Archive for October 10, 2024

1972 Dynasty League American League Championship Series Milwaukee at NY Yankees

Posted: October 10, 2024 by datechguy in baseball, dynasty baseball, gaming, online gaming
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Milwaukee (2nd seed) AL Beta Division title

Divisional Series vs Twins

Game 1 at County Stadium in Milwaukee

The Twins entered their season series vs Milwaukee 0-10 and Last Year’s Cy Young winner Don Wilson turned it up to 11 pitching a complete game shutout allowing only two hits and not letting any Twins runner reach scoring position. Steve Blass was almost as good pitching 1 hit ball over 7 innings allowing only one Brewers runner reach scoring position and be stranded. Alas in the 7th Ron Fairly hit a solo home run to give Milwaukee the lead and then in the 8th after a error by shortstop Dan Monzon put a man on Johnny Edwards (3-4) hit a 2 run shot off the lefty for the final 3-0 score

WP Wilson (1-0) LP (Blass 0-1) HR Fairly (1) Edwards (1)

Game 2: at County Stadium in Milwaukee

Milwaukee jumped right off into a lead in the first inning Johnny Edwards reached with a 1 out walk & Pete Rose with a walk with two down setting up. Ron Fairly singled to left loading the bases for Doug Rader who didn’t manage to hit his 4th grand slam of the year but did single to center scoring Edwards and Rose who beat the throw from Al Oliver. That would be all they would need as Ken Holtzman proved almost as effective as Wilson shutting them out on 4 hits. The Brew crew would score 5 more via RBI’s from Edwards, Geronimo and Bob Heise as each of the three twins pitchers gave up at least two runs before the day was through but Holtzman made sure they were superfluous.

Mil 7 Min 0

WP Holtzman (1-0) LP Bahnsen (0-1) HR none

Game 3 At Metropolitan Stadium Minnesota

The change of scenery didn’t seem to make a big change in results as the Brewers jumped to a 1-0 lead on a Ron Fairly shot in the 1st off of Marty Pattin. In the 3rd the Twins finally managed their first run on the series as Blue Moon Odom loaded the bases in the 3rd on a HBP (Hebner) an Al Oliver walk and a Bobby Darwin single to left, but instead of a big inning Odom managed to coax a pair of ground outs to get out of a jam with only one run (on the Monzon slow grounder) to tie the game at 1.

The tie didn’t last as Pattin hit Ron Hunt, Fairly singled and Pete Rose singled scoring Hunt and putting Milwaukee back up 2-1. There it stayed till the 8th, Richie Hebner singled to center to lead off and moved to 2nd on a grounder to the mound. Milwaukee was two outs away from their 13th straight win vs Minnesota and their 3rd complete game victory when Bobby Darwin put a hanging curve just over the left field fence and suddenly it was a 3-2 Twins lead. and while Pete Rose managed a one out single off closer Sparky Lyle, he would strike out both Jack Hiatt & Doug Rader to give the Twins their first win of the season and playoff life for another day.

Final Min 3 Mil 2

WP Pattin (1-0) LP Odom (0-1) HR Fairly (2) Darwin (1)

Game 4 At Metropolitan Stadium Minnesota

For the 4th time in 4 games the Brewers struck first and early as Cesar Geronimo singled to center, went to 2nd on a grounder and scored on a Ron Hunt single to give them a 1-0 lead. It became 2-0 when Dick Woodson gave up back to back doubles to Rose and Fairly to make it 2-0. That would all that the Brewers would manage as three pitchers would hold them to those two runs. Meanwhile Al Downing kept pulling rabbits out of his hat. In the 2nd after a walk he managed a strike em out throw em out double play. In the 3rd the Twins left a man in scoring position. In the 5th Bobby Darwin led off with a double and a two outs later pinch hitter Bob Watson walked putting the tying runs on for pinch hitter Cito Gaston who struck out looking. ln the 7th a double play erased a lead off single and in the 8th they loaded up the bases with two out but Downing struck out Nate Colbert to get out of it.

In the 9th still down 2-0 the Twins tried again, with one out Angel Mangual doubled to left and after a John Boccabella ground out Downing walked Dan Monzon to put the tying runs on base. Milwaukee Closer Ken Sanders came in with two outs and Ron Blomberg came up as the winning run to either tie the series or end the Twins season. He smoked a line drive but right at second baseman Ron Hunt who didn’t have to move an inch and the game and series was over.

