Month: May 2012

Reno 2, Oklahoma City 1

Great game at Reno Aces ballpark last nite, featuring their system’s top pitching prospect making his AAA debut. We sprang for the $18 tickets a dozen rows behind the Aces dugout to get a good look at him: Trevor Bauer, the third overall pick in the 2010 draft out of UCLA, whose slight build and arching windup immediately reminded me of Tim Lincecum. He buzzed through the first three batters, showing good command of a low 90s fastball (he touched 95 later in the game) and some wicked off-speed stuff that had opposing batters flailing (and his catcher scrambling around in the dirt). He scattered only 3 hits over the first 7 innings but worked out of a few jams when other baserunners reached on errors or walks.

Bauer’s counterpart kept the Aces’ bats quiet for the most part despite two Aces entering the game hitting over .400 and another over .370. The Aces broke through with a run in the 3rd when the third baseman’s two-out double high off the leftfield wall scored the centerfielder from third. They added to the lead with a solo shot to right by the first baseman (who was playing in his first game after serving a 50-game suspension for PEDs) in the 7th.

But the clear story of the game was young Trevor Bauer. He certainly didn’t look overmatched by the competition at his new level and was working on a 3-hit shutout in the 8th when the Redhawk catcher managed to muscle a 3-2 pitch high down the line in right for a solo homer that cut the lead to 2-1. Trevor finished the inning, striking out the side, and received a standing ovation from the crowd but he was pinch-hit for in the bottom half.

He was succeeded by a junkballing lefty who struck out the first batter in the 9th with three pitches that topped out at 71 mph but who was lifted for a fat righty after the next batter singled. Was the lefty brought in first just because there were two lefties scheduled to hit first and this portly chap was the real closer? Well, neither appeared to have closer stuff, as the second also featured a lot of 75 mph junk and walked the first batter he faced to put the tying run in scoring position.
Continue reading “Reno 2, Oklahoma City 1” →

Dinner Club

Leslie, Paula and Andrea went and threw us a Dinner Club to remember.

 

Clay Andrea Paula Carol Paul Sarah Rick Leslie Bill Marc Lisa

The “Super Bowl Gang” make great company, lively talk and warm memories. Thanks for an extra nice send-off. We were totally surprised and just plain thrilled.

Love, Marc and Carol

SFIFF 55 Closing Night

San Francisco International Film Festival 55

[I provide the San Francisco Film Society promotional blurb and add “My Take.”]

Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey
Thu, May 3    7:00 / Castro — Big Nights USA, 2012, 113 min
CREDITS
director – Ramona S. Diaz, cast – Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Deen Castronovo, Arnel Pineda, Ross Valory

CLOSING NIGHT The 55th San Francisco International Film Festival ends on a high note—a really high note—with an all night celebration kicked off by a rousing screening of Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey at the Castro Theatre, featuring director Ramona S. Diaz and all five members of Journey, and a rockin’ party with live entertainment, dancing, food and drinks

Arnel Pineda’s path from YouTube obscurity to stadium fame in becoming Journey’s new lead singer has inspired newspaper articles and TV talk show segments, but Ramona S. Diaz’s inspiring new film is an up-close and in-depth look at his past and present, from a homeless young adulthood singing on street corners in Manila to the sudden pressures of touring around the world and performing before crowds of thousands. Placing interviews with the candid Pineda (who at one point says he looks like he was placed in the band’s photos through Adobe Photoshop) alongside backstage camerawork that faithfully assumes his perspective, Diaz’s documentary is a counterpart to the exploration of public popularity in her 2003 portrait Imelda—focusing on Pineda’s rise from poverty to wealth, Diaz reveals the generosity of his spirit. She and the band also deliver electrifying musical sequences, including two distinctive homecoming shows, one of which registers as a validation of Pineda’s commitment to albums that he kept in his hope chest, and the power of his voice. “The way I see it, it’s a temporary thing,” Pineda says of his current gig, but Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey—while looking at a pair of cities by the Bay—gives it lasting life.
—Johnny Ray Huston

Ramona Diaz and Journey on stage

MY TAKE – Journey was never on my radar, so I could not relate to their actual plight of finding a new lead singer, but Ramona Diaz told the story in such a way that made for a fascinating two hours. She focused on Arnel, but wove the story of behind-the-scenes looks at a hot band on the road around him. The closing concert in Manila had the packed Castro audience on its feet as one, nearly drowning out the applause on the soundtrack. WOW. Things calmed a bit during the credits and then the director, producers and all five members of Journey were introduced for a Q&A. The joint erupted again. The questions were mundane, but at one point Arnel sang a cappella; I don’t know or remember the song, but what a voice! Walking out of the theater, I said to Carol and Sarah, “That’s got to be the feel good movie of the Festival.” I’m not going to rush out and buy a Journey album, but I will keep an eye peeled for Romona Diaz’ next film.

Carol Retires

Preschool Program Coordinator

Early Childhood Education Center
San Francisco State University 1992 – 2012

On Wednesday, September 28, 2011, the Rockies beat the Giants 6-3 and Carol told Sarah she would retire as of June 1, 2012. At home that night, she said to me, “It’s time. You better practice having me around.”

Well, that was plenty of notice, but the weeks and months did pass and Associated Students of San Francisco State University decided to throw a big party for her. She is the first person ever to retire from AS. Later, we learned that Carol’s colleague Nahid, from the infant/toddler wing of the Young Children’s Education Center would share retirement and the party.

The party date was set for Friday, April 27th and it turned out to be a very strange and wonderful day for Carol. First, she was honored at the annual awards breakfast of SF Child Care Providers Association and presented with a certificate of recognition:


California Legislature Assembly
CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION
Carol Rector
ASI ECEC Program Director
Honoring exemplary leadership and outstanding commitment to the success and development of the children in California, helping them grow to their full potential while supporting parental involvement throughout their educational, and dedication to the both the children and their families, thereby benefiting all the people of the City & County of San Francisco and the State of California.
Assemblywoman Fiona Ma
Speaker pro Tempore
Presented April 27, 2012

When she got to the school, she was confined to her office, as secret party preparations were going on all over the place around her.

I arrived at the Center minutes after 5:30 and was greeted by Paula and Andrea then Matt and Andrea and Elias.

Meanwhile, Carol was being greeted by everybody. The party was outside in the school yard. Decorations were in abundance, really good food was offered along with bright red fruit punch. The weather was perfect, featuring 65 degrees and a bright setting sun. The yard was filled with over a hundred colleagues, parents and kids stretching back for many of Carol’s 20 years at the Center. Everyone was in a celebratory mood.

The Scene

Sarah gave a marvelous introduction of the honorees and then many people came forward to offer their congratulations and remembrances — parents and former parents, former colleagues, former students and of course, officials. Fortunately, speechifying was limited to two-minutes each as the famous San Francisco weather lost its warmth and fresh breezes promised goose bumps. Continue reading “Carol Retires” →