The Astros Blew It
My favorite columnist, George Will, often writes about baseball (and it is easily my favorite sport, in part because it's a quirky mix of individual and team accomplishment, statistics galore), recently ranted about unsportsmanlike behavior in the sixth game of the just concluded World Series. In the first inning, Astros third baseman Alex Bregman hit a home run and did something unprecedented in any ballgame I've ever watched---he carried his bat to first base (something for which he has profusely apologized ever since. Then in the fifth inning Nationals left fielder Juan Soto homered and repeated Bergman's preening behavior, obviously mocking him. In my opinion, Soto's sin was greater, not just because it was ostentatious, but because it was unprofessional in-your-face mockery directed at the opposite, immature and juvenile, unprofessional. For some odd reason, Twitter trended on Will's column and seemed to take more exception with Will's criticism of Soto. I had to go back and reread Will's column: had he forgotten to mention Bergman engaged in the same behavior?My high school didn't field a baseball field, which I would have tried out for. I really didn't become aggressive at the plate until my last year of youth baseball. Like in most things, including research and academic success, I gain confidence with my first clean hit, a soft line drive to left field. My next time up I hit another ground ball hit in any league up the middle. The shortstop did manage to field it and throw it to first base, but I beat out the throw. I still remember being at the plate at bat when the (my last) season ended. I had fouled off balls with a 2-strike count, took a ball and my teammate got caught trying to steal. I was a quirky player, left-handed but most batted right-handed. I have a natural side-arm throw as a southpaw but oddly enough throw harder with my right arm. I had one coach who considered me as a pitcher but wanted me to throw over the top.
I was more of a defensive standout and made two of the best catches in the outfield I've seen at any level. One was a high pop-up to short center field. I was playing deep and had to catch up on a dead run and make a basket catch. Then there was a time I speared a sharp line drive down the right foul line. I had to twist my body, my back to the infield. I remember trying to figure out where the ball was, and then I saw it in my glove. Funny. The crowd applauded my catch, the only time I ever got one at a sporting event.
There were other accomplishments, including:
- throwing out a runner trying to score from second on a base hit to right field
- playing 4 positions in one game (all 3 outfield positions and first base)
- a picked-off player on my first game at first base
- an unassisted double play at first, snagging a hit-and-run line drive
But I remember one game where I ended up getting booed. My teammates were throwing wildly to first base and multiple throws got past me. We only had 9 players that day. My coach at first jumped all over my demoralized ass going back to the dugout. At one point he threatened to pull me out, basically forfeiting the game. I responded back something like "Go right ahead." It's like, "Why aren't you chewing out the players not throwing anywhere near first base. This shocked the coach, and then he said probably the smartest thing a coach ever said: "Play the position like you play the outfield. Focus on fielding the ball where they throw it and beat the runner to first base." He was right; I couldn't improve my teammates' throws to first base; I couldn't mimic how major league players played first base, but I could play the position with a paradigm shift to playing the ball where it's thrown. This life lesson was something that I've repeatedly embraced in my academic and professional careers. It sounds trite to simply observe having the need to think outside the box.
To give a minor example, I became the first (and only, at the time, to the best of my knowledge) critics of a Pearson computer user satisfaction scale, widely used by MIS academics. There were some nagging doubts about the original research, including a binomial statistics test used to argue factor completeness. It was never clear to me that memory events were statistically independent events appropriate to the use of statistics. I started expanding reviews of reference disciplines like applied psychology. in the process of developing my own measures. And as I delved into the reference disciplines, I wondered about validation of constructs within information system constructs. In teaching about human factors in IT, I introduced concepts in practical situations, e.g., ATM screens reflecting sun glare, poor dialogue design, etc.
OK, that last paragraph was rather wonky; the reader may ask, "What the hell does that have to do with the Astros?" Well, more than you might think. Take, for instance, some absurd infield shifts (stacking, say, to the right of the diamond). If you go with the pitch or hit a bunt or slow grounder to the left side of the infield, you're all but guaranteed to get on base. There was one occasion I remember when the Astros had runners on second and third with no outs and failed to push a run across. I probably would have thrown in a wrinkle like a suicide squeeze bunt and/or attempted steal of home. Or take the Astros up by 2 in game 7. This is the last game of the season. Every pitcher should be available, including ace starter Cole. The manager had him up a couple of times but didn't use him. Now granted, the Astros manager (Hinch) trusted his relievers all season, but why aren't you using your most effective pitcher in baseball over the past 5 months? Granted, no one could have predicted bullpen ace Harris would serve up the game-winning homer or the Astros would be shut out after the first inning.
