Baseball Journal 4-4-13

How’s this for a stat line from last night’s Philies/Braves game?

Halladay 3 1/3 innings, 5 hits, 5 runs, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts

How do you get 9 strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings while giving up 5 runs? Seldom do you see a pitcher have such a great and lousy game at the same time. I would have been tempted to have left him in just to see what sort impossible stats Roy might have accumulated for the game.

It was a quiet, cold noon game in Pittsburgh today where the Cubs faced the Pirates on a get-away day. You could tell they were itching to go quickly just by the sheer number of quick outs. The fans that were there were fairly unenthusiastic. You could actually hear individual fans and vendors yelling. Later in the game, you could hear them getting progressively more obnoxious. Not gonna lie, Fan Cam one of my favorite parts of the game, was not pretty. Downright ugly. Polly, or whatever the name of the parrot mascot is, did his best to cheer the crowd, but it just wasn’t happening.

Travis Wood had his way with the listless Pirates for six innings. Wood also got a hit and was driven in by Starlin Castro. Other than that, James McDonald was Wood’s equal in pitching. That one run held up until the 9th. Nate Schierholtz hit a lazy flyball off the end of the bat that somehow easily cleared the centerfield wall and drove in two runs. It was like a Yankee Stadium home run. Well, it still counted, and the Cubs would need them. Carlos Marmol stepped onto the mound to close it out. I’m not sure if the crowd started cheering when he came out, but they certainly were after he’d given up two runs with two more men on, with nobody out. There was no James Russell or Kyuji Fujikawa (I may change my name to that, just so I can hear it more often) available to bail him out. What happened next was inexplicable: a strikeout and a double play to end the game. Cubs Win! Who can explain this game?

Who can explain the Rangers handing Elvis Andrus a big, long-term contract, while sitting on the top shortstop prospect in baseball in Jurickson Profar? Trade bait? Some position switching is planned? Afraid of losing yet another good player in free agency? Something more clever? If Profar can hit, the Rangers could certainly use his bat to go with what looks like some pretty good pitching. We’ll keep an eye on this situation.

The Tigers, after a blown save by Phil Coke, have re-signed Jose Valverde to a minor league contract. They’re panicking right out of the gate. Oh boy, already my World Series pick is falling apart.

Fantasy Core Ireland Setting--Places Part 2

Fantasy Core RPG
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013
Published here as Open Game Content.

Index

Clontarf (just outside of Dublin): As a fairly recent battlefield, there are still many restless spirits lurking around, not to mention several lost magical artifacts and weapons.

Ancient Burial Sites: Ireland is littered with them. They are from prehistoric (mythically Partholonian and Nemedian times). They range from royal cairns (rock buried tombs) to large mass graves. Often, succeeding residents would re-purpose them. Eventually, most would be buried over and forgotten. They often contain entrances to the Fomorian Underworld. Best examples: Creevykeel: Located in Connaught, County Sligo, near Boyle. Carrowkeel: Located in Connaught, County Sligo, a megalithic court tomb. Rathcroghan in County Roscommon, Connaught.

Newgrange: Located in Meath, near the Boyne River. Large, ancient passage grave. It was built to pass light to its inner chamber on the Solstice. It is currently buried and forgotten by the populace, though a group of druids sneaks inside on auspicious days for ceremonies. It is also a gateway into the Otheworld.

Maeve’s Lump: Located in Connaught, County Sligo. A cairn (mound of stones) called Knocknara. Maeve is supposedly buried there standing up and facing her enemies in Ulster. Her actual tomb exists in the Otherworld and can only be reached under certain circumstances.

Tara: Once a pagan ceremonial site, and now the ceremonial Irish capital. (The high-king lives in a castle not far away.) It is on a hill near Navan, in the County Meath.

Cletech: The residence of the high-kings of Ireland. A castle near Stackallan Bridge, on the banks of the Boyne, in Meath.

Brugh on the Boyne: Near Stackallen Bridge, County Meath, it is one of the chief ancient burial-places of the pagan Irish. There are Underworld galleries attached to the site, along with associated undead.

