Patrick

It will come back to you.

Kyrie Irving out for a month with a broken finger. Ouch. I guess we will now get to see Dion Waiters attempt to close NBA games.

too much shelfish behavior??

Tribe will trade Shin-Soo Choo (walk year, Boras client) reducing by 50% their supply of major league outfielders (Michael Brantley, the only useful piece from Sabathia trade, remains, for now). They will also try to trade Chris Perez, handing the closer job to Vinnie Pestano (whom I believe can handle the job at least as well as CP). Would not be shocked if Asdrubal Cabrera is also dealt. If the current pattern follows, they will not get much in return (either in talent, or hope). Retreads of retreads will be signed in the hopes of resurgent years that will fail to materialize. Otherwise, rooting for Kipnis, Chisenhall, and other young guys (while continuing with Nationals and other hobbies). Hopefully Terry Francona can work some magic (meaning return to mediocrity with flirtations of over-achievement in AL Central). He expressed some confidence/excitement with the Tribe "up the middle" (meaning Cabrera, Kipnis, Brantley, and Carlos Santana). I'm not as optimistic, but I guess if I had his job, I would need to be. At least the Grady Sizemore/Travis Hafner era, which showed so much promise way back when, has finally ended (...gazillions of dollars/dozens of injuries later). Unrelated questions: How can any pitcher have the name "Balfour"? Or a DH, "Fielder"?

Congrats Nats! Go O's!

Thanks again for the heads up. Great space. Great program. This week I'll be in Chicago, ...perhaps enjoying Fred Hersch..., so will miss this one.

While my allegiance to the Tribe remains, life is short so my interest has turned to the National League where the local heroes are doing quite well. I've already attended four Nats games this season (...a 6 minute train ride from the office to the ballyard, and internet ticket sellers certainly help). Little if anything not to like about the Nats (...unless perhaps you're attached to some other NL team). I initially thought the Werth signing was a bit reckless, but he has performed. Bryce Harper hasn't quite lived up to all of the hype (he's not yet LeBron or even Strasburg), but has been a solid contributor. The real explanation is starting pitching. ...such a refreshing change compared to that Cleveland team. Anyone got tips on where to acquire a New Era fitted cap for less than big $$$? Thinking about the home red with the cursive W. Go Nats! thanks

Any chance this can be moved to Miscellaneous Music with the other themed album cover threads? thanks

Supply and demand...

It's best that way. Don't get too excited about the Browns either. Go for more walks and listen to more jazz rekkids.

What a tragic figure Ojeda turned out to be in Cleveland (...or Indians spring training)

Bertrand, Thanks for the heads up--that's two blocks away. I'll likely catch at least part of the Mance dance today.

Sadly, the Indians are now basically the KC Royals. Poor attendance, very little talent, and little or no hope. The trade for Ubaldo supposedly created a sense of urgency (giving up two best pitching prospects for a guy that struggles to get through 6), but they can't win soon. Choo will wear the uni one more year (at most) before signing with NYY or someone else with more vision (or at least way more $$$). Asdrubal will follow soon thereafter. Plenty of "nice" pitchers that haven't yet lived up to the aspirations: Tomlin, McAllister, Masterson (already rumored on the trading block), Jeanmar Gomez. Try to be optimistic, but how can anyone that is not completely delusional get excited about the key acquisitions of Derek Lowe, Johnny Damon, Casey Kotchmann, Dan Wheeler, etc. Kipnis, Chisenhall, Brantley (only useful part of Sabathia trade), and Cabrera are only position players to remain hopeful about (maybe Carlos "Black Magic Woman" Santana). Choo will disappear, as will Hafner and Sizemore (at long, injury-plagued, last). Bullpen has been pretty good this year (notwithstanding today's collossal meltdown), but that's the sort of thing you don't count on from one season to the next. So some perspective from the "painful" seasons in SF or Texas or NYY or... At least I live in a market with an exciting, young team. Go Nats!!!

Lon, is jazz now a "job"?

1. Anyone have info regarding expected release dates for these? 2. Is this a good point of entry for Muhal? I own none of his recordings (at least as leader). Have read a few enthusiastic reviews for Blu Blu Blu, but have not successfully tracked it down.

Pittsburgh remains misspelled.

Arguably an upgrade from the dynamic Aaron Cunningham. Nice to see Tribe beat Verlander, but they are not going anywhere, despite the trade for Ubaldo which supposedly imbued a sense of "urgency". Maybe Carmona/Hernandez will surprise in a few weeks. Not holding breath.

you've lost that lovin' feelin'...

Indians did not sweep Angels. Weaver beat Ubaldo 3-0 in the series opener. Happy for the Tribe overachieving, but it's been with a lot of smoke and mirrors--Damon, Duncan, Kotchman, and Cunningham manning first base and left field is just atrocious. Is there a less useful combo for those two (easy to fill) positions starting for a team with much promise for success? [This is not equivalent to having Paul Sorrento play first when the lineup included Belle, Lofton, Ramirez, Thome, Murray, Alomar Jr, etc. by a long shot] Absent the back end of the bullpen (Pistano and Perez) which has been exemplary, the pitching is also fairly dreadful. A few good players/stories including Justin Masterson (despite the record) and Jason Kipnis (should have made the All-Star team), but not enough to succeed outside the dreadful AL Central. I think the Tigers get rolling fairly soon. In Cleveland, hopefully the mirrors remain shiny...

It never made sense for Thome to return to the National League, even to rejoin father figure Charlie Manuel.

Yep. That was the documentary title.

While channel surfing a couple of weeks ago, I stumbled across an interesting documentary about the making of Graceland on A&E. The doc includes footage from back in the day (including at some recording sessions) as well as Paul returning to South Africa 25 years later, meeting various musicians, visiting with anti-apartheid activists. Includes some footage/discussion of Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela. The film ends with bits and pieces of a reunion performance. Agreed that concerns about Paul's actions seem a bit silly now. I also pull that album out on occasion. Before a big exam in grad school (...way back in the day), I would sing along with "I Know What I Know" before heading out to take the test (i.e. it is now officially time to stop worrying about the material). Bouncy beat put a smile on my face (at least temporarily). I purchased the ordinary CD as part of a largish order from CDNow (remember them?). Don't think I need anything more.

The first baseball card set that I built (via 10 cent and 25 cent packs at the drugstore and grocery) was the 1976 Topps set. Pedro Borbon was the last card I needed for that one. Stalked that card for a long time--lot of cardboard-tasting gum consumed along the way.

Sad news. Great player. Fun to watch. I'll confess to annoying my spouse by often saying "Ow!" when Junior got recognized for a good play. Are there really 8 members of the 1994 Chargers that are no longer with us? Anyone know the other names? That is shocking. 1994 was not that long ago.

I've never previously considered attending, figuring (perhaps incorrectly) that it was largely about vinyl and/or collectables--two categories that I'm not too interested in. I checked the website and saw that two nearby shops were participating, and that one of them featured an in-store performance by the one and only Colin Hay, former frontman of Men at Work. After thinking about it for a bit, I decided it was raining and a tad bit cold out for April in DC, so I stayed home and worked on a tall stack of unopened previous purchases (including a few items from said independent shops).