Vox’s posts tagged major league baseball

five things. [8.6.08]

nobody@vox.com(not in me) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:53:52 +0000

**Updated with the promised picture of Brian**

1. Being done with my philosophy papers

Next Reformation, The: Why Evangelicals Must Embrace Postmodernity

Carl Raschke

Philosophy is great. I love deep thoughts and wrestling with questions about truth and knowing and language and such.

Nonetheless, I am still overwhelmingly glad to be done with my philosophy class.

Perhaps in a few weeks, or maybe months, I will be glad to look back and say I took philosophy with Carl Raschke, but at this moment I feel nothing but pure, unadulterated relief that I will never have to do it again... well, not Philosophical Inquiry II, I still need to take Philosophical Inquiry I.

For now, being done is the best part of my week.

2. Major League Baseball

Derek Lee

With my philosophy class over, all that's left is some Hebrew work. That means there has been more free time lately, and I've been putting it to good use by watching copious amounts of baseball.

It's been a great season thus far. This year had one of the most eventful trade seasons in recent memory, every division race outside of the AL West is still up for grabs, and the Rays are proving to be the real deal. Oh yeah, and the Cubs have a really exciting team which has as good a chance as anyone at taking a charge for October glory. The Cubs!!

On my currently neglected baseball blog, I made playoff picks back in March or April. As a bonus to this five things post, I am going to pick the teams who would be in the playoffs if my heart got to decide... although these picks also have to be possible, no Indians in the playoffs type stuff. In the NL, my dream playoff picture this year would be the Phillies, Cubs, Dodgers and Brewers. In the AL it would be the Rays, Twins, Angels and Yankees (although if Joba is out for too long this one moves into the impossible category).

3. Daniel Day-Lewis

Bill the Butcher

So, at long last, I finally got around to seeing Gangs of New York last night. Yes, I know the movie is like six years old, it just came out during my movie watching black hole when I was too busy to ever see any films.

Anyway, watching it continued to confirm my love for Scorcese, and helped my continually growing appreciation for DiCaprio, but what it really made clear to me is that Daniel Day-Lewis has to be on the short list of greatest actors of our generation. Actually, you wouldn't get any argument from me if you were to call him the greatest actor ever. He's that good.

I was watching DVD bonus features, and there were stories about being on set with him. I guess it can be pretty interesting because he really becomes his characters. When he would run into Liam Neeson in the weight room he would only call him "Priest" (Neeson's character in the film). He also always used his accent. What's it like actually going to work every day with Bill the Butcher?

The man is a freak of nature, and is electric on the screen. Perhaps you could quote Queen lyrics and refer to him as "dynamite with a laser beam." However you refer to him, I think he's amazing! As far as actors go, he's #1 in my heart... with a bullet.

4. Penelope

Penelope

I'm thinking about starting another weekly blog series soon called "Confessions." The purpose would be to share one thing a week that part of me embarrassed about liking. I suppose one of the goals would be my continued differentiation from what other's think. The other goal would be giving everyone plenty of opportunity to laugh at me.

Anyway, perhaps this is a step in that direction.

Emily and I wanted to watch a movie the other night, and we didn't want to watch anything too heavy. So, Emily picked Penelope, and I didn't stop her. I'm glad I didn't.

I'm going to be honest. I really enjoyed this movie. It had it's flaws, sure, but most movies do.

Of course, the message was good and something people should watch with their daughters (and sons). There was plenty of fodder for discussion even though it's a super-light film.

Anyway, the film was imaginative, they did a great job creating a modern-day fable, and the acting was tight as well. Christina Ricci made clear that she is seriously underrated, in more ways than one. And James McAvoy proved he could pull off charming as well as anyone else in the business, while he and Peter Dinklage both are moving into the category of actors who I enjoy enough that I would watch a movie I otherwise wouldn't watch just to see their performance.

5. Brian might be moving to Seattle.

If I had the time to do '5 Things' in recent weeks, Brian's visit to Seattle would have been included, but alas, I didn't have the time. That's ok though, because it is looking like there is a strong chance that all my coaxing and cajoling might actually prove to have been worth it. Brian just might be moving to Seattle. Huzzah!

Gangsta

For those of you who know Brian, no explanation for my excitement (nor Emily's) is needed, for those of you who don't know Brian you should think about doing what you can to change that. Come on, look at how well he fakes a gangsta pose.

This is still a developing story, so stay tuned for more.

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Evan Longoria, 2008 MLB All Star!

nobody@vox.com(Sean & Stefan) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:24:37 +0000

The McFreeds report...

