Monday, November 30, 2009

Congrats, Sportsjeter of the Year

We tease Derek Jeter a lot here, but he comes off as a pretty classy guy in this interview with Tom Verducci.

Ugly Hats, Miscolored Jerseys On Sale Today Only

Someone needs to tell those guys at MLB.com that Cyber Monday does not mean "selling clothing articles that Goodwill stores would be ashamed to accept".

Still, if you're interested in puke-green jerseys or Phillies hats with broken shards of glass (evocative of Philadelphia's frequent looting sprees), this 20% off sale is for you. Sale ends at 9p PT.

Flo vs Deltalina: Round I-A Rules

Team Flo
Team Deltalina
1. Josh S 1. Fred's Brim
2. QuadSevens 2. rbnlaw
3. w.d.d.i.m. 3. Scott
4. Dunkhawk 4. Wicks
5. Dr Geek 5. Greg
6. Mr Customer 6. Fanerman
7. Neeebs 7. J Steve
8. MLASF 8. Dusty Baker
9. MattyA 9. Jason
10. John G 10. djansson
11. Felix Pardalis 11. TD
12. Keven C 12. Matt
13. Matthew 13. Steve Dittmore
14. Drewdez 14. Bryan

Welcome to FvD, Round I, Sub-Round A. Here are the rules:

  • Tomorrow, sometime between 8am and 12noon PT, we will post a thread titled "Flo vs Deltalina: Round I-A Begins!".
  • When you see this, the members of each team must comment in the batting orders indicated above (which is the sequence in which you each signed up to participate).
  • The first team to get through their lineup wins the round.
  • Comments out of sequence are welcome, but do not count. For example, w.d.d.i.m. is welcome to comment immediately after Josh S, but his comment does not count towards the sequence. He must comment again after QuadSevens comments.
  • If a team member drops the ball and does not comment, that person's turn can be skipped only after waiting one hour. For example, if Team Deltalina leadoff man Fred's Brim makes his kick-off comment at 10:31am, but then rbnlaw is too busy to notice, Scott must wait until 11:31am to comment and continue the chain (Scott is welcome to comment earlier, but neither his comment nor any subsequent comment in his team's chain will count). In this scenario, rbnlaw will have effectively cost his team 60 minutes. Good job, rbn.
  • Rule addition/clarification: Likewise, if two consecutive team members are missing, the person following those two must wait two hours before commenting, and so on.
  • The game ends when either a) one team gets through its 14-member lineup, or b) at 10pm PT. In the latter case, whichever team got further through its lineup wins (in the case of a tie, whichever team's last commenter in the chain commented first wins).

Make sense? If not, ask questions here. Otherwise, see you tomorrow sometime between 8am and 12pm! And remember, the above only applies to Round I-A. The rules for Round I-B will be posted tomorrow.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

If You Fall for This, You Deserve to Lose Money

From the SoSG mailbag:

Subject: IRS Notification - Tax Refund
From: service@irs.gov
Date: 11/28/2009 6:46 AM

After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity we have determined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund of $648.50.
Please submit the tax refund request and allow us 3-6 days in order to process it.

A refund can be delayed for a variety of reasons.
For example submitting invalid records or applying after the deadline.

Please submit the form attached to your email in order to finish your tax refund

Note: For security reasons, we will record your ip-address, the date and time. Deliberate wrong inputs are criminally pursued and indicated.

Regards,
Internal Revenue Service

Copyright 2009, Internal Revenue Service U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Wow, the IRS is so hard up for money they can't afford to hire a proofreader. And why do they need my credit card number? And ATM PIN? And my mother's maiden name? Well, better give those to them just to be safe.

C'mon, cyberthieves! It's like you're not even trying anymore!

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Checkin' In with the IBWAA

From Howard Cole at BaseballSavvy.com:

The Base Ball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) has announced all but its Most Valuable Player awards, coming Monday and Tuesday, so giving them the benefit of the doubt on Joe Mauer and Albert Pujols, let's compare with the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America, shall we.

When I started the IBWAA, as an alternative to the BBWAA last July, I thought the closeness of our prospective votes would be telling. Now, I'm glad there's a distinction.

