Trial goes to the jury

I'm both angry and scared.  Angry that this jerk blatantly destroyed 4 lives. Scared that there is a potential that the jury will let this guy go to probably repeat history and kill someone else

Prosecutors decided to charge Gallo with second-degree murder – not the lesser related charge of manslaughter. The jury does not have the option of convicting on manslaughter. If Gallo is acquitted, he would go free because he cannot be tried twice for the same offense.

Prosecutors say they charged the case as a murder because Gallo had a previous DUI conviction, had specific knowledge of the dangers of drinking and driving from his own experience and signed a court form from the earlier case saying he understood he could be charged with murder if he drove drunk again and killed someone.

Legal eagles, explain this one to me:

Also Friday, the judge will hear evidence on a seventh count, driving on a suspended license, while the jury deliberates. Gallo previously waived his right to a jury trial on that count and asked that it be separated from the other charges.

How can he pick and choose what charges he wants to go to jury? Is the Prosecution allowed to use this count as part of the jury trial?

I sure hope this jury has more common sense and intelligence than bleeding heart syndrome.

Jason Brennan and Mel From Fullerton at a Cancer Charity fundraiser in March.

Per The Drive on KLAA AM830

Today the Drive lost it's clean up hitter. Legendary caller "Mel from Fullerton" has passed away. Mel was amongst the first supporters of the show and nobody broke it down quite like he did. The Drive will never be the same.

Mel's perspective was unique. The Halo family lost a passionate fan! Mel is 2nd from the left in this linked photo

RevHF on Mel: All of us are reading this blog and listening to sports call in shows because of the joy, intrigue and fulfillment we find in sports. MEL was all of us. His untimely passing reveals why he had a lot of time on his hand to call THE DRIVE each and every afternoon, but in doing so he set the bar for all of us to maintain our allegiance to this team.

MEL never once complained about his life or personal situation on the air that I can recall. When the team was at its most maddeningly frustrating, MEL was the rare Angels fan who kept focused on the possibilities for success that were ingrained into the fabric of this team. Nobody other than Mike Scioscia himself took it one game at a time as evenly as MEL from Fullerton. When the radio waves of early 21st century broadcasts reach some distant galaxy a hundred thousand light years away, future civilizations may become transfixed with the possibilities of lineup constructions from the detailed missives sent out to all of us from the thoughtfulness of MEL from Fullerton. Godspeed.

I didn't see this posted and I'm kinda surprised!! Miguel Cabrera, of the fine upstanding honorable CWS *Tigers, came home drunk (like 5 or 6 in the morning),  decided he should wake up his sleeping 4 yr old and then got into a fight with the wife.  Neither party is blaming the other, though I wonder how many times has this happened? 

And another important question, especially after Nick....did this jerk drive himself home?

BA 0.26

*edited cuz I screwed up....

"The Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth"

 

"Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.

"Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn’t consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day? Sure, I’m lucky. Who wouldn’t consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball’s greatest empire, Ed Barrow? To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Sure, I'm lucky.

"When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift — that’s something. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies — that’s something. When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter — that's something. When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so that you can have an education and build your body — it's a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed — that's the finest I know.

"So I close in saying that I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for. Thank you."

 — Lou Gehrig at Yankee Stadium, July 4, 1939

On June 21, the New York Yankees announced Gehrig's retirement and proclaimed July 4, 1939, "Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day" at Yankee Stadium. Between games of the Independence Day doubleheader against the Washington Senators, the poignant ceremonies were held on the diamond. In its coverage the following day, The New York Times said it was "Perhaps as colorful and dramatic a pageant as ever was enacted on a baseball field [as] 61,808 fans thundered a hail and farewell".Dignitaries extolled the dying slugger and the members of the 1927 Yankees World Championship team, known as "Murderer's Row", attended the ceremonies. New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia called Gehrig "the greatest prototype of good sportsmanship and citizenship" and Postmaster General James Farley concluded his speech by predicting, "For generations to come, boys who play baseball will point with pride to your record."                

(source:wikipedia)

'Pride of the Yankees' is probably my earliest exposure to this crazy sport called baseball. I remember watching it and crying at the end....it fueled my love for this game and how I see it.

Sorry, camera sucks (it's on the birthday request list to get a better one!).