Evan Longoria of the smoking Tampa Bay Rays was selected in a nationwide internet vote for the 2008 All Star Team for the American League! Way to go Evan! Now lets win some games Rays!

Evan Longoria

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Rays Win!

nobody@vox.com(Sean & Stefan) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:48:13 +0000

Sean admits he is becoming a Benedict Arnold...

Evan Longoria

Well I have to tell you I was bad this week and rooted for the Tampa Bay Rays. I coudn't help myself! Call me a frontrunner fan if you will, I love Underdogs and the fact Stefan and I have familial relations intimately involved with the team didn't help! I even wore my Rays jersey last night as a good luck charm... and it worked since I put it on (no joke) just as the 7th inning started... boom 6 runs!

The Rays swept my beloved Boston Red Sox 3 - 0 this week in a historic moment for this normally weak team. Each game was a tension filled game we expect from our sporting events! The July 1 - 3, 2008 games will be a immortal part of Rays history because it basically placed the Rays somewhere they had never been before.

Jason Bartlett

Game 3 personally gave us great heroes in Evan Longoria (ain't he cute?) and Jason Bartlett. Congrats Rays on capitalizing on your lead in the American League East!!! I expect Red Sox Nation to burn me in effigy or put a hit out on me now (sad face).

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A Fan Conflicted: Red Sox vs. Rays (June 30, 2008)

nobody@vox.com(Sean & Stefan) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:06:16 +0000

Sean is conflicted...

Red Sox Logo

I have been a huge Boston Red Sox fan over the years. I own a piece of the Green Monster as well as a piece of the 2004 World Series bench amongst other memorabilia from the Red Sox! And in the spirit of family unity I have also in the last 2 years become a fan of the Tampa Bay Rays... it helps that Stefan's brother is a broadcaster for them. All of a sudden though the Rays have gotten not just good but great after 10 years of languishing at the bottom. They are so good that they just overtook the Red Sox for the lead in the American League East! Stefan and I witnessed the win that did it for them too in Pittsburgh against the limping Pirates at PNC Park with our friends Tim and Roxanne this weekend!

Tampa Bay Rays

Tonight the Red Sox and Rays start a three game series in a match up that truly matters in the nature of the standings. FoxSports and Sports Illustrated columnists just today (June 30, 2008) called the Rays the best team in baseball this week (although subjective). It's gotten so bad I find myself listening to more Rays games and knowing Rays players better than my own beloved Sox! I hate appearing as a frontrunner fan, but family pride seems to be winning out this season... as is my love of the underdog. I even ordered an Evan Longoria rookie card! Oh the betrayal!

Who to root for??!! The Sox? Or the underdog Rays??!!

Agony!

I hope that the games are classics given the stakes!

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No Hitter!!!!

nobody@vox.com(Sean & Stefan) — Tue, 20 May 2008 01:58:52 +0000

Sean says...

Boston Red Sox pitcher John Lester can now add no-hitter next to his list of accomplishments, which include being the winning pitcher of a World Series! On May 19, 2008, he threw a no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park!!! The 18th no-hitter in Red Sox history. Only 24 years old, 2nd full season in major leagues, and a cancer survivor to boot! Congrats John!

John Lester

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DGW Episode 570

nobody@vox.com(InsideDGW) — Fri, 16 May 2008 08:43:08 +0000

IBM Microdrive

Data Storage

Link: IBM Press Release

Dick's Gadget Warehouse

IBM Microdrive 340MB: photo from tekgems.com

Released in 1999, the IBM Microdrive fit into a Compact Flash Type II card slot, but was actually a hard drive, the world's smallest hard drive. When first released, IBM offered 2 capacities, 170MB and 340MB, which in those days were massive for portable storage of that size. IBM's recommended retail price for the 340MB Microdrive kit, including a PC card adapter and a field case, was $499.

Stop the Jokes
Norwegian Stian Kristiansen is recovering from a hernia operation and begs Dick and Leo to stop the funny business. And no Mad Magazine please.

Listen to Episode 570
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page

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In Baseball the Underdog Always Gets the Heart...

nobody@vox.com(Sean & Stefan) — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:18:01 +0000

Sean says...