Milwaukee 2 Minnesota 1

WP Downing (1-0) LP Woodson (0-1) SV Sanders (1) HR none.

Yankees (1st seed) AL Alpha Division Title

Divisional series vs Redsox

Game 1 at the Polo Grounds NY

The Red Sox struck first as Carl Yastrzemski took a Wilbur Wood knuckle ball that didn’t knuckle to right for a 1-0 lead. That however would be the extent of The Boston offense and Wood would not give up another run over seven and four other Yankee pitchers would hold the Sox scoreless for the remainder of the game. Claude Osteen managed to keep the Yanks off the board for six innings but in the seventh Thurman Munson and Horace Clarke led off the inning with singles. Phil Roof batted for Wood and singled in Munson to tie the game. After a force out at 3rd Pat Kelly ran for Roof and 2nd and then the bases were loaded on a Ron Santo walk. Osteen managed to retire Clemente on a grounder to short but Kelly scored to give them the lead and with two out John Mayberry and Danny Thompson both singled to score two more and the Yanks were up 4-1. In the 8th they added three more on a Horace Clarke single, a Reggie Smith Triple, a Ron Santo sac fly and a solo shot from Roberto Clemente.

The Sox made one more shot in the 9th. A Santo error put Parker on 1st. After a Petrocelli strike out Carlton Fisk singled chasing Barry Lersch. Yaz greeted reliver Mike Paul to load it up, but Paul got Willie Davis to fly out and Lindy McDaniel came in to face pinch hitter Vada Pinson who struck out swinging for a Yanks victory

Yankees 7 Red Sox 1

WP Wood (1-0) LP (Osteen 0-1) HR Yastrzemski (1), Clemente (1)

Game 2 at the Polo Grounds NYC

The Yankee offense didn’t slow down for game two. In the 2nd Roberto Clemente led off with a single and was driven home on a two out Danny Thompson double who would go to 3rd on the throw and score on a Horace Clarke single off John Curtis. Curtis would give up two more in the 3rd. After getting the first two yanks, Ron Santo, Roberto Clemente and John Mayberry singled to load the bases. Murcer hit what should have been an inning ending grounder to first but it went between the normally sure handed Parker legs scoring two more and just like that it was 4-0. They added two more before the Sox finally got to starter Steve Kline loading the bases on singles by Pinson and Parker and a walk to Carlton Fisk. Yaz came up with the chance to cut the lead in half and hit a drive over Bobby Murcer’s head deep to center but in his best imitation of Willie Mays Murcer managed to track it down turning a sure bases loaded double or triple into a Sac fly and Kline got Rico Petrocelli to ground harmlessly to third to keep it 6-1. But the Bosox didn’t go quietly with one out and Rob Gardner on the mound for NY Ollie Brown and Doug Griffin singled and when the Yanks counted with Barry Lersch pinch hitter Bernie Williams battled for Ken Brett (a slight surprise as Brett is one of the best hitting pitchers in the game) and singled loading the bases . Terry Forster came in to face Pinson and the Redsox countered with switch hitting Don Buford who ripped a ball to third that became a game ending double play to end it.

Yankees 6 Red Sox 1

WP Steve Kline (1-0) LP Curtis (0-1) SV Forster (1)

Game 3 at Fenway Park Boston

With the Red Sox season on the line Ace Gary Nolan holding the Yankee offense to 4 hits and a single 9th inning run as Boston offense produced 11 hits off of three Yank pitchers for a 3-1 win. Carlton Fisk’s first HR of the series and 2nd of the playoffs in the 4th would put the Sox on the board and only a very nice play by Horace Clarke turned a Bud Harrelson smash up the middle into a force at 2nd instead of an RBI single to hold them to one. Meanwhile Nolan not only kept the Bronx bombers grounded but helped his own effort at the plate when Harrelson walked stole second and reached 3rd with nobody out after a Doug Griffin single. Nolan singled to center for the 2nd run and Vada Pinson would do the same scoring Griffin and again it Horace Clarke who stopped the bleeding gloving a Wes Parker liner and doubling Nolan off second that spiked the rally keeping it 3-0 and giving the Yanks their best chance in the 9th when Ed Kirkpatrick started the inning with a pinch single and Ron Santo followed with another with one out. When Bobby Murcer walked to load the bases John Mayberry came up as the go ahead run and waited out a walk of his own to make it 3-1 with at the plate. A single could tie the game but Harrelson quickly came home with Roberto’s grounder for the 2nd out and with everything on the line Nolan coaxed another grounder to short from Thurman Monson allowing the Sox to live to fight another day.

