Vic Sage

Zim is younger, and a better defensive 3bman. As a hitter, the Shea-era Wright was better than Zim, the Citi-era Wright is not. As for injury history, Wright is coming off a broken back; i don't see have Zim's history makes him "worse" or riskier particularly. This is a big year for David. If he can show he's (1) fully recovered and healthy, and (2) returned his approach at the plate to restore the higher contact rate that made him an MVP candidate, then he'll be in line for either a Zimmermanian-type extension (if the Wilpon's will spend the money) or a trade after the season (if they can't).

it was a rush to the past, with the 2 big winners (ARTIST, HUGO) being nostalgic homages to the history of cinema, Christopher Plummer and Meryl Streep winning Oscars, Woody getting another screenplay award, Scorsese getting passed over again, and 9-time host Billy Crystal mixing things up in an easily digested stew. Even the ridiculously out of place Cirque bit was typically atrocious for Oscar telecasts in the 70s and 80s. I think last year's bad box office and the threats of piracy and new technologies has hollywood running scared, reaching for their guns and bibles (metaphorically speaking).

In listening to Mike & Mike on ESPN this morning, an attorney explained that not only was the urine sample not stored as per the protocol (sitting on a desk in the collector's home for 2 days), but Braun also offered to take a DNA test to show it wasn't his urine sample and MLB refused. Based on that, it seems to me his claim isn't about deterioration of the sample, but that chain-of-custody was in doubt.

I love these existential anti-hero movies; this is a solid entry to the sub-genre. It's interesting that many of these types of films are about drivers... VANISHING POINT comes to mind. THELMA & LOUISE, to some extent. But THIEF doesn't. i'll work up a list with analysis at some point. oh, here it is: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=17501

it sucked BHMC. disappointing on so many levels.

I read GATSBY in HS and it was a life-changing experience. "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." Indeed. I saw the Alan Ladd version in college; not great, but pretty good. The Redford version is a complete snooze. Instead of being about the decadent corruption at the heart of the "American Dream", it's about costumes and art direction. Baz Lurhman, unfortunately, is the type of director likely to follow that rabbit down the same hole. On a side note, despite (or maybe because of) its hysterical energy, like an acutely ADHD raccoon convulsing from Ritalin withdrawals, MOULIN ROUGE is one of my favorite movie musicals ever. I can't defend it, i just love it. It's one of the most heartbreakingly romantic movies I've ever seen.

the pirates have some good young players in Neil Walker, McCutcheon and Tabata, and some high-upside youngsters in Alvarez and Presley, and a few good starters in Correia, Karstens and McDonald, with Hanrahan a stud in the pen. While i would agree that they're not a 1 WAR pitcher away from a division title, if they get a mediocre starter who can give them innings for $5/yr-$6m/yr (for only 2 years), without giving up significant prospects, its not a bad deal for them. And I think the Central division is weaker and vulnerable to an upstart team. They missed out on a few SPs in the FA market, and they need an arm they can count on, so trade may be the only way for a team located in Pittsburgh, PA to get one.

is this turning into another of the "mets-colored glasses" threads we seem to love so much around here? look, Sandy can say what he wants. I disagree with GWRECK; it is part of Sandy's job to sell tickets, not to tell the loyal fanbase that we've got no realistic shot because his shithole bosses have screwed up the team's economics. He doesn't owe us the truth, he owes us the best management of personnel possible under the circumstances to improve the longterm prospects of the franchise. If that means fielding a AAA team with some holdover superstar contracts, and calling it a much improved team that can compete in the post-season, then by all means blow that smoke up our hoohahs. With regard to our offense, I think the loss of the most impactful bats in our lineup last season (Reyes, Beltran), while actually COUNTING ON all everything else to come up positive (i.e., (1) 100% return of post-injury bats of youngsters Murphy and Davis, (2) bounce back of fading vets Bay, Torres and Wright, and (3) continued development of Duda, Tejada and Thole), is just wishful thinking. with regard to our defense, Dickey is the only least bit reliable pitcher. Bullpens are erratic, especially when built around spare parts cast off by other teams, and ours may or may not pick up the slack on our starters. And all these arms are likely to be undermined by fielding with holes all over the place and few above-average defenders. but yes, lets continue the mantra: "the Mets. are. aMAYsing!", if that's what floats yer boat. Whatever, dudes. Personally, i don't need to delude myself to maintain an interest in my team, or in any particular game.