I have to say first off that since 1986 I have rooted for an loved the Boston Red Sox through bad times and two World Series sweeps. But, with the combined factors of family loyalty and major underdog status I am becoming a "frontrunner" fan for the underdog Tampa Bay Rays. Of course, I have to mention that Stefan's brother Andy does a great job with his on-air partner Dave Wills in calling of of the Rays games on WHNZ 1250AM and the Rays Baseball Radio Network. Beyond the love of family though is the power of underdog status; and this year even the most die-hard fan of any team has to be amazed at the great start the Rays are forging.

Tampa Bay Rays

Mature in some areas but raw in others, Manager Joe Madden and General Manager Andrew Friedman (and his front office) have really made something special. Whether it lasts into the playoffs or not is both too "Pollyanna"-ish to specualte about and beyond predictability at this point in the season. In fact, the pundits on ESPN, Fox Sports, and Sports Illustrated are treating this surge with kid gloves because no one knows where this new level of play is going to take the fate of this season's team. But all of this is making me enjoy baseball even more from a fan level rather than my normal commitment to the famed Red Sox.

Listening to Andy and Dave call of May 13, 2008's game versus the New York Yankees (spits and grumbles to the side) was just incredible for the emotional milestone it was. The Rays scored against both the incredible steamroller that is Chien-Ming Wang and the venerable Darth Vader of Yankee pitching and true Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera in the same game using small ball is amazing to begin with! But with Edwin Jackson pitching 7 innings of shut out baseball against the Evil Empire is just a huge cherry on Tampa's cake. Troy Percival's 2nd blown save in the 9th not withstanding (come on dude!), the game couldn't have ended better with the huge surge of emotion that could be heard on the radio and seen in the TV clips after the game winning single by Gabe Gross to bring in Jonny Gomes in the 11th. And with that the Rays capped a moment that in a way killed their own curse of not being contenders in the toughest division in baseball and surged into a 1/2 game lead in a divison brutal in its history to those not from Boston or New York. The reaction of fans and players made it seem like they HAD won the World Series just then! And in their minds I bet you they felt they did win something. The Rays are reaching a summit at a time where even they didn't think they would make it too. Remind me of the Colorado Rockies of last year and the heart they truly brought to baseball. All the emotion was a great thing to experience even if it is fleeting or not... you don't want to jinx things you know!

So go Rays... just don't beat the Red Sox!

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Section 111

nobody@vox.com(Don) — Sun, 11 May 2008 03:09:58 +0000

*Past* our ticket section and the Mariners still suck, argh

Section 111

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Section 122

nobody@vox.com(Don) — Sun, 11 May 2008 02:52:21 +0000

Getting closer to our actual Section 116....

Section 122

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Game-time view

nobody@vox.com(Don) — Sun, 11 May 2008 02:24:06 +0000

Not actually our seats. We're standing behind section 134 on our slow way toward section 116. :-D

Game-time view

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Game day!

nobody@vox.com(Don) — Sun, 11 May 2008 00:31:41 +0000

You know there's a game because that's Safeco Field behind the Pyramid umbrellas....

Game day!

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St. Louis Marathon

nobody@vox.com(newmanmlb) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:50:32 +0000

6:08 finish at the 2007 ING New York City Marathon last November, my injury-plagued 26.2 mile debut.

5:21 finish today at the 2008 St. Louis Marathon on the hilliest/toughest course I know.

4:?? at the 2008 ING New York City Marathon on Nov. 2.

I am going to hire a research firm to see if they can detect a trend...

Loving every moment right now, have incredible pics of my weekend with my awesome crew including my 20-year-old son Matt and his girlfriend Amanda, my 16-year-old son Ben and his girlfriend Erica, and my 14-year-old son Josh. They were waiting at the finish line for me with cowbells and signs including "HEART OF A CHAMPION". They were my awesome 21.2 Pit Crew!

This was my second marathon, so this is my second marathon post. Here are the pictures and the words.

MARATHON EVE

With my 14-year-old Josh:

After picking up my registration stuff at the Marathon Expo. The Arch says it all...

Ben (16) with Winthorpe (now 11):

Ben and Erica below. He swiped the Sleep Number gift from my Expo bag -- a sleep mask!

The crew:

I am so proud of my boys, and nothing new when Matt opened a letter waiting for him at the house. It was welcoming him to a national scholastic excellence organization after he made the Dean’s List this semester at the University of Missouri’s School of Finance. I was so proud when he opened it. He came over just for this race and had two tests on Monday and one on Tuesday, so I know it was a big sacrifice for him, and that’s how much we all love each other. I also got to see him study for Accounting and Marketing tests and am blown away by how organized he is, with his meticulous notes printed out and put into a binder that he studies, etc. So far beyond what I was doing in college. Love my guys.

