Matthew

In first place by .001, but how in the world has St. Louis played four more games than the Cubs? That's a lot of games Chicago has to make up.

Finished this one today and it left a very sad feeling about Miller. He does not seem to have ever been a very happy person, and opened up to very few people in his life. I think his major disappointment in life was being a average trombone player, he felt that he could never reach the level of a Dorsey or a Teagarden, but then, who could? Even his arranging wasn't anything to write home about, and, at times, he comes off as a flat-out jerk in how he treated his musicians. Even, or maybe especially, with his Army Air Force Band, which is one of the greatest band ever (IMHO), his dissatisfaction was high. Still, even with all this, he was able to produce great music, and I've fallen very much in love with it. There is some speculation on what Miller would have done if he survived the war, some saying that he would have gone the Stan Kenton or Woody Herman route. I'm afraid I would disagree with that sentiment, Miller stikes me as someone would have gone the Lawrence Welk route, the "give the people what they want" kind of band, and sadly, he would go for that because of the money involved. Miller did like his money, and was very concerned about being popular. Being inventive, jazzy, that might be nice musically, but financially, that's a losing proposition. It would have also been interesting to see how Miller, or if, he would intergrate his band. In Simon's book, Miller comes off as a biased, if not racist, kind of person.

What are you talking about? It was only last year that Felix went over 200 innings, and that was 200.2. Brandon Morrow & Phillippe Aumont both could turn out way better than Buchholz, especially Morrow, who has an explosive arm, who just needs time to get his act together. Plus, they have won with Felix, they came in second in 2007 (88 wins), Hernandez went 14-7 that year. This year, there is a good chance for a .500 record, thanks in a large part to Hernandez. Pick up a couple of good players this off season, and who knows, an even better club! I know that with Felix, Boston would have had a great chance of going all the way, but it's not going to happen. Seattle is positioned to have a good team for years to come by keeping Felix, so I stll say: Thank goodness they turned down this trade! Now excuse me, there's some kool-Aid waiting for me to drink.

I always loved the way Ray Price's voice was recorded during these "Honky Tonk Years," it just sound so powerful, yet delicate at the same time, if that makes any sense. In fact, the way his music was recorded during that 1950-1966 era is so unique and powerful, it's like the recording counsel was cranked to 10 across the board. The Cherokee Cowboys were nothing to sneeze at either.

You know SS1, I'm about ready to break down, run to Best Buy, and get the Complete Sanford and Son DVD set -- and I blame you!

Don't know if I'm in the minority but I enjoy having Dan posting here.

Are you freaking kidding me??? Buchholz, for his career, has pitched in 118 innings and has given up 135 hits, that's fifth starter territory, and a bad fifth man at that! And didn't just get pounded by those fearsome Orioles??? That's a "major league ready pitcher??? Boston can keep him.

Well, thank goodness that the Mariners turned down that deal! Brandon Morrow & Phillippe Aumont both have great arms, who could turn out to be very good pitchers for the Mariners in the next couple of years. Though, the Mariners still have to figure out what to do with them, Both Morrow and Aumont have been jerked around by the organization. But why would a team that's rebuilding for the future take Gonzalez and Buchholz, knowing that they don't want to pay big money for them down the road? I think the Mariners were smart to turn down the deal and hopefully, Hernandez will be a Mariner for a long time.

Amen! It's ridiculous isn't it. Maybe the White Sox can slow them down a bit. Also: Boo! on Texas taking 3 of 4 from Seattle.

X Files: Season one, episode four -- Conduit. "Do you believe the voice?" "I want to believe..."

Benny Goodman: On The Air (1937-1938)

Those kinds of loses are killers for a team fighting for first. Of course, I blame Dan, he a Cub fan now...

Ouch! What a way for the Cubs to lose a game! Going into the bottom of the ninth, they were leading Florida 2-1, two pitches, back-to-back home runs, they lose 3-2. Yikes!

I like: Dan's F(enway) Bombs. The Good as Gould Show The All G Show. Hey, this is fun!

I'm not a big C & W fan by any means, but I do have the Ray Price Bear Box Set -- he's that good.

Sort of off topic, but I was doing some research on Glenn Miller, and I came across the menu from the Glen Island Casino -- I love the prices for the booze! The dinner menu isn't too bad either...

is this organic? is the Midnight Chocolate made with dark chocolate? I love chocolate milk. I do too! More information!

I'm reading the Glenn Miller biography by George T. Simon, and I come across this interesting paragraph that has the comments of Bill Finegan: Finegan found that Miller's organized, corporate-executive approach also pervaded music itself: "He like to work out things mathematically, especially his harmonic sequences. I'd figure out my own without using math, and then he couldn't wait to get to a piano to see how my sequences worked out mathematically. He always kept touting the Schillinger method of arranging, which used the mathematical approach, and I always kept rejecting it. I felt math shound not be the instigator of music. But this organized method suited him perfectly. It was a practical rather than an idealistic approach to music, which is exactly what his band was all about, too." Is the "Schillinger mathematical approach" still used in arranging? If so, who uses that method? It's not an earthshaking matter, but interesting none-the-less.

Am I the only one the really enjoys Ruby Braff & His New England Sounghounds vol. 1 & 2? Both volumes are very enjoyable and Scott Hamilton plays very good on these cds. I highly recommend them.

Lon: You inspired me to listen to: The Complete Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (1938-1942) Disk two. I love this box set, and I bought it off Ebay for $36.00, my best Ebay buy ever.

Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band. Disk two. I always find it interesting that Shaw & Goodman are considered real jazz, yet a lot of critics and jazz fans turn their noses up at the Miller bands. It terms of popular Big Band music, Miller's Army Air Force Band is about as good as you're going to get -- great arrangements, quality playing, focused on "popular music." It's unfortunate, Goodman's band played worse crap, looking for that hit, than Miller, same with Shaw's band, but they get a pass and Miller doesn't. I won't be holding my breath on a Miller Mosaic.

Wow, that's what I've been calling Papelbomb for a couple of years now, but that's the way it is with hot shit firemen who aren't on your team. They're hard to tolertate. But when you start calling your own guy that...well see ya next year then. Meanwhile M's win in the 9th! It was a good win for the Mariners, Ichiro hitting a curve ball that's about an inch off the ground, and just getting over the infield. If I'm Toronto, I'm pissed losing that way.

Has nothing to do with free equipment a certain person gets...

Last Days of May used to get stuck in mine occasionally. Love both versions from On Your Feet or on Your Knees, which is a very cool live album.

Giants aren't much better 3-7 in the last 10 games and sinking like a rock in a lake in the NL West/Wildcard race. Grrrrrr At least Cain, Lincecum, and Panda are still doing good. Seattle looks like it's starting to come back down to earth, they're getting pounded since the all-star break.