Shuffle #115 (July 13, 2019)

Adios To California – John Hiatt

The River – Bruce Springsteen

All Around The World Or The Myth Of Fingerprints – Paul Simon

Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne – Looking Glass

The First Sight – Teenage Fanclub

Gone Daddy Gone – Violent Femmes

Hasten Down The Wind – Linda Ronstadt

Stay – Jackson Browne

The Big Heat – Stan Ridgway

Loves Me Like A Rock – Paul Simon

July 7, 2019 – Nats 5, Marlins 2 – Nationals Park

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-end-first-half-with-win-over-royals

 

Weather: 82 degrees, Cloudy.

Wind: 1 mph, In From RF.

Umpires: HP--Barksdale, 1B--Barrett, 2B--Lentz, 3B--Tumpane.

Time: 2:37

Attendance: 21,873

 

Patrick Corbin had another strong outing for the Nats, setting the tone by fanning the side in the top of the first, and retiring the final 9 batters he faced. The fourth was his only rough inning, when he gave up 3 of his 5 hits, but Robles gunned down Alex Gordon on Cheslor Cuthbert’s one-out single to keep the visitors off the board.

 

Kansas City’s Jakob Junis was almost as effective through his first 5 innings, although he did allow a solo HR to Brian Dozier in the 2^nd. The Nats missed a great chance in the 6^th, when Rendon grounded into a double play and Soto flied out after a Turner double and an Eaton walk. They did double their lead off Junis in the 7^th when Robles homered.

 

As has so often been the case, however, the 8^th inning was not kind to the Nats’ bullpen. Martin Maldonado led off with a single off Fernando Rodney, and pinch-runner extraordinaire Terrance Gore promptly stole second. Rodney retired the next two batters, but Adalberto Mondesi blooped a single in front of Soto to score the Royals’ first run of the game. Davey’s strategy of having Doolittle warmed up for the left-handed-swinging Gordon backfired, as he doubled on Sean’s first pitch to tie the game.

 

The Washington offense finally came to life in the bottom of the inning, with Jake Diekman replacing Junis on the mound. With one out, an Eaton single and a Rendon double gave the Nats back the lead, then Kendrick doubled in two insurance runs following a Diekman error. Doolittle preserved the victory in the 9^th, despite subpar velocity on his fastball.

July 3, 2019 – Nats 3, Marlins 1 – Nationals Park

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/stephen-strasburg-immaculate-inning

 

Weather: 90 degrees, Partly Cloudy.

Wind: 7 mph, In From LF.

Umpires: HP--Guccione, 1B--Carlson, 2B--Gibson, 3B--Segal.

Time: 3:07

Attendance: 25,483

First pitch: 6:05 PM

 

It was an interesting first inning for Stephen Strasburg Wednesday evening. The good news: he fanned the first two batters, and induced a harmless ground ball for the third out after walking Garrett Cooper. The bad news: he needed 20 pitches to get through the frame. On an oppressively hot and humid day, I remember thinking that he wasn’t destined to get very deep into the game.

 

Strasburg had other ideas. He continued to pile up strikeouts (13 through 7 innings, including an immaculate 9-pitch 4^th where he struck out the side). During that time, he allowed only two baserunners, both harmless singles. No one even reached second base.

 

Meanwhile, the Nats struggled to get on the scoreboard against Miami starter Sandy Alcantara, the team’s lone All-Star representative. After wasting two-out doubles in the second and third, they loaded the bases with just one out in the fourth  on two walks and an error,  but Alcantara retired Robles and Gomes on strikes to extinguish the threat.

 

The home team finally broke through in the 6^th, on a one-out single by Soto and a two-out homer by Dozier (which I more or less called). Dozier’s dinger also enabled the Nats to set a franchise record, with at least one home run in 17 straight games.

