Springfield Pool Spits Out Pol

Springfield Commish Jim Devenney did a dumb thing. He got his adult daughters and grandkids onto his perky (free) Springfield Country Club pool membership and he got creamed for it. He resigned his 6th Ward seat. Not once but twice. But now he wants it back and he's bucking the party machine to get it.

My print column is up.

UPDATE: I forgot to mention in the column that Devenney is being sued in civil court for the $3,500 the township claims he owes for abusing its perk policy. He won a change of venue for that case on Tuesday and it won't be heard before the May 12 primary in which he's running against Bob Layden.

GOP leader Mike Puppio says Devenney knew that only dependent children were allowed to be included on his free membership plan because he was in the room when the policy was discussed and crafted. So was Puppio.

Devenney denies intentionally violating the policy, that he didn't remember exactly what was in it and claims he merely asked pool personnel if his kids and grandkids were allowed on his plan. Puppio scoffs at that excuse. But it's not wholly implausible.

Over the last five years, Puppio claims that Devenney was told more than once by a pool manager or secretary that it was inappropriate for him to have his kids on the $1-a-visit perk plan. Devenney denies that. He said nobody said a thing to him about it until he got a letter last July from Commish Tom Mahoney.

Puppio named the township worker who supposedly told Devenney, but she didn't return my call to confirm that yesterday.

Puppio said that Devenney went around that person and got the passes from somebody else. Devenney firmly denies that. He says he asked one person about it and if the answer had been "no" that would have been fine with him.

Puppio compared that to Devenney asking the chief of police if it would be OK for him to run every red light in the township from now it. I found that analogy to be a bit tortured.

If Devenney knew about the policy and ignored it to save a few hundred dollars for his kids, he deserved to be held fully accountable. If he didn't remember it, and the township staff responsible for handing out the membership cards, decided to overlook it on his behalf, they're complicit too. They didn't do their job either. Yet, as far as I know, nobody's been fired or punished for that.

Puppio told that Devenney want him to "make it all go away" when they met last year. But by that time, he said, the "tube was out of toothpaste." Puppio said had a choice to make. It had become common knowledge at the pool that Devenney had abused his privileges. He could either look the other way and appear to cover it up, or hold him accountable. If someone in the township wanted to embarrass the party over this, they certainly could have by going to the press with the story about how Springfield commissioners get and then abuse their special privileges. Puppio said his only goal was to protect the integrity and reputation of Springfield government.

He said he didn't threaten or intimidate Devenney he simply laid out what he'd done and told him he had two choices: pay back the full amount the benefit was worth ($3,600 plus) or resign. He told me would have been satisfied with repayment because that would have showed Devenney understood and admitted what he'd done. Devenney chose to resign instead.

Puppio didn't figure that Devenney would have the temerity to challenge his and the party's authority to decide who should hold his seat.

Devenney told me he was intimidated and "befuddled" when he offered his resignation. Since last summer he's come to believe he was buffaloed into resigning, that he didn't do anything that justified the heavy-handed way with which he was treated.

There was probably as smarter way for Puppio to handle this; a way that would have allowed Devenney to see the error in his own actions and judgment and agree to his own punishment, whatever it was. But then when Puppio talks about Devenney's "sense of entitlement" to his seat and to perks he'd gotten used to bestowing on his kids, he's got a point.

Still, for a county political machine that routinely puts relatives and family members on the county payroll, you wouldn't think this would be a hanging offense.

The Devenney family has been a beneficiary of such patronage jobs. So have a lot of local office holders. That's how machines work. But there are limits. It turns out the political pool has a deep end. And you swim in it at your own risk.

He Walks! Vlad Guerrero Walks!

Last night in Kansas City, a remarkable streak ended. Vlad Guerrero drew a walk.

It was his first walk of the season but he didn't walk the last two games of last season either. It was 29 starts without a walk. He finally walked three plate appearances into his 30th start.

Top streaks of consecutive starts without a walk for Oriole batters:

Rk                 Strk Start        End Games  AB
1      Larry Haney 1967-09-02 1968-09-18    39 137
                                                  
2      Charlie Lau 1962-06-03 1964-06-17    34 134
                                                  
3       Cal Ripken 1999-06-05 1999-07-21    31 130
4      Ken Gerhart 1987-04-17 1987-06-20    31 113
5         Bob Hale 1955-07-08 1955-09-11    31 124
                                                  
6     Billy Ripken 1988-09-04 1989-04-30    30  97
7    Billy Gardner 1956-09-03 1957-04-20    30 119
                                                  
8      Andres Mora 1976-04-21 1976-07-06    29 111
9    Vlad Guerrero 2010-10-02 2011-05-02    29 119
10     Jerry Adair 1964-05-14 1964-06-21    29 119
11     Jerry Adair 1963-07-04 1963-08-21    29 111
                                                  

As you can see, Guerrero was performing a rare feat. Among the hitters on this list, Cal Ripken was the most recent streak and that was nearly 12 years ago. All in all, it's not a great streak for Vlad's performance (although during Cal's walkless streak, he OPS'ed .964) but it was kind of fun to watch.

So going back to last season, Guerrero went 123 straight plate appearance without a walk before last night.

I don't need to see another one right now.

DIY idea: mixed stripes

I love these crazy striped trousers!
Different kind of striped fabrics put together to obtain a very interesting look!
Many more combinations can be imagined for dresses,tops and skirts!
The good thing? You only need small pieces of every patterned fabric to make them so you can buy remnant pieces at super bargain prices!


