O Well

I know it's only the end of May, but it's already about that time when Orioles fans have to forget about the O's contending this season. For some, this should be easy. It seems so natural anyway. But to some die hards out there, this season has been particularly excruciating and letting go is a little bit tougher this time around.

Despite what the naysayers may espouse, for the last few years under president of baseball ops Andy MacPhail, the O's have made tremendous strides in terms of minor league depth and talent. This has been particularly true for pitchers. This year, the Oriole starting rotation was the best the team has seen for a long while. In spite of his rough 0-4 record, Kevin Millwood has been a revelation at the top of the rotation. His presence has subsequently affected the former staff 'ace', Jeremy Guthrie, who has been spectacular so far, and apparently pitches better when he doesn't have to carry the load.

Prior to his last 4 starts, Brian Matusz was living up to much of the hype that surrounded him when the season began. He flashed all his pitches, got strikeouts in bunches, and were it not for some inherited runners scoring off of relievers, would have had a serviceable ERA. Lately, things have been unraveling a bit for young gun. At this point, I'm not too worried about him, mainly because of how good he looked for much of April and May. We'll have to wait and see.

Number 4 and 5 were a little hazy for the O's, as these spots have been over the years. Brad Bergeson seems to be regaining his 2009 form, which is a good sign, but number 5 is still up in the air. It's also the spot that entices O's fans the most, for it could end up being occupied by either Chris Tillman or Jake Arrieta, both of whom are considered top pitching prospects. As of now, Tillman holds the edge and will actually be making his first start this Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The starting pitching will continue to be a source of hope for O's fans this year and beyond. What seems to be holding them back is lack of offense and a shaky bullpen. Those are two significant issues. Lack of positional player talent and depth in particular has been and remains to be a problem for this team. This goes for both the major and minor leagues. It is my hope that the O's front office will do more to fix this issue both in the draft, through trades, and via free agency. The latter will be the most difficult since it's obvious any big name player won't be interested in coming to Baltimore.

We ARE moving in the right direction people, don't let the awful record fool you! This team is better than the numbers show and I hope to God that translates to success at some point this year. I can't take much more of this crap!

LOST

Last night was the end of an era on TV. Lost wrapped up its six-year run with a near 5 hour finale spectacular. The first 2 hours were dedicated to looking back at seasons past, and included interviews with most of the regular cast. After that, the two and half hour final episode began.

Now with a show like Lost, which is open to a multitude of interpretations and creates more questions than answers, its hard to write an ending that won't disappoint someone for some reason. Lost is an intensely complex show, and perhaps the writers had developed certain story lines with no clean resolution. Of course, the big surprise that the show's creators had saved up was the revelation that all the "flash-sideways" scenes during the last season weren't actually taking place, but were instead a purgatorial-type world. In these flash scenes, Jack suddenly had a teenage son who he fathered with Juliet. Another difference from the earlier season flashbacks was that Sawyer was suddenly a cop. The question remains whether this semi-altered non-existence was exclusively from Jack's perspective.

All in all, I enjoyed the finale. While it didn't answer all my questions, namely what the island actually is, it did bring together lots of familiar faces from earlier seasons and played up the emotional connections between the characters.
Despite its many supernatural and scientific themes, Lost at its core is a show about the relationships between a diverse group of people who must put aside their differences to survive on the mysterious island. It seems almost everyone found their true love, and the scenes where old pairs finally remembered their time on the island together were particularly moving.

Regardless of how you feel, a show with the depth and complexity of Lost will probably never come around again. These days, networks have little patience for shows that require the same of their viewers. So even if you were just a mild follower of the program, try to appreciate this unique show, especially when major networks are parading out their 'original' trial-based procedurals and dramas that take place among hot young med students. Lost allowed viewers to see things how they wanted to, and much was left to the imagination - even in the end. The theme of last night's finale was 'let go'. It's a phrase that should be familiar by now to the avid Lost fan. It was the message given to Jack by his father during the final minutes. To me, it was also a direct message from the show's writers to its most dedicated followers. It's over. Let go. Move on.

AFC North Offseason Thoughts

As another NFL offeason winds down and we begin to look towards training camps, I figured I would briefly discuss the moves and changes made to the Ravens as well as the other three AFC North teams.

Baltimore Ravens

Pickups:
Anquan Boldin, Dante Stallworth, Cory Redding (DT)

Notable Draftees:
Sergio Kindle (LB), Terrence Cody (DT), Ed Dickson (TE), Dennis Pitta (TE)

Losses:
Justin Bannan (DT), Dwan Edwards (DT), Kelley Washington (WR)

Analysis:

As of now I'd have to think that the Ravens are the odds-on favorites to take the division in 2010. Their major weakness, wide receiver, was more than taken care of this offseason with the trade acquisition of Anquan Boldin, the signing of the wayward but talented Donte Stallworth, and the pickups of two exciting young tight ends in the NFL Draft. In addition, Derrick Mason is back for another year, which should not be overlooked considering he is by far Flacco's favorite target. Of course, Mr. Boldin could have something to say about that this year.
On the other side of the ball, the Ravens got younger, which was one of their offseason goals. Terrence Cody could and should be a run-stopping beast this year, but questions about his stamina remain. Also, OLB Sergio Kindle has the potential to cure some of their pass-rushing problems. On the downside, the Ravens cornerback depth is questionable, particularly because of the knee rehabs of Fabian Washington and Lardarius Webb. Washington is definitely farther along than Webb in his recovery, but Webb had more on-field success between the two last season. It will be interesting to see how this story develops throughout training camp.

