March Was Really Really Long
Look, if someone tries to April Fools you today you tell them to go fuck themselves. That’s straight from the CDC actually.
Roger Goodell seems to be pushing forward with the NFL draft. I’m not sure how I feel about that. The bigger issue: how will the season start in September? Even without fans? As the great OSF enlightened us, and I can’t emphasize enough what a fresh take that was, I still haven’t read anything anywhere pointing this out, we won’t be able to have a sports season without a vaccine.
Now, maybe there will be a vaccine by the fall although that seems pretty quick. There are a lot of great minds working on this 24/7 though so I guess you never know, right?
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
LMAO at your lead paragraph. So true.
this was incredible, I remember this like it was yesterday.
My memory of that game is that Thompson took too long to take Georgetown out of a zone defense.
i forgot about this. Awesome.
I can see how it can be conducted but nowhere near the way it’s been done in past. Baseball seems about to start over in Korea in a month and Japan so interested to see how that will work.
Sorry to hear about Paul’s predicament, stuck in lockdown in foreign country. I know people from Taiwan who in past have returned there for medical reasons—they can get great care there at much reduced cost and paperwork. Even if they could get there now they would be quarantined and isolated.
Good morning Flappers. Hope everyone is well.
I was messaging with a friend (old boyfriend of my daughter’s) yesterday. He is the director of player development for the Brewers. Plugged-in at the upper level with the GM, and Counsel. I asked him about a shortened 100 game season, and he said if the CDC green lights it, he thinks there is a really good chance to make it happen. He said that across all of baseball they are coming up with some creative ways to get the games in. Let’s hope. The CDC green lighting this will all depend on the flattening of the curve.
Be safe and stay healthy everyone.
This could be pretty cool.
Baseball Digest offering free access to their archives for the time being…
https://baseballdigest.com/free/
Very cool. Thanks for the share, Loo!
Love the baseball commissioner’s name on the intro on the page: Kenesaw Mountain Landis.
Anyone seen Uncut Gems yet? Adam Sandler’s serious take on gambling. Saw it w/my son the other night.
The biggest change that I foresee coming from the pandemic, is that many businesses will realize they can stay productive having their employees working remotely. This will result in a significant decrease in real estate footprint and travel expenses. Bad news for commercial real estate, airline industry, and the energy sector long term. Good news for our environment and anyone that despises commuting and human interaction in general.
mm good take. Many benefits for families too being better able to manage work school daycare dynamic around some flexibility. This will also have negative affect those who are in food prep catering to large tech companies, along with other shops that surround them if lot fewer workers are in house
I wonder about restaurants—while I’m sure there will be those eager to get out, so many more will be less likely to go out for a night and drop $80-$100 on dinner/drinks and I think “regulars” that used to go out often will cut back. Businesses that depend on steady diet of those and larger dinner parties will have much tougher go of it. Seniors and others on fixed income I just see as being more cautious with what they have.
I can also see where the doordash/services at home biz grows exponentially.
Just speaking for my little town, Placerville, I think restaurants will rebound once this is on the other side. And I don’t see any change in the way I live going forward from previously. Gail and I went out to eat a couple times a week, and once this passes, we’ll get back into that groove. Most of the restaurants we frequent are doing take-out only (the norm in CA, I believe).
Agree on the teleworking to some degree. I work for a faction of the Dept. of Energy. They have been evaluating sharing space (two people share the same office/cube). When one is telecommuting (couple of days a week) the other is in office, and vice-versa.
Not sure this will have huge impacts on the service industry right out the gate once this passes. Will be interesting to see how things ramp-up/come back.
that’s a great take Wilco, hadn’t thought of that.
Ok, I now know someone who’s been hospitalized. He’s on a ventilator. Not a close friend, but someone I see socially a few times a year. He’s in his late 60s, no underlying conditions . . . other than age.
I once had a job interview that consisted entirely of questions from Baseball Digest Quick Quizzes.
I have a feeling you “Aced the quiz”
I saw eye to eye with that boss.
I imagine we will be seeing new and improved viruses pop up occasionally from now on. Whether they are a form of Darwinism or not they will certainly been thinning out populations of people. As being in the high-risk age group w/ an underlying condition i felt my first feeling of doom this morning. I have since discarded that feeling. It hit me because of how fast the #’s are going up and me having to go out for supplies because family members who are worse off that i am. All I do know is that if I get it so will they and quanteed they won’t make it. It truly is a sobering feeling. Good luck to all. Sorry to be such a bummer.
since a high percentage of jobs are in the labor force doing work from home isn’t possible. There is gonna have to be a lot of give and take for many people to make it through. I can see a lot of lawlessness coming if we can’t make sure people are not forgotten and left out to dry
Your “lawlessness” call is a god one, one that I’ve worried about for some time now as we start to see AI develop and expand across all industries. The virus might bring that problem to us faster than we anticipated. Stay safe Winder, sounds like you’re in a tricky situation .