The groups agreed on Jim Tracy for National League Manager of the Year, and Zack Greinke, as the American League Cy Young Award. While the IBWAA went for Ron Gardenhire as its AL Manager, I've no qualm with the BBWAA's selection of Mike Scioscia. We had him second.

The BBWAA got it right with Andrew Bailey as AL Rookie; the IBWAA trumped them with Tommy Hanson as NL Rookie, so that's a push. And I'll stand by our selection of Chris Carpenter over Tim Lincecum for NL Cy proudly.

Earlier at SoSG: IBWAA

Friday, November 27, 2009

"Matt Holliday's Bad Day"

Via Diamond Notes comes this animated celebration of the most pivotal moment of the Dodgers' NLDS:

Bravo, EB aka "blueeyedgal"!

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Five Dodgers to Be Thankful For

Happy Thanksgiving! In the spirit of the holiday, SoSG presents a cornucopia of Dodger youngsters. Enjoy the bounty!

1. Matt Kemp. In 2008 (.290/.340/.459, 18 HR, -0.1 UZR), it was "He's got potential." In 2009 (.297/.352/.490, 26 HR, 2.6 UZR), it was a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger. In 2010, it could be the Year of the Bison. It helps that Kemp seems to be enjoying himself when he plays (which is apparently "disrespectful" when you're a rookie, but evolves into "refreshing" when you've got some hardware).

2. Clayton Kershaw. The perpetrator of the curveball known as Public Enemy No. 1 was 11th in the NL in strikeouts. Kershaw is also mature beyond his 21 years, which bodes well for his maturation as a player. (Pitching in the playoffs in each of his first two years in the majors can't hurt either.) 2010 may or may not be the year he puts it all together, but even the intermediate steps to his reaching his potential have been thrilling.

3. Andre Ethier. Another Silver Slugger recipient, Mr. Miracle and his six walkoff hits filled the Dodgers' drama quotient in 2009. Ethier's chip-on-my-shoulder attitude seems the opposite of Kemp's buoyant demeanor, but it certainly works: Ethier's 31 home runs led the team in 2009. It seems doubtful he'll get as many game-winning opportunities next season — the Pepsi Clutch Performer of the Year flies under no one's radar. But could the Dodger outfield still hit a combined 100 home runs in 2010?

4. Chad Billingsley. As Jon Weisman has discussed, Billingsley's poor outings seem to have gotten more publicity than his good ones ("But you screw one goat..."). Lest we forget, Billingsley will be only 25 years old at the beginning of next season. Although 2009 represented a statistical regression in almost every category for him, he was still 12th in the NL in strikeouts. 2010 represents a fresh, broken leg-free start for Billingsley, and expectations will be lower — not necessarily a bad thing.

5. James Loney. He's been freed for a few years now, and although Loney has been underpowered for a corner infielder, he has been consistent. In 2009 he equaled his 2008 totals for RBIs (90) and home runs (13) while drawing more walks (70, up from 45) and cutting down on his strikeouts (68, down from 85). Loney even entered positive full-season UZR territory for the first time, rating a 1.2. His progress may not be as dramatic as Kemp's or Ethier's, but Loney is becoming a dependable "glue guy" in the Dodgers' lineup.

I really wanted to include Russell Martin on this list, but his rotten 2009 has landed him on the "hold your breath and hope he pulls out of his tailspin" list. Next Thanksgiving, Russell!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Chicago White Sox' 2010 Pennant Drive Gains Weight

He's your problem now, Ozzie Guillen:

CHICAGO (AP)—Andruw Jones(notes) agreed Wednesday to a $500,000, one-year contract with the Chicago White Sox.

Jones hit .214 with 17 homers and 43 RBIs in 82 games with Texas this year while making 53 starts as the designated hitter, 12 in left field, five in right field and four at first base.

A five-time All-Star who has slumped in recent years, Jones was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers in January and signed with the Rangers the following month.

He agreed to a $36.2 million, two-year contract with Los Angeles in December 2007. Now 32, he can make an additional $1 million in performance bonuses under his agreement with the White Sox.

“This is an opportunity to add a power bat to the roster while improving our outfield depth,” White Sox general manager Kenny Williams said. “With the addition of Andruw, Mark Kotsay and Omar Vizquel, we feel our bench is taking shape to be a strong asset heading into the 2010 season.”

