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Bleeding Royal Blue
Inside the mind of a Kansas City Royals fan
Tag: Heath Fillmyer
A Royal Thank You
Credit: John Sleezer/KC Star
It is the norm this time of year to take a step back, reflect and ponder all that we are thankful for. When it comes to baseball that becomes even more prominent at this time, as the season has wrapped up and the yearly awards have been handed out to their (normally) deserving parties.
So with that said, I figured I would go ahead and toss out what I am thankful for this holiday season:
Credit: AP Photo/Colin E. Braley
I am thankful the Royals didn't have the worst record in baseball. Yes, it was a rough year, but there was also a glint of hope in the final two months.
It's hard not to be thankful for Whit Merrifield defying the odds. No one pictured Whit being a regular major leaguer, let along becoming the best player on the Royals roster. Whitley has worked himself into a five win player, and I'm impressed by that every day.
I'm thankful for still having a reason to cheer for Danny Duffy. It would have been easy to consider him a lost cause after some of the issues he incurred in 2017. Instead, Duffy is still the guy who wears his heart on his sleeve, giving to help others and working through his flaws. His character is a big reason why a lot of us still root for his success.
How about Brad Keller's rookie season? One of the brightest spots in this past 2018 campaign was the performance of Keller, who was just expected to be part of the back-end of the bullpen. Instead he turned his success as a reliever into a shot at the starting rotation and then never left. His rise this season has given more hope for 2019.
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I'm thankful Salvador Perez is still smiling. It would be easy for a player like Salvy to not smile as much, considering the Royals first half and all of his friends leaving for greener pastures. Instead, he still has that childlike aura whenever he steps onto the field. Hopefully that smile never fades from his face.
I am thankful that former Royals Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain, Joakim Soria, Erik Kratz and a host more got to enjoy October baseball this year. The legacy of those 2014-2015 teams live on with the players who helped get Kansas City a world championship.
Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
Speaking of former Royals, I'm thankful Kansas City was unable to bring Eric Hosmer back to the fold. While he is dearly loved by the fanbase, a contract even close to what San Diego paid him could have very well crippled the Royals future and made it harder to contend. Instead, the payroll should start seeing a slide downward soon, giving Kansas City the flexibility they will need.
Since we are talking about first baseman, I'm thankful for Ryan O'Hearn's surprising ascent to the majors. No one expected him to get recalled, yet he went out and hit .262/.353/.597 in 44 games and gave himself the frontrunner's spot at the first base position this spring. As someone watching him rise through the Kansas City system, it was a welcome surprise.
I'm also thankful to see Hunter Dozier healthy and getting an opportunity in 2018. It appeared that Dozier got more comfortable as the season progressed and he even put together a very solid August, hitting .280/.321/.467. Dozier will have some competition at third base this spring, but the opportunities will continue.
How have I gotten this deep into what I'm thankful for and not mentioned Adalberto Mondesi? The kid was finally given the keys to shortstop and made the most of it his last two months. He hit .280/.316/.533 for August and September with 11 home runs, 21 total extra base hits and 24 stolen bases. The strike outs are still a concern, but 2019 will still be just his age 23 season and his ceiling appears to be even higher. Need a simple reason to visit the ballpark in 2019? That reason is Mondesi.
I'm thankful for Jakob Junis' slider. That pitch is a beast.
I'm thankful for the performance of Jorge Lopez in Minnesota and giving us a glimpse of what he can do for Kansas City in the future. Actually, let's give a nod for how Heath Fillmyer pitched as well. For the Royals to take some big steps forward next year, they are going to need some of the young pitching to step up.
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I will always be thankful for Alex Gordon's glove. It is still as golden as it was seven years ago and shows there is still some value in the player. Cherish 2019, cause that very well could be the swan song for Alex.
Looking ahead, it's good to see GM Dayton Moore replenish the farm system this past year. Between multiple deals of veterans being shipped off for young talent, overseas signings and the draft, the lower minors appear to be Kansas City's hope for the future. Maybe the most important item of interest to watch next year will be the development of players like Brady Singer, Seuly Matias and Nick Pratto. The Royals have some players with high upside that still have room to grow.
I'm thankful that Moore didn't sign Luke Heimlich. Although as time moves on, it appears I probably should thank ownership for Heimlich not being signed. Let's hope that whole circus is over with.
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I'm thankful for Brett Phillips' arm. And his personality. And that laugh. Actually, Phillips is just an easy guy to root for. Hopefully his play on the field shines as much as his demeanor.
Here's to seeing what Jorge Soler can do in 2019. If last year was a tease, than an injury-free Soler could be a lot of fun next summer. But he has to stay healthy, which hasn't been easy up to this point.
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I'm thankful Jason Adam got to procure a lifelong dream in 2018. Sometimes dreams do come true.
Staying within the baseball world, I'm thankful we still have personalities in the game like Bartolo Colon. "Big Sexy" is good for the game and the game needs players like him. I mean that in every way possible.
I'm thankful for all the young talent in the game right now. Never before has this much younger talent been such a focal point of baseball. Hopefully that continues well into the future.
Credit: MLB.com
October is still the funnest time of the year and I am thankful we even got a couple of Game 163's! I've been wanting chaos for years and we finally got it this October.
I'm thankful Pitching Ninja is allowed to do his thing on Twitter. It's a better world with him in it.
and finally, I'm thankful that my passion for the game hasn't waned over all these years. I often tell people that my first love is baseball and outside of the strike, it has never left my side. I get so much joy from a child's game and continuing to follow it has forced me to expand my world and my mind. I am better for loving baseball and hopefully baseball is better for letting us play a small part in it.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Now it's your turn. What are you thankful for during this time of year?
The Diary of a Bemused Royals Fan
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On January 29, 2060, former Bleeding Royal Blue writer Sean Thornton passed away at the age of 81. Light snow fell from the sky as the lifelong Royals fan said his goodbyes.
After his passing, family members would dig through his possessions and find a number of unwritten musings about his favorite team and baseball in general.
Maybe the most interesting archive that was uncovered was a diary with daily posts from the 2018 season. In it was stories, thoughts and premonitions of the worst season in club history. It wasn't just a straight telling of the events of that year. Instead it was a personal account dripped in sarcasm as a fan tries to balance cheering on his team while realizing the grim reality of how bad they are.
Enclosed are some of Sean's posts from the final five weeks of that season. What follows is a mixture of love, masochism and acceptance to the Royals and the plight they walked throughout the 2018 campaign. Enjoy and know you were warned beforehand.
Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
The Royals kicked off a series with the Baltimore Orioles tonight. Yes, the one team that can stake claim to being worse than Kansas City. I was expecting this to be the definition of bad baseball and I wasn't let down.
Runners stranded on base. Pitchers lacking control. Lack of awareness on the basepaths. Brandon Maurer coughing up a lead. It was all there and more as the game stretched through 14 innings.
Neither team appeared to want to win and if it wasn't for a Tim Beckham miscue on an Alex Gordon grounder in the bottom of the 14th the two teams might still be battling on Saturday afternoon. 3-2 was the final score, but it was very apparent none of us won. This was bad baseball. Hopefully you didn't sit through all 14 innings like I did. Yikes.
The Royals and Indians went back at it tonight and once again the Royals lost, 6-4. Kansas City is still on pace for 114 losses this year. But the good news is that there was some positives in the game. Ryan O'Hearn went 2 for 4 with a double and a home run. Adalberto Mondesi stole two bases and made a dazzling play at shortstop. Heath Fillmyer went six strong, giving up five hits and three runs and Richard Lovelady would come in and pitch a scoreless 8th inning.
I'm always a sucker for September, as it's nice to see the young talent and think ahead of what they can do for a full season. There are some definite bright spots on this team and it should be fun to watch the development as the month progresses.
That being said, Alcides Escobar made his first start in right field tonight. I have no idea what Ned is doing. I'm worried that Escobar could be brought back next year as a backup and to add veteran presence. God help us all.
Somehow the Royals pulled out a series win against Minnesota today, winning 7-6. The first 3 innings were a dumpster fire as Ian Kennedy showed us he could still give up home runs and put Kansas City into a 4-0 hole.
Luckily, the Royals bats would wake up and the bullpen would hold the Twins at bay. Hunter Dozier went 2 for 3 and hit a big 3-run homer in the 7th inning. Mondesi continues to impress, hitting a triple to start a rally in the 8th. The arms of Lovelady, Kevin McCarthy and Josh Staumont would hold the Twins to just one run over 4 innings.
If you need a reason to get excited for the future of this team, this game had more than a few. It really makes you wonder what would have happened if the "youth movement" had started a little bit earlier this season. These youngsters are injecting life into the rest of the team.
Oh, and Escobar started the game at first base. No position will be left untouched for Esky. March on, Ned.
Just yesterday I was praising the Royals and the youngsters. Today was proof there is still a large hill to climb for this organization. 11-2, White Sox. Yuck. The pitching looked bad, the bats were cold and even the defense made a few costly errors.
There were a number of moments in the game that aggravated me, but none more than the free-swinging that was going on almost all night. There was very little patience which explains the 12 strike outs from Kansas City batters. If it was tossed up, the Royals swung at it.
Funny-painful moment in the 6th inning: Glenn Sparkman balked, moving a runner from second base to third. Next pitch, Royals catcher Drew Butera allowed a passed ball. 9-1, White Sox as Yolmer Sanchez crossed the plate. At this point I went and watched an episode of "Brockmire". At least I could laugh at his ineptitude.
The Royals were shut out by Jose Berrios. Twins 4, Royals 0. Literally nothing happened in this game, unless you count a section of the right field lights going out for about 15 minutes in the 3rd inning. Oh, and some guy danced in the crowd for no real apparent reason other than for attention. Fifteen games left. Then the pain will stop. Right? Right???
