Welcome to the my Web site, v. XII. The blog is typically published Monday - Saturday. My primary topics tend to be the Nats, Penn State (esp. football), BeltwayLand, transportation, media, photos and more. The rest of the site gets updated as warranted and is noted on the blog.
Open letter to the guy who did Stop Shuler and The Coach is Killing Me - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Open letter to the guy who did Stop Shuler and The Coach is Killing Me
Sir
I have enjoyed you Web sites Stop Shuler and the Coach is Killing Me. I am a frustrated Nats fan who has had enough of Jim Bowden, the terrible general manager that is inexplicably employed by the Washington Nationals baseball club. Bowden has spent the last four years giving away pitchers, signing overweight, token All-Stars to absurd contacts, lusting after "toolsy" outfielders like Wily Mo Pena and acting like an overall asshat. Have you heard about his jumpsuits, leather pants and tricked out Segway?
I beg you to start a new blog called "The GM Ran Me Over With His Segway." We need your help, only you have the magic touch to make things better.
Many members of the voice cast from the first special, including original "Star Wars" actors Carrie Fisher and Billy Dee Williams -- reprising their roles as Princess Leia and Lando Calrissian, respectively -- are back. Also returning are Seth MacFarlane as Emperor Palpatine, Conan O'Brien as Zuckuss, Breckin Meyer as Admiral Ackbar and Boba Fett, and Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks. Green will voice several characters, including Ponda Baba. Joining the voice cast this time around is Andy Richter.
As for the creative direction in the sequel, "we decided to focus on the bounty hunters a bit and explore their stories," "Robot Chicken" co-creator Matt Senreich said. "It's a geek-fest for us all."
The first one was hysterical and WAAAAAAAAAAY better than the overrated and rarely funny Family Guy Star Wars episode.
Why does Jim Bowden think Cristian Guzman is worth $8 million a year? - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Why does Jim Bowden think Cristian Guzman is worth $8 million a year?
It turns out that being the token All-Star for the Nationals is the way to GM Jim Bowden's heart. Last year's All-Star, DH Dmitri Young*, cashed in for $5 million a year, despite being a overweight diabetic. Young is now on the DL because his blood sugar is out of control. Hopefully he can get that straightened out because that is scary stuff. It kind of proves that spending $5 million on him was perhaps an uneccesary risk.
This year, Cristian Guzman, yes that much-maligned Cristian Guzman, was rewarded by Bowden with a 2 year, $16 million contract. Seriously. This two the player that was regarded as a major bust for several seasons at $4 million.
Now, I am no sabrmetician (or whatever a stats lover is called), but a quick look at his baseball-reference.com page last night produced these numbers.
It is just a coincidence that the most recent pull from baseballreference broke down so neatly. Guzman played 142 mostly awful games in 2005. Since then, he has played exactly 142 more games over parts of the last two seasons. A bum shoulder kept him out of all of the 2006 season. His bad shoulder is certainly part of the reason for being so awful in 2005, as was the fact that he was um, blind -- he got laser vision correction before 2007. That being said, his numbers in the last 142 games are pretty good, but the guy still swings at the first pitch he sees after the previous batter walks on four pitches an awful lot. He is not much of a fielder either, so I got to wonder what Bowden is thinking? Is the market for shortstops really $8 million a year? I cannot help but think that this is an incredibly irresponsible decision. How can this work with THE PLAN of developing within and spending money on free agents when the team comes closer to contention? It just does not make any sense to me. How could Stan Kasten, architect of THE PLAN sign of on this one? Since nothing happens without his stamp of approval, I don't think we will get our wish.
Guzmán, the team's lone all-star this season, had wanted a three- or four-year deal, he said, but was receptive to something shorter in large part because of sympathy. His first three years with the Nationals had been wasted by injuries and underperformance. Said Guzmán, "They had to pay for a player who was not on the field every day."
Guzmán was "sensitive to what we went through with his last contract, the four years where he was hurting for the most of it," Bowden said. "He gave back to the club by signing a two-year deal and he knows on the free agent market he gets the four years."
