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Your fication training for intercontinental ballistic security and courier service missions. Cooke saw considerable service on Its geographic location also enabled satellites on Jan. Tuesday and Thursday, and 9 a. Vandenberg Air Force Base.
Download the MBG App. The Discoverer series of satellites provided other significant firsts for Vandenberg. Purisima Road will merge with auxiliary of the U. South Pole without overflying any land mass the base and responsibility for attaining initial During World War II, the 5th, 6th, 11th, 13th until reaching Antarctica. Follow Highway 1 emergency services, which include search and so don't PCS without talking to your sponsor north past Vandenberg Village for about 5 miles rescue by air and ground and disaster relief before departing for Vandenberg.
Beginning ming, and was assigned to Air Force Space government satellites into polar orbit, as well in and throughout the decade, a series of Command. Just before reaching Lompoc, take the http: Those assigned to the following right turn onto Purisima Road sign says Puri- When you arrive at the base, you must inpro- units must see their commander's support sima Road and Vandenberg Village.
A joint decision by the Air sile Center at Vandenberg. The base does not provide Exiting the airport, head east onto Fowler tions Group, 50th Space Wing, Schriever Air transportation to or from the airport. Less than a year later, on June 1, , base in the United States, after Eglin Air Force ballistic missile force development evaluation program.
In actu- target areas in the Pacific Ocean. George Cooke, a cavalry officer whose the same characteristics the Army had found It also transferred management responsibilities military career spanned almost half a century desirable in Cooke's coastal location for Cooke Air Force Base from Air Research from his graduation from the United States Mili- would allow missiles to be launched into the and Development Command to an operational tary Academy at West Point in to his retire- Pacific Ocean without population overflights.
The work was already in progress when to nearly 94, acres. Area Defense Counsel spacelift and satellite command and control If you have not been in touch with a sponsor The counsel provides legal advice for those operators. The Van- ratory, outpatient records, etc. Don't take any other turnoffs; Highway 1 the public; and cadet programs for teenagers. The wing also supports the Min- berg as a replacement for the Strategic Missile Vandenberg is the third-largest U.
These As the war progressed, German and Italian for use as a missile launch and training base. Also transferred to WSMC were all the parenthetical title "Air Forces Strategic" to launch of expendable vehicles including the base support organizations. For drivers, it's miles northwest of art sites, five Native American villages, the Juan toward the Kwajalein Atoll to verify weapon Los Angeles on U.
The wing supports the processing and WSMC. Cellphone use by the driver of a moving instructor enhancement to support operational motor vehicle is prohibited on all Department units. Two ality, its Operations Group assumed the lineage also is the only site able to receive and process months later, on Oct. Use the resources provided to become familiar with the housing options and support services.
Proceed west Village for about 5 miles to the Vandenberg Monday. Lompoc about 17 miles. Air Force responded and named it Camp Cooke in honor of Maj. A the additional duty as caretakers for the entire IRF installation. Their mission also included training Infantry Divisions; and the 2nd Filipino Infantry tary Donald Quarles accepted the commit- missile launch crews.
Regiment trained at Cooke, along with an assort- tee's recommendation. There are 9, acres Air Force and the nation's defense. Foldouts information provided to MARCOA and disclaims any information, expressed or otherwise, for the accuracy of the content herein or any liability for damages as 79Advertiser Directory Military Buyer's Guide a consequence of using this information.
Vandenberg, the Air Force's second chief of staff. It ordnance and hospital units. The Germans and the Italians were and control facilities began to appear as tons Test Center and the Western Space and Missile kept separate in accordance with the Geneva Conventions and worked on the post alongside Americans at various jobs including mechanical and civil engineering services, clerical positions, food service and the main laundry.
For a complete description of the different types of coverage programs and regions, visit http: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; and 10 a. Follow Highway 1 north past Vandenberg on a Friday must inprocess the following ignore the exit onto Betteravia. The federal American Commu- which manages DOD space and missile testing Between March and September , the Army nity Survey pegged the population on base at and uses expendable boosters to place satel- acquired about 86, acres of ranchland 3, in For more information, cal Directory Assistance at In August , the Army's Branch of concrete and steel transformed the land- in northern Santa Barbara County between Disciplinary Barracks was transferred to the scape.
South Vandenberg in March The the Space Shuttle. Almost the entire camp was then ORCE leased for grazing and agriculture. Most perma- new location.
Bureau of Prisons, and today, it is known ones built, including Capehart military family land acquisitions had increased the camp's size as the U. All told, more than Wilson directed the Army to transfer 64, also retained research and development testing outfits passed through Camp Cooke. Family members of http: Remember, if you see network providers, you'll be using the Extra option and pay lower copayments. A week later, on Aug. In August , the data capsule ejected from Discoverer XIII in orbit and recovered from the Pacific Ocean became the first man-made object ever retrieved from space. In honor of his service to the Vandenberg's military service started in totals more than 18,, the base says. In base and the local area, make lodging or dorm will take you to the gate. Wednesday The Vandenberg Base Housing Management Office is ready to support you in the transition to your new home and community. To ease the severe labor shortage in the commercial market created by wartime exigencies, the Germans also worked in local communities at agricul- tural jobs. Vandenberg redesignated the Strategic Missile Center. If you arrive during nonduty hours, on a weekend or holiday and need assistance, call the Vandenberg Lodge at At orientation, newcomers are greeted by base leadership, meet local com- munity representatives and receive all manda- tory inprocessing briefings, including medical. Vanden- in northern Santa Barbara County with Lompoc, of sand dunes, 5, acres of wetlands, more berg is the only site from which Minuteman III 11 miles from the base, being the closest than 1, prehistoric archeological and 14 rock intercontinental ballistic missiles are launched town. Van- denberg set another record Feb. June , this portion of the camp was renamed lished immediately after the realignment, which Having surrendered to the Allies in , many Cooke Air Force Base and was officially trans- also produced the seeds for later organizations of the Italians volunteered to work for the U. The event is required for military members, but spouses and new civilian employees are also encouraged to attend. With its flat plateau, sur- the Air Force hosted the official groundbreaking rounding hills, numerous canyons, ocean access, The Air Force Takes Over ceremonies on May 9, In January , a space. A few weeks later on ARDC retained responsibility for the design ment of anti-aircraft artillery, combat engineer, Nov. The make reservations for up to 10 days. Strategic ENS Command for space operations. The launch vehicle for this mission was a Thor-Agena rockets combination. In , the 14th added tors. Air Force photos 11Getting Settled Information is subject to change without notice. If you are asked to contact their primary care manager ciated with moving. Stay on Highway until it County chapter on Page 21 for information about systems capabilities and Air Force application merges into Highway 1 and follow the signs to local airports, train service and public transpor- demonstrations. PCM Change Form to your regional contractor. OFIR Among the parade of newer space boosters were. Those arriving Travel South to the Clark Street exit town. It's the sole U. Shrouded in a cover story of scientific research, Discoverer was actually the cover name for Corona, America's first photo reconnaissance satellite program, which con- tinued until SG and in-silo launch capability. The 30th OG also operates and maintains base communication systems and provides direct support for range opera- tions, maintenance and modernization and sus- tainment efforts. Launched by modified intercontinental September , and though still months away select committee was formed that examined ballistic missiles, these operations had clear mil- from completion, the Army activated it on Oct. Old buildings were renovated and new Lompoc and Santa Maria. If you haven't arrived by mid- 4: Patients tion, self-move paperwork and all receipts asso- ervation will be automatically canceled. Your sponsor to the Vandenberg Air Force Base Santa Maria operations; aerospace education for youth and will answer any questions you have about the Gate. A maximum security Branch Disciplinary Barracks was constructed on post in to confine Army and Navy military prisoners. For information about event schedules, visit the center or call TRICARE's primary objectives are to optimize the delivery of health care services in the military's direct care system for all military health system ben- eficiaries and attain the highest level of patient satisfaction by delivering a world-class health care benefit. By , additional U. Air Force that assists with Sponsorship is vital to the relocation process, Highway 1 just north of town. Vandenberg, bara County and the Lompoc Valley. In activities were carried out by a field office estab- prisoners of war were quartered at Cooke.
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Home » Sport News » A 5-Concussion Pee Wee Game Leads to Penalties for the Adults
A 5-Concussion Pee Wee Game Leads to Penalties for the Adults
October 25, 2012 in Sport News with 0 Comments
(from New York Times, October 23, 2012) On the very first play of a pee wee game, two players were hit hard enough to be taken off the field. The game was being played between the Southbridge Pop Warner pee wees and the Tantasqua Braves. Players in this league were as young as 10, and for safety rules could not weigh over 120 pounds. The first play proved to be a serious foreshadowing of the rest of the game. Southbridge was clearly a bigger and better team than Tantasqua, and after the first quarter, the score was 28-0. The game continued to be played without interference, despite three players being knocked out and Tantasqua not even having enough players to continue.
Although there are supposed to be mercy rules, the score at the end of the game was 52-0. Five players had head injuries and the last one occurred on the last play of the game. A few days after the game, the boys were diagnosed with sustained concussions. Southbridge's coach, Scott Lazo, was accused of having his players purposely hurt the other team, but he defends himself by saying Tantasqua's coach should have forfeited. Lazo says the coach should have stopped the game and talked to him.
League officials recently suspended both coaches for the remainder of the season. Referees of that game were also banned from working in the Central Massachusetts Pop Warner League. This incident only adds to the debate of safety rules in football. This does not just apply to pee wee leagues, but to high school, college, and even the NFL. Rules, however, can only be effective if the people in charge enforce them. Pop Warner has been trying to increase the safety in their league by training coaches to recognize signs of concussions and to know when to pull kids from the game.
