Cup of Coffee

May 17, 2017: Flat

39 Comments

I'm single parenting this week while Sheenie is away at a conference. I hustled this morning and got the dog and the Valet all ready, hopped in the car, started driving, and noticed something didn't feel right. I pulled over after a block and noticed that the front right tire is completely flat. I'm waiting for the tow, and you all know who I DIDN'T call for help.

39 thoughts on “May 17, 2017: Flat”

      2. 'Spoiler' SelectShow

          1. Yes, in just under 3 hours from when I left the house. Then, I took a 90 minute lunch to return the loaner car, pick up mine, and swap the car seat. Nothing is worse than swapping the car seat.

    2. that's a lot more pleasant than what happened on the streets of DC yesterday on Embassy Row.

      1. No kidding. The national news had to repeat that this happened in Washington and not overseas.

        The remarkable but about the removal of the monuments so far has been that no one has been shot, stabbed or seriously injured*. Good job by the NOPD.

        *knock wood

  3. Highest percentage of batted balls hit 95 mph or harder in 2017
    68.3 percent -- Sano, Twins
    58.9 percent -- Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
    58.0 percent -- Khris Davis, A's
    57.6 percent -- Joey Gallo, Rangers
    55.5 percent -- Nicholas Castellanos, Tigers
    54.6 percent -- Manny Machado, Orioles
    52.9 percent -- Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals
    51.3 percent -- Aaron Judge, Yankees
    51.3 percent -- Matt Carpenter, Cardinals
    51.0 percent -- Justin Bour, Marlins
    Minimum 50 balls in play. MLB average -- 33.5 percent

    1. We've identified six types of batted-ball contact, three of which are good for the pitcher (weakly hit, popups or topped into the ground), and three of which are good for the hitter, including barrels. The three "poor contact" types have a Major League average of .139 this year, while the the three "hard contact" types have result in an average of .652.
      Sano is leading baseball in that, too.

      Highest percentage of "productive" batted balls in 2017
      58.7 percent -- Sano, Twins
      55.0 percent -- Carpenter, Cardinals
      53.9 percent -- Judge, Yankees
      52.8 percent -- Rene Rivera, Mets
      52.5 percent -- Justin Smoak, Blue Jays
      51.9 percent -- Zimmerman, Nationals
      51.6 percent -- Stephen Piscotty, Cardinals
      51.5 percent -- Castellanos, Tigers
      51.2 percent -- Matt Kemp, Braves
      51.2 percent -- Yonder Alonso, A's
      Minimum 50 balls in play. MLB average -- 36.6 percent

        1. It also makes his .434 BABIP this year look more sustainable. His career BABIP is .364 and he also leads MLB in most improved well-hit percentage from last year to this year. Last year, he had a .329 BABIP.

          1. Assuming he manages 58.7% for the season, and I'm sure it will regress, then his expected average is .440. Not sure what they mean by "MLB average". Batting average or BABIP?

    2. Speaking of Berrios...

      Also, don't count on him being the starter for a specific game. If there's a DH, Santana (the other starter) will usually get the choice of which game to start, so I would wait until a DH and pitching match-ups are announced if you specifically want to see Berrios. I would imagine a makeup game would have lots of empty seats available.

      1. I wouldn't be counting on it. I'm fine with either just thinking about hitting up the day game.

            1. The Twins also have a reputation for disappointing on my birthday, so a rainout fits.

    3. I could see getting up to Thursday's game. Or games, whatever.

      I've got cabin fever from working on the show remotely, and if done by then I could certainly see making it up if we're okay, money-wise, this week. We have been, but the doctor bills for the rabies shots are coming in...

    2. I think the Gameday description options for plays are too limited. "Altuve doubles off the glove of Dietrich" would have been more accurate and easier to picture what happened.

      1. "Altuve reaches second as ball quantum tunnels its way through third baseman's glove."

        We actually coded a Stratomatic sim back in the late 80s which provided play by play

  7. Say Hello 2 Heaven my favorite singer Chris Cornell. I am just so sad this morning.

    So, last year, after we were deep in our cups one night, we played a game which challenged each person at the table to list the all-time dream team line up for a rock band. Who would be the best lead guitar of all time? Who would be the best vocalist, etc? For me, and most of the group, we picked Cornell as the best rock band lead singer.

    Chris had the range. Holy cow did he have range. Chris had a bluesy quality to his voice that made you take him seriously. He was not just some propped up front man. He was, at the very least, the best singer of his generation. A generation, which has lost way too many great singers.

    My son is big into 70's, 80's, 90's hard rock. We share a love for bands like Led Zeppelin, Rush, Queen, and Soundgarden. He told me this morning, he is so sad we will never be able to see Soundgarden together. Soundgarden was probably the band that hits the sweet spot for both of our musical tastes.

    F@ck!! Damn it!! I am glad I am not working today. I am supposed to go golfing, but I don't know now. I felt this to some extent when Prince died, but not this deep.

    1. I didn't catch this until it was reported on the morning news... I am similarly dismayed, Euphoria Morning is one of my favorites albums, not just in the 'solo album' category either.

    2. I long ago set my brother's ringtone to "Black Hole Sun" because of my love for his voice and because Soundgarden was right in his wheelhouse. He called me this morning and there it was. I was sad.

    3. Crap. Saw him twice with Soundgarden. 1996 Lollapalooza in Des Moines and 2013 King Animal Tour in Minneapolis.
      I still have my "Superunknown" T-shirt from High School.
      Soundgarden was my band, of the Seattle 4. Others had Pearl Jam or Nirvana or AIC tops, but from the first time I heard Badmotorfinger, they were my top band. It was weird when they got on SNL.
      Pearl Jam fans: poptimists.
      Nirvana fans: punkish nonconformists (just like all their friends).
      Alice In Chains fans: metalheads.
      Soundgarden fans: ???

    4. Never saw Soundgarden, but did see Audioslave once, and the setlist included a bunch of Soundgarden songs, plus a few Rage Against the Machine songs, too. He could certainly belt them out.

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