Taltiu: Teltown, in the County Meath, on or near the Blackwater, between Navan and Kells; one of the chief places of assembly and burial of the Ulstermen. A place of treasure, undead, and an entrance to the Underworld.

Cruachan Ai: The ancient seat and royal burial-place of the kings of Connaught, ten miles north-east of Rathcroghan, County Roscommon. Haunted by barrow wights and other undead nasties, but also contains magical treasure.

St. Patrick’s Rock: Cashel, County Tipperary, Munster. Fortress of the kings of Munster. It was later given to the Irish church hierarchy and became a cathedral. There are extensive underground facilities and tombs there. It connects to the Underworld via a strongly locked door.

Emain Macha (or Navan Fort): Located in Ulster, near Armagh. Fortress of the Ulster kings and headquarters of the Red Branch Knights.

Tomb of Fergus MacReigh: Relates the tales of the Red Branch Knights when his ghost is brought up. It is located in Ulster at Emain Macha.

Cruthnech: The land of the Irish Picts; the northern part of the County Down and the southern part of the County Antrim in Ulster. These are still half-wildmen scratching a meager existence. They are fiercely hostile towards outsiders. They also guard a gate to the Underworld for the Fomorians in return for magical tribute.

Wicklow Hills: Located in Meath, County Wicklow, near Dublin. Ancient source of gold in Ireland. Leprechauns may be found there.

Moin Coltna: A haunted bog between Slieve Bloom Mts. and the Shannon Rivers. There are many other swampy areas in Ireland, some haunted by the Will O’ Wisps, spirits of dead elves.

Clonmacnoise: Located in Leinster, County Offaly, near the River Shannon and Athlone. It was a monastic city of over 100 stone buildings. Ill-fated, it was raided and burned by Vikings and Irish over 50 times. To say the least, the land is cursed and haunted.

Innishmurray: Walled monastic village on an island off of County Sligo. Destroyed by the Vikings. Contains the Cursing Stone and the Well of Assistance for blessings.

Saint’s Road: Path on Brandon Mountain, located in Munster, County Kerry, Dingle Peninsula. Narrow, disused track, cloud covered and boggy. Tall gravestones and burial cairns line the path. There is a chapel at the top of the trail. Pilgrims frequent the path on holy days to receive a blessing.

Baseball Journal 4-3-13

I was actually listening to Eric Nadel and Matt Hicks call Yu Darvish’s near perfect game last night in Rangers victory over the Astros. Unfortunately, the radio signal was kind of weak and going in and out. I heard cheering, but then found out a minute later that the perfect game had been broken up. From the broadcasters’ description, Yu didn’t seem too upset and left the field smiling.

In the post-game interview, Pierzynski seemed a little peeved, but said he’ll put in perspective later. He’s got nothing to complain about; he’s already caught a perfect game. By odd coincidence, the pitcher of that game was there in the opposing dugout. Let’s really hope that this isn’t Yu’s career apex and from here he implodes and ends up on Astros with Phil Humber next season. Or worse, he ends up wherever the previous near perfect game pitcher, Armando Galarraga, ended up. Minor league baseball? High school coach? Detailing cars in Orange County? The real question is: How many other pitchers this season are going to throw a no-hitter or perfect game versus the Houston Astros?

I did get to watch the White Sox beat the Royals, 5 to 2. I was rooting for the Royals, but that’s really hard to do with Hawk and Stone cheerleading for Sox for the whole game. The Sox essentially won in spite of themselves with three errors during the game. It was a bad sign that every ball hit to Left Field was accompanied by circus music and a clown car. Including their Opening Day win, all of the Sox runs have come off of homers. The real news was that Southpaw did not make an appearance during the game. Don’t tell me I’ve gotten used to seeing the costumed mascot at every White Sox home game.

Fantasy Core Ireland Setting--Places Part 1

Fantasy Core RPG
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013
Published here as Open Game Content.

Index

The Five Provinces
Leinster-SE, Dublin, Wexford, Waterford (Norse settlements),
Munster- SW, Cork and Limmerick (Norse settlements)
Ulster-NE, Emain Macha
Connaught-W, Shannon River
Meath-E, Tara (capital), Newgrange site: Meath is the traditional province of the high-king. The other provinces have their own kings.