Sometimes the desire to win can blind players and coaches and the rules go out the window. When talking about youth coaches, Chris Nowinski said, "If you consider the coach is a fool, there are no rules that are foolproof."
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The report of the year's work which we now submit deals more fully with matters political than in-dustrial. Though it is true that the greater part of the activities of your Executive, in their public as-pect, has been necessarily connected with the urgent political and social crises which have arisen, a greater amount of attention than the report would suggest has been given to industrial matters. But these were not of outstanding importance, and, therefore, they are not specifically referred to in our report.
arrangement might be made for the exchange of food, timber, flax, oil, or other raw material which Russia had in the past been able to export. Our hopes in this direction failed. We, therefore, issued an appeal to the Unions on behalf of the starving children of Russia.
We recognised at the time how difficult it was for the Unions to organise contributions in face of the great amount of unemployment and distress which had followed the war in Ire-land. We, nevertheless, felt that the suffering in Russia was infinitely greater, and that the Labour Movement in Ireland might show good-will and sympathy in some small degree by material assistance.
Since last year's Congress the National Executive has been endeavouring to arrange that as-sistance from Ireland for the victims of the Russian Famine should be provided on a larger scale than could be hoped for from a relief fund. We hoped that it would have been possible for the Governments of Ireland and Russia to agree to a direct exchange of commodities—Ireland supplying food and agricultural machinery, and Russia supplying timber and certain other goods. Notwithstanding that the Irish Government has shown a willingness to give fa-vourable consideration to these proposals, we regret that the prospect of any immediate out-come is dim.
such help as it can to the children of other lands where need exists.
Encyclicals by the late Pope Benedict XV.
Friends, and the Union International de Secours am Enfants, all under the general supervi-sion of Dr Nansen as High Commissioner. Between them they contrive to support a million and a half of Russian children out of a total number of not less than ten millions. On its side the Soviet Government has given proof of both good-will and energy.
wholly false, but the Soviet Government has plainly exerted itself both in supplying seed for this year's harvest and in bringing relief to the sufferers. The Soviets themselves are main-taining, as Dr. Nansen tells us, over two millions of the famine-stricken.
When we remember that Russia has only just emerged from seven years of foreign and civil war, that her railway system is hopelessly disorganized, that the provinces affected by the famine are those which in normal years are the richest part of the country, it will be realized that the Russian Government is loyally doing its part in a work which concerns all Christen-dom.
need exists, and that as many others as may shall be helped also.
At the present rate of exchange the gift of one shilling will feed a Russian child for one whole week; twenty shillings will suffice to maintain it until the next harvest. And just as in the Irish cottier who had survived the famine of the previous year once more planted such seed as he could scrape together, so it is now with the Russian peasant. Incredible as it sounds, so strong is the peasant instinct that not even the pangs of immediate hunger have prevented them from making ready, as far as the gifts of the seed corn go, for the coming harvest. Many districts are and will remain waste, but in others the sowings are said to be not much below the average.
In response to the above appeal a total sum of £258 was subscribed by the Unions.
The National Executive of the Labour Party has had under earnest consideration recent de-velopments in the political and military life of the country. Evidence has accumulated dur-ing the past few weeks showing how anxiously the organised workers feel respecting the immediate future, and how strongly they protest against the assumption of authority on the part of military in civil affairs.
armies; we protest against the rule of the gun and the bomb when handled by Irish armies and by irresponsible individuals.
The Labour movement resolutely opposes, and will use all its power against, any body of men, official or unofficial, regular forces or irregular forces, who seek to impose their will upon the people by virtue of their armaments alone.
We deplore the growth of the idea that the Army may be a law unto itself; that the posses-sion of arms gives authority which may be exercised regardless of the civil power. This crit-icism is not directed only against one section of the Army—both forces have sometimes shown that they have learned lessons in arrogance from the British occupation!
These alarming developments call for immediate and determined action on the part of the civil population. An end must be made of this internecine strife amongst those who so re-cently were comrades-in-arms, acting under the authority of the civil Government.
We speak for the masses of the workers of Ireland, who are not willing that their coun-try should be freed from one tyranny only to set loose the elements of fratricidal strife. If the country is to resume warfare we shall endeavour to ensure that it is for something worthwhile for the workers to enter into the struggle. We are not willing to look on idly while brothers take up arms against brothers, fathers against sons.
will that the armed forces of the country should be under, and be amenable to, civilian au-thority, responsible to the people.
Now, lower grades in the services have not shared in the recommendations of the report. For in-stance, cleaners, charwomen, doorkeepers, etc., the very lowest paid in the service, have not been included in the recommendations. Immediately on publication of the report we made representations to the Commission, and the only satisfaction we could get was that the classes had not been over-looked, but that they could not include them. The portion of the report referring to the bonus, there-fore, seems to be misleading. The lower grades and the lower dogs in the service have not been in-cluded in the recommendations.
Commission proved that the Board of Trade index figure was not exact, and I think that proves of some value, if not considerable importance, for the workers generally.
instance it will be applied to Government workers. I should mention that at the Commission it was agreed that the index figure to be accepted must be an agreed figure by both parties.
The hopelessness of the Post Office service can be gauged from the fact that there are about forty different departments set up by the Government, and it is intended to keep these people in separate camps. It wanted to keep 2.5d. looking down on 2d., and not only that, but it wanted to have a sepa-rate union for each of them.
calling for an immediate truce, and should the call not be responded to, we instruct the workers to refuse to assist in any way the armed forces in Ireland. We might as well take the bull by the horns. There is no use in dilly-dallying, and for that reason I propose the resolu-tion.
Mr Burden—I beg to second the resolution. It appears to be the view of the delegates that they are prepared to withdraw all services of Labour from both parties. I think there should be an addendum to the resolution that the Executive of the Labour Party should get into communication with all organisations that are affiliated with this Congress, and tell them it is the unanimous wish of this Congress that, in order to stop this war, they are prepared to withdraw all Labour from both sides.
Mr Cunningham (Roscrea)—As to men in the Labour movement assisting both parties, all I can say is that every other day some of our men have been commandeered by the Free State Party, and compelled, at the point of the revolver, to drive lorries where ambushes were in operation. It is not fair to our organisation, and no man as a trades' unionist, whether a rail-way worker or a motor driver, should take part with either side. It is the workers and not the monied classes that are suffering in the present state of things in Ireland.
Mr Lynch (Dundalk)—We should do all that is humanly possible to bring about peace. Nei-ther side has got any mandate from the country to carry on this war. We see the politicians in a big division of jobs, and the anxiety of these people is to entrench themselves and their comrades and members of their families. As a result no harvest has been reaped, and not suf-ficient land has been tilled to provide people with the necessaries of life. They do not care whether the harvest is reaped or not ; they do not care as long as they achieve power some-how.
We should do everything possible to carry out the resolution proposed by Comrade O'Neill. A magnificent fight was put up against the power of the British Empire, and what was done once can be done again. All we are waiting for is a lead. It is for the Con-gress to give it, and it will be followed courageously and fearlessly. If you are prepared to take the risk your lead will be followed.
Alderman T Lawlor (Dublin)—We heard a lot of criticism of the men of the opposing forc-es. On one side and the other they are dictating terms at the mouth of the revolver. What we, as a Congress, desire is that the unarmed men should go out and tell both conflicting parties what our position is. I think this is a golden opportunity for Labour to make a demonstration. It has been standing in the breach for a number of years. If the Free State is entitled to be armed, when our lives and the lives of our dependents are in danger, then I suggest the time has arrived when we should be armed too. I think that is a practical suggestion.
There is no use in our passing resolutions when nothing is done. The responsibility rests on ourselves as to how far we are to go to protect ourselves. We can only meet force by force, and the only way to meet force is by arming ourselves.
Mr J T O'Farrell (RCA)—I have listened to this discussion, and I think a very serious and a very responsible situation has been discussed in a rather irresponsible manner. The Congress should use the best judgment in the matter. The National Executive dealt with the military situation, and tried to bring about peace, but, seeing that the National Executive failed in its task, we should try some more practical suggestions that might be successful. A number of suggestions have been offered, I believe, sincerely and seriously.
on behalf of the Labour movement. One or two suggestions were made as to what kind of an army there should be, and as to what say the people should have in the conduct of the army. Miss Molony made the suggestion that each man in the army need not fight when called upon. I think that would be an unusual kind of army. Alderman Lawlor seriously sug-gested that we should take up arms against militarism; but how can we condemn the use of arms and militarism if each individual is to be allowed the use of arms?
Such a proceeding would leave the country in a worse position. We have a number of sug-gestions as to ceasing work and withdrawing labour from each of the armies now operating. That is not going to end the war. Those carrying on the war have carried it on by the com-mandeering and seizure of motor cars; they have seized buildings, and even commandeered labour.


French actress Eye Haïdara is a rising star in her homeland and British audiences can get to see some of what the fuss is all about this week, when she co-stars in the latest frothy and uproarious comedy by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano, C'est La Vie! (Le Sens De La Fête). She'll also be seen in Season 2 of Amazon's spy dramedy Patriot, when it returns to the streaming service later this year.
I caught up with her on a flying visit to Edinburgh Film Festival earlier this summer, where the film was receiving its UK premiere ahead of its release in cinemas tomorrow (August 31). Haïdara, who was nominated as 'most promising newcomer' at this year's César Awards for the role, plays Adèle, the long-suffering assistant to wedding planner Max (Jean-Pierre Bacri) as they try to mount a wedding at a country estate, which sees her clash with self-centred wedding singer James (Gilles Lellouche).
