the Beekeeper

Hot dogs. Apple pie. Baseball. 

All-American things, no? 

Rarely do I eat apple pie. Hot dogs are usually only consumed at baseball games, and only if a brat isn't the better choice. 

But I am happy not to have a political post today. I don't know why, but this story just tickles me. 

Wednesday night, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers game was delayed due to a swarm of bees that had taken up residence behind home plate. 

They called the beekeeper. A beekeeper. One who left his son's baseball game to come save the day for the major league teams. 

While he was capturing the queen and getting the bees, the stadium was playing Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out for a Hero". 

Afterwards, he was asked to throw out the first pitch of the game. 

I'm sure they had someone else planned to do it, but they got 86'd.  Or maybe just rescheduled. 

Matt Hilton took to the mound and got the pitch over the plate, but graceful it wasn't. Though I'm not saying I'd have done any better. 

Speaking of better.......it gets better. Topps - for anyone who ever acquired or traded baseball cards, along with shards of "gum" - is creating a baseball card of Mr. Hilton. 

I love everything about this. 

I love how he is into it. Walks up to the mound and flings back his beekeeping hat. And of course, he's all-American handsome too. None of this hurts the storyline.  ....and it looks like he has big feet too. 

Here's a link to a 21 second clip. 

I need to do more feel-good stories here. 

Song by: Tori Amos

Boys of Summer

Well, THAT was $50 down the drain.  

Admittedly, I haven't been following baseball as much this year as in the past. 

Perhaps it is the transition from the Indians to the Guardians, and while little has changed but the name and ugly logo, I felt disconnected from it all. 

I knew they were in first place in the Central Division. I knew "we" had that sewn well before the end of the season.  

....but then it was post-season and I had nothing to wear. 

I had not bought one 'Guardian' anything. I felt bad-ish. So off to the team shop I went. 

This is a problem for me in many ways. In my pea-brain, I have an idea of what I want and what I think should be there.  This never matches up. 

Designs and styles are always wrong - in my honest opinion. But like most of my clothes shopping, it's impulsive and turns out to be wrong. 

I actually am ok with the design on this shirt. But lord, it's dated. Already. 

Post season was short lived. Yeah yeah, we beat Tampa Bay, which led it to Round Two with the New York Yankees.  But yesterday we lost that series in four games. 

So instead of just having a team shirt I can wear anytime over the years, I bought into the generic post-season, which technically could have gone through the World Series.  

And since it was special post-season, I only paid $50 for..............a t-shirt. One that is a reminder we didn't actually get far into the post-season. 

Way go go, Blobby. 

Song by: Don Henley 

Guardian

David from Adventures of aTravel Penguin axed me yesterday (in a comment) my thoughts on the name change for the so-called local sports team.  .....and then Cookie over at Doing Hard Times in Shaker Heights beat me to the punch.  

Much like a Cleveland sports team, I just can't win!

As for naming rights, I was hopeful, and I was not denied. This would be a first for me and a Cleveland baseball team.  .....as they have denied me so very very often. 

The Cleveland Indians have a new name.  The Guardians. 

No. NOT of the Galaxy. Named for - or with homage to - the Guardians of Traffic sculptures on the Lorain-Carnegie Hope Memorial Bridge. 

It's true that bridge connects Carnegie Ave and Lorain Ave, but the Hope is for Bob Hope's (yes, THAT Bob Hope) father, who was the craftsman for the sculptures. 

A number of team names were bandied about: Spiders. Rockers. Crows (why?). And those were the good ones. I assumed / hoped (pun!) that it would be the Guardians, as the bridge leads right to the baseball stadium. ....and I'm always amazed at them. 

I won't lie - my whole life it's been the Indians. There is a sadness in seeing that go, but I get it too. Chief Wahoo is hardly how I think of Native Americans, but I'm not one of them, so I can't say how they feel. I suppose it is like some straight person thinking it's ok to call me a 'faggot'.  

So move one me must. And should. And honestly, thank you George Floyd. 

After decades of opening days with Native Americans protesting at Municipal Stadium or Jacob's Field, the front office was not swayed to make a change. Only with Floyd's death and the subsequent protests that turned out not to just be about Black Lives Matter, but the many tentacles of racial misappropriations that Cleveland and the Washington Football Team got the appropriate pressure to move forward. 

It must kill Derek Chauvin that with is murder of Floyd, sparked changes in this country that he never wanted to see come to fruition ever and might never have come if not for him. But I will not thank Chauvin for that. However, enough of the American people - not the Karen's or Chad's of the world - got movement behind all of this. 

