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TedE

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Posts posted by TedE

  1. 2 hours ago, DonRocks said:

    Am I the only person on the internet who saw this? The HBP was a foul ball!

    Don, I think you're thinking of the passed ball maybe?  The HBP got him squarely in the knee, his bat was nowhere near it.  Dusty did come out to argue if his bat had come around and therefore he technically swung at the pitch, but that was not the case either.

    Also:

    Quote

    The next four Cubs hitters reached on 1) an intentional walk, 2) a passed-ball third strike, 3) a catcher's interference and, finally, 4) a hit-by-pitch. Yes, that's as rare as it sounds:

    "None of the 2.73m half innings in our db have even had all 4 of these events. 22 w/ 3. Only 5 games had all 4."

    Also: the world sucks, and everything is horrible

  2. 12 hours ago, DonRocks said:

    I have to go with Strasburg for his sustained excellence in the worst of conditions.

    Not just excellence, complete domination.  If you haven't yet, read Boswell's run down this morning of what he has done in the back half of the season.

    I also loved his come back to a reporter's question about the madness surrounding the lead up to that game (I'm paraphrasing): "What drama?  You guys created the drama."

    • Like 1
  3. 1 hour ago, Pat said:

    Dusty is going with the lineup order that has scored the most runs this season for Game 4. It's an odd bit of chemistry, but Werth and Harper back-to-back at #2 and 3 has an extra spark and Rendon seems to do better at #6. [Turner, Werth, Harper, Zimmerman, Murphy, Rendon, Wieters, Taylor, Roark.] That is, if he rain lets up enough so they play today.

    Reshuffling the lineup, or deck chairs on the Titanic? :)

    It doesn't matter where they bat, hitters have to hit.  Trea has to get on base and be a threat.  Their offensive woes of this past week go deeper than ordering calculus.  I was one of those people moaning about Werth getting the start over Kendrick yesterday, but at least he did something (a hit and a walk).

    Our two aces have taken no hitters past the 5th twice, and the Nats have lost both of those games.  Those are games you just have to win.  It's the 2014 Giants series all over again.

  4. Just shoot me now and get it over with .....

    There are two lines of thought on tonight's potential rain out:

    1) The Nats *want* to face Arietta.  Supposedly still dealing with a hamstring problem, several weeks off, not the ace he used to be and in sub-optimal pitching conditions.  Nats counter with Roark who has been heroic in these situations before.

    2) Nats hope for a full rain out today and play tomorrow where they can start Strasburg again on almost full rest.  But then we likely get Hendricks again.

    Of course none of this matter if they continue to not hit the damn ball.  Or If Dusty keeps leaving our revamped bullpen on the bench with, I dunno, the whole season on the line. I've grown tired of screaming at the TV.

  5. On 9/25/2017 at 11:36 AM, ElGuapo said:

    The new location at 14th Street & U Street is open!

    Jeni's 14th Street

    It's been open for a couple of weeks, but they are holding the grand opening tonight.  Free scoops from 7-10.

    Wonder how the competition will shake out with Jubilee barely a block away.  Both are fantastic products in my opinion.

  6. If you haven't seen it I highly recommend checking out the doc about Lemmy's life (simply titled "Lemmy").  Even for people who don't like his music it's a fascinating and often hilarious look at a bona fide rock icon.

    • Like 1
  7. Wouldn't miss it!  Since "Standing-in-a-45-minute-line-for-a-taste-of-Cantillon" is so 2015, I wonder what beer will have an immediate queue when the doors open at 11:30?  Even Founder's Kentucky Breakfast Stout was available well into the day last year (that was the one with a ridiculous line in 2014 I think).

    From a quick browse of the list it looks like the fruit-infused Gose trend has about run its course (this year I see gooseberry, prickly pear and kiwi, just to name a few). Some interesting IIPA offerings that are new to DC and will probably go quickly (Founder's bourbon barrel aged "Doom", Stone is brining RuinTen with a bunch of fruit thrown into it, lots of dry-hopped or casked versions from other breweries).

  8. Your runaway NL East champions!  If you'd said we'd be thinking about catching the Dodgers for top seed just 2 weeks ago I would have laughed.  The series this weekend is now going to say a lot about that.  Consensus is the Nats don't *want* the best record in the NL and would be better off seeing the Cubs in the NLDS.  Diamondbacks are surging with a strong rotation, and the defending champs are not.  The next 3 weeks is shaping up to be a doozy for the rest of the NL.

    Interesting to see all of the replacements out there for the clincher today (Turner was the only regular starter).  That's the line up you usually see the day AFTER they clinch, when the regulars get a day off to nurse their hangovers.  Robles certainly showed he belongs at this level, but I wonder if we see him on the playoff roster as a direct AA call up.  That probably depends on how Harper/Werth are actually doing when the time comes. 

    Rendon - Quietest MVP caliber season I can remember seeing (which is why he won't get the votes ...).  Leads the entire NL in most calculations of fWAR.

