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Aging in America

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Yesterday, I got a surprise visit from an uncle/aunt in-law traveling from Florida to Maine in their annual snowbird return migration. They dropped a bomb on us that the aunt has non-Alzheimer's dementia. Doctors warned that it would progress quickly. They didn't have to say much more. It was understood that one was saying goodbye and the other was signing up for a long period of time of complete personal servitude. She might not die in a year, but every memory, experience, or ability to interact will soon be gone. We planned to escape up to the lake for a couple days for a goodbye, but ultimately they canceled that because they couldn't handle the new environment with dementia. We even had to tell one of her sons because they haven't the strength to tell the truth. I know that everyone in my family's older generation had envisioned that they'd clutch their chest or die in their sleep... but one after the other has a long, lingering death that is not pretty or dignified and it fucking sucks.

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My mother-in-law's husband has been taking meds for about a year to try and arrest the progress of dementia and while it's worked a bit, he's plainly only got but so much time before he needs actual care as opposed to meds and my MIL trying to cushion the landing (he absolutely should not be driving and she lets him do some local driving "because he feels so bad otherwise and we're careful." I pointed out that everyone's careful until the car has been wrapped around a telephone post - or a kid. At least she admits she can't actually take care of him when he gets worse, but I worry for both of them that's she's trying to cram in a bunch of things before that happens and it's going to go badly.

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Jun 29, 2022·edited Jun 29, 2022

I understand this, in spades.

Mrs Slug and I became primary caregivers for my dad's mother. This was back in April 1987. Good Gawd, that was 35 years ago.

We had to take the keys away from her, but it wasn't so hard as she was in convalescent care for a month before she came home following hip surgery due to a fall. Looking back on it and knowing what I know now, the surgery probably accelerated her dementia. But I digress.

She asked for "driving lessons" after she got home. I demurred and changed the subject so many times, it became a broken record. The good thing was she was not belligerent about it or even very demanding. That made it easy for me to be absolutely firm. Mrs Slug and I grew up a lot in those first few weeks.

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My aunt got diagnosed a little before the pandemic so my uncle has had a pretty rough time. They moved into a facility that has memory care for her because he just couldn't keep her from wandering the streets. And he's been basically locked down there.

You said it exactly right. Everything about dementia fucking sucks.

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Crap. I'm sorry to hear that. One of my dad's generation has vascular dementia. I know no other details. I do know that this is not easy for anyone.

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Oof. My ex-FIL had dementia. Went out one day to the store (I thinK) and didn't come back. He had driven to some back road and got out and was just walking around. Came home but got up and tried to go out. ex-MIL had to put him in a home because she couldn't keep him in the house. I think he was there for at least 3 years. I visited a couple of times when I came back to see my dad and he was like a little kid.

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that is rough.

while not quite the same we were up in Portsmouth and intended on visiting a friend w/ advanced colon cancer. that weekend he took a turn for the worse and we are unlikely to see him again. apparently none of the treatments have really worked and now it has spread to the brain.

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my wife is convinced that she wants to get old and die in America because health care is so much better here (assuming you can afford it)

this is despite the fact that even in ultra high incomes, the US does not have better health outcomes compared to other advanced countries. (there was some long term study that i am paraphrasing .. )

she always cites horror statistics like "you have to wait 3 yrs just to a hip replacement in Canada" until your turn in line comes up. here in the US you can just get one next week"

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It is basically true that the US has the best care IF you can afford it. The fact that so many people can't is why we have mediocre health outcomes.

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My wife says the same stuff! But her point is the leading medical institutions and thought leaders are here in the USA, so it is the best place to get cutting edge care. I think that is actually right.

FET: I have had good friends have lengthy hospital stays in France and the Czech Republic. It’s cool that it’s free, but for that kind of acute care stuff you are wayyyyy better off at like Stanford or UCSF or whatever

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I'm hoping that I won't need cutting edge care, but just regular ole care.

Thailand has excellent medical facilities for the wealthy. Alas, I am not wealthy.

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Even the capacity of a Stanford or a UCSF is limited though, and not everyone can get cutting edge care paid for. Having just been through cancer / end of life care with my father last year, I will say there wasn't much to differ in terms of quality of medical care by comparison to my aunt getting cancer care from the NHS (at least once we got him to an oncologist from OHSU), but the end of life care was a fucking shambles by comparison. Each system has its strength and weaknesses, but I think what we have in the US is so deeply affected by location and net worth, it's hard to say it's universally better.

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That is a good point. Also why my wife thinks moving to more remote areas for a cheaper house is unwise. But, she has an autoimmune condition so she sees these differently

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If you have the money you can do the same in Canada too - private health care for wealthy people exists everywhere.