Thanks flavor- after trips to the vape store, the liquor store, rite aid for all the pills, walmart for the pets, costco, and winco. I told em this morning I’m not going out for at least two weeks. Sounds good but I already know some kind of emergency is bound to happen before then.
From what I’ve been hearing, California is already flattening the curve for the virus. And the Bay Area put SIP before anyone. Even the rest of CA. LA and the surrounding areas have a lot more cases and deaths than the Bay Area. You have states like VA that put SIP in place like 3 days ago.
I hope you and your family get through this unscathed, Winder. I’m sure everyone has someone close to them at risk. and that is what is so scary about this. And the administration continues to blather on nurses stealing masks while FEMA is outbidding states for much needed equipment. Fucking insane how this is being bungled by the administration. Doctors and nurses can’t get PPE equipment while Trump sends millions of masks/gowns/face shields to China in February. Does he tell the manufacturers to restock their supplies? No. No problems in America!
A LOT of businesses in SF have boarded up their windows due to the threat of looting. I don’t know how prevalent it is, but I don’t think it’s a problem yet. And the hospitals here are not overloaded yet.
Soo the hope is the Bay Area got to this in time, and if this SIP lasts another month, warm weather, and such, June we could see this close to being done.
But, if a national SIP order was put in place by the administration even at the beginning of March, I thik we’d be in much better shape than we currently are.
Thanks chuck- I am sure everyone has concerns for loved ones and friends. Hopefully this thing won’t last as long as some are saying.
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Yahoo a while back went hard into telecommuting. Then they about-faced and told everyone to come back into the office. My wife and I’ve done it off and on for 25 years. I did it through HP, Visa, Verisign, and a bunch of contract jobs. HP sent me home because of the buyout of EDS and they needed to move 4,000 workers from Rancho Cordova to the HP office in Roseville. Of course they then laid off 3,000 of those folks.
Shit, the Bay Area is already built for it. The tech world is built for it. Banking is getting there. Fricking real estate is becoming an online deal now. You can now buy a car online, and have it delivered to you.
There’s no way to get around service jobs though. I’m flat amazed at how clean the air is.
Weird Al does a pretty cool version of Classical Gas on the accordion.
But, my God, look at how clean the air is in LA after 2 weeks of no drivers. Unreal. If we could keep cars off the road, or really go electric. . . Oh yeah, Trump just rolled back ALL environmental regulations.
And I think people will be going out in droves once this SIP is lifted.
oh yeah I can see a cabin fever type of spike at first; I miss coffee shops (4 within walking distance of store) I would hit up before work for that and some unhealthy baked goods. Kevin Youkilis is partner in restaurant called Loma Brewing in downtown where I work that opens back end for coffee etc early every morning and it’s great.
At same time a lot of people who are dependent on jobs they’ve lost at least temporarily and are living off EDD won’t have near $$$ to spend on anything except basics.
OSF’s main point about why a baseball season this year is unlikely is that if just one player tests positive during the season, the entire team will have to be quarantined individually, and likely all the opponents they played in the last couple of weeks before that. And umpires. And all team and ballpark personnel within range of the players.
That’s just not a workable situation to deal with during a season.
Four things are needed IMO:
1. Capability of ubiquitous, quick results testing for the virus across millions of people w/no symptoms to see where the hotspots are for carriers.
2. Develop and implement new test for antibodies to see who has had it but didn’t know it, so you can put 1 + this 2 together to get a complete view of the viral load in the population across states and localities.
3. Develop a sickness treatment like tamiflu for flu that reduces the replication rate of the virus so that infected people’s bodies aren’t overwhelmed by it.
4. Vaccine. That’s the holy grail to get back to “normal”. And, hope this thing doesn’t mutate too much as it gets into the southern hemisphere and across poorer countries so that one developed vaccine doesn’t work or works partially against the next strain. I think this thing will be devastating for poor countries in Africa and across the globe who have little healtcare infrastructure. The more people that get it, the better chance for mutation…
Hey guys, maybe there is a glimmer of hope on the left coast. The SIP that has been implemented up here in Oregon seems to be slowing the spread. Watch Florida for what happens to states that are late to the game. Miami and Tampa, I predict, will be a smaller version of what’s going on in NYC. Unless a “magical vaccine” shows up in 6 months or so this will go on into next year. The next “two weeks” that Trump is warning (finally) about is just for NY. A week or so later and it will be New Orleans or Detroit or Chicago. Then it will be their two weeks or more in the barrel. The hope is that life saving equipment that may or may not be there for NYC will be around for those cities. I expect that I will get it eventually if no vaccine until next summer. I just hope there are mitigating products and ventilators around by that time.
