Left Coast Sports Babe

Fox was really salivating at the idea of a Dodgers Yankees World Series and the ratings it would bring. Thoughts and prayers.

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After SF Giants bullpen meltdown in 2016 team decided to sign a closer in off-season. Aroldis Chapman was available. Much of fan base, including me, was against it due to his domestic violence arrest. As much of a bust as Melancon was with SF still think Giants made right choice. And particularly happy to see Alteuve hit the game-winner off Chapman.

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Both Yankees and Astros used an “opener” in Game 6 of ALCS!?! Because the DH in the American league isn’t already far enough away from real baseball?

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Feeling sorry for Wisconsin and my Badger friends. But the fact they even let Illinois within 10 points with under 10 minutes to go indicates a potential CFB playoff game against Alabama might had been painful to watch.

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Trump yesterday talking to astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir. “This is the first time for a woman outside of the space station. They’re conducting the first-ever female spacewalk.” 15 women astronauts who have done spacewalks. Once again, numbers have a liberal bias.

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John Kasich is now in favor of impeaching Trump. So wonder what childish nickname Donald is working on for him?

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Trump “I thought I was doing something very good for our Country by using Trump National Doral, in Miami, for hosting the G-7 Leaders.”

Translation for a man who basically says “L’etat est moi”  (The state is me, Louis XIV)  –  “I thought I was doing something very good for ME.”

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“I am so going to miss the opportunity to enjoy Florida’s summer heat and humidity” said no world leader ever. 

Just putting this out there, if Trump is forced to have G7 at Camp David, it’s only 60 miles from Trump National Golf Club in Virginia. Pretty safe bet he’ll suggest the resort for at least one outing or dinner.

If Trump wants to resign and blame it on “Media and Democrats crazed and irrational hostility” I am okay with that.

Patrick Mahomes dislocated his kneecap. I miss the days when the most outrageous fan reactions were Chiefs fans as opposed to fantasy football,

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Not there yet, but imagine how somewhat at Fox Sports is feeling who wrote the preview of Dodgers-Yankees World Series,

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About Turkey and the Kurds “like two kids in a lot, you’ve got to let them fight and then you pull them apart.” Right, doesn’t every mother deal with her kids by letting one of them kill the other?

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So Bill Clinton SHOULD have said “Of course I had sex with that woman, Get Over It?”

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Commissioner Silver said China wanted NBA to fire Rockets GM Daryl Morey to be fired tweet supporting anti-government Hong Kong protesters, but league said ‘no.”

Hmm, maybe China was speaking less about Rockets than trying to curry favor with Trump by demonstrating the way government should deal with perceived criticism?

The Democratic party has a big tent. But Trump likes to say AOC and Ilhan Omar are the face of the party. The “face” of the party? They’re not even endorsing a Democrat in 2020.

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White House says Trump’s Doral resort will host G-7 “at cost” but doesn’t say how much that will be. Well of course, because “at cost’ equals “under a routine audit” like Donald’s tax returns.

So all Nationals needed to make it to their first World Series  was to get rid of Bryce Harper?

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Washington fans are hoping their team doesn’t forget how to play baseball by the time the ALCS, rained out yesterday, is finished.

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Apparently unhappy Yankees fans were throwing water bottles and baseball on the field at Astros players yesterday. Not beer at least. Suppose at Yankee stadium beer is too expensive to throw.

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The Los Angeles Angels have reached an agreement with Joe Maddon to make him their next manager.  Hope Joe doesn’t get too bored.  As said in “Little Big League”  – “It’s the American League, they have the DH, how hard can it be?”

Trump said this picture was Nancy having a meltdown.
To paraphrase Princess Bride, I do not think this picture means what Donald thinks it means.”

Alec Baldwin, on Felicity Hoffman “My heart goes out to Felicity, (her husband) Bill Macy and their family. I don’t think anyone involved in the college fraud cases should go to prison. That includes past cases as well. Community service, fines, yes. But prison time, no.”
Translation, did he or was Baldwin planning to do the same for his children?

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#NotTheOnion Official White House feed. “The United States and Italy are bound together by a shared cultural and political heritage dating back thousands of years to Ancient Rome.”