So, next season, we will be the Guardians. I just have to believe if what I'm guessing was the 17 years old they got to create the new logo had just taken an extra 20 minutes, it would have been a better design. 

Song by: Alanis Morissette

All Star

There are about three people who read my blog who know what baseball is - so I guess, this is for them.

The 2019 MLB All Star Game is being held here in the 216.  I'm hoping it is more successful than the 2016 GOP convention.

I honestly haven't looked at how often the hosting city rotates, but we had gotten a turn in 1997 and this year.   ....so twice in 22 years.  There are 30 MLB teams, so someone's not getting theirs.

I have no tickets to the game, nor the pre-festivities, though I always like the Home Run Derby. I did make it down to the team shoppe and get two new Indians / All Star t-shirts.  The ones I've been hauling around for 2+ decades have seen their better days. I hate to part with them, but it is time. And yes, one of them does have the official logo you see above.

So, should the weather hold, or even if not, a game like this is boon to the city. And I'm for anything that gives the CLE more / better exposure...........unless it's another GOP convention.



Song by: Smash Mouth

Winning Streak

I have been hesitant to write this - and I'm about 86% sure this will be my downfall.

Yesterday, the Cleveland Indians won their 21st game in a row.

Actually, there should be exclamation points with that last sentence. A lot of them.

While we've been in first place in our division for almost all of the season, this is a real feat.

21 consecutive games is an American League record. "We" beat Oakland's 2000 record (as seen in the movie, Moneyball) of 20 games.

...but that's just the American League. The National League has 26.....with those stupid non-existent New York Giants.

To get the record record - "we" still have 6 more games to win.............in a row.

This is where writing about this, I fear I've jinxed it all.   Even the "fake news" NYT titled the win: "Ho Hum".  Maybe it was tongue in cheek, or maybe it was a big 'fuck you'. .....because that's what I'm saying to that failing paper.

As we are 14 games up (or possibly 13 1/2 if Minnesota wins), there is little (read: no) chance we are not going in to post season.  Yayyy for "us".

So, I'm happy with the 21 record. If we can make it 27, even better. If we can add to that a World Series appearance, totally excellent.  If we win that..........well, I can die.  Happy even.


I know............I've gotten ahead of myself.......again.




Song by: Glen Hansard

Throw

I was going to make "a joke" about how SCROTUS was 'great' at baseball and how there is no one better in the world at throwing than he is.

But then if you read the CNN article, he says just that. More or less. I shit you not. He goes on to say that some coach he had said he was the best he'd ever seen. Naturally, said coach is dead, that that would stop Dump.

And of course, it wasn't just baseball he was good at. Excellent in football and wrestling.

That fat tub-o-lard now says certain people wanted him to go pro back in the day, but he claimed there was no money in it at the time. Whomever those "people" were are probably all dead too and cannot corroborate his tale.


Dump won't throw out the first pitch because he just found out that there were black and Hispanic people in the sport.

Well............that's my guess.



Song by: LCD Soundsystem

Next Year / Indian Summer

We Lost / Won. 

I actually started to draft two entries - and just update and publish as needed since it would be late late at night before I could do so. 

Then I opted just to combine them and do some editing as we went along. I'm going to be all over the place - so bear with me. I'll use strikethroughs for what I've drafted, and ended up having to retract. 

I even have two titles, depending on a win or loss. 

It has been in the 70s for the last two Series games.

That would be called an Indian Summer. Alas, it was not meant to be.

Again.

Apparently it has to be a cold day in Hell before the Indians have a championship title.

We lost so badly in Game 6, I finally came to the conclusion that on some level, the game is rigged. No. Really. It's no longer just a conspiracy theory.

Think about it:  you have two teams who haven't had a championship season since before the Korean War. Why not milk it for seven games? It's lucrative for MLB - and I'm sure both teams benefit financially.

While I don't think anyone could have planned the grand slam that sunk that game for the Indians, the way Cleveland fielded was worse than most middle school travel baseball teams. It was honestly like they were trying to throw the game.  I felt good turning it off at the top of the 5th, knowing we were going to Game 7 and I could save my angst for that.

And angst I had.  Have. The game is still going on as I draft this. (well, now it's a rain delay at the bottom of the 9th - and went into extra innings, because I'm getting oh so much sleep as it is this week!!!!.)

Game 7 started out poorly. It wasn't until the 8th inning before we wiped the smiles off of the Chicago fan's faces. Lots of television shots of them biting their nails.