Viking Settlements: Dublin, Cork, Limmerick, Westford, Wexford. In spite of the hostility, there is a good deal of commerce between the Norse and the Irish. The cities are open to visitors and traders.

Fortifications:
Raths (ring forts): mostly earthenworks or loose stone, residences of wealthy farmers.
Crannog: artificial island in a swap or shallow lake, usually made of heavy timber, forts of minor nobles.
Dun: Hill forts of the kings, usually stone. Some were full on castles.

The Otherworld: Home of the Fey. A hidden magical kingdom. Entrances exist in forests, glades, lakes, caves, islands in the ocean, and under mounds (fairy mounds). They can typically only be accessed under certain conditions (stars, moon, season) and with a ritual, or as invited guests. Distance in the Otherworld is highly subjective. The Rowan Inn, for example, can always be found behind any screen of trees in the Otherworld. The Palace of the court of the Fey can only be found by invitation and a guide. Maeve’s real tomb, can only be found under certain conditions with a special ritual. Other Otherworld locations can traveled to in similar fashions of varying degrees of complexity.

There is a sad truth that the Otherworld is fading. More and more of the magic of the land is being drained to maintain it. The eldest of the Fey are aware of it. Eventually, the Otherworld will have no connection to reality and will abide only in men’s dreams and stories.

Traditionally, on the night of All Hallow’s Eve, all the gates to the Otherworld and the Underworld are opened and elves, goblins, spirits, and men may cross over freely (sometimes to exact vengeance). Most families light a bonfire for protection, though most consider it just a quaint tradition.

The Rowan: A tree hostel in the Otherworld. It is famous (for those few who have ventured into the Otherworld) for its hospitality. Elves, dwarves, humans (especially bards and druids), and even Fomorians may be found there. It is the closest thing to neutral ground in Ireland, and so attracts high-level and sensitive meetings.

Tir na N’Og (The Western Paradise): This is the earthly paradise that lies somewhere over the western sea. The Irish monk Bran searched for it. There are several islands that are part of the Otherworld. They are populated by fantastic and dangerous creatures (such as giant ants, giant birds, giant horses, and beautiful, wanton women) and magical treasures.

Valley of the Deaf: Cuchulain was hidden here while he was being hunted by the Children of Cailidin. Its location is unknown. It may only exist in the Otherworld. The valley is a place of absolute refuge.

Connla’s Well (or the Fountain of Knowledge): Spring of the Otherworld and source of Ireland’s major rives. Though it exists in the Otherworld, its traditional gateway is in County Tipperary, Munster. Once, nuts from the trees around the spring were eaten by salmon. Finn MacCool ate one of the fish and acquired Otherworldly wisdom. A few random wisdom nuts and perhaps other salmon of wisdom may exist. When a goddess tried to drink from it, it flooded, and swept her away into a newly created river, which bears her name, Shannon. Her spirit haunts the river and will attempt to drown the unwary. Shannon may also be consulted for her knowledge if properly approached.

The Underworld: Home of the dwarves and the Fomorians. The entrances to the Fomorian Underworld often exist inside of ancient tombs, guarded by the undead. The Dwarven underworld is often accessed on mountaintops, upon perilous ledges. If the site is occupied, it is normally hidden and locked from the inside. Entry is likely to only be obtained by invitation, or as prisoners, or even by accidental digging or an odd earthquake.

However, sapping warfare between the races (and with the fey and humans), has left behind several abandoned structures. These can be considered typical dungeons. Normally they are populated with dangerous squatters and raiders. Locals may be unaware of these Underworld sites or are actively avoiding them.

Dun Aonghusa (Inishmore Aran Islands off of Connaught): Large coastal fortress built by the dwarves. It has been long abandoned and is presumed haunted. It is also be an entrance to the Underworld.

Mag Tured (the Plain of Pillars): Located in Connaught. The decisive battle between the elves and dwarves (the first battle of Mag Tured) was near Cong in County Mayo. The battle between the elves and the Fomorians (the second battle of Mag Tured) was near Lough Arrow in County Sligo. Both sites are haunted under certain conditions and are avoided. The Otherworld and the Underworld have entrances at both battle sites. Many ancient graves are also there.