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Short version, POTUS actually wrote a letter to the leader of Turkey ending “Don’t be a tough guy. Don’t be a fool. I will call you later.” This would be a lot funnier if it were satire.

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And Erdogan apparently threw the letter in the trash.  Of course, maybe the Turkish leader felt that if Trump really cared about Turkey instead of Pence he’d have come with his  favorite senior advisor Ivanka?

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Not particularly religious but pretty sure Elijah Cummings is in a better place now than Donald Trump will ever be.

Donald Trump Jr. after Hannity said Hunter Biden had foreign opportunities only because “they’re really buying favor with the father.” “Of course they are. When you’re the father & your son’s entire career is dependent on that, they own you.” Some statements don’t need a punchline.

MLB considering moving NLDS game 5 from 4p EST to an evening game since ALCS game 4 looks likely to be rained out. Of course the Cardinals would actually have to win a game first.

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So far there have been so many good NLCS and ALCS championship pitching performances, after a year when league clearly juiced the ball for more offense, you almost expect MLB to do something like outlaw a good curveball.

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Two controversial calls go Green Bay’s way late at Lambeau Field,  NFL said now officials erred when they called a second hands-to-the-face penalty on MNF against Detroit defensive end Trey Flowers.   The first penalty kept drive alive, the second set up the Packers game-winning field goal.

But if Lions miss the playoffs by one game am sure the Saints will tell them how league admitting a mistake makes the pain all go away…

Ft Worth police officer, Aaron Dean who fatally shot #AtatianaJefferson, a black woman in her home while she played video games with her 8-year-old nephew has resigned. He could still face charges. How long until he gets offers for job with GOP, Fox News or White House security?

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Anyone else thinking that maybe it wasn’t a great idea for Trump to p*ss off John Bolton?

Trump’s rants about nepotism really make me wish his Press Secretary was still Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

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And then there’s GOP chairwoman Ronna McDaniels tweeting about nepotism. Wonder why Ronna, Mitt’s niece, drop the “Romney” from her name? Also,  I missed Ronna Romney McDaniels’ tweet on why a knockoff clothing designer has been acting like a combination Secretary of State/VP at her daddy’s summit meetings.

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Sometimes I think we all need to take a deep breath and remember the same man who installed his unqualified daughter as more than a vice President, and whose sons make millions from Trump enterprises in over 30 countries, is attacking Joe Biden’s son for a few foreign deals

When he added the #, Twitter automatically added the Fleur de Lis for the Saints.

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Maybe even God and the Pope aren’t over that pass interference call?

Who needs Touchdown Jesus when you have the Pope?

Tom Brady says he won’t be trying to convince Rob Gronkowski to come out of retirement. Well, not unless the Patriots start losing, that is.

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Just thinking, if you were watching the previously winless Redskins vs Dolphins Sunday and you’re not a hard-core fan of either team, you might want to rethink your lack of hobbies.

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Aaron Judge on last night’s ALDS matchup between the Astros and Yankees “Just back and forth, the two best ballclubs in the game.”. So he is saying we might as well just cancel the World Series then?

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Six penalty flags on six consecutive plays yesterday late in Cowboys-Jets game. But hey, doesn’t everyone pay their way in to games or buy NFL Sunday Ticket to watch world class officiating?

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Your reminder that while White House and Trump play down the mass murder parody video they were completely apoplectic and called it “absolutely disgusting,” when Michelle Wolf made fun of Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ eyeliner.

Trump is tweeting about the manslaughter case in Anguilla about a white man, Scott Hapgood, who claims he killed a resort worker in self defense. But crickets on Atatiana Jefferson, killed while playing video games with her nephew,  in her own home by a police officer. I wonder what the difference is?

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Now Trump is taking time from his busy day for this tweet -“Vote for good guy @seanspicer tonight on Dancing With The Stars. He has always been there for us!” Again, this is NOT a well man.

So are Cardinals going to score as many runs in NLCS against Nats as they did in first inning of NLDS game five against Braves?

