Admissions

OK - so here's a non newsflash, I am a fan of Bronson Arroyo. Anyone who knows me and is reading this is thinking, DUH... Now, the reason I am writing about it today is because I am starting to see a turning of the tide in terms of people's attitudes' toward him.

Brief history - Bronson was picked up by the Sox in the spring of 2003 after he was put on waivers by Pittsburgh. In August 2003 - Bronson pitched a perfect game down in Pawtucket (only the 4th EVER in the International League) - read Bronson's comments about it here. http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/reds/daily/0529redsnotesweb.html

Shortly after that - he was up in Boston all the time, pitching from the 'Pen, and then becoming part of the SR. (Hmmm, sounds a bit like a certain knuckleballer we all know, doesn't it?) His ERA was average - 4.5-ish for his career. The majority of which had been played in the AL.

Now, for as long as I can remember - Bronson has been trade bait. EVERY Boston sports personality suggested him as a potential trade component at one time or another. People were perfectly FINE with trading what they believed to be an AVERAGE pitcher. I can't tell you how many times I heard people say he should be a 'spot-starter' or belonged in the 'pen, or would never be anything better than a 4/5 starter. Even my coworkers had jumped on the trade-train - so much so that I had to hang a sign in my cube prohibitting the discussion of trade rumors.

(And - as a side note - I cannot tell you how many people said he was a bad pitcher because he had a side 'music career'. Hey guys, one CD and a few concerts - does not a career make. Just so you know. That said - I can't even begin to comment on how stupid the 'musician'=bad pitcher thoery truly is... But I digress...)

Anyway, as everyone who pays attention to baseball knows - Bronson signed a 'hometown discount' and was subsequently traded 8 weeks later. Bronson loves Boston, and that is why he took the lower paying contract, to stay here. (Which, I will say again, was a breath of fresh air after Juan da Mon took his overpriced Yankee contract.)

That said - Bronson began scoring brownie points when he signed the discounted contract. He continued to do so when he was traded (as people became pissy that his loyalty wasn't rewarded). Then he acted like a grown up about it - stating he was disappointed but that he knows it is the way of the business - gaining even more likability.

Fast forward to today - Bronson is kicking ASS. Period. He is the ACE of the Cincinnati Reds SR - as opposed to being in the 'pen - which is where he was slated to be at the beginning of the Sox season. (Though - he would have been there about five minutes due to a variety of Sox SR mishaps, David Wells being broken, Matt Clement having... umm, issues?? But I digress - again...) His ERA is one of the best in the NL at 2.58. Now, before I get the flack for this - I realize there is almost always an improvement in stats when jumping from the AL to NL - however, it is hardly EVER this drastic. Check out stats on Pedro, D. Lowe and Clemens, if you don't believe me. **See post on June 13th for MORE NL/AL comparison stats.**


People are starting to question the sensibility if the trade. People are beginning to see that he DID have a place in the Boston rotation. People are beginning to agree that even though we got Wily Mo - who is doing VERY WELL, the Sox gave up a lot - more than people were willing to see/believe - to get him.

So to all of you whose eyes are being opened - welcome to the world I have been in for about two and a half years. I may not be a Theo Epstein or a Craig Shipley - but something about the way he pitches has impressed me from the first time I ever saw him. And he is continuing to live up to MY expectations, which is very validating. Especially when this conversation happens:

Coworker: Hey - Bronson Arroyo - he's on fire.
Me: Damn straight he is...
Coworker: Maybe we can get him back.
Me: Here's hoping...

Well - it's about friggen' time.

Just sayin'...

Thursday Musings

Taylor Hicks won AI. Thank god. People around me at work were bitching about the fact that he won and whining, "I wanted Kat to win." So I said - in my nasty way, "The girl's from LA, there's a reason she wasn't discovered before." And stupid coworker says, "wow, that's really mean, don't you think?" Then I hear another coworker come over and whisper something to her, and then I hear - "I know - who is SHE to judge?" Gee - I wonder what they were talking about. Well, here's your answer assholes. I am somone who has been involved in several areas of the performing arts for the greater part of my life. I have studied voice, dance, theatre - and have worked for several Boston area artists. I have a DEGREE in performing arts - if ANYONE here is qualified to judge - it's me. Not some woman who thinks Kat should have won because she is pretty. It's a performing contest - not a beauty pageant.

