Archive for October, 2024

A Conservative is a Liberal Mugged by Reality. Ana Kasparian edition

Posted: October 12, 2024 by datechguy in culture
Tags: , ,

In fairness my title not withstanding I don’t think we can call Ana Kasparian a “conservative” at least not yet.

But the key line from this tweet speaks volumes:

Kasparian says she was picking up her dog’s poop when a homeless man came up from behind her and grabbed her hips. He allegedly had an er*ction and started thrusting. When she shared her story, liberals accused her of “painting a wrongful picture of the homeless community” with some people calling her racist even though she didn’t say what race the man was.

You see when your politics becomes your religion you can’t allow actual reality. The assault on Ms. Kasparian, to interfere with your narrative, particularly if said narrative might be considered of use to your political opponents. And if a person even a liberal person is not able to sustain this narrative because they decide being sexually assaulted is outside their comfort zone, well that person is a heretic who must be expelled.

Cue Tom Baker:

There is nothing like being pushed out of your bubble by reality and then shunned by those still within it when you try to interact.

What is the reality of the fear of a single woman next to the cause?

1972 Dynasty League National League Championship Series NY Daytraders (Mets) at San Francisco Giants

Posted: October 11, 2024 by datechguy in baseball, dynasty baseball, gaming, online gaming
Tags: , , , , ,

New York Daytraders (Mets) 2nd NL Alpha (3rd Seed)

Daytraders vs Atlanta Bananas (Braves)

Game 1 at Fulton County Stadium Atlanta

The Daytraders began their quest to return to World Series Glory with Roger Nelson facing Catfish Hunter and in the first Atlanta put a run on the board after a Billy Williams Single was followed by a Caesar Cedeno double Williams beat Stargell’s throw allowing Cedeno to get to 3rd but after an intentional walk to Ralph Garr retired Dick Billings to escape with a single run. NY got it right back with a Ted Simmons solo shot in the 2nd and took the lead in the 3rd when Willie Stargell’s double plated Willie Mays who reached on an Alomar error. Those two runs would hold up as Nelson would only give up two more hits the rest of the way while a rare Aurelio Rodriguez error would set up a successful suicide squeeze by Leo Cardenas in the 9th for insurance that accounted for the final score

Daytraders 3 Bananas 1

WP Nelson (1-0) LP Hunter (0-1) HR none

Game two at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta

Atlanta fans were treated to a spectacular pitchers duel as Steve Carlton and Ferguson Jenkins each only gave up a single run over 8 and 8 2/3 inning respectively. The Daytraders blew a great opportunity when Cardenas attempt to squeeze in Norm Cash in the 2nd failed and Tito Fuentes managed to catch up to an OF flare that would have plated Ted Simmons from 3rd. Atlanta struck in the 6th on a Billy Williams HR and NY’s tied it in the 9th on a Norm Cash one out double in the 9th that tied things up Rollie Fingers came in to get the game into extras and pitched into the 12th. In the bottom part of the inning the Daytraders turned to starter Tom Seaver in the 12th who promptly gave up a leadoff triple to Aurelio Rodriguez and a double to Dick Billings to even up the series.

Atlanta 2 NY 1 WP Reynolds (1-0) LP Seaver (0-1) HR Williams (1)

Game three at Shea Stadium NYC

Things started strong for the Bananas as Ralph Garr started the game with a single and Dusty Baker doubled him home. A Craig Nettles error got Baker to 3rd where he scored on a fielders choice to give them a 2-0 lead. Unexpectedly after retiring the Daytraders in order in the 1st Atlanta unexpectedly pinch hit for starter Dave McNally forcing them to go to the bullpen to the delight of NY fans, but not for long as four different Atlanta pitchers held the brokers to a single run while Billy Williams would hit 2 Home runs and Caesar Cedeno one more on the way to a solid 5-1 victory. Starter Mike Cuellar would pitch the final three for a save

Atlanta 5 NY 1 WP Montgomery (1-0) LP Niekro (0-1) Sv Cuellar (1) HR Williams 2 (3), Cedeno (1)

Game four at Shea Stadium NYC

With the season on the line the traders went to game one winner Roger Nelson who would go head to head against Catfish Hunter for the entire game. Atlanta threatened in the 1st getting runners on 1st & 3rd with one out before Nelson k’d Cedeno and got Fuentes to foul out. The Daytraders took the lead in the bottom of the frame on a Wayne Garrett solo shot but Atlanta instantly answered on an Aurelio Rodriguez single and an error by Garrett which put runners on the corners for Ralph Garr who would stroke a bases clearing double to give them the lead. Nelson would aid his own cause with a leadoff double drilled down the line and and would score on a one out double from Leron Lee to tie the game and the Daytraders would regain the lead on a leadoff 4th inning homer to right center from Cash that was simply crushed. That would be all she wrote and both Nelson and Hunter bore down and shut down the opposition, the difference being that Nelson had the lead when it happened.