Yep, this off-season is all about building up the bench. Oh, and really old infielders. Good thinking, Kenny!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Dodger Stadium Store Batting .500 Until 11/30

Everything's half off! From a press release:

Los Angeles Dodgers Stadium Sale Offers All Authentic Team Merchandise at 50-Percent Discount

WHAT: The Los Angeles Dodgers Stadium Sale gives fans the opportunity to purchase all authentic team merchandise, including on-field jerseys, hats, playoff gear, women’s apparel and signed memorabilia, at a 50-percent discount. Specialty items, like baseballs signed by Fernando Venezuela, will also be offered for half price. Parking at the stadium is free.

WHEN: The sale is up and running, and will take place until Friday, Nov. 27 Monday, Nov. 30. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday.

WHERE: The Dodger Stadium Store at Dodger Stadium
(Left field area of the ballpark)
1000 Elysian Park Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Yes, the sale has been extended. Time to start — and finish — your holiday shopping!

BobblePlans Emerging

From Josh S., in our comments section:

I got an e-mail for 2010 miniplans. The schedule lists an Ethier bobblehead (5/18) and something called a "superhero" for Ethier (7/22), Kemp (7/8) and Manny (6/3) each.

Andre Ethier is getting his long-overdue bobblehead, but what is a "superhero"? Dusty Baker chimes in:

Also, I dug deeper, using my finely-honed detective and research skillz, and noted that the superhero thing that Josh mentioned appears to be a superhero action figure of various Dodgers as a giveaway. So like a Star Wars action figure, except with Kemp.

Guess Star Wars Night was a big hit. Dusty also quotes from a Dodgers e-mail:

"Each plan includes tickets to Opening Day vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks. The All-Star, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger plans each include one Yankee game and the Bobble-Slam plan features all four Bobblehead giveaways and is named in honor of Manny's magical moment on his first bobblehead night in a Dodgers uniform."
And:
Also, they are doing a "55 Since '55" night where one would presume it would be a celebration of the World Champion 1955 Dodgers.

The Dodgers aren't shying away from promoting Manny Ramirez again, and they're celebrating the franchise's first World Series championship. It's only November, but it's not too soon to start wishing for 2010 tickets!

Flo vs Deltalina

Team Flo
Team Deltalina
1. Josh S 1. Fred's Brim
2. QuadSevens 2. rbnlaw
3. w.d.d.i.m. 3. Scott
4. Dunkhawk 4. Wicks
5. Dr Geek 5. Greg
6. Mr Customer 6. Fanerman
7. Neeebs 7. J Steve
8. MLASF 8. Dusty Baker
9. MattyA 9. Jason
10. John G 10. djansson
11. Felix Pardalis 11. TD
12. Keven C 12. Matt
13. Matthew 13. Steve Dittmore
14. Drewdez 14. Bryan

Them's your lineups. And here's how it's gonna go down:

  • The two teams will face off against one another in a series of contrived competitions.
  • The first round will consist of three sub-Rounds: sub-Round I-A, I-B, and I-C (sub-Round I-C will only be necessary if the teams split I-A and I-B).
  • The full details of sub-Round I-A will be revealed next Monday, and the sub-Round itself will take place Tuesday.
  • After the full Round I, one of the teams will win.
  • Most members of the winning team will advance to the next round...but not all.
  • Most members of the losing team will be eliminated...but not all.
  • That's all I'm saying for now. Monday will be the big reveal of exactly what Round I-A consists of. Until then, have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Heath Bell Dings His Old Boss

Turns out Padres closer Heath Bell has some opinions on Padres management. From the Boston Herald (via MLBTR):

Personable Padres closer Heath Bell was in Boston recently for a Reebok event and he laid out his hopes for new general manager Jed Hoyer, formerly an assistant with the Red Sox.

“I just would like to know what direction we’re going in,” he said. “I think (Hoyer) and (owner Jeff) Moorad are going to sit down and have meetings about what direction they want to go in and how much money they’ll spend. I hope (Hoyer) has got full rein. I hope he does. I know (former GM) Kevin Towers didn’t always have it. He’d want to do something and the CEO wouldn’t always sign off on it.