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Georgia loses to South Carolina in 2nd overtime. Most unhappy folks other than Bulldog fans are SEC officials trying to figure how to spin that conference STILL should have two teams in CFB playoffs.

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Playoff  Zack Greinke at this point is making Astros fans long for Clayton Kershaw.

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At a Kentucky rock climbing park a 8-year-old girl scales replica of Trump’s ‘un-climbable’ border wall in less than a minute.  So how long until wall-climbing is nominated as an Olympic sport?

After a pregame scuffle at midfield, refs in Oklahoma Sooners vs Texas Longhorns football game gave all players on both teams unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, meaning any in-game such penalty would result in ejection.  As Annie Savoy (Bull Durham) said “Don’t be such GUYS.”

Trump likes to portray himself as a man of courage who can make tough choices. He couldn’t even pick a candidate in Louisiana Governor primary because he was afraid of betting a losing horse.

For all that Trump rants about suing various perceived enemies, isn’t he close to running out of people willing to be his lawyer?

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Trump had lunch with Rudy Giuliani yesterday at his golf club reportedly as a show of support. Support? Or warning him to be careful of potential “accidents?”

Hunter Biden is resigning from board of Chinese private-equity firm, says if dad wins he won’t serve on boards of foreign-owned companies. How long until the Chinese board offers his seat to Don Jr or Ivanka?

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Trump fundraising email

“Where is Hunter Biden? He has disappeared while the Fake News protects his Crooked daddy, who is a total joke.Together, Sleepy Joe and his son, Hunter, have LIED to the American People and ripped off foreign companies for MILLIONS of dollars – and yet, they have the nerve to call for MY IMPEACHMENT? I DID NOTHING WRONG.
This is the greatest Scam and Witch Hunt in the history of the United States.”

A tale of two nice guys. Barry Zito signed a huge contract with the Giants and he was over all mediocre at best, But he came up huge in 2014 playoffs and now everyone in SF loves him.
Clayton Kershaw has been a Hall of Fame player for the Dodgers, but now some idiots in Los Angeles are destroying his jersey.
Baseball is a funny game. And at times a cruel one.

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NCAA made  Mary Hardin-Baylor to vacate its 2016 Division III national football championship because the head coach let a player use his car for more than 18 months. The car was a 10 year old Subaru.  Wonder what kind of cars players drove at Florida and OSU when Urban Meyer was coaching.

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Trump used, without permission of course, Purple Rain at his rally last night. And fans know Prince would have been furious. Donald really doesn’t want to win Minnesota, does he?

Doubling down on stupidity. Giuliani’s henchmen and their one way tickets…. Even a mediocre travel agent could have told them it’s always cheaper to book a roundtrip ticket if even if they weren’t sure they were coming back.

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If Giuliani ends up behind bars any way they can give him inmate number 09-11?

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Karen Pence told women “not to be afraid to get on their knees” for Trump.     Hmm, maybe based on GOP criteria then we can get him impeached?

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Trump said Friday he will delay tariff hikes on China next week and try to hammer out a limited trade deal.
Translation, even MAGAers buy iPhones, and why not put the proposed hikes in his back pocket for the next time Donald needs a distraction?

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Shep Smith is leaving Fox News. Will he be taking the “Fair and Balanced” slogan with him?

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As Democrats considering expanding impeachment inquiry beyond Trump’s Ukraine dealings, and GOP tries to limit it, your reminder that Ken Starr started investigating Bill Clinton over Whitewater land deals dating originally from 1979.

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Trump when asked Friday if Rudy Giuliani is still his lawyer ““Well, I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to Rudy. I spoke to him yesterday briefly. He’s a very good attorney and he has been my attorney, yeah, sure.”
Saturday no doubt it will be “Rudy who?”

These postseason games are not only weirdly scheduled for people with normal work days, so far it’s not been a good idea to miss the first innings.

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But yeah, SF Giants fans have thought we’ve seen bad first innings in 2019. In NLDS and ALDS game 5 Braves and now Rays saying “Hold our overpriced stadium beer.”

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Interesting to remember, on May 24, 2019, SF Giants had a better record at 22-29, than the Washington Nationals at 19-31.
Baseball is a funny game.

