Auggie
Auggie's JournalTim Anderson suspended 6 games for fight, Jose Ramirez out 3
Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson has been suspended for six games while Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez received three games and closer Emmanuel Clase one game for their parts in Saturday's bench-clearing brawl between the two teams, the league announced Monday afternoon.
Also suspended for a game were managers Pedro Grifol and Terry Francona as well as Guardians coach Mike Sarbaugh.
Anderson and Ramirez are appealing their suspensions, so their discipline will be held in abeyance until the process completes. Grifol, Francona and Clase will serve their suspensions on Monday, while Sarbaugh will serve his on Tuesday.
The two teams clashed when Ramirez and Anderson squared off near second base after Ramirez slid in safely on a double in the bottom of the sixth. The fight was the culmination of several days of trash-talking and gesturing between the two teams, which most recently picked up in a series in late July in Chicago.
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/38151902/tim-anderson-suspended-6-games-fight-jose-ramirez-3
Seems about right (to me).
Ex-White Sox reliever Keynan Middleton rips club's 'no rules' culture
NEW YORK -- The struggling Chicago White Sox, whose fall out of contention culminated with moving veteran players at the trade deadline, were plagued by a culture that had "no rules" in which a rookie regularly fell asleep in the bullpen, former White Sox relief pitcher Keynan Middleton said Sunday.
"We came in with no rules," Middleton said. "I don't know how you police the culture if there are no rules or guidelines to follow because everyone is doing their own thing. Like, how do you say anything about it because there are no rules?
"You have rookies sleeping in the bullpen during the game. You have guys missing meetings. You have guys missing PFPs (pitcher fielding practices), and there are no consequences for any of this stuff."
Multiple sources, who corroborated Middleton's account to ESPN, said a pitcher was seen napping during games as well as skipping fielding practice.
MORE: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/38147621/ex-white-sox-reliever-keynan-middleton-rips-club-no-rules-culture
Said Middleton where the void exists with the White Sox (from the link): "Leadership in general. They say s--- rolls downhill. I feel like some guys don't want to speak up when they should have. It's hard to police people when there are no rules. If guys are doing things that you think are wrong, who is it wrong to? You or them? It's anyone's judgment at that point."
Now I'm thinking about Tim Anderson and the "chirping" and hard play he targeted at Guardians players that led to the brawl last Saturday. "Even the umpire told him to knock it (the chirping) off,' according to Cleveland manager Terry Francona.
Guess shit really does roll downhill.
How Bluetooth could be making your car a target for Bay Area break-ins
From the San Francisco Chronicle:
Thieves in at least three major Bay Area cities have been turning to Bluetooth technologies to help them nab electronics from parked vehicles, adding a high-tech twist to one of the region’s most intractable issues, according to law enforcement officials.
Police department spokespersons in San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose said they were aware of incidents in which thieves used their phones to locate Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals emanating from laptops, tablets or other devices in vehicles.
This may help explain why, even if people take necessary precautions to hide their valuables from thieves — such as tinting their windows or stashing their electronics out-of-sight — they still could be the victim of a smash-and-grab.
Any smartphone can scan for Bluetooth signals, which means that if a phone is close enough to someone’s stashed cell phone, iPad or laptop, thieves who walk up to a car can detect its presence in just a matter of seconds, said Rob Enderle, a technology analyst and consultant.
LINK (paywall): https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/bluetooth-car-break-in-18257966.php
According to the link, simply closing a laptop isn’t enough. It goes into sleep mode which could still send out a Bluetooth signal.
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If thieves can detect a smartphone in your vehicle, I guess they could locate one in your pocket, briefcase or purse.
Holy jumpin' catfish!
Newsom picks oil czar to watch for price gouging
Sacramento Bee / August 4, 2023
California has appointed its first watchdog for gas price gouging.
Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Tai Milder on Wednesday to lead the state's effort to hold oil companies accountable amid spiking fuel prices. Pending Senate confirmation, Milder will direct the newly created independent Division of Petroleum Market Oversight, housed within the California Energy Commission.
Milder is a former antitrust prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice.
