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So we are going to upgrade the family room tv and take advantage of some Black Friday love. All the numbers (720,1080,60hz,120hz) and verbage (plasma, lcd) blah blah blah. All I care about is not getting it home and watching it stutter and blur like a buddy's tv did last year after he bought his. The darn thing couldn't keep up with a simple football game. Not a gamer, not big into action films..just sports. If a buy a new tv and it gets the herky jerky while I try and watch the tv pan on a touchdown pass from Rodgers to Jennings, I may break the sonofayouknowwhat before it's even a month old. So tell me friends, what matters and what doesn't when buying a hdtv with mostly sports in mind.

~Repost~ If nobody (11k) was there to see it, did it really happen?

Something special brewing about 19 miles north of me. Unfortunately, I'm not there and pretty much refuse to visit that dump. Wonder how many are there tonight...11k?

The discussion needs to be Hellickson, not Wade Davis. Don't back down Doug.

And right on cue, he promptly doubles to left

Holy Cow, watch out for the Mariners cleanup hitter and his .322 SLG

I would think the more fun trips are the Southern California ones, where you can tie the trip in with Disney, the San Diego Zoo, or Seaworld. I was personally looking at LegoLand, Knotts Soak City, and like a Hollywood day? That's all Anaheimish though, no? mods, feel free to delete that part. Just wanted to warn the author since most midwesterners have views that can get dirty looks in CA). Not a midwesternern, rather Floridian http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif I have no advice for you once you're there, but will tell you that S.F. is a fantastic baseball destination. I've been to PacBell a couple of times and it's probably my favorite stadium. Any stadium advice, most enjoyable seats?, best value? Best way in? Best way out? Any quirks? In general though, SF and the Bay area is not a real kid-friendly place and does not have a lot of "family" entertainment. Would it just be smarter to stay in the Anaheim area and just commute North for baseball and litterally do nothing else in the SF area? If so, what area? I can read a map and google commute times, but that doesn't really tell me if those areas are the middle of nowhere or good neighborhoods or what.

So I think I want my baseball trip to be SF this year. Can anybody give any travel advice to the SoCal area? It will be for the Brewers series in Sept of course. I will be bringing my family 4, including 7yo and 2yo. I need family day trip ideas besides baseball. Is SF technically SoCal anyways? (Nevermind, it looks like a 6 hr drive from SF to Anaheim). And can I rent a kayak to sit out in the bay during the game? I've always wanted to do that. Thanks in advance.

It would also help if we could put up runs in games while they're meaningful. I think we have a team that fully subscribes to the Geoff Jenkins approach--pad the numbers when nobody is watching to make you look better than you are. Nah, I think they are just continuing to battle. Something our pitchers don't do. Nibble, Nibble, Nibble, ahh crap, here it is!

Randy Wolf's expression reminds me of Opie Taylor, "Awee Gee Paw?"

Why can't our pitchers pitch angry or seemingly get motivated? Pitch with some desire for christ's sake. So tired of that smirk or blank stare that 90% of our pitchers have.

So glad I cancelled my MLB.tv package when it expires sometime this month. Easier to stomach to read the boxscores daily than actually watch.

3 years of this?

Not the pitcher Sale? But the RF instead?

True, but this guy profiles as similar to Gallardo as anyone else we've taken in the past decade. This isn't the raw flamethrower we usually take. This pick seems to be a new direction. Oh, I know, but the Nationals took a guy last year and he'll already make his debut tomorrow. Why couldn't we do that?

MLB.com scouting report: Dylan Covey - RHP Maranatha HS, Pasadena, Calif., Sr. * Birthdate: 7/19/1991 * Height: 6'2" * Weight: 200 lbs. * Bats: Right * Throws: Right * Scout's report filed: 2/13/10 Scouting Report Fastball: In this early showcase outing, Coveydidn't have the velocity he's shown in the past, but he touched 93 mph. He can reach back and blow away a hitter when he needs to. Fastball movement: He usually has some heavy life to his pitch, with sink and bore and late giddyup. Curve: He throws a power curve, up to 80-81 mph. It's a plus pitch, maybe a 70 on the scouting scale. Changeup: He showed it a copule of times. It's a developing pitch, common for high-school arms. But it was nice to see it as part of his arsenal this early in the season. Control: With a little extra adrenaline early, some of his pitches were up in the zone a bit, but then he settled down and commanded his pitches well. Poise: He did a nice job of calming himself down and throwing a solid inning. Physical Description: Covey is a very sturdy right-hander who will get comparisons to pitchers like a Jaret Wright. He's not long, gangly and projectable, like some high schoolers. Medical Update: Healthy. Strengths: Two outstanding pitches, with the plus plus curve. Strong, solid frame. Shows a good feel for pitching. Weaknesses: The changeup is behind the other offerings. Like with many high school arms, he can improve the command of his fastball. Summary: Covey entered the 2010 Draft season as one of the top prep arms in the class and his first showing at the UYA showcase did nothing to hurt his standing. He'd shown more fastball in the past, but no one doubted that will be there once the spring got going. His plus curve was working well and he even showed the changeup a bit. It was a good start for Covey who could very well be one of the top high school pitchers taken on Draft Day.