I almost forgot…Alcides saw time in left field tonight. Pretty sure Ned is going to have him be a super utility guy next year. Escobar will be a Royal forever. His statue is being commissioned as we speak, I'm sure. There is no love like the Royals love of Alcides Escobar.
The bats came out in droves as the Royals beat the Pirates 8-3. Salvy went deep, Brett Phillips had a two-hit day and Whit Merrifield compiled three hits and two stolen bases.
Speaking of Whit, what we have seen from him these last few years is really amazing. The guy made his major league debut at the age of 27 and just continues to improve. It really feels like the Royals are going to keep him and build this team around him. Don't be shocked if he gets an extension soon.
As a sidenote, Ned announced before the game that he will be back next year. Let the 'meh' times roll.
Credit: Carlos Osorio / Associated Press
Jakob Junis loves the Tigers. Seven shutout innings and the Royals win 3-0. Watch out folks, as Kansas City has won two games in a row. It really feels like uncharted territory this year. It would be nice to see a few more wins with a little over a week left in the season and end it all on a positive note. That's the wish.
In fact, they need to win five out of the last eight to not hit the 110 loss mark. They'll still finish with the worst season in club history, but it would be nice to keep the bleeding to a minimum.
That being said, it appears Tony Pena and Buddy Bell have a monkey off their back. A fruit basket will be sent to the Royals clubhouse within the next week. Mark my words.
John Sleezer/KC Star
Another day, another loss. To the Reds, nonetheless. 9-2, Cincinnati. It was like the Reds bats were using a heat-seeking missile and the Royals offense decided on a whim to use a wooden pop gun.
Chalk up loss #107. Four games left to go and they can wash all our brains and we can forget this ever happened. I wish I had taken the blue pill.
It all ends today and nothing like the Royals ending the season with a victory, 5-3 over Cleveland. If you are an optimist, this game left you with some hope. Quality start for Danny Duffy. O'Hearn, Dozier, Mondesi and Phillips all got two hits apiece. Even the bullpen was able to hold a lead.
There was a bit of insanity though, as Ned attempted to play Alcides Escobar at every position in game 162. He plowed through the infield early in the game and even played catcher for one batter in the 6th inning. I won't lie: it was strange watching Yost continue this charade as the Royals were actually winning.
Late in the game they moved Esky around the outfield and by the 9th inning all he had left was to take the mound and pitch to a batter. Luckily, common sense kicked in and he let Wily Peralta close out the win. So Escobar fell short of playing all nine positions in one game. Don't worry; Esky will be back next year to try again.
So the Royals finish 53-109 and the second worst record in baseball. This team will go down as the worst in Kansas City history and maybe the most confusing. We knew they were going to be bad, but the possibility of 70 wins seemed doable. Instead, we got some of the most uninspired baseball that any longtime fan can ever remember seeing.
So the ghosts of Emil Brown, Angel Berroa and Runelvys Hernandez can disappear into the ether. The 2005 Royals, while still a bad squad, have been removed from their throne. Long live the ghosts of Alcides Escobar, Brandon Maurer and Jason Hammel. Yes, they have left a mark. Let's hope to see less losing in 2019. For our sanity, it can't get worse than this. Right?
Kansas City Wish Fulfillment
If you are taking stock of the first half of the Kansas City Royals 2018 season, most of your return would be a muddled mess. The Royals were in shambles, whether it was the offense, the rotation or the bullpen. Essentially the only reliability sat in their defense, which is leading the American League in UZR while coming in 8th in defensive runs saved.
But this isn't a piece to prop up the defense or even bash the ineptitude we have seen for the first three and a half months of the season. Instead, this is that nugget of positivity you keep hoping for. This is the dream scenario where the blocks fall into place like on a Tetris grid.
What we've compiled is a wish list of sorts. It's a few items of interest that if swayed the proper direction could benefit the Royals for the rest of this season into next. By no means should you take this as 'This is how the Royals win the American League Central', as that is just crazy talk. No, this is a view of 'what could be' if Kansas City plays their cards right these next few months.
With the trade deadline looming in less than a week (July 31 to be exact), the Royals are in a good position to make some moves and add some depth to the organization. Mike Moustakas appears to be the main chip that Dayton Moore has to deal and a number of teams (Boston and Atlanta among them) have shown interest in the power-hitting slugger.
But after Moose there aren't any certainties. Whit Merrifield would be a great acquisition for a team looking to pick up a versatile fielder with the ability to get on base, but Kansas City is in a position where they don't have to deal him if they don't like the offers they are receiving. At this point the likelihood of a Whit trade feels like a 50/50 chance…at best.
Two other names to keep an eye on would be Lucas Duda and Jason Hammel. Duda has been hitting .310/.394/.414 over his last nine games coming into Tuesday with a BABIP of .421. While on the surface Hammel's shift to the bullpen has been a mixed bag, his velocity has gone up (as expected) and he appears to be assimilating to his new role.
Duda could possibly be dealt in August after clearing waivers to a team looking for a power bat but Hammel feels less likely. The combination of a poor season coupled with a high salary(that Kansas City is probably unwilling to eat) makes the likelihood of a trade probably slim. But if the Royals are given the opportunity, they should take it.
Playing Younger
With the talk of veterans being dealt, that should open up more opportunities for some of the younger talent in the Kansas City farm system. One of the advantages of a rebuild is players getting a chance to prove themselves on a fairly regular basis. That opportunity appears to be looming.
We've already seen extended tryouts for guys like Adalberto Mondesi and Hunter Dozier. The pitching staff has been littered with youth, from Brad Keller and Burch Smith (two Rule 5 draftees) to Tim Hill and now Heath Fillmyer. Maybe I'm being selfish, but I would love to see a larger youth movement implemented these last two months.
At this point, I am game to hand out opportunities like pieces of PEZ. Would you like to see another youngster in the rotation? Let's see what Trevor Oaks can do on an extended basis. How about the bullpen? We've heard about Richard Lovelady for a while, but it's not too far-fetched to give Kevin Lenik an opportunity as well.
Offensively there aren't as many options, but names like Ryan O'Hearn and Frank Schwindel could be interesting come September (despite their performances so far this season). Even guys we have seen already, like Cam Gallagher and Ramon Torres, could see some playing time as the season wears on.
Obviously not all of these names are going to produce and some will even show that they are not worth keeping around. But if a team is truly rebuilding, you owe it to yourself to hand out these opportunities and let the players run with it. Good or bad, it's simply a matter of going out and proving their worth…and luckily, the Royals have the time to allow that to happen.
Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
The Rotation we were Expecting
Before the season started, a number of us felt like the Royals rotation could be a major plus for the team. In fact, I was one of those proponents:
While on the surface this is an underwhelming group of arms, there is potential here that could be reached if circumstances go the right way.
Most of the high expectations came from thinking the starters could outperform their 2017 numbers. Unfortunately, Ian Kennedy and Jason Hammel have not while Jakob Junis appeared to be on a fast-track to success early in the season and he has since fallen on hard times. There was also that Nate Karns guy, but who even knows if we will see him this season, as he rebounds from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery.
But there is some hope. Danny Duffy has looked superb over his last 11 starts, posting a 2.58 ERA while holding batters to a line of .217/.303/.296. Heath Fillmyer has been nothing short of sensational since being put in the rotation. Then there is Brad Keller, who has possibly been the biggest bright spot for Kansas City in a season full of dim bulbs.
If the Royals can get Junis back to his early season self (and his start over the weekend was encouraging) and audition either Burch Smith or Trevor Oaks for an extended period, this could be a rotation similar to what was originally expected. It won't challenge the Atlanta Braves rotations of the early 90's, but it doesn't have far to go to top how the rotation performed in the first half.
Fulfilled Expectations
While the other wishes were part of a grander scale, there are a few more items to keep your eye on in the second half that would drastically improve the ballclub.
Keep an eye on Whit Merrifield (if he isn't traded) as he is on pace to topple most of his stats from 2017. Whit is currently hitting .299/.370/.420 with a wRC+ of 118 and 3.0 fWAR. While his power numbers have seen a slight decline (slugging percentage and ISO have seen the biggest dip) his overall numbers have been an improvement.
The rest of his numbers appear to have improved ( in fact his WAR is already better than 2017), as his walk rate has seen an increase and his BABIP has risen to .356. While his strike out rate has gone up, we have also seen an uptick in the hard hit rate. If you are purely a fan of Whit's power you might be disappointed, but otherwise it will be fun to watch him wrap up what appears to be his new peak this season.
Another interesting player to watch is Salvador Perez. A few weeks ago I took a look at Perez and his struggles. In that piece, I mentioned how it might not take much to turn around his season:
I'll go a step further and say that if he combined that with his hard hit rate and maybe (just maybe) a dash of better luck on the balls he hits into play, Salvy could go from being the 'disappearing hitter' he was in June to helping ignite what little offense the Royals can muster on a consistent basis.
That luck has finally come around, as Salvy is hitting .269/.286/.481 over his last 13 games with 3 home runs and 12 RBI's. But the improvement shows up in his BABIP, where he is hitting .314 in that span and contributing on almost a daily basis.
To break that down even further, Perez is hitting .273/.286/.576 in the last eight games with an OPS of .861. While it may be just a small sample size, Salvy has been seeing more pitches per at bat while looking for a pitch to drive. It's not hard to imagine him turning things around the next couple months and ending up with numbers comparable to year's past.
Obviously we would all like to see the Royals turn themselves back into contenders during the second half, but that just isn't realistic. The good news is that their performance in the first half has set the bar very low for the last half of the season. It gives Kansas City a chance to show they aren't quite as bad as they've played to this point.
There is a number of things you can wish for, but your best bet is to wish for improvement. Moving forward wins and losses shouldn't matter as much as how the development is coming along for this team. It should be about finding out what they have and what they should keep moving forward. That is what should be at the top of any Royals fan's wish list.
