So, this is what it's like to brew a pot. This is a lot of pressure to come up with something to try to generate some day long conversation. But, there was no time to get beans ground and get the french press going, so you're stuck with Maxwell House from a drip today.
Ben Folds — Army
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51kntT8PgLI
NSFW (there's an F-bomb in the first thirty seconds)
The older I get the more I appreciate artists like Ben Folds. Not only can he play an instrument and play it damn well, he sounds exactly the same live as he does on his albums and does not need to be drowned out by guitars to sound good. Every time I watch him I wish a genie would come around and grant me the ability to play piano. This is his most popular live song as he usually has the audience play the trumpet and saxophone parts. They all do a pretty damn good job here.
Happy Birthday–November 16
Joe Quest (1852)
Paul Foytack (1930)
Frank Bolling (1931)
Harry Chiti (1932)
Minnie Mendoza (1933)
Don Hahn (1948)
Herb Washington (1951)
Glenn Burke (1952)
Curt Wardle (1960)
Dwight Gooden (1964)
Chris Haney (1968)
Julio Lugo (1975)
Weekly Winterball Whiparound
The good: Deolis Guerra (Magallanes, Venezuela) is 1-0, 2.08, 1.27 WHIP in 8.2 innings (6 appearances). Pedro Guerra (Magallanes, Venezuela) is 0-0, 2.92, 0.81 WHIP in 12.1 innings (5 appearances, 2 starts). Deinys Suarez (Ponce, Puerto Rico) is 0-1, 1.00, 1.22 WHIP in 9 innings (2 starts). Todd Van Steensel (Sydney, Australia) is 0-0, 0.00, 1.00 in 5 innings (5 appearances).
The average: Aaron Bates (Caguas, Puerto Rico) is hitting .250/.308/.333 in 12 at-bats. Joe Benson (Aragua, Venezuela) is hitting .216/.355/.373 in 51 at-bats. Jairo Perez (Lara, Venezuela) is hitting .231/.375/.269 in 26 at-bats. Rory Rhodes (Brisbane, Australia) is hitting .214/.389/.286 in 56 at-bats.
The bad: Alexi Casilla (Cibao, Dominican) is hitting .208/.269/.208 in 24 at-bats. Estarlin De Los Santos (Cibao, Dominican) is hitting .111/.200/.111 in 9 at-bats. Joshua Hendricks (Melbourne, Australia) is hitting .167/.286/.167 in 23 at-bats. Angel Morales (Ponce, Puerto Rico) is hitting .182/.400/.182 in 11 at-bats. Eddie Rosario (Mayaguez, Puerto Rico) is 143/.250/.143 in 7 at-bats. Ramon Santana (Este, Dominican) is .000/.000/.000 in 7 at-bats. Rene Tosoni is .195/.283/.195 in 41 at-bats. Jacob Younis (Sydney, Australia) is .200/.238/.200 in 60 at-bats. Cesar Ciurcina (Aragua, Venezuela) is 0-0, 5.40, 1.50 in 6.2 innings (5 appearances).
The insignificant: Oswaldo Arcia (Aragua, Venezuela) is 0-for-2. Josmil Pinto (Aragua, Venezuela) is 1-for-1. Dereck Rodriguez (Caguas, Puerto Rico) is 0-for-1. Nelvin Fuentes (Mayaguez, Puerto Rico) is 0-0, 4.50, 1.00 in 2 innings (2 appearances). Sam Gibbons (Melbourne, Australia) is 0-1, 9.00, 2.25 in 4 innings (3 appearances). Yorman Landa (La Guaira, Venezuela) is 0-0, 6.75, 2.25 in 2.2 innings (1 start). Lester Oliveros (Anzoategui, Venezuela) is 0-0, 2.25, 1.75 in 4 innings (5 appearances). Gonzalo Sanudo (Culiacan, Mexico) is 0-0, 0.00, 1.00 in 1 inning (1 appearance). Manuel Soliman (Escogido, Dominican) is 0-0, 0.00, 2.00 in 1 inning (1 appearance). Junior Subero (Carolina, Venezuela) is 0-0, 9.00, 3.00 iin 1 inning (1 appearance). Esmerling Vasquez (Estrellas, Dominican) has faced two batters, walking one and hitting one.
Solar Sox Summary
Peoria scored in the second and led the rest of the way as the Javelinas defeated Mesa 4-2 in Mesa.
Scooter Gennett (Milwaukee) had a pair of doubles to lead Peoria. Tyler Lyons (St. Louis) got the win, giving up a run on four hits and a walk in five innings. The save went to David Kopp (Peoria), who gave up a hit in a scoreless ninth.
