gehringer_2

Not sure if this is the same guy - could be. If it is his Houston bio gives his actual birthday as 1/19/1999. https://uhcougars.com/sports/baseball/roster/cole-turney/6234

He's looking out for his SEC buddies that are probably a big chuck of his financial support and with whom he probably still has a lot of other profitable relationships as well. From what I can figure, the schools seem to be willing to live with whatever status the courts want to give the playrers. What they really want is Congress to protect them from the states. They want Congress to pre-empt state authority over college sports so they only have to deal with a single system. Otherwise state meddling will eventually make it impossible for conferences to exist across state lines.

With Harbaugh in the news, it's interesting to contrast his original take on the portal. Harbaugh was a big early supporter of the portal as a means for kids to get one chance *early* to correct a bad recruiting choice. This bill turns that part upside down and doesn't do anything for the kid who honestly finds himself somewhere he doesn't want to be. Another example of the best interests of the kids, particularly the non-star kids, getting short shrift.

Ahh - you mean in terms of Hinch trying to send Harris a message? Yeah, that is certainly one angle on it. But jeesh, he can't just pick up the phone and ask? But to follow on that aspect, you can go the other way too. The story would run: Hinch has a soft spot for catchers - Haase has worked hard to improve his defense, Hinch appreciates that, is pulling too hard for him and maybe got too soft-hearted giving him chances to pull out of his slump. Either take you think might apply - and maybe in some sense both - it wont go in my book as one of his best moves as a manager.

Well that was always Leland's argument. 'If a guy is on the team I'm going to use him until he isn't.' But OTOH, in our case here the counter would be that Haase's role on the team is to be the backup catcher - not a high leverage PH. OK - If Hinch had made some kind of argument about the match-up, you could argue the validity of his data but at least his logic would stand up. What frosted me was his argument that he was trying to save the extra substitution. If you weren't going to use Cabrera, you were wasting his roster spot anyway so you've given up a player there exactly like you would when you pinch ran for him - and in fact it would even have been the same player - Haase. The result of a Cabrera walk or single and a Haase PR would be *exactly* the same outcome as Haase having a successful AB but with a higher probability. So that was garbage logic and we can certainly call him out on that part.

Jake (2/4 HR) was the next batter, then the top of the order. You'd flat out send Nevin roses if he walked Cabrera to get to Jake. And the "2 for" made no sense anyway - if Cabrera gets on there happens to be a catcher that can't hit with good wheels available to PR. Hinch had a brain fart and then fed the post game crew some CYA BS, and being well trained in Detroit sports lap-dog journalism they happily slurped it up. Look, I get that the team should not be acting at the GM level with any illusions about the playoffs with respect to personnel. But that is a very different question then whether you still have an obligation to do you damndest to win every game on the field.

In Orange County one does NOT revolt. You might spill your bubble tea.

put on a yellow slicker with hood and a pair of 4 buckle galoshes and you are king of the rain!

so this isn't so much a peeve as "Well -- things change." Back in the day they did auto, or at least tire, service at every gas station i.e. the 'Service Station.' Every 'service' type gas station had a commercial air compressor for their tooling. And every commercial sized air compressor does a pretty good job of dropping the water out of the air in the holding tank so you get fairly dry air into your tires. The modern "convenience store with gas pumps" establishment likely does not have a commercial compressor - just some kind of gadget on a pole with no holding tank, so you get wet air into your tires. After a number of years of being filled with wet air, alloy wheels develop enough surface roughness under the bead that they will begin to seep air. PITA. You can buy a home compressor with a small tank, but tank compressors small enough to be portable, while better than tankless sources, don't do that good a job of dropping water either...

TBF - some gas stations have been charging for credit purchase for as long as there have been crdit cards.

Perfect. Let's get some bill Tuberville is invested in that doesn't affect the budget or national security and then Biden can tell him it's not going anywhere until Tuberville releases DOD appointments. That's one of the problems with these GOP pols who don't actually care about governing, they never work on any legislation so you can never anything they want.

Hinch. So he he said he didn't want to use Cabrera because it would be "two for one" because if Cabrera got on - then - he would have to run for him. Umm.....AJ, did you notice that if your PH didn't get a hit right there was no 'effin "then" to worry about? I imagine there must be a universe somewhere where that all makes sense.

and despite getting some BaBIP luck on a weakly hit ball, he is still broken too. They have him in that crouch now, but if you notice he can't swing without starting to straighten out of it, the net result being his head is moving up as he is swinging. I really don't think that can work. They have to rework whatever they are trying to do with that approach change. They got desperate and brought him back from Toledo still half baked.

It's the Hinch playbook - play for the tie on the road, the win at home. I'd normally agree but not with those batters scheduled.

Hinch won't want to do it but Jake needs to move up in the order.

beyond disgusting. Didn't even get Vierling to 3rd.

this one still goes back to that sloppy 5th.

you would think - but NOOO

Oh joy - Haase for Maton!

stealing 3rd against the LHP would be a great play for Vierling.

weak part of the lineup. Will Hinch play for the one at home to tie even though he usually doesn't.

Lange continues to be broken - but escapes

they're in a hurry to waste that comeback and 2nd time they gave away on out with the IF in. Tork makes that play if he's couple feet further back. But Jake is doing his best to save the day.

Carpenter get respect.

well HOW do you like THAT!?