That and to never see Brandon Maurer in a high-leverage situation ever again.
In Case You Hadn't Noticed, the Royals are Bad Again
It's always a bitter pill to swallow when your favorite team isn't good. Everyone handles it differently. Some people make excuses for why they are bad. Some accept it and move on. Others just flat out get angry but keep coming back for more.
This 2018 version of the Kansas City Royals is bad. Real bad. As in the numbers speak of a team reaching a new level of ineptitude. The Royals offense is last in the American League in wRC+, wOBA, slugging percentage, ISO, RBI's, runs, home runs, OPS and RE24. The Royals hit a woeful .193/.253/.303 in the month of June and even those numbers feel a bit heavy if you have actually watched this team play on a regular basis.
The pitching numbers aren't a whole lot better. The Kansas City pitchers are last in the league in fWAR, FIP, RE24 and ERA while having the lowest strike outs per nine innings and the highest home runs per nine. So it isn't just the Royals bats that are pitiful; the entire package is one of the worst in baseball and a big part of why they have the second lowest winning percentage in baseball right now at .294 (my apologies to the fans of Baltimore. You understand what we are dealing with right now).
Credit: Orlin Wagner, AP
…and yet I'm still watching most of the games. Call it loyalty or call it being a glutton for punishment; both are probably acceptable. Either way, I still find myself wanting to watch them most days and hardly ever does the little voice in my head question it with a 'but are you sure?' or a 'does that seem like a good idea?'. At this point you might be asking why I would put myself through that…and I wouldn't blame you for asking.
Sure, part of it is that the Royals are my team, and have been since I was seven years old and will still be if I reach the ripe age of 87. I truly bleed royal blue. But the other reason is that while things appear to be as bad as the worst Kansas City teams we've seen over the last 20 years, I also realize that it is possibly the beginning of some really important careers for the youngest of Royals.
Hunter Dozier has been getting consistent playing time and is starting to look more comfortable, both at the plate and in the field. Adalberto Mondesi gets to play with less pressure and is hitting the ball a lot harder than he did during his previous stints in the big leagues. While Rosell Herrera might not be a part of the Royals future, he is being given the chance to see if he could be a part of it, at least.
On the pitching side, Brad Keller is making the case of being the best Rule 5 draft pick in Royals history (hello, Joakim Soria!) and has been possibly the brightest spot for this team so far in 2018. Jason Adam, Heath Fillmyer, Tim Hill, Kevin McCarthy and Burch Smith are all getting extended looks out of the bullpen, where in years past they might get just a cup of coffee in the big leagues or a small chance while someone was on the disabled list.
There is more on the way, especially on the Omaha roster. Richard Lovelady, Josh Staumont, Frank Schwindel, Ryan O'Hearn, Nicky Lopez, Cam Gallagher, Donnie Dewees, and possibly even Bubba Starling are all names that could become a regular part of your Royals experience over the next year or two. Some of these guys will turn out to be regulars and others won't reach the potential that some have expected of them. But the opportunity is why this team is still one to watch.
The Royals are in an interesting situation where they really have nothing to lose by giving these players a chance to prove their worth. I mean, it's not like the team could be even worse, right? Right???!!! Maybe it's a small dash of optimism, but one has to wonder if a few of these prospects could help churn out more runs for this team than what we have seen over the last month.
Credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
It really hasn't felt like a rebuild this year, not with all the veterans on the roster. But here before too long (maybe even by August), this is going to feel like a different team. I'm not going to sit here and try and tell you it's going to be great the entire time, because you are going to see some bad baseball over the next couple of years. But the hope is also there to see some of these players blossom and become Royals legends.
Credit: Peter G. Aiken
So yes, this team is bad. It's even safe to say that come September they are still going to be as awful as they are at this moment. If you are someone who has already tuned them out this year, I can sympathize. There are times that some of us die-hard's have to take a break from this team, no matter how much we love them.
But there are also still reasons to tune in and head to the ballpark. While they will lose more than they win right now, they are also starting to build the foundation. One of the greatest experiences of my life has been watching "my" Royals go from being the joke of baseball to winning the World Series in 2015. For those of us that stuck it out through the bad, we were rewarded.
The reason it tasted so sweet was because we were around for the rough times. Trust me when I say that Kansas City will get back to the postseason and it probably won't take another 30 years. Until then, watch this team grow and enjoy getting to watch the younger players develop into staples of the organization. It won't always be pretty, but there will be moments for you to grasp on for years.
Did Yordano Ventura's Tragic Death Slow Down the Royals Rebuild?
(Writers Note: The intention of this article is to see the effect that Yordano Ventura's death had on the Kansas City Royals organization and the building of the roster. In no way, shape or form, is it trying to trivialize his passing. Hopefully you, the reader, see that he was a vital part of the Royals future and a beloved player within the Kansas City fanbase. This is purely a 'What If' article.)
January 22, 2017 is a date that will always be a painful reminder of how fragile life can be, as that was the day that former Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura passed away. Ventura's death was only four months after the passing of Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez and the similarities between the two pitchers was remarkable.
But maybe the biggest similarity was the effect both deaths had on their respective organizations. Both left a giant hole in not only their rotations but also the locker rooms. The loss of each not only forced their organizations to take a second look at their future, but also to reassess what path they were already on for 2017.
We've seen what it did for the Marlins. Miami finished 77-85 last year and they spent the winter dismantling their roster, as key players like Giancarlo Stanton and Christin Yelich were sent to greener pastures. The Marlins threw up the white flag and decided to begin what feels like the umpteenth million rebuild during their 25 year history.
But despite being told that Kansas City is in a "rebuild", it sure doesn't feel like it at times. The Royals have a very veteran heavy roster and while that could (should) very well change by August, as of now it feels like they are straddling a fence. Because of that I have to wonder: did Yordano Ventura's passing slow down the Kansas City rebuild?
Before we head down this path I feel the need to clarify a couple of things. First, I won't dabble in any possible deals the team could have made or should have made. Instead we will look at the pitching moves made since his passing and determine whether or not they would have still taken place.
Second, there is no way to determine how the Royals would have done with Ventura still on the team so that won't be discussed as well. The honesty of this is that there is no surefire way to know how things would have developed with Yo'(unless you know something about time travel I don't. If that's the case, quit holding out on us!) so this is just an estimated guess based off of how the front office has acted over the last couple of years.
Credit: AP Photo/Orlin Wagner
Let's start with the three moves made not that long after Ventura's death last year. Brandon Moss was signed on February 1st, Jason Hammel on February 5th, and Travis Wood on February 13. It's hard to tell if Moss' signing was directly connected to Ventura, especially since the team had been looking for another bat throughout the winter. More than likely the Moss signing would have still happened, even without Ventura's loss.
Hammel and Wood totally felt like a reaction to losing Yordano. The Royals rotation at that point looked set with Danny Duffy, Ian Kennedy, Ventura, newly acquired Nate Karns and Jason Vargas. The team even had Chris Young, Matt Strahm and Jake Junis as backup options for the rotation, so there wasn't any real need for Hammel or Wood at that time.
One could make the argument that the Royals might have had interest in Wood as a reliever, which is very possible considering that had been his role for the majority of the previous two seasons. But if not, then Kansas City would have never signed them and we could take their contracts off the books, not only for 2017 but 2018 as well.
Let's move to the winter and the Royals deal with the White Sox and Dodgers. In that trade, Scott Alexander would go to Los Angeles while Soria would eventually end up in Chicago. One has to wonder if Kansas City would have been compelled to deal either reliever if the team had never signed Hammel or Wood.
The crux of this trade was moving Soria's contract, which might not have been as important without those signings. If that is the case, then the trade might have never happened and Alexander and Soria would have stayed in Kansas City.
We could easily see a scenario where Soria would have still been shopped, but even if that is the case I doubt they would have felt moving him was important enough to lose the club control that Alexander would have (which runs through the 2022 season). This would mean the Royals would have kept two big cogs in their bullpen and we might have not seen the likes of Tim Hill, Brad Keller and Burch Smith when the season began (which would have meant some tough decisions, considering Keller and Smith were Rule 5 draft picks).
Credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Then at the end of January, the Royals traded Moss and Ryan Buchter to Oakland for pitchers Jesse Hahn and Heath Fillmyer. This is a trade that feels like it would have happened no matter what. Moss had an awful season in 2017 (.207/.279/.428, -1.0 bWAR) and trading him would probably allow the Royals to move a portion of his salary commitment.
The interesting part of this becomes whether or not Buchter would have actually been a Royal. We all remember the ill-fated trade with San Diego but that trade happened for two reasons. One, the Royals needed pitching. Two, the Royals were still in the hunt for a playoff spot, 1.5 games out in the AL Central while holding down the second Wild Card.
I could see the Royals needing pitching, even with Yordano still in the picture. It's very possible the deal could have gone down, but that is also trying to determine where Kansas City would have been in the standings. This is probably a good place to mention that Ventura finished 2016 with an ERA+ of 97 and a bWAR of 1.6. While some felt he was going to turn the corner in 2017, there was no guarantee that would happen.
So with that in mind, we'll go with the San Diego trade still going down. Almost every team can use more pitching and it's easy to see the Royals in a situation where they would need more arms. In other words, this is a deal that just reeks of fate.
Credit: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel
