Nady vs Nevin

by Dex on Aug 9, 2005 9:02 AM PDT in News

Back to baseball again today. When things are going good, it always seems like it takes forever to get through an off day. We wanna get back to park! We gotta get in there before this wears off!

I talk baseball with this guy at work who comes up with the craziest theories. He's a smart guy, but we've had the strangest debates. Exasperating. The kinds of things where I stare at him and think, How can you possibly believe that?

For example. 2001 World Series. Bob Brenly does everything in his power to try to lose the World Series. Overworks his aces in blowouts. Questionable use of the bullpen. And yet the Diamondbacks win. I say they won because Schilling and Johnson are all heart on the mound and the Yankees were somewhat lucky to have made it that far (Seattle had won 116 games). My guy at work says it's because Brenly's an awesome manager.

I know. WTF, right?

I mean, maybe he's right, but if Bob Brenly was that great, he'd be managing somewhere, right? Where is Bob Brenly nowadays anyway? I like to imagine that he's holed up somewhere in Colorado, writing the book on why bunting to break up a no hitter qualifies a player as a reproductive organ. And why half of Ichiro's base hits shouldn't count for him because he swings the bat like a girl's softball player.

So what I was talking about. I was talking my guy at work and we were talking about the Padres and how good they're doing. He said, "I don't think any positive can come of Phil Nevin being traded."

"The biggest positive I can see is that it forces Bochy to actually play Nady somewhere," I said. "Even if it's Nady and Sweeney, it's better than what Phil was doing."

He said, "but even if Phil wasn't as good as he was last year, he's still dangerous!"

I said, "I dunno. Richard seems to think he's done." (I didn't really say that, but something more along the lines of, "Dude! You cr4zeee?!?! Nady is teh shizzzzzzz!!!!!111!1!!!!". [I didn't really say that either. It was probably something in between.])

He said he wasn't so sure about that and would have to look it up. He thinks I just crush on Nady because of the way he looks in baseball pants and for the fact that he went to Berkeley. Actually, it's two things:

Long legs
Brains

No, I'm just kidding. It's actually:

I like to root for the underdog.
I like for talents to be recognized.

Maybe someday, Nady will prove me and my gut wrong, but for now, I'm just going to enjoy this new, streamlined late in the season for once, Padres team as they make their way towards the playoffs. And when it's all said and done, and the Padres have demonstrated their awesomeness, I'm sure my guy at work will tell me it's because everybody played extra hard because they didn't want to lose their jobs.

After all, if the Padres can get rid of their best hitter in the middle of the season, then you can never tell who will be next!

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the other day

I was thinking about the opening-day lineup vs. that last game's lineup. it was weird rooting for Fick, Randa, Nady, Olivo, Sweeney, and some of these other guys. The team is very different now. Of course, removing Phil is the biggest reason for that difference.

as I try to do every day, I'm singing this song right now. it's still just as applicable as it was a couple weeks ago.

Some things in life are bad
They can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse
When you're chewing on life's gristle
Don't grumble, give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best...
And...

...always look on the bright side
of life...
(Whistle)

Always look on the light side
of life...
(Whistle)

If life seems jolly rotten
There's something you've forgotten
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing
When you're feeling in the dumps
Don't be silly chumps
Just purse your lips and whistle
- that's the thing.
And...always look on the bright
side of life...
(Whistle)

Come on.

Always look on the right side
of life...
(Whistle)

For life is quite absurd
And death's the final word
You must always face the curtain
with a bow
Forget about your sin - give the
audience a grin
Enjoy it - it's your last chance
anyhow.

So always look on the bright side
of death...
(Whistle)

a-Just before you draw your terminal breath...
(Whistle)

Life's a piece of shit, when you look at it
Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true
You'll see its all a show, keep 'em laughin as you go
Just remember that the last laugh is on you

And...
Always look on the bright side
of life...
(Whistle)

Always look on the right side
of life...

C'mon Brian, cheer up

Always look on the bright side
of life...

Worse things happen at sea you know.

I mean - what have you got to lose?
You know, you come from nothing
- you're going back to nothing.
What have you lost? Nothing.

Always look on the right side
(I mean) of life...

what have you got to lose?
You know, you come from nothing
- you're going back to nothing.
What have you lost?

Always (Nothing.) look on the right side of life...

Nothing will come from nothing ya know what they say?
Cheer up ya old bugga c'mon give us a grin!
There ya go, see!