Cincinnati Bengals

Pickups:
Matt Jones (WR), Mike Nugent (K), Adam "Pacman" Jones (CB), Gibril Wilson (CB)

Notable Draftees:
Jermaine Gresham (TE), Carlos Dunlap (DE), Jordan Shipley (WR)

Losses:
Laveranues Coles (WR), Jeremi Johnson (FB)

Analysis:

The Bengals didn't exactly improve their image with the recent signing of Pacman Jones, and it makes you wonder what exactly they were thinking. Jones has yet to show that he can focus on football for an extended period of time without any problems outside the lines. Luckily, the Bengals already have some good talent at the position. Cincinnati will be feeling pressure this coming year to repeat the regular season success they enjoyed last year. Of course, now their fans will really be clamoring for a serious playoff run. If the offense can find any sort of deep threat and the defense continues to develop, the Bengals could certainly give the fans what they truly want. With the Steelers taking a step back, it could be a battle with Baltimore for the division.

Cleveland Browns

Pickups:
Jake Delhomme (QB), Antonio Bryant (WR), Scott Fujita (LB), Tony Pashos (OT), Seneca Wallace (QB), Alex Smith (TE)

Notable Draftees:
Joe Haden (CB), TJ Ward (FS), Montario Hardesty (RB), Colt McCoy (QB)

Losses:
Hank Fraley (OT), Jamal Lewis (RB), Brady Quinn (QB), Derek Anderson (QB)

Analysis:

Cleveland is clearly a team in transition whose goals for the 2010 season will not include fighting for a playoff spot. Alas, their is hope in the form of Mike Holmgren, who will prove his front office acumen. Fans in Cleveland are banking on a successful turn. This year's training camp will see all new faces at quarterback, with veteran Jake Delhomme pegged as the early favorite to start when the season begins. The Browns added to their new QB depth with the signing of Seneca Wallace and the drafting of Colt McCoy. There's no doubt that despite the lowered expectations in Cleveland, the fans will be very excited to see all the new faces.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Pickups:
Antwaan Randle-El (WR), Arnaz Battle (WR), Will Allen (CB), Larry Foote (LB), Byron Leftwich (QB)

Notable Draftees:
Maurkice Pouncey (C), Jason Worilds (DE)

Losses:
Santonio Holmes (WR), Willie Parker (RB), Deshea Townsend (CB)

Analysis:

Another year, another Ben Roethlisberger offseason controversy. This time around, the consequences have been even worse, at least from a team standpoint, with Roethlisberger's six-game suspension. One of those first six games will be an always-critical matchup with the Baltimore Ravens. When Ben does come back, he will no longer have the luxury of seeing his big-play receiver, Santonio Holmes, who was traded away to the New York Jets. This will most likely have considerable effect on the effectiveness of the Steeler offense. WRs Arnaz Battle and former Steeler Antwaan Randle-El were brought in to fill this new gaping hole. Despite all the seemingly negative transactions that have marked Pittsburgh's offseason, it would be wise for opposing teams not to underestimate them, as they still have most of the star playmakers that helped them reach the Super Bowl in the not-that-distant past.

The Daily Hypocrisy

So by now it should be obvious to most of you that I love the Daily Show and the Colbert Report. This is less because I'm a liberal-minded social thinker and more because I appreciate how both shows use smart humor, many times to expose the hypocrisy of cable news.

Tuesday night on TDS, Jon walked the audience through a series of clips where pundits on the main news networks (but mostly Fox News) were comparing catastrophic events like the oil spill in the Gulf and the recent miner deaths, which occurred under Obama, to certain negative occurrences under Bush. These included Hurricane Katrina and Iraq.

FOX NEWS HYPOCRISY ALERT

All Fox News ever did during Bush's years was defend his place in the events that I mentioned earlier. Now they are vilifying Obama for the oil spill and healthcare reform by comparing them to the Bush events that they had always defended! I see - now they're bad, now that Bush is gone and can't get his feelings hurt. They've (Fox) basically just contradicted their entire organizational philosophy in the span of a few bird-brained pundits. New President, new philosophy. I guess that makes sense. Wait, no it doesn't.