Asked about the length of Guzmán's contract, Bowden said: "We preferred two. We went through four years of injuries with Cristian. We didn't want to have another contract and all of a sudden we have injuries again."
Nothing like doubling someone's salary to make them sympathetic. Methinks Bowden just got grifted. You have overpaid Cristian Guzman twice Jimbo!
We got some papally-named infielder I ain't never heard of in return. Is this good? Well, here's how I look at it: Jim Bowden seems committed to spending his time exploring, like a tracksuited Magellan whizzing around on a Segway, novel forms of bad behavior. Every minute he dedicated to exiling Giant Jon to the desert was a minute he wasn't stealing money from Dominican teenagers, so whatever the outcome from a practical point of view, morally the trade's a winner.
I will miss the big guy though, it was entertaining having the tallest player in the majors ever on the roster, even more so than having the only two Marlons at one time. In fact, much more so, Rauch was solid out of the bullpen.
The Guzman deal may not make much sense, but apparently the Rauch trade was more Rizzo than Bowden. With what Arizona is doing right now, you can't complain too much about the Nats trying to import as many people from the Diamondbacks as possible.
# posted by Caps Nut :
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 10:09:00 PM
Nats average almost 10 runs a game during series victory in Atlanta - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Monday, July 21, 2008
Nats average almost 10 runs a game during series victory in Atlanta
Yes, you read that right, the Washington Nationals averaged almost 10 runs a game this weekend. Were it not for some mental errors by P Tim Redding (Don Sutton was angry!) on Friday night they would have had a sweep. Oh well, winning a series on the road is much needed for this team and the sudden offensive surge is as shocking as enjoyable. Willie Harris is looking pretty good out there, maybe someone will want to part with some prospects for him. Probably not, so hopefully he will continue to play well because when it comes down to it, there really is not anybody else left who can try.
Everybody hurts - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Friday, July 18, 2008
Everybody hurts
Nats just hoping health matters - The Wash. Times This grim season is in part to the fact that every starter on the Nationals except Cristian Guzman has been hurt. Hopefully, getting players like Ryan Zimmerman back will make the team more exciting and add some more curly W's to the standings.
Seeing double, almost triple on NY tabs backpages - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Seeing double, almost triple on NY tabs backpages
The Mets' ten wins in a row have vaulted them into first place. Even with that, I think the "First & 10" headline is not terribly strong and is kind of forced. It did not stop with the two city tabloids' back pages either.
Newsday, Long Island's paper of record, went with the identical sounding "First & Ten" headline, but used a different photograph than the other two.
The Ombudsman can't be too happy to see his Phillies in second place.
Will a #1 pitcher emerge from the minors? - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Will a #1 pitcher emerge from the minors?
Nats See Pitching Growth On Farm - The Post The Nats have some promising pitching prospects like Jordan Zimmermann. However, that may not be enough.
Scouts tend to believe that Washington's system is flush with arms that might reach the majors, but almost none that will dominate there.
I cannot get too concerned though. If the system develops five #3 starting pitchers, I would be ecstatic for a couple of reasons. One, five guys who win 12-15 games probably equals post-season. Two, the final piece of the puzzle, a dominant starter, could possibly come free agency. Three, that much pitching depth provides leverage to build the team through trades. So, hopefully the scouts are on to something here.
Tony's Big Easy in big trouble with liquor board - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Tony's Big Easy in big trouble with liquor board
Bars fight to regain licenses - The Collegian Three State College bars, including my former favorite Tony's Big Easy, might be losing their liquor licenses.
The future of Tony's Big Easy and two accompanying bars is uncertain after the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) declined to renew their parent company's liquor license last week.
After multiple incidents and violations on the premises -- including a murder in 2006 and a February fight which saw four arrests and a crowd of 200 surge into the street -- the board voted against renewing the license for Sammark Inc., owner of Tony's Big Easy, Lulu's Nightspot and Candy Bar & Lounge, all located at 129 1/2 S. Pugh St.