New York 3 Atlanta 2 WP Nelson (2-0) LP Hunter (2-0) HR Garrett (1) Cash (1)

Game 5 at Fulton County Stadium Atlanta

The series finale would feature the same matchup as game 2 Carlton vs Jenkins but not the same result. While Carlton again pitched a gem giving up but a single run in the 8th the Daytraders got to Jenkins early scoring 2 in the first thanks to a Wayne Garrett double and another key error by Rodriguez that put him on 3rd and Mays on 2nd with nobody out. Jimmy Wynn would single in Garrett and Willie Stargell would plate Mays on a sac fly. In the 2nd Atlanta again too a chance with two on and two out pinch hitting for starter Jenkins with Cleon Jones who would strike out looking leaving a pair on. Dave McNally who was pulled early in his start came in. He walked Mays and Jimmy Wynn stuck again driving a ball over the head of Cedeno that landed just out of his reach scoring Mays and getting the fleet footed Wynn to 2nd who would move to 3rd on a grounder and score on a Ted Simmons Sac fly. A Tito Fuentes error led to a 5th run and the Daytraders would add one more before the Bananas got onto the board too little too late sending giving NY a chance for their 2nd Pennant in 4 years.

Daytraders 5 Bananas 1 WP Carlton (1-0) LP Jenkins (0-1) HR none

Daytraders win 3-2

San Francisco Giants 1st place NL Beta (1st seed)

Game 1 at Candlestick Park San Francisco

Game one was a battle of Aces and it showed. Giants pitcher Jim Palmer pitched a solid 8 innings giving up only two runs on a single to George Scott scoring Rod Carew in the 1st and a solo shot by Johnny Briggs in the 7th, but Gaylord Perry was dominated the Giants lineup surrendering only 4 hits while striking out 11 while holding them 0-2 with runners in scoring position.

Pirates 2 Giants 0 WP Perry (1-0) LP Palmer (0-1) HR Briggs (1)

Game 2 at Candlestick Park San Francisco

Giants fans were treated to another pitchers duel as Mickey Lolich (6 IP 4 H 1 R ) and Steve Blass (7 IP 2 H 1 R) mowed the opposition down Kison singling in Rod Carew who had lead off with a double in the 2nd for their run while the Giants got a double from Chris Speier scoring Tony Taylor who had hit for Lolich but Ron Woods nailed Rick Monday on a perfect throw cutting him down and keeping the score even. But the key swing of the game didn’t only went a few inches when Darryll Evans would foul the first pitch off of Pirates Catcher Bill Freehan. He would leave the game and would be out for the rest of the series and Tom Haller would replace him and would be behind the plate in the bottom of the 11th when Steve Barber would come in with runners on 2nd and 3rd and one out and would throw a breaking ball to pinch hitter Tommie Agee that would be in the dirt, a ball that Freehan might have handled but Haller could not. It went to the backstop and pinch runner Gary Matthews who came in for Ellie Rodriguez who led off the inning with a double would come in with the winning run.

Giants 2 Pirates 1 WP Gusti (1-0) LP Marshall (0-1)

Game 3 at Three Rivers Stadium Pittsburgh

The series came to Pittsburgh and the Giants went after Bill Singer right away. Rick Monday singled to start the game. He moved to 2nd on a one out Darrell Evans grounder and scored on a Bobby Bonds single. In the bottom of the 1st starter Dock Ellis walked leadoff hitter Johnny Briggs, Rod Carew singled to right sending Briggs to 3rd and moved to 2nd on a Aaron grounder. Joe Lahoud singled in Briggs and to everyone’s surprise manager Kevin Hazan pulled Ellis apparently seeing something he didn’t like. He liked it less when shortstop Chris Speier misplayed a ball hit by pinch hitter Scott giving Pit a 2-1 lead.

