Dan Gould

I don't see it as an either/or thing but the thing about Santo is that third baseman are under-represented in the Hall. There's just no doubt that relative to the history of the players at that position, he was one of the greats. Its appalling that when the Veteran's committee was filled with current members of the Hall, and Santo was still alive, that they couldn't see why he deserved to be inducted. Yet this new group gave him the nod from 15 of 16 members ... As for Hodges, for the totality of his career in the game, absolutely, I'd put him in. But then again I'm a "big Hall" kind of guy, you have to be if you supported Jim Rice's induction. But one difference between Hodges and Santo is that relative to 1B in the Hall, Hodges career numbers are kinda marginal. Santo belongs just on his playing, Hodges belongs on everything he did.

You're getting my hopes up that I'll find something in the mailbox when I get home ...

Best baseball news in years:

The stadium they played in was built for football. the imminent threat of late afternoon rain hurt attendance, no doubt, and the fact that they had an unfavorable lease didn't help the finances. But it was centrally located for the entire market from Miami-Dade to Palm Beach county. The history of the franchise fan base is that the latinos don't show up unless they are in the playoffs. They'll make money from sky boxes but I am very confident that within a year or two they won't see as large a jump in attendance as they think they will.

By the time people were going to the clubs to hear the music, jazz had lost its claim as being the popular music of the day. It was the popular music of the day when it accompanied dancers. As instrumental or vocal music. At the same time there was plenty of pop music that was all about vocals - Bing Crosby, Sinatra etc etc etc. Certainly the R&B/rock era saw a simplification of the music accompanying the vocalist.

They will be bankrupt, because the new stadium will not = fans for any substantial length of time. Sure there will be curiousity about the place, and good crowds for a little while. But the fact is that they've cut off too much of their potential fan base by locating so deeply in the heart of Miami. The old stadium had plenty of problems, no doubt. But it was convenient from every major highway. I could get home to Palm Beach county in 30 or 40 minutes. But not even a Bobby Valentine-less Red Sox road trip would get me to drive that far. And the team's history has shown that all of those immigrants from Latin America rarely if ever gave a shit about the Marlins. (They gave only a slightly larger shit when they were winning). Miami will not support the team and too much of Broward and Palm Beach won't even consider shlepping that far.

I hope its retirement rather than a decision forced by business conditions.

the only way to wipe the slate clean with Bobby Valentine (in other words, to ignore everything about him and root for the team is now the manager of is if he wins the 2012 World Series.

Best news I've heard in a while: Valentine's deal is for two years. Just as I suspected, they want Valentine as a stop-gap until their ex-pitching coach potentially becomes available when his contract with Toronto ends. Two years and counting until I can enjoy a Red Sox game again.

Looking around the rest of his blog I couldn't give a meditative crap about what Nicholas Payton thinks, if I ever did. I stopped caring about what he plays a long time ago.

Perhaps but are you really willing to give up on the team you've rooted for your whole life? Not sure I could do that. I said at the end of the season that I took these games too seriously and needed to take a big step away. How would you feel if you stayed deeply invested, cared as much, and were confronted, every single day, with a person you loathe in charge of the team you're rooting for? One last thing, Brad. Valentine has hung players out to dry many times. I think that's a BS and extremely counter-productive thing for a manager to do. But it is something an egotistical jackass does.

.510 lifetime winning percentage. Like I said, ego in gross disproportion to results.

Why shouldn't a managerial change in November be part of the existing Hot Stove discussion?

I will never come back while Bobby Valentine is in that dugout. How can I possibly enjoy watching a team when I am going to be exposed, multiple times in every broadcast, to one of the biggest assholes the game has ever seen and be reminded that he is calling every on-field shot? How can I watch Sportscenter or read the Globe when Bobby Fucking Valentine will be a part of every report? It is appalling and infuriating - MORE appalling and infuriating than 7-20, by the way - to go from a class act, a truly intelligent yet modest man like Terry Francona to a giant ASSHAT in Bobby Valentine. And you want to know why I hate Bobby Valentine so much to walk away from 35 years of being a fan of the Red Sox: Massive ego in gross disproportion to actual talent or consistent results. There are few consolations but there is this: Valentine is such an egotistical POS that he never lasts very long in an MLB gig, does he? My guess is that they want Valentine as a stop-gap, put up with his shit for a couple of years, see what happens, then go full-bore for the old pitching coach if and when Toronto lets him go after his contract is up in 2013. Anyone know a cheap source for Cub caps? I am coming home to my earliest childhood team.

:party:

I'd be OK with a needle-drop of David. He does tend to repeat occasionally, you know.

And Schaap wrote the Afterward. Makes it that much easier to skip.

"Kiss is on my List" (kinda makes the lyrics even stupider, doesn't it?) That's an evil earworm right there. And you do that to me after I shared my exciting news today. Seriously though, I don't remotely get how that is "good, timeless danceable pop for the ages." Bad, danceable shit as far as I'm concerned.

Ain't that the truth! Yeah but a lot of almost-good bands made it into the 80s and practically defined the decade. Hall & Oates, anyone? Private eyes, they're watching you .. How's that for an evil earworm?

If Mosaic was still going strong with the Select series, maybe his BN recordings would be a good candidate? Nah, I think a lot of his output could be prominently featured in Chris' Worst of Blue Note box set.

There goes the whole "we're all Blue Note fetishists" meme.

Easily and highly recommended, Tom. Simple Pleasure gives mucho pleasure. I especially love the first track, In the Kitchen. A simple blues but Cedar and Ralph play the hell out of it. Dear Ruth was written for Cedar's mom and is lovely. I really enjoyed this band's records and I'm glad I got to see them twice.

Ah, who am I kidding? I mostly just wanted to post this classic clip: http://www.kewego.com/video/iLyROoafYtDe.html Don't stuff yourself too much, and I hope the turkeys don't mount a counter-attack.

A beautiful remembrance.