chasfh

They used Minter because Minter was available. He was always going to pitch either way. I do agree that had the Braves gone into the ninth with a saveable lead, Will Smith would have worked a third straight game. But even if the game were tied going through the late innings, they would have still crossed their fingers and relied on Smyly to hold the game close instead of going to Jackson or Matzek.

Let's launch this topic with a tax tweet.

Yes, what about Whitmer?

I feel like the Braves came in prepared to lose. They were recharging for potential games in Houston. I think they felt they had no choice but to throw the front and middle of their bullpen at the Astros and hope it would be enough. If they had won, hey, they’re the champs; and if not, well, Max Fried and the back of their bullpen will be fully rested and they’ll have two more cracks in Houston. I think it’s gonna be a good game.

I agree with your premise, and I would further stipulate that those people playing up “Made in USA” are right wing elites who couldn’t give less of a shit where anything they personally buy is made, but they know that the phrase triggers red hats’ amygdalae, leading to compliance, money, and votes.

This is one of the four officially-recognized ways the Lions lose horrifically: get smoked off the field. I think it’s their first one of these for the year, too, right? I don’t count the Bengals loss as one of those since they gave up most of those points late.

I dunno, looks to me like he’s enjoying himself just fine.

There’s no risk until he actually gets apprehended, which he never will. People who truly believe Trump will ever be frog-marched in an orange jumpsuit live in a dreamland. Far more likely he’d be allowed to flee the country, but of course, it won’t come to that, either.

Super hard to avoid where Walmart is literally the only decent-sized retail outlet, which is true of a lot of C- and D-county America. Easy to avoid in the big city, though. I stepped foot in a city of Chicago Walmart exactly once, and as far as I can tell, there’s no need to ever do so again.

IWBIWISI.

I said “arm barn” for its comic value.

The Braves have pitching issues at the moment. Tonight should have been a Charlie Morton start. Instead they will probably have to start Drew Smyly, and rely on him and Jesse Chavez to chew up at least six innings between them before they can go into the bullpen for Minter and maybe Chris Martin. The back three of their bullpen have worked both the last two games so they will want to keep their top arms rested for a trip back to Houston. While they may not be wholly unavailable under all circumstances, I don’t think the Braves want to go to any of those three unless they are going into the ninth with a save situation. The best scenario I see for the Braves is to score a dozen runs today, so they can win something like 12-10 using the back of their bullpen and take the Series. The second best outcome, frankly, might be getting blown out themselves, so they can keep their best arms off the mound, and which is something I see as more likely to happen. That way Max Fried and the back of their arm barn (may I start calling it that?) can be 100% rested for Game Six. The worst scenario I see them in is a nail-biter from the middle of the game on, because that will put decisional pressure on them to dip into their tired arms, which would jeopardize their availability for Game Six.

WWJD, America Division.

Which is seven games, I hope. Despite that I hate both teams and want them to lose, the Artlanta portion of the Series has been pretty good.

As I have come to realize that the pandemic is in its death throes, I’m definitely starting to get more perturbed by the mask mandate. I’ll still wear it if I’m required to, but I’ll cheat more now where I wouldn’t have before (e.g., mask under nose). I mean, I am double-vaxxed, so really, come on. I went to a play last month, and am going to another next month, where there is is both a requirement to be vaxxed (and conclusively prove it), and to wear a mask at all times. I think that’s just madness. If we’re all vaxxed and there’s no danger to anyone, what’s the mask for, again? Optics? Virtue-signaling? Liability? Regardless, I am definitely mask-cheating when I go next month.

The best part here is that he got cruddy seats.

I agree with you on Javy’s tools, and the potential they provide for him to make an impact. But after having watched him pretty closely for several years, i can tell you that Javy also has what used to be called a ten-cent head. He lets his emotions get the better of him too often and it does sometimes affect his play on the field. Just this year he lost track of the number of outs while he was on base and got himself doubled up to end the inning. He also has a hero complex that leads him to swing for the fences when just getting on base would be enough. All you have to do as a pitcher in those situations is throw the ball a foot off the plate and Javy will get himself out. He’s also a guy who will carry a grudge and will act out that grudge on the field. You can ask Amir Garrett about that. All that said, and in spite of his flaws, he’s been a 5-6 win player over the past few seasons. If he comes to Detroit and AJ can baby him the way he needs to be, Javy Baez could be a 5-win player for the Tigers for another three, four, maybe more, seasons. You’ll love love love him when he’s going great, and you’ll cringe when he’s struggling. But believe me when I tell you this: you will be entertained.

Well, that took a turn

I’m fine with whatever they come up with.

Stop making sense.

Wishful thinking people have been predicting the demise of the Republican Party for years now, but it looks like it might be the Democrats who will be basically extinct by 2030, and it will be basically suicide.

Now I definitely don’t want either team to win.

A couple of Microsoft Store apps on my Win10 machine default to opening links in Edge, and I don’t think that can be changed.

I like cultural and sociological topics, so I am re-reading Colin Woodard’s American Nations; and a book about the lives of ordinary people in North Korea entitled Nothing to Envy. I am also awaiting two books from my library I have on hold: The Generation Myth by Bobby Duffy, and Highly Irregular, a book about the oddities of the English Language, by Akira Okrent.

I don't wanna know a single nother thing about ZipRecruiter.com.