The 35-year-old says she "fell deeply in love" with the screenplay as soon as she read it, adding: "But they're pretty big directors around the world. I thought, maybe they're just interested in me right now but they're going to find someone else."
When she had a callback, she says she was too afraid to ask if she'd got the role and had to phone her agent to confirm it.
"It was really exciting because it was the first time that I had made a comedy and I learnt a lot about the rhythm of the comedy," she says. "They always work with music and music reference so the directing is always a kind of dance, so it's really exciting as an actor. When you have such great partners as Jean-Pierre Bacri and Gilles Lellouche, you just follow them and dance with them."
Although the jokes come thick and fast in the film, it's also underpinned by some more serious social commentary, about off-the-books emigres and the challenges faced by small businessmen like Max.
Haïdara says: "I think that's the subject that elevates the comedy because laughing just to laugh without anything behind it is a little bit poor. The audience can imagine themselves in that group because it reflects society and the problems we have every day. Even when we talk about Max, the boss, and the problems he has, it is that of a small enterprise and people can identify much more easily with a small boss than a big boss of a multinational."
The actress is happy to talk about the need for more female representation across the film industry and beyond and recently denounced racism and stereotyping of black actresses by joining together with 15 others to write a book, Noire N'est Pas Mon Métier (Being Black Is Not My Job) - which they took up the red carpet at Cannes.
Although she's careful to be respectful of older stars, such as Catherine Deneuve, who signed a controversial letter regarding the #MeToo movement, she disagrees with them.
Haïdara says: "With all due respect to those actresses, I feel like they didn't really get the question. I understand totally what they said but I don't think it's a response to the same question."
She adds: "We need to have more women directors and in production too and in distribution. We need them. We need women's eyes to be everywhere, as equal as men. Things have moved a little bit but it's really, really slow. If women are everywhere in every level, that might change things in the bottom ranks."
When it comes to racial stereotyping in the industry, Haïdara says that before her recent success, she was always getting propositions "for black actresses only".
She adds: "In the past, I would never go to a casting if it just said 'young women' because I would never be taken it would be assumed they weren't casting black women, I would go when they were casting 'young black women' but now there are some casting directors and directors, who just say, 'I want a young person'. So very slowly, it's improving. I don't want to force it but it is a good thing.
"Now they choose who I am rather than the colour and I guess I pushed them to that too because where I am, I have the influence enough to do it, but we have to work for the others. We have to educate people and tell them. There's a lot of fear, too. Acting and making a movie is a choice that's supposed to be filled with the desire to work with someone and not pushed by colour. If it's a movie that demands to have a black woman or a white woman because it's the story then this we understand but otherwise it's supposed to be a choice based on desire - you're not supposed to look at the colours and all that. Sometimes, some directors who are not famous, they get blocked by producers, who say, 'No, it won't work if you take a black actress. Why do that?' So, we have to break those thoughts."
She took to the Cannes red carpet the day after the #MeToo protest, alongside fellow contributors Nadège Beausson-Diagne, Mata Gabin, Maïmouna Gueye, Rachel Khan, Aïssa Maïga, Sara Martins, Marie-Philomène Nga, Sabine Pakora, Firmine Richard, Sonia Rolland, Magaajyia Silberfeld, Shirley Souagnon, Assa Sylla and Karidja Touré.
"Now I realise it was necessary," she says. "When we worked on the book, I was kind of afraid because I didn't know if people were going to take it in a good way, because the text is a mix of memories, sometimes it's funny, some times it's poetry, it depends on the actress who is writing. But we weren't expecting a lot."
She says the women were shocked to discover that both the oldest and the youngest actresses involved had experienced the same problems.
"It shouldn't be the same for the younger ones," she says. "So we thought that if we write it then people can be aware and now we realised that a lot of people were waiting for that. We talk about cinema because we're actresses but what we say can be expanded to a lot of other industries to. The book was well-received in France and in Cannes there was a really great moment."


Have you given much thoughts to the power of I do?
The moment I got engaged, it was like I was instantly gifted this precious egg to nurture. That it was my job, my responsibility to take care of it and when it hatched on our wedding day, it will be through my effort to make sure it grows into something beautiful. Lee and I both have a responsibility to do our part, and this really is exactly how Jesus wants relationship with us. When we become His Bride, we're given the gift of relationship with Him. Jesus tends to us perfectly and he wants us to get to know His heart so we can truly be effective in our oneness with Him.
I want to tell you that relationships are a beautiful thing and the power of "I Do" invites us into a covenant relationship. If we understand the density of this truth, we'll begin to see our significant other as a gift from God to care for. To have the honor of taking care of that person's heart for the rest of your life. There's a deep sense of purpose in that. Purpose that is meant to breathe life into you.
If you are married, you know that it is hard work, but, it's not meant to be a hard life. The thought occurred to me the other day: I wonder what Jesus' carpentry looked like? My husband is a carpenter and I know that he works with excellence, so I can only imagine Jesus having the same work ethic. What am I getting at? Anything that has quality isn't rushed or taken lightly. It's intentionally thought out and made with the utmost care. Jesus is calling us into the same work ethic as a lifestyle for our marriages.
As people of Faith, we should be eager to lead with excellence, grace, respect, and love. But so often, we become trapped with this idea that everyone is doing better than us. It's funny how social media works: we post when something amazing happens and scroll when life isn't going our way. I get angry at how often the enemy uses that against us. Could we, instead of posting our high times, begin to unravel the depths of how we got there? I believe that matters. Let's change the conversation. For the sake of helping others. For the sake of caring about the quality of our relationships.
Maybe you're single, divorced, or widowed. I want to share how beautiful your life is, all the same. You come with so much wisdom to give others, so don't hide your story. Share it to better the conversation. To continually realize that you are whole because Christ shares a covenant with you. There is such a sweet gift in this chapter. Learn to be present in it and unravel the grace that is inside this season. You are passionately loved and pursued by the only one who will ever complete you. Say "I Do" to a lifestyle with Him.
"The power of I Do" isn't about a phrase, but a covenant that we said "yes" to. No matter what season you find yourself in, let today be the beginning of wisdom, so that we may unravel all that relationships are meant for.
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Brett Myers
How deep do the Phillies' problems run?
CHICAGO — At this stage it's pretty easy being negative. Considering that the Phillies have lost six of eight games to NL Central doormats Pittsburgh and Chicago, and struggled even to score runs off the Cubs at Wrigley Field, yeah, it's easy to be down on the Phillies.
There's a lot to be disappointed about, too. Cliff Lee is gone, traded for prospects that may not be able to help the club for the length of the next contract the All-Star lefty signs. Plus, because general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. thought the Phils were better off without Brett Myers, a pitcher who is putting together the best year of his career with the Astros, the Phillies' rotation is left with Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and a bunch of guys.
Sometimes those guys pitch well, but most of the time they don't.
Indeed it was a tough winter for Amaro. Juan Castro, his addition to the bench, was given his unconditional waivers last Saturday. That was because Placido Polanco, the splashy free-agent signee of the off-season, had returned from a stint on the disabled list.
Moreover, Amaro called lefty reliever Scott Eyre's bluff… and lost. Eyre claimed he would retire rather than play for a team other than the Phillies and kept his word. Future Hall-of-Famer Pedro Martinez was not offered a contract following a postseason in which he started 30 percent of the team's final 10 games, including two of the World Series games at Yankee Stadium, and now also appears to be retired.
Both pitchers wanted to play for the Phillies, and certainly would have contributed to the team. But for whatever reason their help wasn't needed. Hell, even Chan Ho Park took a smaller contract than the one offered to him by the Phillies in order to pitch for the Yankees.
Just to pile on, last-year's free-agent signee Raul Ibanez has struggled after a winter where he had surgery for a sports hernia, and Shane Victorino seems unable to get a hit unless it's a homer or extra-base knock. Meanwhile, free-agent to be Jayson Werth has turned surly and his attitude questioned as his batting average plummets and his strikeout totals pile up. In four games at Wrigley Field last weekend, Werth struck out nine times—the first five of those came in the first eight plate appearances where he didn't even move the bat from his shoulder.
"Swing," manager Charlie Manuel said exacerbatedly after a game in which the team racked up eight strikeouts looking as frozen as an angry possum cowering under the back tires of a car on a pitch-black night.
Meanwhile, Brad Lidge hasn't been bad, but he hasn't exactly inspired confidence, either. Ryan Madson's season has been better known for his ability to kick chairs like a wacko David Akers more than setting up games. Off-season addition Jose Contreras has been inconsistent, while countryman Danys Baez has turned into another one of Amaro's follies.
Quick, does someone know the opposite of the word, architect?
The most frustrating part of a season that has the Phillies fighting to make up 5½ games in the suddenly competitive NL East, and has driven Manuel crazier than anything has been the offense's inability to score runs consistently. Post-game meetings with the manager are like summer reruns where the former hitting coach attempts to explain away the dearth of hitting and energy before finally giving up and falling back on his old standbys.
"You guys are stat guys... take a look. If you can't see where the problem is at," Manuel said after Sunday night's loss where the ace Halladay gave up six runs in six innings while a lefty named Tom Gorzelanny shut them down. "I don't have to sit here and say anything about anybody. You should be able to read the stats and read what happens and watch the game every night. I don't have to sit here and say anything negative about anybody. It speaks for itself. Nobody can take away your performance. No one can hide it, though, neither."