"It's not the team with the best players, it's the team that plays best," yes, the race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong, but that's the way to bet.

can't we limit draft to a 25 man roster?

5x5, or 4x4. I don't want to use a slide rule to figure out who to draft or how i'm doing. 1 nite draft; i can't dedicate 2 nights to this.

yeah, but not necessarily in a good way.

this is based on a dreadful Broadway musical, which i walked out of at intermission. Maybe the movie will be more palatable, but i doubt it.

while watching ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER on Broadway last week, i heard the following lyric during "COME BACK TO ME", which i never noticed in the song before: Hang a sign on your door Out to lunch ever more. Don't get lost at Korvette's Or get signed by the Mets Don't give up cigarettes, come back to me! Come back to me! Come back - So, i checked the original lyrics, and there it is in the Finale.

She looks like a Tralfamadorian about to do a dive off the high board into a time pool...

Not even good numbers for the SS he once was, with a high K rate disproportionate to his power production. But he's 25, and if continues working hard he has a decent shot of being... 26.

if Valentine hated him so much, he didn't have to play him. If Davey Johnson is managing those teams, we'd have seen Fonzie at SS, Huskey at 3b and Everett and Ochoa platooning in RF. heck, Davey might've even played Huskey at SS... just to mess with our heads. I bet we would've won more games.

how did my daughter get control of Edgy's CPF account?

I think the move to the AL gives them a good reason to change names. It closes the book on the NL team's history and allows them to start a new chapter, with all the merchandising possibilities that entails. It can vest a new generation in the team. It's not like the "Astros" have this illustrious history they would be turning their back on, but to the extent they want to, they can still celebrate the special players and seasons of their past. They could even reclaim the "Oilers" name. or go with Tornadoes, or Power, or some other non-space age appellation.

Interesting that they "only" went with eight when they had the option of going with as many as ten Actually they went with nine, but the point remains. A shitty year if you can't even find a 10th film you like well enough to nominate... especially irksome when they purposely overlooked GIRL WITH DRAGON TATTOO, which was clearly one of the best movies of the year.

2011 movies i saw: (* = oscar nomination) ADJUSTMENT BUREAU ADVENTURES OF TINTIN * BRIDESMAIDS * CAPTAIN AMERICA CONAN THE BARBARIAN COWBOYS & ALIENS DIARY OF A WIMPY KID 2 THE EAGLE EVERYTHING MUST GO GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO * GREEN HORNET GREEN LANTERN HALL PASS HANNA HARRY POTTER 7 * HUGO * I AM NUMBER 4 THE IDES OF MARCH * IMMORTALS JACK & JILL JUST GO WITH IT KUNG FU PANDA 2 * LIMITLESS MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 4 MONEYBALL * THE MUPPETS * PAUL PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 4 PRIEST RANGO * REAL STEEL * RED STATE RIO * RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES * SHERLOCK HOLMES 2 THE SMURFS SUCKER PUNCH SUPER 30 MINUTES OR LESS THOR THREE MUSKETEERS TOWER HEIST TRANSFORMERS 3 * WAR HORSE * WATER FOR ELEPHANTS WIN WIN X-MEN:1ST CLASS ZOOKEEPER My top 10 so far: CAPTAIN AMERICA GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO * HUGO * THE IDES OF MARCH * MONEYBALL * RANGO * RIO * RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES * WAR HORSE * WIN WIN X-MEN:1ST CLASS nominees I still plan to see: THE ARTIST THE DESCENDENTS DRIVE MARGIN CALL MIDNIGHT IN PARIS MY WEEK WITH MARILYN TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY WARRIOR nominees i wouldn't see on a bet: ALBERT NOBBS ANONYMOUS A CAT IN PARIS BEGINNERS CHICO & RITA EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE THE HELP THE IRON LADY JANE EYRE PUSS N BOOTS A SEPARATION (or any of the other foreign film nominees) TREE OF LIFE W.E.