“I’d like to see the team say, ‘Here’s your allowance, $40 million, $50 million, $80 million, spend it on what you want.’ Kevin Towers, the last couple of years, it didn’t seem like he could always do what he wanted. He was kind of a puppet.

(Emphasis mine.) It's admirable that Bell is paying attention to his bosses, but where is he getting his information? Does he have an inside source, or is he going off of publicly available information? How does Padres management feel about their closer calling their former GM a puppet? Will Hoyer get his allowance? Dodger fans can only hope the McCourts' divorce debacle won't get as messy as John Moores', but at least Jonathan Broxton will have the good sense to keep his mouth shut.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

"I bet the duck's in the hat"

Friday, November 20, 2009

Heyman Makes a Funny?

From Jon Heyman at SI.com:

Giants. [Johnny] Damon is a target. And [Jason] Bay makes sense, even from a marketing standpoint in that area.

Is Heyman suggesting that one reason the Giants should sign Bay is so they can run WELCOME TO THE BAY AREA ads?

Heyman has a more realistic take on the Dodgers' offseason:

Dodgers. The storied major-market team appears to be looking for innings eaters (yawn!). Whether it's because of their iffy ownership situation or a plethora of arbitration cases -- they have nine -- don't look for L.A. to spend big this winter.

And that's all the conjecture that's fit to print.

The Angel and Devil Revisited

This clip has a special meaning to me for two reasons:

1. HALL AND F'ING OATES!

2. A few of the Sons and myself used Hall & Oates as our defacto theme music during a couple of LEGEN - wait for it - DARY baseball road trips. Along with this gem...

Off-Season Competition: Flo vs Deltalina

It's not too late to sign up for the first (and possibly last) off-season competition of 2009! Remember, untold amounts of sweat were sweated by you to earn you the right to play this game (i.e., your 3D Tic-Tac-Toe victory), so use that right.

Here's how the teams/participants stack up so far:

Team Flo:

  1. Josh S
  2. QuadSevens
  3. w.d.d.i.m.
  4. Dunkhawk
  5. Dr Geek
  6. Mr C
  7. Neeebs
  8. MLASF
  9. MattyA
  10. John G
  11. Felix Pardalis
  12. Keven C
  13. Matthew
  14. Drewdez

Team Deltalina:

  1. FB
  2. rbnlaw
  3. Scott
  4. Wicks
  5. Greg
  6. Fanerman
  7. J Steve
  8. Dusty Baker
  9. Jason
  10. djansson
  11. TD
  12. Matt
  13. Steve Dittmore
  14. Bryan

Ideally we'd like at least 12 per side, although it's not a necessity. But having an even number per side is important. So if you're interested, sign up by commenting below, along with your allegiance: Flo or Deltalina.

UPDATE (2:08pm PT): Registration for Team Deltalina is now closed. Team Flo has two one no spots remaining.

UPDATE (6:33am PT Nov 22): Registration for both teams is now closed. Stay tuned for more details next week.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Dodgers No Likey Lackey?

Hey, actual baseball news! From Bill Shaikin at the LA Times:

Even with starting pitching as their most pressing need, the Dodgers do not plan to pursue John Lackey, the best starter available in free agency. [...]

[Dodgers president Dennis] Mannion would not say what the Dodgers' payroll might be next season or whether the team made money last season. He noted that the team did not raise prices on season tickets or parking last season and would not do so next season.

"You can't ignore the fact the economy will be level at best for next year," he said. "We're not going to make any outlandish-type decisions in a rough economy."

He said that would rule out Lackey "unless there is an effective way to make that kind of deal."

Disappointing but not surprising. Expect more yammering about needing an ace, but what the Dodgers' starting rotation can really use is more Randy Wolf-type consistency — sans Wolf, who will probably sign with another team. While Chad Billingsley's fate remains unclear — trade bait? Comeback Player of the Year candidate? — I'm hoping Clayton Kershaw can continue to fulfill his destiny as the most exciting homegrown Dodger pitcher to emerge in years. Add to that a couple of rotation-fillers, and 2010's pitching situation is beginning to look a lot like 2009's, just another year older and (hopefully) wiser.

Great Movies I Saw Once and Never Want to See Again

Schindler's List
Saving Private Ryan
Oldboy

and

Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire

Seeing each of these movies was the emotional equivalent of getting kicked in the gut for two hours, but I'm glad I saw them. I just don't think I could handle a second viewing.