Now by NO MEANS am I saying Kat couldn't sing... She can. However, she is in a city of performing artists - if she is SOOOOO GOOD, how has she gone unnoticed? Also, performers need to show something about themselves when they perform. If done right - you learn about them through their performances. I don't feel like I know Kat at all, whereas I feel like Taylor showed us who he was with every single song choice.

Really, I think I need to begin developing opinions about things. I think I am way to passive.

Just sayin'...

Graduations and Elevators

OK - two items for discussion today.

Graduations

OK - so I'm driving to work and traffic is pretty good for a Monday - I get past the Natick rest area and BOOM - traffic is at a dead stop. So - I flip to the wonderful AM world of WBZ - traffic on the 3's. I did this just as the nice traffic person is 'reminding' us that the BC graduation begins at 10am and traffic should be picking up as a result of that. Picking up? PICKING UP? YEAh - if picking up means SUCKING HARDER. So here's a few questions, why graduate on a Monday at 10am? Why not 12pm - then all the people will have gotten to work before the over-excited-parents, friends, etc. decide to descend upon the greater Newton area (Mass Pike, 95/128). Also, what's this 'reminding' BS? I can't help but think that this is an extension of the 'entitlement' attitude that surround MOST college students - especially those at the BCs, BUs, Harvards and MITs of the world. Now by NO MEANS am I saying that these students don't deserve a great grduation and all the pomp and circumstance that goes with it - but why does it have to hinder the people who LIVE here - all the time - and have to WORK for a living?

Elevators

So here's a brief poll... Do you talk to people you meet in the elevator where you work? Or anywhere you may be riding in an elevator or something. Like, if someone starts a coversation, do you talk to them or look at them like they have fifteen heads? Because this morning, there were four of us on our garage elevator. I commented on the traffic discussed above and one guy said something about the BC graduation and the other two women said nothing. Now, maybe they don't speak English - anything is possible. But one of them looked annoyed that I even spoke. So THEN she and I were alone on the elevator actually in my work building - where I stood at the back of the elevator and she stood in front of me with her back to me. Now, I am thinking WTF??? I don't get it - what is the big deal about a little harmless conversation about the TRAFFIC?? It's like talking about the weather. Why would you stand in a confined space and not converse back with someone if they put a thought out there?? It is so bizarre.

Just sayin'...

Intuition

You hear people talk about 'women's intuition' all the time. Now, I don't think that intuition discriminates against men - but I definitely have more than the average person.

I bring this up because last night, before the Reds-Pirates game, Frank asked me, 'how do you feel?' He was referring to that 'intuition'.

A little more than a year and a half ago, our beloved Sox won the World Series. They've made the playoffs several times before - but I always felt , "nah - it isn't their time". That 'feeling' would usually come sometime in the middle of the season. Well, in 2004 the feeling came along and it was, 'you know - I think this is their year.' Even when they were down 3 games to 0 against the Spankees - I still felt that they were going to win. And it wasn't the delusional, "their going to win because I BELIEVE in them" crap. It was just a calm - "they're going to do it". And they DID.

A week ago, my favorite pitcher was scheduled to start that evening and I had a bad feeling about it all day. The team won, and he did ok - but received a no-decision. Last night - he earned a loss. Kinda thought it was going to be bad outing for him, all day. And it was.

Now this intuition has popped up in other places too - people getting engaged (Jeff & Melissa), people getting pregnant (Heather) - but I think the sports related feelings are very strange. It isn't like I KNOW the people involved.

And here's the other part - people think I am NUTS. Effing CRAZY. OR they think I 'jinx' people by saying it outloud.

So when Frank asked how I felt - I didn't really answer. But I pretty much knew. It's very strange.

Just sayin'...

Smells

I think I am going to try this blog thing again. This way I can rant about whatever I want - baseball, TV, Massholes - whatever!!!

Today's rant: Funny work smells

Seriously, when people bring their lunch from home, they need to consider other people's noses. Right now, my floor at work smells like burnt french fries. Yesterday it smelled like I was swimming in pesto sauce. By the weeks end, I bet I will be able to describe an entire mean with the smells of the week. Tomorrow's specialty better be something compatible...

Just sayin'...