The division was created as part of Newsom's plan to penalize Big Oil for California's high gas prices. As part of a special legislative session, lawmakers pushed through Senate Bill X1-2 this year following months of high gas prices in the summer and fall of 2022. The bill empowered the California Energy Commission to penalize oil companies for making too much money.
LINK: https://napavalleyregister.com/eedition/page-a2/page_e294b9e8-231f-54e3-94b1-a69fe6db346c.html
Highlights (from the link):
• Newsom originally wanted to establish a profit tax on oil companies and return proceeds to California residents.
• Instead, the Legislature landed on the creation of the new regulatory agency, which will set the acceptable profit margin and decide how to penalize companies that exceed it.
• An average price for a gallon of regular gas in California peaked last June at $6.44. That same year oil companies made record-breaking profits.
• The state has yet to punish any oil company.
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I think the Legislature copped-out -- their plan sounds a bit ambiguous (and more expensive).
Have to see how this plays out.
Big Ten having preliminary conversations about more expansion if Pac-12 crumbles, AP sources say
A group of Big Ten presidents has begun discussing the possibility of adding more West Coast schools to the conference if the Pac-12 continues to crumble, two people familiar with the conversations told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the conversations were preliminary and the Big Ten was not going public with its internal deliberations.
Oregon and Washington would be the primary targets if the conference decided to make a move, one of the people said.
The Pac-12 is down to nine schools seemingly committed beyond this year, with Southern California and UCLA heading to the Big Ten in 2024 to make it a 16-team, coast-to-coast conference. Colorado is leaving the Pac-12 for the Big 12 next year, too. Colorado announced its move last week.
MORE: https://apnews.com/article/pac12-big-ten-conference-realignment-oregon-washington-3962aad7adbe38feb97e31eac895dd2e
FROM THE LINK:
• ESPN reported Tuesday that the Pac-12 is hoping to keep its remaining members together with a media rights deal that would make Apple TV the conference’s primary home.
• USC’s and UCLA’s move to the Big Ten were the first blows to send the Pac-12 reeling into uncertainty over the past year.
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Maybe it makes sense to merge with USC and UCLA already gone. If Oregon and Washington join the Big 10 the PAC-12 pretty much dies.
I don't understand the move to Apple TV. Why make fans pay for an extra subscription service? How would this save the PAC-12? Make it more expensive to watch games?
Where are the Astros fans? Valdez tossed a no-hitter ...
almost a perfect game (faced the minimum number of Cleveland's anemic lineup with one walk that was erased by a double play).
NFL expands sexual assault policy, penalties in wake of Deshaun Watson's suspension
Yahoo Sports / July 31, 2023
The NFL expanded the sexual assault portion of its personal conduct policy on Monday in the wake of Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s 11-game suspension last season, according to The New York Times’ Jenny Vrentas.
The NFL altered its personal conduct policy to include sexual assault “involving threats or coercion,” and included a “pattern of conduct” and “offenses that involve planning” as factors that can lead to more serious penalties. The changes came in response to a judgment that former federal judge Sue L. Robinson issued last year in regards to Watson, per the report.
SNIP
The new policy now includes sexual assault “involving threats or coercion” to the list of offenses that carry stricter punishment. A second violation, per the report, will result in banishment from the NFL. The revised policy also gives power to a third-party investigator to impose stricter penalties on players “for other types of prohibited conduct.” Including threats and coercion as means for sexual assault now brings the NFL’s policy in line with Major League Baseball and the NBA.
MORE AT THE LINK: https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-expands-sexual-assault-policy-penalties-in-wake-of-deshaun-watsons-suspension-195114130.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHD8Fqoav86gM5MD7lEo2WlN-iFUjpTa6ymb6iMZAV7Jz1fM_RYI4NBRuire2MXDUjc9s6DTskK2iLWzT0Maqv3weoScPcj0EdH-3EW9_yZTCFSF8GcNmm1ascfj-zLfnl2aew-t7eKdUFR3Qp28HDk8JkcwIdol5-sF3Xx5f58u
Very much needed
Rays get Civale from Guardians for No. 37 overall prospect
The Rays made an aggressive move Monday afternoon to add another talented arm to their rotation, acquiring right-hander Aaron Civale from the Guardians for highly touted first-base prospect Kyle Manzardo. Manzardo, 23, is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 37 prospect in the game.
