Angel For Life!

Reports are coming in that Mike Trout, the best player in MLB is close to an agreement with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on a 12 year, $430MM extension of his current contract. That's a slice of heaven right there!

Monday Post

It's the day after St. Paddy's Day. Happy to report the Guinness was tasty and plentiful. No hangover so that's a bonus. Luck of the Irish I say.

MLB is in Japan to open the season a week before the rest of the teams. A's and Mariners in the jackpot this time. So there will be some MLB games on at 5:35AM on Wednesday & Thursday this week. I really don't get why MLB thinks they needs to play games in other countries. Japan is one thing, I guess...they play baseball there. But in late June, the NY Yankees and Boston Red Sox travel to London (London!?) to play baseball games that count. Last time I checked, the game of baseball is not exactly a big one in Great Britain. So I guess MLB wants to sell caps. No other explanation.

In local baseball news, HS scrimmages started over the weekend. YSSS' team played Friday afternoon (beautiful 70 degree weather) and play another today. Good to get out there after last year's terrible weather and start of season.

OUT.

Sorry Midwest

So the Bomb Cyclone is hitting the middle of the good old U-S-A. Winter Storm Ulmer:
At a Glance

Ulmer is intensifying in the Plains where it will produce heavy snow and high winds into Thursday.

Blizzard warnings have been issued from northeast Colorado to North Dakota and northwest Minnesota.

Travel conditions will be nearly impossible due to the combination of heavy snow and high winds.

The Denver metro area is seeing blizzard conditions.

Widespread high winds will also affect locations not expected to see snow.

Ulmer has already set a preliminary low-pressure record in Pueblo, Colorado.

So while I feel for you, I'm also not disappointed that the EAST COAST is in the CLEAR!!! We got baseball season upon us!!!

YSSS is in his HS Senior Year so I'll drop some news on that shortly.

DST = The Doldrums

Early on, when Daylight Savings Time starts, it's my humble opinion that you have to adjust a bit. Getting up at your regular clock time means that you're actually up a little earlier than you were a scant few days ago. Now, SoulSlam has zero trouble getting up (I bound out of bed)...but by 3PM or so in afternoon, my engine starts running low, at least for a couple of days.

The extra light is nice when we get home from the J-O-B, but it's still too cold to do much of anything. Waiting for a warmup.

FIX MY EFFIN WATCH!

Not sure if this was covered by any of the local news outlets, but I had to bring a Movado watch in for repair. The crown was hinky and you couldn't set the time. Brought it to Macy's (place purchased) and they "sent it out" for inspection. That cost me about $90. They came back about 2-3 weeks later and told me the "movement" needed to be replaced. That would cost approximately $250 (I'd apply the original $90 as well). Well, the watch apparently costs over a G (gift from BWSS) so I guess it makes sense to repair. Approximately 7-8 weeks later (maybe longer) I get a call that it's been repaired and I can pick it up. All's well that ends well, right?

No.

I've probably worn the watch once maybe twice since I got it in the last two months or so. Other than that it sits in a watch case and is not disturbed in any way. DST was yesterday so I set it for the new time. Decided to wear it today, and...the GD watch is no longer working. Something is wrong with the "movement" I assume since the second hand seems to get hung up on the face, making the progression of time no longer a thing. Now I have to go back and have a fight with Macy's (just out of principle).

Some Respite

North J will inch up towards the 40 degree mark today, then hang in the forties for a week or so before we get some 60-ish weather. Nice. Maybe we'll get some HS baseball before long.

Polar Vortex, March Snow and Some Baseball

So March really came in like a lion in these parts. We had snow on Friday March 1, Saturday March 2 and Monday March 4. SoulSlam hisself had taken a long weekend (use 'em or lose 'em) so I got to pull the Ariens Beast out of the garage three times this weekend. I've had enough.

Now we have the Polar Vortex. It's damn cold. As I type away it's about 21 degrees at 10AM, DarkSky says it feels like 12. High today will be a brisk 26. Sun is sort of out though so it's not too bad. As things go. We'll have a few more days of cold weather then maybe a break on weekend.

This leads us to NJ HS Baseball season. Without some warmth, the snow has turned to hardpack and will be hanging around. So if it starts to melt a little this weekend, YSSS' team aren't getting out on a field until late next week at best. Lots of indoor practices on schedule. It's his senior year so I know he wants to make the most of it. He's been accepted to all three (3) of the colleges he applied to, so we are just waiting on his decision.

Spring training is in full effect. Mets look like they do most Spring Trainings. "Competitive". The #LOLMets fans all talking about how "Amed is a stud", we have the "best pitching staff in NL" and "how they gonna put Pete Alonso in minors"? Here's the answers to those three questions:

No, he's not

No, they aren't

Yes, they will

My rose-colored glasses for this team broke a long time ago. I'll root for the team, but the ownership rubs me the wrong way. They will inevitably cheap out on every possible scenario. DeGrom getting a contract extension is just the latest FUBAR event. They are apparently apprehensive about giving their best pitcher a long term contract, but had zero qualms about dealing with the greatest fraud in financial history. Good to know.

Fantasy baseball draft happens this weekend (Sunday night). My keepers are C. Yelich and T. Turner. I have 10th pick which means I better pull a rabbit out of my hat for this to go well. Formulating plans now. May even change name of team for luck. Maybe not.