Friday, July 13, 2012
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
MLB Baseball - All-Star Break and Beyond
The Major Leagues are at the All-Star Break as the mid summer classic takes place in Kansas City tonight.
The All-Stars from both the National and American Leagues will go at it and then it is on to the second half of the baseball season.
The surprises have not been lacking this season as the Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago White Sox lead their respective divisions in the pennant races.
Disappointing teams include the Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox, which are at or near the bottom of the standings in their division races. The Tigers have shown some life lately and trail the ChiSox by just 3 1/2 games at the break.
The New York Yankees continue to roll along in the American League East division, even though they have pitching issues due to injuries to Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and C.C. Sabathia.
The Yankees have the largest division lead of any of the six leaders (seven games ahead of the surprising Baltimore Orioles) while the Texas Rangers lead the AL West, four games ahead of the Los Angeles Angels.
The National League East leading Nationals have the best record in the senior circuit and the Pirates hold a slim one game lead over the Cincinnati Reds in the NL Central. In the NL West, the Los Angeles Dodgers have rebounded from their struggles to retake first place at the break, one-half game ahead of the surging San Francisco Giants.
Looking ahead, the Phillies have to be counted out in the National League as they have had numerous struggles and injuries in the 2012 season. Looks like their five year run of NL East titles is over.
The Nationals have been solid all season and their young pitching staff, led by Stephen Strasburg, continues to hum along atop the standings.
In fact, the Nationals may have what it takes to get to the World Series this fall.
The Pirates are a good mix of veterans and youth and manager Clint Hurdle has them believing in themselves to this point, though the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals are formidable foes who will be there until the end of the season.
The Giants should hold off the Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks in the West.
Back in the American League, it should come down to Texas and the New York Yankees this post-season.
However, the Chicago White Sox, under first year manager Robin Ventura, have been right at the top of the standings from the beginning.
The White Sox are a gritty group with solid pitching and a powerful middle of the lineup, especially with the addition of Kevin Youkilis to go with Adam Dunn, Paul Konerko, A.J. Pierzynski and Alex Rios.
The Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians won't go away in the second half, so the Sox will have to continue to grind it out and get the pitching if they want to return to the post-season for the first time in four years.
The Rangers should emerge from the West, as they will battle the Angels throughout the second half.
The picks here at the beginning of the season were Detroit and Philadelphia in the Fall Classic... well, it's time for an adjustment and the pick is the Washington Nationals and the Texas Rangers in the World Series with the Rangers finally getting the championship trophy in their third attempt.
We will see, but for now let's enjoy tonight's All Star Game and then it is on to the second half of the season.
Play Ball!
The surprises have not been lacking this season as the Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago White Sox lead their respective divisions in the pennant races.
Disappointing teams include the Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox, which are at or near the bottom of the standings in their division races. The Tigers have shown some life lately and trail the ChiSox by just 3 1/2 games at the break.
The New York Yankees continue to roll along in the American League East division, even though they have pitching issues due to injuries to Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and C.C. Sabathia.
The Yankees have the largest division lead of any of the six leaders (seven games ahead of the surprising Baltimore Orioles) while the Texas Rangers lead the AL West, four games ahead of the Los Angeles Angels.
The National League East leading Nationals have the best record in the senior circuit and the Pirates hold a slim one game lead over the Cincinnati Reds in the NL Central. In the NL West, the Los Angeles Dodgers have rebounded from their struggles to retake first place at the break, one-half game ahead of the surging San Francisco Giants.
Looking ahead, the Phillies have to be counted out in the National League as they have had numerous struggles and injuries in the 2012 season. Looks like their five year run of NL East titles is over.
In fact, the Nationals may have what it takes to get to the World Series this fall.
The Pirates are a good mix of veterans and youth and manager Clint Hurdle has them believing in themselves to this point, though the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals are formidable foes who will be there until the end of the season.
The Giants should hold off the Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks in the West.
Back in the American League, it should come down to Texas and the New York Yankees this post-season.
However, the Chicago White Sox, under first year manager Robin Ventura, have been right at the top of the standings from the beginning.
The White Sox are a gritty group with solid pitching and a powerful middle of the lineup, especially with the addition of Kevin Youkilis to go with Adam Dunn, Paul Konerko, A.J. Pierzynski and Alex Rios.
The Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians won't go away in the second half, so the Sox will have to continue to grind it out and get the pitching if they want to return to the post-season for the first time in four years.
The Rangers should emerge from the West, as they will battle the Angels throughout the second half.
The picks here at the beginning of the season were Detroit and Philadelphia in the Fall Classic... well, it's time for an adjustment and the pick is the Washington Nationals and the Texas Rangers in the World Series with the Rangers finally getting the championship trophy in their third attempt.
We will see, but for now let's enjoy tonight's All Star Game and then it is on to the second half of the season.
Play Ball!
Monday, July 9, 2012
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Summer Time Road Trip
The past weekend included a road trip following the Fourth of July holiday, with stops in Cleveland to see the Indians beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 3-1 on Thursday night.
Friday saw a trip to Canton, Ohio and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (highly recommended if you have never been there) and then on to Pittsburgh, PA Friday evening to see the Pirates take on the San Francisco Giants.
Here are some photos of the trip, including many from the Pro Football Hall of Fame stop.
Friday saw a trip to Canton, Ohio and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (highly recommended if you have never been there) and then on to Pittsburgh, PA Friday evening to see the Pirates take on the San Francisco Giants.
Here are some photos of the trip, including many from the Pro Football Hall of Fame stop.
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| Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio |
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
4th of July in Chicago (Sort Of)
The city of Chicago did away with the huge lakefront fireworks show at the annual Taste of Chicago two years ago and the celebration for the Fourth of July in the 'Windy City' hasn't been the same since.
Then Mayor Richard M. Daley claimed it was because the city could no longer "afford" it.
Phooey!
The Fourth of July is AMERICA'S HOLIDAY!
The costs of a fireworks display should not be a factor to the enjoyment of the people of this great nation.
The last big fireworks show took place in 2009, just a year after thugs helped to raise caution with huge numbers of cops and special security forces appearing in 2009.
The thugs (gang bangers and the like) started trouble amongst each other during the 2008 Taste of Chicago celebration that resulted in open gunfire throughout the area near the Taste event in the downtown Chicago area.
In 2010, the city decided to break the fireworks show into three parts, with a show on the south side of the city, a smaller "downtown" display at Navy Pier (just north of the annual Monroe Harbor event) and a show on the far north side of the city.
The events were cancelled entirely under the Rahm Emanuel regime that took over as Mayor of Chicago in 2011. The Taste of Chicago continued throughout the July 4th Holiday without the fireworks show.
But this year, NO fireworks (again) and even the Taste of Chicago has been moved back after the 4th of July Holiday, spanning from July 11-15 in the city's Grant Park.
That's life in the big city I suppose, but still doesn't make it right.
It's the 4th of July and fireworks displays are part of the festivities along with the cookouts and gatherings of millions of people throughout the land.
Oh well, light a sparkler and just be careful out there and enjoy the 4th of July Holiday.
(Following below is some pictures from past Taste of Chicago events and fireworks shows)
Then Mayor Richard M. Daley claimed it was because the city could no longer "afford" it.
Phooey!
The costs of a fireworks display should not be a factor to the enjoyment of the people of this great nation.
The last big fireworks show took place in 2009, just a year after thugs helped to raise caution with huge numbers of cops and special security forces appearing in 2009.
The thugs (gang bangers and the like) started trouble amongst each other during the 2008 Taste of Chicago celebration that resulted in open gunfire throughout the area near the Taste event in the downtown Chicago area.
In 2010, the city decided to break the fireworks show into three parts, with a show on the south side of the city, a smaller "downtown" display at Navy Pier (just north of the annual Monroe Harbor event) and a show on the far north side of the city.
The events were cancelled entirely under the Rahm Emanuel regime that took over as Mayor of Chicago in 2011. The Taste of Chicago continued throughout the July 4th Holiday without the fireworks show.
But this year, NO fireworks (again) and even the Taste of Chicago has been moved back after the 4th of July Holiday, spanning from July 11-15 in the city's Grant Park.
That's life in the big city I suppose, but still doesn't make it right.
It's the 4th of July and fireworks displays are part of the festivities along with the cookouts and gatherings of millions of people throughout the land.
Oh well, light a sparkler and just be careful out there and enjoy the 4th of July Holiday.
(Following below is some pictures from past Taste of Chicago events and fireworks shows)
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
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