The issue for Manuel is inconsistency. Lots of inconsistency.
"It's the same thing every night," he said.
Manuel is wrong about the inconsistency. The thing is the only way his team has been consistent this season is with its maddening and inexplicable inconsistency. For a manager who prides himself on his knowledge of hitting with intricate insight on nearly every hitter he's ever seen, the lack of production from his hitters is especially maddening. In fact, sometimes it seems as if Manuel prefers the teams he coached in Cleveland even though they never won the World Series.
Hitting solves a lot of problems, goes Manuel's logic. When a team hits, he says, mistakes don't stand out and the pitching looks better if it's not really the case.
"Everything looks good when you hit," Manuel said.
In the interest in fairness, however, Amaro was able to made deals to get three different Cy Young Award winners on his team (even though he dumped two of them). He also put deals in place for Hamels and Howard. With Howard it appears as if the slugger will be with the Phillies for the rest of his career. Halladay likely will finish his career with the Phillies, too. Those players are a very strong cornerstone.
However, Lee is gone, presumably over money though we've never received a straight or satisfying answer as to why the pitcher was traded. That's especially maddening considering Amaro threw good money at bad contracts for Baez and Castro, as well as a three-year deal for starter Joe Blanton at $8 million per season.
Moreover, the team will be saddled with $23 million owed to Lidge and Ibanez in 2011, with extensions for Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Madson and Hamels.
The bottom line is that the Phillies still need pitching and a bat or two in the outfield. Sure, Domonic Brown is on the way, but that still doesn't answer the pitcher issue…
Or why two guys like Lee or Myers were allowed to walk away.
Posted at 09:05 PM in Brett Myers, Charlie, Cliff Lee, Phillies, Ruben Amaro Jr., Ryan Howard | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
The winter of the Phillies' discontent
CHICAGO — Charlie Manuel was quick to tell his National League All-Stars that someone in the victorious clubhouse following the 3-1 victory on Tuesday night was going to enjoy playing Game 1 of the World Series this October in their home ballpark.
But Manuel was quick to point out that he wasn't just talking to the players from the Braves, Reds, Padres or Cardinals, but looking straight at Ryan Howard and Roy Halladay from his club when he said that. See, Manuel very much enjoyed getting to the World Series the past couple of years and very much wants to pad his resume with a few more trips to the Fall Classic, too.
"Keep strivin'," Manuel said. "I want to keep going."
The want-to and the able-to are always so fickle, though. Absolutely, a third trip in a row to the World Series just might cinch Manuel's legacy in Philadelphia — that is if he hasn't done that already with a title in 2008 and a return trip to the big dance in '09. No, the Phillies never have had a manager go to the World Series twice and only one other guy, Danny Ozark, went to the playoffs three times like Manuel.
Still, to hear it in the manager's voice and to see the wear on his face following the 12-6 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Thursday night, the Phillies could be headed for a light schedule in October for a change. Indeed, there is trouble lurking in the not-so distance horizon for the Phillies and things could spin out of control quickly if they aren't careful. See, this season Manuel's crew is much more flawed than in seasons past. The inability to generate offense without a home run has caused some trouble, while injuries have forced guys like Wilson Valdez and Greg Dobbs into key roles.
Certainly games missed by Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Placido Polanco and Carlos Ruiz have hurt the team, but definitely not more than the pitching has hurt.
"We have holes," Manuel pointed out after the latest loss that set the team to 5½ games off the pace in the NL East and two back for sixth place in the wild-card chase.
Manuel knows as well as anyone about the team's shortcomings, but he only scratches the surface. Sure, the Phillies' starters had an ERA of 3.95 and led the league in complete games, innings pitches and strikeouts-to-walks ratio, but those numbers lie.
Bald-faced lie.
What those numbers don't reveal is that the Phillies desperately need pitching because they are all skewed by Halladay's presence. Even the relief pitchers have fared well with Halladay's addition to the staff because the corps of bullpen men have worked the fewest innings in the majors. Needless to say it helps that Halladay can gobble up nearly eight innings every time out.
So what happens when Halladay is taken out of the equation? Do you really want to know?
Try this out: with Halladay the Phils went into Thursday's second-half opener with the sixth best starter's ERA in the National League and sixth-best mark overall. But take Halladay's 2.19 ERA out of the mix and overall ERA jumps to 4.43 while the starters' sky rockets to 4.54.
In other words, the Phillies need some pitching… before it's too late.
Now there are two ways to handle this—three if complaining about the Cliff Lee trade is an option, because let's face it… it's was a really bad move and could be the reason why the team has been so unhinged this season. No, trading Lee wasn't the worst possible trade general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. could have made, but it's up there.
Regardless, one way to make a charge is simply for the rotation to dial it up. Sure, Cole Hamels has been good this year, but he is also prone to inconsistency like the rest of the staff. If the Phillies are going to get back into the playoffs for a fourth straight season, Hamels is going to have to pitch like it's 2008 or if he magically morphs into Cliff Lee.
Consistency is the key.
"Is it good enough? I don't know. I mean we gotta pitch," Manuel said. "If we pitch consistently, put it like this, for where we want to go we have to play high .500 [winning percentage] or low .600 the rest of the way. That means ours pitching has to be very consistent."
Another way for the staff to gain consistency is to add a missing piece. Nope, unless Amaro has a time machine, either DeLorean model or hot tub, Lee is gone forever. It also doesn't appear as if Pedro Martinez will be ready to help the club the rest of the way this season, nor does it seem likely that they can get a stud like Roy Oswalt since the y have a dearth of bargaining chips. Trading Jayson Werth clearly has become a very wise move because it seems apparent that he will not be re-signed, but what kind of value does he have?
A player like Werth would be desirable on a club making a push for the playoffs, but even there he isn't very attractive since he likely could only be a two month rental. Besides, if a team is in contention, it is not going to deal away valuable pitching talent for Werth. That wouldn't make sense.
Then again, trading away Lee and re-signing Joe Blanton for three years after he was shopped during the winter meetings only for the Phils' to learn there wasn't any interest. That's no knock on Blanton, but really… why sign him for three years and $24 million when there is a chance to give Lee an extension?
It doesn't make any sense.
Speaking of not making much sense, the decision to allow Brett Myers to walk away seems to have come back and bit the team on the rear, too. Making matters worse is the fact that Myers is exactly the type of pitcher the Phillies need right now. In fact, Myers is quietly putting together the best season of his career with the Astros, checking in with a 3.41 ERA in 18 starts and 121 innings.
Sure, there was plenty of baggage that came with having Myers on the team, but there was no shortage of enthusiasm. These days the only way some of the players on the club express themselves is by screaming expletives at a father and his son sitting in the right-field seats.
Maybe we can rephrase the old baseball adage by pointing out that a team can't win a pennant in December, but this one just might have lost one last winter.
Posted at 04:01 AM in Brett Myers, Charlie, Phillies, Roy Halladay, Ruben Amaro Jr. | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
While catching up with the 76ers and learning as much as possible about Sam Dalembert and the crisis in Haiti, we kind of put the silliness on the back burner for a couple of days. Undoubtedly there have been quite a few fun things happening around these parts, starting with…
The Philadelphia Union traded for Fred with D.C. United a day before their first foray in the MLS draft. In case you are looking at that last sentence and thinking there was a typo or inadvertent omission of Fred's surname, guess again.
The Union got Fred. You know… Fred.
Actually, Fred is a Brazilian soccer player and just to further perplex American sports fans, guys like Fred or Ronaldo or Ronaldinho operate with just a single name. You know, just to be wacky or something. However, I have been informed that the penalty for a yellow card against Fred is that he will be forced to use a last name.
May I suggest, Fred X?
Helbert Frederico Carreiro da Silva is the name Fred's mama gave him and he is not to be confused with Frederico Chaves Guedes—he goes by Frederico, which is also a good name for anyone contemplating a career as a samba dancer.
In the meantime, the first player the Philadelphia Union acquired within 24 hours of the draft is a guy with the handle, Fred. More notable is that after the Union selected Danny Mwanga from Oregon St. with the first pick of the 2010 MLS Draft, the team had two players with a combined three names.
Hey, it's quality not quantity.
Fred and Danny Mwanga and the rest of the Union will kick-off their inaugural season in Seattle on March 25 before their home debut on April 10 at the Linc. There still is no date set for the first game at the soon-to-be constructed Union Field at Chester, the team's new stadium located at the foot of the Commodore Barry Bridge.
So go get some tickets and see Fred. You know… Fred.
Stick it?
Brett Myers was officially introduced as a member of the Houston Astros this week, which shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone familiar with general manager Ed Wade's taste in players. The interesting aspect about Myers' departure from the Phillies after eight seasons is that he is exactly the type of pitcher current GM Ruben Amaro Jr. is shopping for.
Actually, Myers could be a nice fit as a backend reliever or starter for the Phillies. Better yet, based on the deal he got from Wade, he would have fit into the price structure, too.
So for a pitcher (a pitcher!) to be given the Heisman so wantonly by Amaro, it seems clear that Myers' act simply wore out everyone.
If you're looking for Myers to read between the lines or understand the not-so-subtle kick to the curb, guess again. Instead, he sought to inflame the situation during his introductory press conference in Houston.
"I wanted to go back to Philadelphia, but they didn't show an interest, they had other obligations, which is fine with me," Myers said before promising to "stick it" to the Phillies.
Certainly that last element is quite interesting because Amaro and the Phillies were quick to announce their intentions not to re-sign Myers. In fact, the decision came very quickly after the World Series ended in early November.