It would stay that way till the bottom of the 7th when Bill Russell singled off of Steve Stone an Coco Laboy hit for Jim Colborn and hit a ball that just cleared the left field fence to make it 4-1. San Francisco threatened in the 9th vs Mike Marshall. Bonds led off with a single. Killebrew got just under a Marshall fastball for the first out at the warning track. Ellie Rodriguez drew a walk to put the tying run at the plate with one out but Marshall would strike out Garry Maddux looking and would retire rookie pinch hitter Dave Kingman on a grounder to 3rd giving Pittsburgh a chance to clinch at home.

Pirates 4 Giants 1 WP Singer (1-0) LP Ellis (0-1) SV Marshall (1)

The Pirates put Cy Young favorite on the mound for game 4 to try to win it all at home while the Giants needing two to save their season threw Jim Willoughby on the mound to save their season. Willoughby rose to the occasion striking out 12 while giving up only 6 hits and one run on a Rennie Stennett single although he had some defensive help as Terry Harmon made a great play in the 2nd to save a run Meanwhile Perry was victimized by Bobby Bonds who scored on a groundout in the 2nd and a Killebrew single in the 6th. The score was 2-1 in the 7th when Darrell Evans hit took a ball that cleared the left field fence by just a few feet scoring 3 to give San Fran a solid 5-1 lead and the win.

San Francisco 5 Pittsburgh 1 WP Willoughby (1-0) LP Perry (1-1) HR none

Game 5 at Candlestick Park San Francisco

The last game of the series was the wildest. Ace Jim Palmer starting for the Giants against Bruce Kison. The Bucks wasted no time with Joe Lahoud singling in Johnny Briggs for a 1-0 lead but Hank Aaron with two on and no out hit into a 4-6-3 DP and Tom Haller grounded out to end the threat. In the bottom of the inning Bobby Bonds would give the Giants the lead driving in Rick Monday (single) and Darrell Evans (walk) with a double and going to 3rd on a Lahoud throwing error ready to score on the Harmon Killebrew single. Down two runs against Palmer Pittsburgh pinch hit for Kison in the 2nd and called on Jim Colburn to hold SF down. He retired the first two he faced when Rick Monday tripled and Chris Speier walked but young shortstop Bill Russell rushed a throw to first for an error that scored Monday for the 3rd run and putting two men on for Bobby Bonds who doubled to left to drive in two more and when Harmon Killerview homered to right center driving in Bonds The Giants had an 8-1 lead with Palmer on the mound which is as close to a sure thing as you can get.

Or so everyone thought but nobody told Hank Aaron who after Palmer walked Carew and Lahoud back to back in the 3rd with one out hit a 424 foot shot to cut the lead to 8-4 and in the 4th Jose Cruz lead off with a double to right and only a nice play by Garry Maddox kept him from scoring, at least temporarily. Ellie Rodriguez would give up a passed ball but it wouldn’t matter as George Scott would would triple to right center scoring Cruz making the score 8-5 and chasing Palmer. Steve stone would come in and walk Johnny Briggs and after getting a critical fly out from Carew would give up another single to Joe Lahoud scoring Scott and now it was 8-6 with Hank Aaron representing the tying run up next. Stone remained in the game long enough to intentionally walk Aaron putting runners on 1st and 2nd for John Strohmayer who would come in to face Tom Haller who flied to right ending the inning but now it was 8-6 with no Jim Palmer. But while Palmer was out of the game Killerbrew was not and pulled a ball out to left off of Bob Johnson to get the lead back to 3. The question was could the Giants Bullpen hold? Strohmayer gave way to Phil Hennigan and Hennigan to Eddie Watt and while Pirate pitchers from Mike Marshall to Ramon Hernandez dodged bullets and Jose Cruz threw out Bobby Bonds at the plate the Pirate batters would not have another batter reach base after the intentional walk to Aaron.