Quanto sono divertenti questi pantaloni a righe! Diverse stoffe rigate sono state combinate per ottenere un mix molto interessante,quasi ipnotico.
Possiamo divertirci a mixare pezzi di stoffe rigate diverse per ottenere vestiti,magliette e gonne.
La bella notizia è che per copiare questo look sono necessari piccoli pezzi di stoffa di ogni fantasia quindi possiamo comprare degli scampoli riducendo al minimo i costi!

The New and Improved Robert Andino

I have not been a big fan of Robert Andino. And that would be an understatement.

When he arrived to the Orioles in 2009, I thought he was fine. Not a good player but just fine. I even advocated for the release of Cesar Izturis since I saw Andino as a younger, cheaper version of Izzy who might just develop a slightly better bat.

But after watching defensive lapses, baserunning errors and just a general lack of effort that season, I began to sour on him.

After watching him during Spring Training in 2010 and a couple of Tides games early in the season, I wrote this exactly one year ago:

Whenever a player is sent back to the minors, you would like to think it won't affect his attitude. In Andino's case, it looks like it has. I am not normally one to jump on players for not trying or not hustling when they are playing poorly but Andino barely looked interested. He failed to run hard on a groundout to short even though he certainly had a fair chance of making it to first safely...and made no effort to throw to first to complete a double-play later in the game. Both those plays were makable but Andino just didn't make the extra effort....He misplayed a flare that dropped for a hit in the 4th and made a throwing error in the 8th that seem to be extensions of the general lack of focus on defense that he displayed in Spring Training. It's just one game but I don't want to see him back in Baltimore. I'm not sure I even want to see him in Norfolk.

Like I said, I don't call a player out for not hustling on a regular basis. It's a long season and guys will make mistakes or not hustle on occasion. I get that so I don't call a guy out at a drop of the hat. I didn't join the "Brian Roberts isn't hustling" movement we saw from fans a couple years ago.

But Andino had worn my patience thin. He had a great opportunity in Spring Training and throughout the 2010 season to come play in Baltimore. Brian Roberts missed most of the season. Izturis has a really bad year at the plate. But even with those opportunities staring him in the face, he just couldn't get his head right. I figured his days as a useful player were over.

Fast forward to 2011. Andino has filled in admirably for the injured J.J. Hardy hitting .314/.397/.392 over 18 games. He has not been caught stealing, has not been picked off and is generally running the bases really well. He has 3 infield hit, including a bunt hit and has yet to hit into a double play. He has made 3 errors at shortstop but has shown fine range, a good arm and is making the routine plays that he used to occasionally botch.

I am not lobbying for Andino to be a starter, not ever. And you have to worry a little about a guy who is so sensitive that he needs a bunch of "atta boys" to give it his all on the field but he's a changed player in 2011. No doubt about it.

Kevin Millwood....An Oriole Again?

Kevin Millwood is free from the Yankees and is still interested in pitching. According to Britt Ghiroli, the Orioles are somewhat interested in bringing him to Baltimore.

Is that a good idea? Yes...under certain circumstances.

Firstly, Millwood was not so bad last season. He was not great but not so bad. His ERA was a hefty 5.10 but his xFIP was 4.46. And he did have his moments:

ERA
April        3.38
May          4.29
June         8.82
July        10.66
August       3.54
September    3.82

He has his uses, even at the tail end of his career. But only in a particular role. And right now that role is as a AAA pitcher.

The current rotation in Norfolk right now is some combination of Ryan Drese, Mike Ballard, Rick VandenHurk, Chris George, Chorye Spoone and Chris Jakubauskas. None of them are pitching well. Anybody feel OK with one of those guys making a spot start?

Brian Matusz and Justin Duchscherer are coming back at some point. But until then, the Oriole rotation is a bit thin right now. If Jake Arrieta's hip acts up on him, I'd rather call up Kevin Millwood than Ryan Drese. And there is little risk that Millwood will take a full time rotation spot from one of the young pitchers.

Will Millwood sign a minor league deal? Who knows? But that's the only way he fits on this team.

DIY idea: Miu Miu neon shoes

Miu Miu shoes s/s 2011

Here's a DIY project you can make in a few minutes.
Miu miu shoes for summer are so fresh and beautiful! They're decorated with neon and metallic leather. Do you want them as much as i do?
Buy some rolls of colored scotch tape (or colored adhesive paper sold at meters in craft shops,it's laminated)and start adding some neon accents to a pair of classic pumps. Stick the tape on the borders or around the heel,you can stick it diagonally and mix different colors (for example you can stick more than one layers of scotch). Use Miu miu pumps for reference or get creative and make your own pair of neon shoes. If you have more than a few minutes buy spray paint in neon colors to decorate your shoes, use paper scotch to protect those areas you don't want to paint and to obtain sharp borders in those areas you want to color and...spray!



Ecco un progetto da ultimare in pochi minuti!
Prada propone per quest'estate delle scarpe decorate da accenti neon e metallici.
Comprate dei rotoli di scotch colorato o della carta adesiva colorata venduta a metro nelle grandi catene di ferramenta tipo Brico (è plastificata) e cominciate ad attaccarla ad un paio di scarpe da decorare.
Ispiratevi alle miu miu oppure attaccate lo scotch colorato come più vi piace(usate rotoli di colore diverso).
Se avete a disposizione più di pochi minuti allora comprate della vernice spray nei colori neon e metallici e usate lo scotch di carta per proteggere le aree che non devono essere decorate e ottenere dei bordi ben definiti nelle aree da dipingere.

Real Long Beach NY Wedding Engagement | Beautiful Sunset pictures

When you are are looking for amazing beach engagement pictures I would imagine you would want something like this! Beautiful sunsets, the ocean, sand and love! Aren't these just so amazing? What do you think? The amazing Timecut Photography did an awesome job!

Side note: Don't forget that the amazing $3000 Photography Giveaway is still on! Ends Soon so Hurry!

xo