I'm slumping. Season record is down to 41-33-3 against the spread and 54-23 straight up. As is the case each week, I put this up on Wednesday given my schedule, but will revisit on Friday. If you're relying on my thoughts, come back sometime before Saturday for the final result. Edit - I'm done as of Thursday midday. I flipped two ATS, I think I'd good for the weekend.
StL +14.5 GB (Pack wins game)(loss/win)
Jags +12.5 Steelers (Steelers win game)(win/win)
Redskins +1 Philly(loss/loss)
Detroit -5 Niners(loss/loss)
Panthers +4 Atlanta(loss/loss)
Bengals -7 Colts(win/win)
Bills +3 NYG (Giants win game)(push/win)
Texans +7.5 Ravens (Balt wins game)(loss/win)
Raiders -5.5 Browns(win/win)
Cowboys +7 NE (Patriots win game)(win/win)
Saints -4.5 Bucs(loss/loss)
Bears -3 Vikes(win/win)
Jets -7 Dolphins(win/win)
6-6-1, 47-39-4
9-4, 63-27
The 200 Greatest Major League Baseball Players of All Time, 2012 Ed. 181-190
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
200-191 is here.
181. Dazzy Vance 1915-35 RHP Dodgers
56.4
ERA+125
191-125
IP=3000
MVPQ=1924, 1928
182. Harmon Killebrew 1B/3B/LF Twins 1954-75
183. Kenny Lofton CF Indians 1991-07
55.95
.299/.372/.420
OPS+107
PA=9200
MVPQ=none
184. Lance Berkman LF/1B Astros 1999-
55.9
.300/.415/.550
OPS+146
PA=7400
MVPQ=none
185. Stan Hack 3B Cubs 1932-47
186. Graig Nettles 3B Yankees 1967-88
55.8
.252/.335/.451
OPS+110
PA=10,200
MVPQ=none
187. Joe Torre C Cardinals 1960-77
55.7
.307/.378/.497
OPS+128
PA=8800
MVPQ=none
188. Ken Boyer 3B Cardinals 1955-69
55.7
.292/.358/.479
OPS+116
PA=8200
MVPQ=none
189. Jim O’Rourke Giants LF 1872-04
55.7
.300/.380/.489
OPS+133
PA=9000
MVPQ=none
181. Dazzy Vance 1915-35 RHP Dodgers
56.4
ERA+125
191-125
IP=3000
MVPQ=1924, 1928
182. Harmon Killebrew 1B/3B/LF Twins 1954-75
56.05
.265/.380/.530
OPS+143
PA=9800
MVPQ=none
.265/.380/.530
OPS+143
PA=9800
MVPQ=none
183. Kenny Lofton CF Indians 1991-07
55.95
.299/.372/.420
OPS+107
PA=9200
MVPQ=none
184. Lance Berkman LF/1B Astros 1999-
55.9
.300/.415/.550
OPS+146
PA=7400
MVPQ=none
185. Stan Hack 3B Cubs 1932-47
55.9
.306/.402/.448
OPS+119
PA=8500
MVPQ=none
.306/.402/.448
OPS+119
PA=8500
MVPQ=none
186. Graig Nettles 3B Yankees 1967-88
55.8
.252/.335/.451
OPS+110
PA=10,200
MVPQ=none
187. Joe Torre C Cardinals 1960-77
55.7
.307/.378/.497
OPS+128
PA=8800
MVPQ=none
188. Ken Boyer 3B Cardinals 1955-69
55.7
.292/.358/.479
OPS+116
PA=8200
MVPQ=none
189. Jim O’Rourke Giants LF 1872-04
55.7
.300/.380/.489
OPS+133
PA=9000
MVPQ=none
190. Willie Stargell Pirates LF/1B 1962-82
55.45
.289/.372/.583
OPS+ 147
PA: 9000
MVPQ=none
Who you start with is Vance; he's the first player on the list (working backward from #200) to have two MVPQ seasons, and his '24 is the best year anyone's had thusfar. When we hit a 10 wins above replacement season, I'm going to call that an inner circle season. Vance didn't get there, but he's closest thusfar. His ERA+ matches the other top arms, he obviously has the most career value (although Sabathia goes by him in 2012) but he's got the two MVPQ seasons.
We also have our first 3/4/5 translated slash. It's Berkman. If he had an MVPQ I'd slot him right now into the all time team.
Instead, we add Vance. The best arm so far.