The Big Easy, circa 1998-99 was one of my favorite bars ever. It had good background music -- jazz, salsa, swing, big band, and great martinis. That Penn State's sweet young things thought the bar was worthy of little black dresses also had something going for it too. However, in the years after I graduated, the bar went downhill. The music was changed the same thing in every other bar in town and the service went downhill. After a lackluster evening their the night before I got married, I decided I would not bother going back, it was merely a shell of the bar it used to be.
Last known functional phone booth in BeltwayLand no longer functioning - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Last known functional phone booth in BeltwayLand no longer functioning
VIENNA, Va. -- Remember when I recently debunked The Post's claim that the last working phone booth in the area was gone? Back in April they claimed the one in Clarendon was the last hold out, but I proved otherwise about a month and a half ago when I discovered a functional phone booth in front of the Vienna Inn: In more operational times, like May
That phone booth is not functioning any more -- the phone was gone on a recent trip there. By now, the booth may be gone too. Sadly, my phone batteries were too low for a photograph of the phoneless phone booth.
Coverage is lacking - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Coverage is lacking
Looking for a Nats story in The Post today, I found none. Now, I realize this is the All-Star break and all, but a quick survey of all other leading newspapers along the Northeast Corridor had coverage of their home teams in them. Ignoring the home team during the middle of the season is an odd choice for sports editor Emilio Garcia-Ruiz to make, no? Garcia-Ruiz does have a staff article on a team from another city though, one that is owned by a someone who tried to kill the hometown team. To me, that is rewarding bad behavior, if not promoting it outright. Is this good news judgment?
Over on New York Ave. NE, despite a much smaller circulation and budget, they are committed to covering the Nationals. They also boast the best writer on the beat these days. The Dick Heller column is pretty stupid though and will not get linked.
Thanks for skipping the Heller piece. What a waste of a read this morning. He's just ranting and for someone who is so dissapointed and depressed about the outcome of this team, he sure forgot to check some of his facts.
# posted by Kristen :
Thursday, July 17, 2008 9:34:00 AM
Wow that Heller thing is a colossal piece of junk. Like Kristen said, some fact-checking would have been in order. But what are facts except something to get in the way of a zany zinger.
# posted by DC Optimist :
Thursday, July 17, 2008 12:04:00 PM
I thought the same thing when I picked up the Post Sports page today. I thought: If you're gonna skip covering the Nats, do you really have to put the Os on the front page in their place? They are due for an analysis of what's wrong with the team and what can be done to improve things going forward.
# posted by JohnDC :
Thursday, July 17, 2008 12:38:00 PM
I should mention Norman Chad as well, he had an awful column for The Post earlier this week too. He played the usual "won't someone please think of the children" line about schools. Perhaps being out in L.A. Chad is not aware that D.C. schools are given more money per pupil than any state. In a way, the ballpark may help improve the school system too.
I am not happy about the way things are going for the Nats any more than Heller.
BTW, Harlan said he's be having a second half preview in Friday's paper.
# posted by WFY :
Thursday, July 17, 2008 12:44:00 PM
Why was it awful? Norman Chad has always been against using public funding to build private stadiums. He has stated in the past that the tax money could be used for any of a number of projects, not just schools. And I don't think he's wrong to state that the D.C. school system could use some improvement.
# posted by The Maryland Bureau Chief :
Friday, July 18, 2008 7:19:00 AMPost a Comment
This was a Collegian editorial? - William World News - William F. Yurasko's blog
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
This was a Collegian editorial?
Suggestions for stellar scene setting - The Collegian I read this editorial, which is the centerpiece of any opinion page, making fun of LaVar Arrington for reopening the old Sports Cafe as the new Linebacker U. bar and wondered what the point was and the overall appropriateness of it in general. It would be one thing if it was just a bad column with a byline, but an editorial?
Washington Nationals, Nats, Jim Bowden
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