The (Potential) New Number 9

Today, President Barack Obama announced his selection of Solicitor General Elena Kagan as Supreme Court Justice to replace the retiring John Paul Stevens. So basically, it's going to be a liberal for a liberal, although this is a very general way of looking at it. This will be how the cable news networks cover it, though, which is a shame. In reality, Stevens and Kagan most surely differ on a number of specific issues that will inevitably become relevant nationally in the coming years. The 24 hour newsies will most likely limit their coverage to abortion, gun control, and gay rights. These are the most contentious issues throughout the country and ones that pose the best chance for TV ratings success.
What pleases me about this selection right off the bat is the fact that the latest SC nominee is another woman. It is my strong belief that if a mere nine people make up an entire branch of our government, they should be at least somewhat reflective of the nation whose future they are directly affecting. For the last few decades, there has been one to two women on the Supreme Court. The latest census data tells us that women make up over half of the population of the United States, yet for all this time they consisted of just about 22% of the highest court in the land. Of course, the SC reflecting the makeup of the US doesn't stop at women. Different ethnic groups should have someone on the court who is familiar with their ideals and values. Clarence Thomas is a black man, that is true, but let's face it: his right wing ideology run sharply counter to the views of the majority of African Americans in this country.
In all honesty, I need to do more homework on Mrs. Kagan to get a better sense of the kind of judge she might be. But judging from Obama's last selection, Sonya Sodomayor, I'm confident Kagan will be worthy of the nomination. I just hope that Republicans won't use her appointment hearings as another opportunity to act stubbornly and win cheap political points. If their opposition to her has legitimate merit, that's one thing, but they need to stay true to how they actually feel, or at least how their constituency feels. This holds true for Democrats as well.
The Supreme Court is a very static institution, undergoing change only years at a time. Recently, this general rule has seen its exception. The continuing transition brings much excitement and apprehension. It will be very interesting to see how the new additions to the Court will alter the course this country takes on a social level. As the generation turns over to a new one, the country's compass will change course. Seeing the young replace the old on a national level like this is another reminder of this. Let's hope the change is for the better.

Mommy!

Okay, so I'm a day late, but to all the (good) mothers out there, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY. Let's not forget, of course, that just because you can have a baby doesn't mean you can raise one well. Like it or not, there are some bad moms out there. Perhaps Mother's Day can be an opportunity for these moms to reflect on the job they're doing and think of ways to make themselves better. Obviously, no mom is completely perfect; after all, they are people too and everyone has their own needs in life. To me, a good mom is one who can put the needs of her children ahead of her own. If there is one requirement for parenting, that has to be it.

Ultimately, Mother's Day is a day for celebration and appreciation, so take time if you didn't yesterday to do so today.

Spill Baby Spill

Welcome back, my faithful blog followers. Sorry that its been so long (almost a week) since my last post. I know my words are like air to you people, so please, take a long, deep breath.

And exhale.

I heard a great line from my boy Stephen Colbert. He said something about the Gulf of Mexico being renamed the Gulf of Texaco - one of the many reasons why the Colbert Report is such wonderful program. All jokes aside though, let's remember that it was BP's rig and not Texaco's, although it doesn't really make a difference at this point to those who enjoy clean water and any sort of wildlife. Either way, the spill seems to be growing at a scary rate. First described as roughly the size of Rhode Island, it has now been likened to some larger states (even Maryland!). Of course, the states that really matter throughout this awful situation are those that are located along the Gulf coast. By the way, if you weren't convinced that New Orleans was cursed before, you have to now.

So on the one hand, we have environmentalists screaming 'I told you so' over and over, which is no surprise. Then we have the right wing oil proponents who are basically saying that oil extraction is a dangerous and complicated process and things like this are bound to happen -which is true, unfortunately. Let's stay in the middle for a bit and just look at the reality. As a left-leaning environment supporter, I say that this spill is another reason why the age of oil needs to start winding down. We cannot afford these huge accidents. And as a person who enjoys driving my car, heating my home, and doing all the things made possible by gas and oil, I say that such accidents are simply a part of what we've all signed up for. At the end of the day, whether you're a Rush Limbaugh follower or a Rachel Maddow supporter, nobody wins.

This type of disaster is a perfect opportunity for Obama and his administration to push hard for a true energy revolution. People who weren't around for the Exxon-Valdez oil spill years ago are finally seeing the very real risks involved with drilling for oil. It's a process that's paid for with both money and blood.

The first step toward transitioning from oil to renewables has to be wide-ranging investment in research. Although today we have wind farms and solar power stations throughout the country, the technology is still not their for storing the energy they produce for later consumption. Like it or not, the sun goes away at night and every single day is not windy. Scientists need to discover a way to retain the intermittent energy we receive from these natural sources so we can use it at any time, day or night. Until the time that technology catches up with our ideal energy future, we all need to work together in conserving the energy we do use. After all, an energy revolution isn't just about renewable energy.

Question: Why can't the energy bills we get each month be as specified and detailed as our phone bills? Power companies need to start allowing consumers the chance to save energy when it best suits them. Plans for cell phones are varied and can be adjusted to the individual needs and demands of the user. Different plans offer different services depending on a person's preferences. It seems to me that we should enjoy similar variety in the energy arena. Unless you are power-hungry and have the money to pay for it, you will take any chance you can get to conserve energy and subsequently save some green (no pun intended). Most of us are on board with energy conservation, but it would be nice for the big power companies to meet us halfway. And of course, our government should do all it can to bridge the gap and enforce laws that push the country in the right direction. If we're gonna have a big government, it might as well do us all some good.....right?

Thanks for reading if you did. I'll try get my next post out a little quicker. Take care all.