Monday 28 April 2008

Monday Night Woes

I know I haven't been too active lately, butI'm glad the site is still getting decent hits daily.

A shoutout goes to the person who complimented the blog in the last post, really makes the writer feel accomplished!

So, it's 11:30 PM on a Monday night and I have school tomorrow, so here's what I have to say:

RAPTORS season is done...like that...done...finished...wait til October...makes it tough to swallow and to say the truth, it's been a tough year. People were hyped for a super duper season, instead, not even as magical as last year's run. But, hey, enjoy the summer, Calderon. Spend time with your family, Parker. Play some outside hoops, TJ. Do some interviews, CB4. It's all good, there's still next year!

Jays finally snapped out of that funk yesterday with a tough win over KC. I don't get it, the bats are just way too soft right now. Good thing Rolen's back and good thing he's swinging the maple like a virtuouso! We'll be in Fenway tomorrow where it's always difficult to make up lost ground.

Leafs?? Blah...

Rock??? Blah...

Argos?? Not time yet...

Toronto FC??...I would say "who cares" but looks like they are actually winning some games. Keep it up, entertain, I still hate soccer with a passion!

Pat Riley steppin' down...not surprised.

Roger Clemens had some relationship with some singer?? When does this guy ever escape the scrutiny??

Can't believe Hillary Clinton is still in the race.

Time to go read "Taming of the Shrew" for English class!

-D

Sunday 20 April 2008

The Usual Topics

Alright, so the Jays release Frank Thomas supposedly because of his poor performance and perhaps to save money, either way, his absence will cost the team alot. He was a good leader here and though sometimes frustrating to watch (strikeouts in particular), contributed on a frequent basis.

So, now let's see how the Jays will fare without the Big Hurt. BJ Ryan still looks to be a little bit shaky on the mound, but he'll regain form. Scott Rolen should return soon...and by soon, I mean a couple weeks? Scutaro, Hill, Eckstein have been producing quite a bit, but overall our offense has again underachieved like last year.

V-Dub already struck out 3 times today, but good news is that TO has the lead going into the top of the 9th. I think we can win tomorrow night's math up as well and go into Disney World (that's right, Orlando) with some confidence to face the Tampa Bay Rays.

The weather's so nice up here now, hit 24 (about 80 for you Americans) degrees yesterday. It was nice to be out on the diamond again, almost a little bit too hot. It reminds me of that Sunday afternoon where Dustin McGowan took a no-no into the 9th vs. Colorado! Good times, good times!

Manny's closing in on 500, Griff on 600, rootin' for them to get to those milestones.

Boy, the Arizona Diamondbacks are putting on some show right now in the NL West, leading with a considerable margin (13-4).

The Padres and Rockies played a 6 hour-16 minute, 22 inning mega marathon the other night, the longest game in 15 years. You know, I like extra inning games and especially these super-long ones, but I think it's less and less likely in this stage of the game to see lots of those. But kudos to the pitchers that night, who combined to throw 659 pitches in a 2-1 Final (22).

The Raps lost Game 1 to the Orlando Magic in their playoff run. Really, I think Toronto can capture this series, but it's tough work against a team that racked up 52 wins.

As much as I hate soccer, it's nice to see Toronto FC doing mediocre, an improvement from the downright horrible season last summer.

Transit strike looms here in Toronto, no impact on me.

-D

Sunday 13 April 2008

Baseball Rant

Okay, so the Blue Jays sweep Boston and then get swept by Oakland. The difference in that was the bullpen was simply ugly to watch against Oakland. Good news though, the Jays took 2 in a row against Texas and I suspect they're on their way to another sweep this afternoon in Arlington!

That New York/Boston rivalry never gets old! Chien-Ming Wang dominated the BoSox Friday night, but Manny showed the way yesterday in a rain-plagued game.

Florida Marlins are quietly leading their division right now, with a core group of young guns!

Mets are mediocre, Detroit is downright atrocious (generating 3 runs per game!)

D'Backs will be good this year!

Oakland is beating up Cleveland. Boy they're hot! Scrappy team, but the puzzles fit together!

Orioles leading division...fluke!

I feel the Royals can actually contend this year...NOT...on second thought, perhaps! The young guys are really stepping up to the challenge. The rotation's been solid so far, now if they could just consistently produce some runs!

Go White Sox! The South Siders will have a good year in 2008. As for the North Side, I frankly have no opinion on whether they will or should win the Series. 100 years is a long time, but you gotta earn it!

The Cardinals will make it to the World Series...you can mark my words down! (Though I warn you I am not very good with predictions!)

That's your baseball rant for this week. Time to Play Ball!

-D

Friday 4 April 2008

Talkin' Baseball

So, we lost the series in New York, but I saw a lot of good things happen too. For instance, we've gotten 3 straight quality starts to begin the season and it looks like Shaun Marcum is on his way to crafting a fourth. The bullpen has been somewhat shaky late, but we've also improved our running game quite a bit.

Rios and Hill signed contract extensions earlier this afternoon. It's all the inflation hype again, I totally think it's ridiculous that baseball players are being paid this much. Did you know that the average MLB salary is now $3.15 million??!!

Well, around the horn, you've got the Tigers winless (0-4), who I thought would have the exact opposite record right now. Then, you've got the Royals sitting on top of what promised to be a tight AL Central. Yankees are trailing the youthful Rays right now, but it's early. Micah Owings silenced the Rockies offense earlier today. Pedro Martinez hurt himself in the first start of the year...as Chuck Swirsky says: "old news...". Bill Hall, Xavier Nady and AJ Pierzynski are leading the league in RBIs. All this, while it's still too cold and wet to play any baseball in Toronto.

