It is now being reported by just about everybody who is anybody that 6'9" PF Josh Harrellson has committed to UK basketball for next season. Harrellson averaged 14 points and 8 rebounds last season for Southwestern Illinois Junior College. Josh will be a huge addition to UK's low post game.
Kentucky Sports Radio is now also reporting that Class of 2010 recruit Dominique Ferguson has also committed to UK. Ferguson is a 6'9" big man from Indianapolis Lawrence North High School. Scout.com lists Ferguson as a 5 Star recruit You can check out Scout.com's profile of Dominique here. KSR is saying that this kid is listed as a Top 10 recruit nationally!
There have also been some reports that Madisonville's Jon Hood may be starting to lean toward UK. I haven't seen anything definitive yet, but Hood would definitely be a great addition to Kentucky's basketball team. Jon has already received offers from Kentucky, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Western Kentucky. There have also been some reports that Duke is heavily recruiting Jon. Jon is another of those 6'6" guys that Coach Gillespie seems to love and he is listed as a 4 Star recruit. Plus, he is home grown.
Billy Clyde is on FIRE!!!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
What's Wrong With The Reds?
With Friday night's loss to the Brewers, the Cincinnati Reds fell to 7-10 on the season. Bronson Arroyo got shelled again, and the Reds looked anemic at the plate until the ninth inning when they finally managed to plate 2 runs.
So, what is the problem? Well, it beats the hell out of me. I think it is too early to start placing the blame on Dusty Baker, but some of his lineup moves have been puzzling to say the least.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are obviously some players on the Reds that are struggling at the plate right now. Adam Dunn, Edwin Encarnacion, Scott Hatteberg, and now even Corey Patterson are all struggling to put the ball into play.
Bronson Arroyo, Todd Coffey, and Josh Fogg are all having rough starts on the mound this spring. I'm hoping that Arroyo and Fogg will be able to show some improvement when David Ross returns to the team, hopefully sometime next week. Ross is Arroyo's favorite catcher and I believe that Ross will do a better job handling the pitching staff than Valentin or Bako have been doing. Ross, however, has been struggling at the plate so far this season down in Louisville during his rehab. So, Ross might help the team's pitching, but there is also a chance that his hitting might cause the Reds more problems on offense. Valentin hasn't exactly been lighting it up at the plate (.238), but Bako is currently leading the Reds with a .351 batting average.
I am not a fan of Todd Coffey. I lost all confidence in the guy last year and he has done nothing this year to change my opinion of him. Todd has lost his "Mojo" as far as I am concerned. If I was Dusty Baker, Coffey would never step foot on the mound for the Cincinnati Reds again.
In addition to the probable return of Ross behind the plate, the Reds may also see the return of Matt Belisle. Matt has been looking fantastic down at Louisville and will probably return to the Bigs next week. Belisle is currently 3-0 at Louisville with a 1.09 ERA and is coming off an impressive 6 inning start this last Tuesday. I think there is a chance we might see Belisle take Josh Fogg's place in the rotation next week. Fogg's next scheduled start is Monday against the Dodgers.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, what would I do if I was Dusty Baker? I think it is time to start tinkering with the batting order.
I don't think it would be wise to alter the lead-off position any. The only real option that Dusty has at the top of the batting order is whomever is starting in center field. The choices would obviously be Patterson, Hopper, or Freel.
Adam Dunn is currently only hitting .182, but he is leading the Reds "regulars" in On Base Percentage (.413) because he has already drawn 18 walks. I would strongly consider moving Dunn up to the #2 spot in the batting order. He will see a lot more pitches in the #2 slot and his high OBP should give the always reliable Griffey and Phillips more opportunities to hit with runners on base.
If I moved Dunn up to the #2 slot I think I would probably move Phillips up to #3 and Griffey down to #4. Then, I would slide the hot hitting Keppinger down into the #5 slot.
Edwin Encarnacion is also struggling at the plate. I'm not sure what I would do with Edwin. But, I think I would give Freel a few more starts at 3rd base to see if he could maybe ignite the offense a little bit with his hustle and enthusiasm. Whichever guy starts at third base, I think I would move them to the #7 spot in the batting order.