Of course I wanted us to win, but lord help me, I had eerie bouts of calmness, assuming we would lose. We have up a two game lead only to lose it. We only had to win one more game our of three. That was it.

Three World Series for Cleveland since I've been alive - hell, in the last 21 years. All three going to Game 7.  Each one going down literally to the bottom of the final inning. Blow me (and no, that is not an invitation)!!  Statistically, this had not ended well for us.

Chicago came alive in the 10th - after Cleveland came alive in the 8th. It was near impossible to keep up, let alone surpass, though fuck if the Tribe didn't try.

I suppose I should be happy for Chicago, but I'm not. Not really.

Actually, if you read the major news pieces on the Series, with some of the articles you'd have to really dig to find who the Cubs were even playing. Not that media makes or breaks the ballgame, but it seems to me that Chicago was the favored team in terms of sympathy / hope.

Even Fox's coverage - 90% of the shots of the teams in their dug-outs?  the Cubs. They miked one player - a Cubs player. Did they do one per team - no, they did not. The shots of the fans in the stands - mostly Cubs ones.

I am bummed to say the least.

With Cleveland (I'm sure along with most every other major sports team city),  it's always "wait until next year", or "there's always next year".

Honest to g-d - I'm tired of fucking waiting for 'next year'.



Song by: Foo Fighters / the Doors

g-d and the F.B.I.

It's been a few tense evenings around Casa Shep.

Damned World Series. Damned Election.

Game 3 of the World Series had my stomach all in knots. I find having scoreless inning after scoreless inning to be gut-wrenching. The longer it goes on, the smallest infraction could mean a loss.

Safe to say, there were lots of sighs, yells and curses from yours truly - mostly in the bottom of the 9th. Two on (for the Cubs), two outs and us winning only 1-0. The margin was too thin.

Ruckiry (not Jon's boss), we eke'd it out and I went to bed well after midnight. Praise be it wasn't a school night.

Game 4 wasn't nearly as strenuous for me. I can't say the same for the Cubs.  BIG win for the Indians. It erased my angst from the night before.

The WIndians lead, 3 games to 1.  I am GIDDY.  All we need is one more win for Blobby to be headed downtown to a parade and celebration. I didn't go to the Cavaliers victory bash, mostly because I didn't care  - - but this is the Indians !!!!!!

I do have to say, I felt bad for the Cubs fans during last night's game. They look so dejected. I would (kind of) be ok if we lost to the Cubs - more so than any other team. But I won't lie - I REALLY want us to win.



And none of this World Series stuff is as strenuous as it is for Hillary. Or possibly the director of the F.B.I.

So close to the election and this turd of a news story comes out - more emails.

The F.B.I. is as fucked up as the media on this. They both skew such a (non?) story.

Snore.  More of what, exactly?  Oh that is right - they don't know. Or they do, and are just baiting the public.

In reality - if these emails to Weiner's wife are anything of substance (or even if they weren't) - they came from or went to Clinton's email server........which the F.B.I. already had. So aren't these actually duplicates that they've already fucking seen?

Sure, the F.B.I. finally stated that they did not 're-open' the case, because it was never closed, but the damage was done. The general public believes there is on-going criminal activity and a new investigation - 10 days prior to the election.

This is one time (t)Rump doesn't even have to do anything. He can just ride this new cycle, which should take him to Election Day.

"People" are calling for F.B.I. Director, James Comey, to be discharged. It might be right. It might be wrong. But if Obama or Clinton (should she be elected) do that, it just seems retaliatory. Not a good way to end, or start, and administration. It's extremely partisan - and you can dress it up anyway you want to, but you end / start on a sour note. Even if he resigns, it will be deemed as "under pressure".

This entire election has been one big cluster-fuck. Honestly, I'm so fucking tired of both of them. Less of her than him, but she's not that far behind. Donald is a buffoon of course, but Hillary keeps touting 30+ years of public service and political know-how. Then why is she continually stepping on landmines?  She should be smarter than this. WAY smarter.

Actually, I'm glad to be focused on the Series. I'm trying and trying and trying to stay away from the news - well, news that isn't baseball.

oooh. I sound so butch.




Song by: Janis Ian

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

As it turns out, I did work from home today, albeit, as little as possible. Mostly emails and a conference call or two. But on the other hand, I did not nap either.

As such, I am tarred.

I don't think I can stay up for Game 2. I'm not sure I want to. It's not looking good for Cleveland as of yet - and it's already the 6th inning as I pen this.

I really have nothing.

