Archive for May 2012
Wednesday Early AM Recall Musings
Folks, I’m still working hard on an edit that’s nearly completed, so I don’t have a lot of time available to blog. That said, I watched the election returns this evening and noted the following:
The total amount of votes in the Democratic primary recall race for Governor cast for the four real Democrats was 665,436; the total amount of votes cast for the one real Republican in the race, sitting Governor Scott Walker, was 626,538.
One thing is clear; anyone who cast a vote tonight in the Democratic primary is likely to vote for anyone other than Scott Walker. Tonight’s winner, current Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, knows he has a good-sized coalition in place that’s ready and eager to vote against Walker on June 5, 2012.
Other than that, Mahlon Mitchell easily won his race in the Democratic primary recall race for Lieutenant Governor, so he will be taking on current Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch on June 5. And former state Senator John Lehman, D-Racine, easily beat “fake Democrat” Tamra Varebrook, advancing to the June 5 election against current state Senator Van Wanggaard. (All four Democratic challengers easily won their May 8, 2012, races for state Senate.)
These elections show that many people want to change course in Wisconsin. We don’t like extremes here on either the D or R side; instead, we like moderates. Yet we’ve seen little moderation from the current crop of R politicians that was voted in during the 2010 election season, which is why so many people went out and signed recall petitions. (Simply put: they didn’t listen to us, so it’s time to boot them out and get someone in there who will.)
No matter how the Rs try to spin it, remember this well: the way Scott Walker and his R cronies behaved in 2011 is why so many voters went out and voted in the various primaries. And that bad behavior is what’s going to get at least a few of these Rs recalled on June 5.
Monday Odds and Ends
Today’s post contains a number of quick updates. (Ready, set . . . go!)
First, Milwaukee Brewers SS Alex Gonzalez, after being placed on the 15-day DL on May 6, 2012, found out that he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL); Gonzalez will now be out for the entire year. This might not seem so bad, except for the fact that Gonzalez is the third Brewers player to go down with a season-ending injury, joining first baseman Mat Gamel and pitcher Chris Narveson on the long-term disabled list.
Second, the Wisconsin recall primaries are tomorrow, May 8, 2012. Please get out there and vote; remember that in the 21st district, the only real Democrat is former state Senator John Lehman. In the gubernatorial primary, the four real Ds are Tom Barrett, Kathleen Falk, Doug LaFollette, and Kathleen Vinehout.
Third, I’m attempting to broaden my horizons regarding digital publications, as I’ve joined a workshop toward that end. While I still hope to find a publisher (or at least an agent) this year, it’s important to learn everything I can about e-publishing in case I do decide to go that route.
That’s about it — now, I’d best get back to editing (as a non-fiction manuscript I’ve been working on with two writers is due to be turned in later this week).
Baseball Round-up: Brewers News, Rottino Called Up by Mets
Folks, if I were a member of the Milwaukee Brewers organization, I’d be panicking right now. After first losing P Chris Narveson, then 1B Mat Gamel to season-ending injuries, the Brewers have placed CF Carlos Gomez on the 15-day DL. Now, the Brewers probably will have to place SS Alex Gonzalez on the DL as well, because today he slid into second base attempting to steal, and had to be assisted off the field.
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UPDATE: Tom Haudricourt points out in today’s game blog at the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel online that this is the fourth consecutive day where a Brewers player has exited the game (Gamel, Braun, Gomez, and now Gonzalez). MLB.com Brewers beat writer Adam McCalvy wrote that Gonzalez will be going to the DL as of tomorrow, and said that 3B Taylor Green and SS Edwin Maysonet (here’s his prior major league statistics; he’s a lifetime .276 hitter in very limited play) will be called up from AAA Nashville. Green can play 2B, 1B, and possibly the OF; Maysonet also plays 2B.
Note that this update doesn’t change my initial assessment about who’s going to play the outfield, now that there’s only three healthy outfielders (Corey Hart, Norichika Aoki, and Nyjer Morgan), with Braun playing anyway due to an Achilles injury.