Always look on the right side of life...
(Cheer up ya old bugga c'mon give us a grin! At same time)

There ya go, see!

by garth on Aug 9, 2005 9:31 AM PDT reply actions

Garth

Has anybody else noticed that Garth is slowly going crazy? His comments have been getting so funny. I like it.

by jbox on Aug 9, 2005 10:04 AM PDT up reply actions

SKPLORTCH

all the head-exploding will do that to you. this is where i come to act normal, too...

by garth on Aug 9, 2005 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions

True song

Here's the song that comes to my head when I think of the Padres:

How come you're always such a fussy young man
Don't want no Captain Crunch, don't want no Raison Bran
Well, don't you know that other kids are starving in Japan
So eat it, just eat it

Don't want to argue, I don't want to debate
Don't want to hear about what kind of food you hate
You won't get no dessert 'till you clean off your plate
So eat it

Don't you tell me you're full
Just eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it
Get yourself an egg and beat it
Have some more chicken, have some more pie
It doesn't matter if it's boiled or fried
Just eat it, eat it, just eat it, eat it
Just eat it, eat it, just eat it, eat it, ooh

Your table manners are some cryin' shame
You're playin' with your food, this ain't some kind of game
Now, if you starve to death, you'll just have yourself to blame
So eat it, just eat it

You better listen, better do what you're told
You haven't even touched your tuna casserole
You better chow down or it's gonna get cold
So eat it

by thenerdhater on Aug 9, 2005 11:06 AM PDT reply actions

DUDE

"Weird" Al Yankovich?! That is a big fat geek cred right there. Of course...have you seen him LIVE?

At least one person in this thread can say yes to that, but I'm not sayin who.

by garth on Aug 9, 2005 11:32 AM PDT up reply actions

Dude don't even go there

Jbox will so out Weird Al you. I'm gonna find him.

by Dex on Aug 9, 2005 11:38 AM PDT up reply actions

Weird Al

I know one person in this thread who has an autographed photo.

I also know one that listened to Eat It during lunch. (me).

by thenerdhater on Aug 9, 2005 11:38 AM PDT up reply actions

anyone

have a good site for checking head-to-head histories between players/pitchers?

by garth on Aug 9, 2005 11:39 AM PDT reply actions

ESPN.com will do it for you

You gotta go to stats and then batter vs pitcher. It's nice cause it will default to the next opponents.

by Dex on Aug 9, 2005 11:42 AM PDT up reply actions

thanky

for some reason, i couldn't see that. in other news, i noticed there's a BACK on my HAND! Who knew?

by garth on Aug 9, 2005 11:59 AM PDT up reply actions

Party on Garth

Party on Wayne

by thenerdhater on Aug 9, 2005 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions

just in case

you hadn't seen it, this rocks.

by garth on Aug 9, 2005 1:24 PM PDT reply actions

Thanks garth

I had that song in my head for weeks after watching it around Xmas last year.

Thanks for getting it there again.

by thenerdhater on Aug 9, 2005 1:46 PM PDT up reply actions

you want to know what it schwas?

I'll tell you what it schwas.

by garth on Aug 9, 2005 2:57 PM PDT up reply actions

Yo!!

I live in the Midwest and I'm not getting nearly enough Padres info. SignonSanDiego isn't giving me enough. Any suggestions for URL links?

Go Bucks!

by butlerj5 on Aug 9, 2005 1:46 PM PDT reply actions

Hmmmm....

OK. You got us. And aside from us, I'd go to the right menu and scroll down until you see Padres Sites Galore! Ton of blogs and random links. All of them good.

Then come back here and read us some more.

by Dex on Aug 9, 2005 2:13 PM PDT up reply actions

also

here

by garth on Aug 9, 2005 3:00 PM PDT up reply actions

Dex...

Bob Brenly does color on Cubs TV.

From today's running PBP on chicagosports.com:

"Brenly just started barking into the microphone and said it was his impression of a NASCAR race. I suppose it sort of sounded like cars going fast, but I thought he had officialy gone insane watching four months of Cubs baseball. La Rue puts the Reds up 4-3 on a 2-2 pitch from Will Ohman. Brenly offers some good analysis, saying that after LaRue couldn't get around on Ohman's fastball, the 2-2 slider sped up his bad and he not only could get around on it, but did. Ohman fans Griffey and Dunn. Casey grounds out."

Now, I'm going to put my head back in the oven.

http://www.firedustybaker.com/nucleus/

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Aug 9, 2005 5:06 PM PDT reply actions

Thanks!

I'm going to have to keep asking questions loosely related to Chicago baseball to keep your head out of that oven. We'll see you through the hard times yet!

by Dex on Aug 9, 2005 5:29 PM PDT up reply actions