Game 4 at Fenway Park Boston

The Yanks scored first thanks to Redsox mistakes, a rare error by Doug Griffin put Pat Kelly on first and a balk by Rick Wise put him on 2nd to be doubled in by Bobby Murcer and added a 2nd run in the 6th off a Ron Santo shot way over the green monster. Meanwhile the Sox got the lead off man on in both the 1st and second and runners in scoring position with less than two outs in the first three innings without getting them vs Bob Moose. In the bottom of the 6th Moose coaxed a double play off of Carlton Fisk after a leadoff single but then had to leave with a bad arm. Willie Davis immediately doubled to center but Yaz was unable to deliver him. In the 7th with one out Petrocelli singled and stole 2nd but again the Sox couldn’t plate the run so when Bobby Murcer hit a solo shot deep into the right field bleachers in the 8th and Ed Kirpatrick singled in John Mayberry who doubled directly after Murcer’s shot it appeared to be curtains. Yaz managed to put one over the wall in the last of the 9th with one out but it was too little too late.

Final New York 4 Boston 1

WP Bob Moose (1-0) LP Rick Wise (0-1) HR Yazstrzemski (2) Murcer (1)

Season Series

Series 1

April at the Polo Grounds in NY

The Yanks already with a 16-8 record began a five game winning streak with a sweep of the Brew Crew. Game one the teams traded runs for a 2-2 game going into the ninth when John Edwards hit a two run two out shot off reliever Fred Beene. Milwaukee brought in their closer Ken Sanders with one out in the 9th who promptly gave up back to back homers to Phil Roof and Reggie Smith to tie the game and gave up his third solo shot in the bottom of the 10th to John Mayberry to lose it 5-4. The homer parade continued off Blue Moon Odem in game two as he gave up two run shots from Bobby Murcer and Roberto Clemente as Steve Kline and three relivers gave up only six hits the only run on a Doug Rader homer in the 2nd for a 6-1 win. In Game three Mike Torrez only gave up a single run over 6 but Wilbur Wood shut out the Brewers who went 1-6 with runners in scoring position Wood himself added the final scoring with a two run double of his own in the 7th for a 3-0 shutout taking over the best record in the AL from Milwaukee

Series 2 June at Country Stadium Milwaukee

Milwaukee proved to be a less friendly venue for the Yankees as Don Wilson who had held them to two runs in their first meeting over seven held them to one over 9 a Clemente double doing the damage in the 6th. Meanwhile Caesar Geronimo went 2-4 scoring Milwaukee’s first run in the 3rd and driving in 2 in the 4th and one in the fifth for the 4-1 final. In Game 2 a three run shot by Doug Rader in the 3rd off Wood answered a Clemente RBI in the first answered a the Brew Crew struck for 3 vs Wilbur Wood in the 2nd and an Earl Williams doubled made it 4-1 in the fifth when starter Ken Holtzman drilled Clemente in the 6th (possibly in retaliation for Wood hitting Mike Jorgenson in the 4th). While Roberto was unhurt the benches cleared. Holtzman would be ejected and eventually suspended for seven games but he would still get the win as Rader would homer again in the 6th and a two run shot by Pat Kelly in the 8th would bring NY no closer than the 5-3 Final. The Yanks would get their revenge in game three when a 1-1 tie after six was broken open against Al Downing with a 6 run 7th including a Bobby Murcer Grand Slam with 2 outs leading to an 8-1 rout.

