Dream Lineup

Is anyone else in dire need of baseball?  I'm starting to get itchy for balls and strikes and doubles rolling into the gap.  The Detroit Tigers have been busy this offseason cleaning up after last year's mess of a season, and it has gotten me thinking about how they are going to look this season.  The major new piece is Justin Upton, whom they signed to a six year, hundreds of millions of dollars contract.  Everyone seems to be happy about it, but I'm a little hesitant because he seems a bit streaky to me.  Don't get me wrong, I love his defense and was a solid option to put out in left field, but from what I can tell, he seems to be a streaky hitter that can carry a team or cause ulcers in the fans and managers.  The big question after his signing is where will he hit in the lineup.  There's lots of options because he has pop in his bat, has speed if needed, and can provide high on-base percentage at bats.  Below is what I think is a good idea of a lineup.  People who know more than I might yell and scream about it, but let me defend myself. 

1.  Ian Kinsler
2.  Jose Iglesias
3.  Miguel Cabrera
4.  J.D. Martinez
5.  Victor Martinez
6.  Justin Upton
7.  James McCann
8.  Nick Castellanos
9.  Anthony Gose/Cameron Maybin

Kinsler has history at the lead off spot in Texas and in Detroit, I like him there again this year.  He's a veteran bat that can reach the seats, but can also slap doubles down the line...when he's not popping up that is.  He is the leadoff man that you want on your team.  While his speed is slowly declining, he can still swipe bases, but with the lineup behind him, he doesn't necessarily need to make things happen. 

Iglesias might spark some questions, but hear me out.  Over the past two years, he has hit .300 and had an on base percentage of .348.  He dropped his strikeouts by twenty last year while doubling his walks.  Those are the four major stats that I look at with a batter like Iglesias.  He isn't going to hit twenty to twenty five home runs a year, he's the guy that is going to manufacture runs with average and speed.  If he can build off of last year's stats, he can be a good number two hitter.  What I look for in a number two hitter is, can he move the leadoff guy?  Can he set up the power hitters for a big start to the game?  I know he has hung out at the bottom of the order during his career, but I think he has the potential to be a top of the order guy.  He does need to work on the double plays he hits into, but I think he could fit near the top.

Cabrera....that's all I need to say.

J.D. Martinez is better protection for Cabrera than Victor Martinez (based on last year).  Victor struggled (and I mean STRUGGLED) last year.  J.D. Martinez is surging into the prime of his career.  Why wouldn't you want a guy like J.D. protecting your best hitter?  Now, I know Victor has more history than J.D., but he has not been healthy two of the last three years, and until he proves to me that he can be that hitter he was two years ago, I think J.D. is the better option.  The one major problem is that Victor is that he is so slow on the base path.  He makes molasses in February look fast.  Is it a possibility that the Super Martinez Brothers can be swapped out throughout the year?  Absolutely.

The next three guys can be juggled in the six through eight spots throughout the year.  From what I can gather from each of them, they all go in streaks.  Hot for a six game stretch, cold the next two weeks.  Hot for a month, cold for a week.  James McCann is a work in progress, he has not been around long enough to have a strong opinion on him.  I think he will be what we all thought Alex Avila was going to be after his 2011 season.  The kid looks like he was plucked out of a corn field in Iowa (yes, I know he is from Arkansas) and given a bat.  I like him to be the catcher for the foreseeable future.  DON'T FUCK THIS UP!  Justin Upton, as stated above, can go on those hot and cold streaks.  Over the past three seasons, he's batted .263, .271, and .251.  Each year he has played an entire season, he's struck out over 120 times.  So it is going to be frustrating at times.  But he can also excited the stadium with his power.  Looking at the average, he can hit 25 home runs in a season.  Nick Castellanos continues to slowly come into his own.  Some fans are frustrated with the progress.  It's coming along people, give it time.  I think if he can bat between .265-.280 with 15 to 20 home runs, 75-80 RBI, how is that a bad thing?  He may be cemented into the eight spot until he get hot and the other guys get cold, but that is fine.  He is still getting his footing at the top level, for him to struggle at times it is almost a necessity.  How else is he going to learn?   

Anthony Goes and Cameron Maybin will be in a time share in the outfield and at the bottom of the order.  If they can get on base, they both have speed to be disruptive.  Other than that, there's nothing to see here folks, move along.  