I have to take one shot at second baseman Altuve, one of the best hitters in baseball who put the Astros into the World Series vs. the Yankees. He struck out one crucial time on a ball outside in the dirt. DUDE! It's good being aggressive at the plate, but you're playing into the pitcher's advantage when you start fishing for shitty, low-probability pitches way out of the strike zone.
SIGH! Any familiar reader knows my most favorite team is the Minnesota Twins, who got bounced out by the Yankees in a 3-game sweep early in the playoffs. (Long story: my first Little League team was the 1-19 Twins. A love/hate story. Some 8-year-old teammate started razzing me about having a girlfriend. At that age (around 11) that was the ultimate insult. I grabbed him by the collar and told him to knock it off. In turn,the coach took me by the collar and kicked me out of the dugout. We were playing, yes, the Yankees, my little brother's team. I decided to stay in the stands and cheer my brother; my coach caught me and kicked me off the team. Among other things, that made me ineligible to attend the end of season banquet featuring local hometown celebrity retired Yankee Bobby Richardson. My parents futilely tried to reason with my former coach to no available. I soon discovered there was a real major league team called the Twins and adopted them, embracing Hall of Fame slugger Harmon Killebrew and imitating his batting stance. Ironically, I've never attended a Twins game in person and in fact first set foot in Minnesota to attend an ICIS conference in my early 30's.)
When my USAF Dad got transferred to south Texas for my high school years, I latched onto the Astros, the only local major league team then. But it wasn't until I was working and studying in Houston that I went to my first major league game. I remember that my brother and I attended the game where Nolan Ryan was within a few strikeouts of 3000, but he got knocked out of the game early. Ir wasn't until about 2005 that (the then National League) Astros finally made it to the World Series. And they won it a couple of years ago, now in the American League.
So I've gotten used to the Astros losing over the years. This one is tough, one of the best home teams in baseball losing all 4 Series games in Houston. I'm sure I'm not the only Houaton fan thinking I could have outmanaged Hinch in this series. And I have no idea why pitching ace Verlander has been winless in 3 Series But there's always next year.
Well, the big news is that Bruce just "graduated" from his advanced recovery facility in Irving as his health insurance under his former employer (at the time of his strokes) has run out. As I write, he should be headed to or at a skilled nursing facility in the Austin area, which should be covered by Medicare (I'm not sure, but I think Medicare patients are responsible for 20% costs over and beyond premiums.) I don't know about Bruce's home, savings, and investments. I think he had a fairly big house in Plano built in the late 1990's but I have no idea if he sold in a soft Great Recession economy or any subsequent homes in Georgia and Austin. I would think as empty nesters, they've probably down-sized. One thing is for sure: his Blue Cross insurance covered over $1M in hospitalization and rehabilitation, so that was probably helpful in conserving their retirement savings.
I believe that Bruce will be moving back home after the coming 3 weeks. Certainly some things will change permanently, like his partial vision loss in each eye will preclude Bruce from one of his favorite activities, driving. He will also be more reliant using a wheelchair; he can probably use a walker for short distances. They were trying to normalize (?) him in Dallas/Irving, e.g., loading a washing machine, etc., which annoyed Susan because she has and will continue to do those types of things. Bruce's swallowing reflexes have improved to the point of eating softer foods and thicker liquids, although thinner liquids like water are more of a problem. He's having an easier time coping with certain details like recognizing today's date.
To give a minor example, I became the first (and only, at the time, to the best of my knowledge) critics of a Pearson computer user satisfaction scale, widely used by MIS academics. There were some nagging doubts about the original research, including a binomial statistics test used to argue factor completeness. It was never clear to me that memory events were statistically independent events appropriate to the use of statistics. I started expanding reviews of reference disciplines like applied psychology. in the process of developing my own measures. And as I delved into the reference disciplines, I wondered about validation of constructs within information system constructs. In teaching about human factors in IT, I introduced concepts in practical situations, e.g., ATM screens reflecting sun glare, poor dialogue design, etc.
OK, that last paragraph was rather wonky; the reader may ask, "What the hell does that have to do with the Astros?" Well, more than you might think. Take, for instance, some absurd infield shifts (stacking, say, to the right of the diamond). If you go with the pitch or hit a bunt or slow grounder to the left side of the infield, you're all but guaranteed to get on base. There was one occasion I remember when the Astros had runners on second and third with no outs and failed to push a run across. I probably would have thrown in a wrinkle like a suicide squeeze bunt and/or attempted steal of home. Or take the Astros up by 2 in game 7. This is the last game of the season. Every pitcher should be available, including ace starter Cole. The manager had him up a couple of times but didn't use him. Now granted, the Astros manager (Hinch) trusted his relievers all season, but why aren't you using your most effective pitcher in baseball over the past 5 months? Granted, no one could have predicted bullpen ace Harris would serve up the game-winning homer or the Astros would be shut out after the first inning.
