Edgy MD

And... it somehow navigates through that minefield and becomes a dance romance. Who knew? Well, everybody but me, but still.

We went halfway through last night and are preparing to re-enter this evening. As someone with some crazy in my family, it has been alternately engaging and horrifying. I'm very curious as to how they wrap this up. I'm guessing it won't be a neat little package. Sort of put me in mind of Observe and Report and Safety Not Guaranteed in the sub-genre of films with psychotic protagonists off their meds.

A crew without experienced sailors, without carpenters, without even any experienced fisherman. But they had no shortage of semi-crackpot wannabe anthropologists, and that ain't nothin'. What Hyerdahl's crew did have in common is that most of them (if I remember well) were in the vanguard of the Nazi resistance in occupied Scandanavia, and so were morally gutsy and able to improvise under survival-situation pressure.

Wicked Local Beverly loves the Rocket. It’s like playing baseball on the moon. It’s crazy; the ball absolutely flies, so when you pitch, you can’t go out there scared. You can’t go out there thinking about the worst that could happen; whatever happens, happens, and you have to not dwell on it.”

It was probably a stupid name for the film, but that's the breaks.

My wife has been re-reading Thor Heyerdahll, recalling what he meant to the Calfiornia mythos she grew up in. I found it koo-koo. Sometimes, I think about "After the Gold Rush" and "Come Sail Away" and Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Parliament Funkadelic and Battlestar Gallactica and the Muslim-in-name-only theology of Louis Farrakhan and I wonder out loud, "What was it about the seventies that we were all supposed to be saved by spacemen, coming to bring a space-age rapture and take chosen ones to an idyllic new home?" And she nods and says, "Thor Heyerdahl.'

Some sweet memories here. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: From Saturday... [youtube]iItnQ_YpnrY[/youtube] That's-a my boy.

Only way he's gonna stop is if we stop.

Haute Cuisine sous chef quits in a huff when he doesn't get the promotion he was angling for, vows to go to Paris and learn from the greats. Fate intervenes when his father's sudden illness forces him to step in and take over the family business --- a greasy, messy storefront takeout Indian restaurant, and he realizes that despite his training, he isn't much for cooking the cuisine of his heritage. Pretty archetypal plot, with character types you'll perhaps recognize from other films, and a lot of players who will make you point and say, "Oh, it's that guy, you know, from that other film." Bonus points for the screwballl-comedy element of the lead usually being on the verge of blowing up at people but never quite doing it. As a New York movie, a kitchen movie, a career crossroads movie, an ethnic movie, and a how-do-I-reconcile-with-my-stubborn-father-while-remaining-true-to-myself? movie, there's not much new, but it's all these things and it fits together pretty well on a modest budget and that ain't a bad place to take your date. Bonus: no rapes or ritualistic torture! (Oh, did I give away too much?)

It's hard to look at the way media is going and imagine that Batman won't continue to get new go-arounds. I was reading in the Atlantic about ESPN's media supremacy (worth more perhaps than all of Disney's other holding's put together) and it's clear that media has never been so star driven. Five properties are all any outlet needs. People only needs five clebrities continually rotating on the cover ad nauseum, music only needs five singers, and sports only needs five evergreen storylines (even if one of them, like Tebow, is 100% manufactured). People tune in to hate on Tiger and Tebow just as much as they tune in to root for him, and if Affleck fails, there'll be plenty of money to be made from people hating on him. Batman and the Avengers are like 50% of the film industry right now.

As far stories of Red Star-winning CIA operations from the late-Carter/early-Reagan era, I think I preferred Charlie Wilson's War. Not to knock this, but it sort of felt good, but merely functionally so, to me. Could have hit, I don't know, deeper. Seeing everything else new and available to rent at my video store though, I don't begrudge this it's best picture award. Movies, man.

They usually get younger players, but he's maybe a good candidate for the AFL, so he can get something closer to a full season in.

Ben Affleck @MyLifeIsAwesome Yeah, and Richard Dreyfuss last carried a film successfully as a leading man when? The Goodbye Girl? Any Stakeout fans? Glass houses, people!

Is it crazy that I should dream of a Dykstra/Wilson thingie? With Lagares and DD sharing center and then one of them sliding over to a corner for super-duper late-inning defense?

