Baseball starts today!

Well, baseball season "officially" started yesterday with the Nationals beating the Braves. Not that I care vary much. I'm not a fan of either team, and only causally interested in a few National League teams. Although the season started last Tuesday (March 25th) with the BoSox and A's playing in Japan, I don't really count the season starting until today. Yup, the Twinkies will play the Angels in the Metrodome today. Although I'm very excited, being that this year is probably a "rebuilding year", I'm just hoping that the team places 4th or better. Call me pessimistic, but I really don't think we will be able to compete with either the Indians or the Tigers this year. But who knows, Gardy and company have pulled off quite a bit, and he may have more than few tricks up his sleeve this year.

Poll Results, New Poll, Blog topics

So the results are in, and well, it appears that most people (3 of you) prefer pens. Hopefully you aren't going to be making any mistakes will writing with your instrument of choice there. (That is why I picked pencil, I can erase my mistakes!) Also, someone out there picked a marker, which I must say is very daring, especially if your marker seeps through whatever it is your writing. Not to mention, quite a few markers have large tips.

So, new poll today, and well, I had a few Ideas, but instead of any I actually thought about, I thought I would ask, "What OS (Operating System) do you use on your computer? or What OS would you like to use on your computer (if you especially despise your current one)?

As far as blog topics, nothing really of note has happened. The Patriots are in the Superbowl (yawn!) and that means I guess I must root for the Giants. So, Go G-men. To bad the Vikings sucked it up again at the end of the year. But of course, we knew they would never make the playoffs.

Actually, I'm far more excited about the upcoming MLB season. So go Twins!!!! (And Red Sox, because that is where I'm hoping that Santana gets traded.) Spring Training starts in about a month!

You can't fit that in a Prius, T-shirts

We love our mini-van. Yup, it dawned on us yesterday, that without our mini-van, we would have had to pay extra to have our new dishwasher delivered. It just so happens that we live outside the main delivery area for most businesses. Without the mini-van, we wouldn't have been able to transport the dishwasher without either 1) paying for delivery, or 2) finding someone with a truck or large enough van.

To top it all off, we are taking another extended road trip in a few days. Yeah!!!! 8+ hours in the vehicle with little glacierbaby and the dog. Boy, what fun glaciermom and I are going to have. Hopefully it will go well, but without that extra space, the dog would have to be strapped to the top of the car. (Glaciermom has vetoed strapping herself or glacierbaby, so the dog would be our next choice, plus he can't speak, so he can't vote.)

Yup, we are visiting my parents for about 2 weeks, then going to visit glaciermom's mom (and attend a wedding). So we will be gone for about 3 weeks. When we get back, we get to move.

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In other news, did anyone hear about A-Rod's wife. I can't believe that security didn't ask her to change clothing, or cover up, or escort her out of the game. You know that if that were Joe/Jane Doe wearing that profanity laced shirt, they would have been escorted out of the stadium faster than you can say "F@!$".

I don't know what is worse, the fact that A-Rod's wife brought their 2 year old daughter AND was seen wearing that T-shirt, the fact other children in the area were exposed to that profanity, OR her excuse. Can you believe that her excuse was that she didn't know that she was wearing that particular T-shirt. Now I know 2 year olds might not know what clothing they are wearing, but she's an adult. How many times do you go out in public not knowing what you are wearing?

Its On!

Yup, Major League Baseball is back, and boy am I excited. True enough to form, I think my team will go all the way. (Yup, I predict that they will finish all 162 games this year!)

Sure, I'm still not going to get to watch the games like I did last year (darn MLB and direct tv). Hopefully they'll have a deal in place by tonight.

In other news, Glaciermom and I have been playing our own simulated baseball league. Last season we were both in the running for division titles and/or the wild card. This current season, which we finished up yesterday, glaciermom didn't finish as well as she did last season, but I managed to win my division. Granted it was a pretty weak division, and I only managed 86 wins. But I won my division (1st time glaciermom or I has one the division in 5 seasons). I guess my strategy of carrying 14 pitchers and 11 position players finally paid off.

So, who do you got? Ohio State or Florida? Around here we are rooting for Ohio State. If Ohio State wins glaciermom wins our office pool!!!!! If Florida wins, it goes to tie breakers to see if glaciermom wins. If Florida wins, lets hope the point total is less than 134!

Greedy MLB

I don't know if you've heard, but MLB is in the final stages of having DirecTV be the exclusive carrier of MLB Extra Innings. MLB Extra Innings is a PPV baseball package that allows you to watch what ever team you like (not just those in your viewing area). For my wife and I, this will really suck. First off, we love watching baseball in the summer. In fact, the last two years, we have probably watched 75% of all Twins games. Secondly, we don't have DirecTV, nor do I planning on changing to DirecTV.

