2012 MLB Draft Thoughts

The 2012 MLB Draft starts on Monday.  Being that the Twins have the 2nd overall pick in the draft I have been paying quite a bit more attention to the draft than normal.   The general consensus seems to be that this is a down year talent wise with most of the top talent this year not quite measuring up to the top talent the past couple of years, there is no Stephen Strasburg or Bryce Harper available this year.  That being said, there is still some talent out there.  The following appears to be the consensus Top 10 available:

1. Mark Appel - RHP - Stanford University
2. Byron Buxton - OF - Appling County (GA) HS
3. Kevin Gausman - RHP - Louisiana State University
4. Carlos Correa - SS - Puerto Rico Baseball Academy
5. Mike Zunino - C - University of Florida
6. Kyle Zimmer - RHP - University of San Francisco
7. Max Fried - LHP - Harvard Westlake (CA) HS
8. Lucas Giolito - RHP - Harvard Westlake (CA) HS
9. Albert Amora - OF - Mater Academy (FL) 
10. Michael Wacha - RHP - Texas A&M University

As for who the Twins will be selecting at number 2 overall, using some dedcuctive reasoning, my educated guess is that it will come down to 1 of 3 players.  First off, I suspect that the Astros will select Mark Appel number 1 overall, he's got a high 90's fastball, prototypical size, decent out pitches and he's a Houston native, he would seem like a natural fit for the Astros.  If Houston were to surprise and pass on Appel, I think the Twins would probably also pass on him (he's a Scott Boras client and the Twins are notorious for staying away from Scott Boras clients).  I think you can also cross high school pitchers (Giolito & Fried) off the list, there are too many top college arms available with better track records to consider a high school pitcher at that point.  Wacha and Amora (from the list above) will probably go in the 5-13 range, I think it's very unlikely the Twins would reach on either of those 2.   That leaves 5 from my above list, given that Zimmer seemed to lose to some velocity towards the end of his college season and given that Gausman had better stats against a higher level of competition, I think you can rule Zimmer out too, if they are going with a college arm Gausman would seem like a better fit.  That narrows it down to 4, Buxton, Gausman, Correa and Zunino.  Of those 4, Zunino probably has the most limited upside, I think he can be a good solid catcher and the Twins could certainly use a catcher, I just don't see him having the upside of Buxton, Correa or Gausman.   So there it is, I think it's very likely that the Twins will choose between 1 of those 3 (Buxton, Correa or Gausman),  I can see them taking any of them too.  With the dearth of top of the rotation pitching prospects in their system, Gausman is mighty attractive, he can hit high 90's with his fastball and he supposedly has a couple very good out pitches, he'd also presumably reach the major leagues the quickest of those 3.   I'm sensing they like Buxton and Correa better than Gausman though, it'd be hard to pass on someone who can play and make an impact on every game as opposed to someone you'd be throwing out there every 5 days.   The Twins love toolsy outfielders and they don't come any more toolsy than Buxton, he is without a doubt the best athlete available in the draft, he'd probably immediately become the best athlete in the Twins system (Twins roster included).  Sports Illustrated did a real nice profile on him recently, he'd be hard to pass on if he's available.   The Twins are somewhat deep in toolsy outfielders though, so there is some thought that they'd prefer Correa.   Correa is a big, strong kid (he's only 17), I would imagine that he will grow out of the SS position at some point and move to a corner infield spot (I could envision him at 3B down the road with Miguel Sano at 1B), his upside is really unlimited.   If I had to take a guess on any of those guys, I'd guess the Twins end up selecting Carlos Correa.

Why Are Conservatives So Angry?

Bill Maher asks a good question.

POTpourri

• More GOP candidates showing some backbone in refusing to sign 'anti-tax pledge'. 
• Typical American worker would need to work 244 years to match average CEO pay.
• I like Sexy Gym Babes!!
• Dario Franchitti wins his 3rd Indianapolis 500.  
• George Will does not speak highly of Donald Trump. 
• Laura Vandervoort is freakin' hot!!!
• RIP Johnny Tapia.
• Why is Rick Scott afraid of letting ALL Florida voters vote?   
• Does the GOP really want to repeal Obamacare?    
• Izabel Goulart is looking fine these days!

Happy Memorial Day!

Nothing says summer like Victoria's Secret!!

Open Primary in AZ?

