Brian Bannister: Class Act

I recently came across this video on MetsBlog.com showing an interview with former New York Mets and current Kansas City Royals starting pitcher, Brian Bannister.  Bannister came up to the major leagues with the Mets in 2006 and was having a solid rookie season before he was slowed by an injury.  Bannister and the Mets came within one game of the World Series that season, falling to the eventual world champion St. Louis Cardinals in seven games in the National League Championship Series.  In December of 2006 the Mets traded Bannister to the Royals for a young, hard-throwing relief pitcher Ambiorix Burgos.  Burgos appeared in only 17 games for the Mets in 2007 before running into some off the field problems.

Recently, Ted Berg of SNY.tv was able to catch up with Bannister when he was in New York for the Royals series against the Yankees.  Take a look at what ensued:



I've always been a fan of Brian Bannister and have always kept an eye out for his line in Kansas City Royals box scores.  Apparently, he's also a pretty good interview!  Keep up the good work, Brian!

Back in the Saddle Again

Hey Gang! I'm sure many of you are wondering where in the world I have been for so long and the answer is, "right here!" This poor little spot on the "Internets" has just been incredibly ignored by me lately and this little post is not necessarily a sign that things will be different in the near future! Truth is I've been crazy busy since the last post. Law school, well anyone who actually reads this has heard all too much about how crazy law school can make an individual, a trip back home to Minnesota following Spring Semester Final Exams and then right into Summer MBA Classes. I've managed to mix in a little fun with a few baseball games and a couple trips to Hollywood Park for some horse racing and a free concert or two (Starship was amazing, Devo was...um, Devo?!).

I think I'll focus this post on the most recent of these events, tonight I witnessed my first ever LIVE Mets win! I just got back to the IE after spending the night at Dodger Stadium for the New York Mets @ Los Angeles Dodgers game. As you can see from the cell phone pic highlighting this post (taken from our seats) I had a pretty solid view of the action. Johan was as good as I had remembered since seeing him throw in the Metrodome during his Minnesota Twins days and, whatdoyaknow Jason Bay showed up for one of the first times this year! I had high expectations for Johan tonight with the Mets desperately needing a win and since the last time I saw him throw in person he put up 17 strikeouts through 8 innings against the Texas Rangers in the Dome before giving way to Joe Nathan in the 9th (much to the chagrin of the Twins fans in attendance). Tonight, he wasn't quite as dazzling, but he was vintage Johan going 7 and allowing just one lone run (on a play in which a slightly better throw from right field and a catch by Henry Blanco (Hank White) would have nailed the runner at the plate). Besides Johan, I had the pleasure of seeing my "cousin" Ike Davis drive a Vicente Padilla eephus pitch over the wall in center field for his 12th home run of the year. But the biggest offensive play of the game came in the 8th when Jason Bay (whose struggles in the clutch this year have been well documented) cleared the bases in the 8th inning with a 2 out 3 run double that stretched the Mets lead to 6-1 virtually assuring the Amazin's of victory. Bay also had the defensive play of the night when he crashed face first into the left field bullpen gate making an amazing running catch to end the 2nd inning.

All in all, it was a pretty great evening and it brings my 2010 MLB games total to 6 with the standings as follows:

1. Minnesota Twins 2-0
2. New York Mets 1-0
3. Los Angeles Angels 2-1
4. New York Yankees 1-2
5. Los Angeles Dodgers 0-3

It also brings the Mets record to 1-3 lifetime in games I've attended, let's hope that keeps trending upward!

Looking forward to the next MLB adventure, I'll do my best to tell you all about it here at "Living California, Feeling Minnesota!" Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.

Is This Thing On...

First Post of 2010. Good for me! As you can probably guess, this semester has been INSANE!!! I feel like my life has been a whirlwind since finals of last semester! Even through my "winter break" it doesn't feel like I've had a single break, but it's been fun! Maybe sometime I'll be able to fill you in with all of the details. Ha!

For now, I figured I'd just stop by and say 'hi' and let everyone know I'm still alive and kicking and even remembered that this site existed. Keep on keepin' on, everybody.

Happy Easter!

Update?

So, I decided to make a solid effort to updating this here little piece of the Internet a little more often. Now I find myself sitting here in front of my laptop in the earliest minutes of November Movember the 19th and I'm feeling pretty tired after an evening full of reviewing Business Organizations cases followed up with looking into substantive due process in Constitutional Law.