So with all these moves out-of-the-way, we can start assessing whether or not the rebuild was slowed down by the passing of Ventura. With what we saw in 2017, it was very apparent the Royals were going to stick with the core group (Hosmer, Moustakas, Cain, etc.) and give them every opportunity to clinch a playoff spot. So any idea that they would be dealt was probably slim and none from the very beginning.
It's probably also safe to say that if Kansas City had somehow found their way to the playoffs last year with Ventura, that would be one more reason to not completely tear the whole thing down and start over. The Royals would have still had a nice nucleus together (Perez, Whit, Duffy, Ventura, etc.) and with the way the free agent market collapsed this winter it's possible Dayton might have been even more aggressive than he was.
It also appears Moore has never been down with a real "rebuild". Back in March Dayton had this to say about how competitive the team would be this season:
"I believe that we can put a strong, competitive team on the field each and every night and also develop in the minor leagues," he said. "I believe we can build our farm system back to the level it was in 2010 and 2011, and maybe even do it better and still win games at the major-league level.
"You can't just turn it on and turn it off. If you want a winning culture, you've got to do everything in your power each day to win."
It just doesn't feel like the front office has ever been behind a full rebuild with this club. In fact, it has sounded like they would be content with piecing together the roster as needed, letting the younger talent filter in when they were ready and letting them get comfortable at their own pace.
So with all that in mind, my guess is that Yordano Ventura's untimely passing didn't slow down a Kansas City rebuild. As much as moves made after his passing felt like a knee-jerk reaction to his death, the team had already committed to being "all in" for 2017 and even taking on less payroll wouldn't have deterred that frame of mind.
Unless…the Royals decided to deal Yordano. While in some circles that might sound crazy, it might not be as far-fetched as you think. In fact, in the winter before the 2017 campaign, the Houston Astros were rumored to have shown interest in Ventura:
Royals starters Danny Duffy and Yordano Ventura are two of the pitchers on the Astros' list of rotation targets, MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reports. The two K.C. arms join several other previously-known names (i.e. Jose Quintana, Chris Archer, Jake Odorizzi and other Tampa Bay's starters) as potential trade fits for a Houston team looking to upgrade its starting pitching.
Now, showing interest isn't the same thing as on the trading block. But if you are any team, you should probably be willing to listen to any offers on any player, just in case a team is willing to go way overboard just to acquire a player. While Ventura could have been under club control until 2021(with the help of club options), that might have been a selling point for Kansas City:
Their willingness to least listen to other clubs' offers could be due to doubts about his personality, or it could just be due diligence, as Ventura's years of control could net K.C. a nice return in a trade.
If a team was willing to offer a nice package of talent for Yordano, Moore would have to at least listen. One would think if a deal actually went down and the Royals were able to acquire young talent, it's possible the rebuild could have sped up a bit.
Credit: Royals.com
In fact, that might have been one of the few scenarios where guys like Hosmer and Cain would be dealt before the trade deadline. While it feels like a long shot, it could have very well happened considering in the last year the Astros have picked up both Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole to improve their starting rotation.
While I highly doubt Kansas City would have dealt Ventura, it does show how one or two moves can sway a team in different directions. Ventura very well could have gone from a building block for the team to an asset to fill multiple holes on the roster.
So while his death probably didn't slow down the Royals rebuild, it definitely changed the fabric of the team and the organization. Ventura is that hole that hasn't been filled and it could be generations before they have another pitcher with his potential.
While it would be nice to say losing one player was the cause for the lack of youth on this Royals roster, the answer is far deeper than that. Trades, injuries, bad judgment and bad luck all play a part in why the Royals aren't rebuilding more than they are right now.
Maybe in a different dimension or a different universe (Earth 2 or even Earth 81) this is all different and the Royals are still a potent contender in the American League. But in this reality, they are a team trying to build themselves back up without many pieces. While Yordano's death was tragic, it is not the cause of their current situation. It's just not that simple.
Moss, Buchter Traded to the A's; Royals Continue to Stockpile Arms
With Spring Training almost two weeks away, the Kansas City Royals swung another deal on Monday night, trading OF/DH Brandon Moss and reliever Ryan Buchter to the Oakland A's for pitchers Jesse Hahn and Heath Fillmyer. Cash was also involved, as $3.25 million was sent from the Royals to the A's. This frees up about $5 million on the Kansas City payroll, which already has some (like myself) speculating on why the Royals would want to do that:
I think we know what this means…#HosWatch #Royals #RaisedRoyal https://t.co/4MIYzlNMxr
— Sean Thornton (@SeanThornton5) January 30, 2018
So while the Hosmer rumors can now run wild (brother), let's take a look at what the Royals gave up and are receiving.
Moss had a very underwhelming 2017, his only season in Kansas City. Moss posted a line of .207/. 279/.428 with 22 home runs, 50 RBI's and an OPS+ of 84. Moss struggled out of the gate and it wasn't until later in the summer that he started producing like the Royals expected. Moss will be entering his age 34 season in 2018 and while he would have seen consistent playing time somewhere for Kansas City (whether it was at first base or DH), he probably would have also been taking playing time away from some younger talent like Jorge Soler, Hunter Dozier or Jorge Bonifacio. While the move feels like a salary dump, it also allows the Royals to see what they have with Dozier or Soler without a veteran like Moss blocking them. While Moss didn't have many memorable moments in a Royals uniform, he was always very honest about his performance on the field and never made excuses for the lack of production. My favorite Moss moment will be from Star Wars day at The K this past year. My wife, son and myself got to listen to a couple of fans give their "analysis" of Moss' issues at the plate, which included the serious line of "he needs glasses; he can't see the ball." We listened for what felt like fifty innings to these two "special" fans rag on Moss non-stop. Then…he stepped up and hit a three-run home run. At that point, our "friends" left their seats and got out of Dodge. If anything, I became a Brandon Moss fan that day. But it wasn't just Moss packing his bags for Oakland…
Ryan Buchter was the bigger catch for the A's, as they can plug-in another lefty into their bullpen. While Buchter incurred a few issues during his short stint in Kansas City, he was a very reliable part of the Padres pen and has produced some great numbers these last couple of seasons:
Over the past two seasons combined, Buchter's 16.7% infield fly ball rate (IFFB) ranks 10th in the majors among qualified relievers. He also ranks 14th during that span with a 26% soft contact rate against. Buchter is even tougher against lefties, limiting them to a .160/.255/.306 batting line during his MLB career.
The Royals started the winter with a couple of strong lefties in their pen, but with this trade and the trade of Scott Alexander, that depth has taken a big hit. The team still has Eric Stout, Brian Flynn, Tim Hill and Eric Skoglund as lefty options currently on the 40-man roster, and a prospect like Richard Lovelady could slither his way into the conversation this spring. While losing Buchter could be looked at as a loss, the Royals did get a couple of positive gains in this trade.
Credit: BRIAN ROTHMULLER/ICON SPORTSWIRE
Jesse Hahn is entering his age 28 season for the Royals and looks to be an option as either a starter or a reliever. More than anything, Hahn just needs to stay healthy as he has dealt with various ailments over the last couple seasons. He pitched in only 14 big league games last year, producing a 5.30 ERA, 3.62 FIP and an ERA+ of 81. Early in his career he showed a lot of promise but the injuries have derailed his career since 2015. The Royals have been focusing on ground ball pitchers this winter, as they are looking to counter the rise of home runs in the league the last two years, and Hahn fits that profile. He's produced a 49.7% groundball rate throughout his career and a slightly below hard hit rate of 28.3%. If he can stay healthy, Hahn could fit at the back of the Royals rotation in 2018 and either way will probably stick on the roster, since he is out of options.
Heath Fillmyer is the intriguing catch of this trade for the Royals, as he slides into the 28th best prospect in the Kansas City system according to MLB.com. Let's start with the scouting report on Fillmyer:
Fillmyer has a quick arm and typically throws his fastball in the 92-96 mph range with good sinking action that nets him ground-ball outs and results in few home runs. He has a pair of above-average secondary offerings in a curveball, which he throws with tight spin and late bite, and a changeup, a pitch he made big strides with last season. Improved feel for repeating his delivery has led to him throwing more strikes, though he regressed with both his control and command in his first full Double-A campaign.
With his athleticism, big arm and feel for three average-or-better pitches, Fillmyer has the ingredients to become a No. 4 or 5 starter in the big leagues.
Once again, the Royals have put an emphasis on ground ball pitchers and Fillmyer is another that fits the mold. He dealt with some control issues in 2017 (his walk rate bumped up to 8.0%) but he will be entering his age 24 season this year and looks to be a good candidate for a bounce-back year. I wouldn't be shocked to see him start the year in AAA Omaha when camp breaks.
Credit: SCOTT WINTERS/ICON SPORTSWIRE
This trade accomplished a couple of check marks off the Royals "to do" list. Acquiring Fillmyer helps them continue their goal of re-stocking the farm system, while adding Hahn gives the team another option in the rotation. Obviously dealing Moss was a way to pare down payroll, although it feels like a preemptive measure to help accommodate incoming payroll from a certain first baseman. While I wasn't a big fan of the Alexander/Soria trade earlier this winter, this trade felt more like a solid gain (and possibly even a win) for Dayton Moore. I am fully on board with the team targeting ground ball pitchers and actually I felt that should have been done a couple of years ago. I also wouldn't be shocked to see another trade in the near future, as veterans Jason Hammel and Kelvin Herrera could help the team shed more payroll and force the Royals overall to get a bit younger. We could also see a free agent signing…I mean, this is what these moves are leading to, right? Time will tell, but I wouldn't be shocked if the team signs Eric Hosmer sometime in the next couple weeks. For now, this move was simply a way to dump some payroll while building up some pitching depth. At the end of the day, that is a positive.
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I would love it if Sal sent me an email with this request. I would love to read this letter on the air. twitter.com/Super70sSports… 2 hours ago
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


