rwa12

I've got to coordinate scans/photos, but I have a pretty good Brewer Auto collection. Most of it from 05-09. Had a really sweet Sheets collection, but some of it has been parsed out. Off the top of my head; I have multiple nice Certifieds of Sheets, Fielder, Braun, Weeks, Overbay, Hall, various busted prospects. I think I only have 1 of Jenkins, Hart, Gamel, Doug Davis, and a lot of the other semi stars. I do have a pretty impressive Jake Odorizzi collection as well. My main focus for a while was Yount. I have a ton of patches and autos, as well as a 1/1 or two. I shifted my collection to hockey, as I like the cards better and they hold more value. In the process of selling off my non-personal collection. Just keeping Brewers, STL Blues, Packers and my Baseball HOF Auto collection (I think I'm near 100, and have the majority of the living members).

I had Harvard winning, unfortunately I also had Bucknell winning.

We use iPhones for everything. We have a nice camera, toward the high end of point and shoot. It takes comparable photos to the phone. Activities change so quickly, that trying to use a camera is futile in my house. I do love the quality of a DSLR, but neither of my little ones like cameras and the second it comes out, the smiles go away and action stops. We can take decent enough phone pics and vids that we are fine with that for now.

I would argue that he sold as high as he could on Greinke. As much as teams like getting prospect hauls, they often flounder. It's exciting for the fans, but like someone mentioned earlier, the Indians thought they got a treasure trove for Sabathia. They, in essence, got nothing. I think enough GMs are becoming stat savvy that it's going to be more difficult for Doug to sell high. Moneyball seems to have brought us to an era where Jim Bowden is no longer the norm. Teams are reluctant to give up big young arms unless they are ready to make the jump. The Yankees, Red Sox and teams of the like aren't handing out their prospects anymore. I agree that Mark A. wants to win, I don't think he's going to tolerate a rebuild or a deep depression in the Win column. He wants the fans, casual fans want a winner. If they can sneak into the playoffs every few years, they'll be happy. GMs don't typically last long enough to ride out a long range plan for the franchise. Fans want a long term plan, GMs want to remain employed. The best job a GM can find is taking over for someone who was planning for the future.

My day care provider. I have joint custody of my older son (6), and my ex kisses up to all his care providers. It usually takes them a few months to figure out that she sucks up for show, and does very little with him. She basically ignores him and leaves him to entertain himself, unless there is a public chance for her to try to appear as "mother of the year". Within a few months, most people realize that my wife and I really work with him, and give him tons of attention. At this point they realize I'm not the bad guy, and move on with life. I don't feel the need to kiss up to teachers and day care providers, I'm polite, but am not looking for new best friends. His current day care provider is dumb enough that she hasn't figured it out yet, it's been 2 years. She hasn't realized that any time he is sick, I am the one who comes to get him, (because the ex doesn't answer her phone). That we are the ones who are pushing him so hard at potty training (he has developmental delays), at learning his numbers (he knows them, he just can't see the order correctly in his head), that dress him in clothes that actually fit him and weren't third generation hand-me-downs (she has an older daughter who dresses impeccably, my son looks homeless when she dresses him, and with a 50/50 split and me still paying child support, she can afford to buy him clothes). The ex has been gone for a week, so my son has been at my house every night. He has stopped biting his nails, he is more focused, and we got a note home from his teacher yesterday saying that he is the happiest she has ever seen him. This morning, the day care lady made a big production over the ex being gone. "When does your mommy get back? I bet you can't wait to go home?", if you must, say that to him after I leave. I don't want her out of his life, but I would like him to have the consistency of being at the same house every night during the week. The ex works second shift, so he spends his evenings with a babysitter when he is at her house. Unfortunately, the county in IL that I have to go to court in is extremely "pro-mother". She would have to beat him to lose any sort of custody. What's bugging me is the antequated notion that the mother is always the best parent.

Seattle?

Buster Olney was on STL sports radio yesterday at lunchtime. They were talking about Lohse, his opinion was that he would end up in Milwaukee on a 2 year contract, maybe $16 million. The AL won't touch him, and no one wants to give up a pick for a guy whose peripherals were not great.

I did the same thing with the Blues in STL, had to follow one local team. They started the season on fire, and if Halak can stay healthy, are going to be a scary low seed in the playoffs.

They can find another Lamb in the second round this year. Guys like him aren't that rare. Harris showed flashes, he's still very young, but he didn't really look like a future franchise to me. Redick is a good ballplayer, and I think he'll thrive in Milwaukee's system.

