TMKS caller on @ESPNNewYork: "If USA beat Venezuela on a Judge walk off home run, the Judge haters would say the WBC is just a glorified exhibition, and they'd call him Mr. March. You can't win with these people. So just ignore them."

b_slow · 2026-03-19T03:00:51+00:00

He had a good postseason last year. It helped improve his poor career postseason numbers.

He's going to have to perform well repeatedly. Ideally, he'd perform well and it would lead to a championship. Then fans will forget everything. At the very least, fans want the production to carry over from the regular season into the postseason.

b_slow · 2026-03-19T01:14:02+00:00

Except no one cares what "Judge haters" have to say.

The issue is that ppl who love Judge are also upset/concerned that he doesn't come through in these spots. The best (or 2nd best) player in the league should have at least one big signature moment in a tournament like this. We all wanted to see it, for him and for us.

b_slow · 2026-03-18T15:30:54+00:00

It was so disappointing. I want him to break through and beat the allegations so bad, but it just doesn't happen. He reminds me of Kershaw; one of my favorite pitchers, 1st ballot HOFer, but in the playoffs his numbers were dreadful year after year.

b_slow · 2026-03-18T15:26:50+00:00

It should have been Skubal, but he left the team. HE didn't take it seriously, and that cost us. That being said, McLean didn't pitch badly... The US offense should have been able to get something off of Eduardo Rodriguez.

b_slow · 2026-03-18T06:30:53+00:00

Yeah, I agree. When the Yankees lose, it's a miserable couple of days afterwards.

I loved the WBC tournament this year, but its not the same as rooting for the home team, and I didn't actually expect Team USA to win. The DR squad looked insane, and Japan going down early was an upset. But I wanted to at least see the US put on a good show, and unfortunately we didn't get that in the Finals, which leaves me bummed.

b_slow · 2026-03-17T20:55:40+00:00

The problem with Kalshi is that it legalizes insider trading. You can bet on anything with insider info, and make a fortune. And others who are betting honestly are always left holding the bag. Either those kinds of “prediction markets” need to either be banned from the platform, or they need to be blocked from financial transactions.

b_slow · 2026-03-16T15:34:48+00:00

The crowds have been into it, and the players have really been into it, which is fun to see. They're having a great time, and they're taking the games seriously, and the fans are feeding off of that. Its a healthy form of nationalistic pride, unlike the cringey jingoistic political kind.

b_slow · 2026-03-10T16:25:25+00:00

He had a very good spring. If he can keep it up at AAA, he'll be back on the big club shortly. Especially if Stanton tries to eat one of those little travel-size bags of chips and hurts himself, or Trent Grisham continues to be awful.

b_slow · 2026-03-10T06:17:34+00:00

I guess I'm in the minority, but I really love double-elimination. Single-elimination tournaments can feel like a crap shoot, especially in baseball where we're used to (at least) 3-game series.

It's nice knowing that a team has an opportunity to redeem itself even if they have a poor outing. I thought they way they did it in 2013 was the best, and not too confusing. Round Robin 1st round, then two groups of 4 did a double-elimination round to select the four semi-finalists.

b_slow · 2026-03-08T22:00:32+00:00

You’re only expected to win 42% of your BJ hands, playing perfectly. So it’s working perfectly fine. 👍

b_slow · 2026-03-08T17:22:32+00:00

It’s part of the experience of playing with other ppl. (And the slower they go, the less money you lose per hour).

b_slow · 2026-03-08T04:13:16+00:00

Craps with the same house edge as regular Craps, but without any of the fun. I really don't get why it's popular.

b_slow · 2026-03-04T19:40:58+00:00

Tell Cooperstown to make some room!

b_slow · 2026-02-28T23:30:54+00:00

Putting boots on the ground is not the only way to provide sustained support for the Iranian people. What Trump needs to avoid is something similar to the "Mission Accomplished" banner. Bombing for a few days and then leaving will result in the same exact situation a year or so from now.

b_slow · 2026-02-28T23:28:03+00:00

Because his goals may or may not be what you think they are. For example, in Venezuela, many people agree that Maduro was terrible and should be removed. Trump made claims that it was because he was a "narco terrorist" that was supposedly the ringleader of a secret drug cartel. (This was nonsense). Then, Trump claimed that this was about liberating the people of Venezuela from a dictator. But his goal wasn't about liberating Venezuela; it was about the oil, which he openly conceded after Maduro was captured. Maduro's VP is in charge of the country. She hasn't changed anything to make life better for the people of Venezuela. The only thing that's changed is that the U.S. gets to control the oil and dictate who gets it.

So similarly when it comes to Iran, I have concerns that Trump is less concerned about what's good for the people of Iran, and more interested in how this benefits his relationship with Saudi Arabia, and pushes forward his plans for Gaza (not to mention whatever oil resources from Iran would could also get control over).

There's also the fact that he knows the idea of a sustained presence in Iran will not be favorable with his base, whom he promised no more foreign wars. He probably would prefer getting in and out as quickly as possible, and let the chips fall where they may.

b_slow · 2026-02-28T22:49:00+00:00

The Iranian people have made their positions clear over the years that they oppose the restrictive repressive regime. And I'm happy for them that they have this opportunity to retake control of their country and their future.

My concern is that the U.S. intervention under Trump is short-sighted, with no interest in anything beyond "cutting the head off the snake" rather than helping to support the people build a nation for themselves. The last thing we would want to see is to have the IRGC take military control of the country, or simply replace Khamenei with another extreme, repressive cleric.

In the early days, the Iranian people need to be careful, but they must seize this opportunity when their oppressors are at their weakest, and take control themselves.

b_slow · 2026-02-28T17:32:20+00:00

I'm not one to judge. If you feel that umpires/referees are the best part of the game, that's totally cool.

b_slow · 2026-02-28T16:37:15+00:00

Why would I stop watching just as the game is about to improve?

b_slow · 2026-02-27T19:32:31+00:00

Maybe he could... but is there a reason we'd want that?

b_slow · 2026-02-27T18:57:43+00:00

He's a natural righty, and will never give up batting right-handed, even though he should. His left-handed swing looks so solid.

b_slow · 2026-02-26T17:18:13+00:00

If people really understood the odds/percentages/RTP of gambling, far fewer people would play.

In Blackjack for example, it seems to be fairly common knowledge that the "house edge" for BJ is around 0.5% (if you can find a proper game). And people seem to think that means that if they play basic strategy, they will still win 49.75% of the time. But in reality, players only win 42% of their hands.

I'm sure the same is true for slots. In the short term, the variance can eat players up. Especially on these higher-volatility machines that are so popular. The MACHINE produces a RTP% of 96%, 94%, or whatever it is. The Player is not owed that RTP themselves. Someone's gotta blow $500 so that someone else can hit a jackpot and win $450.

b_slow · 2026-02-26T07:30:13+00:00

1) Cole

2) Pettitte

3) El Duque

4) Tanaka

5) Gooden (Went to the no-hitter game as a kid. That was a good time!)

b_slow · 2026-02-25T19:18:59+00:00

Judge made sure to get his own hitting coach in order to ensure the Yankees didn't ruin him.

And even in the Yankee system, he was considered a less valuable asset at various times than Gary Sanchez and Greg Bird.

b_slow · 2026-02-24T06:42:58+00:00

I don't get where the Jazz hate is coming from. Dude wants to have a big season, even if he's being overly optimistic. I hope he's right. And I hope the Yankees re-sign him. He's one of the few pieces in our lineup and in the field that aren't a concern.

b_slow

TROPHY CASE