While by the letter of the rule, it was a good call, I think the last time that was called, Coolidge was in office.

If only they called everything by the rulebook...

TV Team

Does anyone else get sick of the cliches and general spewing of accolades for the opposing teams from Bill & Brian. I swear if I hear "the hands lead the barrel of the bat" one more time or gushing over a SS making a throw a SS should make...

Is it too much to ask that they at least give a nod to people with more than a middling idea about the game of baseball. What I would give to hear some of the bloggers I read on a broadcast.

First Signal - Harry Hess project

September 14th will see the reintroduction of Harry Hess (ex-Harem Scarem) to the microphone & North America. And let me say, Harry, we've missed you. From the team of top-notch AOR writers (Erik Martensson, Martin Brothers, Richard Marx)to the amazing production of Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69, Khymera), this release is truly a treat for the ears.
The opening track, "This City" , gets things going with an intro reminiscent of Journey's outstanding "Never Walk Away" from Revelation. The bridge reminds one of "One Love" from JSS's current W.E.T. project. If you can't roll the windows down & cruise 80mph to this track, just get off the road. You're taking up space.
Next up is "When You Believe", complete with Journey-style intro keys from Eric Ragno. Groove, groove, groove. Another large layered chorus and Harry is back in early 90's form.
"Part Of Me" takes the album in an updated direction. This is the first of two Richard Marx-penned tunes. This would not have been out of place on Harem's final album "Hope". Contemporary rocker and quite good after a few listens.
Ballad "Crazy" is decidedly a newer Harem-style change of pace. Some nice piano and the typical Hess-delivered vocal.
"Goodbye To The Good Times" starts with some country-flavored guitar, switches to a funky style a la Jeff Scott Soto, then blasts into the chorus chock full of melody. It almost reminds me of a latter-80's Bad Company tune.
Title song "First Signal" has hints of modern rock until the bridge, when a wonderfully delivered guitar riff plays behind the vocals. Again the chorus is LARGE.
"Feels Like Love This Time" starts with some steel guitar (?). This tune really shows Harry's AOR range. Reminiscent of the melody used in Bon Jovi's "Stick To Your Guns". Once again, huge vocals.
"Into The Night" starts out rather modern rock-ish and holds that energy throuhout. Decent tune, although slightly forgettable.
The second Marx song "When November Falls" is a contemporary tune. Well written and a softer melody than the rest of the disc. This could easily have been recorded by Def Leppard for their X album.
"Yesterday's Rain" brings the riffs back. The chorus is quite Eclipse-ish, which only makes sense with Erik Martensson involved. Great vocals by Harry.
Finishing off the album is "Naked Desire", an old Mark Free demo. Harry plows through this in typical fashion, bringing an end to an outstanding listening experience.
I could sum this up all day long, but I'll leave you with this: If you like driving grooves, huge choruses, and well-written AOR, get this. Now. Don't wait. Go now... What are you still doing sitting there?

Name Change

Henceforth, Sons of Sixto has become Uecker's Front Row. The Lezcano reference was a bit vague, so I wasn't getting the hits from the blogosphere I had hoped (especially on the Brewer end). Please adjust accordingly and, hopefully, I'll start posting a little more regularly.

Thank you for your support

Edmonds traded?

Jim Edmonds has reportedly texted he has been traded to the Reds.

I assume this will either be Gerut coming back up as he is rehabbing in the minors, or the Lo Cain era may be beginning.

UPDATE: Verified

Bowling... don't get enough of this in the winter? What am I thinking

Robin, part deux

Escobar now the only Brewer this year to play all 3 OF positions... baseball can be an odd mistress sometimes.

Hart's New Sunglasses

Crew signs Corey for 3yrs/26.5mil, removing one year of arby & 2 years of free agency.

I've seen many posts on what this means to the team going forward: Hart stays for 3 more, does Braun move to 1st A.P. (After Prince) & Hart slide to LF, but one thing I didn't see is this doesn't guarantee Hart stays. 3 years of cost-certainty for another club could facilitate the trade we all expected this year.

On the other hand, Corey has been vocal about wanting to stay in MIL, and considering some of the comments by Doug this past week, that's love the Crew doesn't always get from FA's.

Now, if Melvin & Co can get the Weeks deal done, I'll be a happy man.