Baseball Journal 4-1-13

[As threatened, a series of reports from last week follow.]

“Opening Day is like a birthday, but every year you get younger.” I don’t know who originally said that, but I heard it from George Will. In spite of the generally cold weather, there’s always such a sense of optimism in the air. Everybody has the same record. Will the big off-season moves work out? Who will the surprise teams be? At this point in the season anything can happen and no one knows what will.

Okay, enough crap. I only got to watch one game yesterday, Cubs vs. Pirates on WGN. It was entertaining, but I was fairly annoyed that the El Paso Dodgers radio affiliate, KROD, decided to not air their opening day game. Instead they aired their two local sports talk shows. Let’s break this down. El Paso, a city without a top-level professional sports team, an independent league baseball team which receives no coverage, soon to have a Triple-A baseball team who will get the same treatment, a minor league hockey team which isn’t covered either, debatably has a Division I football program, and has a college basketball team that hasn’t been relevant for years, somehow merits two back-to-back local sports talk shows. The best I can say is that it’s better than their national ESPN sports talk programming, which is to say, it’s better than dead air.

(Oh, let’s get into this too. Good old ESPN waterboy Colin Cowherd was there yesterday defending Tony Romo’s big new contract. He justified it by comparing Romo’s numbers to Tim Tebow’s. Mistake, Colin. Tim has as many playoff wins as Romo.)

So, yeah. Let’s rehash that poor guy breaking his leg in the NCAA tournament over and over, rather than broadcasting a Dodger-Giant rivalry game between Kershaw and Cain that was scoreless for seven innings, until Kershaw hit his first major league home run, a bomb to centerfield. No drama there. Wise programming move KROD.

Meanwhile, it was a cold, blustery day on the frozen tundra of PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Well, sort of. There had been snow flurries during batting practice, but it was bright and sunny during the game. A sunny 35 degrees, but a full house anyway.

The only wind came from the swinging bats over the course of 25 total strikeouts. AJ Burnett of the Pirates and Jeff Samardzija of the Cubs both pitched well, in spite of extenuating circumstances. Jeff looks like he’d be more at home wearing a large hat with a big feather, wielding a foil, and speaking French, than standing on a pitching mound. AJ was the victim of an April Fools’ prank, when his resin bag exploded upon usage in the 5th inning. Nobody on the field was laughing, but I doubt it was unintentional.

(Ahem, and after what I just said about national sports talk radio, I did call in to Fox Sports radio that night and told host Ben Maller about the prank over the air. I thought it was the kind of story he and audience would want to know about. You know, real sports news.)

Anthony Rizzo’s two-run homer in the 1st would ultimately be the winner in the Cubs 3 – 1 triumph. First pitch of the season he sees and sends it out of the stadium, nearly into the river. Rizz is going to need a nickname here soon. The Cubs did trot out Marmol in the 9th in an attempt to lose the game. My father, watching with me, couldn't even watch. Suddenly, Cubs manager, Dale Sveum, broke with protocol, and brought in a couple of competent relievers. Getting the save and making his major league debut was my new favorite player, Kyuji Fujikawa. You need to hear the alliteration to understand my affection. It’s one of the greatest names to say ever.

Len and his new partner, DJ, did fine workman-like job in announcing the game. There was one disquieting moment as they mentioned, but did not elaborate on, the prospect of the National League adopting the DH. Great, now every game will go over three hours. I kept a scorecard, which in spite of my diligent efforts, turned out to be wrong and incomplete, as usual. I think Wellington Castillo getting caught in a five-person rundown was what did me in.

In other Opening Day news, the Yankees are old and made the Red Sox actually look good. Stephen Strasburg looked good, but as I predicted, it was Bryce Harper, putting the team on his back and winning the game with his two home runs. I saw the highlights of that. Oh my God, Harper has bulked up over the winter. He may be terrifying pitchers this year.

Fantasy Core Ireland Setting--Groups Part 2

Fantasy Core RPG
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013
Published here as Open Game Content.