Flo vs Deltalina: State Your Allegiance

Don't be distracted by the graphic. Focus. Because the following text is critical.

Do you meet the requirements in fine print below? If so, it's time to quit waffling and state your allegiance. Flo or Deltalina. There is no "either." There is no "neither." And for cryin' out loud, there is definitely no "I'm not sure". If you're still not sure, leave now. You sicken me.

The above photos, along with these two posts should be all the information you need to make a decision. So stop worrying about hurt feelings and tell us in the comments if you're with Flo or Deltalina (as per my example comment). And as you may suspect, there is a larger reason for this. Tune in tomorrow or early next week to see what you've committed to.

I meet the following requirements:

  1. I have nothing better to do right now (or possibly ever) than make a surface judgment on the two ladies then summarize my conclusion in the comments section.
  2. Over the next few weeks I agree to dedicate at least 5 minutes per week participating in something undoubtedly absurd and ridiculous on this website.
  3. Once I pick Flo or Deltalina, I shall forsake the other for all eternity.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Hold The Mayo: Kung Fu Panda Going Jenny Craig?

That's right, Pablo Sandoval has allegedly reported to Spring Training early, in an effort to shed some of those unsightly extra pounds:

Sandoval, you see, already started spring training 2010 at the Giants' complex in Scottsdale, Ariz. on Nov. 1. He was roughly 3 1/2 months early. Why?

Sandoval put up those gaudy numbers despite carrying way too much weight for a person listed at 5-foot-11 and (generously) 245 pounds. So, Panda wants to slim down into a leaner, not-so-mean hitting machine.

In a tremendous post by Giants' blogger Joan Ryan (also the author of "Little Girls in Pretty Boxes"), she goes into fine detail about Sandoval's recent lifestyle changes, a diet and exercise regimen that Giants trainer Dave Groeschner calls unprecedented for the club.

It's called: "Operation Panda." Of course it is.

"There are no guys who show up in November to get ready for the season,'' Groeschner said. "But this is something Pablo wanted to do."

KFP going for a little less KFC? Unthink, indeed. But lest we Sons lose one of our favorite whipping boys of our arch-rivals, let us consult chowhound and yelp for some of their recommendations for the Scottsdale area:

Have at it, Pablo!

Caption Contest

Caption Matt Kemp and his new buddy during the latest "Under the Lights" event at Dodger Stadium:


photo by JonSooHoo/Dodgers

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

3DT3: Congratulations Readers!

After checking the videotape, the officials decided to give the game to the Readers. So congratulations Readers on once more hammering the Writers into submission on our home turf. And to add insult to injury, you needed only two dimensions to beat us:

Stay tuned for more...

A Fine Time-Killer

Via Big League Stew comes this gem:

The Best of Baseball Reference's Sponsorship Comments (Baseball Junk Drawer)

DT regular Eric Enders makes the list. Check it out!

3DT3: Round 10

Dude, what happened? Who knocked over the frickin' game board?!? Quad? Rbn? Mr C? I knew we should have cut off the alcohol after Round 5.

(shakes head in frustration)

Ughh. Alright, I guess we have to start over. Give me a minute to reset the board. Dammit.

Someday, Bison, You Will Have One of Your Own

Matt Kemp Twitpics the championship ring of his BFF Trevor Ariza.

Monday, November 16, 2009

3DT3: Round 9

I imagine you're feeling pretty good about your position, Readers. But are you sure you aren't just stepping into a trap, like a Polish burlesque dancer stepping into a trap? And remember what they say: overconfidence is the hobgoblin of Tic-Tac-Toe victories. Which I think also applies to the 3-D version.

Your move:

Round 9: Level?
I
II
III
IV
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
Round 9: Row?
A
B
C
D
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
Round 9: Column?
1
2
3
4
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
See rules here

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Appreciate This

From the LA Times' Letters section:

My 11-year-old son Jacob just told me what he wants for the holidays this year. He asked me for about 100 blank DVDs. "What in the world are you planning to do with them," I asked. "I want to record every televised game Vin Scully calls next season and keep them forever," he said.

Maybe there is hope for America's youth after all!