1B Greenberg
RHP Vance
RHP Saberhagen
55.45
.289/.372/.583
OPS+ 147
PA: 9000
MVPQ=none
Who you start with is Vance; he's the first player on the list (working backward from #200) to have two MVPQ seasons, and his '24 is the best year anyone's had thusfar. When we hit a 10 wins above replacement season, I'm going to call that an inner circle season. Vance didn't get there, but he's closest thusfar. His ERA+ matches the other top arms, he obviously has the most career value (although Sabathia goes by him in 2012) but he's got the two MVPQ seasons.
We also have our first 3/4/5 translated slash. It's Berkman. If he had an MVPQ I'd slot him right now into the all time team.
Instead, we add Vance. The best arm so far.
1B Greenberg
RHP Vance
RHP Saberhagen
The 20 Best WWE/WWF Championship Switches
Monday, October 10, 2011
The WWF/E Championship has changed hands in 110 different matches. I've probably seen a hundred of those matches. Here are the 20 best of those matches. These aren't the 20 best WWF matches, not the 20 best WWF title matches, these are the 20 best WWF title matches in which the belt changed hands.
List now updated through 4-2014
1. March 1996 - Shawn Michaels d. Bret Hart
2. July 2011 - CM Punk d. John Cena
3. April 1992 -Randy Savage d. Ric Flair
4. February 2004 - Eddy Guerrero d. Brock Lesnar
5. September 2003 - Brock Lesnar d. Kurt Angle
6. February 1997 - Bret Hart wins Fatal Four Way
7. August, 2013 - Daniel Bryan d. John Cena
8. March 2003 - Brock Lesnar d. Kurt Angle
9. May 2000 - HHH d. Rock
10. January 1992 - Ric Flair Wins Royal Rumble
11. November 1995 - Bret Hart d. Diesel
12. March 1999 - Steve Austin d. Rock
13. September 2001 - Kurt Angle d. Steve Austin
14. September 2006 - John Cena d. Edge
15. August 2011 - CM Punk d. John Cena
16. November 1997 - Shawn Michaels d. Bret Hart
17. December 1998 - Mick Foley d. Rock
18. April 1989 - Hulk Hogan d. Randy Savage
19. April 2001 - Steve Austin d. Rock
20. March 1998 - Steve Austin d. Shawn Michaels
The Weekly Tendown October 2-8 2011
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Dear Internet:
The fundamental problem is you don't make enough money.
You work hard enough. But the dollars which you generate excessively stay in the hands of your employer.
That's always been true in the United States. But for the heart of the 20th century, through a combination of unions and social policy, the impact of that was minimized enough that the number of Americans in real economic pain was marginal. That's cold comfort for those on the margins.
As I've been writing in this space for two years, that level of systemic American inequality has been shot into hyper-drive. And now, no matter how hard you run, you lose ground. You lose ground while the people for whom you work get audaciously wealthy. You are asked to work harder and harder in order to earn less and less.
And the response of the political class is what?
Let's give your boss more tax breaks. Let's talk about raising your taxes. Let's cut even more social services. Let's consider cutting Medicare and Social Security.
The way to make your life better is to make your life even harder. That's the response of the political class. Your life should be harder.
You voted for Obama because you wanted it to happen at the ballot box. This exhaustion, anxiety, and anger
was what drove that vote in 2008. "Change" meant "why are we spending billions of dollars on these two wars when we can't afford to go to the doctor?"
It didn't happen at the ballot box. So maybe it happens in the streets.
Here's Tendown 97.
1. We Are the 99%
If you have not gone to the Tumblr page, that's your click. I'm that. That is me. Before you go to the next thing, click that link, spend some time. Compare what you see there to the dismissive way Occupy Wall St. was covered this week. Forget Fox, you know that Fox isn't a news organization, it's plutocratic propaganda. Of course Fox said the Americans marching this week were Nazi terrorists. That's what they do. But here's CNN's Alison Kosik.:
Go to that Tumblr page. See if Kosik's analysis rings true.
2. It's Not An Accident
From The Institute For America's Future:
3. Corporations Do Not Need More Tax Breaks
They're sitting on 2 trillion right now.
American corporations are holding more cash on their balance sheets than at any time in nearly a half century, as they continue to save instead of investing or hiring workers, according to a Federal Reserve report released Friday. At the same time, Republican presidential candidates and corporate leaders continue to lobby for lower corporate tax rates and huge corporate tax giveaways under the guise that they will lead to higher rates of job creation.