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"here in the US you can just get one next week"

If you have the money or insurance.

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i guess health care for women of childbearing age is getting progressively worse too!

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Is this peak America?

https://twitter.com/CNN/status/1542115339546370049

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Tough competition with this one

https://twitter.com/AlanRMacLeod/status/1542147122878898176

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Admittedly, there are some private equity jackasses I'd love to scare from the healthcare sector.

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Shouldn't this be down under all-American breakfast?

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2am is technically still the am, so yes.

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You must answer the bell when it rings.

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We've had some tough times but we're back, baby!

I just want to eat that Cheez-It lightly toasted with some Fire sauce, tho. That would be a deluxe version of one of my Cal struggle meals.

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That is American Exceptionalism at its finest.

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it's not all bad, that's for sure

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teaching in HS

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has anyone done a career switch to start teaching HS?

i am seriously considering teaching physics/math/CS in HS maybe as early as this coming fall.

feel free to tell me i am crazy!

the hard part seems to getting NY credentials (quickly), but there also seem to be plenty of alternate pathways for people w/ advanced degrees and even coronavirus related emergency measures still in place.

most jobs seem to require credentials to even apply. on the other hand, i sent a note to some school and they called me back immediately. i get the impression that there is not a lot of supply of physics teachers or at least people who want to do it.

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Much easier to teach in a private school if you are uncredentialed. Also, in CA you can substitute teach without a credential, and subsequently work to get credentialed. No idea how that works in NY though.

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reef/Larry was a successful corporate attorney in New York before he ditched it all to get a education masters at Stanford and then becoming a teacher.

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I almost chose an emergency credential job with LA Unified instead of going to med school. They'd let me start ASAP on an emergency credential. I'm pretty sure the offer would still stand decades later.

My wife and my family are full of educators. My dad, the only one without that background, is now on a school board. Like any job, the politics and bureaucracy can be brutal. There's also a lot of start-up effort.

It's a perfectly reasonable thing to do as long as you have enough financial and career security (i.e., an escape plan) to keep it enjoyable and not like a shackle. You may want to look into doing some shadowing first and see if there's something smaller (like mentoring of tutoring) that can scratch that itch for service before taking the plunge.

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I think there are some school districts that allow an emergency credential if you're currently enrolled in a teaching program. Maybe, some like LA that are hard up for teachers, let you take forever to finish the credentials.

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Elsewhere in college

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MN player drags Coach PJ Fleck

https://twitter.com/Iam_VMLV/status/1541875203038478340

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tough look for atoms.

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Who is good at converting official visits into commitments? In the Pac-12, it's Washington and Colorado, while Oregon, Cal, Stanfurd, and UCLA less so.

https://twitter.com/JBudDavis/status/1541813953692672000

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I guess the coaches aren't taking recruits to Top Dog.

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Calabrese, Hot Link, or Bock.

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Why not all 3

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My go-to is the Kiel, followed by the Hot.

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Always a Hot, and Kiel if I have a second. With ketchup and onions. Sometimes deli mustard.

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Two bocks. One with russian mustard and kraut. One with stone ground mustard and onions.

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now i want one

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However, a look into quality vs. quantity - Cal goes after high quality recruits - as does Stanfurd, UCLA, USC. Washington and Utah go after half-step lower rated athletes. Meanwhile, Arizona, Wazzu, and CU have to go after under-the-radar players.

https://twitter.com/JBudDavis/status/1541813953692672000

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That's interesting.

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Oregon seems to get a parade of 4 and 5 star recruits. Cal, not so much.

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Oregon is relevant. Cal is not

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What would you say is the classic American breakfast?

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Dean & Deluca is an American company, so it's funny they have that as an American breakfast.

But I always think of it as: 2 eggs (prepared any way), bacon or sausage, toast, hash browns/home fries

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Ah, if only. D&D is owned by Thai property developer Pace Development Corp., who are the folks that brought them out of bankruptcy. That's why you don't see any in their normal (old) locations but they are in Asia and Hawaii.

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Ah, that must be why they're all over thailand!

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Other than the lack of baked beans, isn't the title "American Breakfast" an "English Breakfast"? Or does the latter must have black pudding as well?

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That's the ironic juxtaposition. There's no way one can call this an American breakfast and it's very close to being an English breakfast of baked beans, eggs, toast, tea, roasted tomato, bacon, and grilled mushrooms. Black pudding is a frequent feature of Irish and Scottish breakfast. American breakfast is a Monster Energy Drink and a Tastykake bought from a gas-station.

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Did you follow me to the gas station today?

I personally go with the low carb Monster and a beef taquito.

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That is a damn fine gas station breakfast.

