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On this date in 1839, the initials "O.K." first entered use in the English language. Around that time it was considered hipster to intentionally misspell words (sUm ThiNgS nEva cHaNgE) and then abbreviate them (LOL). Kind of like being hip by throwing to the wrong base in an attempt to pick off a runner trying to steal some base elsewhere in the stadium. "All correct" was commonly changed to "oll correct", and the Boston Morning Post took it further and published it as "O.K.", and here we are. It started as an editor's joke, was picked up by politicians, became a big part of the presidential campaign of Martin Van Buren, and then went viral. And, so, here we are:
- OK: Kendrys Morales. Come on! 2 for 3 with a run scored in his first look at live MLB pitching in real game conditions after being injured for almost 22 months?? Could we get any more giddy? I don't know about you, but for me this is definitely one of those "Tower, this is Ghost Rider, requesting a flyby" moments, where some Texas Rangers bandwagoner chimes in with some condescending "Negative Ghost Rider, the pattern is full." Which only encourages...yeah...you got it.
- NOT OK: Remember that chronic hip problem that Peter Bourjos is targeting for a post-season operation to finally clear it up? It appears that superfast-running-outfielders-with-chronic-hip-problems apparently runs in the franchise, as Jeremy Moore aims toward surgery.
- OK: Chipper Jones grants Major League baseball a Victory Tour. Good for him, good for baseball. Sad, though, for the AL West, whose fans got to see this first-ballot HOF'er (and one of the game's greatest third basemen) play almost not at all. Ever. In a 19 season career, 16 of of which included interleague play.
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- OK: I am watching the hilight video of Howie Kendrick crush a 3-run jack in a Spring Training game against the Rockies earlier this week, and do you know what it is that makes me jump out of my chair and shout with joy? As Howie rounds second and jogs his way to third, standing in the batters box and entering the camera's field of view is ALBERT-FRIGGIN-PUJOLS!!! Ok, bitches, now you just GOTTA pitch to the Howie The-Future-American-League-Batting-Champ Kendrick (yesterday dealin' a 2 run triple yesterday!!).
- NOT OK: Jered Weaver not bothered by rough outing, or a 5.84 ERA, either. Well, for the record, I am bothered! As the guy who predicted here on Halos Heaven nearly three years ago that 2012 would be the year that Weaver wins the Cy Young, I need to see a little more focus leading up to Opening Day, Ok? (Ahem...I also predicted waaaay back in 2006 that the Weave would be the next Halo pitcher to win the Cy. Them's cajones!)
- OK: Angels and Rangers slowly upping the temperature on this season's hottest competitve rivalry? Bill Plunkett of the OC Register points to both squads keeping hole cards to themselves already. This is the kind of small thing that adds texture and reinforcement to a 2012 that might be one of the major focuses of MLB, rewarding all of us. Yeah, baby!!
- NOT OK: I know it's only exhibition season, but if one side is ready to take its balls and go home early, it should make the other side aware of that fact so that BOTH sides - AND the attending fans - can all be equally vested. I am going to look at this episode as a metaphor for how Yankees and their fans will be dealing with the coming decline of their franchise. Then again, we all need to get used to the pairing up of the words "Bobby Valentine" and "whining" in the same sentence over the next few months.
- OK: The Porniest Named Baseball Players. Yeah. Somebody (Maxim) actually keeps a list.
- NOT OK: Youth sports. Effed up everywhere. And not just Little League. But in China? Holy Cow. Be a jerk and raise a belligerent 10 year old child there, and watch them get arrested.
- TOTALLY OK: Now that Winter is officially behind us, let us celebrate the frustration felt by many of us who tried, and failed, to master some particular winter sport. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Ratatouille, the snowboarding Opossum
WEEKLY RUNDOWN
Recall last week that I pointed out how the Royals were suddenly in the market for a backstop? Too late. They snagged Humberto Quintero from the Astros. Again, just sayin'..........Somewhere in this mess is a bad guy, but I can't find it..........Oops, maybe somebody ELSE found it!..........Six seasons of an MLB career, only 2 with the honoring city, and you get a statue? Next to Hank Aaron?? I guess Vin Scully now has a goal towards which he can aspire..........OT, but not so much: this could be the coolest way for a kid to earn his/her first cast EVAH! Unless, maybe, like me, your a Liverpool fan. Go Red!