Another HS arm. :Sigh: Somebody wake me when 2015 gets here.

Raises hand. Did it 3 times and it actually wasn't bad, didn't miss any calls. Did have one where I called the runner out at first on a groundball until I saw the ball trickle out of the 1B glove and immediately signaled safe. Couldn't see it right away from behind and the 1B coach who could gave me quite the glare. That's awesome. I applaud volunteers and I didn't mean to insinuate that all volunteers have a negative experience. There is just so much to be learned. From positioning to rules. And so much that can't be taught, from hustle to common sense. Saying many could do it with some training would be quite offbase, as you stated.

Agreed. Umpires make a lot of bad calls, but it is not that easy to be a good umpire. If it were, you'd see better umpiring at the world's highest level of baseball. I don't know how much training it takes (I'd assume just an absurd amount of time in the minors and college), but having the ability to tell whether a ball was in or out of an imaginary box 95% of the time, or accurately determining whether a runner was safe or out on a bang-bang play 90% of the time, is not something I, or many others, could do, even with immense training. I don't mean to pile on. But, I know a lot of guys who go pour through the rules regularly, go to a couple of camps a year, have been doing some form of umpiring for tens of years and still can't manage to work a slowpitch softball game fluidly. I go to little league games in the area and watch a dad who has to fill-in on the bases for one reason or another. Dad comes in, "oh, I know baseball, this shouldn't be hard". And, by the end of the night, his tune is "I never want to do that again." To answer your question funkeltown, I am actually starting the process in January. After 15 years of umpiring, I am going to try this season. I constantly get good reviews at the college level, so I am giving it a try. (Just FYI though, some guys have zero experience before attending the PBUC and if they love the game, they do very well) You have to attend a PBUC for 5 weeks (there are only two of them, pick one). Approx 60 guys attend each of these for a total of around 120 "applicants". After the 5 weeks, you are evaluated and recommended to either be hired or not. Approx 35-40 get recommend, depending upon openings. So 33% roughly. You continue to be evaluated during spring games (split squad b's usually). From there, you are almost certainly assigned to A. Guys typically spend 1 year at A, 2 years at AA, and then AAA until an MLB position becomes available. Non-MLB umpires always have to supplement their income in the offseason.

As I understand it, since this was a judgement call (just like a ball/strike call) it cannot be appealed to another ump unless Joyce does not have a good view of the play and declines to make a call. He could have asked another ump if they thought the ball was not secured, but can't appeal whether the runner beat out the throw or not. You are absolutely correct. There's no need for a huddle. There wasn't a question as to whether he was blocked from seeing a pulled foot or something along those lines. He was in great position, his eyes just didn't relay the correct message to the brain. There's nothing that a huddle is going to overturn here, as there shouldn't be.

Can we finally end this nonsense that umpires at the major league level are highly skilled and trained? It doesn't take special skill to be an umpire. Many people with some training could do that job. All it takes is the ability to handle being away from home, and the ability to handle public criticism. I don't feel bad for Joyce. His fellow umpires will rally around him. They always do. Wow, as an umpire who's currently doing college level ball, this couldn't be further from the truth.

The first time I seen it, I watched it full speed, and I honestly though the runner was safe. The way Gallaraga seemed to be stepping at the bag, took an extra stab or steps, I thought the runner was safe. It's unfortunate, but Jim Joyce did all the right things except his eyes didnt transmit the truth to his brain. I can't fault him for that. Blame MLB for not having a system in place to correct human error.

Made the trek from Tampa to Miami for the final two games. Haven't checked bf.net and realize the ballyho this created. Craigharmann actually got the gist of the joke. There was no PM. Sorry to disappoint. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif

PM Sent

If Estrada was available, why wasn't he available in the 6th? I don't like this. It might rain tomorrow in Florida, or the starter might go 8IP. I don't like the "lets not burn out our bullpen" thinking. You play for today and let tomorrow be tomorrow when tomorrow gets here.