Monthly Archives: November 2011

Keeping Track

Spanning the Globe

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

Escogido 7, Cibao 0 in Escogido.  Alexi Casilla was 0-for-2 for Cibao.

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

Caguas 9, Ponce 5 in Ponce.  Aaron Bates was 0-for-3 for Caguas.  Angel Morales was 2-for-4 with a run for Ponce.

Carolina 3, Mayaguez 2 in Carolina.  Eddie Rosario was 1-for-3 with a double and a run for Mayaguez.  Nelvin Fuentes allowed a run on two hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning for Mayaguez.

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

Aragua 5, Anzoategui 3 in Aragua.  Jose Mijares retired the only batter he faced for Aragua.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–November 30

Mordecai Davidson (1845)
Frank Killen (1870)
Josh Billings (1891)
Firpo Marberry (1898)
Clyde Sukeforth (1901)
Steve Hamilton (1935)
Craig Swan (1950)
Juan Berenguer (1954)
Dave Engle (1956)
Steve Shields (1958)
Bob Tewksbury (1960)
Gary Wayne (1962)
Bo Jackson (1962)
Mark Lewis (1969)
Matt Lawton (1971)
Ray Durham (1971)
Shane Victorino (1980)
Rich Harden (1981)

Continue reading Happy Birthday–November 30 →

Keeping Track

Weekly Winterball Whiparound

The good:  Aaron Bates is .405/.421/.649 in 37 at-bats (Caguas, Puerto Rican).  Alexi Casilla is .298/.412/.333 in 57 at-bats (Cibao, Dominican).  Nelvin Fuentes is 0-0, 2.70, 0.92 in 6.2 innings (Mayaguez, Puerto Rican).  Deolis Guerra is 2-0, 3.18, 0.94 in 17 innings (Magallanes, Venezuelan).  Lester Oliveros is 0-0, 0.96, 1.39 in 9.1 innings (Anzoategui, Venezuelan).  Luis Perdomo is 0-0, 2.08, 1.00 in 13 innings (Aguilas, Dominican).

The average:  Joe Benson is .216/.355/.373 in 51 at-bats (Aragua, Venezuelan).  Jairo Perez is .231/.375/.269 in 26 at-bats (Lara, Venezuelan).  Rory Rhodes is .214/.389/.286 in 56 at-bats (Brisbane, Australian).  Jacob Younis is .263/.317/.316 in 114 at-bats (Sydney, Australian).  Cesar Ciurcina is 0-0, 4.09, 1.09 in 11 innings (Aragua, Venezuelan).  Deinys Suarez is 1-1, 3.38, 1.58 in 24 innings (Ponce, Puerto Rican).

The bad:  Matt Carson is .115/.233/.192 in 26 at-bats (Oriente, Dominican).  Estarlin De Los Santos is .167/.211/.222 in 18 at-bats (Cibao, Dominican).  Joshua Hendricks is .118/.211/.118 in 17 at-bats (Melbourne, Australian).  Angel Morales is .179/.303/.286 in 28 at-bats (Ponce, Puerto Rican).  Wilkin Ramirez is .229/.302/.333 in 48 at-bats (Este, Dominican).  Deibinson Romero is .154/.267/.154 in 13 at-bats (Escogido, Dominican).  Eddie Rosario is .222/.300/.333 in 18 at-bats (Mayaguez, Puerto Rican).  Rene Tosoni is .195/.283/.195 in 41 at-bats (Lara, Venezuelan).  Sam Gibbons is 0-2, 9.00, 2.25 in 8 innings (Melbourne, Australian).  Todd Van Steensel is 0-0, 7.71, 2.36 in 23.1 innings (Sydney, Australian).

The insignificant:  Oswaldo Arcia is 0-for-2 (Aragua, Venezuelan).  Josmil Pinto is 1-for-5 with a walk and a double (Aragua, Venezuelan).  Dereck Rodriguez is 0-for-2 (Caguas, Puerto Rican).  Ramon Santana is 0-for-7 (Este, Dominican).  Samuel Deduno is 0-0, 1.80, 1.80 in 5 innings (Aguilas, Dominican).  Yorman Landa is 0-0, 6.75, 2.25 in 2.2 innings (La Guaira, Venezuelan).  Jose Mijares is 1-0, 0.00, 3.00 in 1.1 innings (Aragua, Venezuelan).  Gonzalo Sanudo is 0-0, 0.00, 1.50 in 2 innings (Culiacan, Mexican).  Manuel Soliman is 0-0, 0.00, 3.86 in 2.1 innings (Escogico, Dominican).  Junior Subero is 0-0, 9.00, 3.00 in 1 inning (Caracas, Venezuelan).  Esmerling Vasquez is 1-1, 4.91, 1.91 in 3.2 innings (Oriente, Dominican).