Moreover, based on how Myers pitched throughout most of his tenure with the Phillies, some would argue that he already has "stuck it" to them. It's kind of hard to see that act continuing now that he's gone.
Posted at 04:22 PM in Brett Myers, Fred, Philadelphia Union | Permalink | Comments (0)
Trolling the lobby
INDIANAPOLIS—Just did my first serious troll through the veritable Star Trek convention that is the Baseball Winter Meetings, and to describe the scene by paraphrasing a line from Bill Hader in the marvelous opening scene in the epic film, Pineapple Express, "One: lots of dudes... "
Truth be told, I've quoted that movie twice already this morning by using the always versatile phrase, "What happened to your eye?"
Regardless, the first trip proved to be quite fruitful when the rumor du jour involved ex-Phillie Pat Burrell. According to the reports, tweets and scuttlebutt, Burrell was said to be involved in a threeway deal.
Yeah, too easy...
The report was the Rays were going to trade Burrell to the Cubs for Milton Bradley and then the Cubs would turnaround and send Pat The Bat to the Mets.
Wouldn't it be awesome to see Burrell 18 times a season in a Mets' uniform? Just think about how much fun that would be aside from it underscoring the mercenary nature of baseball. Ah, but to be a wet blanket -- according to the terms of his contract, the Rays would have to pay Burrell cash if he were to be traded. Sure, the Rays got to the World Series in 2008 and are no longer the doormats of the American League, but that doesn't mean they are so flush with cash that they can go around making trades and signing free agents.
Leslie Gudel sent a message to Burrell on whether or not he heard about the rumor and (not surprisingly) he had not. Burrell wasn't known to follow the hot stove back when he was playing for the Phillies and he, said back then, he didn't even own a computer. Chances are he hasn't changed his media diet all that much in the year since he has been gone.
But when asked by Tim Brown of Yahoo!, a Rays' representative dropped the ol', "That's news to us," line on Brown.
In other words, the Burrell to the Cubs and Mets rumor was too good to be true.
Another good one had ex-Phillie Brett Myers headed to either Houston or Texas...
Yes, there is a joke somewhere in there, too. Go ahead and make up your own about Brett Myers, Texas, his penchant for going to the gun range, Ed Wade, and, of course, Brett Myers in the state of Texas.
Meanwhile, the Phillies didn't appear to be too busy on the first day of the Winter Meetings here at the Downtown Marriott. At one point, key front-office types Charley Kerfeld, Gordon Lakey and Howie Freiling were all in the lobby mingling with the scribes. While this was going on, Ruben Amaro Jr. and a bunch of the rest of the Phillies' brass were standing along the railing overlooking the lobby where they were undoubtedly making wise cracks about the show down below.
Like shooting fish in a barrel.
For what it's worth, the Phillies are said not to be willing to part with the money in order to get Brandon Lyon. Last season for the Tigers, the reliever earned $4.25 million and is in line for a raise this year. Still, he is the type of player the Phillies are looking to add before spring training.
Perhaps this is the off-season where the economy of the U.S. really comes into play.
Posted at 01:48 PM in Bill Hader, Brett Myers, Pat Burrell, Philadelphia Phillies, Pineapple Express, Winter Meetings | Permalink | Comments (0)
Hot time in the old town with the hot corner
Without so much as a flick of an eyelash, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. set the Phillies' offseason into full swing. He didn't have to issue a statement, hold a press conference or even sign anything.
Hell, he didn't even have to answer any questions because that was already handled for the GM by other people. There was a quick e-mail sent out to reporters regarding Pedro Feliz's option, and Brett Myers told people that Amaro told him that he oughta just go be a free agent.
So now Amaro needs to find a third baseman to replace the sure-handed Feliz, and a knucklehead to replace Myers. And of course, as written three times on this space already (this is the fourth), the Phillies hope to make a trade for Roy Halladay.
Whispers from Phillies sources is the deal for Halladay could include Cole Hamels.
That still leaves the team down a knucklehead with Myers' departure. Perhaps they'll go knucklehead-less?
Anyway, as Amaro hangs out at the O'Hare Hilton in Chicago—the very same hotel O.J. Simpson checked into after flying from L.A. the night of the murders—his off-season plans were laid out in appropriate order:
* Third baseman
* Relief pitcher(s)
* The bench
And if there is enough time or money left over maybe they can find a clubhouse knucklehead to replace Myers. But you know… only if they have time.
The search for a new third baseman is an interesting proposition for Amaro. After all, this is one of those rare cases in which it will be difficult for the GM to mess it up since there are plenty of quality free-agent third basemen. Certainly Chone Figgins of the Angels is the cream of the crop, but the Angels want him back and his asking price is reported to be 5-years for $50 million.
Five years for a guy about to turn 32 might be a bit much, but Figgins could be a valuable piece for the Phillies. No, he's not much of a slugger, but he would be the perfect leadoff hitter in this lineup. Last year he walked 101 times and has an on-base percentage over .385 in the past three seasons.
Compared to Jimmy Rollins, well… there is not much of a comparison. Figgins' OBP in 2009 was exactly 100-points higher than Rollins'. Plus, as a leadoff hitter Figgins sees 4.21 pitches per plate appearance. On the Phillies, only Jayson Werth saw more pitches (4.51) and he led the Majors.
Figgins also steals more bases than any player for the Phillies, and though he led the league in caught stealing in two out of the past three years, a spring with Davey Lopes could turn him into a 70-stolen base threat.
Figgins would be a perfect table setter for the Phillies' sluggers and fits in nicely in that he strikes out a lot, too (his BAbip was .356). However, the addition of Figgins would probably rock the boat a little too much because Rollins, for some reason, is the leadoff hitter for life.
He might be the worst leadoff hitter in the big leagues, but Rollins' is the leadoff hitter nonetheless. Egos are a helluva thing, especially within the space of a baseball clubhouse. Though the Phillies might be better served with Rollins hitting further down in the lineup—like second, seventh—manager Charlie Manuel has bought the idea that he has one leadoff hitter and one only.
Yes, Figgins is the best option for the Phillies. That's especially the case considering his fielding, statistically speaking, was just as good as Feliz.
Other names that will be whispered into the wind like so many dandelion spores are Adrian Beltre and Mark DeRosa. The fact is, the Phillies have had the hots for both players for years and put the moves on DeRosa during the winter meetings last December. However, neither player is as consistent as Figgins.
Worse, Beltre and DeRosa have had their share of injuries. DeRosa, the former Penn quarterback, has never played more than 149 games in a season (he's done it twice) and will be 35 in February. Plus, he had surgery on his wrist last week.
Beltre is 13 years into his career and is coming off his worst season. The Phillies can definitely do better.
And certainly they should do better. With the attendance numbers they posted (102 percent capacity for 89 games in the regular- and post-seasons), money isn't an issue. Plus, with the ever fickle window of opportunity just an injury away from closing, the Phillies aren't risking all that much by making a move on Figgins (or Halladay, a bullpen piece, and a knucklehead).
Besides, third base is one of those marquee positions for the Phillies, like left field for the Red Sox or center field for the Yankees. Dick Allen played third base. So too did Mike Schmidt and Scott Rolen. They seemed to be in a good spot with Placido Polanco at third, but needed guys like David Bell, Tomas Perez, Tyler Houston, Shawn Wooten, Ramon Martinez, Jose Hernandez, Alex Gonzalez, Wes Helms, Abraham Nunez, Greg Dobbs, Miguel Cairo, Eric Bruntlett and Feliz to hold down the hot corner.
Hey, you had us at Polanco.
Posted at 12:00 AM in Adrian Beltre, Brett Myers, Chone Figgins, Jimmy Rollins, Mark DeRosa, Pedro Feliz, Placido Polanco, Roy Halladay, Ruben Amaro Jr. | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
NLCS Game 1: Setting up the roster
LOS ANGELES—Before I mention anything else, I have to give a big thank you to Mr. Tug Haines for the Google Wave invite. I don't know what it is or what it does, but as a Google geek, I know I wanted it and thankfully Tug was kind of enough to send me the invite.
So yes, that was very nice of him.
On another note, Tug along with Mike Meech do a bang up job putting together the web site, The Fightins. Along with Zolecki over there at MLB.com, and Gonz at that newspaper, there aren't too many mainstream media types that give the proper credit to so-called blog sites. When done well like The Fightins, The 700 Level, Balls, Sticks & Stuff, and many others with a Philly bent, the sites are a blast to read. And aren't sports supposed to be fun?
Again, thanks to Mr. Tug and here's hoping those guys keep up the good work because it's a fun read. Check them out.
As far as the news here goes, Brett Myers is here but was not seen on the field during BP. Then again, I wasn't looking for him. Charlie said when he broke the news to him that he would not be on the NLCS roster, Myers shrugged and then got up and walked out of the room.
People who have talked to him says he's "ticked."
I'm not sure what he has to be ticked about since he's not very good right now. I've trotted this out plenty of times in the past so I'll do it again here—scouts say his stuff is garbage. He has no pitches and lousy mechanics.
"I look at Brett, and it's almost like spring training for him. He had a very serious injury, came back, and maybe it was too early, I don't know," Charlie said. "But then he hurt his shoulder, and his shoulder was like a second degree injury. And then I've noticed him, and the fact that he's not sharp, but also what we kind of the things that we wanted to do, it's another way of him going down in the bullpen and working and everything and doing some -- working on his pitching and throwing and stuff and see where he's at."
Ruben Amaro chalked the decision up to simple baseball business and that Myers didn't get a chance to throw too much upon returning from hip surgery.