This also doesn’t change my initial assessment regarding first base, either; right now we have Travis Ishikawa and Brooks Conrad, who aren’t good long-term solutions. It might be better for Braun and the Brewers if he must continue to play despite his injury to be shifted to first base. Braun came up as a third baseman, knows the infield, and is the best athlete on the club, so this might not be so onerous as it might appear.
That way, Corey Hart could be put in CF as he has good speed and is blessed with the best arm (outside of Braun, who is ailing) in the outfield. Morgan could be put in RF (possibly platooning with Conrad, who’s a better OF than he is at 1B), and Aoki, who has a very suspect arm despite his excellent speed, in left field.
Now, back to my regularly scheduled post.
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The player who really could’ve helped them right now is 32-year-old utilityman Vinny Rottino, who was called up yesterday by the New York Mets. Rottino, who had a good Spring Training with the Mets and was the last player sent down to the minors, hit .317 at AAA Buffalo with 1 HR, 14 RBI, 13 runs scored, 8 doubles, and 1 triple. He had a fourteen game hitting streak going at Buffalo when he was called up.
Here’s a link to a very nice Mets blog that discussed the Rottino call-up:
Rottino has played the outfield exclusively for the Bisons this season, but played first base, third base, and catcher along with the OF in Spring Training. The Mets know Rottino is versatile, is a patient hitter, and has a calming, steady presence on the bench; better yet, Rottino is a fine defender and makes very few mental mistakes.
The best news in this case is that Rottino finally is is an organization that’s told him the flat, exact truth: they told him when he was sent down (reading between the lines in Peter Jackel’s last story about Rottino in the Racine Journal-Times) that he’d be the first position player called up, and he has been. Being in an organization that’s told Rottino the truth and values what he’s done thus far has to be a huge emotional lift, which Rottino deserves due to his persistence, faith in himself and his abilities, and all of his hard work.
But as this article by Peter Jackel from 2007 shows, Rottino is a lot more than just a guy with a great attitude. Then-Brewers pitcher Jeff Suppan had this to say about Rottino:
“What is great about Vinny is he is able to play a lot of different positions and he plays them well,” Suppan said. “He had to wait a little while to get some good opportunities in the big leagues, but I think in the years to come, he’s going to be a mainstay.”
And here’s what then-Brewers hitting coach Jim Skaalen had to say:
“He knows he belongs up here,” Skaalen said. “Through the hard work he’s put in over the years coming from where he’s come from – an undrafted player – and the odds that are against someone in that situation, he’s obviously a fighter or he wouldn’t be here. And now he’s fought himself and worked himself to this level and he’s not going to be denied now.
“That’s the way it is with guys who play at this level. They expect to be here, they’re comfortable in this environment and they know they’re as good as anybody else who’s out there.”
Ultimately, the main thing to remember about Rottino is this: he’s a baseball player. And he’s a very good one. This is not a publicity stunt by the Mets; it’s not charity. Rottino has earned his opportunity and I believe he will make the most of it.
More people need to know about Vinny Rottino and his long journey to the major leagues. If they did, they’d realize the value in refusing to give up no matter what the odds.
Just Reviewed Harbach’s “The Art of Fielding” at SBR
Folks, if you love baseball and you enjoy literary novels, you’ll enjoy Chad Harbach’s THE ART OF FIELDING. In many senses, this is a very fine debut novel with good characterization (with one glaring exception), a story that makes sense, and even a mythic struggle between what you know about yourself and what you think you know — or perhaps better explained as, “Who are you, really, when the cameras are off?”
This is the problem shortstop Henry Skrimshander has. He plays for Westish University (a totally fictional place set in Wisconsin), a Division III school, and is such a great shortstop that he’s never made an error. (He even calls his glove “Zero.”) And he bases his entire personality on that fact, to the point that when he finally does commit an error, his world falls apart.