Have you heard about the Arizona Open Primary Initiative?   There was a nice write up on it recently in the Arizona Republic.   I'm all for it, something needs to be done to moderate the extremes of both parties and I think this would be a good starting point.   Anyways, to summarize:   
     
 
"Political moderates for years have bemoaned Arizona's partisan primary system. . . . . . . . . . . Voter participation is typically light, they complain, giving outsize influence to diehard party activists who often are either more conservative or more liberal than most rank-and-file party members and independents. And Democratic or Republican voters in districts dominated by the other party frequently have little or no choice once the general election arrives. . . . . . . . . . . Many centrists blame the status quo for the state's increasingly divisive political climate. This year, Arizona voters may get the opportunity to overhaul the process. An initiative drive aims to place on the statewide ballot a proposition that would establish a new kind of open primary in which the top two vote-getters would face off in the general election. . . . . . . . . . .All voters, including independents, could participate in the new "top two" primary, meaning the candidates would have to appeal to an array of voters beyond their ideological base in order to succeed. It would apply to all elections in the state except for nonpartisan municipal elections and the state's presidential-preference election. . . . . . . . . . . . "You're no longer voting for a nominee of the Democratic Party or a nominee of the Republican Party, you're winnowing down the number of candidates down to two," said David Berman, a senior research fellow at Arizona State University's Morrison Institute for Public Policy who has studied the issue. "So, it's not a partisan primary anymore. It's a system by which you screen candidates down to the top two". . . . . . . . . . . It's possible, and in some Arizona congressional and legislative districts even probable, that the top two vote-getters in the primary would belong to the same party. . . . . . . . . . . Unlike in city elections, the top vote-getter would not be able to avoid the runoff by clearing more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary. A general-election match-up is guaranteed. In the case of Arizona House of Representatives elections, where two seats are up for grabs in each legislative district, the top four contenders would head to the general election. More than just shaking up the election process, the 2012 initiative "is about trying to change the outcomes so that we end up with a more reasoned debate and more people are included in the process," . . . . . . . . . . .Today's partisan primaries require "ideological purity" and stoke hostility toward the other side, making bipartisan cooperation on major issues less likely. . . . . . . . . . .Twenty years ago, it was normal for people to cross the aisle and work with other people and look for common ground. People felt like they had a responsibility to people in both parties.  Today, politics is a team sport. It's not about the state. It's not about the country. It's about: What team are you on, the blue team or the red team?" . . . . . . .  . . . .The Open Government Committee championing the "top-two" primary system has until July 5 to submit 259,213 valid petition signatures to secure a spot on the ballot for the initiative. If voters pass the measure, the "top two" primary would go into effect during the 2014 election cycle."

You can read the full article here.   To find out more about the initiative, click here.

Trump on Romney

AZ Tidbits

• The birthers are back in Arizona. When will it end?
• LA Kings knock Coyotes out of NHL Western Conference Championship series. 
• You can follow the Diamondback minor league affiliates here. 
• Arizona Senator John McCain voted Least Popular U.S. Senator.
• ASU Baseball has now produced 100 major leaguers.  
• UA to break out Copper helmets in 2012.
• Romney continues to lead Obama in Arizona polls.  Too many stupid people in Arizona. 
• RIP Andy Harvey.  
• Does Mike Bercovici lead the ASU QB battle? 
• Diamondbacks extend the contract of Catcher Miguel Montero.

Obama Spending???

Be careful what you believe.   It's not always true.  Please be an educated voter.

POTpourri

• Phillip Phillips wins 'American Idol' Season 11.  Jessica Sanchez was robbed.
• Yet another study shows Fox News viewers least informed.
• Breaking Bad set to return July 15. 
• I highly recommend Fitness Gurls For Him.   
• RIP Bill Stewart.   
• Rush Limbaugh ratings take a hit. 
• You can catch the Anchorman 2 trailer here. 
• Gabrielle Anwar is looking pretty good these days. 
• Donald Driver wins 'Dancing With the Stars'.  
• It's good to see Audrina Patridge in a bikini again.

Maxim's 2012 Hot 100

You can find the complete list here.   Nice list, a few head scratchers here and there but overall not bad.  Bar Refaeli is well deserving of the number 1 spot.  No Marisa Miller though?   That's criminal.  And how does Emma Stone crack the top 10?   She's not unattractive by any means, but I don't know that the term "hot" applies either.  

