Its Friday again and I’m looking forward to a fun and relaxing weekend.  Weather looks good so should be able to get some lawn work done, and hopefully go for a nice long walk

Not a good week for the MLB and its Umpires.   1st was a blown call on a home run.  While I don’t want to hear excuses about the monitors being to small, or not true HD, this looks really bad for MLB in general.  With all the technology today – hell they have big screen TVs at Fast Food Restaurants and places like Quick Check, for MLB to have old small 19″ TV’s from Sharp (who was the official TV provider for MLB when replay was introduced in 2007) in use for relay is a disgrace .

http://deadspin.com/mlbs-crappy-replay-tech-its-a-miracle-umps-ever-get-499041275

I find it hard to believe that when these new stadiums have been built the last few years that they installed this type of system.   If the Yankees when they built their new stadium with all the new technology, (including players having ipods in each locker),  actually installed a 5 year old crappy sharp Aquos TV in a hallway for the replay officials because of some directive from MLB to keep sharp happy, then the people who run baseball are a bunch of idiots.      Now I know that Progressive Field  (where the Indians Play) was built in 1992 – 1994.  Maybe they still have an old Sharp Aquos TV.   Maybe the signal was bad, and the hallway lighting was bad.  Still it wasn’t to hard to see the ball hit above the wall for a HR.

The 2nd mistake might have been a bit worse.   With two on, two outs and the Angels trailing, 5-3, in the top of the seventh, Astros manager Bo Porter subbed right-hander Paul Clemens with lefty Wesley Wright, with left-handed hitter J.B. Shuck due to bat.  After Wright threw his warm-up pitches and Porter saw the right-handed-hitting Luis Jimenez on deck to pinch-hit, Porter made another pitching change, going to righty Ambriz before Wright faced a hitter, which isn’t allowed unless there’s an injury. At that point, a furious Scioscia informed the umpires that the Angels would play the rest of the game under protest.  “I think the rule’s pretty clear,” Scioscia said.  Porter had a different understanding.  “Technically, Wesley came in to pitch the batter that was scheduled to hit, but he pinch-hit for the batter that was scheduled to hit — which, from my understanding of the rule, you can bring in another pitcher to face the pinch-hitter,” said Porter.

How is Bo Porter a major league manager if he doesn’t understand one of the most basic and simplest  rules.

Enough of my ranting and on to some good stuff

The Mets had there second walk of win of the week.   I really have no idea about this team.  Are the good (no) but are they bad (n0).   Hopefully they stick close enough to make the games have some meaning for the summer.  And I have to give David Write some credit after ripping on him last week.   He hit a huge HR against the Braves and has played some great ball the past week.   Good for him

This Sunday is the season finally of Survivor.  I always love the 2 hours finally and 1 hour reunion show.   3 great hours of TV .    I’m rooting for Cochran to take the title of Sole Survivor.

As far as Brenda, let this be a lesson for those reality show players with a choice of either taking something for yourself or giving something to everybody else.   Always play for yourself first.   You may feel bad, but players seem to respect it more.   To many times players have given up rewards or advantages thinking that it will make them look better.  In fact it makes them look weak, and they usually pay the price.  The best ever was Mike Boogie from Big Brother.  He took whatever he was given (Money, Trips, Food) and never looked back.   A few people were mad at him for a few minutes but  then were right back playing the game

Will be back next week with some thoughts on Movies, Books, and Music and what ever else I think of on my way to work.  Hope everybody has a great week

AA