I have to take one shot at second baseman Altuve, one of the best hitters in baseball who put the Astros into the World Series vs. the Yankees. He struck out one crucial time on a ball outside in the dirt. DUDE! It's good being aggressive at the plate, but you're playing into the pitcher's advantage when you start fishing for shitty, low-probability pitches way out of the strike zone.
SIGH! Any familiar reader knows my most favorite team is the Minnesota Twins, who got bounced out by the Yankees in a 3-game sweep early in the playoffs. (Long story: my first Little League team was the 1-19 Twins. A love/hate story. Some 8-year-old teammate started razzing me about having a girlfriend. At that age (around 11) that was the ultimate insult. I grabbed him by the collar and told him to knock it off. In turn,the coach took me by the collar and kicked me out of the dugout. We were playing, yes, the Yankees, my little brother's team. I decided to stay in the stands and cheer my brother; my coach caught me and kicked me off the team. Among other things, that made me ineligible to attend the end of season banquet featuring local hometown celebrity retired Yankee Bobby Richardson. My parents futilely tried to reason with my former coach to no available. I soon discovered there was a real major league team called the Twins and adopted them, embracing Hall of Fame slugger Harmon Killebrew and imitating his batting stance. Ironically, I've never attended a Twins game in person and in fact first set foot in Minnesota to attend an ICIS conference in my early 30's.)
When my USAF Dad got transferred to south Texas for my high school years, I latched onto the Astros, the only local major league team then. But it wasn't until I was working and studying in Houston that I went to my first major league game. I remember that my brother and I attended the game where Nolan Ryan was within a few strikeouts of 3000, but he got knocked out of the game early. Ir wasn't until about 2005 that (the then National League) Astros finally made it to the World Series. And they won it a couple of years ago, now in the American League.
So I've gotten used to the Astros losing over the years. This one is tough, one of the best home teams in baseball losing all 4 Series games in Houston. I'm sure I'm not the only Houaton fan thinking I could have outmanaged Hinch in this series. And I have no idea why pitching ace Verlander has been winless in 3 Series But there's always next year.
BEB Update
To unfamiliar readers, Bruce Breeding, my UH then fellow PhD student office mate. suffered 2 strokes at the beginning of June, and I've been updating his subsequent recovery largely based on regular blog updates from his wife Susan.Well, the big news is that Bruce just "graduated" from his advanced recovery facility in Irving as his health insurance under his former employer (at the time of his strokes) has run out. As I write, he should be headed to or at a skilled nursing facility in the Austin area, which should be covered by Medicare (I'm not sure, but I think Medicare patients are responsible for 20% costs over and beyond premiums.) I don't know about Bruce's home, savings, and investments. I think he had a fairly big house in Plano built in the late 1990's but I have no idea if he sold in a soft Great Recession economy or any subsequent homes in Georgia and Austin. I would think as empty nesters, they've probably down-sized. One thing is for sure: his Blue Cross insurance covered over $1M in hospitalization and rehabilitation, so that was probably helpful in conserving their retirement savings.
I believe that Bruce will be moving back home after the coming 3 weeks. Certainly some things will change permanently, like his partial vision loss in each eye will preclude Bruce from one of his favorite activities, driving. He will also be more reliant using a wheelchair; he can probably use a walker for short distances. They were trying to normalize (?) him in Dallas/Irving, e.g., loading a washing machine, etc., which annoyed Susan because she has and will continue to do those types of things. Bruce's swallowing reflexes have improved to the point of eating softer foods and thicker liquids, although thinner liquids like water are more of a problem. He's having an easier time coping with certain details like recognizing today's date.
Wrestling Notes
Well, some of the Crown Jewel results were predictable (no, I did not watch it). It never made sense that boxing champ Tyson Fury would job to Braun Strowman or they would put Cain Velasquez over Lesnar for the WWE belt (at least at this time). That babyface Hogan team beat heel Team Flair is also predictable, although I could visualize a swerve feeding a future storyline.On a more promising note, they put "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt over Seth Rollins. The split personality Wyatt character is one of the best things WWE has done creatively in some time and sets up some possibly interesting storylines with former Wyatt Family stablemates (Braun and Rowan) also on the Raw roster. I'm not sure where they go next with Seth Rollins. They've hinted a heel turn with his burning down Wyatt's "funhouse". Maybe they'll wait until Survivor's Series, reprising Rollin's infamous heel turn against his Shield colleagues?
I still expect WWE to form to field a heel or Shield-like faction, perhaps to counter Styles' Club faction.