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Some GOP Georgia legislators are blaming the bad karma of not giving out foam “Chop On” axes to fans for the Braves game 5 loss in Atlanta yesterday. Yeah, had they given out the axes might Braves pitchers have only given up 7 or 8 in the first inning?

Police arrested San Diego Padres pitcher Jacob Nix after he was accused of breaking into a suburban Phoenix home through a doggie dog and was shot with a Taser by the homeowner.  Alcohol and/or drugs are suspected although not known to be a factor. But just guessing that someone might end up subject to “random” drug testing next year.

So Eric Trump tonight at daddy’s rally leads a cheer of “Lock Him Up” about Hunter Biden for taking advantage of his father’s position to get ahead….

Why there is no satire.

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Give Trump credit, the Twins’ performance in ALDS is already not the most embarrassing thing in Minnesota this week.

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Pence just contradicted something the whole world heard Trump say on the White House lawn. How long until Donald tries to replace him with Ivanka?

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I know it shouldn’t matter but it really bothers me with Tulsi Gabbard and Jill Stein being so destructive to the Democratic party. Like to think that women are smarter.

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Giuliani’s henchmen Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman were arrested at Dulles airport apparently on their way out of the country. One of few times the fact that it takes FOREVER to get to many gates at Dulles turned out to be a good thing.

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Rumors that the FBI might have wiretapped Giuliani. But who could believe Rudy would be so dumb as to say anything incriminating on the phone..?
Said no one.

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So Rudy and his friends suddenly got a hankering to take off to Austria…. “The hills are alive with the sound of treason…”

So far this MLB postseason is punctuating the Wild in Wild Card.

Seriously, with all the analytics and replay that baseball has, ESPN radio announcers were discussing before the game whether tonight’s umpire’s small strike zone will most help the Dodgers or Nationals.
Uh, there is ONE strike zone, so explain to me again why we can’t have robot umps now?

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Okay, this is heretical to admit as an SF Giants fan, but sometimes I actually feel sorry for Clayton Kershaw.

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And yes, can’t believe I’m defending Kershaw. But the idea that all pitchers are interchangeable in the postseason regardless of their regular season roles is to my mind yet another travesty to lay at the feet of analytics.

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The Atlanta Braves had said before their game 5 today that out of respect to the Cardinals’ Ryan Helsley, who is a member of Cherokee nation, that they would “take several efforts to reduce the Tomahawk Chop during our in-ballpark presentation today.”
None perhaps as effective as allowing 10 runs in the first.

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Braves looked so bad Atlanta sports fans were getting PTSD flashbacks to Super Bowl LI.

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Lindsey Graham says he is “going to ask my colleagues in the Senate- Republicans- to sign a letter saying we do not believe transcript of the phone call between the president & the Ukraine is an impeachable offense.”
Lindsey’s waiting until someone comes forward with an alleged blow job?

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Trump on the Kurds today “They didn’t help us in the Second World War, they didn’t help us with Normandy.”
So not helping us with Normandy will be Trump’s excuse the next time he causes a crisis with Germany?

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Donald Trump attacked NBA coaches Steve Kerr and  Gregg Popovich for not speaking out with Hong Kong situation.  Maybe because he feels that unlike himself they have some real power in dealing with China.

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Would someone please, on camera, ask Trump why he thinks the extradition issue with China is so important to Hong Kong?

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Trump insulted Biden today, claiming with his son Hunter that he “has ripped off at least two countries for millions of dollars.”
Is Donald insulting Joe for not with his family ripping off more countries for billions?

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Seriously? Now Jacob Wohl & Jack Burkman are going after Kamala Harris for alleged “sexcapades.” At this point Amy Kobluchar has to feel insulted they haven’t gone after her with a fake toy boy.

Am hearing over and over and over how well-rested the Yankees will be in ALCS. Yeah, that worked out so well in the World Series for the 2012 Tigers.

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Rays drew 32,251 fans for yesterday’s win against Astros, their largest home crowd of season. To put that in perspective, 12 MLB teams AVERAGED more than 32,000 for the season.