 

Stras still looked strong, ending the top of the 7^th at 98 pitches, so Martinez let him hit in the bottom of the inning and come back out for the 8^th. He promptly walked leadoff hitter JT Riddle and hit Bryan Holaday with a pitch. He exited one batter later to a standing ovation after fanning pinch-hitter Brian Anderson. Fernando Rodney allowed a single to Nats-killer Miguel Rojas to load the bases, but got a double-play grounder to end the inning and protect the shutout.

 

Matt Adams’ solo homer in the bottom of the inning provided some insurance, which felt good as Sean Doolittle navigated a rocky 9^th inning. After retiring the first batter, he allowed three straight singles to load the bases. He struck out Riddle after falling behind 3-1, but then hit Cesar Puello to force in a run. We could finally exhale when he fanned Yadiel Rivera to nail down the save.

 

The early start and the lack of rain let the Nats proceed with their post-game “Freedom Fireworks” display. Somewhat oddly, the musical accompaniment began with “Time Of The Season” by the very-British Zombies. The remaining selections were certainly all-American, although I thought that CCRs “Bad Moon Rising” was an equally discordant choice to end a celebratory show. (Check out the lyrics if you don’t believe me.) Perhaps “Proud Mary”, or even “Born On The Bayou”, which actually mentions the Fourth of July?

 

Democratic candidates veer left, leaving behind successful midterm strategy

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/democratic-candidates-veer-left-leaving-behind-successful-midterm-strategy/2019/06/30/e04f1464-9a6d-11e9-830a-21b9b36b64ad_story.html?utm_term=.f2772b8283d7

 

One cautionary take on last week’s Democratic debate doubleheader.

Favorite Musical Artists: The Beach Boys

It may have been fate that I was listening to the final half-hour of Rich Russo’s Anything, Anything this past Sunday night, as I caught his segue of Barenaked Ladies’ classic “Brian Wilson”, preceded by a partial live cover by the man himself. While the other members of the Beach Boys certainly played a major role in the group’s success (as evidenced by some fine work while Wilson was in the depths of his long-lasting mental health issues), there’s no question that Brian Wilson deserves his accolades as a musical genius; I’m not sure who else has been included in lists of top singers, songwriters, AND producers by major music publications. Except for when one of my dorm neighbors in college frequently played the underappreciated Surf’s Up album, I was always more inspired by the band on a song-by-song basis: not just the big hits, but many of their more obscure tracks as well. Although Brian Wilson’s melodies and vocal arrangements get the most attention, many of the band’s lyrics are also notable, initially evoking both the joys and difficulties of the teen years, and tackling more sophisticated topics later with the likes of “Long Promised Road” and “Til I Die”.

 

Favorite songs:

 

Don't Worry Baby 

Wouldn't It Be Nice

Barbara Ann

All Summer Long

Please Let Me Wonder

 

In My Room

Long Promised Road

Help Me, Rhonda

Fun, Fun, Fun

When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)

 

Sloop John B.

Good Timin'

Surf's Up

Darlin'

Surfer Girl

 

Good Vibrations

California Girls

Disney Girls

Wendy

Surfin' U.S.A.

 

Holiday bonus – just about everyone is familiar with the classics “Little Saint Nick” and “The Man With All The Toys”. They also did a stunning version of “Graduation Day”.

June 23, 2019 – Braves 4, Nats 3 (10 innings) – Nationals Park

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-lose-to-braves-in-extra-innings

 

Weather: 83 degrees, Sunny.

Wind: 6 mph, L To R.

Umpires: HP--Miller, 1B--Eddings, 2B--Conroy, 3B--Porter.

Time: 3:09

Attendance: 34,256

 

After the previous evening’s 13-9 slugfest, this afternoon somewhat surprisingly turned into a pitchers’ duel, despite Atlanta starter Mike Soroka’s departure after two innings (he was hit in the forearm by a pitch in the top of the 3^rd), and Washington’s use of Austin Voth to make an emergency start. Voth exceeded expectations by providing an effective and efficient 6 innings, showing more velocity than expected and keeping the hot-hitting Braves under control, except for two solo homers.