Index

Dal Cais: During the Danish conquest of the Munster province, this small clan lead a guerilla war until their leader, Brian Boru, defeated them and took back the province. He later became king over all of Ireland. They are still fighting Norse invaders.

Fianna: The army of high-king Cormac MacArt. The group was lead by Finn MacCool. They lived in the forests of Ireland, repelling invaders and keeping the peace. The group was eventually destroyed over the course of three battles and scattered across the country. This group was the inspiration for the characters’ group. Knowledge of this group’s exploits may still be useful in the present day.

Red Branch Knights: Famous warriors loyal to the king of Ulster, who were headquartered at Emain Macha. This is another inspirational group. The group is still around, in a diminished capacity, and might be something of rivals to the high-king’s men in the Ulster province. All of the minor kings of Ireland have groups of warriors serving them of varying capabilities.

Bards and Druids: In the current period, these groups have diminished power, but in pagan Ireland, they were as respected as kings. Druids had their magic and mystical knowledge. Bards had their feared magic weapon of satire (in a country full of fierce warriors and proud families, reputation was everything) and their extensive genealogical knowledge (that helped determined who owned the lands).

Now, in a Christian land with the native magic slowly fading away (the wizard tradition taps magic from unearthly sources and is unaffected and paladins have divine sanction), they are considered out-of-date and old-fashioned and unnecessary. Bards, in particular, abused their powers to the point they were nearly outlawed altogether. Some have leveraged their special skills into useful professions. Others, have husbanded their powers and are jealously holding on to their positions and subtly undermining the church, wizards, and anyone else getting in their way.

Kingship: There are over 100 petty kingdoms in the five provinces, and a king is only a king in his own territory. It is important to note that king may only rule if he is without blemish or disfigurement. At one time, bardic satire could cause boils on a person, even kings, which would get them kicked off the throne. (Just one reason why bards were feared, though currently no one is known to have this power. Perhaps.)

Worse, there was never an orderly succession to any throne. The death of a king opened up the throne to virtually all of his family members, including uncles and cousins. Small wars were constantly ignited over succession and lead to the use of outside (and foreign) mercenaries. (Which had dire consequences in real Irish history.)

Irish Classes of Society:
- Kings, nobles, (they owned the land), bards (traditionally), poets, lawyers, druids (traditionally), doctors, harpers, entertainers, clergy, wizards (grudgingly)
- Freemen: rented the land, but owned property on it.
- Non-free: slaves, squatters, laborers, fugitives, reprieved criminals (these usually served in a king’s army).

MLB Preview Special

The Playoff Prediction

[I'm back.  I haven't changed my mind, but I admit I'm a little shakier about my prediction now than I was two weeks ago.]

First, there’s no reason to pick the Wild Cards, since none of them are going to contend because of the new format. Thanks for playing. Make sure to pick up your Rice-a-Roni and other consolation prizes on your way out to the golf course.

I’ll pick the Nationals over the Reds in the National League, foolishly counting out the Dodgers and the Giants.

In the American League, the Angels will be eliminated on the last day of the season. Pujols and Hamilton will cry in each others’ arms in the dugout in a downright pathetic display of unmanliness. Trout will demand to be traded. Oh, and the Tigers will beat the Orioles in the ALCS.

The World Series between the Tigers and Nationals will start off badly, as Bud Selig will go out on the field before the first game and personally apologize for the matchup, because it doesn’t involve the Yankees or some other nationally popular team. Fox will preempt their coverage to put Firefly back on (and then cancel it again a week later), and will be rerunning NFL games from the weekend. But the games will be nationally broadcast.

SPOILERS

There on the ESPN Deportes Dos, in between some important Mexican soccer league matches, you’ll see the Tigers win in seven games with Verlander outdueling Strassburg. Both will go the distance in a 1 – 0 game. A confused Andres Cantor will sing out “Gooooool!” as Miguel Cabrera hits a walk-off championship-winning homer in the 9th. Those few people left in Detroit, delirious with joy in the midst of their abject destitution, will set fire to the city in celebration, just like in 1984. City officials will make no effort to stop the rioters and will actually praise this spontaneous act of urban renewal (saving them the money of having to tear down the city anyway). And that is how the season ends.