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Sucks for me since I am driving across the state now after the kickass weekend my wife set up for me as a Xmas present. By the way, I am using this as an opportunity to relive my youth by listening to the game exclusively on broadcast radio and changing stations as I pass through cities. Right now I am going through Ann Arbor, home of WTKA 1050 AM, Washtenaw County’s news leader. Next up: Jackson.

Benetti calling the game on the radio. I wonder if Dan wanted or needed the day off. I don’t dislike Benetti, really I don’t—but I like him less now after hearing him call last night’s game neutral for the Fox national audience and sound excited when Cleveland scored on us.

Manning is not even in my consideration set anymore.

Yeah they’re on a good run and we aren’t.

That’s Randy Wolf from 2015.

Better hitter?

That was my issue with the play Jake made. I don’t think he was in the wrong spot necessarily, I think his positioning was fine. I just think he caught the ball too far in front of the play because then he had to sweep behind him to try to get the out and he was never going to catch up to the runner that way. I think he needed to let the ball travel closer the runner before catching it so he’d just put the mitt down for the out.

Wouldn’t that cede the front of the plate to the runner, since the catcher would have to reach across the plate from the back of it to tag him out?

I did!

I’m sorry do you mean the catcher standing behind the plate where the umpire is?

It might, although they run into the probability that the throw will hit the runner before it gets to the catcher.

That’s true if Kahnle hangs one.

I don’t think that run scoring was Tori’s fault for making the throw. I think Rogers tries to make the play too far in front of the plate. Although I will say it’s difficult to get a runner out at the plate from the right side of the field.

Yeah, he also gave me three or so minutes of conversation as well. Nice guy. Appropriately MLB big, which is to say, a couple inches taller than I who am 5’ 10”.

But how else can you place your prop bet in an informed manner?

Neither, but quality time with some people I love is certainly more than consolation gift enough!

This guy.

Something personal must have happened. Tapper must have some ax to grind. Either that or MAGA got to him.

Really well put. Related to this, there is no scenario where it is OK for the President to “joke” or be “sarcastic” about things that affects America and the world, e.g., his promise to end the Russia Ukraine war in 24 hours being “sarcastic”, or his initially “joking” about gunning for a third term. The President can’t just let down his guard and say anything he wants and them claim he wasn’t being serous. The President is on the clock 24/7/365 (and 366 in leap years), and they must know everything they say can, should, and will be taken seriously. But, of course, this president has been getting with it all so far. It’s so aggravating.

I’m not talking about extremist Palestine factions. I’m talking about the Palestinian people, and the leadership out of Hamas that represents their interests. They’re not all one and the same. In any event, I don’t believe there’s a fair equivalence between Trump/Republicans and TBD/Democrats. Democratic Party leadership do not kowtow to and encourage the most extreme elements of the far left, who make up probably low single digit percents of the entire spectrum that’s left of the 50/50 center. But the extreme right is representative of the Republican Party, Trump and his “brain trust” do kowtow to and encourage them, and that far right makes up a way, way higher percentage of that side of the center, maybe a quarter of them or more. People who’d be willing maybe not to die for their cause, but at least to kill it for it. The numbers of the far extremes of both sides and their influence on each party’s leadership and general political direction is not even close to equivalent.

As an Xmas gift, my wife arranged for a bunch of my family, some of her family, and my best buddy who lives in Boston to all get together for tomorrow night’s game, with my buddy, my wife, and I down on the field for Tigers’ batting practice. Seventeen family and friends will attend. She chose tomorrow’s game because it’s the Friday before Memorial Day weekend, and it’s the Guardians. Very, very thoughtful of her. She’s really good at getting me experience gifts. She’s just the best all around. As for the weather … meh. It can go either way this time of year. If we’re gonna live here, we’re gonna have to accept that. It could just as well have been 90. Ah well, that’s OK. We’re still gonna have a swell time. Can’t wait!

Lemonade out of lemons: bad as it was, it’s still only one loss.

OK, let’s score eight and go get beers.

K. We’re 12th highest out of 30 teams in K%. We’re at 22.7%; league average is 21.9%. Last year we were eighth highest. We’re making good progress. We also just faced a fire breathing Cy-Young-vote-getting reliever who strikes out 31% of the hitters he faces and average 13 K/9. I think it’s more bad timing and bad luck than systemic failure.

OK, now we’re done.