April 13, 2007
Our Blog Conclusion
Our blogging experience not only expanded our interests in the wonderful sport of baseball, but showed us the value of opinionated journal entries in today’s information technology-based world. Our goal at the onset of the blog was to create an environment to foster friendly baseball arguments between fans of various teams across the country. Complementing our individual posts with photographs, links to supplementary websites, and HTML-based formatting, we were able to successfully support our arguments and accomplish our initial goal.
At the beginning of the blog, it was fairly difficult to generate relevant topics of interest, since the baseball season had yet to begin. However, once the season started, it was easy to discuss team results, upcoming schedules, and controversial topics related to the baseball season.
Much has developed since the creation of the blog. Pre-season trash talking is now backed with concrete game results, controversial episodes such as Tony LaRussa DUI charge and the DirecTV scandal have come and gone, and the Major League Baseball season is fully underway. Over time, our blog entries have become more detailed and visually appealing as we have become well-versed in HTML formatting. Although our blog hasn’t extended to cover the entire season, it has given the reader a firm and informative introduction to the baseball season.
Posted by bryblum at 05:40 PM | Comments (0)
DEL.ICIO.US
Online Tagging
When I first discovered the del.icio.us I was unsure how it would be more beneficial for organizing important websites than my bookmarks, but over the course of my blogging assignment, I discovered many important features that I didn't initially anticipate.
The first important benefit that Delicous was able to offer me was the network feature. Sometimes when I was reading my group members posts I was interested to learn more information on the topic that they had been discussing and it was convenient to log into my delicious account and find the source of their information within their tags. Websites such as MLB.comoften contained the exact article that they had been referencing and I was able to learn more in order to create a articulate counter blog in response to their arguments.
Additionally, two weeks ago the motherboard on my laptop had problems and
I will certainly continue to use delicious in my daily life!
Posted by glazeben at 04:27 PM | Comments (0)
Del.icio.us Usage
Is Delicious Overrated?
After using del.icio.us while blogging for the last 3 months, I was unable to use the two together to improve my experience. I very rarely looked at del.icio.us while creating my blog entries because I found information on sites that I had memorized, such as whitesox.comand mlb.com.
del.icio.us is very efficent is showing popular and recent sites that are tagged by other users. It also people to people to share sites to other users in their network. An third important feature is del.icio.us's ability to access your bookmarks at anywhere, as long as you have a computer and internet access.
Overall, I found blogging and del.icio.us useful, but the two did not supplement each other very well.
Posted by adamcole at 04:19 PM
Del.icio.us Review
The use of del.icio.us is undeniably a convenient way of organizing my favorites, and being able to access them from any computer is extremely useful. For our blog, however, I did not rely on the site as extensively as I had initially thought.
Because each blog pertained to current baseball news, I generally conducted some preliminary research prior to each entry. As such, I was already on espn.com, or newyorkyankees.com, when I was blogging, and did not need to use del.icio.us.
Had we chosen a broader topic, such as information technology, I can imagine del.icio.us would have been more helpful. In this case, I certainly would accessed my tags to come up with ideas for each entry. However, given the nature of our blog, del.icio.us did not play integral part in my entries.
Posted by schleifj at 12:45 PM | Comments (0)
April 12, 2007
Wearing 42
When the MLB honors Jackie Robinson's legacy on April 15th, many players will be wearing #42. They retired Jackie's #42 in 1997 to honor his breaking of the color barrier.
There is a lot of controversy associated with Bud Selig's offer that all players can wear the number. The Dodgers, Jakie's team, will all be wearing 42 in honor. Many players have argued that this ignores the purpose of the gesture. They argue that mandating that players on the Dodgers that may or may not want to wear the jersey number defaces the value of his honor and should be a voluntary thing.
Another concern that many analyst have have for the event is that if only Black people are wearing the Jersey is that something that even Robinson would have appreciated? Tori Hunter was quoted as saying that Robinson would be rolling in his grave if he knew what was going on. In order to truly break down the color barrier it should be an all or none event.
Posted by glazeben at 06:34 PM | Comments (0)
My del.icio.us Review
This time around, I will give an overview of “del.icio.us”, a social bookmarking website that I began to use while posting on this blog. Del.icio.us is a place to store, share, and find bookmarks to various websites across the internet. Users can tag a website with any number of self-generated keywords, and can consequently search for websites within del.icio.us’s large tag-based database of websites.
Upon initial usage of del.icio.us, I was impressed by its simple HTML interface, easy-to-remember URL, and the site’s ease of navigability. Within minutes, a user is able to sign up and begin tagging. Another useful aspect of del.icio.us is the “hotlist,” “recently added,” and “popular” pages, which allow users to access new and relevant websites without extensive searching.