Mind you, as I reviewed the entire book, I had to point out the one, big weakness of it, and that’s the relationship between Henry’s teammate Mike Schwartz, a catcher on his last legs, and the University President’s daughter, Pella Affenlight. Pella is drawn as a really hot-looking woman, and Schwartz, who otherwise is a go-getter of the first water, seems to have no communication skills or self-esteem when it comes to her. And Pella’s characterization in this area is extremely shallow; she does what she likes, doesn’t wonder much about why she does anything, and of course at the end, Schwartz takes her back for reasons only he knows, because the book is mute.
As I said in my review over at Shiny Book Review (SBR), hotness is not enough for any man to do this in a long-term relationship, not if he wants it to work. (And if this Pella really is that hot, why isn’t she a supermodel already?) Even seeing it as Schwartz’s “tragic flaw,” it doesn’t work, especially as the two of them pairing off is supposed to show great depth and maturity on Pella’s part!
So if Pella weren’t in this book at all, this book would’ve been a solid A. As it stands, because I love romance and know what works and what doesn’t, I had to give it a B even though I loved the book otherwise.
My advice, for what it’s worth, is to check out my review, which is here:
Then, go read the book, enjoy the baseball, and give Pella a wide berth.
Scott Walker in Tight Race in WI Governor Recall
Folks, today a new poll was released by the Marquette University Law School (yes, they do polling, too) that says that if the election were held today, Scott Walker would lose (by a point) to Democratic candidate Tom Barrett. Walker would win according to this poll against Democratic candidate Kathleen Falk, 49% to 42%, and would beat Democratic candidates Douglas Lafollette (the current Secretary of State) and state Senator Kathleen Vinehout of Alma by a margin of 49% to 40%.
As for how all four Democratic candidates do against each other? This poll says that Barrett leads with 43%, followed by Falk with 21%, Lafollette with 8% and Vinehout, the least-known candidate, with 6%.
Here’s a link to the article about the poll at the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:
Now, here’s my take about this poll: I distrust it. Why? Because the Marquette University Law School poll has a known bias that helps Republican candidates look better in polling than they actually tend to do.
For that matter, Falk, a former Dane County Executive, distrusts it also. Here’s what she said in the Journal-Sentinel article sourced above:
. . . Falk questioned the poll’s findings when she talked to reporters during a campaign tour of Union Cab, a taxi cooperative in Madison.
“The establishment naysayers have predicted this whole year incorrectly,” she said. “They said this recall would never get off the ground.”
I’m with Falk on this one, because I don’t think this poll accurately reflects Wisconsin voters. Falk is likely being undercounted, as the TV ads have tried to make her out to be a “Madison liberal” when she’s clearly a moderate in the Hillary Clinton mode, and assuredly Vinehout is, as she has a huge stronghold in Northern Wisconsin (the area she serves) that apparently hasn’t been polled whatsoever. And if two of the four candidates being polled aren’t being adequately reflected, what does that say about the entirety of the poll?
As for the political TV ads we’ve seen thus far in Wisconsin, they’ve been heavily negative against Falk and Barrett. This is mostly because Walker can spend all sorts of money (he’s raised $13 million thus far, with 2/3 of that money coming from out-of-state interests) and neither Falk nor Barrett can match it as the two, between them, have raised $1.75 million. (Vinehout and Lafollete, who both are “alternative” candidates with strong grass-roots appeal, certainly can’t.)
But for that matter, I don’t understand the barrage of political advertising thus far. As it stands, this is an election that’s likely not going to be decided by big-money interests. Everyone in Wisconsin knows what Walker did, and has firm opinions on it, which is why there are very few “undecideds” in the sense of knowing whether or not they approve of Walker.
Where the indecision comes in — and where the big-money ads may come into play — is this: does Scott Walker deserve to be booted out of office after less than two years in the Governor’s chair? Some of those who don’t like Walker may be indecisive about getting rid of him, precisely because this is a historic move that’s never before happened anywhere in the United States, much less Wisconsin.