"We think we're a better team with 11 pitchers," Amaro said. "We're trying to win baseball games with the best 25 guys we have."
Obviously that best 25 did not include Myers.
Meanwhile, Pedro is all set to go in Game 2. It will be interesting to see how long he can go and what kind of stuff he has since he has thrown just seven innings in real games since that 130-pitch game against the Mets in mid-September.
"There's a risk, of course. But I'd rather take a risk on a guy like Pedro who has experience," Amaro said.
Yeah, what the hell… it's Pedro. The worst thing that can come out of it is good times.
Posted at 12:00 AM in Brett Myers, Google Wave, NLCS, Pedro Martinez, The 700 Level, The Fightins | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Who needs a nap?
I'm tired, Tired of playing the game Ain't it a crying shame I'm so tired
- Lili Von Shtupp
MILWAUKEE — This is the time in the baseball season where the days grow longer, the nights shorter and the turnaround so much more quicker. Not only is there no rest for the weary, but also the only recourse is adrenaline.
Yes, we're beat, but dammit we're having fun, too. No one wants to go home because the action starts in October. Sure, we're tired. All of us. The players, the coaches, the front-office types and, of course, the scribes. We're beaten down to a bloody pulp like an aimless old boxer who just got his ass waffled. But really, what better place to be?
October baseball is why the players play and why the writers write.
It's also why the scouts scout. For those who make the rounds from city to city with the Phillies, there are a few more regular faces on the scene. Like writers, scouts travel in packs even though they work for competing organizations. Call it safety in numbers.
But only one of these packs of people has any true bearing on the outcome of games and that ain't the scribes. In fact, advance scouting offers so much insight into the opposition that birddoggers from all of the Phillies' potential opponents have been at the ballpark for every game for the past two months. Shoot, even a scout from the Twins has been watching the Phillies in the outside chance that they meet in the World Series.
Most notable though are the guys from the Dodgers, Cardinals, Rockies and Braves, who happens to be ex-Phillies manager Jim Fregosi. Aside from Fregosi, the scouts from the National League-playoff clubs and a handful of American League teams have been out every day.
There are a couple of things to know about scouts. One is they watch the game differently than even the most astute fan or writer. They look for tendencies, nuanced little tells and tips that might not happen but one time in 100 pitches, but that one time could be the difference. Plus, the scouts look at the game objectively. Unlike coaches or the manager, the scouts are looking for what their team can exploit. They zero in on weaknesses like a big schoolyard bully.
At the core, though, the scout is an overt spy. As such, they trade in information and every once in a while they leak like a sieve. Because writers have access and insight that the scouts do not, there is often a quid pro quo between scout and scribe.
Wanna know what a few of them think about the Phillies' chances in the playoffs? Well, it's not really that much of a surprise.
"They're going to have to ride their starting pitchers for as long as they can," a scout said, noting that the Phillies' bullpen is a mess.
This will be an interesting week for watchers of the Phillies because reliever J.C. Romero has been activated from the disabled list on Monday, Brett Myers could return to action this week along with Chan Ho Park, and Scott Eyre has not pitched in a game since Sept. 7. Before that, the lefty specialist had pitched just once since Aug. 16.
Then there is the issue of the ninth inning where it appears as if Brad Lidge will not see any significant action aside from mop-up duty to restore his fastball command and confidence. Ryan Madson pitched spectacularly in the ninth inning to save Sunday's win at Miller Park, but if the lanky righty takes over the ninth, who gets the eighth?
Tyler Walker? Sergio Escalona? One of the guys trying to cram in some work before the playoffs begin? Not Brett Myers, says one scout.
"His stuff was pretty unimpressive in the few games he pitched when he got back [from hip surgery]," a scout said.
The biggest issue just might be the starting rotation, particularly Cliff Lee who is 2-3 with a 6.35 ERA in his last six starts. One of those six starts was a complete game shutout, which reveals how poor those numbers were in the other five outings. Meanwhile, Pedro Martinez missed his last start with a strained neck and J.A. Happ very well could be the answer in the bullpen.
Still, Lee and that rough patch with just one more start to go in the season is also something for folks to pay attention to.
"There are a lot of innings for those starters. Some of them look pretty tired," another scout said. "But then again, there are a lot of guys out there that look tired."
Jayson Werth, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley are a few names that pop to mind when talking about tiredness. Better yet, if a scout from another team notices how tired the Phillies look, Manuel ought to, as well.
Well, yes and no. Sure, Manuel acknowledges that a couple of his guys are a little burnt, but it's too late to do anything about it. With a four-game lead with six to go, Manuel can't give Werth a day off even though he is 3 for his last 30 with just three singles and 14 strikeouts.
The tiredness is even more noticeable in Utley, who, like Werth, is struggling at the plate. Heading into Tuesday's game against the Astros, Utley is 3for his last 27 and batting .222 in September.
Manuel says his all-star second baseman is in need of a day off, but he won't get one until the NL East is sewn up.
"I think he's dragging some, but he's trying really hard. When we don't play well he takes it real hard and he tries to do too much," Manuel said. "But at the same time he can come out of it. He can handle it."
Can he, or is that just wishful thinking by Manuel? The old adage is the regulars get to take a break after the division is won, but even then the Phillies will have home-field advantage on the line. They don't want to go to Los Angeles for the first round, do they?
Heck, the way the Braves are playing the Phils might have to go to St. Louis.
"A day of rest would be nice. Of course, we could have been getting plenty of days of rest. But things don't always go the way we want," Rollins said about the Phillies' inability to close out the division in a timely manner. "What happens is that at times you have lapses in concentration. You think you have the pitcher right where you wanted him and then, wham! You miss that one pitch."
Posted at 12:00 AM in Brett Myers, Charlie, Chase Utley, Cliff Lee, Jayson Werth, Jimmy Rollins, Phillies, scouts | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Everything is cream cheese...
There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body. Now you stick to that, and everything else is cream cheese.
-- Coach Finstock from the major motion picture, Teen Wolf
I'm not into absolutes. After all, the grey areas are much more interesting. However, there are a few pearls of wisdom – little guidelines if you will – that I undoubtedly will pass along to my sons.
The easy place to start is with Coach Finstock's words to Michael J. Fox's character, Scotty, the so-named "Teen Wolf." Sleep, as we all have learned, is so much more important to one's health than food. And I'll wager that it's probably a really good idea not to play cards with a guy who has the first name of a city as well as a woman with a tattoo of a dagger.
Getting involved? Hey, to each their own.
But it goes without saying that those people generally are much more comfortable with pain than the average dude on the street. Hey, we all know that parents are giving kids goofy names these days, and we also know that self-mutilation is trendy as all get out. But there is nothing about a man named Blaine or a chick with a tramp stamp that strikes fear into my heart. A insomniac named Frisco and a woman with a homemade tattoo of a knife made with a penknife, well, I steer clear.
It just makes sense.
I've taken those rules from Coach Finstock and added a few to them over the years. Hang around with pro athletes for a decade in Philadelphia and eyes open a bit. It's not quite like being in a war, but it's kind of like being on the fringes of a really big fight. Sometimes, by accident, a stray punch or a thrown chair has a way of bloodying the nose or blackening an eye.
Hey, it happens.
So speaking of blackened eye(s), three-time Opening Day starting pitcher Brett Myers is apparently walking around with a honey of a shiner these days. Word is he got it from falling out of his wife's Escalade after an evening out drinking and listening to music at a bar in Jacksonville, Fla. That's the story for now, anyway. When the black eye was first reported, Brett told the Phillies brass that he got nailed by an errant throw from his four-year old son, Kolt.
That one was a doozy, but it seemed to be the most feasible. Having seen Kolt in action around the ballpark and the clubhouse before and after games, the kid has a helluva of right arm. When the genetics fairy touched young Kolt, they gave the kid his dad's fastball, but let's hope they gave him better reading ability or ability to judge a situation better than his old man, too.
Anyway, the story is Brett tripped on some of the kid's toys when exiting the obnoxious, gas guzzling behemoth. However, according to a report from Dave Murphy over there at High Cheese, there was a fight at the bar/restaurant Myers and his wife were hanging out in. Moreover, Brett and his wife Kim were right in the middle of it, too. The cops showed up though there was no police report and the witnesses all seem to be telling the same story.
Yet despite the black eye, the acknowledgment of a fight, the police presence, the Phillies and Myers are sticking with the fell-out-of-the-Escalade bit. In a text message from general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., the official line appears to be that they are standing behind their guy:
"As has been published and from what Brett has told me, he was not part of an altercation that occurred at the establishment where he was."
Reading between the lines there it sounds like it's all on Brett. Smartly, the "witnesses" also are telling the same stories and since there is no police report, looks like all we have is a black eye from an ill-fated exit from a tacky car.
So let's get back to Teen Wolf for a second:
Let's add one more caveat to Coach Finstock's advice… don't get into a bar fight across the state from the ballpark where you are scheduled to do a rehab assignment the next day. Also, don't do this in a contract year, and especially don't get involved in an "altercation" just four years after an arrest where the prosecutors want you to plead guilty to assault and battery, serve two years' probation, enter a program for spousal abusers and undergo an outpatient alcohol abuse evaluation.
Follow those rules and everything else is cream cheese.
Posted at 12:00 AM in bars, Brett Myers, Coach Finstock, Dave Murphy, gas-guzzling cars, Ruben Amaro Jr., Teen Wolf | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Here comes Floyd
This weekend is the big, TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Classic, the classic race that skirts through the Art Museum area, Fairmont Park and, of course, Manayunk. In some sections of town the race is a pretty good excuse to hang out and drink beer…
Not that there is ever a bad excuse.