Moving the 3rd baseman to the #7 slot would allow me to put the hot hitting Joey Votto (.351) in the #6 position behind Keppinger. If I decided to start Hatteberg at 1st base instead of Votto, I would still leave Hatteberg in the #7 slot.
So, the #8 slot in the batting order would be for the catcher. I think Ross is going to get a lot of at bats when he returns simply because he handles the pitching staff so well.
So, what is the problem? Well, it beats the hell out of me. I think it is too early to start placing the blame on Dusty Baker, but some of his lineup moves have been puzzling to say the least.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are obviously some players on the Reds that are struggling at the plate right now. Adam Dunn, Edwin Encarnacion, Scott Hatteberg, and now even Corey Patterson are all struggling to put the ball into play.
Bronson Arroyo, Todd Coffey, and Josh Fogg are all having rough starts on the mound this spring. I'm hoping that Arroyo and Fogg will be able to show some improvement when David Ross returns to the team, hopefully sometime next week. Ross is Arroyo's favorite catcher and I believe that Ross will do a better job handling the pitching staff than Valentin or Bako have been doing. Ross, however, has been struggling at the plate so far this season down in Louisville during his rehab. So, Ross might help the team's pitching, but there is also a chance that his hitting might cause the Reds more problems on offense. Valentin hasn't exactly been lighting it up at the plate (.238), but Bako is currently leading the Reds with a .351 batting average.
I am not a fan of Todd Coffey. I lost all confidence in the guy last year and he has done nothing this year to change my opinion of him. Todd has lost his "Mojo" as far as I am concerned. If I was Dusty Baker, Coffey would never step foot on the mound for the Cincinnati Reds again.
In addition to the probable return of Ross behind the plate, the Reds may also see the return of Matt Belisle. Matt has been looking fantastic down at Louisville and will probably return to the Bigs next week. Belisle is currently 3-0 at Louisville with a 1.09 ERA and is coming off an impressive 6 inning start this last Tuesday. I think there is a chance we might see Belisle take Josh Fogg's place in the rotation next week. Fogg's next scheduled start is Monday against the Dodgers.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, what would I do if I was Dusty Baker? I think it is time to start tinkering with the batting order.
I don't think it would be wise to alter the lead-off position any. The only real option that Dusty has at the top of the batting order is whomever is starting in center field. The choices would obviously be Patterson, Hopper, or Freel.
Adam Dunn is currently only hitting .182, but he is leading the Reds "regulars" in On Base Percentage (.413) because he has already drawn 18 walks. I would strongly consider moving Dunn up to the #2 spot in the batting order. He will see a lot more pitches in the #2 slot and his high OBP should give the always reliable Griffey and Phillips more opportunities to hit with runners on base.
If I moved Dunn up to the #2 slot I think I would probably move Phillips up to #3 and Griffey down to #4. Then, I would slide the hot hitting Keppinger down into the #5 slot.
Edwin Encarnacion is also struggling at the plate. I'm not sure what I would do with Edwin. But, I think I would give Freel a few more starts at 3rd base to see if he could maybe ignite the offense a little bit with his hustle and enthusiasm. Whichever guy starts at third base, I think I would move them to the #7 spot in the batting order.
Moving the 3rd baseman to the #7 slot would allow me to put the hot hitting Joey Votto (.351) in the #6 position behind Keppinger. If I decided to start Hatteberg at 1st base instead of Votto, I would still leave Hatteberg in the #7 slot.
So, the #8 slot in the batting order would be for the catcher. I think Ross is going to get a lot of at bats when he returns simply because he handles the pitching staff so well.
UK News And Other Happenings
Whew! I know I can't be the only one that was a little worried about the head coaching position at Oklahoma State. I didn't really think that Billy Gillespie would leave Kentucky, but stranger things have happened in the past (Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith). I think Oklahoma State ultimately got a nice hire in Travis Ford.
Well, it is starting to look like there may be some truth to the "Derrick Jasper is transferring from UK" rumors. Billy Gillespie briefly discussed the Jasper situation in yesterday's press conference. It appears that Derrick is still homesick for California and has been seriously considering transferring somewhere closer to home. Gillespie said it had nothing to do with playing time, but you have to wonder if Jasper feels at least a little threatened by the types of players that Billy Clyde has been recruiting. For now at least, it appears that Jasper may be leaning more towards leaving. But, I think we should take a wait and see attitude on this one. It will be depressing if Jasper decides to leave because I think he may be the key player next season on the the UK squad.