In case you weren't aware, 75% of cable and satellite households currently have access to MLB Extra Innings. If the contract goes to DirecTV, only a fraction will have access (Less than 10% I think. I will have to find out.)

What I find frustrating is that MLB is screwing over millions of fans just like me. Sure they claim that I can still watch my MLB. I just have to sign up to watch it on my computer. Huh? Can MLB tell me that watching the game on my computer is the same as watching in on my Big Screen TV. Secondly, in order to watch it on the computer and have an even remotely viewable image you need broadband access (and a good computer). We don't have broadband, and our current home machine was purchased in 1997. (Yes, it is an antique, but it serves our needs well.)

So, thank you MLB for screwing over millions of fans, just for a few more bucks. (DirecTV is offering 100 million a year for seven years, while the current carrier of MLB Extra Innings (In Demand) only offered 70 million.) The difference in money is only about 1 million dollars per team. I would gladly give up the contract of Sidney Ponson if it meant I could watch the Twins.

Will I still get my MLB. Yes, I will find a way. I will probably have to listen to it on the radio. Does XM still carry all MLB games?

Lots of little things

Grrrbear reported today on his blog that they had received some snow. Yesterday we had also gotten some snow, and it really made a mess of things. No, the snow didn't cause many accidents, power outages, etc. It really made a mess because most of our streets, parking lots, and yards are just dirt or gravel. Yup, lots and lots of mud yesterday.

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I have no idea what is going on with the cat. Last week I took him to the vet because I thought he had a urinary tract infection. I was right. So he's been on meds for the last week, and things were getting better. Then yesterday, he started acting odd again. This morning he puked 4 separate times. Funny thing about a cat puking, I can here it no matter where I am in the house.

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It looks like I'm a Detroit Tigers Fan now. After the Twins got the boot from the post-season, I've decided to root for Detroit. Although I'm not opposed to Billy Beane winning (in fact, I would like to see his team do well, it might shut up all those pundits that say he can't win in the post season), I just like Detroit better. Personally, I'm rooting for a Mets/Tigers World Series. Its not that I'm a big Mets fan, its just that I don't like the Cardinals at all (plus, my mother is a Padres fan.)

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The folks are showing up next week. It just so happens that all of us (folks, wife, me) are school employees (or retired school employees) and happen to be going to the MEA-MFT convention. It will give us an opportunity to hang out, and more importantly, stock up on Baby Gear. In fact, next Friday, the school where my wife and I work are going to hold a couples/baby shower for glacierbaby. Hopefully we snag some good loot.

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Well, Halloween is around the corner. Last weekend I finished putting up a few more lights. We purchased a really cool set from Target the other day. I really like the purple/orange/green combinaton for most Halloween light sets.

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I did purchase X-Men III: The Last Stand. Although entertaining, it was not nearly as good as the first 2 X-men movies. I thought they did a good job of casting Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Hank McKoy (The Beast), but I would have loved to have seen many more of the mutants. I'm also not a big fan of what they did to some of the more prominant X-men (like kill them!)

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Only 300 pages or so until I finish Robin Hobb's last book in the Farseer Trilogy (Assassin's Quest.) So far, it is my favorite of the 3 books. Hopefully I can finish it before glacierbaby arrives!

Playoffs, Heroes, ramblings

I really can't believe it. The MN Twins have made the playoffs. They have played great baseball the last 4 months, but even more incredibly, the Chicago White Sox have caved more than Carlsbad Caverns. I guess that it wasn't to be unexpected, they barely hung on last year when the Cleveland Indians were trying to get into the playoffs (they too caved, but let's face it, we all knew they weren't going to make it.) The playoffs are less than a week away, and it seems as if we will be playing the Yankees. Time to get out my Yankees Toilet Paper!

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I'm told if your into TV shows like Lost, 24, the 4400, you would probably like NBC's Heroes. Well, I've watched a total of 2 Lost episodes, 4 or 6 24 episodes, and none of the 4400. However, I do love superheroes. So far, the pilot episode doesn't disappoint. Personally, my favorite is Hiro, and his new found ability to manipulate space/time. Very cool. The tempo was a bit slow, but basically, all they had time to do is introduce all the characters and set up a basic story line. (Scientist dies, son goes to NYC to find research, bunch of superheroes start showing up, bad guy involved.) Yup, pretty basic story. I almost think of this as X-men light.

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By the way X3: Last Stand is coming out next Tuesday. It was on my list to watch this summer, but we never got around to it. Anyway, it looked cool, and a bunch of my students loved it. (Some even saw it 4 times in the theatre.)