Poll needs votes.

It was a lucky shirt! They probably wrote that into the screenplay to keep him dressed as production continued. So, did you like?

I guess, if and when he gets the call, he'd be the first prospect promoted to the Mets who was originally scouted and signed as an amateur under Sandy's stewardship.

That would be nice. If he can return to the staff in Spring as a fixture, rather than an afterhought or a guy still trying to find his way back, that would make us that much more loaded.

Pretty dismal source material if you ask me. Robin Williams once had a routine where he relected on his newborn baby Christian and the bitter fights that they would have when Christian became a young adult (a stage I assume he's now well past). >> "What's the matter, Son?"! 'Ninny-ninny' wasn't good enough for you? Garp wasn't good enough for you? Popeye wasn't good enough for you?!" >> "Who you kidding, Pop? Popeye wasn't good enough for anybody!"

I'd be happy just to see him get a chance in AAA. I was hoping he'd be pulled up in the wake of transactions following Wright's injury, but no luck. I think the 51s corresponding move when Baxter moved up was to add Tim Byrdak. Got the big hit in the B-Mets 3-0 shutout Friday.

Well, I guess that Lutz is about to get the call up the the big leagues and Dykstra will then head to Vegas.

If Hicks did have an upside, I'd like to think that he'd be our backup shortstop right now, seeing as how we need one. I imagine the powers that be don't see much difference between AAA and AA. The former has older guys with big-league experience, but otherwise the level of play is about the same, so why not leave a guy there if there's not an clear opening at his position at the next leavel? But I imagine it's a little better for morale that a guy that's destroying the league for a few months to have it acknowledged with a promotion. And there kinda is an opening. Minor league advancement is probably a DePodesta call.

I assume the only problem is there's no room at Vegas, and the guy in his way is somebody they're not looking to jettison. Currently at first in Vegas is Zach Lutz, with Brandon Hicks a-huggin' third. Jordany is JorDHing. I bet Wally would love him some Dykstra. I don't see any need for Hicks to be an everyday dude. They can send down one of their (face palm)... 13 pitchers!. Seriously, D.J. Mitchell is keeping this guy out of AAA.