Top 10 TV Shows of 2011-2012 Season

The 2011-2012 television season has about come to an end so I thought that I'd list my favorite shows for the season. Breaking Bad (AMC) and Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) are miles ahead of the pack as far as I'm concerned, unfortunately they both run really short seasons and can be hard to find. I was a little disappointed with the rest of the pack, I had a hard time naming 8 other shows to list. Parks and Recreation (NBC) does continue to improve and their cast is top notch, it's clearly number 3 on my list. Modern Family (ABC) slipped a little. 30 Rock (NBC) didn't come on until mid-season and then slipped some,  it has gotten old quickly.  The Office (NBC) had some good moments but the loss of Steve Carell proved hard to overcome. How I Met Your Mother (CBS) slipped some, I think it's time they reveal how Ted meets his kids mother. The continuing turnover in the cast of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS) has slowed their momentum and although still worth a watch, it's starting to get a bit stale. Big Bang Theory (CBS) had it's moments as did The Mentalist (CBS), but both are honestly on my list by default more than anything though.

I gave some thought to adding It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX) and The League (FX) to the list but both seem to have fallen into the trap of trying to out crude each other. Don't get me wrong, I love a good crude laugh now and then, but you've got to give me some meat too.

The new shows were pretty weak also, I enjoyed Prime Suspect but sure enough the geniuses at NBC decided to cancel it. Once Upon A Time was a very original new show, as was Grimm, both deserve a watch. Hopefully the networks up their game this coming season because the networks could really use an infusion of quality new shows.

I may need to start watching more cable, I hear good things about Justified (FX), Game of Thrones (HBO) and The Walking Dead (AMC), but have not watched any of them.    Anyways, here's my list:

1. Breaking Bad - AMC
2. Curb Your Enthusiasm - HBO
3. Parks and Recreation - NBC
4. Modern Family - ABC
5. 30 Rock - NBC 
6. The Office - NBC
7. How I Met Your Mother - CBS 
8. CSI:  Crime Scene Investigation - CBS
9. Big Bang Theory - CBS
10. The Mentalist - CBS 

Best new shows:    Once Upon A Time (ABC) & Grimm (NBC). 

Victoria's Secret Knockout Push-Up

Thank you God once again for Victoria's Secret.  

POTpourri

• Are some in the GOP finally standing up to Grover Norquist?  
• MLB.com does a nice job of ranking baseball's Top Prospects.
• You can find profiles of the top MLB 2012 draft prospects here.
• RIP Robin Gibb. 
• Have you perused TheSuperModelsGallery.com?   
• The GOP apparently is insisting about another downgrade of the U.S debt.  
• I'll Have Another wins the Preakness Stakes.  
• Get the fuck out Eduardo Saverin you ungrateful SOB.
• Nearly 33 million Americans live alone.
• Jennifer Lopez tops Forbes list of the Worlds Most Powerful Celebrities.

Marisa Miller could . . . . .

. . . . . sell ice to an Eskimo!

Truth of Income Inequality

I urge everyone to watch this video.  You may learn a thing or two. 



"One reason this policy is so wrong-headed is that there can never be enough super rich Americans to power a great economy. The annual earnings of people like me are hundreds, if not thousands, of times greater than those of the average American, but we don’t buy hundreds or thousands of times more stuff. My family owns three cars, not 3,000. I buy a few pairs of pants and a few shirts a year, just like most American men. Like everyone else, I go out to eat with friends and family only occasionally. 

It’s true that we do spend a lot more than the average family. Yet the one truly expensive line item in our budget is our airplane (which, by the way, was manufactured in France by Dassault Aviation SA (AM)), and those annual costs are mostly for fuel (from the Middle East). It’s just crazy to believe that any of this is more beneficial to our economy than hiring more teachers or police officers or investing in our infrastructure.

I can’t buy enough of anything to make up for the fact that millions of unemployed and underemployed Americans can’t buy any new clothes or enjoy any meals out. Or to make up for the decreasing consumption of the tens of millions of middle-class families that are barely squeaking by, buried by spiraling costs and trapped by stagnant or declining wages.

If the average American family still got the same share of income they earned in 1980, they would have an astounding $13,000 more in their pockets a year. It’s worth pausing to consider what our economy would be like today if middle-class consumers had that additional income to spend."

http://nick-hanauer.com

You can catch Nick Hanauer's appearance on the Lawrence O'Donnell show here too.