But for Game 1 - and maybe they do this all the time now - at the 7th Inning Stretch, they sang "G-d Bless America". Then they followed up with "Take Me Out to the Ball Game".....as is the song that is usually the standard.

For some light-heartedness, why not show you the Parks & Recreation version - as sung by Chris Traeger.

It's spot-on

Wicked Game

Surprise!

We went to Game 1 of the World Series !!!!!!

(that's why this is getting posted later than my usual posts - the game went until almost 12mn.)

I wasn't purposefully holding out on telling you. I just wasn't sure.

I know last week I said I would love to go, but couldn't even afford Standing Room Only......and I can't. Well, I could......I just wouldn't. My friend Phyllis mocked me via text going, "$1600 vs a being part of the historic two championships in one year story......PRICELESS"

And it is. But her text-mocking didn't get me to fork over the dough.

As it turns out, one of the lawyers my mother previously worked for has been good to her. While he left town long ago for other career options, she and my father (and 710 and myself) have been the recipient of his generosity and / or connections.

When Bill worked at the White House - we got private tours of the residence, West Wing and the OEOB. My parents attended the 1996 DNC convention and attended the inauguration and one of the balls - in what is now the Trump Hotel in DC {shudder}.

And I've been to more than one Indians game  - front row, behind first base, thanks to Bill.

While Bill has been gone from Ohio for at least 16 years, for some reason he's kept his season tickets.

And while he certainly wants to attend a few World Series games, he cannot attend Game 1.

Those two tickets were offered to my mother. And while I think she'd like to attend, being almost 88 and the game starting after 22:00 (she's not supposed to drive after dark) and a planned temp of 40 degrees, she passed along the tickets to 710 and myself.

In a way - this was a problem. Right next door to the Jake (I still refuse to call it Progressive Field), the Cleveland Cavaliers weren't just having their season opener - but it was the Ring Ceremony for their 2016 championship. It was to be a huge crowd downtown for sure - if it was just one event, but it was two.

We left work early (16:00), so we could get home and take care of Shep - then it was off to downtown.

The game itself - if you watched - was incredible. Well, the first inning was. Then there was a lull, but I was surprised how many people wanted to sit and for lengths of time. It's the fucking World Series. I felt the need to be on my feet.

Seventh inning was a slight nail-biter, where in theory, Chicago could have tied the game, but long story short: they didn't. Not a run for them. And the eighth inning was just pure joy. I've never high-fived so many people, let alone strangers, in my life.

The crowd was a mix. People who had tickets, but clearly could care less about being at the game vs being at the World Series. The guys a few from us never watched a thing and were both playing with their phones the entire time.

The guy in front of us - video later - was what would be the crazy drunk uncle who yells, "You bums" at the tv screen.....except he was in his early 30s and doing it real-time. Some of this comments were funny - some fell flat.

The girl next to us was annoying as fuck. And not just because of her ugly-assed septum ring. Partially because she smelled of lots and lots and lots of banana peppers. But she had a horrible high pitched scream and she was trying to trash talk some players. Ugh.

As 710 said - "can you imagine your mother sitting here during this?", meaning these two mentioned, plus their plus ones.

Yet everyone was super friendly. Some guy behind me asking if I wanted a beer. I think that was code for: 'I've got a room at the Residence Inn', but I wasn't sure. He wasn't my type and oddly, I didn't drink at all. Not one.

Good thing too. If you had to pee, the lines were forever to get in. But I did eventually, and wouldn't you know it, I ran into one of my cousins who was in from out of town there. We both did double takes, did our business and caught up outside the restrooms.

After, it occurred to me: fuck - this is the second World Series I've attended. Two different decades. Two different centuries!

So now it is time for bed. I'm considering working from home today. I'll decide when I wake up.

We are up 1-0. Only three more to go.



Song by: Chris Isaak

Diamonds and Tears

Cleveland is going to the World Series !!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes. THAT many exclamation points. Deal with it.

For the first time in 19 years, the Indians are back at the championship level. I could not be happier.

Growing up, I never thought I'd see the Cleveland Indians in a World Series. Now I've lived to see it happen three times.

I have yet to see a win......but I'm optimistic...which is SO not my style.

The regular season was somewhat anticlimactic. We were in first place since June and stayed there through September.

I'm not complaining. We are usually more up and down. There was always a reason to check the standings in the daily paper. After a while, though I did it, there seemed to be little point.

Post season was fun. We swept the first set of games. And had it not been of a horrible horrible game 4 in the American League final, we could have swept that series too.