 

Unfortunately, the Nats could do nothing against journeyman Josh Tomlin, who replaced Soroka and retired 12 straight after giving up a hit to Gerardo Parra. They finally broke through to tie the game with two outs in the bottom of the 7^th on a Soto HR and consecutive singles by Adams, Kendrick, and Parra. After that, however, they failed to score in the 8^th after the first two batters reached, and again in the bottom of the 9^th when Kendrick stole second with 2 outs.

 

The overworked Washington bullpen blanked Atlanta for 3 innings, but faltered in the 10^th when Tanner Rainey gave up a two-run homer to pinch-hitter Johan Camargo. The Nats answered with one run in the bottom of the frame and had runners on first and second with one out, but Atlanta closer Luke Jackson retired Rendon and Soto to end the game.

 

June 21, 2019 – Nats 4, Braves 3 – Nationals Park

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-bullpen-secures-win-over-braves

 

Weather: 81 degrees, Partly Cloudy.

Wind: 17 mph, L To R.

Umpires: HP--Conroy, 1B--Porter, 2B--Miller, 3B--Eddings.

Time: 3:01

Attendance: 34,212

 

Section 419, Row N, Seats 28-29 – behind first base, top row of the stadium (nice breeze, although the bright sun was a bit of a problem sight-wise until it finally went down)

 

Although Strasburg struggled early with his control, he hung in there for 6 innings, as the Nats rallied to beat the Braves on a perfect evening for a ballgame.

 

The visitors took a 2-0 lead in the top of the 2^nd when Austin Riley homered following a leadoff walk, and they added another run an inning later on a two-out RBI double by Freddie Freeman. Meanwhile, Dallas Keuchel, making his first start after his belated free-agent signing, allowed runners in each of the first 3 innings, but the Nats were unable to push anything across.

 

Washington finally broke through in the fourth to tie the game at 3, in an inning featuring a Robles triple and a Yan Gomes home run, and took the lead in the fifth when Soto led off with a triple and Rendon singled him home.

 

That wound up finishing up the scoring for both sides. Despite some anxious moments, Washington’s depleted bullpen protected the lead for the final 3 frames, with Wander Suero notching his first major-league save.

June 20, 2019 – Bethesda Big Train 8, Silver Spring-Takoma Park Thunderbolts 1 – Shirley Povich Field

http://www.bigtrain.org/news/?article_id=698

 

Second row, behind the SS-T dugout about halfway down the first base line (general admission)

 

Game notes – Thunderbolts scored first in the top of the 3^rd, which apparently woke up the home team, as they scored in each of the next 4 innings, culminating in a 4-run 6^th … while the Big Train made some great defensive plays throughout, the visitors were somewhat sloppy, allowing two runs to score on wild pitches … Michael Bechtold (James Madison) pitched the first 5 innings for Bethesda … oddly enough, this was the closest of the 4 games so far this season between these two teams … the weather was nice for most of the evening, until a heavy shower as the 9^th inning started sent just about everyone in the crowd towards the exit

 

Other – fundraiser for the Metropolitan Washington Ear (so I threw one of the four first pitches)

Two views of Elizabeth Warren’s re-emergence

Politico reports that she may wind up as an acceptable compromise candidate for the anybody-but-Bernie faction of the party.

 

Meanwhile, Max Boot in the Post makes the point that having lots of ideas isn’t necessarily the same as having lots of good ideas …

In first states to legalize pot, teen use triggers concerns

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/potent-pot-vulnerable-teens-trigger-concerns-in-first-states-to-legalize-marijuana/2019/06/15/52df638a-8c9a-11e9-8f69-a2795fca3343_story.html?utm_term=.1d9cdbc4cab2

 

I’ve always been in favor of holding off on marijuana legalization until we have a better idea on how things go in the states that took that action at an early stage. These results from Colorado and Washington are not encouraging.