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Among those fans had to wonder if Rays flew in Pablo Sandoval to sit in the dugout as an anti-Verlander lucky charm.

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Although in Los Angeles, tickets for NLDS game 5 Wednesday night against the National, which will decide who goes to NLCS, are going on Stubhub as low as $42.  Maybe Dodgers fans don’t want to pay that much to be in the stadium for the 3rd through 6th innings?

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Trump talking about “a record sell-out crowd at the Target Center.” Which means he probably won’t outdraw the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Wild.

(or maybe even the NBA Lynx.)

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Isn’t refusing to cooperate with an impeachment inquiry itself an impeachable offense?

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Trump sent Pelosi a letter about impeachment – “Given that your inquiry lacks any legitimate constitutional foundation, any pretense of fairness, or even most elementary due process protections, the Executive Branch cannot be expected to participate in it.”

Uh, the defendant doesn’t get to set rules for the trial.

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Barr now says Congress shouldn’t have gotten the information they needed to investigate Watergate. How long until Trump tweets that Nixon also was the victim of a coup?

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Right-wing websites are reporting that Trump has activated U.S. Marine reserves to respond to an “emergency within the United States,” -and might be called upon to defend the White House” from a potential “illegal coup” by the “deep state.”
This would be almost funny if it didn’t seem so completely Trumpian.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is demanding Trump pay security costs of $530,000 to use the city-owned Target Center for his rally, or cancel the event.
Trump is not pleased. Well, it’s not as if he’s left cities holding the bag and not paid in the past….
Oh wait, never mind..

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Just for the fun of it, there’s a twitter hashtag game tonight #ImpeachASong.  First two efforts  “Tweet Surrender,” and of course Olivia Newton John’s “Let’s Get Criminal.”

You think you’re having a bad day. You could have Baker Mayfield in your fantasy football league.

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It’s been a few years since Sergio Romo left SF to sign with the Dodgers. And while Giants fans will always remember him fondly we won’t miss those hanging sliders.

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Why I love Jessica Mendoza on ESPN covering baseball. When Max Muncy hit a very high pop fly in the rain, she calls attention to the fact that, maybe because of the weather, he ran it out at full steam, and would have been on 2nd had it dropped.

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Redskins fired Jay Gruden after an 0-5 start. He was the 5th coach under Dan Snyder, who bought the team before the 1999 season. None of them have had a winning record.
New slogan? “Washington Redskins – a fine-tuned machine owned by a stable genius.”

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Now James Harden trying to calm the waters after Rockets GM Daryl Morey tweeted support for Hong Kong protestors “We apologize. You know, we love China. We love playing there… They show us the most important love.”
Translation, there is no love more important than the love of $$$$.

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As NBA genuflects before China and Chinese money who’s in charge of keeping Gregg Popovich and Steve Kerr away from reporters?

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That moment when your QB rating is 13.4 and it’s still higher than your team’s point total.

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Well, give Trump credit for some economic stimulus. After Nickelback demanded he take down their song “Photograph” as part of his anti-Biden tweet, Billboard said downloads for the track surged 569%,

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Marco Rubio, Jim Jordan and Roy Blunt are now saying Trump telling China to investigate Joe Biden was just a joke.
Right, like “Russia, if you’re listening…”

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One bit of good news for the planet today. Reportedly Jared Kushner will lead Trump’s impeachment defense.

Trump claimed today his poll numbers went up “17% in the past few days.” Is he talking about a poll of the voices in his head?

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Lots of managers deciding to throw top starters into relief roles in 2019 MLB playoffs. – The Nationals’ Patrick Corbin reminded us, it’s not as easy as Madison Bumgarner made it look.

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Alden Gonzalez of ESPN pointed out Dodgers against Nats in NLDS Game 3 “had 8 RBIs by players who fell behind in the count 0-2, the most by any MLB team in a game all season.”
And SF Giants pitchers were somehow not involved.

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Atlanta Braves now saying they “look forward to a continued dialogue with those in the Native American community” after the season. This after Cardinals reliever Ryan Helsley, who is Cherokee, said it was “a shock” to hear the tomahawk chop chant at Sun Trust stadium.
Now, Helsley IS a rookie. But the Braves have only been doing the chop chant since 1991. Can’t imagine how anyone would be surprised.