While it would have been fun to win and home, I wasn't broken up about that. Hell, we didn't even win in this country! A win is a win is a win. I'm ok with where it was.

I got to go to a game in the 1997 World Series - our last one. I purposefully picked game 4 in case we did sweep....or got swept. I wanted to be a part of it.

My ticket that year - from a broker - was $330. It started out at $200, but I kept hanging up after blanching at the price. Every 15 minutes, it kept going up. I finally just folded and bought two tickets.

Mind you - that was almost two decades ago.

Tickets for this series?  Standing Room Only starts $641.  Starts. There are actually more expensive SRO "seats".

If one wants to put their cheeks in a seat, those start at the $800+ range. ...and those are the upper upper deck.

So while "we" are going to the World Series - we are not. It would be $1600 - minimum.....and that doesn't include parking!  Or beer. Or an evening time dog walker.

....and if tickets are $800 from the box office, can you imagine what a broker will charge you?

I can reassess as we get closer. Maybe someone has to get rid of a ticket or something.

I guess I'll just splurge on a t-shirt or something.

I'd have to really look, but I'm not 100% sure there is a city where two of their major sports teams have won championships in the same year.

2016 has brought the title for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Lake Erie Monsters (an AHL - not NHL - hockey team). We have the chance for baseball too.

As always, the Cleveland Browns are total losers.....so there is no way to capture all titles.

I'd say I don't care if the Indians win the Series or not, but I do. It was a right of passage when you were 11 that they'd end up in last place. And the 'maybe next year' for me is ticking down. Sure I'm only 53, but my time is running out.



Song by: Suzy Bogguss

Diamonds are Forever

For the first time since 2007, the Cleveland Indians are in the ACLS.

For you non-sportsball people - that's American League Championship Season.

It's been a semi-interesting ride. The season was low key, but the Tribe plugged away, getting and staying in first place in their division since at least July.

Until the final weeks of play there was little drama - and then all of the sudden most of our starting pitcher (those are the guys who throw the ball to the batter) were out - one taking a line drive to the wrist.

Ouch.

While I knew our playoff berth was assured, I wasn't so sure how we would do.

As it turns out, fairly well. It was a sweep of the Boston Red Sox. The final two innings were a nail biter, but we persevered.

"We" - as if I had anything to do with it.

Cleveland were ACLS champs in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998. We would have in 1994 too {probably} had it not been for a baseball strike.

2007 was our last one against the Yankees.

But it's been 68 years (!!!!!) we've been waiting for a World Series title. That's still shy of the 86 years the Red Sox waited their turn. Or the 108 years the Chicago Cubs have been denied.

For us locals, our playoff partners is interesting: the Toronto Blue Jays.

I know, you're asking yourself, how can an Canadian team be "interesting".  Well, in theory, they are not. But Mark Shapiro, until end of last year was the manager of Indians. Now he's with the Blue Jays. And he took a few front office people with him - including a former neighbor.

I am trying not to get ahead of myself, but a World Series appearance would be nice. Winning it would be better. And for it to happen the same year we take the NBA title. That would simply am-ha-zing.

Should we make it to the Series, I will put a crowbar in my wallet and get us two tickets to a game. I want to see a win before I die.........which could be at any second.  You just never know.



Song by: Shirley Basset

My Opening Farewell

It's that time of the year - it is full of hope. That one week in Spring, when all things are possible.

Of course, then it usually goes to hell in a hand basket. Sure, one made by Longaberger, but a hand basket nonetheless.

Destination: probably known.

Long time readers will know of my love for the Cleveland Indians. It is an unrequited love, of course. Years of groveling for a shred of attention and nothing almost ever given back. I'm sure my therapist - if I had one - would tell me I'm in some kind of abusive relationship.

Sure, there have been glimpses of affection with the 1995 and 1997 World Series appearances. And then of course (well, not of course....since few of you know or care) the 1996, 1998 and 2007 playoff inclusion. We would have had it in 1994 as well, if not for the strike that year.

And we had a glimmer of hope two years ago for a wild card position, which we lost in that one and only game.

But it all comes down to hope. Since the {gulp} early-70s, I've been hoping against hope for the Tribe to do me a solid. But I take a sock to the eye and tell everyone that it's not what they think. That deep down they're good and that they can change - they'll be better.

Yet, I keep "running into doors".

To be honest, I haven't kept up with the roster for this upcoming year. There are bunch of names I know, but an equal amount of which I have never heard.

I'll follow the standings daily - unless we get so far out of contention that it is just too painful to open the sports section (we're only out of first place by 1....so far).  I'll go to a few games during the year. I'll watch. I'll cheer. I'll drink beer - not necessarily in that order.