"and let him go up to Jerusalem"
2 - Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which [is] in Judah.
3 - Who [is there] among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which [is] in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he [is] the God,) which [is] in Jerusalem.
13 - And ye shall seek me, and find [me], when ye shall search for me with all your heart.


Black Bean Chilli Fries – super skinny fries generously heaped with onions, jalapenos and rich black bean chilli. You can add cheese if you like too, or leave it off for a vegan option. Much as we wanted to gobble these all up it's such a generous portion we didn't manage it!
Paneer Monkey Fingers – the normal monkey fingers are made of chicken, but paneer is a great veggie alternative. Chunky strips of paneer are battered in a light batter and then soaked with slightly sticky and pretty hot pepper sauce, served with a blue cheese dip. These are spicy but so moreish, the perfect starter or side to any of the mains.
We also devoured a chicken burger; breaded chicken fillet with seranno ham, generous slices of mozzarella and marinara sauce. We just about managed to slice it in half to share it, and boy was it good, if pretty messy to eat!
Finally we ordered the Deep fried Mac 'n Cheese, which we probably could have done without but it given that everything came in such generous portions but I couldn't resist. A bowl arrived of little bite sized rectangles of crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside. We pondered how they retained their shape so well in the fryer, but they're just awesome however they're made and a great side order for any main, and they're vegetarian.
As well as a new starter selection MEATliquor have put together an eclectic 'Dry-ish' drinks menu too, with all cocktails being fairly healthy and available with or without a spirit. Annoyingly Southern Rail had failed me and cancelled all trains so I'd driven so couldn't partake in a proper cocktail, but Lynne could, thankfully!
I had a 'Paddington Jack' which was a tangy mixture of orange marmalade, fresh lemon juice, raw ginger & soda and would have had a shot of JD if you wanted a non dry version! Lynne tried both the 'Bluto' which was basically a green smoothie (spinach, fresh lemon juice, cane sugar, apple with Zubrowka) and a 'Carrot Top' (fresh carrot & lemon juice, turmeric, apple, and bombay sapphire) and I did have a cheeky sip of both of them; they had a kick but tasted divine.
MEATliquor is opposite St Peters Church on London road, about a five minute walk from the train station. Open from midday till late, kids are welcome to 7pm.
Call them to make a booking on 01273 917710, or if you're local you can use the ever expanding swarm of deliveroo drivers to have it brought to your door! Follow on twitter to keep up to date with news & offers.
Big thanks to MEATliquor for inviting us along to try out the new specials menu.


