SB Nation User Blog: kmacsm

Mariners release Sexson

kmacsm — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:12:31 -0000

Just saw the story on mlb's website

link: http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080710&content_id=3107402&vkey=news_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea

The three-plus season relationship ended late Wednesday night inside a hotel room in San Francisco...
The time had come when it just didn't seem like it was going to happen here for Richie

It's crazy to think of richie sexson being washed up. I can still remember that All- Star game in milwakee when he was one of the special young players in that game. Still, the fact that it took seattle three years to come to that point is pretty astounding. He has just been amazingly medicore the past couple years. but it seems like this year the wheels just fell off for a "once good player"

at the seattle times there is a piece up which goes into more details about his departure. apparently there was something of a rift between him and interim manager jim riggleman.

via media.timesleader.com

i think it would be funny to see the rangers pick him up just to see what would happen, maybe a lord of the flies thing would go down and piggy (laird) would be killed in the end. thus meaning the end of civilized humanity

Instant replay in baseball

kmacsm — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:02:27 -0000

First off, I'd like to say that in baseball there are quite a few more judgement calls then there are in football, and since football is going to be the comparison for this. For example, it is clear to see weither or not someones knee hit the ground. now determing wether a ball that appears as a blur in slow motion was inside, on, or outside an arbitrary, imaginary line is not so clear.

so this is kinda like comparing apples and oranges.

but whatever, here it goes.

I dont think instant replay should used at any level of baseball because although it has been proven to get calls right in other sports, many times there is still arguments about wether the right call was made even after replay. For me (an avid red raider) the most recent TTU, UT football game comes to mind. In that game i think there where Three different stoppages in play for instant replay. many of them debatable even after the call.

It also slows down the game considerably. Even though TV timers may not say so, the pace and is noticably different. As much as i love baseball, it does not need to be slowed down at all. In many instances instant replay takes the crowd out of the game. and serves as a free timeout for the coaches. For example, and this is seen more often then not. A player makes an amazing catch in the back of the endzone/ interception/ firstdown. the crowd goes wild and momentum is on the side of whichever team. the opposing coach can challenge the call, or the booth can challenge it. whether or not its upheld, the crowd is taken out of the game and each side has to stop and collect themselves, for better or worse. Which is exactly why i dont want it used in baseball.

I cant imagine that after ever arguable ball and strike (which is about 70% of them) the game stops for two minutes and its watched and reviewed.

so those are my reasons.

i encourage your feedback and love a good argument

Poll

Instant replay... Yess or no?

OT: your first job

kmacsm — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 06:20:44 -0000

Around four o'clock I began my first day at subway. It is my first job and I'm really excited. I turned 16 about two weeks ago and immediately began looking for work over the summer. Its my first job and everyone seems to be giving me advice, from parents to siblings, to teachers. since most people on this site are in there 20's or older i assume that most people have had a job before. So this OT post is just an open thread to talk about first job's and maybe share stories, things like that. I actually really enjoyed it, the people i work with are really nice and colorful.

My first sandwich order did not go over so well.

An older Gentlemen order a meatball sub, toasted, so i cut the bread and inserted the allotted amount of meatballs, put it in the toaster (which gets about 1500 degrees). but i forgot that the sandwich would be very hot coming out of the toaster so i just tried to grab it free hand. and ended up spilling it on the floor. meatballs, marinara, and all. The manager just laughed it off and i got the mop while he handled the rest of the order.

so if anyone reading this lives in austin. I work at the subway on bee caves in westlake. mostly at night and on saturdays. come in with some rangers gear and ill probably start up a conversation.

P.S. mention that your a LSB fan and ill give a free sandwich (unless the store owner is there, of course)

Also congrats to Justin Smoak, Barack Obama, and any recent graduates

Game Day Thread... i dont see one yet

kmacsm — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:59:59 -0000

for the june 4th game against the indians. if by the time i post this adam or somebody else has one up. go there. just didnt want a game to go by with out a thread.

