Playoffs?

Braves win two straight, after alternating winning and losing for 17 straight games, an almost impossible feat. Yes Duval can hit the ball. I like the guy. I’m hearing rumors that perhaps the Braves haven’t seen the last of Marcell Ozuna. Braves are 54-54 with 54 games remaining, 2-1/2 games out of first, with the best last ten games record in the division. With Jacob deGrom and several other Mets on the DL, sounds like a Braves playoff run could be in order.

From 2005 to 2022 the Braves opened the season on the road 14 of the 18 years, including the current streak of four years in a row. Nine of the road openers were at cold-weather teams without domed stadiums. Doesn’t make sense.

Sad about that Cheshire Bridge bridge, right next to Taqueria. Saw it on the news this morning.

Wednesday: should’ve known the pizza at lunch would make me sick. Drove down to Westside Provisions to meet M and C. Long line at Taqueria. I started to feel nauseous from the pizza I’d had at lunch. Stayed in line with M, then went to Jeni’s for ice cream instead. C had brought Winnie, so we ate outside. W got to meet to other dogs, one an 8 week-old labradoodle named Nevil.

Felt bad and weak the rest of the evening. Slept all the way through the night. Woke up a few times but didn’t have to get out of bed.

Thursday: ate a leftover Jimmy Johns sub for lunch.

CLARK GRIFFITH  [SABR Bio] was elected to the Hall of Fame while he was the owner of the Washington Senators from 1919 until his death in 1955. Elected to HOF in 1946 and inducted the following year. Griffith invented the pitch that was used so effectively by the two pitchers who struck out five consecutive All-Star batters. Griffith claims to have invented the screwball, a pitch favored by Carl Hubbell and Fernando Valenzuela. Hubbell’s 5 straight Ks were in the 1934 ASG and Valenzuela’s were in the 1986 game. One season Griffith gave up a home run to the only batter he faced. Managing the Senators in 1912, he inserted himself into a game on the last day of the season, 05-Oct, to face NYY’s Hal Chase. Griffith promptly removed himself after Chase chased him. Griffith moved over to 2B.

Denison: I quoted one of my favorite statements from Oswald Chambers' My Utmost For His Highest: "God does not give us overcoming life: He gives us life as we overcome. The strain is the strength. If there is no strain, there is no strength." 

As Andy Stanley said, it’s hard work not to let mean people gain a measure of control over you.