Summer is almost upon us and it looks like it's going to be sizzling. To celebrate the scorching weather, we've got some unbelievable offers on swimwear, slides and loads more, so you can look sh*t hot - whether you're living it up in a tropical paradise or soaking up those rays in the garden.
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Since 1968, Calvin Klein has risen seamlessly through the ranks to become one of the most well-known fashion powerhouses in the world. CK underwear is so famous that these pieces are known simply as 'Calvins', so it's only natural that Calvin Klein swimwear is just as renowned as its predecessor.
This Calvin Klein bikini combines a wearable design with a touch of glamour. Gold, CK branded taped details give this piece an eye-catching refresh, while the simple structure and self-tie straps offset the metallic accents, leaving you with an uncomplicated, effortlessly stylish piece to rock by the pool.
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Staying true to their roots, Calvin Klein have created a sure-fire summer staple with their take on the Taped Swimsuit. Taped details have remained bang on trend as we make the transition from spring into summer, and this creation from CK ticks all the boxes. Understated design - check. Taped detail down the sides - check. Spaghetti straps - check.
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text:
Oxygen boosts efficiency in leachate treatment
For landfill operators, leachate treatment is a challenging aspect of wastewater management. Some are finding that using pure oxygen as part of an enhanced aeration process can significantly improve efficiency
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A landfill site in Wales has recently installed a system which uses pure oxygen to pre-treat leachate so it can be released safely as wastewater into the sewer. The Bryn Posteg landfill site, which opened in 1982, is owned and run by Potters Waste Management and is located close to Llanidloes in mid Wales.
Licensed by the Environment Agency for the disposal and treatment of household waste, the site has always been a full containment site, which uses natural impermeability and engineered systems to prevent leachate from being discharged into the water environment. Located in a remote area, the site has a 1,200m3 leachate lagoon, and the landfill operator had been exploring ways to upgrade its wastewater treatment systems.
The lagoon was coping well with a steady increase in capacity. But its exposed location meant that the water temperature had been making the surface aeration process less effective, particularly during winter months. So, it was sometimes difficult to achieve the specified discharge limits for some leachate contaminants, and an enhanced pre-treatment system was needed.
Pure solution
Air Products provided a solution using high purity oxygen, as Philip Whittaker, the company's business development lead for water systems, explains. "Traditional aeration systems can be severely affected when the temperature dips below 15oC as nitrification of the water is inhibited, and there is no ammonia removal. At this particular site, the leachate has a high ammonia content, with a maximum strength of around 2,000mg/l.
"Any significant drop in temperature meant that the discharge consent limit for ammonia content, set at just 150mg/l, became extremely difficult to achieve."
Traditional aeration systems work by reducing the oxygen demand of the wastewater in the lagoon or treatment tank by dissolving as much oxygen from the air as possible. The aeration process encourages the growth of natural microbes or bacteria that cleanse the water and remove organic and other contaminants.
By using high-purity oxygen, in place of atmospheric air, the new technology works in the same way. But the oxygen is dissolved more quickly. By increasing the rate at which the oxygen is dissolved, and reducing the amount of gas passing through the wastewater, there is reduced heat loss from the process. The wastewater is also less to prone to foaming. The capacity and efficiency of the process are thus enhanced.
Working in partnership with Potters Waste Management, Air Products specified the replacement of two surface aerators with a single Oxy-Dep VSA system, which is capable of delivering 875kg a day of oxygen. Despite the site's remote location, the modular system was installed quickly and easily, without the need to drain down the lagoon.
David Williams, technical manager at Potters Waste Management, says: "Since installing the Oxy-Dep VSA system, we have been able to keep the ammonia content of the leachate well within the specified discharge consent limit. In the year following installation, we were able to treat more leachate while maintaining the same discharge quality. The whole process is more efficient, and the capacity of the process has increased. Since upgrading the system, we are now able to treat an extra 10% to 15% of our leachate per day."
Legislative drivers
Achieving discharge limits is not the only driver for landfill operators to review their leachate and wastewater treatment systems. Tightening environmental legislation, in particular the UK's implementation of the Landfill Directive and the Water Framework Directive, which has set a deadline for all surface and groundwater to achieve good ecological status by 2015, is also having an impact.
In response, most forward-thinking waste management companies and landfill operators are taking action now to ensure their treatment systems are designed for optimum efficiency.
Philip Whittaker says: "Operators are looking for ways to upgrade their existing systems so that they are capable of exceeding the requirements of tighter environmental legislation now and in the future. In doing so, they want to minimise site disruption, keep overheads down, and if possible increase the capacity of the treatment process too."
The benefits of new oxygen-based aeration systems are:
low emissions
high shock load resistance
high efficiency and treatment rates
oxygen permits/building regulations may not be required.
Air Products www.airproducts.co.uk


