NOW vs LATER
You've got to be kidding me

.

ca. 1975, Tom Scholz ran around to 47 different studio executives trying to sell his first Boston "demo tape" (which was, obviously of higher sound quality than typical released masters).  Of those 47 shot-callers, approximately 47 of them told him that More Than a Feeling and Long Time were unusable.  When #48 finally released the album on a lark, it sold 8 million copies -- and then the studio demanded a followup.  They figured six months; Scholz figured four years.

He did give them Don't Look Back in a measly two years -- eons in studio time back then -- but resolved to be an "absolute rock" against studio pressure in the future.  He took 8 years to give them Third Stage and gloated on the back liner:

.

Time to record an album is usually measured in months.  After the first two or three years, I began to lose perspective of the months and I discovered other ways to measure progress; one hundred and seventy-five light bulbs burned out in the studio before I did.  The record button was pushed nearly one-million times-that's nearly a million chances to accidentally erase something.  Over one hundred reels of tape were filled with music.  Brad produced over 300 P-pops, and I lost my pick at least a thousand times.

.

The last time the 102-win Seattle Mariners even threatened to take a lead in a baseball game was Monday night.  Since then, we have seen:

  • A given mayfly become a parent, a grandparent, a great-grandparent and a great-great grandparent.  It didn't see any of these things, of course.
  • Your kidneys have filtered 12,000 pints of blood.  Hopefully they didn't overwork themselves.
  • The Mariners found out that their weird rookie closer has a trick pitch.
  • 1.5 million iPhones have been transferred to happy new customers (most of them in California, who used them to look up glorious wipeouts of division rivals).
  • Over 100 crimes have been committed INSIDE British police stations.
  • Over 100 crimes have been committed against Seattle Sports Insider, most of them on 0-0 counts.
  • Over 100 crimes have been committed against Mariner starters who are expected to make the All-Star team.
  • Rickie Weeks has had 11 AB's, during which he has fanned 0 times, walked 0 times and scrounged a single.
  • You have spent approximately 80 minutes on the toilet.
  • Justin Ruggiano has spent approximately 80 pitches wating lefthanders throw fastballs wide (3:1 EYE).
  • Brad Miller and Dustin Ackley have compiled OPS+ of 199.
  • 8 of 11 Mariners pitchers have begun their seasons with excellent ERA's, including all* of the bullpen.

.

Mike Blowers spent 2 minutes and 32 seconds talking about when we might be able to tell what kind of team we have, after four games.

The short answer:  it depends, but don't even think about it before the first month is over.  If a team's going to jell, you don't know at what moment it will occur.  

The time comes when players get "into rhythm."  When will that be?  ... oh, 100 at-bats.  Or, by analogy, five starts.  They get on the bus, they go to dinner, they go through a couple of road trips, they get their weight settled into the season.  We just have to look at it from a certain angle, bro'.

.

....

A favorite Zen Koan:

Matajuro Yagyu was the son of a famous swordsman. His father, believing that his son's work was too mediocre to anticipate mastership, disowned him.

So Matajuro went to Mount Futara and there found the famous swordsman Banzo. But Banzo confirmed the father's judgment. "You wish to learn swordsmanship under my guidance?" asked Banzo. "You cannot fulfill the requirements."

"But if I work hard, how many years will it take me to become a master?" persisted the youth.

"The rest of your life," replied Banzo.

"I cannot wait that long," explained Matajuro. "I am willing to pass through any hardship if only you will teach me. If I become your devoted servant, how long might it be?"

"Oh, maybe ten years," Banzo relented.

"My father is getting old, and soon I must take care of him," continued Matajuro. "If I work far more intensively, how long would it take me?"

"Oh, maybe thirty years," said Banzo.

"Why is that?" asked Matajuro. "First you say ten and now thirty years. I will undergo any hardship to master this art in the shortest time!"

"Well," said Banzo, "in that case you will have to remain with me for seventy years. A man in such a hurry as you are to get results seldom learns quickly."

"Very well," declared the youth, understanding at last that he was being rebuked for impatience, "I agree."

Matajuro was told never to speak of fencing and never to touch a sword. He cooked for his master, washed the dishes, made his bed, cleaned the yard, cared for the garden, all without a word of swordsmanship.

Three years passed. Still Matajuro labored on. Thinking of his future, he was sad. He had not even begun to learn the art to which he had devoted his life.

But one day Banzo crept up behind him and gave him a terrific blow with a wooden sword.

The following day, when Matajuro was cooking rice, Banzo again sprang upon him unexpectedly.

After that, day and night, Matajuro had to defend himself from unexpected thrusts. Not a moment passed in any day that he did not have to think of the taste of Banzo's sword.

He learned so rapidly he brought smiles to the face of his master. Matajuro became the greatest swordsman in the land.

.

Any connection between Zen and 96-MPH rookies would be strictly coincidental.

....

Personally, Dr. D was hoping for a 35-5 start, the one we saw in 1984 by Detroit.  The fact that we're going to have to grind into a rhythm is extremely annoying.  Hey, WE FANS are in rhythm; what's their deal?

Baseball's like fishing, though.  The next cast figures to be the perfect one.

Happ tonight,

Dr D

 

Blog: 

Comments

1

Man you have to have a great memory if you are a mayfly  Otherwise you'll never remember all the names of the million (or so) great-great grandkids that will be born in about 4 days.  
As fans sometimes we need short/forgetful memories.  The last three games are in no way really indicative of what we might see from the M's going forward.  Well wait Paxton's start was to some degree or the other.  Kind of a mid-high baseline for his projected peformance.  
Walker's boo boo last night?  Uh no.  Ignore it.  I hope The Skip said exactly this to him once he was yanked "You will have about 500 more starts in your career kid.  Get 'em next time."  That's enough.  Anything more than that would be psychological torture.  The kid got whacked upside his head with a wooden sword by some Orc Zen Masters last night. It was a MLB lesson that every great pitcher has gone through.  Beyond that it has little meaning however.  
My memory seems to indicate that Weeks has K'ed at least once Doc.  He had an ugly K with the bases jacked in the 1st loss.  B-R indicates he's K'ed 6 times in those 11 AB's.  Knowing of your Great Kreskin-like memory I'm betting you had a simple typo.  Which is relieving btw because I have so bleepin' many of them.  Weeks certainly has not looked like much of a threat vs. RHP has he.  Oh for the love of Seth Smith!!  That tweaked groin can't get healthy fast enough.  Are we ready to abandon Weeks and call up Romero or Kivlehan?  
Just joshin' on that last one.  
Because Cruz has been worse than Weeks!  Well close to it anyway.  He has one knock and 1 K and ZERO BB's and 13 AB's where he has dribbled or flaired or popped up but nary (that I can remember) hit one pretty hard. 
Jackson is sort of our hitting star!!!  He still looks like he has the pop of a Freddy Patek.  I remain deeply worried.  
Happ tonight.  Happ-y Happ Day I suppose.
1-3 or 1-4 taint nuttin' as they say; it really is a long season.  Hey the Nationals are 1-3 right now:  Scherzer Gonzalez and Strasburg have all lost!  Is that squad dead in the water?  Wouldn't you still bet they are playoff bound?
You bet you would.
Our squad has a hole or two.  We're still likely loaded for bear however.
Loaded for Orcs I hope tonight.
Deep breaths all take deep breaths. Visualize your happy place.  BTW the Seahawks were 3 and 3 on the evening of Oct. 19th.  Memory serves me that they bounced back decently.
Moe
 
 
 

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