And I'll remain forever hopeful.

Opening Day is today....or at least, the home opener.



Song by: Alison Krauss + Union Station

Time of the Season

I'd say that it's probably not the popular opinion to want to keep Chief Wahoo as the Cleveland Indians symbol, but that might not exactly be true either.

A company selling 'Keep the Chief' t-shirts cannot keep them in stock.  And I know I'm cheap, but the shirts ain't:  $25 a pop.

I guess this could just mean that there are a lot of pseudo-racists in Cleveland.

I say 'pseudo' because I don't think (most) Indians fans have anything against Native Americans. I'd venture to say 99.7% of them has even met one to form an opinion one way or the other.

There is another movement in Cleveland to remove Chief Wahoo from all existing clothing - not even just eliminating him from new stuff. It has momentum, but these things always do at the beginning of the season. There will be a physical protest today - Opening Day - and then you won't hear from that faction for another year.

It could be argued Wahoo is a racist symbol, but I don't see it like the way the Washington Redskins are a verbally offensive name or the totally demeaning tomahawk chop that the Atlanta Braves and Seminoles of FSU did (or still do?).

Chief Wahoo is a caricature, not I don't think ever meant to disrespect Native Americans. Granted, I wasn't in the room (or even born) when the Chief came into existence, so I don't know the discussions that happened. Derived from reality but not actually real - nor do I think anyone with an IQ over 80 would think that.

I have no easy answer on if Wahoo should go away or not. He's a part of my upbringing and never once had a racist thought crossed my mind concerning him and any Native American. And yes, I have him on many a hat, t-shirt and sweat shirt. I'd miss him and rather not just have a upper case 'C' on my clothing.

I guess time will tell. It doesn't sound like the Washington Redskin name is going anywhere anytime soon.

Maybe we can win one pennant before the Chief is retired.



Song by: the Zombies

Diamond in the Rough

Well - we made it to pre-post season.  Think about that for a second.

I've said it before, and I'm sure I will again - the Cleveland Indians can be exhausting to root for, though I always do. I'm a glutton for punishment, I suppose.

Mind you, since we moved back to Cleveland in 1995, the Tribe has made the playoffs seven times, not including this year.  We had a streak of five years in a row, two of those taking us all the way to the World Series.

Fun times.

But a change of ownership, cheap ownership at that, and the best team in our history started to dismantle, not so slowly, but every so surely.  ...and then we were bottom of the heap again, save a brief stint in 2007 - our last playoff berth.

2013 was a rebuilding year. Gone was my beloved Travis Hafner...see below.

But while I lusted after love the man, he was drawing a huge salary only to be the DL. ...and while I'd love him to be on the Down Low, it was just the Disabled List.  So out he went to the Yankees (thank you for them not ending up in another post season anything!), and we brought in older, but new to us, players.

Nick Swisher (title image) and Jason Giambi have been great. Swisher, even before the season started, could not have been happier to be in Cleveland - and he's made the most of it. He's fun, he's funny and he's been hitting like no one's business the last month.

And, when we had non-fireworks nights, Nick picked up the tab of $15,000 with his own money, at least twice, just to have them.  This is an invested man!

For non-sports folks here - we were in a three way race for the Wild Card position for the playoffs - it had been that close to the wire. We snagged a potential spot and ended up playing a one-gamer last night, against Tampa Bay, to see who kept going into the actual post-season.

Honestly, if we had not lost five in a row to Detroit at the end of July or beginning of August, we would have won the division - and not even worried about the Wild Card.

The Tribe had won the last 10 games coming into the post-season - the last time anyone had done that was 1971!  

I will fully admit to having to keep turning the game off - or at least the channel.  We started out weak weak weak.  I will also admit that I'm writing this during the 7th inning while we lose 3-0.

Yes, it's possible we could come back, but my weak old heart can't take it.

But it is what it is and win or lose, these guys have been pretty good all year. I don't think Cleveland could, or should, be unhappy either way.  We've put on a great season and here's hoping we are still in it when I wake up.....and if not, well, then next year.



Song by: Shawn Colvin

Strike

Last night was a beautiful night.  Mostly clear and warm enough to make it to the bottom of the 8th inning for our first Indians game of the season.

Not tons of folks there, but it was a Monday and not summer, so......

But we had great seats - first row right past first base.  Oh - and we won.  That is odd - not for the Indians, as so far we're doing ok.  Not stellar, but we're not in last place.