text:
Pablo Uranga Díaz de Arcaya () a fost un pictor spaniol de ascendență bască; cunoscut mai ales pentru portrete și scene de gen. De asemenea, a fost unul dintre fondatorii Asociación de Artistas Vascos.

Biografie
S-a născut la Vitoria. Ambii părinți au murit când el era încă copil și s-a mutat frecvent între familiile de plasament. A primit primele lecții de artă la vârsta de șaptesprezece ani la Școala de Arte Frumoase din Álava. A rămas acolo până în 1880, când s-a mutat la Madrid pentru a-și finaliza studiile la Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. Pe când se afla acolo, a frecventat Museo del Prado, unde a realizat și vândut copii ale lucrărilor vechilor maeștri.

Ulterior, influențat de prietenul său, sculptorul Paco Durrio, a plecat la Paris unde s-a amestecat cu alți artiști spanioli ai generației sale, precum  și Santiago Rusiñol, cu care a împărțit un apartament pe . A susținut prima sa expoziție în 1897. În timpul șederii sale, opera sa a început să afișeze din ce în ce mai mult elemente ale impresionismului, deși acestea au continuat să se bazeze pe stilurile clasice spaniole.

La întoarcerea în Spania, a petrecut ceva timp la Segovia, unde a împărțit garsoniera cu Zuloaga, în atelierul unchiului său, ceramistul . În cele din urmă, s-a căsătorit și s-a stabilit în Elgeta Gipuzkoa. Mai târziu, el și Zuloaga au colaborat la picturi murale la cazinoul din  (distrus de o inundație în 1983).

Din 1924 până în 1925, a vizitat Statele Unite și Cuba, unde a susținut mai multe spectacole. În ultimii săi ani, s-a concentrat pe portrete, inclusiv pe unul postum al lui Karl Marx, la cea de-a cincizecea aniversare de la moartea sa. Uranga a murit la San Sebastián, la vârsta de 73 de ani.

Referințe

Lectură suplimentară
 M. Flores Kaperotxipi, Vida, obra y anécdotas del pintor Pablo Uranga, Volumul 4 din Colección Azkue, Auñamendi, 1963

Legături externe

Nașteri în 1861
Nașteri pe 26 iunie
Decese în 1934
Decese pe 7 noiembrie
Pictori basci
Pictori spanioli din secolul al XIX-lea
Pictori spanioli din secolul al XX-lea

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


President Obama and the Democrats who control Congress have a plan for the radical leftward transformation of the economy. They want to raise taxes, raise spending, and increase regulation to levels not seen since the 1970s--or the 1930s.
At a time when even liberal Democrats, such as Jim Cramer, are afraid that President Obama is taking America off a cliff with his left-wing agenda, it is time for Republicans to put aside feuds and factionalism and get serious about pulling together an alternative vision, a new plan of their own.
I propose a conference on economic policy, to be held in Washington. Nothing fancy, nothing overly elaborate -- because the situation is urgent--Republicans have to block the multi-front Obama agenda of tax increases, more Wall Street bailouts, socialized medicine, "cap and trade" energy policies, and, yes, thousands and thousands of new earmarks.
Participants could include Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee, and a leading economic reformer. Other possible participants could include Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Tex.), a leading conservative in the House, and Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), the ranking Republican on the Senate Banking Committee, who has emerged as perhaps the most biting critic of the various bailouts.
In addition, Republicans--and all Americans--need to hear from such great free-market economists as Steve Forbes, Steve Moore, Larry Kudlow, Art Laffer, Dave Smick, and Larry Lindsey.
The conference should be held in honor of former Republican Congressman Jack Kemp, the man who converted much of America--including Ronald Reagan--to the new idea of supply side economics back in the 1970s. It was "Reaganomics," of course, that saved America from the "stagflation" of the Jimmy Carter era. Unfortunately, Kemp is very sick now and will probably be unable to attend.
So the logical convener of the conference would be one of Jack's close allies in the House, the former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich -- the GOP's idea man.
This New Republican Economic Agenda Conference should be take place in Washington but beamed, via TV and the interactive Internet, to the entire country. Why? Because Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public need to be part of this debate, too.
Everyone understands how urgent the situation is. Now the time has come to do something.
Marc Rotterman is a Senior Fellow at the John Locke Foundation in Raleigh NC and a former political appointee in the Reagan administration.