Binghamton Press & Sun is wild about Allan, and they also want you to know Lockheed-Martin is cutting jobs, because Binghamton isn't miserable enough. http://www.pressconnects.com/article/CB/20130709/SPORTS/307090042/Allan-Dykstra-s-career-back-track-B-Mets Allan Dykstra's career back on track with B-Mets BINGHAMTON � A 6-foot-5, 215-pound man with a mound of bright red hair atop his head usually is easy to spot, but Allan Dykstra most certainly was lost. When he arrived in Binghamton in 2011, Dykstra had lost the luster that came with being the No. 23 pick in the 2008 draft by the San Diego Padres. But Wednesday night, Dykstra will join outfielder Cesar Puello, infielder Josh Rodriguez, and pitchers Logan Verrett and Jeff Walters as they represent the B-Mets in the Eastern League All-Star Game in New Britain, Conn. �I lost my confidence in my abilities and, really, my approach in what I was doing with the Padres,� said Dykstra, a California native who is not related to former New York Mets outfielder Lenny Dykstra. �I kind of re-found that here (with) a little bit of rejuvenation, and people believing in me � and also believing in myself.� Opposing pitchers have been racking their brains this season wondering how to get Dykstra out. The 26-year-old first baseman went into the all-star break leading the Eastern League in on-base percentage (.477), walks (68), and slugging percentage (.590). Dykstra also ranks among the league�s leaders in batting average (.313, fourth), RBIs (56, tied for fourth), and home runs (14, tied for fifth). A powerful yet patient hitter at Wake Forest University, Dykstra showed both attributes early in his professional career. He walked an eye-opening 104 times and hit 11 home runs in his first full season in 2009 (125 games). He walked 78 times and launched 16 home runs in 2010 (113 games). But he did not hit consistently, batting a combined .233 in his first two full seasons. His swing had gotten long. He lacked rhythm and timing. It was a far cry from the expectations of the Padres, who signed Dykstra for $1.15 million after picking him six spots after the Mets selected first baseman Ike Davis. After playing seven games for Padres� High-A affiliate Lake Elsinore in 2008, Baseball America ranked Dykstra the eighth-best prospect in San Diego�s system. But by 2011, the Padres had made changes in their front office and jettisoned Dykstra to the Mets in exchange for pitcher Eddie Kunz, who was released this past March. Dykstra viewed it as a silver lining that the Mets front office contingent that acquired him included general manager Sandy Alderson, who was Padres CEO when they drafted Dykstra. �It�s definitely awesome knowing that somebody wants you,� Dykstra said. �I kind of felt like I was getting a little, maybe, lost in the shuffle with the Padres. They had a couple other guys playing great, and they outplayed me.� The Padres picked first baseman Matt Clark in the same draft (12th round) as Dykstra in 2008; Clark reached Triple-A in 2012, but the Padres released him in January. The Padres drafted first basemen Nate Freiman and Cody Decker in 2009; Freiman is in the major leagues with the Oakland Athletics, and Decker plays for the Padres� Triple-A affiliate. Finding his swing After Dykstra arrived in Binghamton, B-Mets hitting coach Luis Natera had him move his hands closer to his chest, cocking them before he swings as opposed to them drifting backward. Natera also curtailed Dykstra�s high leg kick. It took time and practice, but the new swing has become his swing. �He feels it,� Natera said. �Now, it�s becoming natural. Now, when his swing gets long � (snapping his fingers) � he knows right away. He can go back to basics.� Dykstra, who throws right-handed but bats left-handed, hit .267 in 2011, his first year working with Natera. He also registered career-bests in home runs (19) and RBIs (77), and walked 69 times. Natera got Dykstra to focus on driving the ball toward left-center field so he can react to a wider range of pitches and still pull the ball. But Dykstra still crushes towering shots over the right-field wall with ease; he has blasted multiple home runs off the video board in right-center field at NYSEG Stadium the past three seasons. �He�s got quick hands,� Natera said. �If he stays to left-center and the pitcher makes a mistake in, he�s still able to get there. Before, everything was pull with him, and he hooked the ball.� Last season, a broken wrist derailed Dykstra�s season in April; while fielding a throw at first base from pitcher Darin Gorski, his left arm ended up in the path of a base runner. Despite missing half of April and both May and June, he managed to hit .262 with seven home runs and 27 RBIs in 71 games for the B-Mets. Waiting his turn Dykstra came into this season intent on picking up where he left off in the 2011 season. However, that�s not how it worked out. The Mets signed Rhyne Hughes, a left-handed first baseman who had a brief stint in the majors with the Baltimore Orioles in 2010, as minor-league free agent in the offseason. Hughes, not Dykstra, started at first base in the season opener. Despite having the designated hitter spot as an option, Dykstra played in only 12 of the first 22 games. In two of those games, he was used as a pinch-hitter. �He probably was a little upset. I would�ve been upset too, but he didn�t pout,� B-Mets manager Pedro Lopez said. �He went out there. He got his work in. He tried to get better. �Now, we�re seeing the results. If there is one guy out in that clubhouse that I�m happy for, it�s him because I know he�s put in every effort in order for him to have some of the success that he�s having.� Hughes went on the disabled list on April 27 with a shoulder/bicep injury that sidelined him until the middle of June. That injury opened the door for Dykstra to play every day and after 74 games, Dykstra is closing in on his season highs for home runs and RBIs from two years ago. Dykstra has settled into the cleanup spot behind Puello to give the B-Mets a daunting 1-2 punch in the middle of their lineup. Puello goes into the break batting .323 with 15 home runs and 55 RBIs � but in some ways, Dykstra may be more dangerous than Puello because of his patience. �He�s got great plate discipline,� Natera said. �He knows the strike zone pretty well for a Double-A guy. He doesn�t chase a lot of pitches out of the strike zone. The pitcher has to throw a strike to him.� Dykstra still has the same goals he had as a first-round pick in 2008. He wants to make it to the big leagues and prove that he can be the hitter he was thought to be coming out of Wake Forest. He also knows getting traded and ending up in Binghamton may have been a blessing in the long run. �It was one of those things where a fresh start was great for me � new scenery, new people, maybe a different look on what I was doing,� Dykstra said. �Sometimes that�s all you need. It really did well for me.�

WHOOSH!