Nevertheless, ever since the race was saved by a last-minute sponsor with a fresh injection of cash (hey, now), the comings-and-goings of the big race have kind of flown beneath the radar. Makes sense, of course, since most Philadelphians are more worried about ankle surgery for Brian Westbrook a full 12 weeks before the football season rather than some unknown bike racers tearing through town.
That would be the case, of course, if they were all unknown. But they aren't. Floyd Landis is going to be there.
We all remember Floyd, of course. His story has been told and re-told thousands of times since he won the Tour de France in 2006 only to have it stripped away after two years of arbitration hearings and appeals through the kangaroo courts conducted by USADA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Since then Floyd has racked up $2 million in legal bills, according to reports. He moved at of his home in Murrietta, Calif. to shack up and train in a cabin in Idyllwild, a small town located in the San Jacinto Mountains south of Los Angeles.
He has a mortgage, had hip-replacement surgery, served a two-year suspension and gotten divorced. Now, he has been named in an international arrest warrant for hacking into the computer at France's Chatenay-Malabry anti-doping lab. That's the same lab that produced more than 200 procedural and protocol errors when testing his urine sample following the now infamous Stage 17 of the 2006 Tour de France. Floyd's doctor Arnie Baker is named in the warrant as well.
And yet there he is riding in races against competitors that weren't close to his level a little more than three years ago. Back then, he said, he was "in the best shape of" his life. These days he trains and races simply because he likes to ride his bike.
As he told VeloNews in January:
"I don't feel in any way I am coming back to race to prove anything to anyone, or to myself for that matter. I enjoy racing for the same reason the majority of people race their bikes, whether it's on a professional level or any other level. I think the sport deserves to have the best riders in the best races. For that reason I think this year is going to be better than it has been in a long time."
Dime-store psychology aside, riding the bike might be the only thing that makes sense in Floyd's life these days. In fact, before the racing season began there was talk of Floyd joining a major team and racing in the 2010 Tour de France.
But as the season developed, Floyd hasn't won any races. He's had some crashes and strong attacks, but hasn't been a major threat in the final standings. Hey, racing is hard and chances are he'll be a threat soon, but in the meantime he's coming to Philly because he likes to ride his bike…
Kind of like the folks out in Manayunk who like to drink beer.
Speaking of Floyd, Brett Myers had hip surgery today in New York City with hot-shot surgeon Dr. Bryan Kelly administering.
Incidentally, after he decided to have surgery Myers told me he saw pictures of his pitching before and after the injury. In one, his right leg was as high as his right shoulder in his follow through, but in the post-injury photo, his range of motion was noticeably shorter.
The surgery should be good for Myers to regain his flexibility and with it, his velocity.
Speaking of Floyd, J.C. Romero returned last night for the first time after serving a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.
Interesting: in MLB, 50 games for a positive test.
Hell, in cycling, it doesn't even have to be a real positive test to get a suspension. In cycling, two years for a positive test.
Posted at 12:00 AM in beer, Brett Myers, Floyd Landis, J.C. Romero, Manayunk | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
The Magnificient Bastardo
The other day we were told that Antonio Bastardo doesn't speak very much English. In fact, in order for him to communicate with the scribes a translator would need to be found before the rookie lefty got on the bus for the trip to the airport.
At least that's what we were told.
Now my grasp of Spanish is probably only as good as Bastardo's English, I reasoned. As it related to baseball, I once caught Jose Mesa and Bobby Abreu making fun of me in Spanish in an elevator in Baltimore. When I laughed out loud at the jokey insults, Jose and Bobby clammed up quick.
Hey, McCaskey kids know all the Spanish curse words.
But imagine my surprise when I saw the kid speaking a language I knew reasonably well on my web site. You can hear it, too, when you go over to CSNPhilly.com along with one where Raul Ibanez translates for the winning pitcher.
Is there anything Raul can't do?
Plus, the TV cameras showed the rookie talking about his first outing with Jamie Moyer in the dugout during the seventh inning after he had been lifted. Who knew Moyer's Spanish was so good?
Nevertheless, it must have been an interesting conversation between the 46-year-old, 23-season veteran and the 23-year-old lefty after his first game.
Tangents aside, it was a very impressive debut for the 23-year-old prospect recently compared to Johan Santana – that is if Santana threw 95 and had no need for a changeup. Frankly, Bastardo didn't need that changeup either – or any other pitch – thanks to the big lead the offense spotted him. It has to be easier facing a flu-ridden Jake Peavy in a big-league debut after a first-inning four-spot.
No sense jerking around with a big lead – just rear back and throw the gas. Even the rookie knew that.
Beaming after the victory in San Diego, manager Charlie Manuel (yep, the video is on the CSNPhilly.com) was impressed that the kid got by with just one pitch.
"He was on a rush and you couldn't slow him down if you had to," the skipper said. "He did one thing real good and that was to be aggressive and he wasn't afraid to throw the ball. He has a good changeup and a breaking ball, but he was gripping the ball and trying to throw it, so there wasn't much action. But he did a super job, but he did it with one pitch."
He'll need more than the gas on Sunday when he pitches at Dodger Stadium, but in the meantime it's a pretty gutty start.
As far as recent debuts for the Phillies' prospects go, however, Bastardo fits in pretty well. Not quite as good as Brett Myers or Carlton Loewer, but pretty good nonetheless (links to box scores):
Antonio Bastardo at Padres on June 2, 2009: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K for win
Kyle Kendrick vs. White Sox on June 13, 2007: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 4 K for a ND
Scott Mathieson vs. Devil Rays on June 17, 2006: 6 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 5 K for Loss
Cole Hamels vs. Reds on May 12, 2006: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 7 K for ND
Gavin Floyd vs. Mets on Sept. 3, 2004: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 5 K for Win
Brett Myers at Cubs on July 24, 2002: 8 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K for Win
Brandon Duckworth vs. Padres on Aug., 7, 2001: 6 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 4 K for Win
David Coggin at Expos on June 23, 2000: 6 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 1 BB, 4 K for Win
Randy Wolf vs. Blue Jays on June 11, 1999: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 6 K for Win
Carlton Loewer vs. Cubs on June 14, 1998: 9 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 8 K for Win
Meanwhile, prospect Kyle Drabek pitches in Reading tonight in the former first-round picks' first outing above Single-A. Perhaps a dubious weather forecast for Thursday pushed up the outing by a day?
Posted at 12:00 AM in Antonio Bastardo, Bobby Abreu, Brett Myers, Carlton Loewer, Charlie, Jamie Moyer, Jose Mesa, Major League debuts | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)


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Hines' 321 North Clark Earns LEED® Gold Certification
(CHICAGO) – The Chicago office of Hines, the international real estate firm, announced today that 321 North Clark has received Gold certification under the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED for Existing Buildings (EB) rating system.
Completed in 1987, the 896,502-square-foot 321 North Clark at Riverfront Plaza has been recognized internationally as a premier example of Chicago's modern architectural legacy.
The 35-story glass and stainless steel tower is located on the Chicago River with beautiful, unobstructed views to the lake, river and city. The property was acquired in April, 2006 by Hines Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc.
With a current ENERGY STAR® rating of 83, 321 North Clark is 32 percent more energy efficient than the average U.S. office building.
This translates into greenhouse gas reductions equivalent to recycling 2,016 tons of waste instead of sending it to a landfill.
Green features implemented at 321 North Clark include: new low-flow aerators and water closets; efficient LED lighting in the lobby; high-performing green cleaning services; and optional Saturday HVAC requests to minimize heating/cooling when tenants are not occupying their space during the weekend.
Additionally, the firm offers its proprietary Hines GREEN OFFICE (HinesGO) for Tenants program, which assists in giving tenants options to reduce their carbon footprint.
"Our tenants have embraced the LEED and Hines GREEN OFFICE initiatives. In fact, more than 92 percent of the building employees participated in the LEED Alternative Community Transportation Survey resulting in 15 LEED points," said Hines General Property Manager Mark Anderson.
Hines Global Sustainability Officer Gary Holtzer added, "Achieving LEED Gold certification validates the diligent efforts by the on-site team to generate significant cost savings and environmental improvements for the long-term benefit of the tenants, owners and the city of Chicago."
321 North Clark is more than 76 percent leased to tenants that include:
American Bar Association; and Littler Mendelson. Hines is responsible for managing and leasing the building.
In 2011 Hines was recognized by the EPA, for the fourth time, with the ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award; Hines manages 146 labeled buildings, representing more than 68 million square feet, in the ENERGY STAR program.
Hines is also a leader in the U.S. Green Building Council's programs, with 195 projects, representing more than 100 million square feet that have been certified, pre-certified or registered under the various LEED rating systems.


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Renaissance of the "Home Built" Airplane
I was surprised when I saw the byline of Douglas Rolfe for this "Renaissance of the 'Home Built' Airplane" article in a 1961 issue of American Modeler magazine in the table of contents. The title kind of implies it is an article discussing the past and present of homebuilt airplanes, but actually it is a collection of line drawings of various homebuilts, with a short narrative. The format fits with Mr. Rolfe's usual contributions with his Auto Progress and Air Progress features. One of the things he points out, which I didn't know, is that in the early 1930's the CAA (predecessor to the FAA) regulated home builders out of the air by imposing difficult to comply with rules. If history is any indicator, it was probably lobbyists hired by aircraft manufacturers paying off politicians and bureaucrats to make life hard on homebuilders. Fortunately, people like Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) founder Paul Poberenzny helped reform the system to facilitate a rebirth of homebuilders.
