Left Coast Sports Babe

Thank you Boch, thank you Madbum.

Apparently Brandon Crawford was in charge of the walkup and mound music today at AT&T Oracle Park.  Especial kudos for his selections for Mike Yastrzemski  – “Sweet Caroline” and “More than a Feeling” (Boston), and for submarine pitcher Tyler Rogers  “Sideways.”  And for Belt late in the game ” “Wake Me Up When September Ends.”

–

And in a capper to Bochy’s final season with SF Giants,  which turned out b the car on Fan Appreciation Day ends up being won by a woman in a Dodgers’ cap.

Happiest non-political people in DC over the headlines all being about possible Trump impeachment – the 0-4 Washington Redskins.

–

As winless Bengals visit winless Steelers on Monday Night Football, Stubhub says the cheapest tickets are going for $32.   Wonder how many people buying their way in are simply fans of train wrecks.

–

Anyone seen the spread next weekend for Miami Dolphins vs Bye Week?

–

Some times coaches get fired and you think management over reacted. Then there’s Chris Ash, fired by Rutgers as football coach after Scarlet Knights lost three games by combined 112-16.

Trump reposted an “evangelical” preacher’s warning that impeach ‘It will cause a Civil War-like fracture from which our Country will never heal.”
Because Donald thinks “that’s MY job!”

–

Pretty brave of a President to talk about Civil War when he knows he himself will demand a deferment. #CadetBoneSpurs

UNC missed an upset of #1 Clemson only because of what may not have been the best two-point conversion attempt.

But as much fun as it would have been to watch Clemson lose, probably would have just increased chances of two SEC teams in the College Football Playoff.

–

Who’d a thunk the red-hot Brewers would lose 2 to the Rockies, and Cardinals would lose 2 to the reeling Cubs. Maybe Milwaukee and St Louis REALLY don’t want to play the Atlanta Braves?

–

Oakland A’s will host Tampa Bay Rays in Wednesday Wild Card game.  But can you call it home field advantage when neither team is used to having fans show up?

–

Bruce Bochy says Madison Bumgarner won’t pitch in his final SF Giants game. Well, can he at least let Bum pinch hit?

–

Not saying Pac 12 is the equal of SEC. But at least they have a conference where most of the teams are at least close enough to equal to make games interesting when they play each other.

So when Trump misses a shot on the golf course does he blame “the squad” too? Or Schiff? Or Obama? This is so confusing.

As Trump unleashes another Tweet storm, I’m so old I remember when POTUS would be criticized because his choice of what to do Saturday night was a date with his wife.

–

Wonder who told Trump how to spell “Harassment?”

–

Trump attacking “Do Nothing Democrats” – “Disgraceful what they are NOT doing, namely, the USMCA vote, Prescription Drug Price Reduction, Gun Safety, Infrastructure, and much more!” Gosh, if only GOP ever had had a chance to control both houses of Congress…

–

Maybe Kamala Harris would be higher in the polls if she had Maya Rudolph make some of her campaign appearances for her?

Two last questions.

How exhausted must SNL writers be now after this week keeping up with material for tonight’s season opener?

So how cranky is Trump going  to be Sunday after he stayed up past his bedtime to watch SNL tonight?

Scheduled doubleheader today between 70-88 White Sox and 46-112 Tigers was postponed because of rain.
“I’m so disappointed” said no one not related to a player on either team.

–

So much for Cal’s undefeated season. Guessing Golden Bears and Stanford Cardinal will still, however, be playing Big Game not only for the Axe, but maybe for the Redbox Bowl.

Few points in SF Giants season more lovely – any year – than the Willie Mac award. Seriously.

–

Well, SF Giants fans, it could be worse.  From ESPN “The Detroit Tigers (46-112), already assured of the big leagues’ worst record and next year’s top draft pick, finished 22-59 at Comerica Park, tied for worst in MLB history.

But on today’s latest liddle controversy, how exactly Trump insulted Adam Schiff,  to be fair to Donald it makes sense he used the word “hyphen.” We all know he can’t spell “apostrophe.”

–

–

When this is all over will the cherry on top of this whole sorry chapter in American history end up being, with some future President, the whistleblower getting a Presidential Medal of Honor?

–

To be fair it really does take world-class hubris to win an election by attacking someone over a private email server and then setting up your own.