Until then the local Eugene paper says, “Schools likely closed for rest of year.” Think of that. Kids at home at least until September! Did anybody notice at Trump’s last campaign speech (yesterday’s virus briefing) that once the death rate hits the bend of the curve it flattens out and continues off the edge of the chart?
How can even the most optimistic sports fan expect things to fire up until a reliable vaccine is spread across the general population?
Another possible savior is that the whole medical world will be working on this problem. Maybe something is possible in less than18 months.. Until then, focus on how a missed year will impact baseball, NBA, and NFL.
I think it is appropriate to have the NFL draft as scheduled. Best sporting event for the rest of 2020.
Be careful Flappers and stay healthy.
OSF
A lot of newspaper headlines have said “school closed for remainder of year” which is misleading because they mean the school year which runs from Fall to Spring. That being said, if things don’t improve quickly, then those headlines may prove true.
OSF- they just started testing a week or so ago in the Linn-Benton counties. The positive tests are pretty much doubling every day here. I don’t think we had the capabilities to test up here until recently.
One person who firmly disagrees with Roger Goodell holding the upcoming draft still is NFL analyst Adam Shefter who told ESPN Scott Van Pelt who was caught off guard with this:
OTA’s, that’s not happening. The off-season program? That’s not happening.
The draft is happening only thru the sheer will and determination and lack of foresight!
“They are determined to put this on while there is carnage is the streets.”
LA and FL governors should be under indictment for allowing Mardi Gras and spring break to take place.
McConnell I think blamed time spent defending impeachment for govt not being prepared. Then you have those who blame media for pushing stats on those tested positive along with total deaths as being part of conspiracy to make Prez look bad. Um like he needs help though he seems to have sobered noticeably lately and hopefully listening more to Fauci and science.
Willedav- the sad thing is that millions of people believe that blather. The republicans love to point fingers.
Having the draft over Zoom, or whatever videoconferencing platform out there is fine. The whole thing is a made-up corporate bullshit feeding frenzy money grab by the NFL anyway, so just having GMs picking names is fine. They can still sell the fucking commercials around it.
We do weekly Zoom meetings with upwards of 250 people on them and it is no prob. Doing a draft remotely with everyone staying in place is a cakewalk.
We need all the diversions we can get.
I’ve heard good things about Zoom. We use webex and it sucks. I am told we can’t use Zoom since it doesn’t meet our standards of being “secure.”
Zumiee, as you know the Beatles and hockey are kinda in the same boat for me (as in, I don’t know shit about either). So I don’t know about this tweet, what’s your take on it?
Lol. that’s actually funny. Kinda like people following the Kardashians(sp) for whatever reasons because it isn’t about their talent.Some people think Yoko was the reason the Beatles broke up.
I think the bigger take on this is that there is a need for some men to blame women all throughout human history, going back to the writer of Genesis blaming Eve for the fall of humanity.
There’s still a lot of domestic abuse going on in the world, because of deeply-flawed men who are taking out their frustrations and failings on women.
Some Beatles fans just can’t seem to blame the men in the Beatles for the break-up of the Beatles.
so you lost me a little with how big you got with this. Did Yoko have anything to do with ruining them or not?
Yes, but they all were pretty done with each other by then anyway.
Bands being ruined that’s pretty funny.
Watched Warrior playoff game from 2015 last night vs. NO and one is on tomorrow vs. Rockets game 5 for West title. Full of commercials though so be prepared–the one last night went OT and took dang near 3 hours.
One of the guys in there who started at point G for NO was Tyreke Evans, originally 4th overall pick of NBA draft by Kings whose career seemed to spiral downhill after great rookie year. Game last night he was mostly awful as NO choked 20 point lead they had end of 3rd quarter.
Another was Harrison Barnes, guy I always liked and still do.
Best jolt of joy I’ve had in a while was watching 2012 games one and two last weekend–Zito, Lincecum, MadBum and Romo stepped it up. They sometimes get lost in Pablo’s shadow. Then I relished major sections of Lincecum’s 2013 NH–the first two strenuous innings, the sixth inning (I think) where E Cabrera walked and stole his way to 3B, then danced down the line while Timmy remained calm, even bouncing one sharp curve in the dirt. (Buster caught a good game, didn’t he?) Lincecum finished it off with the post-game interview, responding to the final congratulations from Krukow and Miller with a humble, authentic “thank you.” He’s the best.