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Watch This

Friday, November 13, 2009

Read This

3DT3: Round 8

Dammit, who came up with the blasted alternating levels rule?

So it seems the Readers got the move they wanted, in a landslide no less. And they do seem to be in an advantageous position. But We the Writers are known for our resiliency, so I'm hopeful we'll come up with something. We ain't dead yet!

Thankfully the weekend comes at the perfect time to give us some breathing room. But first make your move, Readers. Then tune in Monday when the game to continues...

Round 8: Level?
I
II
III
IV
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
Round 8: Row?
A
B
C
D
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
Round 8: Column?
1
2
3
4
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
See rules here

October Is For Costumes; November, Not So Much

I can't tell which story is more pathetic, about men gone bad while wearing costumes, as well as the nearby doppelgangers that appear to spawn. Exhibit A, from London, tells of a gun-toting Teletubby that robs a woman, as well as the police who show up and question a different man who also happens to be wearing a teletubby costume:

Halloween took a bizarre and frightening turn in London this weekend when a man dressed as a children's television character, a purple teletubby, robbed a woman at gunpoint near the city's core.

London police say a costume-wearing, gun-toting teletubby confronted the woman near the intersection of Talbot and Mill streets just after midnight and demanded cash.

The woman, in her 20's, gave an undisclosed amount of cash to the robber, who then ran south on Talbot.

The woman wasn't injured but her misfortune wasn't hers alone. A second man dressed in costume was later stopped in the area by police and questioned — but police had the wrong teletubby.

"He was deemed not to be the teletubby we were looking for," Const. Kevin Lui said.

What are the chances?

And then, Exhibit B: closer to home, a Spider-Man impersonator on Hollywood Boulevard allegedly hits a man; and once again, the cops go after a different man in another Spider-Man costume:

A Spider-Man impersonator was arrested on outstanding criminal warrants Wednesday after an incident in which he allegedly slugged a man near the Hollywood & Highland complex, police said.

It was not immediately clear what led to the altercation, which was reported about 12:30 p.m. in the 6800 block of Hollywood Boulevard. But it's the latest in a string of incidents involving movie characters and celebrity look-alikes who vie for space -- and attention -- along the tourist-filled corridor that includes Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

Christopher Loomis, 39, was being held on outstanding misdemeanor warrants in lieu of $5,500 bail, police said.

The incident began when Los Angeles Police Department patrol officers received a radio call reporting battery by a man in a Spider-Man costume. When they arrived, they encountered four people dressed as the web-slinging crusader.

"They stopped one, it wasn't him," said LAPD Lt. Beverly Lewis. "They stopped the second, and it was the suspect."

Second time's the charm, I suppose.

photo: Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Ethier, Kemp Are Ag Sluggers

Ethier, Kemp claim Silver Slugger honors (Dodgers.com)

3DT3: Round 7

Saved by the Bell!

And by 'Bell', I mean democracy and the fine print rules.

Here's how Round 6 broke down: The Readers collectively voted IV-A-1, which I can only guess was the unintended result of the vote being split between IV-A-2 and IV-D-1. Regardless of why, space IV-A-1 was already occupied. So as per the asterisked small print in the initial rules, the Level with the 2nd most votes kicks in, which was Level II. Alas, spot II-A-1 was also occupied, meaning we go to the Level with the 3rd most votes. Levels I and III were tied, but since I-A-1 was also occupied, the Readers' move defaults to Level III. Thus, III-A-1.

Not the move that was intended I suspect, but hey, works for me. After all, the Writers' disadvantage impacts our moves theoretically half the time.

Also, a note about what we're playing for: last year, to reward you Readers for your C4 victory, you may remember we Sons organized and administered SoSG Baseball (congratulations again, GSoSG!).

This year, if you beat us in 3DT3, your prize will again be the organization and administration of a different off-season competition (still under development).

Play on!:

Round 7: Level?
I
II
III
IV
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
Round 7: Row?
A
B
C
D
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
Round 7: Column?
1
2
3
4
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
See rules here

Central Division Charm

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Bison & O-Dog Are Golden

Kemp, Hudson secure Gold Gloves (Dodgers.com)

3DT3: Round 6

Readers defy the wishes of both Deltalina and Flo and go with IV-C-III. Dangerous living...