This is a big game. winning a series against the indians and getting back above 500 would really give this team some legitimacy to the national media. BTW really dont like the indians. just for whatever reason one of my least favorite major league teams. so this game would do wonders to fuel my pointless hate

good luck and GOOOOOO rangers

Anyone watching the japan series

kmacsm — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 05:38:03 -0000

as shameful as it may sound i am setting my alarm for 5:30, so ill be able to wake up for the game. Even though the match-up between Boston and Oakland is one that doesn't really invigorate me, I am still desperate for some actual major league baseball.

Even though the ridicolous amount of Red Sox support will be hard to handle, it will be kinda (maybe, a little) to see the A's. This will give ranger fans a chance to see who there likely competition is for third-place.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080324&content_id=2454368&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

An article at MLB.com about how there is no doubt that Red Sox fans will be watching this game, The idea that the Red Sox or the Yankees or the Cubs have the best fan-bases in the game is just infuriating.

A) Just because there is more doesn't mean they are more knowledgeable, or passionate.

B) Being a fan of those three teams is easy, really easy, about a third of all games on espn feature either the Yankees or the Red Sox, not to mention the national media's love affair with said teams. David Ortiz uses the restroom, and peter gammons is already blogging about it "You know i've never seen a player with such enthusiasm for his stool, he really is the face of major league baseball"

well okay, im probably just a hater and i got side-tracked this... the whole reason for this post was just a chance to see who is pulling an allnighter with me to watch the game.

if so comment or vote.

Poll

watching japan series

the tech game sham

kmacsm — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 21:02:19 -0000

I've seen a good amount of tech games, but one was one of the most deflating games I've witnessed in a while

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news;_...

great job by doubletnation.com for getting that.

also everyone should check out doubletnation, no one else ive seen has been able to put into words exactly what most tech fans feel during the Texas game. I'll admit i am a rather passionate tech fan, and a rather passionate Texas hater, but even y'all have to realize that obvious bias that Texas receives for every big twelve game (outside of ou) but it really seems way to obvious that whenever texas needs a break or a change of momentum that the yellow and red flags just come falling like manna from heaven. it has just gotten bad. the officials gave Texas the shipley touchdown, and took away the britton touchdown. thats 14 points in a 16 point game.

i've seen a good amount of tech games, but one was one of the most deflating games ive ever seen

but, the only thing more painful to watch than the officiating was techs defense. if u had told me before the game that tech would score 43 points and jamal charles would get hurt at half. i would be reallly really confident in a tech victory, but colt mccoy (oh dear god, i hate that name, and i hate the whole aura that sounds him... seriously guys his only production came on broken plays, he just simply cannot run an offense) would scramble for eight on a third and seven, or there would be a reciever 5 yards up the field on third and three. that was just like chinesse water torture.

I am a big fan of ruffin and i think he can turn around the tech defense, but he has a really long way to go.

Poll

do you think UT gets the calls?

painful

kmacsm — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 02:50:48 -0000

on a side note: THE ST.MICHAELS CRUSADERS ARE GOING TO THE PLAYOFFS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE ELEVEN YEARS SINCE MOVING TO DISTRICT SIX A.

but while attending the UT TTU game an altercation erupted between me and Fan of the longhorns. After the britton touchdown, and fourth down (should have been roughing the passer) holding penalty, and the crabtree Catch that wasnt. i started yelling some thing at a couple referees. "F*&^k u, Where is that when tech needs it, Everything for mack and colt, thats bullshit, i hate u." An older gentlemen took the liberty of putting both hands my shoulders and pushing me down back into my seat, i turned around. After my turning around, he threatened me with both "whippin's and "boy ill have u kicked out of the stadium if u keep yellin like that there" i said calmy and with a polite tone "fuck u, its a football game" his wife calmed him down and my friends put there hands on my mouth. that was over.

shortly after me and my friends (being the 15-16 year old boys that we are) where having a disscusion about who on either team would get the most "female attention."