–

Rudy Giuliani in a Politico interview “I’m the real whistleblower. If I get killed now. You won’t get the rest of the story.”
I miss the days that all Rudy’s sentences were “a noun, a verb, and 9-11.”

–

You think you’ve had to deal with a bad boss in a bad mood. … but on this Saturday how’d you like to be Donald Trump’s caddie?

–

Cardinals are trying to hold off Brewers for NL Central, and Cubs manager Joe Maddon was asked if he’ll play his regular lineup against St. Louis this weekend.
“We’re going to put a good team out there, but of course they’re going to bitch.
Uh, considering Chicago has lost 9 in a row, maybe Milwaukee would bitch more if Cubs played their regulars.

–

As great as it must be for all these minor league players to get experience in “the Show,” when MLB switches to 28 man rosters next September, not going to miss these games with over a dozen pitchers AT ALL.

–

Bryce Harper said some Nationals fans crossed the line while heckling him yesterday.
Look, I think there are limits on heckling and fans should avoid nasty personal insults. But Harper just signed a 13 year deal where he will almost certainly in the future be older, ineffective and making over $30 million a year… in PHILLY! He ain’t heard nothing yet.

–

Why there is no satire. Fox News contributor called Democratic impeachment efforts a “terrible mistake for our country” and said it erodes the power and prerogative of the Oval Office.
The contributor – Ken Starr.

–

So how many high school kids will write college entrance essays on imagining life with their parents in jail for trying to cheat on their admissions?

–

When Joaquin Castro tweeted names of Trump donors, Kevin McCarthy “Targeting and harassing Americans because of their political beliefs is shameful and dangerous.”
I missed House GOP leader also condemning Trump supporters who put a $50,000 bounty on whistleblower’s name.

–

Trump today on impeachment “There should be a way of stopping it.”
There is. See Nixon.

–

On a more trivial note, in yesterday’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Trump talked about when Miss Ukraine won his Miss Universe pageant. That never happened.
But yeah, let’s obsess about Biden gaffes.

–

So in July, Ukranian President Zelensky stayed in Trump’s hotel, one of the most expensive in NY. Maybe Trump Hotel will end up as famous a tourist attraction as Watergate.

California Republicans complain they’ve become almost irrelevant in the state. Then their “Lincoln-Reagan” fundraising dinner tonight in San Francisco features speaker Dinesh D’Souza….

–

Latest iteration of the Trump cocktail. Ukranian vodka on the rocks, imPeachment schnapps, a few twists and a splash of orange.

Brewers are 13-2 since MVP candidate Christian Yelich went down with a season-ending injury.  If Yelich had only been hurt in July would Milwaukee have clinched the division title weeks ago?

Rays and As look likely to end up meeting in Wild Card game. Will they set a record for lowest playoff game attendance?

–

Back in March, guessing most SF Giants fans thinking that in last week of 2019 season would be happy to be in the same postseason position as the Phillies and Cubs.

–

Urban Meyer, ostensibly retired again for health reasons was asked about rumors that he could succeed Jim Harbaugh at Michigan- “No, that’s not going to happen.”
Translation, I’d need a better offer.

–

Trump ends remarks to press “Nancy Pelosi, as far as I’m concerned, unfortunately she’s no longer Speaker of the House. Thank you everybody.”
Does that mean he and Pence are resigning so she will be President?

–

Sen. Mitt Romney called Ukraine transcript “very troubling.” And Susan Collins is going “Hey, that’s MY line.”

–

House voted 421-0 for Trump to hand over the whistleblower complaint.
Didn’t think you could get the House to vote 421-0 to say the sky was blue.

–

Guessing identity of Trump whistleblower is a lot more fun than the Masked Singer

–

Now reports that a second whistleblower may exist on Trump, “a federal employee” who said there were “inappropriate efforts” to influence his IRS audit.
Where there’s two, there’s three, where there’s three there’s four, where there’s four, there’s more….

–

If today was a book, it might be titled – “Donald and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”?

–

So Trump really is going there, doubling down on what a politician may or may not have done to advance his adult child’s business interests. Pass. The. Popcorn.

–

Apparently after Pelosi announced formal impeachment inquiry Trump campaign raised $1 million last night.
And I thought Jim Jones and his Peoples Temple would be the craziest cult I’d see in my lifetime.

–

New idea for Trump cocktail: Russian vodka with lots of twists and imPeachment Schnapps. And of course a splash of orange whine.