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Just guessing anyone who bet on the Saints goal of being 3-3 with Brees out for six games might be feeling okay tonight.   

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Houston Texans had scored 78 points in 4 games. They scored 53 against Falcons today.
Their offense went through Atlanta faster than Sherman.

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Ben Roethlisberger, who’s out for the year, was fined $5k ffor wearing an Apple Watch on sidelines. Good to see NFL has their priorities in order.

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Dallas coach Jason Garrett was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct,in the Cowboys’ loss to Green Bay today, specifically for “abusive language toward an official.”
Owner Jerry Jones’s response “Oh, I hope the little darling didn’t hear something he hadn’t heard before.”
Sometimes I wonder, how has Jones not been offered a job in Trump administration?

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Wow, Trump sounds so old & over the top unhinged tonight on Twitter half expect him to go outside and scream at Secret Service agents stationed outside to get off his White House lawn.

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Is there ANYONE who has worked in Trump administration who still has their reputation intact?

Astros pitchers are, mostly,  making opposing batters all look like SF Giants hitters at Oracle Park this season.

Gerrit Cole struck out 15 over 7⅔ shutout innings.  But then Roberto Osuna loaded the bases with no out, gave up a run, walked the bases loaded again with one out, and was pulled before Houston finally won, 3-1.  Maybe mean bitch karma has at least mixed feelings about someone suspended 80 games for domestic violence.

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Four games into Rutgers’ season QB Art Sitkowski and RB Raheem Blackshear have opted to redshirt, basically meaning this season doesn’t count for them.
You can do that, asked most of the Miami Dolphins?

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Who knew “next man up” would end up being Stanford’s quarterback slogan? #Nerdnation

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Wildest story of the morning might be Glenlivet coming up with alcoholic tide pods. By comparison this seems strangely sane in the Trump era.

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Pretty sure history will be much kinder to Mitt Romney than Donald Trump.

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Trump now says he “didn’t want to make the call” to Ukraine’s President ” The only reason I made the call was because Rick (Perry) asked me to.” So is he claiming Perry thought Zelensky should try out for DWTS?

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Trump now blaming former Texas Governor and DWTS alum Rick Perry, saying he “didn’t want to make the call” to Ukraine’s President- ” The only reason I made the call was because Rick asked me to.”
Five words. “Damn I miss Molly Ivins.”  (For those who forget, she called him “Governor Goodhair.”)

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Susan Collins “I thought the president made a big mistake by asking China to get involved in investigating a political opponent, it’s completely inappropriate.”

So she’s very very troubled?

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Trump “War Room” on Twitter attacking Hunter Biden for allegedly being paid $50,000 a month by a Ukranian company.
So they’re saying Hunter has to be a fool to take so little money compared to Don Jr, Eric and Ivanka?

As an SF Giants fan, thinking torture is much easier to watch when it’s not YOUR team administering the torture.

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But NLDS game delayed in 7th in Los Angeles by a beach ball on the field. And some Dodgers fans wonder why SF Giants fans ridicule them.

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As an SF Giants fan must admit I think Clayton Kershaw is a very decent human being. If Madison Bumgarner signs somewhere else in free agency maybe Clayton can leave Dodgers and team up with him. I could root for that team… (as long as it wasn’t the Yankees.)

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San Jose Mercury news says lawyers representing Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes want to quit because she isn’t paying them. Gosh, and who might have thought Holmes would be dishonest?

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Agustin Huneeus, a, former Napa Valley vineyard owner was sentenced to five months in prison today for helping his daughter cheat on her SATs and fake being a top water polo player to get her into USC.
One of the wines his winery made… Faust.
#whythereisnosatire

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“As President I have an obligation to end CORRUPTION.”
Sounds like a great first line for Trump’s resignation speech.

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This one’s for GOP members of Congress still afraid to say a word against Trump, and especially Bible verse quoting Marco Rubio – from Leviticus 26:36-39
“And the sound of a driven leaf will chase them, and even when no one is pursuing they will flee as though from the sword, and they will fall.