Social bookmarking intends to be a step up from traditional means of searching the web, like using a search engine such as Google. Whereas Google’s classification of web pages is computed algorithmically based upon words which seem to be important, del.icio.us’s websites are tagged by users who actually read and understand the content and can determine which keywords are most appropriate.
In theory, del.icio.us seems to be an improvement in modern web searching techniques. However, I feel that the site has many drawbacks which must be improved. The first problem is that there is no standardized structure of the tags. Some tags are capitalized, some are in caps, some are plural, and some are singular. It seems as if there is a need for some sort of expandable, standardized list of tags that users can choose from when tagging. Also, the del.icio.us tagging system doesn’t account for homographs or synonyms. For example, when searching for an article about “permits,” (as in a driver’s permit) one of my results was a new article where the president “permits immigration”. The system should also allow for a search to result in common synonyms. For example, if I search for “extra”, sites tagged with “additional” should show up. A final suggestion for del.icio.us would be to include a hierarchy of tags
within a webpage. When a user tags a site, they might enter 8 words. These 8 words all seem to have the same level of importance, when in reality one of the tags may be more important than the others.As for a few searching tips, I’ve discovered a few through my del.icio.us use. The del.icio.us toolbar allows for fast and easy tagging while surfing the web. Also, del.icio.us search includes both tags and descriptions. If the user wants to search ONLY tags, he or she can search “tag: keyword,” and the search engine will search only the tags.
Will I continue to use del.icio.us? Probably not.
The advantages of having “user-created” tags doesn’t outweigh the pain of having to tag websites every day. Google works for me!
Posted by bryblum at 05:10 PM | Comments (0)
In response to recent rumors that Twins ace Johan Santana turned down a two year extension on the current two years remaining on his contract two things have become clear.
1. Johan Santana was not offered 18 Million annually for two years after his current contract
2. Johan Santana wants to finish his career in a Twins uniform.
Since Santana made it clear earlier that the earlier the Twins act, the better chance they have to sign him it seems strange that they haven't made a more concious effort. In light of recent contracts such as Barry Zito's which is good for 7 years and 126 Million, there are a lot of questions in the clubhouse about how the Twins, a historically low payroll team will be able to afford him.
Posted by glazeben at 12:52 AM | Comments (0)
April 11, 2007
Big Win
The Sox took the field today after a devastating 2-1 lose to the Oakland A's last night by giving up 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning. Closer Bobby Jenks was called in to end the game, but he gave up four hits en route to the game winning single by Mark Ellis with two outs. Jenks said in a post game interview, "Tonight's all on me" after blowing his first save in two chances.With the loss on their minds, Mark Buehrle took the mound for today's day game. In the first inning, the A's jumped all over Buehrle by getting 3 runs. After that, Buehrle settled down and continued to pitch 6 scoreless runs. The Sox got the majority of their offense in the latter part of the game, scoring 2 runs in the 8th and 3 in the 9th. Jermaine Dye led the offense with 2 hits, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs scored.
As the season progresses, look for continued improvement from the young starting pitchers for the Sox. There is still A LOT of baseball to be played (154 games for the Sox)...
Fairly even playing field
As the second week of ball comes to an end, some trends are starting to appear. In the AL, there are only 2 teams with less than 2 losses (Cleveland and Seattle, which both have had 3 games canceled due to weather). The even playing field shows that high budget teams such as the New York Yankees are only having slightly better success that lower budget teams such as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. This trend is not shown in the National League.
A second trend is only 5 teams in the AL have winning records at home. This is very odd because of home field advantage and fan support, especially early in the season. I feel like this will change as the season progresses. This trend is apparent in the NL, with only 6 teams with winning records at home.
I would like to wish all 30 teams good luck on their quest to make it to the 2007 MLB World Series.
Posted by adamcole at 09:37 PM
Yankees Gaining Momentum
It appears as if the Yankees have righted the ship after getting off to a disappointing start against the Orioles and Devil Rays. The Yanks have won two straight against the Twins, and go for the sweep tonight with Mike Mussina on the hill.
What has been the difference in this series? Undeniably, it’s the starting pitching. On Monday, Carl Pavano went seven innings, giving up just two runs. On Tuesday, Andy Pettitte pitched a gem, going 6 innings and holding the Twins scoreless. The Yankee bats have pounded the Twins pitching, scoring 18 runs in two games, thanks in large part to the continued success of Alex Rodriguez, who now has six homeruns in seven games!