Series 3 July at the Polo Grounds New York

The Yanks would get their 4th straight win vs the Brewers at home in another wild afair that went into extras as a 3-0 Milwaukee lead after 4 1/2 was squandered thanks to a solo shot by Clemente in the 5th and a two run rally in the 9th with one out Clemente tying the game on a fielder’s choice after John Mayberry singled in Ron Santo. Torrez managed to get out of that inning and was relieved by the hated Ken Holtzman in the 10th. Both teams traded runs in the 11th Geronimo and Clemente driving in the runs. The Brewers waisted a bases loaded nobody out situation in he 12th and loaded them again in the 13th but failed to score when the Yanks loaded the bases with none out off Holtzman in the 13 and Roberto Clemente drove in his 3 third run on a warning track out deep enough to win the game 5-4. The Brewers earned a split as Don Wilson held the Bronx Bombers to 2 runs in 6 2/3 innings and Ray Lamb shut them out for the final 2 1/3 while Earl Williams hit two Homers driving in three, Caesar Geronimo slammed a two run triple and Jack Hiatt added a solo shot for the 7-2 final

Series 4 September at County Stadium Milwaukee

The fact that both teams had clinched seemed to change nothing in terms of the rivalry as Yanks finally got the better of Don Wilson with a 6 run 3rd including another Bobby Murcer grand slam chasing him after 2 2/3 Milwaukee refused to go quietly however added two in the 3rd and 4th to the getting two their single run in the bottom of the first to make it 6-5 The bombers seemingly put it out of reach in the 8th adding another for to the run they scored in the fifth with Reggie Smith hitting a solo shot and Murcer hitting a three run shot for 7 RBI’s on the day but in the 9th the Brewers rallied with two outs in the 9th off of three pitchers with a bases loaded walk to make it 11-6 followed by a Doug Rader’s 3rd grand slam of the season to make it a one run game but that would be it as Skip Lockwood got Bob Heise to ground out and leave a comeback a run shot. In game 2 Steve Kline would outduel Al Downing giving up 2 over 8 while Downing would give up 3 over 7. Terry Forster came in to close and for the 2nd time in two days the Brewers would mount a 9th inning rally but this one though smaller would prove more successful as Ken Berry’s lead off double would be followed one out later by a pinch hit double by Mike Jorgenson to tie things up. Clines was intentionally walked and Fred Beene was brought into face pinch hitter Tim Foli whose sacrifice bunt turned into a single allowing Ron Hunt to single to center to win their final meeting

Season Series. Yankees 6-4

This looks like it is going to be a great series that will be decided by pitching. If Don Wilson and Ken Holtzman can pitch as they did early in the year Milwaukee can pull it off but the Yanks have home field advantage and were 4-1 vs the Brew Crew at home. As the Manager of Milwaukee I fully intend to win this series but as the person doing the write up objectively while Milwaukee has a better pitching staff the Yankees offense is far stronger and add to that home field advantage I have to give them the advantage at least on paper.

Yanks in 7

The Ten Best Robert Heinlein Novels

Posted: October 10, 2024 by Jon Fournier in Uncategorized
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For more than four decades I have been a huge fan of the Science Fiction author Robert Heinlein.  There are three primary reasons why this is true. 

Robert Heinlein wrote extremely imaginative stories, most often with very unique plotlines.  Over and over again I’ve read the description on the back cover of one of his novels and said to myself that can’t possibly work, only to be proved wrong after being thoroughly entertained.

Robert Heinlein was not an ordinary science fiction author.  He was one of the pioneers of science fiction.  All of his novels and short stories were infused with exceptionally accurate science.   Science was the mainstay of all his works.

Robert Heinlein was a Libertarian in the truest sense of the word.  I’m not talking about the pseudo-libertarian tripe peddled by the Libertarian Party.  In just about every novel or short story he championed individualism and vilified collectivism.  He was not heavy handed about his libertarianism in his works.  Most often one of the main characters served as a spokesman for libertarian beliefs.

If was extremely difficult for me to select just my ten favorite Heinlein novels, out of the 40 plus I read.  I enjoyed every single one, with the exception of those written after 1980.  Beginning in 1980 Robert Heinlein suffered a series of mini strokes. These strokes, as he put it himself in an interview, scrambled his brains.  The five novels written after 1980 of his that I read were all lousy.

During his career Robert Heinlein wrote 13 juvenile novels.  These are among his best works.  They are only juvenile in the sense that the main characters are high school aged.  He did not talk down to his target audience.  The science is not watered down at all.

