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Thursday, June 11, 2015

All Star Candidates?

Wednesday: Ceil cooked lasagna then went to a dollar movie with M and Anna. Will and MC ate lasagna and salad with me, then they watched Dexter on Netflix. I was tired from the day and last night and went to bed right after the Braves game ended. Also watched The Middle.  

Will’s former classmate Alyssa and her family were at the Wednesday game. She recently graduated from West Point. I wonder if they showed her on the Jumbotron when they asked all past and present service members to stand just before the national anthem. During the anthem she always stands at attention and salutes.  

Braves: Seems like winning is contagious. That or guys like Gomes and AJ are keeping team spirits up in the dugout. Great to have Kelly Johnson and Terdo come off the DL and hit. And two rookie starting pitchers stepping up and contributing as well.

Looked like the same BJ Upton at the plate for the Padres. The announcers mentioned he had a .333 on base percentage on his rehab assignment like it was a good number. His poor slide cost the Padres the Tuesday game.

Last night Chip and Joe raved on and on about SunTrust Park, how the construction was ahead of schedule, how 60% of the seats would be under cover, and how 19000 seats would be $20.00 or less. Perhaps to dispel rumors that only the rich could afford tickets. They said “everyone really needs to visit” the just-opened visitors center (they both visited it yesterday). Only later did they remember the visitor’s center was for season ticket holders only, and they had to scramble a bit. Joe said the leftfield line will point downtown (south?) and the right field line toward highway 41 (west?). In the old days fields were supposedly laid out with the left field line headed northeast and right field line southeast, because lefties were called southpaws. But parks were often wedged into whatever city block available, so I’m sure that wasn’t always the case. 

I will be at the July 3 game. My costume planning isn’t going so well. Star Wars bobbleheads are highly valued. I’m keeping one and trading my extra for the Bob Uecker/Harry Doyle speaking bobblehead the Brewers are giving out in late July. “Major League” bobbles are also in high demand – especially the elusive Ricky Vaughn.

Who will be the Braves representative in the ASG? Maybin? Great two-handed over-the-shoulder catch last night. I like the way he plays. On the broadcast last night they compared Maybin’s offensive stats to last year’s centerfielders – a huge improvement. And Maybin’s defense is a big upgrade as well. And like Roger, he isn’t shy about throwing balls in the stands.

ROB: Shelby Miller, Freddie, Simmons and Maybin are all possibilities, just depending on how well others at their positions are playing going into the break.

Did you see the play last night where the Padre RF dove for the ball in RC and it hit off his glove? It looked like him and BJ had words afterward, probably with the RF asking BJ why he did not catch the ball.

There is a component to being a good player that can't be measured.  I don't think it is random chance that guys like AJ, Gomes and Uribe have been on so many good clubs.  I still think whoever gives Justin a huge contract, will soon be disappointed.

It is amazing the Braves are 1 game over 500 with the bullpen as bad as it has been.  Johnson and Grilli are solid at the end - it is just the middle guys that have been so bad.  However, I think there is some internal options for the second half.  The steroid brothers - Vizcaino and McKirahan will be back in July.  Over the weekend, DOB mentioned that the organization thinks that Moylan has a shot to contribute later in the season.  Josh Outman might be back at some point.  Banuelos and Wisler are also pitching well at Gwinnett - they might bring them up and give them a chance to pitch some innings out of the pen.

Monday: The Spaulding Road construction makes the afternoon commute problematic. Left at 6:15 but must’ve made good time, arriving home at seven. Ceil grilled BBQ chicken, baked potatoes, and tossed a salad. Will and MC joined us for dinner, so there were six of us at the table. A good time. I helped with the dishes, gassed up the Civic, drove M to Kroger (he baked cookies), and watched some Braves.

The compression socks feel good but by bedtime I’m ready to take them off. They weren’t too hot at the Braves game but the weather was cool. I can’t run the Peachtree Road Race but might walk it. Despite standing and walking much more than usual my leg withstood the beating pretty good. The swelling may be going down a little. Doc says walking is good but to not run. Not sure I want to walk the entire six miles, but I do have a long streak going. Getting close to 30 years. We’ll see.
Tuesday afternoon MC took all the girls (C, A, and MC’s mom and sis) down to the Westside to the new Anthropologie wedding store. M and a friend walked to IKEA.

The daughter of a friend recently got married. Bride and groom both have several years of school remaining. They’re taking a six week honeymoon – but most of it is hiking and camping out west in national parks.

MC’s classes will start back soon after the wedding and Will has to move his stuff out to OK. Then after MC graduates in May his medical school starts in Augusta the same month. Not much time for a honeymoon, but I guess they will have spring break.

Basketball: You know that if Cleveland wins this series LeBron’s greatness factor will grow even closer to MJ. Ate the Warriors starting to crumble like the Hawks did in the conference finals? Golden State doesn’t have near the injuries the Hawks did, but the shooting is in a slump like Atlanta. The Hawks may have pressed down the stretch and it’s hard to shoot when you’re all tight That may be part of the Warriors’ problem. I would say more, but I haven’t seen much of the finals.

I liked MJ and Bird more than I ever liked LeBron. Not sure if the NBA doesn’t have as many strong teams this year with the Lakers and Spurs and Heat down and the Bulls and Hawks and Nets not quite there yet, but with Love and Irving out it seems like LeBron has hoisted the Cavs onto his shoulders. Back in the day the Bulls had to battle the Celtics and Pistons in the East before coming up against the Lakers in the West. Formidable opponents all.

REID: I'm still not much of a LeBron fan. He and Jordan to me were two different type players. Cowhurd said this morning that Cleveland and GS are like Oregon playing Alabama. So far, I have seen almost every minute of all three games.

ME: Good to know the Cobb landfill is open on Saturday – I need to take our old sofa there.

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