The Yankees continue their road trip against Oakland on Friday, and then close out the month with a 3 games series at Fenway against the much-hated Red Sox. Sure, it’s only April, but any time the Yanks and Sox get together it’s sure to be entertaining baseball. Emotions will run high as these teams jockey for position atop the AL East, and I can’t wait.
Posted by schleifj at 07:39 PM | Comments (0)
Matsuzaka: Overhyped?
For this post, I'm going to take a break from my usual Met update/rant/brag-session , and talk about some other big news in the wonderful world of baseball.
Tonight, Daisuke Matsuzaka will make his Fenway Park debut as a member of the Boston Red Sox.
Matsuzaka, known by the nickname Dice-K, has been the most dominant pitcher in Japan for the past 8 years, and was even named Japan's MVP when they won the annual World Baseball Classic last year. Basically, the guy is a Japanese baseball stud.
It is always interesting to me to see how a foreigner who dominates another league performs in an American professional sports league. Will Dice-K follow in the footsteps of Japanese MLB stars Ichiro Suzuki and Hideki Matsui, or be another overrated foreign disappointment?
Can Dice-K handle the pressure of the classic Yankee-Red Sox rivalry?
Will he do well in front of the ever-critical (and pain in the ass) Red Sox fan base?
Is he worth the $103 million the Red Sox shelled out to get him, and will he be able to handle the pressure of expectations?
Well, there's no doubt about it: the odds are against him. But hey, if it means beating the Yankees in the ALCS, good luck Dicey.
Posted by bryblum at 06:47 PM | Comments (0)
April 10, 2007
On the rise
After an outstanding win last night, the White Sox's season is starting to look a little brighter. This win over the A's brings them to 3-3, winning 2 out of the last 3. Highlights from the Sox's game yesterday are home runs by Jim Thome and Scott Podsednik. The starting pitching was outstanding, with Jose Contreras going 6 strong only allowing one run.
Tonight, the Sox take the field against the A's for the middle game of a three game series. I love playing west coast teams because of late night games and the TV coverage via updates on Sportscenter and Baseball Tonight. Pitching tonight for the Sox is Jon Garland who is looking to come make from a miserable first start against the Indians. Look for Podsednik to have another big game (3 for 4, 2 runs scored, and a stolen base last night) in another Sox win tonight.
GO SOX
Posted by adamcole at 09:50 PM | Comments (0)
Despite the awful performance by Sidney Ponson in today's loss to the Yankees, the Twins start to the season is promising and their stars are shining. The 4-2 AL Central leaders have been led by Allstar performances by Morneau and Santana who was almost unhittable in the resounding victory over the White Sox yesterday.
I just heard that the Miller Park is going to see its second home opener of the year as the Cleveland Indians struggle with snow. I am not as concerned about the Indian's whether problems as I am about the Twins future outdoor stadium which currently doesn't have the funding for a retractable roof. It apparently will cost an additional 130 Million to add the roof, which can be done at anytime, although the government has refused to provide the funding.
Hopefully over the next two days the Twins can shut down the A-Rod, who seems to be playing his best baseball in recent years, and the Yanks as they continue to establish early domination on the American League.
Posted by glazeben at 12:02 AM | Comments (0)
April 09, 2007
Early Season Woes
I would like to start of with a rebuttal to Bryan's comment "Baseball's Opening Day has always been a subconscious indicator of a seasonal transition into summer." I bet you are taking that comment back now. The Cleveland Indians have had three games canceled due to snow fall. You might want to check the weather forecast before you make claims of a transition to summer.Along with chilly weather has been a cold start for the Sox. The Sox haven't won a series yet and dropped 3 games to division rivals. One of the few high points was 1-1 split with the Twins. The Sox now head out to Oakland to face the A's in a three game series and then are on the road at Cleveland where they hope to make up for the poor opening series against the Indians.
Here is an interesting article about a Division 1 College pitcher that has been dazzling batters by throwing both right-handed and left-handed. If he can fine tune his mechanics, scouts are saying he has a chance to make it to the Majors one day.
GO SOX
Posted by adamcole at 10:57 PM | Comments (0)
April 08, 2007
Mets? The Team to Beat.
Whereas Justin's latest blog post was one of panic, my latest post will be one of big-headed boasting!
The New York Metropolitans are off to one of the best starts in franchise history, winning their first four games in dominating fashion, outscoring their opponents 31-3. In fact, it was only the 3rd time in MLB history that a team has won their first 4 games allowing 1 run or less in each of them.
The Mets hitting, which I assumed to be good, has been fantastic.