    Strasburg - Holy crap!  Including today, 34 straight scoreless innings.  Since the All Star break and coming off the DL: 0.61 ERA.  If Scherzer gets the rest he needs, and Gio continues his come back season, that is a scary starting postseason roster.  Roark hasn't exactly been a slouch, either.  Aside from Doolittle the 'pen so far has been ... better.

    • Like 3
  9. 15 hours ago, DonRocks said:

    There's something to be said for depth.

    As a friend pointed out the replacements for the entire starting outfield have posted a combined 4+ WAR (the literal "replacements" in Wins Above Replacement are outperforming themselves!).  We may not see a projected starter in the outfield until the end of this month, even next month without a division race to worry about (whenever Werth comes back).  If healthy (a HUGE "if" this season) a Harper, Werth, Goodwin/Taylor/Kendrick outfield is an incredible luxury.

  10. 14 hours ago, DonRocks said:

    Gio Gonzalez lowered his ERA to 1.79 tonight - the best ERA in the major leagues

    With Scherzer's continued dominance, angst around yet more Strasburg time on the DL and the abysmal bullpen, Gio has been having himself a hell of a year in the shadows.  I think it suits him well.  The dig on him over the past several seasons since his stellar stretch in 2012 has been that he lets the pressure get to him when things go awry in the early innings and tends to unravel.  No reason to think that wouldn't apply to being in the constant spotlight, either.  When he's just allowed to go out and pitch while the news focuses on seemingly every National not named Gio Gonzalez he's at his best.

  11. On 4/26/2017 at 1:56 PM, pras said:

    Pretty good deal, but I can't imagine having a case!

    Was in Rehoboth last week and confirm that they sell it by the case at retail for $216.  Factor in the tax and that's about even with Costco.

    But $7.50 a glass at the brewpub (10 oz. pour) is definitely the way to go.

  12. On 7/26/2017 at 9:42 AM, DonRocks said:

    Thank you - I had no idea. Can you point to a reference that has a more in-depth discussion of this? I'm interested in reading more.

    Now I'm wondering if "burnish" and "burl" may somehow be related words.

    I'm sure there is some in depth technical discussion out there but I don't know of it!  That was just my $0.02 about the two senses of that word.  A quick Google indicates that, for metals, burnishing is mechanical smoothing of a surface whereas polishing involves actual removal of the surface layer.  That I didn't know.  I don't see any noted differences for woods, but I'm sure there is a difference somewhere.

    • Like 1
  13. Over the span of the 3rd and 4th innings this afternoon the Nats:

    - Sent 21 batters to the plate

    - Went 13-for-18 with 3 walks (2 issued to Scherzer)

    - Hit 7 HRs including the 5 by the first 6 batters of the 3rd inning (Murphy was the slacker after they started off 4-4 in the inning)

    - Scored 13 runs

    They've scored 22 runs over the last 5 innings including last night.  Fun baseball is fun!

    • Like 1
  14. 15 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

    What's the difference between "polish" and "burnish?"

    When I think of burnish, I picture English wood (no, not Grant's Johnson, presidential as that may sound), but I don't think the word is limited to that, and it may be only because it sounds like "burl" (which is a knot that can be burnished, even though burl's etymology comes from words meaning "wool"). 

    When the substance is wood I think that they are synonymous, although to woodworkers I'm sure there is some technical difference in the finish.  For metal, though, the distinction is pretty clear: polished metal surfaces are reflective, whereas burnished metal leaves some of the grinding or sanding marks rendering it duller.

    • Like 1
  15. Two arms added to the bullpen over the weekend.  These are a move to get relief back to stability, but I don't think this was THE move.  They need a more options for a closer, not some guys who *could* fill in the role.  I think Doolittle can be more than advertised, though. 

    Offense is clearly not going to be a problem!  OI wouldn't want to have been within arm's reach of Scherzer on Saturday, though.  He walks off the mound with a 10-0 lead, and in the ninth they had the tying run on deck.  If that game had been 2-0 and Dusty came out to pull him I think you would have seen Mad Max go off and demand to stay in the game.

     

    Edit: 4-0 with no outs top of 1st just now.  Yeah, feasting on mediocre pitching.  I think they are now on pace for 919(?) runs after 3.1 games of this series.  FOUR batters in the top 11 of all MLB for average (Murphy, Harper, Zimm, Rendon).  On Saturday they briefly had the 1-2-3 leading batters in the NL!  Buster Posey's weekend nudged him up to #2.

    • Like 1
  16. On 5/1/2017 at 11:07 AM, TedE said:

    With Eaton out the chance is pretty much off the table (and with 170 runs in April, the 10th highest ever, I still contend it's a possibility).  A lead off man's OBP is a strong determinant of runs scored over the course of a season.  Unless Trea (maybe) or Taylor (unlikely) can pick up the slack.  It's a huge loss.  I guess now their chance is to have a game like yesterday every other week to pad the stats!