Nationals eliminated Phillies and Bryce Harper today in DC. Mean bitch karma must have taken an afternoon off from politics to enjoy a baseball game.

–

Good for Evan Longoria. But I’m so old I remember when 20 home runs was a good year.
Heck, there are 1st graders who remember when 20 home runs was a good year.

–

Across the pond in soccer, powerhouse Tottenham lost in Carabao Cup to fourth-tier Colchester United.
To put this in NFL perspective, it’s like the Patriots had lost to the Dolphins.

–

Washington coach Jon Gruden says he’s not worried about his job security with team’s 0-3 record.
Because no one else wants to take on the train wreck that is the Redskins?

–

On a nicer note for a change, my favorite Starbucks person from near my old office two years ago, just moved to one near my current office. And she remembered my drink. A tall Pike. Sometimes happiness can be this easy.

–

Watching clips of Trump’s UN speech. Anyone checked to see if his audio-animatronic figure is still in Disney’s Hall or Presidents today?

–

Whatever you think of Nancy Pelosi, your reminder: Mueller report was actions largely before Trump became President. The Ukraine issue is about his actions as President.
You don’t want to check the King in chess unless the rest of your pieces are in very good position.

And the Queen IS the most powerful piece on the board.

–

Trump on Ukraine – “no pressure put on them whatsoever. But there was pressure put on w/ respect to Joe Biden. What Joe Biden did for his son, that’s something they should be looking at.” So is President Projection thinking about something illegal he did for Donnie, OR Ivanka?

–

Since other Democrats are gaining on Biden how ironic would it be if Trump gets impeached for going after a candidate who didn’t even get the nomination.

–

Well, on a brighter note for Trump between Greta Thunberg and Nancy Pelosi the major headlines today won’t be that he sounded drugged during his UN speech.

–

How much does it eat at Trump that his speech wasn’t as good, or as well received, as that of a 16 year old girl?

–

It’s not just one call. Watergate was not just about one break-in.

–

Rumors that the whistle blower might be John Bolton.
Gosh, and who would think Bolton might be that vindictive?

So who in White House has been tasked with editing a tape in a way that makes it look “unredacted?”

–

“The administration also prepared to release a redacted version of the whistle-blower’s complaint.”
Redacted by sharpie?

–

So how long until Rudy Giuliani joins that rather large pile of bodies Trump has thrown under the bus?

–

Tuesday night NY Times reported  “The administration also prepared to release a redacted version of the whistle-blower’s complaint.”
Redacted by sharpie?

Scott Boras is upset & saying MLB is affecting playoff races after his client Kris Bryant sprained an ankle landing awkwardly on a wet first-base bag Sunday.
Agreed the league should look out for player safety, but Bryant’s ankle isn’t the reason Cubs were swept in 4 game series by St. Louis.

–

And yes, Sunday per ESPN Cubs became “just the second team in 100 years to get swept at home in a four game series and lose all four by a single run.”
Okay, that’s more home misery than even SF Giants this season.

—

Kansas City manager Ned Yost is retiring. To be fair with the Royals he hasn’t really been managing an MLB team for a few years.

–

NCAA has charged Kansas with “lack of institutional control and men’s basketball coach Bill Self with “head coach responsibility violations.”
Time for the poll. Will Self make a leap to the NBA? Or retire to spend more time with his family?

–

Patriots today put star fullbacks James Develin on IR.   So any other NFL FB’s thinking of getting themselves released so they can sign with New England?

–

Right about now Redskins owner Dan Snyder has to be grateful for Trump’s efforts to usurp him as most hated man in Washington.

–

Trump fundraising email of day. “Be one of the FIRST donors to have their name permanently engraved on the Official 2019 Trump Donor Wall.” Uh, shouldn’t Mexico be paying for that too?

Trump at UN this morning – “I would get a Nobel prize for a lot of things, if they give it out fairly, which they don’t.”
Someday this man is going to have his own DSM page

–

Can someone tell Trump there’s a Nobel Prize for the best resignation speech?

Biden’s son Hunter was hired by a Ukrainian gas company when Joe was VP. Okay, that could be problematic.
Especially as Trump’s kids only have business dealings in Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, China, Dominican Republic, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, Panama, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, South Korea, St. Martin, St. Vincent, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Uruguay.