Just because you have a lineup one day doesn't mean it needs to stay the same the next day, the day after that, or after that.  Hopefully as he gets another year under his belt, Brad Ausmus will start to manage the game as it comes to him.  Not just put one guy in one spot because he always bats there.  If someone is going through a slump, even if he's a star or veteran, why not shake things up a bit?  

Penguin Awareness

Today, apparently, is penguin awareness day.  At least according to the hashtag on Twitter, and if there's one thing we have learned in the age of the Internet, it's that if its on the Internet it must be true.  What is penguin awareness day all about?  I have no idea.  All I saw was people posting cute and awesome pictures and videos of penguins.  What's not to love?  

I'm not writing about penguins, per say, in a factual way, I'm going to tell you a story about me being a snarky little high school asshole.  Don't worry, it'll all make sense by the end.  I had an English teacher my junior year of high school that was juuuuuust a bit off her rocker.  You don't want to make jokes or assumptions about mental health or anything like that, but she seemed to be a bit bipolar.  Very happy one day, very quiet and angry the next.  

Anyway, she would occasionally have these random homework assignments for us that had nothing to do with English class or anything that we were learning.  And I will always remember this one just because it was out of the blue.  She wanted us to write a paper on where we would want to go for a vacation of money was not an issue.  What the hell kind of high school assignment was this?  This was something that you would expect for an elementary school assignment.  Like I said, I was a little high school asshole and took an idea and ran with it.  And I'll paraphrase my paper here, although I wish I still had it because I would totally post it verbatim.

I wrote that I would travel to Antartica.  I have always loved the cold and it is one of the last uninhabited places left on earth.  While I was vacationing there, I would raise an army of penguins (much like the Penguin did in 'Batman Returns').  I would become their general and lead them north and invade South America and move north towards North America.  I would then rule the Western Hemisphere with an army of penguins at my disposal.  

That was the entire paper, but with more details.  Now, let's not argue semantics about them being out of their environment.  Let's just enjoy the fact that it was funny, thoughtful, imaginative, and original.  I don't remember the grade I was given, all I remember is not getting yelled at because of it.  Which is kind of surprising seeing as how I didn't really do the assignment.  I just....wrote something.

Quote Me!

One of the great things about movies is the quotes.  The one liners that stick with you well after the final credits have rolled.  From 'Here's looking at you kid.' to ''May the Force be with you, always.' there are iconic lines.  What I like to look for are the quotes and lines from movies that maybe aren't as iconic, but still are just great.  Whether it's in the moment of the film, or after I have seen the movie several times.  I'm sure everyone out there has those favorite lines from great movies that aren't always quotes.  Here's a few of my favorite lines that get lost in the shuffle.

'Prepare to meet the true Lord!'

Who said it:  Priest Vallon (Liam Neeson) in 'Gangs of New York'
Who he said it to:  Bill the Butcher

Context:  Both characters exchange barbs before the opening street fight.  With a walking crucifix in one hand, Vallon unsheathes a six foot broadsword before exclaiming 'Prepare to meet the true Lord!'  It's just a line the first couple of times you watch the movie, but the more I have seen the movie, the more this line gets to me.  It's a line that can bring you into the scene.  It makes you really cheer for the character, even if he's only in the movie for the first ten to fifteen minutes. 

'Charming, to the last.'

Who said it:  Grand Moff Tarkin (Peter Cushing) in 'Star Wars:  A New Hope'
Who he said it to:  Princess Leia Organa

Context:  Organa is brought upon the Death Star after the Tantive IV (sorry, Star Wars nerdiness is coming out) is captured by the Devastator and she is brought to Tarkin by Darth Vader.  She is led to Tarkin in which she says 'I should have expected to find you holding Vader's leash.  I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board.'  'Charming, to the last.' is his response.  They both have hatred for each other because they represent opposite ends of the Rebellion/Empire spectrum.  It's just a great line because the two characters are having friendly, angry exchange.  You know that there is backstory between the two characters without having it being explained.  They know each other, hate each other, and it is shown in these lines.