Alrighty, Toronto just got on the board against the Red Sox. Man, Marcum is awesome. But, I feel we got a good chance of sweeping the Sox this weekend. It's a battle of the young guns tomorrow with Clay Buchholz going against Jesse Litsch. On Sunday, it's the arrogant Beckett vs. Doc Halladay in the rubber match.

I'm playing with the idea of actually sending the letter to Senator Clinton herself...any predictions as to how she'll react??

-D

Thursday 3 April 2008

Open Letter to Hillary Clinton

Usually, I talk about loads of sports on this site, but I had to share this. Even if you aren't a fan of politico duels, it's a good read (in my opinion).

Dear Mrs. Clinton,

When this exhilarating race for the Democratic nomination began almost 14 months ago, there was a clear frontrunner and it was you. But it is time now you accept the fact that it is no longer the status quo. You are no longer in control of the game and no matter how hard you try to slam your opponent down, as we've seen recently, it will not work and this nomination will not be yours.

I'm sure you are a nice lady who is intelligent and full of ideas, but there is something happening in the United States of America. This is something very inspiring and captivating. It is an all-out, goosebump-generating, plague-like infectious, JFK-reminiscent movement that's much more than just politics.

Your rival, young Senator Barack Obama has attracted flocks of the young and the young-at-heart to speak up for what each individual believes in. He has touched the Democratic base, vacuumed in the energetic and frantic Independents and even swooped in some Republicans into camp. This is a wave of ordinary citizens linking arms together and reaching up for what they believe in. (Not to mention, chanting "Yes We Can!")

Senator Clinton, America is at a time when it needs a new generation of leadership. It was the same scenario, 47 years ago, when then Senator Kennedy defied all odds to ascend to the presidency. American wants and craves for a young, charismatic and well-spoken leader who can inspire. Senator Obama is that man. He is the new generation of leadership.

You have sent a good message to the people of America via this campaign. I appreciate your experience, but you probably know oh-so-well that this time, it's about change. As harsh as it may sound, you do not represent that change. You have already had a chance to enjoy the luxuries of being a resident at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Seeing that America is a nation of opportunities, I kindly ask you to step aside so someone else can enjoy those luxuries as well. Think about it, if you become President and are re-elected, America's executive branch of government will have been occupied by the same 2 families for 28 years. To me, and I'm sure millions of others would agree, that should not happen in the nation that calls itself "the Last Best Hope on Earth".

In the recent months, your approach to running the campaign has been on a gravitational freefall. You could not accept defeat in Iowa and New Hampshire, so you shed tears in a plea for sympathy. Your hubby joined in on the act, waggling his arrogant finger at the media. Oh, and did Bill not imply that Barack Obama won the state of South Carolina just because of his race and that the votes of SC are just merely based on race, nothing more?

There's more, Mrs. Clinton, you celebrated "victories" in Florida and Michigan when there were no races there at all, and even though those states had been stripped of voting rights long before the primary process even began, your husband claims afterward that Senator Obama is disenfranchising the two states by not recognizing the votes. On the subject of Bill, it shocks me as to how the charming former President of the United States could grow so stubborn and hypocritical for the sake of personal gain.

You've also tried to yell at Senator Obama; accused him of plagiarism; disillusioned the media and voters on the fact that he never trailed you a single minute in the hard delegate count. And explain to me, and Senator Obama, why you offered to take him as your VP despite all your claims that he is "unsuited" for office? By the way, when you claimed your "Bosnia sniper fire experience" was just a mistake and was perhaps due to sleep deprivation, I laughed...at you, not with you, and became deeply concerned for the part of your brain used for memory. Not only that, I don't see how anybody could trust a candidate who claims she made a spoken error due to sleep deprivation and also released a tv ad saying she's best qualified to answer the White House phone at 3 in the morning.

Mrs. Clinton, time and time again, Senator Obama has handled controversies and tough times in this campaign much better than you and with much more class. Senator Obama knows how to be on good terms with the press. Senator Obama consistently congratulates you on winning primaries, while you seldom mirror him in that action. He can explain his views on subjects cleanly and clearly. Barack may be the new kid on the block, but damn, do people love him!

Mrs. Clinton, I urge you to look ahead and weigh on decisions concerning the status of your party. I may be an outsider looking in, but it is increasingly obvious who is most popular with the voters in America. Not only that, the world is ready to embrace the leadership of Barack Obama. They have grown tired of having to deal with Clintons and Bushes. No offense, but we just want someone new!

You may continue to pursue your presidential ambitions, but at this point in time, it should not be with the Democratic Party. The Dems, in case you don't read the morning paper or watch the evening news, are losing precious support each day and this dragging race is one of the factors. After 8 years of the egregious Bush administration, I truly believe Americans are staunchly on the Democrats' ship, but your negativity has prompted many to jump into the water again. Already clinging to weak leadership in Congress, the next President should be a strong Democrat whose statements are to be taken as facts, not opinions. There are lots of mind-boggling issues waiting for the next Commander-in-Chief, and for the sake of love, please don't let a 71 year-old Republican take that job!

Superdelegates, to me, are to vote at their free will, but should consider their choice meticulously, and that means taking their constituents' voices into serious account. One thing we have learned in 2008 is that this election belongs to the People. USA is a democracy, not a bureaucracy. It is on that note, I politely ask you to drop your candidacy for President. The time has come for you to step aside and let a man who was born in Hawaii and serves the Land of Lincoln, who has Kenyan and Kansas parentage, who was once tutored in Indonesia, who can communicate with people from all walks of life, who can powerfully lead a nation into an uncertain future step up to what he is capable of.

We are ready for the era of President Obama!

Best Regards,

-Danny Zhang