4. 88%
From Northeastern University.
“Between the second quarter of 2009 and the fourth quarter of 2010, real national income in the U.S. increased by $528 billion. Pre-tax corporate profits by themselves had increased by $464 billion while aggregate real wages and salaries rose by only $7 billion or only .1%. Over this six quarter period, corporate profits captured 88% of the growth in real national income while aggregate wages and salaries accounted for only slightly more than 1% of the growth in real national income. …The absence of any positive share of national income growth due to wages and salaries received by American workers during the current economic recovery is historically unprecedented.”
5. Here, In Florida
3 million people below the poverty line.
The poverty line is about 10 grand for a single person, about 14 grand for two people, about 17 for 3 people, and 21 grand of income a year for a family of four.
About half of those 3 million are at less than half of the income to even reach the poverty line.
Herman Cain wants to raise their taxes, by the way. You're a family of four making 10 grand a year, Herman Cain's grand economic plan is to cut the taxes of millionaires and billionaires by 75% and raise your taxes.
That's an actual proposal by someone running for President, running fairly successfully at present, in 2011.
Just in Palm Beach County:
6. From the 8th Floor of the Chicago Board of Trade
Don't jump. Please. Stop. Don't. Jump.
7. How Much Wealth Does That 1% Have?
Forty Percent.
8. Remember When You First Heard "Tax Millionaires."
This week, Tendown economics was picked up by Democrats in the Senate.
9. Taxes Are How We Pay For Stuff
Like what?
Like prosecuting people for domestic violence.
10. How Many Times Would You Guess Newt Gingrich Has Seen the Hangover?
Seven.
That's all for this time. I'll be back next time. If there is a next time...
Your pal,
Jim
The fundamental problem is you don't make enough money.
You work hard enough. But the dollars which you generate excessively stay in the hands of your employer.
That's always been true in the United States. But for the heart of the 20th century, through a combination of unions and social policy, the impact of that was minimized enough that the number of Americans in real economic pain was marginal. That's cold comfort for those on the margins.
As I've been writing in this space for two years, that level of systemic American inequality has been shot into hyper-drive. And now, no matter how hard you run, you lose ground. You lose ground while the people for whom you work get audaciously wealthy. You are asked to work harder and harder in order to earn less and less.
And the response of the political class is what?
Let's give your boss more tax breaks. Let's talk about raising your taxes. Let's cut even more social services. Let's consider cutting Medicare and Social Security.
The way to make your life better is to make your life even harder. That's the response of the political class. Your life should be harder.
You voted for Obama because you wanted it to happen at the ballot box. This exhaustion, anxiety, and anger
was what drove that vote in 2008. "Change" meant "why are we spending billions of dollars on these two wars when we can't afford to go to the doctor?"
It didn't happen at the ballot box. So maybe it happens in the streets.
Here's Tendown 97.
1. We Are the 99%
If you have not gone to the Tumblr page, that's your click. I'm that. That is me. Before you go to the next thing, click that link, spend some time. Compare what you see there to the dismissive way Occupy Wall St. was covered this week. Forget Fox, you know that Fox isn't a news organization, it's plutocratic propaganda. Of course Fox said the Americans marching this week were Nazi terrorists. That's what they do. But here's CNN's Alison Kosik.:
Go to that Tumblr page. See if Kosik's analysis rings true.
2. It's Not An Accident
From The Institute For America's Future:
What Washington can’t seem to understand is the scope of the crisis that Americans face. It isn’t just the 25 million people in need of full time work. We have fewer payroll jobs now than we had in 2000 but 30 million more people. Wages and household incomes are falling. Barely half of employees get health insurance at work, and those that do pay ever more out of pocket before the insurance kicks in. One in eight homes is in foreclosure or in arrears; one in four is under water. A staggering $12 trillion in wealth that people thought they had – much of it in their homes – has been lost. Only half of employees have any kind of retirement plan at work, and now Social Security and Medicare are under attack.
The middle class is getting crushed. And this isn’t an accident; it is a defeat. It is the result of conservative ideas and corporate interests that have dominated our politics for over thirty years. They launched an attack on labor, lowered the floor under the poorest Americans, and raised the roof for the rich. The money that was supposed to trickle down instead congealed at the top. The richest 1% captured all of the growth of the last decade, while the bottom 90% lost ground. They had a wilding, inflated a bubble that eventually burst, and the economy went over a cliff.