10. Space Cadet:  I know you are skeptical of this one based on the title.  I was too.  It was a thoroughly enjoyable juvenile novel about a group of teens who attend a service academy for the space patrol

9. Sixth Column: This novel is about a war where the United States is invaded and conquered by communists.  The strategy used by a small band of rebels to gain victory is truly imaginative.

8. Between Planets:  The plotline of this juvenile novel is impossible to describe because it is such a unique story idea.

7. Red Planet:  This juvenile novel starts off as a simple story about human colonists on Mars.  It ends up being a story about a battle for independence

6. The Puppet Masters: This novel is all about individualism versus collectivism.  Amoeboid alien creatures take total control of human beings

5. The Star Beast:  This juvenile novel about a teenaged boy and his truly unique alien pet is a most enjoyable roller coaster ride with so many plot twists.

4. Have Space Suit Will Travel:  In this juvenile novel, the main character is obsessed with traveling to the moon.  He eventually gets there and travels far beyond.

3. Starship Troopers: The movie based on this novel got one thing right, a war between humans and alien bugs takes place.  In the novel Progressive policies destroyed every nation including the US. Veterans fixed things, they alone took responsibility.  Because of this only veterans were allowed to vote and hold office. Many claimed that Heinlein sold out to the military industrial complex when he wrote this.  That is most untrue. 

2. Stranger in a Strange Land:  This is a philosophical treatise wrapped in a very unique and imaginative story.  With this novel Robert Heinlein proves that he is even more of a libertarian than I am, which is saying a lot.  He advocates for tearing down not only the state, but all societal norms such as monogamy and traditional Judeo-Christian values on sex.  The fact that I do not agree with everything he has to say here does not take away from my enjoyment of this novel.

1. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress: This novel is a libertarian and a science fiction masterpiece.  The moon is a penal colony controlled by an oppressive earth federation. With the help of a sentient computer the moon gains its independence.                                                                       

Election 2020, Election 2024 Donald Trump and Mysterious Ways

Posted: October 10, 2024 by datechguy in Always look at the bright side of Trump, election 2020, election 2024, elections, politics
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If we had known he wanted a new car that badly, we all would have chipped in and bought him one.

Johnny Bench on Brooks Robinson’s MVP Performance in the 1970 World Series

I have argued more than once that if the left had not stolen the 2020 election they would have been done with Donald Trump by now and the deep state’s business as usual would have been able to continue without a problem. Now John Conlin at the American Thinker is pointing out all the ways that the steal of the election in 2020 was a blessing in disguise for the country and a disaster to those trying to destroy it.

The blatant politicization of the DoJ, FBI, CIA, IRS, military, judiciary, etc. — really almost every aspect of the federal government — has been laid bare for all to see. For many of these folks, the concept of equal justice under the law is something they discarded long ago. Many states are as bad or worse.

For years, DEI has been destroying institutions and companies across the board. That is ending now.

Institutions of supposed “higher” education have revealed themselves to be little more than dumbing-down indoctrination centers. Much of public K-12 education has been shown to be the same. The school choice movement is now unstoppable.

All of these things had been proceeding quietly since the Obama years and even before, but now the lid has been blown off them all and the American people are seeing things as they are. Conlin again

These institutions were this way before, but this period has removed all doubt. And before one can begin to address an illness, one must first accept the reality of the disease. We have done that. 

The path forward won’t be a straight one. It will probably involve a lot of “2 steps forward, 1 step back,” but we have bottomed out. The future might look far different than today, but history will show this was the high water mark for socialism, communism, big government, gender insanity, and a whole lot more.

And we owe this awakening to the “loss” of a stolen election, which is turning out to be a wonderous win.

I’m surprised that he didn’t mention what was to me one of the biggest changes. The MSM insisting and demanding that people believe that Joe Biden was completely fine. Was it not just four months ago that they were telling Americans that if you believed he wasn’t sharp as a knife that you were spreading disinformation? They’re very public exposure as a pack of liars before even the most credulous fool is the straw that broke the back of their power.

I suspect if the left knew what it knew now it might have done things different but hey they did get 4 years of good stealing.

It may be that even seeing and knowing all this the American people may still willingly walk into the hell of a Kamala presidency, but if they do it will be with eyes wide open rather than having tyranny quietly imposed on them.

All of these were only made possible by the steal. It has turned out to be a blessing in disguise, although I admit, it was a pretty good disguise.