slikmar

I interpreted this much like Downey's Stark. He never feels there is something his intelligence can't overcome, so warnings are for lesser men and women.

I interpreted this much like Downey's Stark. He never feels there is something his intelligence can't overcome, so warnings are for lesser men and women.

That person was correct.  No one cares.  But, since when does that stop a talking head...especially pregame?  Got to stoke the Hype Engine, even if it's got less substance than cotton candy.

And even led off the 9th getting the first 2 on, but couldn't punch it in.
 
Yeah, that was a big time gut punch...but not a surprise.  LeClerc isn't a closer.  57 appearances, only 9 save opportunities...and only 4 saves.  That's the *critical* flaw with the Rangers...their bullpen generally, and end of game specifically.  27th in saves, with only 30...the Rockies had more.  Fewer?  Royals, White Sox, and A's.......the other 3 teams with 100+ losses.  Lowest save percentage in *all* baseball...slightly lower than Colorado.  It looked like;  I was just eyeballing it but that looked right.
 
Will Smith's their most common closer, but he was ineffective in game 3 (3 batters, one out, allowed a walk and 2 run single) and game 4....1.1 innings but a 2 run dinger.  So he was also likely just not available in any case, after 2 straight days of work.  But that's the Texas problem.  It also means the game today was even more significant, because tomorrow is the travel day.

I finally, thirty years after its release, saw The Nightmare Before Christmas, and I saw it the right way -- in an actual theatre with fifty other people on a large, clear screen with a fantastic sound system. Which is the best way to see a film for the first time if you can be lucky enough to pull it off. And  when the lights went up and it was time to head out into the night, one word and only one immediately came to mind.
 
Masterpiece.
 
The absolutely unique use of stop-motion with doses of CGI of a quality that matches more advanced modern technology, the exquisite craftsmanship, some of the best VA performances I've ever heard (the combined forces of Chris Sarandon and Danny Elfman bring the anti-hero Jack to life with style, grace, and even a bit of gravitas. Elfman's score is genius, from the various Jack soliloquies to the Fleischeresque Oogie Boogie (and the magnificent voice performance and singing by Ken Page). The film was a wild fantasy, whose completely bonkers premise because surprisingly reasonable. I can't think of anything Burton and Sellick got wrong.
 
And I saw it for the first time in that manner in which it could be most appreciated. Heavens, I needed this.
 

One of my all-time favorites.
 

Court Jester 
 
 

NOT SO FAST!!!!!!
 
In a *serious* pitching duel, D'backs walk off with a 2-1 win.  Marte's bases loaded single with 1 out seals it.
 
And a notable game for the rules changes.  With Kimbrel pitching, Gurriel takes the count deep and forces a walk.  Kimbrel is *terrible* in holding runners.  AWFUL.  Gurriel steals 2nd;  the throw bounced but he was on the bag before it bounced...2 feet in front of the bag.  Left handed hitter Pavin Smith slaps one up the middle, but to the first base side enough...Gurriel was gonna make 3rd no matter what, but the defense was playing a bit more tilted to first.  Long run, slide...no play at first.  1st and 3rd, none out.  Smith then steals 2nd with no play.  
 
Gabe Rivera slaps a ball to Turner at short, playing in.  He makes the *forced* play to the plate.  Smith botches the situation;  he goes *back* to 2nd.  WRONG.  Turner MUST go home or the game's over.  Perdomo works another walk, setting up Marte with the bases loaded.
 
WHACK!
 
Still a series.  D'backs didn't hit great...but their pitching locked Philly down.  1 run on only 3 hits.  And this was the kid, Pfaadt...5 2/3 innings, 2 hits, no walks, no runs, only faced 1 over the minimum.  Pulled so Schwarber wouldn't get a 3rd AB against him.  Hey, it worked.  I'm kinda thinking the D'backs may win one of the next two with offense, but I'm still leaning to Phillies in 6.  But it's no lock.  The D'backs are *pesky*.
 
 

America’s frisbee. 

I don't know, JJJ might go bigger and say he is trying to steal America.

"Ralph?  Could I have a word with you?"

 
"I would beg to differ as well."

 
"Yeah, what are we?  Chopped liver?"

 
"You wouldn't say that bound by the Lasso of Truth."

"RRRAAAUUGGHHH!!!"

 
"Nuff Said!"

Rangers shut Astros down, 2-0.
 
Story in the Athletic today was interesting.  Baseball's biggest problem hasn't been addressed yet.  Yes, the games are quicker, but there's still a severe paucity of action, because now...there are more strikeouts per game, than hits per game.  They've been drawing closer for some time;  the inflection point is recent but it's there.  Tonight's game was another example.  11 hits combined...15 strikeouts combined.  And that's actually a moderate # of strikeouts overall.
 
League-wide batting average has varied only slightly over the last 4 seasons, and was actually a touch higher....but the strikeout rate was higher than '22, and only 0.07 below 21 and 20.  19 had the record...BUT...remember that the special runner on 2nd was introduced in 2020.  In 2019, according to Baseball Reference, the average game had 76.8 plate appearances.  In 2020 and 2021, this dropped to 74 and 74.8...but we have to toss these out, I believe, because double headers were 7 inning games.  In 22, it was 74.9;  in '23, it was 75.7.  The number of extra inning games isn't materially different.  And while 1 plate appearance isn't a big deal...if 20% of all outs are strikeouts (and that's low), then that accounts on its own for the 0.2 strikeouts per game.  
 
I think this may be a significant factor in the serious inconsistency we saw all year...from almost every team.  Dodgers had a bad stretch, when Arizona took over 1st for a bit.  Phillies started something like 26-31.  Cubs blew a playoff berth.
 
The Athletic's article offered up the point that every team throws a platoon of relievers...the average number of pitchers used per team, per game is well over 4...and they're mostly burners.  Note that this may account for some of the bullpen inconsistency, due to overwork...they're throwing more innings, and throwing too hard in those innings.  The article suggested...hey, maybe...limit the number of pitchers to 11?  The roster rules were changed a couple years ago;  I believe the max now is 13.  That won't happen, IMO, ever...the owners will never go for it, given the frequency of arm injuries.  There's no way they want to endorse a move that'll increase the workload of their high-dollar pitchers.  Also, it's the flip side of the shift rule.  Part of the reason for banning the shift is that it's effectively impossible to re-train the hitters to go the other way;  it's too ingrained.  That's true with pitchers...throw hard, harder, hardest, limited pitch counts, all that stuff also has become institutionalized.

Eighteen consecutive seasons together for these three.
 
Penguins' Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang break Yankees' record to become longest tenured teammates