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whispers (I love Monster)

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I once almost had a medical issue after playing pick-up basketball outside on a hot humid summer afternoon in grad school. I was quite thirsty and these girls came and handed out cold Monster energy drinks. I also didn't drink coffee nor tea on a daily basis then. I downed one quickly and had to lie down on the grasses for a bit after that because I felt my heart was beating really fast and I started to feel dizzy.

Now-a-days, I do down a Monster drink (mostly because they are cheaper than Red Bull) with little effect on long drives.

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Same. I got hooked on them from my many drives to and from San Diego to Berkeley and back during my college days.

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There's always a twinge of embarrassment because they are by far th bro-iest of EXTREME ENERGY drinks, but I got hooked on them when they were the only thing to drink at a Chinese ski resort at the top and. I was really thirsty.

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Do you think they are the bro-iest? I always felt Rockstar held that title.

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Whiskey

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Pancakes or waffles, Eggs, Bacon or sausage, Coffee, juice or milk

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This is the correct answer.

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That sounds good.

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Bette's Ocean View Diner was pretty good.

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Better than pretty - solid at least, never had anything bad there.

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They reopened. New name, but same menu and now owned and run by former Bette's employs.

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my favorite place in NYC to get breakfast is Bubby's.

everything classic American is good, but the biscuits and gravy are excellent.

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i thought Dean and Deluca closed down forever. at least the NYC Soho store has been done for a while.

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bacon and eggs (or ham and eggs)

buttered toast(plain or with jam or jelly)

milk, orange juice, or coffee.

Or at least that's what Madison Avenue wanted us to believe in the 60s and 70s, right on into the 80s and 90s.

Instead of buttered toast you might sub a short stack of pancakes w/(imitation) maple syrup.

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DBD AV Club

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Ms Marvel Episode 4 - this is so much fun! As they head to Kirachi (Bangkok)

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Okay, I’m going to give this a go based on your review and previous taste in shows/movies.

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It is .. . geared towards younger viewers. Outside of the superhero stuff, it's just a really well done teen drama/comedy BUT it's really really well done.

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It's maybe the only Marvel show that feels like it could actually hold up as a regular show for multiple seasons, rather than a mini-series just meant to bridge between movies and/or other shows.

And I liked some of those other shows (Loki and Wandavision in particular)! But they are different animals.

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I feel like Kate Bishop could lead her own series (with occasional Jeremy Renner cameos as a mentor) because Hailee Steinfeld is so likeable

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We really like Dark Winds, pretty exceptional.

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OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY

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Eastman drops bid to block phone records from Jan. 6 committee

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/28/eastman-phone-records-from-jan-6-committee-00043072

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I wonder why he did this and what it means in terms of his cooperation.

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Agent Ornato denies telling Cassidy Hutchison that Trump grabbed the wheel of the SUV on 1/6. Also, Secret Service being probed by J6.

https://twitter.com/ShimonPro/status/1541938642918178819

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Jun 29, 2022Liked by SGBear

No, that's not what the tweet says.

The tweet says "A source close to the Secret Service..." which is definitely not Agent Ornato. If it is, in fact, Agent Ornato, then he should testify under oath as to the facts of the event in question.

For all anyone knows this is simply spin meant to obfuscate and intended to discredit Ms. Hutchinson. Crap on this retaliation by innuendo.

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Jun 29, 2022·edited Jun 29, 2022

Denies telling her? Or denies that this event or something reasonably similar happened? I sincerely doubt that Trump just sat there instead of giving some insane direct orders, whether or not he reached for the wheel.

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Jun 29, 2022·edited Jun 30, 2022

I believe trump was giving some insane direct orders to take him to the Capitol and wasn’t, in fact reaching for the steering wheel but was reaching for the can of Diet Coke in the cup holder.

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Or a Big Mac

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PRO

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A new one on me. Pirates have runners on second and third with one out. Next batter hits a soft liner that the first baseman catches just before it hits the ground. Both runners run thinking it won't be caught. First baseman throws to third where the runner from second is tagged and for good measure he steps on third. Runner from third crosses home. Umps say that the run scores because he tagged the runner first instead of stepping on the bag. Nats thinking the inning was over run off the field. Umps say can't appeal at third because they left the field so the run counts.

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I saw online that this is "fourth out rule" where the Nats needed to appeal the play.

"This is covered by MLB Rule 5.09(c), the section covering appeal plays, and is colloquially known as the "fourth-out rule." From the rulebook:

(c) Appeal Plays

Any runner shall be called out, on appeal, when:

(1) After a fly ball is caught, he fails to retouch his original base before he or his original base is tagged;

...