It's odd we won, because I was there.  Almost always we lose when I attend a game.  Though truth be told, I was away from the seats for the first three home runs, so I think I helped somehow.

I'm guessing it is because of my voracious appetite lately. I am always hungry.  Last night it was a brat (not a good one), a slice of pizza (actually not bad) and yes, two scoops of ice cream.  But I had no beer, so I feel I came out ahead on the food pyramid.  Don't ask how - it's science, you wouldn't understand.

What kills me is, the stadium no longer has onion to put on hot dogs and brats.  What is up with that?? Don't get me wrong, it wasn't going to help the food, but it's a good distraction from the snouts and entrails that are in those things.

And what really kills me is Sugardale Farms still has a race around the 6th inning between Ketchup, Mustard and Onion.  Onion shouldn't even be allowed to participate.

Gladly, Onion came in third - though the race is always totally rigged.  And Ketchup has my glasses.

We took our friends Tom and Sal - and it seems they had fun.

We have some good players, and only a few personalities.  Nick Swisher is new to Cleveland (from the Yankees) and he interacted in a good way with the fans - we made him laugh and vice versa.  He seems glad to be here and made that known pre-season when he got traded here.  Hopefully it will work out.

So it was a good first game of the season....for us.


Song by:  Todd Rundgren

Long Ball Hitter

I have never been to a home opener. 2012 was no different.

It is quite possible yesterday is the only sell-out the Indians will have all season. That wasn't always the case - 455 sell-outs in a row at one point - but more often than not, it is.

The home opener is always sold-out regardless of weather. I mean, it is Cleveland in April!  Chances are slim you'll have a sunny and warm day.

Yesterday was sunny.  Warm?  ehhhhh.....not so much. It may have been tolerable for nine innings of fun. But as the sun began to go down, and the top of the 16th inning had begun, it was around 40 degrees.

Oh yes. 16 innings!

I love the game, but even that would try my patience.  That I'd be freezing in the process would not help matters.

Even worse?  We lost.  What blows is we were ahead 4-0 and still ended up letting it be tied in the 9th.

I haven't done the research, but we never seem to do that well in the home opener.  It is not always indicative of how we'll do for the season.

Going this year would have been fun for the simple fact that Omar Vizquel was playing. He was an Indian for nine years and one of the most impressive players I have ever ever seen. Stepping out on the field today, made him the oldest shortstop in MLB history.

Omar was great, but as long as he's been in the U.S., I'd laugh when someone hired him as a local spokesman. No matter what he was shilling for, I'd always go, "what did he say?"  That Venezuelan accent was tough to decipher.

Of course my big love is Travis Hafner - pictured above.....and below.

710 knows all too well that I'd dump our almost three decades together for a weekend with Mr. Hafner. Oddly, I think he's ok with it.  710 that is, not Travis. Travis is blindly unaware.............for now.

I've written a bunch about Mr. Hafner over the years. This post was my favourite.

Alas, this is his last contracted year to play for Cleveland. It doesn't mean that he can't be resigned, but he's an old man. Not Omar Vizquel old, but for Designated Hitter, he's old.  35!!!  Old folks home, old.

Hafner spent most of the last 2-3 years on the Disabled List - a different kind of DL.  He's great when he plays, but hitting and running takes it's toll.

I'm looking forward to the season.  I have no great expectations. You learn that early here with Indians baseball. Yes, we had an incredible run from 1994-1998 and then a year here or there. Overall, it's wait, see, hope and pray.  ...and I never pray, except maybe at the altar or Travis.

What?  Too much?



Song by:  David Broza

Eight Miles High

I gotta stop blogging so late at night - and drunk at that.   These work events wear me out.  It's hard for an old man to keep up - not that anyone here is much younger than I am.  Still, a lifetime of drinking has ironically taken its toll, instead of built up tolerance.   Who knew?

So last night (really still tonite, since I'm still up and typing this), we, as a team, went to the Rockies/Dodgers game.  I could not have cared less.  National League? pffffft.   Purple outfits?  They're not Prince.  Or even Appolonia.

And we had to sit in the 3rd deck with the 'common folk'.   I'm just joshing.  I had fun, but mostly because my man-date, Scott, was there and another great co-worker Sean, whom I absolutely adore. He's like Scott and myself, but younger and way cuter.

The game was a dud, until we were nearly out of the ballpark.  Rockies trailed by 4 runs and I just didn't really care.  Before we hit the mezzanine, the were tied.  By the time we passed the turnstiles they were ahead.