It looks like Morakinyo Williams probably will be leaving the UK basketball team. Billy Gillespie also discussed this at yesterday's press conference. Williams is a good kid, but I don't think he will ever significantly contribute at UK. It would probably be best for both parties involved if he finds another University to play ball. And, it would open up another scholarship if he leaves.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I recently heard a rumor about Peyton Manning that was a little disturbing. I'm not going to say what the rumor is because it didn't come from what I consider to be a reliable source. It was one of those friend of a friend kind of things. But, I will say the rumor has been gaining steam in the Indy area and I am starting to think there may be some truth to it. I will say that if this rumor is true, it may tarnish his "All-American" image a little bit. If you're a Colts fan you have no reason to worry about his availability or performance next year. The rumor had nothing to do with injury or anything criminal. If the rumor is true, however, I would expect that the story could break any day and probably before the NFL season is scheduled to start.
Well, it is starting to look like there may be some truth to the "Derrick Jasper is transferring from UK" rumors. Billy Gillespie briefly discussed the Jasper situation in yesterday's press conference. It appears that Derrick is still homesick for California and has been seriously considering transferring somewhere closer to home. Gillespie said it had nothing to do with playing time, but you have to wonder if Jasper feels at least a little threatened by the types of players that Billy Clyde has been recruiting. For now at least, it appears that Jasper may be leaning more towards leaving. But, I think we should take a wait and see attitude on this one. It will be depressing if Jasper decides to leave because I think he may be the key player next season on the the UK squad.
It looks like Morakinyo Williams probably will be leaving the UK basketball team. Billy Gillespie also discussed this at yesterday's press conference. Williams is a good kid, but I don't think he will ever significantly contribute at UK. It would probably be best for both parties involved if he finds another University to play ball. And, it would open up another scholarship if he leaves.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I recently heard a rumor about Peyton Manning that was a little disturbing. I'm not going to say what the rumor is because it didn't come from what I consider to be a reliable source. It was one of those friend of a friend kind of things. But, I will say the rumor has been gaining steam in the Indy area and I am starting to think there may be some truth to it. I will say that if this rumor is true, it may tarnish his "All-American" image a little bit. If you're a Colts fan you have no reason to worry about his availability or performance next year. The rumor had nothing to do with injury or anything criminal. If the rumor is true, however, I would expect that the story could break any day and probably before the NFL season is scheduled to start.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Non Sports Related Rant
OK. I know I have been doing a piss poor job of keeping up this blog lately. Aaron has been calling and emailing the crap out of me to complain about my recent laziness. But, I assure you it has nothing to do with me being lazy. I have just been really busy at work which sometimes carries over into my family life.
I'd like to sit here and tell you that I will try to do a better job of keeping this blog updated, but soccer season just started again and I now have 2 kids participating in the sport. And, both kids play on different teams which both practice on different nights. Throw in the fact that I am an avid fisherman and there just hasn't been too much time left for blogging recently.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And now for the rant that I promised you.
I went to a BP gas station the other day and was greeted at the gas pump by an extremely annoying video playing on an LCD screen mounted on top of the gas pump I was using. The video was basically a commercial for items that could be purchased inside the BP store itself. (You can get an idea of what I am talking about here.) I found the video to be so egregious that I changed my mind about filling the tank and stopped at $10.00 worth of fuel just so I could get away from the video screen before I developed one of those "all day" headaches. In all fairness, I must admit that it wasn't the actual video that I found to be so offensive, it was the blaring audio that accompanied the video.
Americans are constantly being bombarded with advertisements for everything from soft drinks to adult diapers, so I guess it was just a matter of time before someone figured out a way to nab us at the gas pump as well. Advertising at the gas pump is really a good idea if you think about it. There we are, just standing there with our thumbs up our asses waiting for the precious nectar that we call gasoline to pump into our massive SUVs. Oh sure, some little busy bodies might occasionally take the opportunity to check their oil, or wash their windows. But, most lazy Americans just stand there at the gas pump for about three and a half minutes doing their best not to look stupid.