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The MN Vikings have come down to Earth and lost a game. No shocker. However, I really didn't think that the Chicago Bears are as good as they had been hyped.

Cool Weather, Twins, Vikings, Books

Well, the weather has cooled off quite a bit. Last week at this time, we were near 90 degrees each day. Now, if we get to 60, it is quite the warm spell. On the plus side, the cooler weather (plus rain) has helped fight the wild fires. Now the debate is, do we turn on the heat?

Funny thing about the cooler weather is our driving conditions. Actually, in the morning we often have the heat on (not quite full blast), and on some days (like yesterday), we will have to put the A/C on for our return trip home.

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The MN Vikings have won their first two games. This weekend they will play the Chicago Bears. Personally, I think the first two games were a fluke. (In fact, we should have lost the game against Carolina, except they made a bonehead move, and we had to use trickery to get the ball in the end zone. Personally, I don't think that bodes well for upcoming games.) But despite the two wins, I'm still a Vikings Fan. Although I'm seriously thinking of becoming a Colts fan instead. They have my favorite head coach (Dungy) and favorite player (Peyton Manning.)

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Well, as of right now, the Twins are 1/2 game out of the Division Lead. And with the Tigers slumping (or at least the Tigers and White Sox beating each other up), we may be able to take the division lead. I've read somewhere that the Twins magic number is 8. I'm actually hoping that we do get the division, that way we don't have to play the Yankees first thing. (Plus, the A's are a much better team, and why not get the hard team out of the way first!)

The weird thing about last week's games is that our only starting pitcher not to get a win was Johan Santana. Of course, he did get a no decision. I must say that our rookie pitchers are definitely taking up the slack for the injured Liriano and Radke. Also, Silva has finally started pitching like he did last year. Last game we saw, his sinker ball was finally sinking, and he was getting ground ball outs. If, in his next start, I start seeing fly ball outs, I know he is going to get the loss.

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I haven't talked about books recently. Well, I'm in the last book of a trilogy written by Robin Hobb. If you are into well thought-out characters, fantasy, intrigue, deception, you would definitely like the Farseer Trilogy. The books are Assassin's Apprentice, Royal Assassin, and Assassin's Quest. But be warned, the first book starts our really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really slow. In fact, almost all the action takes place in the final 100 pages (of a 500 page book.) If you get through the book, it is really worth it for the final two. Hopefully, I'll be able to finish the book before the baby is born. There are two more trilogies after this one, The Liveship Traders, and the Tawny Man Trilogy. Both of which I want to read.

After the baby is born, The next books on my agenda are Dan Simmons Ilium and Olympos. I really loved his Hyperion and Endymion series, and am hoping for another well thought out and written book.

Also on my list (and already in the my library as well) is L.E. Modesitt Jr's Ordermaster, the sequel to Wellspring of Chaos.

Baby Stuff, Discussion of a division title, crushing dreams

Well, we are less than 2 months away from the baby's arrival. As a result we've been in the mood of acquiring baby gear. So far, we've purchased the crib, the changing table, and the stroller/car seat. Just yesterday, we took an "emergency" trip into town to purchase more items. Yup, target had a baby sale. And since one of the items was a big ticket item (i.e., no rain check) we decided to head into town and get them. So we picked up a "play yard", and one other item.

The actual reason for the trip was to pick up a breast pump. Taking j-vo's and several lactation consultant's advice we went with the Medela New Pump In Style Original Breast Pump. Great part was that it was over 10% off!

I must say, I really do like going into town and buying baby gear. (In actuality, my favorite part is putting all the stuff together.)

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I must hand it to the MN Twins. I thought for sure that they would not even be in the Playoff Race. Then they started doing better and next thing you know, they are leading the wild card race. But after this 4 game series with Detroit, they are only 2 games back of the division title. considering they had the crappiest of all starts. (O.k., not the crappiest, but really, really bad.) Am I too optimistic in thinking we actually have a chance at the division title. Considering that Detroit might actually be having one of the biggest collapses in recent sports history, I think a division title IS possible.

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So, tonight is the night for football. Yup, the Vikings play tonight. I say tonight is the football night because tonight, is when my Superbowl dreams for the Vikings will be crushed. Oh, the Vikings might win tonight and give me false hope that this season will be different, but I know better. Yup, win or lose, the Vikings will toy with being great, but ultimately succumb to sub-par play. Or the Vikings will show the world how mediocre they are, but then have a second half rally, only to come up short again. And if they do happen to make the playoffs, I know for certain it will be one and done.

At least I can still have fun during football season rooting for Peyton Manning, and enjoying all those Peyton Manning commercials.

