Dan Gould

Dammit Darren Didn't Blow It! Whoda thunk it, and can the Rangers come through after that gift?

Let's just see the MFY lose so I won't have to stress quite so much about tonight's game against David Price. I have a feeling that this one will end up about 12-11 unless the Rangers manage to pitch or the Yankee bats are just too tired to keep hitting balls all over the place.

So the baseball columnist of the New York Times is a "marketer"? Or is that the Times as a whole?

I think you're being mystifingly oversenstive about the term, as if it offends his memory because he's somehow being referred to as the house negro welcoming the members of the 3000 Hit Club on their way over and above his accomplishment. And why referring him as such is an attempt to manipulate emotions is beyond me. His premature death is a fact, no manipulation of emotions necessary. And yes, 3000 Hit Club has been a recognized group for a long time. Until Palmiero it signified a stamped ticket marked "Cooperstown".

Don't remotely Jim's reaction. He's the greeter because he was fated to stop exactly at 3000 hits. That's all. Where you get sappy and morose is beyond me. I think its good that the article points out that it was only in death that he was embraced by the city.

There is a Hank Mobley live set recorded in the late 60s in Europe, with Kenny Drew. Not an air-shot though, the sound is fair to OK. Three discs of music circulate among what used to be called tape traders. There is also a European gig with Johnny Griffin, that might be an airshot come to think of it, I want to say there is an announcer interrupting now and again. There's a Wynton Kelly "Live at the Left Bank" release with Mobley sitting in. Not an airshot but also "in concert". Last but not least there are a couple of pre-1960 Mobley recordings that are air-shots. Very short recordings.

Earliest team has to be the Cubs (and Bears) but by the time I was about 7 or so I had a strong desire to root for a winner, leading me to root, in the NFL, for the Dolphins and then the Cowboys (loved Staubach and my brother rooted for Tarkenton so that made it easy) and in MLB, the Yankees (for about two years, when Sparky Lyle was the closer) and Dodgers before the love affair with the Red Sox that started in 1975 was forever sealed in the fiery death of the 1978 dream season.

Good for you, Shawn. I'm glad to hear you're feeling good and making plans, and I'm sure you'll stick around and let us know about your new (resumed) life.

At least Neil Sedaka knows when to keep his clothes on.

Unsurprising its a leg injury, only slightly less surprising that it happens now as opposed to the first half of July or whenever. Potentially a devastating loss if he misses more than a few weeks, and we know how those hamstrings can be. He's the second best starter on the staff and far more consistently decent than Burnett.

Very very cool. Glad to see that Uptown is still releasing stuff like this and given the limited entries in Gryce's discography (not to mention Eddie Costa), I'd say this is a little more important than, say, the Kenny Dorham release. That of course is assuming that the material from the studio sessions is worthy of release.

Marty, Girardi is under orders to have Posada tackled if he approaches the plate in shinguards and mask.

I am not sure what is more pleasing - going to bed certain that, all things considered, the Sox would end up losing last night, only to wake up to the wonderful news of a 7-run seventh inning and a sweep; OR the fact that they hadn't won six straight in New York since 1913, and never done it against the franchise known as the NY Yankees. No time to let up though, the Sox aren't this good and the Yankees aren't this bad.

One thing I love to see is when Papi gets all of a pitch, knows its gone, he'll turn to the dugout and toss the bat toward the bat boy, as if to say, "here, you can put this away for me, I'm finished with it" and then he takes his trot around the bases. Of course Girardi and the Yankee catcher weren't too happy about it last night. Personally I think ever since Reggie perfected the toss-the-bat-aside-and-stare-for-30-seconds-at-the-ball act, Yankee players and managers lost all right to bitch and moan.

I hope to see you here again soon, Shawn, and in the meantime I wish you happiness and peace of mind.

I feel exactly the same as Chuck, except that I think I sold the disc years ago after failing to ever connect with it.

Yes, both teams are playing well right now, though I'd say the Bosox are performing at a higher level (outside of that four-game skid, they've been almost literally unbeatable the past several weeks). One slight change helpful to NY is that Girardi will start CC instead of Nova Thursday night against Beckett. It's a tough homestand in general, with Cleveland coming in after Boston, followed by Texas; like Dave James, I was pleasantly surprised that we ended this West Coast road trip 6-3. The Yankee homestand might be tougher if the Indians weren't fading back toward the pack, but I like the idea of the heating-up Rangers taking a couple from the MFY. As for the pitching matchup I think it clearly favors the Yankees overall. Lester in May was one of the five worst pitchers in the league for runners allowed, and Garcia's slop always gives us fit, it seems. Wakefield may be on or may be off but I'll put it this way: I'd rather be paying 82 million to Burnett than Lackey. Last game is just a toss-up with the two aces facing each other. We've gotten to CC before, as the Yankees have gotten to Beckett. We'll just see what happens. One big question though: Does CC opt out at the end of this season? Because if he does I don't see how Theo doesn't jump into that bidding war. Worst case, the Yankees pay much more in years and money than they want to, best case we replace Dice-K with a bona fide ace.

Oh course I spoke too soon because I did not take into account the fact that PAPELBON IS A PIECE OF MOTHERFUCKING SHIT.

Looks like the Red Sox, like the Yankees, are discovering that the A's are good for whatever ails you.

Sad news but I am grooving to several of Ray's albums today, starting with the Somewhere in France recording (fabulous sound captured on a tape deck, iirc). The former GHF always loved Ray for the same reasons - the groove he set, the blues sensibility, and the tremendous joy in his playing. Just a great musician.

With our luck, this will go to Papi's head and in November when Theo draws the line at a 2-year deal, new Yankee GM Stick Michael will swoop in with a three year offer and break New England hearts.

I've already bookmarked one of those links so I can learn all about it!

Thanks Peter - its a 2000 Honda Civic LX, the part she ordered is specific to the model, and it comes with all hardware needed. (Apparently she has to get some sort of modified wrench to install the sensor without damaging it.) And Florida has no emissions testing.

So the nefarious Check Engine light goes on yesterday, and it just so happens that a couple of weeks ago my wife scrounged up the money to join CarMD.com and purchase the handy-dandy device that takes the code off the computer in the car so we don't have to rely on dishonest mechanics anymore (so long as she can do the repair herself). Turns out its the catalytic converter - estimated repair cost according to the website a cool thousand bucks. She's found the part online for about $225 including shipping and is nearly certain its a simple enough job for her to install it. But my question is this: If a catalytic converter simply insures minimal emissions, is there any harm from leaving it as it is? I don't live in CA so the environmental nazis won't shoot me on sight, but more importantly - what could happen over time to the engine if the converter isn't functioning? Could it effect other systems/parts? Since she ordered the part its a moot question but I am curious to know. Thanks, as always, in advance!

Crown was the budget label of RPM/Modern. Most Crown LPs were pressed on very low grade vinyl. Modern/RPM/Crown went bankrupt, but the company was revived as Kent, with United as the budget label. There were some good quality recordings on RPM/Modern/Crown/Kent/United, but the sound quality for the most part wasn't heard until Ace in the U.K. started reissuing that material. The Bihari brothers, the original owners of the labels, skimped on masterings, pressings, covers, and anywhere they could save a buck. Ace has finally done things right. And the sound they get on their reissues show that there was no problem with the masters, it was just everything that was done getting it from the master recording to the grocery store shelves that made the sound so bad.