Music Friday: "Tank"

I got my daughter into watching the old anime Cowboy Bebop. It's one of my favorite cartoon series ever produced. 

That series does have one of the best them songs ever. Here's the full version. 

Random Notes from a Crank

I finally got around to watching Spike Lee's BlacKKKlansman. It's a heck of a movie. Having watched a number of his films, I think it ranks up there with Do the Right Thing, Mo' Better Blues, and Malcolm X. 

While I have a personal attraction to Mo' Better Blues because it's about jazz, It's a shame he never won an Oscar for one of the other three movies. 

Here's a shocker via three reputable sources:

• "Trump's Tax Law Had Small Effect on Economy, Wages: Study"
• "Study Finds Trump Tax Cuts Failed to Do Anything But Give Rich People Money"
• "A Devastating Analysis of the Tax Cut Shows It's Done Virtually No Economic Good"

It's possible that Kawhi Leonard is still underrated.

Music Friday: "Something to Hope For"

I like musical artists who are good storytellers. 

And since I discovered the band The Hold Steady, I've been drawn to the stories Craig Finn spins. 

I discovered this week that Criag Finn put out a new solo album this month, which I promptly bought. 

Here's one of the tunes from the new album, I Need a New War. 

Music Friday: "Centerfield"

I've been away from the computer all weekend because I've been running an 11u travel baseball tournament. 

So it seems this video is appropriate. 

Music Friday: "All Some Kind of Dream"

I am looking forward to Josh Ritter's new album that will come out this coming week. 

As the video shows, Jason Isbell produced the album, and the 400 Unit played on the record. 

Here's a tune from the album. 

Stay Positive: Pitches and Pitchers

I have three more chapters to read in Tyler Kepner's K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches, and I am really enjoying it. It is well researched and interesting. 

The book had made me appreciate the genius of Mike Mussina even more. That guy was always experimenting and trying to get better. I was pleased Greg Maddux was featured in the chapter about the sinker/two-seam fastball because he had one of the best two-seam fastballs in baseball history. He was a master. 

The chapter on the curveball provides studies that posit the curveball does not create arm trouble. Rather, improperly throwing a curveball and picking all year round can cause arm troubles. 

And there are people who argue that sliders cause arm trouble, not curveballs. 

It is my hypothesis that many pitchers could very long careers by pitching a heady mix of these three pitches with emphasis on the first two: 

• Sinker/Two-Seam Fastball,
• Changeup, and 
• Cutter. 

I am intrigued about the knuckleball, however. Knuckleball pitchers are such a ragtag, giving, and unique club of human beings. For most folks, they think they have to totally commit to the pitch. 

When Mussina pitched, he used a knuckle-curve. I don't know how the hell to pitch that.

On Friday afternoon Kyle Hendricks of the Cubs pitched a complete game shutout versus the Cardinals. He only threw 81 pitches. 63 of them were strikes.  

What Hendricks did to the Cardinals is what I believe some people call "a Maddux": when a pitcher throws a complete game with fewer than 100 pitches.I think Maddux did it 13 times. 

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: White Bean and Avocado Salad

I made this the other night from a recipe in Milk Street Magazine. It's in the May-June issue and is officially called "Athens' White Bean and Avocado Salad." 

I like what I made, but I've already thought of ways I would modify the recipe because I think it needs more avocados, I used limes instead of a lemon, and adding some chopped cilantro might even make it taste better. 

So here's my modification of the recipe. 

Ingredients
4 cans of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2-3 tablespoons of minced garlic
1/3 of a red onion, minced
2-3 avocados, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1-2 limes, juiced and zested
1/2 cup of red wine vinegar
4-5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 to 1 cup of flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup of dill, chopped
1/4 cup of cilantro, chopped
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Process
Rinse and drain the beans and put them into a large mixing bowl. Add the onion and avocados. Squeeze the lime juice, pour the vinegar, and add the lime juice and zest on top of the avocados. Drizzle olive oil, add the herbs, and mix. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Music Friday: "Our House"

On the way back from my daughter's conference track meet, this 80s classic came on the radio. 

This song came out when Mtv played actual music videos. 

Enjoy.