3. Corporations Do Not Need More Tax Breaks
They're sitting on 2 trillion right now.
American corporations are holding more cash on their balance sheets than at any time in nearly a half century, as they continue to save instead of investing or hiring workers, according to a Federal Reserve report released Friday. At the same time, Republican presidential candidates and corporate leaders continue to lobby for lower corporate tax rates and huge corporate tax giveaways under the guise that they will lead to higher rates of job creation.
4. 88%
From Northeastern University.
“Between the second quarter of 2009 and the fourth quarter of 2010, real national income in the U.S. increased by $528 billion. Pre-tax corporate profits by themselves had increased by $464 billion while aggregate real wages and salaries rose by only $7 billion or only .1%. Over this six quarter period, corporate profits captured 88% of the growth in real national income while aggregate wages and salaries accounted for only slightly more than 1% of the growth in real national income. …The absence of any positive share of national income growth due to wages and salaries received by American workers during the current economic recovery is historically unprecedented.”
5. Here, In Florida
3 million people below the poverty line.
The poverty line is about 10 grand for a single person, about 14 grand for two people, about 17 for 3 people, and 21 grand of income a year for a family of four.
About half of those 3 million are at less than half of the income to even reach the poverty line.
Herman Cain wants to raise their taxes, by the way. You're a family of four making 10 grand a year, Herman Cain's grand economic plan is to cut the taxes of millionaires and billionaires by 75% and raise your taxes.
That's an actual proposal by someone running for President, running fairly successfully at present, in 2011.
Just in Palm Beach County:
6. From the 8th Floor of the Chicago Board of Trade
7. How Much Wealth Does That 1% Have?
Forty Percent.
This week, Tendown economics was picked up by Democrats in the Senate.
9. Taxes Are How We Pay For Stuff
Like what?
Like prosecuting people for domestic violence.
Last month, the Shawnee County District Attorney’s office, facing a 10% budget cut, announced that the county would no longer be prosecuting misdemeanors, including domestic violence cases, at the county level. Finding those cases suddenly dumped on the city and lacking resources of their own, the Topeka City Council is now considering repealing the part of the city code that bans domestic battery. [...]
Since the county stopped prosecuting the crimes on September 8th, it has turned back 30 domestic violence cases. Sixteen people have been arrested for misdemeanor domestic battery and then released from the county jail after charges weren’t filed. “Letting abusive partners out of jail with no consequences puts victims in incredibly dangerous positions,” said Becky Dickinson of the YWCA. “The abuser will often become more violent in an attempt to regain control.
10. How Many Times Would You Guess Newt Gingrich Has Seen the Hangover?
Seven.
That's all for this time. I'll be back next time. If there is a next time...
Your pal,
Jim
The Bottom Line - 2011 League Championship Series Picks
Saturday, October 8, 2011
I picked the two best teams to come out of the MLB playoffs, Philadelphia and New York.
So, there's that.
I got the other two series right and will, it should not surprise you, pick those two winners, Texas and Milwaukee, to now advance to the World Series.
Philadelphia and New York each lost for the same two reasons (1) as I say, every single year, anyone can win a short series; I make predictions because that's what one does, but there's not really any result in a playoff series that should shock and (2) the winners had some favorable matchups that they were able to take advantage of, even though the losers were significantly better regular season teams.
That doesn't stop here - Texas should beat Detroit (that top of the order Tigers lineup should not be going to the World Series) but the Rangers have lefty arms and Detroit has right handed bats; when you add that to the Tigers ability to send Verlander to the mound in Games 1,4 and 7 - this is the best possible situation for the Tigers to win.
I don't think they will; had the Yankees come through in Game 5, my pick was going to switch to Texas, their bats+bullpen looks to me like a world champion.
My primary thought about the NL is Giants fans should be extra frustrated; this is why you don't kick seasons away the way we did this year; if we start Belt all year - if we sign even a league average shortstop in the offseason - I think maybe we make it. And if we make it, with the top end starting pitching, the number of bullpen arms, and Sandoval/Beltran/and hopefully a Belt who worked out his adjustment to big league pitching over the course of the summer - then we might still be playing baseball this weekend.
I'll stick with Milwaukee, they've got the pitching advantage in every game other than when Carpenter goes, and whereas the Tigers didn't need Verlander to finish the Yanks, Carpenter had to throw game 5 in the NLDS. I don't like all those outs in the Brewers lineup, but I'll say they get through.
I'm for Milwaukee.
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