I just had this same discussion with my wife. I'm apparently too old to buy running shoes now. I prefer gray shoes, for the same reasons you outlined. My last pair were hideous, Under Armour (black/Gray/red/Neon Yellow), although I will admit they were hands down the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn. The pair before were neon green K-Swiss tubes, I just ordered the blue pair from shoemall.com. They're not hideous at least!

The problem is an awful lot of money doesn't really do anything for them. Players aren't flocking to Milwaukee. If they can't hit a home run draft, they are fairly well up the creek. The Maggettes and Goodens and money chasers of the league will be happy to come cash Kohl's checks, but those guys bring you to mediocrity at best. I'm not a huge proponent of the tank it till ya make it philosophy, but you've really got to hit the jackpot on lower draft picks (Granger, etc.) and hit a superstar in the draft to make it. Superstars are not in every draft. I was hoping that Jennings would bring some "appeal" to the Bucks. He's a young guy that's fun to play with, but he really hasn't made the leap yet. Other players still want to play with him, they'd just rather he come to their team. He's not an anchor guy like Wade was when he brought LBJ and Bosh to Miami. I agree with Dave, keep Ellis, Sanders and Ersan; and hope you find overlooked gold somewhere.

No stand out teams at all, they all can be beaten. I'm not sure who I'd put my money on right now, would be interesting to see a Cinderella step in this year. Could also see this year as a chance for a 1 to finally lose to a 16.

Zeller got caught watching the ball instead of his man. Wow, that play usually won't even work in practice.

I expect a different level of offense from First, than I do at catcher. MM had a great year last year for a Catcher, but that production from First would be lacking. I wouldn't have any interest in seeing him at first base, we'd get better production out of a Journeyman like Ishikawa.

Like what whizkid said. They look at an unweighted GPA, but they also consider the quality of classes. It is a whole student concept.

I agree, I don't care for the games themselves. I enjoy the skills competitions, and I enjoy the pagentry of it. I typically turn off the MLB game after they introduce the players.

From a cynical perspective, maybe they are boosting GPAs to meet some kind of state standard? Perhaps there are too many kids now finishing with the same overall GPA, making a valedictorian difficult to select? I've seen the weighted scale for AP classes, but have not seen the bonus points before. That is odd, also surprised that they have an A+. It makes no sense to me, when it comes down to it...colleges calculate based on your unweighted GPA for admissions. My son's 5 point something GPA wound up being a 3.7 unweighted.

Excellent point Brewtank, and spot on.

Absolutely echo the cherish each moment thing, take lots of pictures, and try to remember to record little milestones. My youngest is 8 months, he has been a really easy baby. My tips from experience through the years... 1. Don't ever let your wife learn about the store Gymboree. Every time they release their new season's clothes, I have to donate another organ. 2. Ask for help. If the grandparents are close, let them help. They will have advice, they will tell you that you are doing things wrong, they will probably overstay their welcome; but they allow you to sleep, or run to the store by yourself, or use the bathroom alone. These are all things you will learn to cherish. 3. For a few months down the road, buy a Baby Bullet and make your own baby food. It's much cheaper, you control what your baby eats, and it's beyond easy. It was the best thing anyone bought us. 4. A tip that seems self explanatory, but due to a recent friend of the family not knowing, I will share. If your wife is going to breast feed, everything she eats will be passed along to the baby. The unknowing young mother in question was eating salsa, horseradish, and spicy foods; and then couldn't figure out why the baby was so miserable. 5. Sleep when the baby sleeps. 6. Enjoy it. It's awesome.

I haven't seen it, but I've heard nothing but great things. I was told this is Cooper's transition from Hangover type roles, that Lawrence commands every scene, that DeNiro finally didn't mail in a performance, and that the story itself (tied to sports) is outstanding.

I believe they expanded it to up to 10 a few years ago. Looks like a fairly strong group this year, Amour snuck in, surprised at no Moonrise Kingdom.

Talk to the bank/mortgage company and explain your situation. With such a small amount yet owed, see what they can do to help you. Are you eligible for any kind of state aid?

Finally time for Phil Jackson to come out of retirement. This is the opportunity he has been waiting for.

I read somewhere on the interwebs that there is a group who does a sort of exit poll of voting. They have a group of people who reveal their votes to them. They've been fairly accurate in predicting who gets in, only a few outliers on percentages. This year they say no one gets in, with Biggio and then Bagwell being the closest. The big 2 (Bonds/Clemens) weren't cracking 50%. I think Biggio fell short around 72%, which would certainly give him a chance with margin for error. Personally, I'd love to see Biggio and Bagwell go in together. I have no aversion to Clemens or Bonds either.

I think the point is more, "If this going to be a phenomenal failure for the Astros, how much trouble are we in when Axford is basically the same guy?"