My guess is that the 900,ooo-plus that went out to sign petitions recalling Walker have the most to say in Walker’s recall election, to wit: if they go out and vote, en masse, to get rid of Walker, he will be out on his ear. Which is why now, we’re starting to see news reports on Milwaukee-area TV stations of a more reflective Walker. On these TV “spots” (mostly on news reports), Walker insists that even if he is recalled, he’s done everything right. This belief that Walker somehow is right and everyone else is plain, flat wrong is why Walker should be recalled.
Wisconsin voters must get rid of Scott Walker, no matter who the Democratic candidate is. Because if we don’t, we will have no opportunity whatsoever to have a responsible Governor who actually listens to Wisconsinites, as Walker himself has already shown us that he’s not listening to anyone and isn’t about to start doing so, either.
So on May 8, 2012, go out and vote for the candidate of your choice in the Democratic primary. Then, regardless of who wins (it’s likely to be either Falk or Barrett, which I would’ve believed no matter what the Marquette University Law School poll said), go out on June 5, 2012 and support that person. Because if we do not get Walker out, things will only get worse — not better. Guaranteed.
Mat Gamel Tears ACL, Out for the Year
Folks, in last night’s game (May 1, 2012), Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Mat Gamel ran to catch a foul ball in San Diego. There’s a drainage ditch there, right where the stands meet the field and wall, that’s caused problems before — but the Padres organization has yet to fix it. This piece of information is essential to have when you consider that Gamel, in stumbling, then falling due to the drainage ditch, tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and is now projected to be out for the entire year.
This is really bad news for Gamel. He’s only 26. He’s had a rough go of it in the Brewers organization; for whatever reason, every season the Brewers minor league system seemingly had Gamel playing a different position. He started out at third base, had a flirtation with the outfield for a while, and then eventually was moved to first base last year due to the Brewers’ certain knowledge that Prince Fielder would leave after the 2011 season due to Fielder’s demands for a huge payday — one the Brewers couldn’t provide.
So here Gamel is; he’s finally ensconced in the major leagues, playing every day, at first base. Then he has this injury due to something the Padres really should’ve fixed at least four years ago — this odd drainage ditch right near the wall at Petco Park, which has caused players to miss time or be put on the disabled list (DL) before — and is now out for the entire year. Gamel’s season ends with a .246 average, 1 home run, 6 RBI, 3 SB, 4 walks, and 15 strikeouts in 21 games played.
As for the Brewers, they’re now in crisis mode according to several sources — Brewers Extra Innings announcer Dan O’Donnell (a show on the Brewers Radio Network, carried by Brewers flagship radio station WTMJ-AM in Milwaukee, WI), FSN Wisconsin announcers Craig Coshun and Jerry Augustine (the latter a former Brewers pitcher during their glory days in the late 1970s/early 1980s), and Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Brewers beat writer Tom Haudricourt (see this link for more details) — as their only extant options are these: move RF Corey Hart to first base on a long-term basis, or sign and/or trade for someone else who’s capable of hitting big league pitching.
Now, some of you might be saying, “What about Brooks Conrad, who’s hitting quite well in AAA ball?” While Conrad is hitting exceptionally well thus far — a .400 batting average, 5 HR and 13 RBI — the season is still young, and Conrad’s lifetime batting average of .229 in three-plus years of playing time isn’t exactly reassuring.** Conrad, 32, can play a number of positions, which is definitely a plus, and is a credible short-term answer, along with current Brewers utilityman Travis Ishikawa (the latter a strong defensive first baseman). But a long-term answer, he probably isn’t.
At this point, if I were the Brewers organization, I’d immediately start working Corey Hart out at first base. I’d have him start playing late innings at the position, to get used to it (this, incidentally, would help keep his big bat in the game in later innings, too). And until he was ready to play full games at first base, I’d probably divide the playing time between Conrad and Ishikawa as the best available options.