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It’s after midnight on Friday night and POTUS is not enjoying an evening with his family or watching sports but rather obsessively tweeting about Democratic primary polls. Add Joe Biden to the list of people who lives rent-free in Trump’s head.

Okay, so maybe Trump is a Yankees fan, not a Nationals fan, fair enough. Maybe. But Amy Kobluchar took time to tweet support of her Twins, even though they lost. Trump rants and ignores both NY and Washington wins. #Sad.

How were the Rams supposed to keep a straight face on Thursday night football.

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Ouch, Braves’ star Ronald Acuna Jr failed to run out a ball tonight that ended up hitting off the wall,  ending up with a single instead of a double.   In an inning where at second base he might have ended up score. Well, not like Braves lost a one-run game or anything.

Oops, never mind.

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Mets fired Manager Mickey Callaway after he went 163-161 in two years as manager. Orioles fans wonder, did they fire him for overachieving?

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Watching the Nationals  listless performance today you’d almost think they won a big game the other night, celebrated and then flew cross country….

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Maybe we should bookmark this when we have a Democrat back in the White House. Mike Pence today “The American people have a right to know whether or not the vice president of the United States or his family profited from his position.”

So Jacob Wohl comes out with this story about a 24 yr-old Marine who had sex with Elizabeth Warren. And Warren has gotten #Cougars2020 trending. Have never liked Elizabeth more.

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Nobel Peace Prize will be announced next week and British oddsmakers have made Greta Thunberg the favorite. This will make Trump so angry he may start a war.

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Trump is now retweeting himself. This remake of “Sybil” really s*cks.

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We’re going to have a nationwide whistle shortage. #IRSWhistleblower

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Trump this am. “China should start an investigation into the Bidens because what happened in China is just about as bad as what happened with Ukraine.” Meanwhile, China has approved over 30 trademarks for Ivanka, including clothes, child care centers, & yes, voting machines.

Forget a pardon, maybe the lure we really need to get Trump out of the White House is to promise him the biggest resignation parade in history

When a team makes postseason, an exaggerated number of people will claim they were hard core fans who showed up all season. So with Rays wonder if we’ll hear that from over 100 people?

Rays payroll on Opening Day 2019 was $60 million. To put that in perspective it’s about what the Tigers and Mets paid for just Miguel Cabrera and Yoenis Céspedes.

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Maybe the Rays are onto something for motivation, if the team ends up with a World Series share it might double most players’ salary.

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Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin wants kids to participate in “Bring Your Bible to School Day. “I would encourage you, please, don’t just bring your Bible to school, but read your Bible. Bring it, share it with others. If you have an extra Bible, bring it and share it with somebody who doesn’t have one, who maybe has never read this book.”
And presumably Jewish kids bring their Torahs, Mormons bring the Book of Mormon, and Muslim students bring their Koran?

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From my Twitter friend Bridget…. “Trump walked out on the President of Finland because as any woman he’s ever been with would tell you, he’s always done early and he’s never around for the Finnish.”

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Latest investigation of House Oversight Committee is alleged big prepaid bookings of room blocks at Trump hotels – including by a foreign government – where guests never showed up, but the hotels got to keep the money. And presumably resell the rooms.
So it isn’t enough that Trump DC is the most overpriced hotel in town?

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Who’d a thunk, especially SF Giants fans, that in the NL Wild Card game,  Drew Pomeranz would outpitch Josh Hader?

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Weird bit of baseball trivia. Nationals manager Dave Martinez signed with SF Giants for 1993, and was released after 2 unremarkable years. Of course the other free agent signing for Giants in 1993 worked out okay… Barry Bonds.

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Wonder how Bryce Harper felt watching tonight’s NL Wild Card game?

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As an SF Giants fan thinking torture is much more fun to watch when it’s some other team’s fan base.

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A vendor at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium was arrested for using a skimming device to charge a fan $724 for two beers during Sunday’s Chargers-Dolphins game.
$724 for two beers?! That’s almost as big a ripoff as the thousands of $$$ the 2019 Dolphins are charging for season tickets.