Here is my temporary tattoo with splits for a 5 Hour Pace. This was AMAZING. I got it at the expo. Better than a pace bracelet. I repeatedly looked down at my forearm after Mile 20, when I was on my own, to gauge how well I was keeping up with my pace.

My motel room the night before. I decided to go with the orange look:

We had our own Pasta Party at the boys’ house. I made fettuccini with alfredo sauce and bowtie pasta with red sauce, and everyone mixed and matched. Josh gave me the lowdown on Hakeem tha Dream and why I had to download THICK WIT IT from iTunes, so it was a powersong now, too. Here it is:

The pasta party was better than the official Pasta Party downtown. I went back to my motel room and got to sleep at 12:40 a.m.

THE MARATHON

Miles 1-16

I slept 4 hours, waking up at 4:40. I got down to the Union Station area at 6, and the race started at 7. I checked my bag with everyone else inside City Hall, an amazing scene of runners. Then I hit the portapotty and looked for Molly. She had been at the table at the Expo the day before, and I had signed up to be part of the 5 Hour Pace Group that she would be leading.

There were maybe 20 of us in that group. We started out great. It was an indescribably beautiful St. Louis spring day, as Mizzouri Governor Matt Blount -- who was running on a marathon relay team -- pronounced to runners. We ran toward the Arch and the sunrise, just gorgeous. Then we hung a right and proceeded South all the way to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. If you’ve ever been to St. Louis, you know what an institution this is. The huge BUDWEISER sign at the top tells you where the King of Beers is based. This is it. The greatest beer by sales and Super Bowl commercials. I will get way ahead of myself here and let you know that 200 meters before the finish, I was handed a beer by volunteers, who said, "Don’t worry, you will be fine. Drink it."

We then circled back north toward Market Street, and then came a long trek West. The course went through many iconic St. Louis areas, including the Purina HQ, Barnes Jewish Hospital, Washington University, and more. There were cowbells everywhere, and I had bought two for my crew. They were selling them at the Expo, at a booth called "26.2 Pit Crew." People: You HAVE to get some 26.2 Pit Crew stuff at your next Expo. Everytime I heard a cowbell, I remembered the Saturday Night Live skit and yelled, "More cowbell!" I cheered for other runners. I shouted repeatedly: "I LOVE HILLS!!!!" I was total energy man. That was for the first 15-16 miles, and that even included going through Forest Park, a 3 1/2-mile stretch that I had absolutely feared leading up to this event.

Here is a picture during the first half. That's Molly on the right. You can also get a good view of my pace tattoo! I look like hell, and I had halfway to go! But damn I felt great.

Miles 16-26

Molly said at one point, "I’m not letting you go." Our pace group had winnowed down to a handful halfway through. She was a couple of minutes ahead, and I had visions of a 4:58 or so. I was so psyched. She was doing a great job, and I appreciate pace runners because her PR is like 3:20. I am sorry to say that I lost sight of Molly and the rest of them once we got into Clayton. That is where the bubble burst on my 5 Hour time. That is where I realized that the second half of this marathon was the hilliest one I have heard about anywhere.

Once we were at the extreme edge of Clayton, I was the farthest away from the finish line at any point on the course, and I stared at this LONG and STEADY incline ahead of me on Delmar Boulevard, and my courage was tested right then and there. I tried to run. I got lightheaded. I stopped briefly at a med tent, and they let me sit there for a few minutes, gave me Gatorade, I stood up, lubed with vaseline on chest and thighs, tried to run, then got wicked right calf cramping. That was a hard mile or two of pure survival. I tried to run but it was heavy walk-run-walk. I lost 10 minutes in that area of the course.

It never got a whole lot easier. We ran through University City. I was in a battle of wills at that point. Spectators were few and far between. An occasional band. It was the opposite of the NYC Marathon with its 2 million spectators. After I lost the pace group, it was me against myself. Strike that: It was me supporting myself. I stayed positive.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A WALL!

Others have disagreed with me, but I have now said after both of my first two marathons that I think the term THE WALL is bullshit. The wall has nothing to do with it. I think it is a cop-out, even. It is about training, about building up quads, etc. My arms were getting tired, something I thought of often. I needed to do more arm work. If you are a positive person, there is no such thing as a wall.

The fact that I was battling had nothing to do with a wall. The hills were testing my leg power. I never had any doubt that I would get there, and my goal was seeing my kids at the finish line. I was thinking about that. I was thinking about what dance I should do across the finish line. I listened to my iPod for the back half but not the front half. I passed and was passed by and passed and was passed by various strangers who I gradually got to know and chat with. It was a battle of hills and a battle of wills. Guess what, I made it.