For the Solar Sox, Aaron Hicks was 2-for-2 with two doubles and a walk, scoring once. Brian Dozier was 0-for-4. Trey McNutt (Cubs) took the loss, giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks in four innings. Dakota Watts worked two scoreless innings of relief, giving up two hits.
Mesa travels to Peoria tomorrow afternoon.
Jim Croce–Lover’s Cross
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kbg95YYtXxE
Sometimes it baffles me that the guy who had produced several of my favorite ballads is most famous for Bad Bad, Leroy Brown. That, and that he looks like a guy who works for a living by wearing a hard hat and holding a Stop/Go sign. This one is easily my favorite, and it's probably because I lived this song once during a relationship.
November 15, 2011: Nick
Today's my brother's birthday. He's had the best and worst year of his life this year. Cheers, Nick.
Happy Birthday–November 15
Tom Loftus (1856)
Pat Ragan (1885)
Mickey Livingston (1914)
Gus Bell (1928)
Big Brother A (1951)
Randy Niemann (1955)
Pedro Borbon (1967)
Big Brother A is one of the two people--Dad A being the other--from whom I got a love of baseball and a love of the Twins. Happy Birthday, Big Brother.
We also wish a happy birthday to spookymilk’s brother.
Winterball Whiparound
DOMINICAN LEAGUE
Friday
Cibaenas 10, Cibao 2 in Cibaenas. Alexi Casilla was 1-for-4 and scored once. Estarlin De Los Santos was 0-for-4. Both play for Cibao.
Saturday
Oriente 9, Escogido 5 in Escogido. Esmarling Vasquez walked the only batter he faced for Oriente, allowing an unearned run.
Cibao 3, Licey 2 in Cibao. Alexi Casilla was 1-for-5 and scored once.
Sunday
Cibao 8, Cibaenas 4 in Cibao. Alexi Casilla was 1-for-4, scored once, and drove in one.
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE
Saturday
Ponce 3, Caguas 2 in Caguas (11 innings). Aaron Bates was 1-for-4 and scored once for Caguas. Angel Morales was 1-for-2 with two walks for Ponce.
Mayaguez 7, Carolina 6 in Mayaguez. Eddie Rosario pinch-ran and scored the winning run for Mayaguez.
Sunday
Ponce 5, Mayaguez 4 in Mayaguez. Angel Morales was used as a defensive replacement but did not bat.
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Friday
Aragua 9, La Guaira 4 in Aragua. Cesar Ciurcina surrendered three runs on two hits and a walk in one inning for Aragua.
Saturday
Aragua 9, Magallanes 8 in Aragua (12 innings). Josmil Pinto was used as a reserve for Aragua and doubled in his only at-bat, coming around to score. Deolis Guerra gave up two hits in 1.2 scoreless innings for Magallanes.
Sunday
Aragua 10, La Guaira 3 in La Guaira. Cesar Ciurcina worked 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and a walk.
Anzoategui 4, Zulia 3 in Anzoategui. Lester Oliveros pitched a perfect inning for Anzoategui.
AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE
Saturday
Perth 9, Melbourne 8 in Melbourne. Joshua Hendricks was 2-for-4 with a walk for Melbourne.
Brisbane 2, Sydney 0 in Brisbane. Jacob Younis was 0-for-3 for Sydney.
Sunday
Perth 6, Melbourne 1 in Melbourne (Game 1). Joshua Hendricks was 0-for-3 for Melbourne.
Perth 5, Melbourne 3 (Game 2). Joshua Hendricks was used as a pinch-runner but did not score. Sam Gibbons allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk in 3.1 innings for Melbourne.
Brisbane 2, Sydney 1 in Brisbane. Jacob Younis was 1-for-3. Todd Van Steensel gave up one hit in a scoreless inning for Sydney.
Solar Sox Summary
FRIDAY
Salt River 7, Mesa 5 in Salt River. Chris Herrmann was 2-for-4 with a single and a double. Aaron Hicks was 0-for-1 with three walks, scoring once. Brian Dozier was 0-for-3 with two walks, scoring twice and driving in one. Bruce Pugh worked a perfect inning, striking out one. Brett Jacobson surrendered four runs on four hits in a third of an inning.
SATURDAY
Phoenix 8, Mesa 2 in Phoenix. Aaron Hicks was 2-for-4 with a single and a double. No other Twins appeared in the game.
Sunday was an off day. The regular season ends Thursday, with the championship game to be played Saturday. Mesa's loss Saturday eliminated them from the championship, which will be between Salt River and Surprise.