I'm not totally against the idea of advertising at the gas pumps, I just think there has to be a better way to do it. So, I am going to offer some suggestions below that I hope someone in upper management at BP might be willing to take into consideration.
1) This isn't a suggestion as much as it is a question. The advertisement that was playing at the BP I visited appeared to be only for items available inside the BP convenience store itself. Has anyone at BP considered selling ad time on the video screens to other companies not affiliated with BP? Perhaps a lucrative advertisement deal with a third party could offset fuel costs enough to allow BP to sell gasoline for a penny or two cheaper per gallon than BP's competitors across the street. Most people would probably be willing to put up with the annoying advertisement if it meant cheaper gas prices.
2) Lower the volume on the commercials a little bit. My ears were practically bleeding after about 10 seconds. The volume was so loud that I'm pretty sure my grandmother could have even heard it, and she's been dead for five years.
3) Give customers the option of adjusting the audio level themselves, or perhaps even the option of shutting the damn thing off altogether. I would have gladly paid another penny or two a gallon just to be able to shut the damn thing off during my recent visit.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am sure there are plenty of other ways that BP's new "gas pump" advertising campaign could be improved. The three things I mentioned above were the ideas that immediately popped into my head this morning as I drove past the BP station on my way to the Speedway station to buy my fuel. You see, the Speedway station has better coffee in my opinion, and my ears don't hurt after pumping ten gallons of gas.
I'd like to sit here and tell you that I will try to do a better job of keeping this blog updated, but soccer season just started again and I now have 2 kids participating in the sport. And, both kids play on different teams which both practice on different nights. Throw in the fact that I am an avid fisherman and there just hasn't been too much time left for blogging recently.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And now for the rant that I promised you.
I went to a BP gas station the other day and was greeted at the gas pump by an extremely annoying video playing on an LCD screen mounted on top of the gas pump I was using. The video was basically a commercial for items that could be purchased inside the BP store itself. (You can get an idea of what I am talking about here.) I found the video to be so egregious that I changed my mind about filling the tank and stopped at $10.00 worth of fuel just so I could get away from the video screen before I developed one of those "all day" headaches. In all fairness, I must admit that it wasn't the actual video that I found to be so offensive, it was the blaring audio that accompanied the video.
Americans are constantly being bombarded with advertisements for everything from soft drinks to adult diapers, so I guess it was just a matter of time before someone figured out a way to nab us at the gas pump as well. Advertising at the gas pump is really a good idea if you think about it. There we are, just standing there with our thumbs up our asses waiting for the precious nectar that we call gasoline to pump into our massive SUVs. Oh sure, some little busy bodies might occasionally take the opportunity to check their oil, or wash their windows. But, most lazy Americans just stand there at the gas pump for about three and a half minutes doing their best not to look stupid.
I'm not totally against the idea of advertising at the gas pumps, I just think there has to be a better way to do it. So, I am going to offer some suggestions below that I hope someone in upper management at BP might be willing to take into consideration.
1) This isn't a suggestion as much as it is a question. The advertisement that was playing at the BP I visited appeared to be only for items available inside the BP convenience store itself. Has anyone at BP considered selling ad time on the video screens to other companies not affiliated with BP? Perhaps a lucrative advertisement deal with a third party could offset fuel costs enough to allow BP to sell gasoline for a penny or two cheaper per gallon than BP's competitors across the street. Most people would probably be willing to put up with the annoying advertisement if it meant cheaper gas prices.
2) Lower the volume on the commercials a little bit. My ears were practically bleeding after about 10 seconds. The volume was so loud that I'm pretty sure my grandmother could have even heard it, and she's been dead for five years.
3) Give customers the option of adjusting the audio level themselves, or perhaps even the option of shutting the damn thing off altogether. I would have gladly paid another penny or two a gallon just to be able to shut the damn thing off during my recent visit.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am sure there are plenty of other ways that BP's new "gas pump" advertising campaign could be improved. The three things I mentioned above were the ideas that immediately popped into my head this morning as I drove past the BP station on my way to the Speedway station to buy my fuel. You see, the Speedway station has better coffee in my opinion, and my ears don't hurt after pumping ten gallons of gas.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