By Douglas Rolfe
"Biddy-Buddy" 40 HP Salmson Radial. Designed and built by Rene Durenleau, Franklin, Ver.
1911 CESSNA 50/60 HP Anzani Radial. Built from original Cessna specifications by Burrell Tibbs, Oklahoma City, Okla.
3/4-Scale Fokker DR.1 65 HP Continental. Designed and built by Hobart Sorrell, Rochester, Washington
"Jupiter J-1" 65 HP Continental. Designed and built by Ken Champion, Gobles, Mich.
Stitts "Playboy" 85 HP Continental. Built by Chris Smith and Jack Housman, Holland, Michigan
"Pober Sport" 85 HP Continental. Designed and built by Paul Poberenzny founder and President of the EAA
Story "Special N°1." 65 HP Continental. Designed and built by Tom Story, Beaverton, Oregon
Coser-Oonk "CO-2" 65 HP Continental. Designed and built by Joe Coser and Jack Oont, St. Louis
"Minx Capon" A-40 Continental Engine. Designed and built in 1939 but recently re-built by Cliff Dick in California
Those with long memories may recall the rash of homebuilt airplanes which swept across this country in the late twenties. Some of these little aircraft are still being built, notably the Pietenpol "Air Camper." The movement was stopped dead in its tracks when severe air regulations made it practically impossible for amateur builders to meet the strict licensing requirements.
Happily the restrictions have been considerably lessened and a whole new family of "homebuilder" are at work with either purchased plans of licensed types or their own designs. Some measure of the extent of this revival can be grasped when of 102 aircraft at a "Fly-In" of the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) 72 were home-builts!
There is a great difference In the homebuilt now appearing and those developed in the twenties. For one thing the amateur builder has a choice of excellent small aircraft engines to select from today whereas in the twenties about the only practical one available was the 30 hp Bristol "Cherub" and few could afford to buy it. Another great change is that today's homebuilt are often composed of near finished parts. One builder may use a Cub fuselage, another a Cessna landing gear and still another Ercoupe wings. But, as we show, individual designers are showing great imagination, skill and ingenuity.
Another interesting aspect of the renaissance of the homebuilts is the growing number of builders who are turning to historic designs. Witness Sorrell's 3/4 scale Fokker (there is a 3/4 scale Jenny on the way too!), the 1911 Cessna and Miller's little "Bleary Eye!" We hold that this wave of home built aircraft is one of the best things that has happened in recent years and much credit is due to the efforts of Paul Poberezny and the EAA.
Mong Sport "Mighty Mong" Continental 65 Engine. Built by G. Courton, East Moline, Ill.
Story-Bowers Continental A-75 Built by Pete Bowers, Seattle, Wash.
Modified "Baby Ace" Continental A-65-8. Builty by J. E. Rogers and C. D. Grow, Fall River, Mass.
Baker MB-1 Continental L-85. Designed and built by Marion Baker, Carlisle, Ohio
EAA Biplane designed and built by students of St. Rita's high School, Chicago Ill. Still in test stage
Levi "Monsoon" This sleek little 2-seater is the brainchild of Renato Levi and EAA member residing in Bombay, India.
Bryan Roadable Continental A-75. Designed and built by L.D. Bryan, Holland, Mich.
Kirk-Didonna "Miss Flit" 40 HP Continental. Modified and built by John Didonna, Carmichael, California
Miller "Bleary Eye" 65 Continental. Designed and built as a lark by Tom Miller, Van Wert, Ohio, it resembles and ancient Bleriot


Elodie Holmes creates uniquely masterful fine glass sculptures, vessels and ornaments using traditional glassblowing techniques, sculpting, flame work, cutting, polishing and etching.
"The spontaneity involved in working molten glass is highly satisfying. When sculpting in a torch flame off the end of a blowpipe, the process creates a tension that is reflected in the art itself. Each piece is an event frozen in time. They may be surreal, ceremonial or lighthearted, but almost always mysterious."
Holmes developed her renowned signature lines and forms by combining flame-working techniques with off-hand glass blowing, during which she applies individually flame-worked figures onto molten glass, then carefully blows and shapes the glass into its final form.
In 1986, Holmes founded Liquid Light Glass in the Baca Street Art District of Santa Fe, NM, and in 2004, she co-established another studio called Prairie Dog Glass, located on-site at Jackalope in Santa Fe. She still works out of Liquid Light Glass, where she also teaches classes, and her work is available in national and international galleries and museums.


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ORBÁN: TRUMP 'STRONG, TARGET-ORIENTED' LEADER
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán called US President Donald Trump a "strong and target-oriented leader" in a video message posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday, a day after meeting the president.
Trump is a strong, "clear-headed" and "target-oriented" leader who "exactly knows what he wants", Orbán said. In the wake of their meeting in Washington, DC, Orbán said Trump had been "well-prepared" and "knew everything about Hungary that had to be known". His aim was to develop good cooperation between the two countries, Orbán added.
"I think we did a lot in this respect in the talks that were based on mutual respect and held in an excellent atmosphere," the prime minister said.
He added that he had nostalgic feelings being in the Oval Office once again, after 18 years. Orbán met Bill Clinton there in 1998 and George W. Bush in 2001. Orbán also said that Trump was a very different leader than his predecessors.
The strategic alliance between Hungary and the US has been successfully strengthened in every respect, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said after returning to Budapest from Washington, DC. Orbán said the world faced great changes and "we'll soon feel the headwinds of that". He added: "We made a good assessment of the situation sometime in the early 2010s."


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SMPTE: Conjuring the Virtual Media Facility
By Deborah D McAdams 27 October 2016
HOLLYWOOD—A fully virtualized live media workflow is on the horizon, according to presenters during a Wednesday morning session on virtualizing the media facility at the SMPTE Technical Conference.
"We know from our own observations of dealing with folks, there are many people going down that path, and we'll see a lot more next year" using cloud platforms for live playout," said Jim Duval of Telestream.
Eric Openshaw of Pebble Beach said, "Software-defined video pipelines have come a long way in the last three years… The first challenge is, how do we connect components in an IP world?"
Encapsulation—essentially wrapping serial digital interface signals in an IP-based package—has advanced, as well as other proprietary technologies supporting redundant paths, adaptive bitrates and so forth, Openshaw said.
"SMPTE 2110 is making good progress, but it's early days," he said of the developing suite of standards that include consideration of technical recommendations -03 and -04 from the Video Services Forum. (Described by SMPTE session chair Thomas Edwards of Fox in this Q&A.)
Even with standards, questions about adequate bandwidth, network reliability, jitter and latency remain. Despite these unresolved issues, virtualization is being driven by business realities, Openshaw said. Building a new physical facility is not only time- and resource-intensive; it's becoming a race with obsolescence.
"The prevailing cost model has been to capitalize the system up front on the assumption that the infrastructure that's been put in will serve the purpose for four to five years. The problem we see today is that the revenue streams we need to support this over the next several years are harder to predict," he said. "Fundamentally, it's agility that justifies going into the cloud."
With virtualization, one begins with the data center, which comprises servers, storage and connectivity, and pretty much constitutes a cloud, or at least a portion of a cloud. Then there is the question of building one's own cloud on premises or renting space on someone else's. Both are subject to performance and security concerns.
"The question remains," Openshaw said, "can broadcasters build a private cloud better than what Amazon has done, and can they reach the same level of security as Amazon?"
Once the virtual "facility" is designed, there are workflow issues to address. Telestream's Duval said one of the problems with a cloud-based media workflow is not being able to see under the hood. He said a typical production workflow provides for multiple content modification cycles if necessary.
This process becomes cumbersome for content cycled in and out of the cloud. One round trip for one hour of DNxHD 145 is 67 GB, he said, requiring four hours to make the transit at 100 Mbps with TR transcoding.
There also can be bit-error problems and corrupted files in the cloud. Maybe there are satellite transmission bit errors, or anomalies from drive mapping, for example. Production inconsistencies also can result in file corruption. Then there may be deliberate or mistaken loading of files into the wrong bucket.
Duval talked about particular inconsistencies that came up at a network using an automated cloud workflow for citizen-submitted video. When video arrived, there was initially no way to verify its place of origin or even its orientation.
"When that video arrives… do you know for sure that it was relevant to the event that took place? The other thing is, with cellphones, you don't know how a person may orient the phone to shoot it," Duval said.
The answer was within the workflow, which included latitude and longitude data that could be checked against Google Maps, for example.
"What you get from the cellphone, it goes down to degrees, minutes and seconds. That was a very useful application. This application essentially pulls the information out of the cellphone video file to confirm both the location and orientation of the video," he said.
As a result, modification itself was automated, and the only round-trip the clip would have to make was for a review.
"It's that type of process that can make this work in a reasonable way," he said.
Both Duval and Openshaw, participated in a Q&A following their presentations.
One question that came up was what today's multi-vendor environment would look like in the cloud, or, "how do we end up with one throat to choke?"
Openshaw said there were no APIs that he knew of to operate all the different products from different vendors, but that rather an orchestration layer could be created to run them all.
Another query went to security. Bruce Devlin said there were "some awesome security tools that have been spun up" for cloud platforms, but he questioned whether or not folks were aware of them.
"What's your experience getting newbies into this type of ecosystem?" he asked.
Duval said that in his experience, "either they don't know those keys are there or they don't know how to fine-tune them."
Openshaw noted how recent, high-profile security breaches didn't have as much to do with cloud platforms as, for example, not turning on encryption.