    On pace for 894 runs at the break.  Having lost their lead off man in the first weeks, and now their other lead off option recently, that is pretty impressive.  The offensive drop off in the past few weeks is probably indicative of where they will end up in the 875+ range (but they also have 14 games left with Mets/Phillies, and have been feasting on bad pitching, so I expect a few more of those 12-16 run outbursts).  Who knows when Werth returns, but his replacement platoon of Raburn/Goodwin have held their own.  I bet even when he comes back he'll get more days off for pitching match ups.  The relief corps is still dreadful, but has flashed signs of competence recently. 

  17. 5 hours ago, DonRocks said:

    Yesterday at German Gourmet, I randomly bought two cans of sparkling water because I liked what the ingredients listed - one of them was cucumber, and the other was strawberry.

    Having just worked out, I was thirsty, so I popped open the strawberry, took a gulp, and immediately said to my friend, "This is the best strawberry soda I've ever had." Then came the cucumber, which was just as good - there is essentially no sweetness, and no calories, in either one (the strawberry has 8 calories because of strawberry purée - the only other ingredients are carbonated water and lime juice).

    It turns out these were Spindrift sparkling waters, which I'd never heard of. 

    ...

    Edit - I found them (not all flavors) on LuckyVitamin for just over $1.00 a bottle if you buy 48+ cans (free shipping). There's even a slightly larger discount if you buy 12 4-packs of the same thing (I think it's $1.02 per bottle).

    Screenshot 2017-07-05 at 2.11.52 PM.png 

    The DC Costco has had cases of this for well under $1/can.  I don't remember the exact price, but it wasn't over $20 and I think closer to $18.  Haven't seen it there in a few months, though.

  18. It seems Solar Abyss was re-incarnated as Space Reaper last year.  Still a very good IIPA, but the hops bill has changed a bit (not focused so much on Mosaic to my palate).  Release was a couple of weeks ago, and they still have six packs ($17.99) and growler fills ($15) at the brewery.  Six packs at retail around town are as pricy or pricier than before (I saw one at $21.99).  One surprise: at the Nats game on Monday the District Drafts stand outside of 309 had it on tap!   Occasionally one of the rarer or higher test local beers will show up there.  It was probably only one keg as the tap was done by the 5th inning.

  19. On 6/27/2017 at 1:47 PM, pras said:

    The Brewers Association has released a "independent" certification symbol to be added to beer labels.  IMO, breweries should focus on producing good beer and not symbols, but what do I know?

    I think it's a simple solution to an annoying, but not earth-shattering, issue.  In an age where you sometimes have to look up corporate filings to determine if a "craft brewery" is just a offshoot of a conglomerate designed from the ground up to look like an independent brewery I don't think it's that bad.  The "Sam Adams Problem" is a real issue, though.  Luckily, everybody knows who those players are.  I see this as easily solving the "Plank Road Problem".  Wonder how they will handle it when the next micro inevitably gets snapped up by a macro?

  20. On 3/7/2016 at 8:19 AM, DonRocks said:

    One very interesting component to Jordan's version: He held the ball low, with a bent elbow, at the same level of his forehead, right up until the point when he began to descend. Only then did he slowly extend his arm upward, so it appeared that he was rising the entire way to the basket, when, in fact, he began dropping long before he reached the rim. It was a brilliant slight-of-hand illusion, and was probably well-thought-out in advance.

    Also notice that half way through the dunk he bends his knees which brings his legs up and raises center of gravity.  That dunk is still so iconic because it is so compact (lowered hand, bent knees) and then just explodes at the end.  There is the real sense that he is defying physics based on how it played out. To be honest, aside from the bent arm, I bet he didn't even plan it that way.  A big part of Jordan's greatness was his body control, the way he was able to adapt and adjust on the fly (witness the famous change-hands-for-no-real-reason lay up against the Lakers) better than probably anybody who has ever played the game.  I bet he took off on that dunk, momentarily thought, "I may not make this, need to sustain this trajectory" and his body, in the split second it needed to, just adjusted necessarily.

  21. I threw shot in high school, but was more adept at discus.  To succeed both require some baseline raw strength, but technique is way more important.  One of the better throwers I ran across at meets during my lackluster career was pretty lanky up top with very solid legs, but had 2-3" on many other throwers that may have outweighed him by 40-50 pounds.  His technique was superb, and he used his arm length to great advantage.

    It's interesting to note that Carter's still-standing record uses the older style slide step; these days it's all spin technique which can generate more forward momentum at the point of release, however it requires more coordination.  Truly a freak of nature.

    Watch the finals from Rio where Americans placed 1-2.  On Crouser's gold winning throw, notice his reaction.  He knows that throw is the one the instant it leaves his fingertips.  Whenever you uncork a good one, you know it immediately.  The shot or disc just floats out of your hand, there is no perceived resistance from a bad arm angle or your muscles fighting an off-balance rotation.  Just one fluid motion packed with explosive energy on release.

    • Like 2
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