Games

Pixel Perfect Memories: Earthbound

20 Comments

Release Date:  June 5, 1995
Platform: Super Nintendo
Developer:  APE; HAL Laboratory

Considered a cult classic, I have never known anyone personally to dislike this RPG.  In fact, I am not sure I know anyone who doesn't love it like crazy.  But when the market for RPGs was still trying to gain steam in America, Earthbound had no place and the sales figures were awful.  Released in a huge box with a huge strategy guide, Earthbound was obviously quirky from the start.  While on the surface the game seems little more than a goofy parody of American culture and other RPGs, herein lies a high-quality adventure with a gripping story and superb game mechanics.

Controlling a kid named Ness, you unwittingly go on to save humanity after a meteorite crashes in your hometown.  Along the way you pick up some of your friends and hobnob with aliens, dinosaurs, talking moles, and ruthless businessmen.  With weapons like baseball bats and healing techniques like prayer and eating hamburgers, it is obvious the game is not concerned about the typical fantasy world RPGers play in.  You call your parents to save your game.  You access ATM booths for cash.   And for the most part, the kids you control talk and act like kids.  It's charming as hell.

Unfortunately, I think the unconventional theme along with simple (but colorful) graphics and music turned a lot of people away.  But there's more to like beyond its originality.  It was the first RPG I played that had a rolling hit point meter, meaning if your allies could heal you before your HP got down to zero, you'd be okay.  The learning curve is gradual, but the game is certainly not easy (like say Mystic Quest).  Battles have to be planned, and there's a few spots, especially late in the game, where's there an ass-kicking (yours) or two in store.  There's also some high-quality, dynamic puzzle solving involved, thus the game doesn't mindlessly send you from point A to point B from beginning to end.  And quite unlike most RPGs, the last half of the game isn't nauseating side-questing-until-you-completely-forget-to-go-beat-the-final-boss nonsense.

There really is little more you could ask out of Earthbound.  If you love RPGs and you haven't played this, it's a damn shame.  You'll spend a lot of time grinning from ear to ear when you do.

Two months in a row now I've recommended a classic but unheralded RPG, so now I'd like to hear from ya'll.  What is your favorite RPG?  What gem have I perhaps missed that I should really get around to playing?

WGOM Videos

Better Than Ezra – Good

Video 8 Comments

yeah, we might as well do this...

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji0pyRmSnTY

i hold no particular love for this song, nor the band (or ezra, whomever they are). however, this song takes me back to good times when the radio played this song far more than it deserved, and a night when a younger joe had comp tickets to these guys headlining a first ave show that we went to for no good reason, and the memories of said night that i won't get into.

8 votes, average: 6.50 out of 108 votes, average: 6.50 out of 108 votes, average: 6.50 out of 108 votes, average: 6.50 out of 108 votes, average: 6.50 out of 108 votes, average: 6.50 out of 108 votes, average: 6.50 out of 108 votes, average: 6.50 out of 108 votes, average: 6.50 out of 108 votes, average: 6.50 out of 10 (8 votes, average: 6.50 out of 10)
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Keeping Track

Spanning the Globe

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

Wednesday

Cibao 5, Licey 3 in Licey.  Alexi Casilla was 2-for-4 with a double and 3 RBIs for Cibao.

Cibaenas 5, Este 1 in Cibaenas.  Wilkin Ramirez was 0-for-4 for Este.

Oriente 6, Escogido 0 in Oriente.  Manuel Soliman allowed a hit and two walks, but no runs, in a third of an inning for Escogido.

Friday

Oriente 11, Este 1 in Oriente.  Esmerling Vasquez got the win for Oriente, giving up only a walk in two-thirds of an inning.

Cibao 5, Aguilas 4 in Cibao.  Alexi Casilla was 2-for-4 for Cibao.  Luis Perdomo struck out four in 2.2 scoreless innings for Aguilas, giving up a hit and a walk.