Being 68, with some lung issues related to my youthful industrial jobs, I’m getting by ok. When I go out I’m wary, taught. But I think most of us, certainly all my age, have faced fatal challenges before. I feel for those of you with kids at home to care for and protect and careers in mid-span to sustain. I hope to hell the republicans are terrified or shamed into unclenching enough support to help everyone who needs it.
Lighter notes: My older son did some shopping for me last weekend; he added an unsolicited jug of Woodford Reserve to the bag. (Ever since I tried a flight of Pappy VW I’ve been averse to cheap wheat bourbon, like Maker’s.) And earlier today I saw a CBS News tweet about an eighteen wheeler loaded with toilet paper that crashed and burned in Texas. Oh the humanity!
Best to all of you. Stay strong.
Good to see you, Xoot!
Yo Mike. Where the hell ya been, brother? Great to see you here, again. Be safe and stay healthy. And have a shot or two of that bourbon for me, too!
Just in case it never occurred to bother for a coupla minutes:
Still can’t believe the Timberwolves took 2 PG’s in that draft 5&6 Rubio&Flynn which paved the way for the Warriors drafting Steph Curry at 7. I was watching that draft praying that T-wolves would screwup.Curry had a solid march madness tournament leading Davidson to sweet 16 I believe?
yes, great to see you Xoot. Been too long. Don’t be a stranger!
For those of you how think I’m too pessimistic about playing ball this year: A Dr. Haseltine on MSNBC just announced said that until this virus has a vaccine/treatment it will exist and continue to infect people someplace on the planet and it will come around again (seasonally??) and infect those it missed. Does that sound like this will allow a robust schedule in ANY league? China opened up some theaters and that lasted quick. Closed now. NFL, the Newport Bridge Club (Unit President), and all the others. Gamers will survive.
For me, it’s goodbye normal life until……until they get a vaccine/treatment. For me, it’s vaccine only.
Your favorite Cassandra,
OSF
Yes the Bay Area is doing it’s share of getting “They’re SKINK ON” I know I’m doing my part🤣🍺🍸😷🤪🥳🥃
During the shelter in place rule was put into affect 42% and climbing of people are “Laying around in they’re pajamas getting shitfaced all day posting online.”
Here’s one of the many beautiful love songs John wrote for Yoko. There are a lot of them.
Such a fantastic album.
Totally agree.
I work in a medical building and the wound care office is having RN’s screen people entering the building. We had 4 patients come to the building to keep their appointments with my clinic that were blocked because they had a fever. The social distance will flatten the curve and slow the spread but not stop it. Eventually the same number are going to get it, it will just take longer. A good thing to avoid people dying because there is not enough care to go around, but not good for the sports world getting back on track. Or the economy either:(
Adam Schlesinger has passed away from the virus. He’s a songwriter from the band Fountains of Wayne, and wrote the theme song for this cool movie.
Giants at home vs. Dodgers game on right now May 21 2015 Thursday afternoon Bum vs. Opie.
Aoki leading off followed by Duffy Pagan hitting 3rd. Arias at SS batting 6th
Yes Belt is in there batting 7th. Only guy he’s ahead of? Casey McGehee.
see Giants had analytics then–Arias was hitting .324 off Opie which had to be hella lot better than Crawford.
Duffy btw is playing 2b.
RIP, Ellis Marsalis. He had been hospitalized and tested for COVID-19 but the results were not available before he died. He was 85.
Seen him play many times.
oh shoot scion of family. He did a really nice cd of Monk tunes I’ve listened to.
Jazz world lost trumpeter Wallace Roney over weekend too.
Wallace Roney? Shit, I hadn’t heard that yet. Dammit.
Story line on ballgame is Opie leaving a 91 first pitch fastball out over the plate to Bum who deposits it into LF seats. Coming in Opie’s career ERA vs. SF was 1.51
Belt wasn’t only Giant he owned either–Pence coming in was 4-53.
Winder, I feel your bummer-ness. Glad to hear your sense of doom dissolved as the day went on. Been going thru this over here for 11 weeks, and it’s worse than ever now, so…. some dark days occasionally. Some days I’ve thought quite surely that we’re all gonna get this at some point, and for those of us in higher risk categories for whatever reason (or with family in those categories), it will feel kinda dark now and then. Then the next day, nah, just be smart and patient and it’ll be ok. I try to look on the bright side: as a fairly heavy “I” (introvert), I’ve been practicing for this lockdown my whole life….
Hang in there Paul, be careful and stay safe…
Thanks Tom, you too. You’ve already had a bit of a dark time of it, hope that’s the last of it for you and yours…
Hi Paul- thanks for the words. It doesn’t do any of us any good to be down in spirit. All we can do is the best we can and take as many precautions as possible. Good luck with things over there.