Don

Wow. I feel terrible for Burnett. That's just devastating for him professionally.

I can't wait to hear Scioscia defend "all the little things he does" as Raul carries a .168 average into the last week of September.

I'll jump in here and say that I find myself somewhere in the middle. Obviously, this guy shouldn't have had access to firearms given his mental state. Unfortunately, we don't have a system that guards against that very well, if at all. I would love to see one enacted, though its proper application and effectiveness almost certainly wouldn't be perfect. I'd also like to see a ban on the sale of high capacity magazines and ammunition intended to maim. I don't give a shit what you use your weapon for, the idea that you need more than 8 rounds in any application short of trench warfare is absurd. And as for the maiming rounds being needed for home defense, I call bullshit there as well. Self defense does not mean killing another person, it means stopping them. Good shots with any FMJ round excluding .22 and .380 should do that every time. On to the other side of my argument. I'm not anti-gun. I believe that law-abiding, mentally stable people should be able to own reasonable weapons for hunting, self defense, and target shooting. I also believe that a ban on guns in general is entirely impractical for three reasons: First, there are just way too many of them already in circulation throughout the country. Good luck collecting them. Second, they're thoroughly engrained in American culture. And third, there are places in this country where people do truly need them (i.e. the rural Northwest). So yeah, that's my rant. Let's keep the guns, but let's also make a real effort not to let crazy people have them, and let's try to reduce the amount of harm they can do to humans.

http://news.yahoo.com/tough-guy-public-schools-cop-shoots-fleeing-kids-165027887.html This is the sort of thing I was referring to a page or so back. This cop sees teens in a car, he approaches, and they drive away. Proper solution: Write down the plate number and a description, then phone it in. His solution: Fire at the car as it leaves. I'm guessing this guy will be suspended, maybe demoted, and possibly even fired. But what would happen if a non-cop did this? I'm thinking unlawful/negligent discharge of a firearm at the very least. Maybe reckless endangerment? Maybe attempted manslaughter? Just saying that I'm hoping this is treated like the criminal act that it is.

Yep. It's not like he was repulsively ugly or anything. The dude just lacked an ability to connect with people socially. I had a buddy in college that was about 6'1", 290, and he got laid all the time. Why? Because he was just a fun guy to be around in almost any setting. Some people are born with an ability to do that, some have to work to get there, and some just can't do it. Unfortunately, this dude in Santa Barbara was in the third camp. You add that to all of his other mental problems then mix in access to weapons, and well...

Two reasons. One, you're assuming that everyone sentenced to death is guilty. I think there are plenty of examples from recent history that show false convictions for capital crimes happen with a shocking degree of regularity. And if even one percent of death row inmates are innocent, we've got a huge problem. Second, I'm bothered that many people think our justice system is about "getting even". Our justice system should be about improving our society through the wise application of sentences. If we decide that someone is enough of a danger that they need to be exterminated, then we should do it in the most quick and efficient way possible, without any fanfare. A gunshot to the Foramen Magnum would do. Unfortunately though, we are caught up in bloodlust to an extent, and we want the bad people to "pay" even though it serves no practical purpose. I guess what I'm trying to say is that we often value punishment over pragmatism. And while I find that to be true with some death penalty cases, it's really much worse when it comes to lower level offenses.

Possibly the greatest show ever.

Not to take away from your overall point, but the SCOTUS has nothing to do with writing or passing laws. They simply decide whether or not they stand up to Constitutional Review. Obviously, it'd be great if they understood pieces of legislation at a deeper level; but they don't really decide whether or not something is a good idea, only whether or not it is constitutional.

I think two of those three would've happened no matter who we elected in 2008 or 2012. That's not an excuse for Obama, but it is an indictment of our government in general. Our government has effectively become a corporate asset to the largest American industries.

Well, crap.

I hate bunting with a runner on first.

Why not take a few pitches and let Green try to snag a bag?

That'll do Grant. That'll do.

Calling the Kendrick walk off single now.

Nine pitches, 3 outs. The sky hasn't fallen.

Good read. Pedro and Vlad are the two guys I've seen that I wish I could just watch play every day forever. I've never seen another pitcher with the combination of stuff, command, and swagger that Pedro had.

So, we need to talk about this Ukrainian kid that goes by Mustang Wanted. He is crazy. He has no regard for his own life.

No doubt that most cops are good people. I've met several in my life that were caring people looking to help others. And I appreciate those people for what they do. I am, however, bothered by the legal protection that bad cops receive. If you empty a clip into the wrong vehicle, it shouldn't result in a firing. That's a criminal act and should be prosecuted regardless of your job. If you beat someone to death because you're frustrated by their actions you should be prosecuted for murder. All I want is for cops, who are generally good people, to be held to the same standards as the people they serve.

Dave Duncan could turn Alex Trebek into a serviceable middle reliever.

After living in Kansas and Nebraska for about seven total years, I've come to one undeniable conclusion: Plains Indians were the baddest motherf#%^ers that have ever lived.

Sucks this had to happen. The guy could be a quality major league starter, but needs to get more consistent with his control. Hopefully, he can work that out over the course of a few starts and take back the fifth spot in the rotation over the summer. Btw, if Dave Duncan was our pitching coach, Santiago would magically win 20 games next year.

That's pretty much my point. If Cron can improve his plate discipline to the point of picking up 60-ish walks per year, then he could become an above average DH. That's the ceiling, IMO. Being a good player is about more than how far you can hit the ball or what your swing looks like.

I think Billy Butler is a pretty good comp for Cron. He doesn't walk as much as Butler, but they're pretty darn similar in just about every other way.

As a counter, let's not forget about Littlefinger's character in The Wire.

I think Littlefinger is the only character on the show with the ability to possibly outfox Tywin. I haven't read the books, but I wouldn't be shocked if next season revolves around their little chess match.