Jose Reyes is off to a fantastic start, already batting .381 with 7 RBIs and 2 triples. Carlos Beltran has also been stellar, with a .300 batting average and 2 homers.
The real surprise has been the Mets pitching. All four of the Mets starters (Glavine, El Duque, John Maine, and Oliver Perez) picked up wins in their debuts. Even the Mets bullpen has been unstoppable, not giving up a run in 12 innings pitched.
It's nice to be able to say "I'm proud to be a Mets fan!"
Posted by bryblum at 03:15 PM | Comments (0)
April 07, 2007
Yankees Offense Carrying Team
It’s only 4 games into the season, but there are already red flags flying in the Bronx. The Yankees are 2-2, but easily could be, and probably should be 0-4. Going into the season, I knew the starting rotation was a question mark, but this has been atrocious. Yankee starters have allowed 22 runs (19 earned) and 28 hits in 17 and 1/3 innings for a 9.87 ERA. The lone bright spot for Yanks pitching has been Mariano Rivera, who has pitched four shutout innings, surrendering just one hit.Despite the abysmal performances from the starters, the Yankee bats have kept the team afloat. On Saturday, the Yanks pulled out a dramatic, 10-7 win over the Orioles, in a game they had no business winning. Kei Igawa, making his major league debut, gave up 7 runs, and was pulled in the 5th inning with the Yanks trailing 7-3. The Yanks got 3 back in the in the 8th on a 3 run shot from Jason Giambi, cutting the lead to 7-6 and setting the stage for Alex Rodriguez. Down by a run, with the bases loaded, and 2 outs, A Rod smashed a 1-2 fastball to over the center field wall, sending the Bronx crowd into a frenzy.
Hopefully the Yanks can build off this win, and get back to their rightful spot atop the AL East.
Posted by schleifj at 07:04 PM | Comments (0)
April 02, 2007
Yankees Open Season with Win
Not so fast Mr. Glaze. While you were busy frolicking in the nice spring weather, the Yanks were busy mounting a comeback, eventually defeating the D Rays 9-5. The streak lives on. Here’s the shakedown from opening day:The Good: Mariano Rivera came in to pitch the 9th inning and was dominant, hitting 98 mph routinely. He struck out all 3 batters he faced, needing just 13 pitches to do so. Alex Rodriguez (at the plate) looked good as well. He went 2-5 with a huge 2-run homerun in the 8th.
The Bad: Carl Pavano. In his first start since 2005, Pavano showed some signs of rust. He pitched only 4 and 1/3 innings, giving up 6 hits and 4 earned runs.
The Ugly: The Yankee fielding. Rodriguez missed an easy foul ball in the first inning, Jeter followed that with an errant throw, and Andy Phillips later threw one into center field. Hopefully, these were just opening day jitters, because you'r going to lose more games than you win when you make three errors.
On the whole, the Yanks didn't look great, but they played good enough to win. The offense showed why they are the most feared lineup in the MLB, and the Yanks bullben had 5 solid innings of work.
One final note, Mr. Glaze today is Monday, not Sunday. Most people don’t work on Sunday.
Posted by schleifj at 07:22 PM | Comments (0)
As I sit in my room with the windows open on a nice afternoon switching between Braves vs. Phillies and Yankees vs. Devil Rays it is exciting to see sellout fans supporting the first day games of the season. Part of me wonders why at 3:00pm on a Sunday no one is at work, but its exciting regardless. What makes me especially excited, besides the
Twins first game at 7:00 tonight, is the watching the
Yankees trailing in their opening game when they haven't lost at home on opening day since 1982. Not to mention, they are playing the team with the worst record in the MLB last season with over 100 losses.
Posted by glazeben at 02:57 PM | Comments (0)
Finally...
The wait is over. Our trash-talking can no longer be substantiated by empty claims. Meaningless Spring Training games are no longer our basis for discussion. The Major League baseball season is underway.
To me, baseball's Opening Day has always been a subconscious indicator of a seasonal transition into summer. To me, baseball is summer's sport, one that I can always enjoy without the stresses of schoolwork and bad weather.
And what better than a rematch of last year's NLCS between the Mets and the Cards in the first game of the season? I'll tell you what's better. A Mets domination on all ends in their season debut. Last night, the Mets destroyed the Cardinals 6-1, and tried to enact a little bit of revenge on the team that ousted them from the playoffs last fall.
I'm telling you, the Mets look good. Their offense is second-to-none, and Glavine looked solid in his 6 innings of work.
Bring it Yanks, Sox, and Twins. The boys and I are waiting.
Posted by bryblum at 02:07 PM | Comments (0)