[u:cb37gtrx]1. Best Picture:[/u:cb37gtrx] "The Artist" ''The Descendants" ''Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" ''The Help" ''Hugo" ''Midnight in Paris" ''Moneyball" ''The Tree of Life" ''War Horse." [u:cb37gtrx]2. Actor:[/u:cb37gtrx] Demian Bichir, "A Better Life" George Clooney, "The Descendants" Jean Dujardin, "The Artist" Gary Oldman, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Brad Pitt, "Moneyball." [u:cb37gtrx]3. Actress:[/u:cb37gtrx] Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs" Viola Davis, "The Help" Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady" Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn." [u:cb37gtrx]4. Supporting Actor[/u:cb37gtrx]: Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn" Jonah Hill, "Moneyball" Nick Nolte, "Warrior" Christopher Plummer, "Beginners" Max von Sydow, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" [u:cb37gtrx]5. Supporting Actress:[/u:cb37gtrx] Berenice Bejo, "The Artist" Jessica Chastain, "The Help" Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids" Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs" Octavia Spencer, "The Help" [u:cb37gtrx]6. Directing:[/u:cb37gtrx] Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist" Alexander Payne, "The Descendants" Martin Scorsese, "Hugo" Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris" Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life" [u:cb37gtrx]7. Foreign Language Film[/u:cb37gtrx]: "Bullhead," Belgium "Footnote," Israel "In Darkness," Poland "Monsieur Lazhar," Canada "A Separation," Iran [u:cb37gtrx]8. Adapted Screenplay:[/u:cb37gtrx] Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, "The Descendants" John Logan, "Hugo" George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon, "The Ides of March" Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin, "Moneyball" Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" [u:cb37gtrx] 9. Original Screenplay:[/u:cb37gtrx] Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist" Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig, "Bridesmaids" J.C. Chandor, "Margin Call" Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris" Asghar Farhadi, "A Separation" [u:cb37gtrx]10. Animated Feature Film:[/u:cb37gtrx] "A Cat in Paris" "Chico & Rita" "Kung Fu Panda 2" "Puss in Boots" "Rango" [u:cb37gtrx]11. Art Direction:[/u:cb37gtrx] "The Artist" ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" ''Hugo" ''Midnight in Paris" ''War Horse" [u:cb37gtrx]12. Cinematography:[/u:cb37gtrx] "The Artist" ''The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" ''Hugo" ''The Tree of Life" ''War Horse" [u:cb37gtrx]13. Sound Mixing:[/u:cb37gtrx] "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" ''Hugo" ''Moneyball" ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon" ''War Horse" [u:cb37gtrx]14. Sound Editing:[/u:cb37gtrx] "Drive" ''The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" ''Hugo" ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon" ''War Horse" [u:cb37gtrx]15. Original Score:[/u:cb37gtrx] "The Adventures of Tintin" John Williams "The Artist," Ludovic Bource "Hugo," Howard Shore "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," Alberto Iglesias "War Horse," John Williams [u:cb37gtrx]16. Original Song:[/u:cb37gtrx] "Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets," Bret McKenzie "Real in Rio" from "Rio", Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown and Siedah Garrett [u:cb37gtrx]17. Costume:[/u:cb37gtrx] "Anonymous" ''The Artist" ''Hugo" ''Jane Eyre" ''W.E." [u:cb37gtrx]18. Documentary Feature:[/u:cb37gtrx] "Hell and Back Again" ''If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front" ''Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory" ''Pina" ''Undefeated" [u:cb37gtrx]19. Documentary (short subject):[/u:cb37gtrx] "The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement" ''God Is the Bigger Elvis" ''Incident in New Baghdad" ''Saving Face" ''The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom" [u:cb37gtrx]20. Film Editing:[/u:cb37gtrx] "The Artist" ''The Descendants" ''The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" ''Hugo" ''Moneyball" [u:cb37gtrx]21. Makeup:[/u:cb37gtrx] "Albert Nobbs" ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" ''The Iron Lady" [u:cb37gtrx]22. Animated Short Film:[/u:cb37gtrx] "Dimanche/Sunday" ''The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" ''La Luna" ''A Morning Stroll" ''Wild Life" [u:cb37gtrx]23. Live Action Short Film[/u:cb37gtrx]: "Pentecost" ''Raju" ''The Shore" ''Time Freak" ''Tuba Atlantic" [u:cb37gtrx]24. Visual Effects:[/u:cb37gtrx] "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" ''Hugo" ''Real Steel" ''Rise of the Planet of the Apes" ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon"

opening title sequences used to be an artform, particularly in the 60s and 70s, with the influence of pop art. Saul Bass did many of the title sequences for Hitchcock's films and are still powerfully evocative. http://www.artofthetitle.com/category/designers/saul-bass/

i like both those ideas, but wouldn't a "live" draft require an in-person meeting (which penalizes our out-of-town participants)? And keeper leagues require an optimism about our continued existence as a species (or even a CPF subset of our species) that i'm not sure i share.

Bruce Chen is KC's pitcher of the year.