Round 6: Level?
I
II
III
IV
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
Round 6: Row?
A
B
C
D
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
Round 6: Column?
1
2
3
4
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
See rules here

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Your Feelings, Now and Then: Flo vs Deltalina Edition

In a surprisingly close battle, Flo from Progressive Insurance beat Deltalina from Delta Airlines. But let's keep it real and take a second look at them, this time out of costume.

First, Flo:

Plus bootleg footage of her:

And now, Deltalina:

With some alt footage of her:

So now, here's my question (you have to pick one):

How have your feelings changed, if at all, regarding Flo and Deltalina?
I originally picked Flo, but now I'm with Deltalina
I originally picked Deltalina, but now I'm going with the Flo
I originally picked Flo, and I'm stickin' with her
I originally picked Deltalina, and I'm stickin' with her
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com

3DT3: Round 5

Round 5: Level?
I
II
III
IV
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
Round 5: Row?
A
B
C
D
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
Round 5: Column?
1
2
3
4
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
See rules here

Headlines

Dodgers bringing back all coaches (Dodgers.com)

Mark Cuban says he'd be interested in buying the Dodgers (LA Times)

Dodgers Not Pursuing Aroldis Chapman (MLBTR)

Monday, November 09, 2009

2010: More of the Same?

So Joe Torre may be sticking around past next year &mdash guess he can't get enough of that "living hell." And, to the surprise of exactly no one, Manny Ramirez is returning for another season (and $20 million). 2010 is beginning to look a lot like 2009, especially when you consider that any savings from expiring contracts will likely be wiped out by raises, either through arbitration or new deals, for the team's younger players. Of course, this isn't necessarily a bad thing — a third straight NLCS appearance would be nice — but we don't want the Dodgers to become the Braves of the 1990's.

(And if you missed it, here's what happens when T.J. Simers stops trying to annoy people: "Joe Torre, witness to domestic abuse, helps others to manage." A welcome new perspective on Torre.)

Poll: Pick Your Quirky Commercial Pitchwoman

Please help me settle a heated debate I got into last week. Who do you find more appealing?:

Flo, the perkily bewitching Maggie Gyllenhaalesque face of Progressive Insurance:

...or Deltalina, the captivatingly surreal Jolie-like woman from the Delta Airlines Safety Video (don't miss the finger-wag at 1:51):

Who do you find more appealing?
Flo from Progressive Insurance
Deltalina from Delta Airlines
  
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3DT3: Round 4

So, I see you are abandoning the Patagonian Gambit and aligning in a Reverse Bulgarian Shepherd stack defense. You must think this is the first time we've played 3D Tic Tac Toe.

Your move.

Round 4: Level?
I
II
III
IV
  
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Round 4: Row?
A
B
C
D
  
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Round 4: Column?
1
2
3
4
  
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The Reason the Internet Was Invented

New Slave Leia metal bikini pictures!

Princess Leia actress Carrie Fisher sunbathes in a bikini in behind-the-scenes Star Wars photos leaked onto the internet (Daily Mail)

Can She Hit for Power?

My new favorite athlete... at least until Rowdy Roddy Piper comes back around.

The Dodgers need to sign this Red Sonja up asap. Imagine what she would have done to Broxton after Game 4.

Sunday, November 08, 2009

Poll: Your Feelings, Now and Then

Surprise, surprise, Manny re-upped for his 2nd year at $20m. But so much has happened since last March. Including 19 HR's, 63 RBI's, 0.290/0.418/0.531, and a 50-game suspension.

So here's my question:

How have your feelings changed, if at all, regarding Manny's 2-yr, $45-million, one-way option contract?
At the time I thought he was worth those terms...and I still do.
At the time I thought he was worth those terms...now, not so much.
At the time I didn't think he was worth those terms...but now I realize he was.
At the time I didn't think he was worth those terms...and I still feel that way.
  
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Friday, November 06, 2009

3DT3: Round 3

The Readers take the bottom-front-left corner spot, clearly telegraphing a premature attempt to set-up the standard strong-side Patagonian Gambit. By countering with II-3-B, the Writers easily dismiss the threat.

You gotta do better than that, Readers:

Round 3: Level?
I
II
III
IV
  
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Round 3: Row?
A
B
C
D
  
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Round 3: Column?
1
2
3
4
  
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