Crew standing pat

Melvin calls the Brewers out of business... I'm not too broken up about that. Though, reading some comments, he can't win anyway: don't get enough and get skewered, don't do anything and get skewered. It's so much easier from the armchair.

Torii Hunter with some more Cardinal-esque gibberish.

I doubt trading within your division is one of the fabled UNWRITTEN RULES OF BASEBALL... poorly-judged, not recommended, maybe even unfortunately necessary, but not UNWRITTEN.

Which begs the question: If the UNWRITTEN RULES OF BASEBALL were actually written, would it dwarf the actual rulebook? How about War & Peace?

Put your glove on, shut up, & get on the field. No one's looking to you for the direction of their own moral compass.

Adieu, Mr. Jenkins

One of my favorite Brewers retired today, so I'd like to thank Geoff Jenkins for a few things:

Thanx for always playing balls-out
Thanx for the picture many years ago with my wife & I
Thanx for showing off your arm
Thanx for the hellish upper-cut swing

Jenks had a frustrating "It's all or nothing here on Home Run Derby" mentality, but I always felt he was overlooked for his defense. Good luck, #5, on whatever your future brings. You brought me much joy during some lean years.

Daydreaming today & had a thought... sign Ricky long-term, trade Hart, & groom Lawrie in the OF?

Evidently, the strike zone tonight is like the Big Bang Theory... it's continuously expanding.

Both those pitches were outside even by Greg Maddux standards, yet Gorman guesses they're good enough. Honestly, you can't be a partly-competent umpire and still think those pitches caught any of the plate... unless the plate is the size of the Northern Hemiphere.

Laziness, writ large.

As Al would say, "the worst they've ever been... until tomorrow".

Y'now how teachers continue they're schooling even while they're already teaching? Maybe some additional training would help this. They have umpiring schools, why not send them back for some basic training. Instead, MLB leaves them out there to continually embarass the profession and the game, living on their little island.

You would think with the multiple camera angles & video replays, umpires would WANT to hone their profession and allow the camera's to prove how well they're doing.

Now, as my father would say, "piss poor".

Crap!

My window is closing...

Window closed...

Paul Is Dead?

I needed a good laugh today...

I'm left to wonder how MLB can continually allow umpires to be the aggressor's in these situations. Bush said his peace, turned around walking back to the mound, while Rapuano follows him, barking, and proceeds to get in front of Bush. Get your butt back behind the plate & blend into the game like you're supposed to.

Not to mention anything that has passed over the inside line of the right-hand batters box is a strike tonight. Consistently shitty is still shitty. I would think striving to be consistently right would be the goal.

Not to be outdone, I think umpires in my local softball league would've clearly seen Braun's catch was not even half a foot close to being an actual catch.

As Bill would say... My Goodness.

Brewer Moves

And the restructuring of the bullpen begins...

Estrada pitched well, Axford has been a nice shot in the arm, and now according to Al, Braddock (he of the pitching ilk, not Chuck Norris)may well be on his way up.

Also, congrats to young Mr. Lucroy on his promotion to the bigs. Small sample, he hasn't set the world on fire in AAA, but with Kottaras' steady play, he should get some nice opportunities to impress.

Crew Hit Hard By Injuries

Hoffman ineffective (usually a sign of injury after prolonged success), Edmonds with back problems, Hawkings with arm problems, Zaun with a shoulder injury... who would've thought the geriatric crowd would break down.

Reasons To Come In Off The Ledge

As promised, my reasons not to give up on the Brewer's season, presented in sevenfold;

1)75% of the season still needs to be played. On May 29, 2009, the Colorado Rockies were 18-28 and still made the playoffs.
2)The offense is still formidable - 7th in MLB in scoring (it's the -18 run differential that'll get ya)
3)We may not have too much longer to watch one of the best tandems in baseball hitting back to back. Prince & Braunie are so good in their mid 20's, we often forget how good they really are.
4)It's great to see Casey McGehee having a successful sophomore season, especially after the sCrUBS gave up on him.
5)We have been able to bask in the sheer awesomeness of John Axfors's "Meathead" Stivic 'stache.
6)It beats the hell out of hearing about Packer OTA's. I realize this is Packer country, but, honestly, it's 4 months away. Do we really need to hear about Joey Shitpants, the new street free agent water dispersal specialist being given a look as the emergency onside kicker?
7)Baseball is still the greatest game ever invented.