The singing of 'La Marseillasie'

Who sang it:  a bunch of French people in 'Casablanca'
Who they sang it to:  a bunch of German people

Context:  In Rick's Bar, both German officers and French people/liberation fighters are milling around.  A German soldier starts to play 'Die Wacht am Rhein' and the soldiers start to sing the song.  In response, French people stand up and start to sing 'La Marseillasie'.  I don't normally get moved by national anthems, but holy shit this scene!  Both groups of people try to sing louder than the other, and the French people win the scene.  The French people are emotionally singing with tears running down some of their faces, the Germans are stoically singing because they seemingly have to stand up for the Reich.  

'I won't forget you'

Who said it:  Adiran Cronauer (Robin Williams) in 'Good Morning, Vietnam'
Who he said it to:  a bunch of army grunts

Context:  In a movie that revolves around Robin Williams' ability to improvise and make us laugh, this scene encapsulates his ability to go from hilarious to serious in the blink of an eye.  And this scene shows how the power of laughter can make one forget about the world around them and the seriousness of war.  Even if it is just a movie and even if it is just for a few minutes.  He comes across a bunch of grunts that are off to a heavily contested part of Vietnam (but what part wasn't?) and he is forced by Edward Garlick to stand up and do his radio personalities even though he does not want to.  He starts to interact with the soldiers and he finds out where they are going.  The soldiers start to give them their names, and the trucks pull away.  The last line in the scene is 'I won't forget you.' and while this scene is a combination of funny and serious, this line is just a punch in the gut.  Because, even if it is just a movie, historically speaking, you know that some of those guys weren't coming back.

Movies can connect with you for some reason or another, just like music.  And different scenes from the same movie can connect with you for different reasons each time you watch the movie.  

2016 Goals

I have determined to set out a list of goals for this new year.  I've done resolutions in the past, unsuccessfully.  I want to set and obtain goals.  And they are selfish.  I don't have a goal of volunteering time somewhere, or putting others ahead of me.  When 2017 rolls around, I want to look at this year and think 'I had a great fucking year.'

I want to read ten new books.  I made a point a few years ago to read six.  Half of them were history/non fiction which made it a bit difficult.  Still, I felt great about getting through my list.  I am just over half way through a book I have been working on for a few months, so I won't really count it.  I suppose my goal will actually be ten and a half books.  And I've given up on the 'comics aren't books' argument.  When you think of comics, you might think of childhood and cartoons.  I tell you what, though, some comics and graphic novels rank up there with the great novels.  It's a genre that I have yet to tap into and I am excited to read a few.  

I want to find new and different music.  This last year, I really branched out.  I found some indie rock bands, I bought some rap and hip hop albums (something I thought I would never do) which turned out to be a great risk and great reward.  So if anyone has ideas/suggestions, throw them out there.  I will give them a listen.  I found myself diving into music more and more last year.  For whatever reason, I would listen to some music I've had for a number of years, and hear something I hadn't heard before.  For example, 'Battle Born' by the Killers.  I've listened to that album numerous times.  But there was one day I was driving home from work and I don't know what it was, but it was like listening and hearing the songs for the first time.  The album is actually sad and there's a lot of heart break and relationship stuff in it.  At least that's what I got out of it.  

I want to get a tattoo.  I've been going back and forth for a few years on the idea.  There were times when I was all for it, but stopped myself.  The main issue is cost.  I know what I want, I have a solid idea where I want to get it.  It's just a matter of justifying paying for it.  Time to start saving now I guess.  

Setting aside me time.  For a while, I was doing things like bowling and disc golfing by myself.  It might sound weird and lame, but it's great to just get out of your own head and not worry about anyone else for a while.  It is great for your mental health, and if you find something you enjoy doing, who cares if it doesn't include anyone else?  The past two years, a podcast that I listen to (Welcome to Night Vale) has toured the country and made a stop in the Twin Cities.  I made a point to go to each show.  It was great.  I ate at different reataurants each time.  I got to see a live show that wasn't a loud concert that left my ears ringing for the next two days.  I got to see something that I enjoy listening to live and in person.  

So that is what I want to try and accomplish in 2016.  While it isn't the most ambitious list, I want to do something that I know I will enjoy doing.  I kind of want to make 2016 about me.  Which is a weird thing to type because I don't really see myself as a selfish person.  I just have those moments throughout the year when I wonder if I am really accomplishing anything.  And these goals, I think, will let me know that I am.