I beta watch out

Ok, so the title is a really, really bad pun. Anyway, I've "upgraded" to the new Blogger, which is of course in Beta. So hopefully this won't crash, screw up my blogs, or anything of that nature.

I'm very tired right now. Work has me stressed. I probably lost 2 hours of sleep just dreaming about volleyball.

Anyway, its now September. That means only one more month of baseball this year. And with the MN Twins surprising people by actually being in the wild card race, September could be quite interesting. Of course, after this weekend, they may not be in the race anymore (Yup, we are visiting Yankee Stadium).

The weather has cooled off considerably. On Wednesday, it was well over 95 degrees. Now, we might not even make 70. I woke up this morning and the temperature was 39.1 degrees. Brrrr.... But don't fret, by Monday, we will be in the mid-80's again.

Of course, this is labor day weekend, so we have a few things planned. Tomorrow, we are going to go into town. I think we will purchase a few groceries. However, the main goal will be to buy mrs. glacierman some more work clothes. If we have time, we may look at some vehicles as well.

Well, I need to get my stuff together for tonight's volleyball game. Just one last thing ...

Go Twins!!!!!!

Start of a New (School) Year, baseball update, baby update

Yes, as reported on the other site, the new school year has started. Actually, as I teacher, I had to start last Friday (Aug. 18), but today was the first day for students.

It was a fun day, but man am I tired now!

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Baseball update: MN Twins make ground in AL Wildcard race. Woo hoo!!!! Can the twins make the playoffs. Personally, I don't think so, although I would love to see it happen. With Liriano out, I don't know if the starting rotation will be able to keep pace with the White Sox (if they even can hold together themselves.) Radke has basically got a bum throwing arm, Santana apparently has blisters on the throwing hand, who knows what is going on with Silva, etc. If they start gettting too banged up, I would hope they don't do something stupid just to make the wild card.

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Baby Update: I purchased glacierbaby's first big items last thursday (yup, the day before school started). I purchased the crib, changing table, and stroller/car seat. Plus, I got them all put together on the same day. I must say, putting the stroller together was more difficult than I had originally thought it would be. The easiest to put together was the crib. Anyway, there is now a layer of aluminum foil on the crib mattress (in the crib). I had read somewhere that the foil is a pretty good deterent for cats. The jump in, but don't like the sound/texture/etc. of the foil and never jump in again. Who knows if it works?

Boffo on Boof

I haven't blogged about the Twins recently, for good reason. Yup, this is the year we start rebuilding. We just haven't been competitive with teams in our division. Granted, our off-season acquisitions are doing what we expected them to (hit the ball), but our vaunted pitching staff has been struggling. There have been a few good pitching outings, but not many.

Earlier this week Carlos Silva was moved to the bullpen and feisty Francisco Liriano was moved into the rotation. Liriano has been very impressive in his relief appearances. I'm not quite sure of the numbers, but he has pitched around 10 to 20 innings, with a statistical 2 K's per inning. Very impressive.

More recently, with Kyle Loshe pitching badly in his last upteen outings, Gardy had to do something. With the Tigers and White Sox increasing their lead, it has been noted that the Twins cannot afford to have below average pitching. Currently our starting rotation ERA ranks dead last in all of the Majors. As a result of poor pitching, Loshe is casualty number 2 in the pitching rotation. With there being no room in the bullpen for Kyle, Gardy sent him down to AAA Rochester. The move opened up a spot on the starting rotation which will be filled by AAA call-up Boof Bonser. (I believe Boof will be filling in, until he starts to suck. Then I believe his job will go to Matt Guerrier.) Boof was one of the acquisitions made for the A.J. Pierszinski (you know that catcher for the ChiSox).

Whether or not Kyle returns to the Majors in Twins uniform will be determined by his performance in AAA. Personally, I'm now more than certain he will be traded by the deadline. He is making far too much money, and not producing. That can't be sitting well with Gardy and Terry Ryan.

If the losing trend continues, we've also probably seen the last of Torii Hunter in a Twins uniform. If the Twins stay in the division hunt, there is no possible way they can let go of Torii. But if we fall further behind, Terry Ryan has shown that he will trade major talent for prospects. Personally, unless our rotation gets much better, Torii won't be a Twins after this season. He may even be playing in another uniform by the end of the season.

On a more positive note, Michael Cuddyer has solidified his hold of right field by playing decent defense. More importantly though, Cuddyer has finally started to produce consistently at the plate. As long as this continues, he will be our everyday right fielder. Also on a positive note, Rondell White has finally had some better luck at the plate the last week or so. Because I haven't seen many of the games, I don't know what has changed about his plate appearances. I doubt he has done anything as drastic as changed his batting stance, but maybe he has changed his position in the batter's box.