Giants 9 Pirates 6 WP Stone (1-0) LP Kison (0-1) SV Watt (1) HR Killebrew 2 (2) Aaron (1)

Series 1 April at Shea Stadium NY

Game one looked like it was going to be a battle of pitching titans Steve Carlton vs Jim Palmer but Carlton faced 9 batters in the top of the first giving up 5 earned runs and Palmer left after four batters and 2/3 of an inning with arm stiffness after already giving one run back. Furthermore the Daytraders had their own 5 run inning in the bottom of the fifth sending 8 to the place the big bash being a Norm Cash granny to take the lead. A solo shot by Rick Monday tied it at six and there it remained till the top of the 12th when rookie Dave Kingman put a Ray Sadecki fastball into the left field stands for a 6-5 win in 11 for SF. Game 2 was another close game that went to extras but this time the starting pitchers delivered. Jim Willoughby pitched 7 plus innings for the Giants giving up 3 runs while Phil Niekro gave up the same 3 over 10 full innings including another Kingman longball but this time it was the Traders turn to win in extras as Joe Hague hit the first pitch of the 10th out to right center to even the series. In the 3rd series it was billed as another epic matchup with Dave McNally going for SF vs Tom Seaver but it was a slaughter as the Giants put 9 on the board over the first three innings and added a 10th in the 6th as Seaver gave up 3 homers (including another to Kingman) on 9 hits before God had mercy on the Daytraders and sent the rain to end things in the bottom of the 6th.

Series 2 June at Candlestick Park SF

The Daytraders evened the season series in game one as Steve Carlton pitched a complete game 5 hitter giving up an RBI triple to Killebrew and a long ball to Dave Kingman for his 4th HR in 4 games vs New York but Dock Ellis lasted only 3 1/3 innings Giving up a two run shot in the first to Stargell and 2 Rbi singles in the 3rd (Stargell and Norm Cash). Ted Simmons would deliver 2 more runs in the 4th by which time the brokers had a 7-1 lead which would be enough to hold off the Kingman power surge. Game two earned the Giants a split thanks to seven strong innings from Steve Stone, Bobby Bonds who drove in 3 and a solid 9th from closer Dave Giusti

Series 3 July at Shea Stadium NY

It was a battle of Complete games with Phil Niekro again coming out ahead shutting out the vaunted Giants offense on four hits while hard luck loser Mickey Lolich also pitched a complete game giving up only 7 hits but alas for his one of those hits was a two run shot by Graig Nettles in the 8th. The Daytraders completed the two game sweep the next day as Roger Nelson repeated Niekro’s feat albeit only over seven innings while Dave Lemonds kept the Giants scoreless for the final two while the Mets bats went to work with Nettles, Norm Cash, Leron Lee and Willie Stargell all going yard for a 6-3 final.

Series 4 September at Candlestick Park SF

With the Daytraders still fighting for a division title and the Giants having safely clinched you might have expected SF to be less motivated but Ron Bryant (7 innings 3 hits) and Eddie Watt (2 innings 2 hits) shut down the Brokers bats while twenty game winner Tom Seaver would get his 15th loss with Dave Kingman hitting his 24 and Garry Matthews adding his 2nd off reliver Rojn Perranoski in a 5-0 win. The Daytraders retook the season series lead in game two with Jimmy Wynn starting with a two run shot off Les Cain in the first. The Giants would tie it in the 3rd with a pair of their own including yet another Kingman long shot, but NY would take the lead in the sixth off of John Strohmayer on a Ted Simmons single and add 4 more in the 8th for a 7-2 win. The Giants would take the rubber game on the arm of Dock Ellis (7 innings 2 R) and the bats of Darrell Evans (3 run shot in the 3rd) and Dave Cash who would each drive in 3

Season Series 5-5

If you told me that both the Daytraders and the Giants would win their series in five with both Tom Seaver and Jim Palmer going 0-1 I wouldn’t have believed you. This series is likely going to be one of the most exciting series we will see with two solid teams with great rotations and nasty offenses. The Giants were unable to beat Phil Niekro in three starts but the Daytraders only faced Jim Palmer for 2/3 of an inning all season so that’s a wild card. Both managers have led teams to the world series (daytraders 69 Giants 70) And the Giants seem to hold a lot of cards and had the best record in the NL but with Niekro’s dominance and Carlton and Seaver to back him up I just can’t see the Giants even with a Jim Palmer beating these guys 4 times. It will be close and tough but barring a spectacular injury or suspension I say the Daytraders are heading for the series once again.

NY in 7

1972 Dynasty League American League Championship Series Milwaukee at NY Yankees

Posted: October 10, 2024 by datechguy in baseball, dynasty baseball, gaming, online gaming
Tags: , , , , ,

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.                                                                       

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