain which cost all of $12 to repair. On average, I've probably spent less than $10 per year on maintenance on the bike and it is still a fun bike to ride.
NG- I converted my mountain bike to a single speed recently and haven't looked back. I get a lot of questions about my single speed at just about every place I go, most people wonder why I would take the gears off a bike intended to have 24. I tell them that there is no mechanical hassle with this bike. I just pedal and it just goes. The only disadvantage so far is that when I do have to go up hill a ways I feel it in the morning. My commute is pretty flat, the path to the bar is generally uphill which is great because it's generally downhill home. I had no appreciation for riding cadence before converting my bike to a SS, and I think that this bike provides me more fun and challenge than any other I have ever owned.
So the long and short of it, there is less stuff on the bike, and therefore less stuff to go wrong with the bike therefore it is potentially cheaper to maintain. + I'm not a fan of statements like this but it is true, with a single speed you do feel / experience the road better.
Just my 2 cents.
File under shocking news Jose Guillen is unhappy and wants out of KC
Any others feel the quake this morning? I got one pretty sizeable jolt and then a little bit of a rocking sensation for a few seconds, but no big deal. I live about 30 miles from the epicenter.
Didn't feel it in Washington DC. But a 5.4 quake is nothing to sneeze at.
Laddie is sitting out tonight's game with a sore thumb. Punto to second, Harris at SS, Buscher at third.
the Twins fingers are a sore subject this year ><
must be the burning and itching from all that "middle finger of the Apocalypse" stuff I've been seeing after losses around here
snarf
Angels land Mark Teixeira for Casey Kotchman and minor league pitcher Steven Marek.
damn
seems like not a lot, but Teixeria is going to be a free agent
channeling ubelmann a bit here, that looks like a pretty good deal for the Halos. If they sign him, well, it's only money. If they don't, he's worth some draft picks and thus still probably as good or better than what they gave up.
Kotchman's most similar batter through age 24: David Ortiz. Of course, that was the Minnesota Ortiz, not Big Papi.
btw, Marek??
He's a 24-year old getting his first taste of AA this year, where he has finished 20 games out of the 'pen, but with only 3 saves and 7 decisions (2-5). 54:19 K:BB in 43.67 innings. He was a starter before this year. So, what...projects to maybe Brian Bass-like contribution?
Probably too hard to say yet, but you have to figure there's not much value in a AA reliever that isn't close to dominating anyone.
Yeah, basically.
Kotchman and Marek is more value than two compensation picks (not a ton more, though--Kotchman's decent but has little defensive value and has issues making contact), so I see where it makes sense for the Braves. Worst case scenario for the Angels, they get two months of a good player in a pennant race and then they get two compensation picks to revitalize their farm system. I wouldn't be surprised if they could extend Teixeira, though, since they have plenty of money. And if it makes life harder for the Red Sox and Yankees, all the better.
So, you're saying Kubel plus a AA reliever would have gotten Texeira?
Not good news for Casilla
Adam Everett, still a Minnesota Twin