Tampa Bay has been in pursuit of another starter leading up to the Trade Deadline, as the club has been beset by pitching injuries to starters Shane Baz, Drew Rasmussen, Jeffrey Springs and Josh Fleming. Now, the Rays can add Civale to a rotation that already includes Shane McClanahan, Tyler Glasnow and Zach Eflin.
SNIP
Additionally, Civale is more than a rental, as the 28-year-old is under club control through the 2025 season. That’s part of the reason he came at such a high cost in Manzardo, MLB Pipeline's No. 4 prospect in Tampa Bay’s system. The left-handed-hitting first baseman, a second-round pick in the 2021 Draft, quickly advanced to Triple-A Durham this season, although he’s been sidelined since before the Futures Game due to a sore left shoulder.
The 28-year-old righty turned in a 1.45 ERA over six starts in July, striking out 25 batters with seven walks and just one home run in 37 1/3 innings. By the end of this stretch, his season ERA dropped to an impressive 2.34. The righty isn’t a flame-thrower, but he keeps hitters off balance with a six-pitch mix.
https://www.mlb.com/news/aaron-civale-rays-trade
I'm surprised by this. Civale was the last healthy veteran pitcher they had left ... though Manzardo has home run power, something Cleveland desperately needs.
Ohtani blasts two homers after throwing 1-hitter
DETROIT -- Shohei Ohtani has proven a lot of things during his six-year Major League career. Chief among them is that if there’s something you think he can’t do, you’re probably wrong.
The Angels’ two-way superstar dazzled again on Thursday, hurling his first career shutout -- a one-hitter -- in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Comerica Park, and then clubbing his Major League-leading 37th and 38th home runs in an 11-4 win over the Tigers in Game 2 before exiting early due to cramping.
Ohtani threw 111 pitches and batted five times in Game 1, which the Angels won, 6-0. He then met with the media, changed quickly and hit the dugout for the nightcap without breaking stride. After using his first at-bat to get a feel for starter Matt Manning, Ohtani stepped to the plate in the second inning and connected on a four-seamer that left his bat at 107.6 mph.
The last time a pitcher has allowed one hit or fewer during a shutout and homered on the same day? According to MLB.com research guru Sarah Langs, on June 8, 1986, Expos starter Floyd Youmans held the Phillies to one hit, struck out eight and walked seven, and slugged his first home run of the season against a guy named Maddux (Mike, not Greg) in the second inning of a 12-0 win.
https://www.mlb.com/news/shohei-ohtani-hits-multiple-homers-after-throwing-1-hitter
Group launches effort to stop proposition overturning a ban on oil drilling near schools, hospitals
San Francisco Chronicle / July 26, 2023
A committee backed by environmentalists and community groups — launched with $500,000 in seed funding by ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt — will announce Wednesday it is fighting a November 2024 ballot measure, backed by fossil fuel companies, that would overturn a 2022 law banning drilling within a half-mile of schools and hospitals.
The new committee, called the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy California, is hoping to counter a ballot measure on the November 2024 slate that is funded with at least $20 million from oil companies called Stop the Energy Shutdown. The oil company funded committee, backed with $4.5 million from Sentinel Peak Resources California LLC, and other petroleum companies, wants to overturn SB1137. The law has been on hold since the secretary of state certified the industry-backed ballot measure.
SNIP
The anti-Big Oil side anticipates being massively outspent if they decide to fund a competing ballot measure in November 2024. But campaign manager Chris Lehman said he is confident that his side will be able to raise enough to get its message out.
“Californians do not want toxic oil drilling next to their schools, next to neighborhoods, hospitals, period,” Lehman said. “As long as we can make the case that that’s what this does, we’re going to be fine.”
Link (paywall): https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/joegarofoli/article/oil-drilling-ballot-measure-18260158.php
Quote (from the link): “Big Oil knows that California is moving beyond fossil fuels, so on their way out these corporations are doing everything they can to squeeze out profits as they pollute our communities. We’re not standing for it.” -- Governor Gavin Newsom
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Even if Campaign for a Safe and Healthy California can't raise a lot of money to counter, I think Californians won't buy the B.S. lies and drama big oil campaign ads will certainly feature.
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