So long AAF . . who? and SPEAKING OF CHINA and YESTERDAY

I was in a conversation with a Phillie fan about former Brewer Jean Segura. Remember him?  A no glove 2B/SS who could not hit and had an On Base percentage under .300? 

Yea - he was traded for Chase Anderson and INSTANTLY became a very very good hitter but still a  hole on defense.  Not unlike Scooter Gannet another second baseman who the Brewers got rid of that became a hitting giant and also a hole on the infield.

So of course Arcia was mentioned and if you compare Jean Segura to Arcia and have a choice who would you take.  a slick fielding no hit SS or a poor fielding great hitter.   Statistically Arcia will save you around 50 bases a year on defense so do you add 50 hits to Arcia offense?  Take 50 away from Segura?

Prorating last year with Arcia's if you added 36 hits he would have hit .322 compared to Segura's .304   Defense is SO underrated because NOT getting to a ball is harder to recognize then GETTING a hit.   Segura has no range at SS and does not have a strong arm.

So I would take Arcia and his .236 average over Segura and his .304 because Arcia is SO SO much better on "D".   HOWEVER - if you put Segura back to 2B he is GREAT, his weakish arm is not an issue and he is much MUCH better covering that side of the firld.  In fact almost gold Glove range. At SS just below average.   He has been like that all his life.  SS suck  2B GREAT.  It's weird.       

NOT taking anything away from the Phillies offense which is outstanding. 

+++++

Then there is Grandal - everybody keeps saying why does he not bunt to get on base with NOBODY on the left side of the infield.   The same thing many people said about the Brewers last year when they did not bunt in obvious situations.  REASON?   He and they, are HORRIBLE at bunting.

Grandal tried bunting last night to get a hit.  FAIL!!   he was 1 for 3 against the shift and 0-1 trying to beat the shift

++++++

Then there is the AFF - you might have accidentally stumbled across a football game on TV in the last couple months. A football game in spring?  FAIL!   Did you know the players had to buy their own plane tickets after games?

Seems the league was all about gambling.  They had a huge gambling app (it seems, I never saw it and did not care) and you could bet on games at the stadiums and where ever wagers were taken.  BUT - they never made money and did not have enough.  SURPRISE. 

I did stumble on a game once and watched 5 minutes before I told DJ - this will never ever fly. Who cares.  The NFL is now a 12 month a year sport.

****************

So - we have now had two rather large home augmentations and both times it's never DONE.  It just sort of fades away with loose ends. 

We're now waiting for gutters to be put on as birds are busy building nests inside the roof and two lights we ordered a month ago are on a slow boat from China it seems. . . . literally.

(I hear hammering on our roof - gutter guy is here)

SPEAKING OF CHINA!  (two subjects).

Subject #1

DJ ordered a few hand made purses online. Sort of a social media purse thing that was REALLY taking off.  They moved their operations to China and of course some people got all anal about the "Made in China" thing.

I have heard this from a few places now about China including Shark Tank.

China DOES NOT make cheap products. In the past yes. In the 70s for sure. BUT NO LONGER.  In fact in Chinese culture working a factory job is literally an honor.  They take great pride in what they produce.  So if you see Made In China it's probably better made then Made in America where factory workers view it a job and Chinese view factory jobs as a profession to be proud of. 

Subject #2 

Ever drive past the Patio Warehouse in Sun Prairie?  We went there yesterday to check them out. Josh purchased 6 wonderful patio chairs for like $100.

What they are are a Chinese Company that takes ALL of the "out of warranty" big box stores patio furniture and sells them REALLY cheap at their outlet.  No warranty, no mix and match, as is and already put together (a BIG bonus).  They do have many many parts for all furniture if something is broken.     

They have about a 25% turnover every week.

We picked up this table for $25

They do have singles if you are looking for one chair or whatever.   All big box store patio furniture, Manards, Home Depot,Sears, Costco . . . . all of them.  It's how they get rid of all the furniture that is a year old.  Great great deals.   

*****************

Man In The High Castle begins it's 4th and Final season.

THIS looks like a REALLY good movie - YESTERDAY

https://youtu.be/H3VeHyedL1U

     
I'm a fan of Lily James from Downton Abby, Darkest Hour and . . . Mama Mia?  hmmmmm

++++

I won't get into Wisconsin Supreme Court race.  I was not a big fan of Neubauer as it seemed she never stood for anything except not being Hagedorn, WHICH was enough for ME to vote for her but as one Political Scientist friend says

She went way, way, overboard on the neutrality on the issues and like Democrats the nation over, the Liberals failed to have the courage of their convictions. 

Rebecca Dallett provided a template for Neubauer to win but she ignored it in favor of strategies the Democrats have been losing Supreme Court races for over a decade.

Dallet was able to signal some significant beliefs without compromising her impartiality.  But Neubauer pretended she is a blank slate on every single issue of law, no matter how settled or significant.  The “Trust me” campaign Neubauer ran was an apology tour, not a confident Judge running against a man that accepted speaking fees three times from the Alliance Defensing Freedom, who lobbies for African nations to impose the death penalty for homosexual acts.

--

talk at ya later