There is now an inner struggle going on, do I think of a funny, witty, and interesting update for this blog or do I just pack it in for the evening and catch what few precious minutes of sleep are available to law students, especially with finals looming dangerously close.

The good news is I've got MLB Network's review of the 1968 season playing in the background. The bad news about this, Tim McCarver was the catcher for the '68 Cardinals who made it all the way to the World Series this year, this means Tim was kind enough to donate his time to give some of his pearls of wisdom about how great he was the '68 Series was. The most exciting thing of all; however, is the the 1968 World Champion Detroit Tigers featured seven former Duluth Dukes including 31 game winner Denny McLain (that's right, he won 31 games in 1968).

Anyways, I suppose I should just pack it in and get all ready for another day of classes and get another day closer to Home (we're under a month)! We'll catch up again real soon, LCFM fans! Keep your stick on the ice!

MOVEMBER UPDATE:
Check out my Movember Updates on my Mo Space: http://us.movember.com/mospace/270738/

Do it or else I'll send this guy after ya!

Movember 2009

As most of my readership already knows, the eleventh month of the calendar year has become the month now now as Movember and I have decided to join this global movement that is bringing much needed attention to cancers that affect men. I’m doing this by growing a Mustache this Movember. There is no doubt that I am going to look foolish, but this is for a great cause. My commitment is to grow a mustache all November and I am hoping that you will support my efforts by making a donation. The funds raised go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LIVESTRONG).

What many people don’t know is that 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime and testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 18-35. Facts like these have convinced me I should get involved.

To make a donation, you can either:

• Click this link http://us.movember.com/mospace/270738/ and donate online using your credit card or PayPal account , or
• Write a check payable to ‘Movember Foundation’, referencing my Registration Number 270738 and mailing it to: Movember Foundation, PO Box 2726, Venice, CA 90294-2726.

All donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation will use the money raised by Movember to fund research to find better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation will use the money raised by Movember to fund:

• The LIVESTRONG Young Adult Alliance program which has the goal of improving survival rates and quality of life for young adults with cancer between the ages of 15 and 40.
• Research initiatives to further understand the biology of adolescent and young adult cancers.

I've been tracking my progress on my Movember page at: http://us.movember.com/mospace/270738/ complete with photo updates, check it out!

And Two Months Later...

While sitting in Evidence class, this guy, says that I need to update my blog. Well, here you go.

School is dominating my life right now, but the good news is we're starting a new tradition in the same vein as "Track Suit Friday" from last year. "Football Jersey Friday" is now where it's at and will soon be sweeping the rest of the Professor Stacy's Evidence class, just you wait.

Also, tonight in the State of Hockey, there is a much anticipated return of a former player who now plays for the New York Rangers. No, it's not Aaron Voros. Marian Gaborik, the first ever draft pick of the Minnesota Wild franchise back in the year 2000 is back in Minnesota after leaving as a free agent this past summer as the team's all-time record holder in essentially every offensive category (as well as career groin injuries and time spent on the injured list). Ironically enough, Gaborik is currently listed as doubtful for tonight's game with a "lower body injury." The Rangers are emphatically stating that it is not a groin injury. In any event, Go Wild!

Time Flies

Wow. Has it really been a month and a half since my last sojourn into Looking California, Feeling Minnesota? That is a little disheartening, and I'm sure my readership has been thoroughly disappointed in my lack of output. The worst part about it all is that it was the last month BEFORE law school started again and I officially lost any semblance of a life that I once was clinging to, but perhaps this is exactly the reason I didn't add anything to LCFM during that time period, I was busy trying to make the most of what little freedom I had remaining and, let me tell you, it was quite the ride.

I don't even remember where we last left off, but over the last month there was wolves, Journey, Ventura County Fair, Huey (with his News), Concerts in the Park, Simpler Times, Denny's, Quakes, In-n-out, shopping carts, birthday celebration, Inland Empire brawl, Simpler Times (again), MBA presentations/finals, roomies, law school, election, bbq, birthday celebration (part II), and Tommy's. I think that about covers most of it. As you can see, it's been a wild ride. The moral of the story is I've got some pretty amazing friends and have had some pretty awesome opportunities for good times lately. Here's to hoping they keep on coming! Also, I'll really try to get some more new material on here before another month passes!