My Achilles tendon was perfect. The last 3 miles were straight uphill, staring at the Arch in the distance the whole way. Forever. I got to Mile 26, and all I could think of was seeing Matt, Ben and Josh. Then I did. First I saw Matt, then Josh, holding up the big white "HEART OF A CHAMPION" sign. Then I saw Amanda, then Ben with Erica. They were making cowbell music. Then I took a slight left turn that led us into a 20-yard run through the Finishing corral.

For that whole stretch, I danced to Nelly’s Heart of a Champion. I overdid it big time just because. The announcer said, "And here comes Mark Newman, from New York City!" THAT IMPRESSED ME! What other marathon does that for just some participant, spotting your bib number and looking you up and giving you that personal touch? As they said my name, I am jumping, pumping my fists in the air, dancing, hopping, doing Nelly right since he’s a St. Louis guy. I was "S-T-L Derrty." I was a soldja, I thought I toldja. I just ran 26.2 miles. I literally fly across the chip mat, hoping my chip was not too high from the mat to record my time. They put a medal around me, I reunited with my crew, life was great.

There is a funny story about one of the photographers toward the end. He stood in front of me and waited until the last split second to jump out of the way. I thought I was going to run him over, I swear. It was like I was Lance Armstrong and he was the motorcycle-cam right in front of him. Dude, I am not that fast!!! I'll bet you that will be an awesome running photo, though. If you like seeing death warmed over.

NUTRITION

Here is what I consumed during the course of my second marathon:

I had a banana and a few bites of bread two hours before the race. I had a bottled water and a bottled clear sport drink. Sipped from each up until the race. Portapotty 15 minutes before start.

At midnight before the race, I bought a bag of pretzels and saran wrap at a Walgreen's. I was going to crunch them up and wrap them and then safety-pin that to the side of my shorts like a woman taught me at the Nike Half last August, but it was too bulky. So I just crushed a bunch and stuffed them into my left pocket. I munched on those throughout the race for SALT.

I also brought five little salt packets with me, the typical kind at a deli. They were in my right pocket. Before the race I broke one open onto my tongue and washed it down with water. I used them all up during the race. So between those and pretzels I was covered.

I was hydrated perfectly, and I had water and Gatorade at each available stop -- in moderation.

I took GU at miles 7, 14, 19 and 23. I might have even snuck one in somewhere else on the back half, as they were distributed at miles 14 and 23.

POSTRACE

We took two cars back home, and Matt drove my rental SUV as I stretched out in the back and felt awesome.

I took an ice bath at the motel after dropping off the boys. I would appreciate it if someone can tell me how to really get through an ice bath. This time I lasted a little bit longer but it was quick. The first time I got in, I lasted one complete minute, counting every second to 60. Then I jumped out and the pain seared my legs. After a couple of minutes, I got back in. I lasted 20 seconds that time. So total 80 seconds. How do you last 5-10 minutes like they recommend? All I know is, it worked. It makes the soreness/inflammation less severe in recovery, so the following week is not as miserable. I noticed it right away.

Back at the boys’ house, I played basketball with my guys. "How are you running, Dad?" Josh asked me. I didn’t even know. I ran after loose balls. I tried to dunk on a goal dropped to 9 feet. I was loving life. We spent another great night together, and then I said goodbye to my dudes as Matt/Amanda headed back to college late that night and I went back to my motel for a Monday flight.

Next up for me, besides being the best I can be and even better at my awesome job in Major League Baseball, is putting together the proposal that is going to make my currently 255-page book manuscript an international best seller in every language and then screenplays and then me sailing around the world and living the largest life a man ever lived and being remembered. You can do anything. Just proved it again! You are whatever you think you are, you will be whatever you think you can be.

There were many times during these 26.2 miles when I looked down at my legs moving, and I thought to myself: How am I doing this? I never knew I could. There was a long and tortuous climb up Delmar Boulevard coming back from Clayton, and not only was the hill killing me, there was that calf cramp. Then the insides of both thighs just started doing something weird, twitching uncontrollably. I thought: What’s next? On that long stretch, I kept trying to put one leg in front of the other, walking, running, trying to run more, and eventually you are just continuing to run and you get back into a zone for a while and you aren’t really sure how your body keeps answering the call...but it does.

I love running. I am a multiple-marathoner now.

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