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Ohio State AD Gene Smith said he is against the Fair Pay to Play Act. Maybe since Urban Meyer is gone he doesn’t think his football players will have any need for bail money.

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Coke is going to start selling “Coke Energy” in the US, with four times the caffeine of regular coke.
Can we all pray they don’t put it in 7-11 soda machines where they sell the “Big Gulp?”

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A man with a sword killed one person and injured 10 others in an attack at a vocational school complex in Kuopio, Finland.
Imagine the death toll if he had a gun.

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Ex-Police Officer Amber Guyger found guilty of murder for killing her neighbor Botham Jean in his own apartment. A really sad story. Also sad, as obvious as the case seemed, that it was surprising they actually convicted her.

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Trump keeps talking about his “perfect phone call.”
If he wants Americans to hear a really perfect phone call, can he call Pelosi to resign?

No tweets from Trump congratulating the Nationals on their dramatic wild card win. He’s probably upset they’re stealing attention from him.

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Trump tweeting for Louisiana Republicans to vote for either of 2 “Great” GOP challengers to Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards on Oct. 12, “which will lead to a runoff.” If Edwards gets 50% he wins outright.
But if 2 GOP challengers split vote, this increases the chances of no runoff. #Stablegenius

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Now NY Times is reporting that Trump wanted migrants shot in the legs to slow them down.
Yeah, I can tell why “evangelical” Christians adore this man. #JesusWept

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Guess it never occurred to Trump if the Democrats were capable of pulling off a civil war or a coup, they’d have been capable of winning the 2016 election?

Worst thing about tonight, without an MLB tie-breaker game, is that a no baseball night is a preview of a long winter.

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Washington Nationals hosting Wild Card game tomorrow. Since Trump hasn’t praised the local team for making MLB postseason can only assume someone told him manager Dave Martinez is Puerto Rican.

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Looking ahead, the Bengals play the Dolphins on Dec 22. So sounds like this year Americans will be getting their Christmas turkey early.

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My friend Scott Russell pointed out that signing Bryce Harper for $330 million helped the Philadelphia Phillies to a “fourth place finish of 81-81, a vast improvement over last season’s third place finish of 80-82.”

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Angels have fired Brad Ausmus, and there are rumors that they are interested in Joe Maddon. But really, Joe Maddon, the man who loves complicated switches?
To quote “Little Big League” .. It’s the AL, they have the DH. How hard could it be? #Boring

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Pac 12 and NCAA apparently not happy with California new law. “This legislation will lead to the professionalization of college sports and many unintended consequences related to this professionalism.”
You mean it might jeopardize the conference’s $3 billion TV contract?

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For those who need a definition of “First World Problem.” – from SF Chronicle article about morale problems at Uber: “Starbucks showed up in coffee dispensers, and craft coffee from Stumptown, a roaster based in Portland, Oregon, went away.”

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Jeff Flake wrote an op-ed urging other Republicans not to vote for Trump’s re-election “My fellow Republicans, it is time to risk your careers in favor of your principles.”
If only Flake had ever been in a position where he could have, you know, cast a meaningful vote against Trump?

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First Ukraine, now Australia.  Maybe Italy and England.  Anyone got bingo cards for “Trump foreign government coercion?

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Apparently the nomination of Chuck Cantenbury, Trump’s pick to head ATF is in jeopardy. Because GOP senators say he isn’t pro-gun enough? For the last 16 years, Cantenbury has only been President of the National Fraternal Order of Police.
Amy Kobluchar said Trump is afraid of the NRA. He’s not the only one.

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They really have no shame Fox News headline ” Joe, Hunter Biden seen golfing with Ukraine gas company exec back in 2014.”
As Trump and his sons not only are seen at his resorts, they have our military and other foreign leaders pay to stay there….

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Maybe it would be easier at this point to have a show of hands from all the foreign leaders that Trump HASN’T asked for dirt on opponents

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.”

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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.

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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.

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

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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!”

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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.

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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?

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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?

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

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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.

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Wonder who told Trump how to spell “Harassment?”

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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…

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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?