But this season doesn’t look too good right now, not with two substantial, season-ending injuries already in Gamel and pitcher Chris Narveson, which is one reason O’Donnell was panicking tonight on his radio show. (Bad enough that the Brewers are now 11-14 and just lost a game to former Brewers pitcher Jeff Suppan, now of the Padres, even though Suppan hadn’t pitched in the major leagues since 2010. Or that Rickie Weeks is only hitting .180 and looks horrid at the plate.)
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Note: For those of you saying, “Well, Barb, you keep extolling Vinny Rottino, and his stats aren’t that great, either!,” here’s my answer: Rottino’s not had a solid chance to play every day, or even every third or fourth day, in the majors. Conrad has. ‘Nuff said.
April 30, 2012: Career Night for Ryan Braun
Remember this date: April 30, 2012. Why? Because it was the night Milwaukee Brewers LF Ryan Braun hit 3 home runs and a triple. Braun accounting for 15 total bases, raised his batting average to .294, his HR total to 7 (which now leads the team), his RBI total to 16 (which also leads the team), and he’s now scored 17 runs.
This, obviously, is the best hitting night of Braun’s career. It’s the first time he’s hit 3 HRs in a game. It’s the first time he’s accounted for so many total bases in a game. And it gave him a way to silence the critics over his 2011 MVP Award (especially due to the PED controversy, which Braun has put behind him after his not-guilty verdict by arbitrator Shyam Das), too — a “win-win-win,” all things considered.
But you’d never have expected this sort of output from Braun going into last night, because the Brewers played the San Diego Padres in Petco Park. This particular ballpark is known as a pitcher’s park, where “baseballs go to die” — and is about as antithetical to hitting and hitters as it’s possible to be. In fact, it’s so antithetical to hitting that Braun is the very first player to ever hit 3 HRs in one game there — and Petco Park has been open since 2004.
Braun didn’t let that stop him, nor did he let his so-so stats coming into the game (before his monster night, Braun was hitting .263 with 4 HRs and 11 RBI) stop him, either.
A few of Braun’s words, quoted from the Reuters article:
“I’ve been pretty terrible the first few weeks, really inconsistent with my swing. I’m glad I was able to have a good game and contribute to a victory.”
That you did, sir.
A really good article from the Washington Post reminds readers that as of the first of this year, San Diego started considering whether to bring the fences in due to the lack of overall offense. Here’s the first few paragraphs of this excellent article by Matt Brooks:
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Big, beautiful and barely half-full most nights, San Diego’s Petco Park has long been considered a pitching oasis and wasteland for power hitters.
“In four of its eight seasons of existence, the Padres’ home stadium has ranked 29th or 30th (dead last) in home runs per game. And with power alleys of 401 feet in left field and 400 in right, it’s easy to see why.”
Ryan Braun heads for home after his third straight round-tripper. (Denis Poroy – GETTY IMAGES)
Here’s what Braun says about bringing in the fences at Petco Park (courtesy of the same Washington Post article by Brooks, referenced above):
“There’s no doubt this is one of the more challenging if not the most challenging place to hit home runs in the league,” he told reporters. “I think for fans, you want to see offense. Offense is exciting when teams are scoring runs. It’s a lot of fun for the fans to watch. So I think if they did do that, it would make it more of a neutral ballpark. As of right now it certainly favors pitchers pretty substantially.”
Even so, Braun had a career night. We can only imagine what he’d have done in a different ballpark, but it’s hard to believe that anything could top three HRs (none being “cheapies”) and a triple.
Brew Crew Ball points out that Braun’s 15 TBs are a Brewers franchise record. And with his 13 multi-homer games, Braun has moved into seventh place, all-time, on the Brewers leader board (first on the list is Prince Fielder, second is Gorman Thomas, and third is Brewers Hall of Famer Robin Yount).
Congratulations, Ryan Braun!
(And in case you were wondering, here’s the video from MLB.com of Braun’s historic night.)
Barb Caffrey's Blog 