I've been long on talking up the Phillies for how smart they've been in running their organization these last several years. I have made the point to more than one person about how shrewd the Phils have been in transforming themselves into the Yankees of the National League, about their recognition of the fact that--as New York has known almost since they came into the AL--the benefits of going the extra (spending) mile to get on top and stay on top far outweigh the downside of having to shell out major bucks to remain in contention year after year. The Phillies, at last, have "got it."
But even I am taken aback by their cagey maneuverings, which landed Cliff Lee back into the fold yesterday. It turns out there was a reason the Phils let Jayson Werth walk. I'm shocked that they pulled it off, but delighted nonetheless. That's the sort of ballsy move that I love, when I team makes it. The pitching's great, but the offense is having problems? Say "Fuck it" and double down on the rotation, signing another Cy Young winner and giving the competition a "Take that!" Great stuff. And you know, when they're still not scoring come June, there will be another big trade for the biggest bat available.
Because that's the way you do it: make it happen, spend what you need to spend, take the profits on the other side. Are you listening, rest of baseball?
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Recently Read
Dismantling The Empire
by Chalmers Johnson
Professor Johnson has finished his decade long career as America's scholarly Jeremiah; he passed away shortly after publication of his final book, Dismantling The Empire. Thus, he will never get to see if we follow through on his prescription and take the necessary steps to save our nation from financial and political ruin.
Dismantling The Empire, a collection of essays published variously throughout the last decade, focuses on the same ground as Johnson's "Blowback Trilogy"--namely the costs to the USA of militarism and imperialism, and the country's urgent need to rein in its "empire of bases" and restore true republicanism in its politics.
Not surprisingly, Johnson spends some time repeating himself; these essays draw heavily upon the Blowback books, and each other, to argue their case. Still, repetition helps to reinforce, and in this case Johnson's repetition solidifies his clearly argued points about the growth of militarism in American society and government, its costs in treasure, prestige, and lives, and the author's belief in the urgent need to reform our politics and reeducate our citizenry in what it means to live in a true democracy, before grim consequences such as bankruptcy, or even outright dictatorship, mark the end of the American experiment.
As with Johnson's other works, his background as a scholar and policy analyst--his academic focus centered on East Asian nations and their relationships with the USA--rather than a political ideologue lends crucial weight to his conclusions. Johnson's arguments are always logically consistent, forcefully clear, and strike the right balance between thoughtful reasoning and righteous outrage. (Two of the best, most entertaining reads in the book are an essay about disgraced ex-Representative Randy "Duke" Cunningham--Johnson's own former home district Congressman--and a review of the film Charlie Wilson's War, which includes the author's acerbic censure of the filmmakers for the parts of the story they left out of the film.) It is difficult to imagine an honest reader picking up any of Johnson's recent works and not being convinced by his rhetoric that this nation is in serious trouble.
Thus, the only question left in the wake of the author's death is simply this: will Chalmers Johnson's legacy be as one of the intellectual founding fathers for a revived, re-democratized United States, or as a prophet of doom whose voice was tragically ignored? For the sake of this nation's future, let's hope it's the former.
by Chalmers Johnson
Professor Johnson has finished his decade long career as America's scholarly Jeremiah; he passed away shortly after publication of his final book, Dismantling The Empire. Thus, he will never get to see if we follow through on his prescription and take the necessary steps to save our nation from financial and political ruin.
Dismantling The Empire, a collection of essays published variously throughout the last decade, focuses on the same ground as Johnson's "Blowback Trilogy"--namely the costs to the USA of militarism and imperialism, and the country's urgent need to rein in its "empire of bases" and restore true republicanism in its politics.
Not surprisingly, Johnson spends some time repeating himself; these essays draw heavily upon the Blowback books, and each other, to argue their case. Still, repetition helps to reinforce, and in this case Johnson's repetition solidifies his clearly argued points about the growth of militarism in American society and government, its costs in treasure, prestige, and lives, and the author's belief in the urgent need to reform our politics and reeducate our citizenry in what it means to live in a true democracy, before grim consequences such as bankruptcy, or even outright dictatorship, mark the end of the American experiment.
As with Johnson's other works, his background as a scholar and policy analyst--his academic focus centered on East Asian nations and their relationships with the USA--rather than a political ideologue lends crucial weight to his conclusions. Johnson's arguments are always logically consistent, forcefully clear, and strike the right balance between thoughtful reasoning and righteous outrage. (Two of the best, most entertaining reads in the book are an essay about disgraced ex-Representative Randy "Duke" Cunningham--Johnson's own former home district Congressman--and a review of the film Charlie Wilson's War, which includes the author's acerbic censure of the filmmakers for the parts of the story they left out of the film.) It is difficult to imagine an honest reader picking up any of Johnson's recent works and not being convinced by his rhetoric that this nation is in serious trouble.
Thus, the only question left in the wake of the author's death is simply this: will Chalmers Johnson's legacy be as one of the intellectual founding fathers for a revived, re-democratized United States, or as a prophet of doom whose voice was tragically ignored? For the sake of this nation's future, let's hope it's the former.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Recently Read
Outlaw Journalist: The Life and Times of Hunter S. Thompson
by William McKeon
A volume to be greeted with gratitude by Thompson's fans, for McKeon has finally delivered the clear, concise, balanced, and straightforward account of Thompson's life that has been largely missing till now, especially in the wake of his 2005 suicide. McKeon steers largely clear of the personal axes to grind that have burdened so many of the others who have written on the literary legend. There's no faux Gonzo, no misplaced literary experimentation, no hagiography here; the reader is treated to a simple and direct recounting of Thompson's life, one that makes a complex man a little more accessible to both his devoted readers and those with only a mild interest. Outlaw Journalist provides the clearest look I've yet to find at one of the 20th century's most influential voices; it's a must read for anyone with a serious interest about writers and writing--the elements that go into making a literary life and how that life makes the literary output. Bravo.
by William McKeon
A volume to be greeted with gratitude by Thompson's fans, for McKeon has finally delivered the clear, concise, balanced, and straightforward account of Thompson's life that has been largely missing till now, especially in the wake of his 2005 suicide. McKeon steers largely clear of the personal axes to grind that have burdened so many of the others who have written on the literary legend. There's no faux Gonzo, no misplaced literary experimentation, no hagiography here; the reader is treated to a simple and direct recounting of Thompson's life, one that makes a complex man a little more accessible to both his devoted readers and those with only a mild interest. Outlaw Journalist provides the clearest look I've yet to find at one of the 20th century's most influential voices; it's a must read for anyone with a serious interest about writers and writing--the elements that go into making a literary life and how that life makes the literary output. Bravo.
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