For some reason because they won, if I turn my ticket in at a Taco Bell between 2-4 pm, I get four free tacos.  No thanks.  "Make a Run for the Bathroom" should be their unofficial slogan.  (that's for you Torn!)

Still it was nice being in a ballpark I had not visited.  Checked-off at this point.  And they served Killians Red, so that beat the crappy beer of the named park - Coors Field.  Blech.  I'll bet Killians is a Coors product, but not that cheap taste....even if they still subscribe to homo-hate stuff.  What were my options?

So they had a cool field, no? 

It looked nice from up in the nose-bleeds.

And then up even past us there was a row of purple seats, that circled all the way around the park.  It is the demarcation of the mile high point in what would have been Mile High Stadium, before corporate sponsorship took over.

I "made" Scott go up with me and take out pic there.  It took a few tries to get a purple seat in the snap.

After that we hit a bar to watch LeBron & Co lose to Dallas.  I don't care for Dallas per se, but I like watching LeBron lose.  Douche.

So I'm done tomorrow at 12 noon and it's off to explore the city a bit.  I'm a tad bit excited.  Something new for me.  Work travel where I actually see the sites!



Song by:  the Byrds

Brian Wilson

Ok, who doesn't not think Brian Wilson is hot?

No, not the fat, semi-deaf, loony from the Beach Boys.  You know the same guy who used his sperm to create two-thirds of Wilson Phillips.

I'm talking about Brian Wilson from the San Francisco Giants (that's baseball, Jon).  Mr. Wilson leads you to believe they are anything but 2010 World Champions.  Currently, they are not.

Granted Brian kind of looks like a younger Christopher Meloni (the Oz one, not the SUV one), but with a fake beard.  The only thing is, he's not and it's not fake.  Score!

....and he only looks good in the beard.  A quick Gooooogle search of him without facial hair renders him quite mundane. 

Maybe I'm just a bit smitten, but I love his delivery on his MLB site.  Totally hot.

Touching his virtual beard doesn't do it for me.  I don't need to see badly acted woodland creatures living in that facial hair. It is just not funny or that creative.  But I will watch the intro a few dozen more times.

....and maybe a few more after that.


UPDATE:  MLB took down the link - why?  I have no idea.   But someone made a video of it - though it's not as clear, it will have to do.



Song by:  the Barenaked Ladies

On Top

Last night was my first Indians game of the season.  Right on time, actually.  While a great reason to post, I also rarely would pass up an opportunity to post a pic of my would-be {please, believe me Santa, please} second husband, Travis Hafner.

It is sad, but until mid-May, the weather here is iffy.  And by "iffy", I mean too cold to sit through an evening game without bundling up, which is not what baseball is about (to me) unless it's the home opener or post-season play.   I've been to games where they've run out of coffee and hot chocolate by the third inning, it's that cold.

We had great tickets and it was a great night.  I haven't seen a crowd like this at an Tribe game since 1998.  8000 tickets were sold by people walking up to the box office before the game.

Last year we started in last place and save two or three days of the entire season stayed there. This is not the case this year.   We are number one.  And save a few days right at the beginning of the season, we have been number one.  It's a nice feeling to have.  As percentages go, for either National or American leagues, we have the second highest. We'd have the best if it were not for our two losses to Tampa earlier this week.  Painful losses at that.

Yesterday could have been more of the same.  We were up by two, then down by two.  And still down by two as we went into the bottom of the ninth.  It sounds oh so very cliche, doesn't it?  But then we were down only by one.

....and then Mr. Hafner came to the plate.....much like Mighty Casey.   And I think we all know how that turned out - right?  Well this story had a different ending.  The Pronk had been having a bad night of strike-outs and hitting the ball right to the first baseman.  He did get on base once.  But he's been having problems all year with injuries.  The last two or three years, actually.  But I love that we have retained him.

Indians had one person on and Travis hit it over and out of center field.  I think my hands still sting from all the clapping during the 9th.  It was GREAT.

....and now, a little photo montage.....

The Tribe welcoming Travis home 

The closest I got to Travis - mostly due to that restraining order.

 Your host.  Man, I need to have something done about my eyes.  Anyone know a good plastic surgeon?

Every Friday home game, there is a fireworks display.  As good as most 4th of July ones and without having to hear Lee Greenwood.

There is a hot dog derby around the 5th inning where Ketchup, Mustard and Onion race around the field.  Denton so nicely pointed out to me that Ketchup has my glasses.  The man had better be careful - the guy I'd divorce him for was sitting a few hundred feet away from me in the dugout.

Song by:  the Killers