Matthew

Ricky Rubio is staying in Spain until 2011 and not going to the Timberwolves. I don't think that's too bad of a set up for Minnesota, Rubio can work on his game for two years, get stronger and a better outside shot, then come and play in the NBA. T-Wolves not too bad off with Jonny Flynn at the point, he seems like a good draft pick.

Scrubs: Season eight. The season is actually very good, I just wished they would have ended the series with the final episode here, and not gone on to a season nine. I have a feeling that it will be a disaster.

Oscar Peterson: London House Sessions. This box set seems to fly under the radar, not too much comment on it, but it is a great one, and one that I dearly love.

Left over Sicilian Thin Crust Pizza from California Pizza Kitchen. Yum

I've been grooving to this version of for about two weeks now.

The most recent Anti-Penny rant that I've seen comes from Bruce Jenkins, who is usually right on about baseball things: One thing for sure: Penny is a pill. He doesn't give one damn about teammates or anything but himself. He left the Dodgers on acrimonious terms, and that's not easy on a team managed by Joe Torre. Manny Ramirez has fit in well in that clubhouse, at least so far. The Dodgers even took a chance on Vicente Padilla, who undoubtedly will act nice over the next five weeks with his career on the line. But Penny couldn't cut it there. "There were a few people I didn't get along with on the coaching staff that don't respect people," Penny said this week. "I mean, me and Joe got along fine. I just feel like nobody had my back there. You're in the clubhouse and you have players coming up to you saying coaches are saying this to them about you." Responded third-base coach Larry Bowa (a known hothead, especially in his playing days): "You mean the same guy who was never on time, out of shape and has one complete game? He has more stuff to worry about than me. He has to worry about getting people out. He was never on time, never helped the kids out. You go right down the line, everybody who was on the DL watched the games. But not him. He was out of there. Put that on the f---ing dot-com." Thrust upon the Giants' clubhouse, Penny would probably play it cool, not make waves. They'd be interested in getting him under contract by August 31, thus making him eligible for the postseason, and letting him go whenever their season ends. It's telling that Penny couldn't cut it in Boston, and everyone knows that his fastball has very little movement. He's a big-time risk, but I think Bay Area fans could understand the Giants giving him short-term consideration. Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/threed...8#ixzz0Po1magPY

Supposedly Brad Penny is going to become a Giant. Not too sure if I'm on board with that, the Giants have good chemistry as a team (though that's overrated at times), and I always hear bad things about Penny as a team mate. I hate messing with the winning formula the Giants have right now.

RIP. sad news indeed. A lot of great music came from that O'Day, Christy, Conner group, that is for sure.

Very nice sweep by the Giants of the Rockies by winning today 9-5. I kind of thought the Giants were in a good position for a sweep, with their three main pitchers going. Wilson got the save again, and was dealing 98-100 mph the whole time. Off to play the WFC's next.

Another nice win for the Giants tonight, 5-3. Zito looked great, bullpen shaky in the ninth, but all's well that ends well. Brian Wilson came in for his second save of the series (for some reason, I called Wilson, Lewis last night). If the Giants had lost, I would have pulled out a Goodspeak Grrrr™.

I wonder if the Angles can keep the player on their roster until the off-season? That would seem kind of messed up if so, getting a player for free for the rest of the year.

Ah, that explains the wild life & nice grassy back yard. Must be that area between 5, 210, & 2.

Noj, where in the world do you live in LA, Topanga Canyon?

The Stranger From paradise: A Biography Of William Blake by G. E. Bently Jr. Incredibly fascinating!

Great 2-0 win by the Giants tonight. Lincecum went eight innings and pitched great. Giant offense stunk but, thank goodness, panda hit one out to win the game. Lewis comes in and blows everyone away for the save, now let's see if Zito can keep the momentum going. It was one of those games that remind me why baseball the greatest sport of all.

I agree from the stand point of a game of baseball it looks stupid. However, I think there may be some franchises that are so desperate for money where they need it NOW, or closer to now than a few months from now. I don't know any dirty details about the Ray's ownership, but you think of some of the arrogant jerks (such as the Cubs' last owner) along with other rich folk who made seriously awful investments...(Imagine if any in Tampa ownership invested in FL real estate during the bubble?) Like I said, I don't have a clue about TB financial details, just saying such tough times could lead to needing money over trying win to wild card, sad to say. Exhibit one for the financial problems is supposedly the Mets, who are in deep financial doo-doo. I keep hearing that the owner lost 700 million in the Madoff swindle. Panda hit just one out for the Giants, 1-0.

MLB.com is reporting it as a done deal: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/pre...jsp&c_id=tb Angels could be getting a great young lefty for years to come... or they could be getting Steve Avery.... PS: Dang, Iskikawa is getting close to being useless for the Giants in the clutch.

I can't figure out Beckett to save my life. He looks untouchable for five batters, then he gets pounded, then goes back to being untouchable, then gets pounded, I don't get his act in the least.

Welcome, and a big thank you for the link to the documentary on Evans! PS: Though it would be nice if Steve Allen would just shut up.

Dada: Zurich, Berlin, Hannover, Cologne, New York, Paris. Illustrated account of the Dada art movement, and it's very enlightening, just some astounding work here. Where was I in my Art History class in college? This is the first time I've come across Sophie Taeuber & Hans Arp, I must have been asleep in class or something. I love Taeuber's masks and marionettes, wonderful art.

It hasn't for a long time, that's for sure.

There are multiple reports about this so it seems likely it will happen but it makes zero sense, IMHO. The Rays are trying to win the WC and if they do, they'll face the Angels. Why make a trade that makes their path to the ALCS harder? Why make their opponent, who has won with hitting and mediocre pitching for the most part, better? I could understand if they put Kazmir on the market in November but why do it now? This is the type of crap small market teams pull all the time, building up good teams, then dumping players claiming payroll issues, and so insure they will always be second rate clubs. Baseball needs to get rid of the Florida clubs because hardly anyone in FLA gives a darn about baseball. Some other teams could be lost and baseball would be the better for it.

In the 1970's, Dylan was a "Born Again" Christian, as to his religion now, he rarely speaks of it. Though, the last time I saw his Bobness in person at Key Arena in Seattle (three years ago?), his Christianity was explicitly mentioned in the stage introduction.

i don't see them taking two of three if they trot out Wynn, Iskikawa and Fred Lewis as the 3-4-5 hitters again this weekend. Tim will have to go 8 with 1 earned run to just get the no decision tonight. Well, the Giant offense has stunk all year long, so they're use to scratching for runs, and wonders of wonders, Ishikawa hit in the clutch this week. I'm looking for wins from Lincecum & Cain, Zito's pitching very good lately, so, you never know....

Dan, you're always spreading sunshine wherever you go! I'm looking forward to this because I have yet to hear one Christmas cd that doesn't cause me to puke. I'm hoping this one is a good one.