Saturday

Cibao 6, Licey 2 in Licey.  Alexi Casilla was 2-for-4 with a walk, scoring twice for Cibao.

Aguilas 5, Este 2 in Aguilas.  Wilkin Ramirez was 0-for-4 for Este.

Sunday

Este 5, Oriente 2 in Este.  Esmerling Vasquez allowed a run on a hit in a third of an inning for Oriente.

Cibao 9, Aguilas 5 in Aguilas.  Alexi Casilla was 1-for-4 with a double and two walks with a run for Cibao.  Luis Perdomo surrendered two runs on two hits and a walk in a third of an inning for Aguilas.

Licey 5, Escogido 2 in Escogido.  Deibinson Romero was used as a substitute for Escogido and walked in his only plate appearance.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

Saturday

Culiacan 9, Obregon 0 in Culiacan.  Gonzalo Sanudo struck out three in a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and a walk for Culiacan.

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

Wednesday

Mayaguez 1, Caguas 0 in Caguas.  Dereck Rodriguez was used as a substitute for Caguas and was 0-for-1.

Friday

Caguas 9, Carolina 7 in Caguas.  Aaron Bates was 1-for-3 and scored once for Caguas.

Saturday

Caguas 3, Mayaguez 2 in Caguas.  Aaron Bates was 3-for-4 with a double and a home run for Caguas.  Nelvin Fuentes gave up a hit but no runs in two-thirds of an inning for Mayaguez.

Sunday

Caguas 2, Carolina 0 in Carolina (3 1/2 innings--suspended game).  Aaron Bates is 0-for-2 for Caguas.  Dereck Rodriguez was 0-for-1 for Caguas.

Ponce 6, Mayaguez 4 in Mayaguez.  Angel Morales was 0-for-1 as a substitute for Ponce.  Eddie Rosario was 2-for-4 with an RBI for Mayaguez.  Deinys Suarez struck out nine in five innings for Ponce, but allowed four runs on ten hits and two walks.

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

Wednesday

La Guaira 8, Magallanes 7 in Magallanes.  Deolis Guerra surrendered four runs on three hits and a walk in a third of an inning for Magallanes.  Pedro Guerra gave up one hit in a scoreless inning for Magallanes.

Anzoategui 5, Margarita 3 in Margarita.  Lester Oliveros gave up two hits in a scoreless inning for Anzoategui.

Thursday

Caracas 6, Aragua 1 in Aragua.  Cesar Ciurcina pitched two shutout innings for Aragua, giving up only a walk.

Friday

Margarita 11, Magallanes 5 in Margarita.  Pedro Guerra allowed a run on no hits but two walks in one inning.

Saturday

Aragua 7, Anzoategui 6 in Anzoategui (Game 1--scheduled 7 innings).  Josmil Pinto was 0-for-2 for Aragua.

Aragua 4, Anzoategui 1 in Anzoategui (Game 2--scheduled 7 innings).  Jose Mijares gave up two hits but no runs in one inning for Aragua.  Lester Oliveros gave up a hit and two walks but no runs for Anzoategui.

Magallanes 12, Lara 2 in Magallanes.  Deolis Guerra struck out two in two perfect innings for Magallanes.

Sunday

Anzoategui 2, Aragua 1 in Anzoategui.  Cesar Ciurcina gave up a run on a hit while striking out two in 2.1 innings for Aragua.

La Guaira 6, Magallanes 5 in Magallanes.  Pedro Guerra gave up one hit in 1.1 scoreless innings for Magallanes.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE

Wednesday

Canberra 5, Melbourne 2 in Canberra.  Joshua Hendricks was 0-for-3 for Melbourne.

Thursday

Adelaide 11, Sydney 3 in Adelaide.  Jacob Younis was 2-for-4 with a double, scoring once and driving in one, for Sydney.  Todd Van Steensel pitched two shutout innings for Sydney, giving up a hit and a walk while striking out two.

Friday

Sydney 5, Adelaide 0 in Adelaide (Game 1).  Jacob Younis was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI for Sydney.

Adelaide 4, Sydney 2 in Adelaide (Game 2).  Jacob Younis was 1-for-2 with a walk and a run for Sydney.  He was also hit by a pitch.