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Nestlé enters into exclusive negotiations to sell Nestlé Skin Health to a consortium led by EQT and ADIA
Nestlé today announced that it has entered into exclusive negotiations with a consortium led by EQT and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) for the sale of Nestlé Skin Health for a value of CHF 10.2 billion. Nestlé Skin Health had net sales of CHF 2.8 billion in 2018. The proposed transaction will be subject to employee consultations and approval of regulatory authorities and is expected to close in the second half of 2019. The company will provide an update on the use of proceeds and its future capital structure at that time.
Nestlé Skin Health provides science-based solutions to meet the specific skin health needs of healthcare professionals, patients and consumers. It offers a range of leading medical and consumer brands through three complementary business units in prescription, aesthetics and consumer care. Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, Nestlé Skin Health employs more than 5,000 people across 40 countries.
To read more Press Release articles, click here.
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Exclusive: Private equity firms circling Nestle's skin health business
M Pharmaceutical Inc. Enters into Exclusive Negotiations to Acquire 40j's LLC
SciClone Enters Into Definitive Merger Agreement To Be Acquired By Consortium Led By GL Capital
Nestlé weighs options for skin health segment


text:
A mature Amanita muscaria var. guessowii mushroom under a northern white pine in Ovid, Michigan, United States
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Amanitaceae
Genus: Amanita
A. muscaria
A. m. var. guessowii
Trinomial name
Veselý
Species of fungus
Mycological characteristics
gills on hymenium
cap is flat or convex
hymenium is free
stipe has a ring and volva
spore print is white
ecology is mycorrhizal
edibility: poisonous or psychoactive
Amanita muscaria var. guessowii, commonly known as the American yellow fly agaric, is a basidiomycete fungus of the genus Amanita. It is one of several varieties of the Amanita muscaria fungi, all commonly known as fly agarics or fly amanitas.
The cap is 4.5–16 (18) cm wide, convex, and becomes broadly convex to flat in age. It is bright yellow or yellow-orange, usually more orange or reddish orange towards the disc, and fading to pale yellow. The volva is distributed over the cap as cream to pale tan warts; it is otherwise smooth and sticky when wet. The margin becomes slightly striate in age. The flesh is white and it does not stain when cut or injured.
The gills are free to narrowly adnate, subcrowded to crowded, cream to pale cream, truncate, unevenly distributed, of diverse lengths, and plentiful.
Amanita muscaria var. guessowii spores are white in deposit, broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid (infrequently subglobose or elongate) and inamyloid. The spores are (7.0–) 8.7-12.2 (-14.8) x (5.9) 6.5–8.2 (9.5) µm.
The stipe is 1–3cm, more or less equal or narrowing upwards and slightly flaring at the apex. It is white to yellowish cream, densely stuffed with a pith, the skirt-like ring is membranous, persistent, the lower stipe and upper bulb are decorated with partial or complete concentric rings of volval material that are bright pale yellow to cream or sordid cream.
Clamps are present at bases of the basidia.
Distribution and habitat
Amanita muscaria var. guessowii is found growing solitary or gregariously, it is mycorrhizal with conifers mostly but also deciduous trees as well, it is found often in the fall but sometimes in the spring, common in the northeast, from eastern Canada to North Carolina west to Michigan.[1]
Main article: Muscimol mushroom
As with other Amanita muscaria, the guessowii variety contains ibotenic acid, and muscimol, two psychoactive constituents which can cause effects such as hallucinations, synaesthesia, euphoria, dysphoria and retrograde amnesia. The effects of muscimol and ibotenic acid most closely resemble that of a Z drug, like Ambien at high doses, and not a classical psychedelic, i.e. psilocybin.
Ibotenic acid is mostly broken down into the body to muscimol, but what remains of the ibotenic acid is believed[according to whom?] to cause the majority of dysphoric effects of consuming A. muscaria mushrooms. Ibotenic acid is also a scientifically important neurotoxin used in lab research as a brain-lesioning agent in mice.[2][3]
As with other wild-growing mushrooms, the ratio of ibotenic acid to muscimol depends on countless external factors, including: season, age, and habitat - and percentages will naturally vary from mushroom-to-mushroom.
Amanita muscaria var. formosa
^ "Shroomery - Hunting Fly Agarics in North America".
^ Becker, A; Grecksch, G; Bernstein, HG; Höllt, V; Bogerts, B (1999). "Social behaviour in rats lesioned with ibotenic acid in the hippocampus: quantitative and qualitative analysis". Psychopharmacology. 144 (4): 333–8. doi:10.1007/s002130051015. PMID 10435405. S2CID 25172395.
^ Isacson, O; Brundin, P; Kelly, PA; Gage, FH; Björklund, A (1984). "Functional neuronal replacement by grafted striatal neurones in the ibotenic acid-lesioned rat striatum". Nature. 311 (5985): 458–60. Bibcode:1984Natur.311..458I. doi:10.1038/311458a0. PMID 6482962. S2CID 4342937.
http://www.amanitaceae.org/?Amanita+muscaria+var.+guessowii
Fungorum: 486234
MycoBank: 486234
Fungi described in 1933
Fungi of North America


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text:
Papoušík (Agapornis) je rod afrických papoušků, ve kterém je zahrnuto devět druhů.

Vědecký název Agapornis vznikl spojením řeckých slov agape (láska) a ornis (pták). Tento název má tedy vystihovat jeho silné socializační chování a zvyk žít ve stabilních párech.

Popis
Papoušíci v průměru dosahují délky 13–17 cm a váží asi 40–60 gramů. Pro tento rod papoušků je charakteristickým znakem malá, zavalitá postava a krátký, tupě zakončený ocas. Díky svým tělesným proporcím jsou zařazováni mezi nejmenší druhy papoušků na světě.

Ve volné přírodě se většinou živí ovocem, některými druhy trav nebo semeny.

Zbarvení
Mají výrazný zobák a několik druhů má kolem očí kontrastní lemování. U papoušků tohoto rodu dominuje pestré plošné zbarvení jednotlivých partií těla v odstínech zelené, červené, modré či žluté.

Pohlavní dimorfismus u většiny papoušků tohoto druhu je nevýrazný. Pohlaví se dá dobře rozlišit pouze u tří druhů (papoušík etiopský, papoušík šedohlavý a papoušík savanový).

Seznam druhů
 papoušík růžohrdlý (Agapornis roseicollis)
 papoušík škraboškový (Agapornis personatus)
 papoušík Fischerův (Agapornis fischeri)
 papoušík růžohlavý (Agapornis lilianae)
 papoušík hnědohlavý (Agapornis nigrigenis)
 papoušík šedohlavý (Agapornis canus)
 papoušík etiopský (Agapornis taranta)
 papoušík savanový (Agapornis pullarius)
 papoušík zelenohlavý (Agapornis swindernianus)

Galerie

Reference

Externí odkazy

Rody papouškovitých


text:
Aaron Gluck-Thaler
Privacy & Security Ethics and Governance of AI Justice, Equity, & Inclusion
agluckthaler@cyber.harvard.edu
https://histsci.fas.harvard.edu/people/aaron-gluck-thaler
https://twitter.com/agthaler
Aaron Gluck-Thaler is a PhD Candidate at the Department of the History of Science, an Affiliate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, and a Frank Knox Fellow at Harvard University.
Aaron studies the historical, cultural, and political dimensions of national security practices, with a focus on techniques used for surveillance and cybersecurity. His doctoral research examines how pattern recognition technologies illuminate enduring questions of how power, scientific knowledge, and the self are cultivated. Aaron holds a BEng in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University, a MSc in the Social Science of the Internet from the Oxford Internet Institute, and a MSc in the History of Science, Medicine, and Technology from the University of Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.