tech- crabtree
texas- jamal charles

when i made the comment "but if colt was a normal dude, and not the quaterback of the football team, he wouldnt get any" another older gentleman turned around and said "but he isnt a normal guy thats why he went to texas"

this caused me to overreact.

i pointed at him and said "thats why i hate texas fans, you are all pompous and arrogant." some shoving happend but once again, his wife calmed him down, and my friends covered up my mouth.

but i really really really cant stand TU.

texas a&m

kmacsm — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 14:24:01 -0000

As the university of texas has become one of the top college football programs in the last decade. wins against the mighty longhorns are still few and far between.

but

wins agianst the aggies are still very real, and happen very often.

in the last twelve years, texas tech is 9-3 against A&M. thats really awesome...

and as really really lame as aggie fans are there is nothing i enjoy more than an a&m defeat at the hands of the red raiders.

SO YEAHHH... ITS A&M WEEK

Poll

bigger game

why the bosox win the series

kmacsm — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 02:12:16 -0000

1. Good Reliable Pitching.

Off-season Import Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Josh Beckett have been the two best pitchers on the redsox this year going a combined 34-18. While Josh Beckett has an outstanding strikeout rate recording 188 strike outs in 194 innings. Josh Beckett has also dropped his Home run totals from 33 last year to only 15 this year. While Matsuzaka will also be important as he leads the team in innings pitched and games seen. But, there could be problems with the pitching staff this post-season, and it also includes two 40 year-old pitchers with each with 150+ innings this year. Tim Wakefield and Curt Schilling, Schilling has already had injury problems this season and will most-likely not be a factor. So Its very important that Julian Tavarez and Kyle Lester be ready to make a spot start or come in for an important long-relief outing.

2. Strong bullpen

Although The 51 million dollars awarded to Daisuke Matsuzaka was fuel to the hype machine for Matsuzaka. Few people realize just how important Hideki Okajima has been this year for the Red Sox; he has the lowest ERA in the redsox bullpen, second only to Jonathon papelbon. Although, as a true a closer Papelbon is typically coming into the game to start the ninth inning, where as Okajima is pulled into the game with one, two, or three men on base. He has also pitched a full twelve more innings than anyone else. As good as Okajima has been, Jonathon Papelbon as provided the second part of a great one-two punch at the back of the Red Sox bullpen. His strike-out to walk ratio is amazing striking out 83 batters in just 57 innings, while only walking 15.

3. High on base percantages up and down the line-up

Outside of Julio Lugo, who has been a major disappointment. Everyone on the Redsox has a .332, which means that on average everyone on there team is getting on base once every three at-bats. Also on top of that six members of there line-up have an OBP of .370 or higher, including David Ortiz who has a whopping .465 OBP. One major problem for the RedSox lineup will be filling the major hole left in there line-up by Manny Ramirez's extreme drop-off in production this year, his OPS (on-base percentage + Slugging) has dropped considerably in the past season from his career average of 1.002 all the way down to .881. His once elite power has almost fallen off the map as he failed to hit at least 30 home runs for the first time since 1995, a goal he fail well short of only blasting 20 homeruns. Its sad to see, but it looks like Manny Ramirez Decline has finally happened, and at the age of 35 I cant say I'm surprised, but for the past 15 years Manny Ramirez has been at least one of the top five hitters in baseball, and he should be remembered as on of the top ten hitters of all time.

a sad little story

kmacsm — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 17:06:29 -0000

to start off. st.mikes destroyed johnson city on homecoming, mike mcnamara had over 200 yard passing...

okay.

Since the homecoming dance was at eight, my friends and our dates gathered at my freinds house at about 6:00 giving me a chance to watch the end of the Tech game in the presence of longhorns and females.

from my obvious frustration and anger during the last two minutes, melted down to sadness as i saw the ball pass through crabtrees hands...

so i cried... it wasnt obvious, just misty eyes, and maybe one tear, but it was noticed by my date and by my friends... but as the night progress my troubles were forgetton. but until about 7:30 it was pretty bad.