Trade Deadline Notes

Not very many trades this year- the biggest, of course, being Manny-to-the-Dodgers/Bay-to-the-Red-Sox. It’s going to be so, so odd to see Joe Torre managing Manny Ramirez. Also, Ken Griffey, Jr. in a White Sox uniform is a site that I’ll never get used to, ever. And not just as a Twins fan.
As for the Pirates, I don’t see this trade making them better anytime soon, even if they do now have both Adam LaRoche and Andy LaRoche.
The Phillies made no trade, and I’m looking forward to hearing the talk radio idiots scream about it on the way home. Because clearly, the team that is in first place and has been for most of the season needs to make radical changes, and because they didn’t, it’s proof that the people in charge aren’t committed to winning.

FunnyOrDie on Blu-ray

It takes over a minute to get to the punchline, but it’s worth it:
See Blu-Ray vs. Standard DVD and more funny videos on FunnyOrDie.com

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Not a Bad Career Move

News Item: Freddie Prinze, Jr., now a WWE writer

My First Thought on Manny Ramirez Possibly Being Traded to the Marlins

He won’t be able to high-five fans in left field anymore- because in Dolphin Stadium, there never are any.

Step-Ferrell

I review “Step Brothers” in the Trend here. As always, my Rotten Tomatoes archive is here.

We Are All Flip-Floppers

Jonathan Chait may be America’s finest political writer. Here, he notices that Obama’s being cast as a flip-flopper- just like, oh, every Democrat who’s ever run for president, ever:

The details of the Republican character narrative vary a bit from campaign to campaign. (In 1992, 1996, and 2008, Republicans waxed rhapsodic about the moral virtues inherent in military service; in 2000 and 2004, they played them down.) The alleged flip-floppiness of the Democratic nominee, though, is a hardy perennial. Flip-flopping is a simple accusation that campaign reporters can sink their teeth into. Moreover, there’s always grist for the accusation, because getting to the position of running for president without changing your stance on a few issues is essentially impossible.

It would be quite hilarious if the GOP continued to run with the flip-flop thing while running, say, a McCain-Romney ticket.

Jor-El Gore

Onion: Al Gore places infant son in rocket to escape dying planet
Why did no one think of this until now?

Moving Teixiera, and His Stuff

Ever wonder what happens, when a player gets traded, to all of his stuff? Shysterball does too.
I, for one, would love it if Manny Ramirez’s stuff could be shipped to Minneapolis for the next three months or so. But something tells me Manny wouldn’t waive his no-trade to go there.

Al Franken is Ollie North

No, he never sold arms to Iran, but he is well on his way to losing a very winnable Senate race against a weak opponent amid the rising tide by his own party. Much like when Ollie ran against Chuck Robb in ’94, as the New York Observer’s Steve Kornacki points out. I just hope the Franklin-Coleman race leads to a documentary as great as “A Perfect Candidate.” It would almost certainly be better than “Stuart Saves His Family.”

Headline of the Year Nominee

Star Tribune: Bear with jar on head shot in busy town
Don’t worry; it wasn’t Winnie the Pooh.