Now, you know how into analyzing I am, so here's my observations:

Escobar came out strong. First 4 pitches just "there" and strike, strike, strike, strike. He seemed to get a little tired later in the game and wasn't throwing as strong. I don't know what his prior history is, so I can't compare it to 'pre-injury'.  My bottom line: he looked good but not quite 100% but really close.

Vladi seemed a little off. I don't know if it was the indignity of getting struck out by a 'youngin' or what.  He seemed like Vladi but in slower motion.  When he pushed for second base on a hit, the whole crowd audibly gasped but it was a standing double.

He only had 3 at bats (I think)..then he just seemed to disappear. Escobar got a standing O on his exit and tipped his cap to the crowd, which got the crowd roaring even louder.

let me work on the photo link

BTW, if any of you are 80's music lovers, July 11th: Berlin, Gene loves Jezebel and Flock of Seagulls!! Tix range from $20 to $100

concert info

Hot off 'The Onion' presses

NEW YORK—Dukes, barons, viscounts, and earls are applauding the Yankees' recent decision to cut prices on dugout and foul-line field-level seats in half, from as much as $2,500 per game down to an amount the minor houses consider far more reasonable

I'd like to know, with this economy, are the Yankees really that oblivious?  OK, kind of a rhetorical question there.  We all know the answer is a resounding "hell yes"

LOS ANGELES – Dom DeLuise, the portly actor-comedian whose affable nature made him a popular character actor for decades with movie and TV audiences as well as directors and fellow actors, has died. He was 75.

DeLuise died last night, son Michael DeLuise told KTLA-TV and radio station KNX today. The comedian died in his sleep after a long illness. Calls to his agent were not immediately returned.

The actor, who loved to cook and eat almost as much as he enjoyed acting, also carved out a formidable second career later in life as a chef of fine cuisine. He authored two cookbooks and would appear often on morning TV shows to whip up his favourite recipes.

We'll miss you Dom!

from the LA Times

EXCERPT:

Mark "The Bird" Fidrych, whose offbeat antics electrified the city of Detroit and charmed baseball fans everywhere during one of the unlikeliest seasons of glory in major league history, died Monday. He was 54.

Fidrych was found under his 10-wheel dump truck on his Massachusetts farm, the victim of an apparent accident, according to Worcester County Dist. Atty. Joseph Early. Fidrych appeared to have been working on the truck, Early told the Associated Press.
 In 1976, the Detroit Tigers awarded the last spot on their roster to Fidrych, a shaggy-haired kid two years out of high school.

Within weeks, Fidrych took the city by storm, with fans flocking to Tiger Stadium to see the pitcher that talked to the baseball, got his nickname from his resemblance to the "Sesame Street" character Big Bird and started the All-Star Game for the American League.

"The only thing I could possibly compare it to would be Fernando [Valenzuela] in L.A.," said Angels executive Gary Sutherland, the Tigers' second baseman in Fidrych's first major league start.

"Every night he pitched, the place was packed."

I've created my shrine at work in honor of Nick.  Has anyone else created their own little dedication? It would be nice to see if anyone has done something special. It was a nice little surprise as I dropped off my 3 yr old to see a couple of kids with Angels shirts and jerseys on.

another idea for a HH tribute might be HH shirts with simply the number 34 on it...maybe over the heart.  Non commercial and respectful

http://www.springtrainingtours.com/Angels/angels2009.html

 2/25/2009  Cubs @ Tempe

3/6/2009  Giants @ Tempe

3/23/2009  Dodgers  @ Tempe

3/26/2009 Indians @ Goodyear

my favorite guy in all of baseball admits what we all knew...yada yada yada

And the dirty little secret is out.

"You think I’m going to bring somebody in to hit somebody and they’re going to throw a fastball 82 (mph) at the hands?” Guillen said. “I’m going to bring in my best guy and make sure he gets it done. That’s Major League Baseball. That’s baseball. That’s the baseball I grew up with. Not the (expletive) they play right now.”

He is such a brave, big strong guy.

And a huge asshole too.

to all of the HH dads. (and even to Rev who seems to have collected his share of  kiddies)

I hope you all have a great relaxing day enjoying what you love to do...watching the Angels WIN!

My dad wasn't big into baseball. He enjoys the games but isn't obsessed with them. He did coach my softball team one year (which is actually where my ID comes from...it was the team name). He actually thinks it's funny that I'm even a participant on this site!

So have a happy day & enjoy the kiddies. They grow up way too fast.