Any appeal under this rule must be made before the next pitch, or any play or attempted play. If the violation occurs during a play which ends a half-inning, the appeal must be made before the defensive team leaves the field."

Nationals players all left the field before the team could appeal Suwinski left third base early (which he obviously did), so Washington lost its chance to appeal. Suwinski's run counted even though he never tagged up at third base on the Hayes line drive. The umpires on the field did check with the replay crew in New York to confirm the rule.

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yeah, I think they ultimately had it right. I haven't read any post-game comments yet but I expect the Nats are unhappy with the umps indecision. At some point during the ump discussion and back and forth with the two managers the Nats TV play-by-play guy (Kevin Frandsen) quoted and cited the rule you note. Watching in real time, fairly early on I saw an ump point the Nats to their dugout. Then some time later another ump (not sure if the same one) motions them back on the field but at that point it's too late. It seems like the Pirates coaching staff was all over the rules and I have no idea if the Nats staff had a clue what was going on.

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Jun 29, 2022·edited Jun 29, 2022

Video of the play here. They've chopped out about eight minutes of back and forth between the umps and managers. You can see the runner from third crossing the plate almost as the catch is made. Looks like you have to scroll down the highlights to the one designated bizarre play.

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/pirates-vs-nationals/2022/06/29/662493#game_state=live,game_tab=videos,game=662493

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Jun 29, 2022·edited Jun 29, 2022

There's something missing here.

First, with runners on 2nd and 3rd, there is no force because 1st base is open. Also, the infield fly rule is not in effect.

Second, we don't know if the runners held up and tagged AFTER the liner was caught (which was the 2nd out).

Third, the runner on 2nd is out if he is tagged before reaching (3rd) base safely, without regard to whether he tagged up at 2nd or not.

Fourth, regardless of whether or not either or both runners tagged up, tagging the runner from 2nd registers the 3rd out in the inning; the inning is over. However, if the runner from 3rd did tag up and tags home before the runner from 2nd is tagged (that is, before the 3rd out is registered), then the run counts.

The Nats may have misplayed the runners because they made an assumption that the runners on base DID NOT tag up. It seems to me that the umpires determined that the runners DID tag up, or at least the runner on 3rd tagged up.

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They definitely did NOT tag up. As soon as the first baseman caught the ball he threw to third. The runner from second was already almost there and the runner from third was crossing the plate. If he had thrown home he would have been too late. Apparently, the ruling was that since the runner crossed home before the runner was tagged out at third the run counts. Nats could not appeal the lack of a tag up because they left the field. I say apparently because the only explanation the umps gave was that the Nats could not appeal the tag because they left the field.

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Hmm...that's a good question. I would think that as long as the runner on 3rd didn't tag up he should still be out. It isn't like it was a force play at 3rd that got nullified when the runner from 2nd was tagged out. Although if the umps screwed up the call, I guess they're right that the Nats can't ask for a review.

Though, I imagine they could protest that the rule was applied incorrectly and play the rest of the game under protest.

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I think the problem arose because the umps didn't grant the run until the Pirates manager came out to argue. As he came out to argue I saw one ump pointing the Nats to their dugout and they left the field. One of the Nats announcers read the rule that you can't do an appeal after you leave the field so it seems they got that right. Usually on similar type plays the home ump will emphatically note the run scoring but he didn't in this case so no one knew the run would eventually be allowed and by then it was too late to appeal. It took more than ten minutes before they actually decided what the result was going to be.

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Huh? Isn't the tag on third a force out, regardless if it constitutes the second or third out?

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It was runners on second and third, so no force out.

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I may not have been complete in my comment. My understanding is that it is a force out if the ball is caught in the air and thrown to third, assuming the runner does not tag up, as mentioned by others. The key is whether the runner on third tagged up.

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Jun 29, 2022·edited Jun 29, 2022

A force out occurs because runners on base are forced to move when the batter becomes a runner. A force play does NOT happen on a caught ball.

The best example of this is when a runners on 1st base is forced to run on a ground ball. As long as there is a runner on first, a runner on 2nd is forced; with the bases loaded, the runner on 3rd is forced.

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Carlos Rodón and two-out singles: the new greatest love story of our time

https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2022/6/28/23187506/giants-tigers-recap-carlos-rodon-evan-longoria-mike-yastrzemski

Hello, it’s me, author of the hit trilogy Carlos Rodón and Home Runs: The Greatest Love Story of our Time. Due to the popularity of the series, I briefly considered turning it into a tetralogy.

But due to being an egotistical artist, I decided to eschew the successful series that people were clamoring for, and take off in a new direction (while espousing artistic integrity, of course), which will surely be less popular and draw great ire. Worry not; there’s still plenty of time for me to become a sellout and offer up the fourth installment of the Carlos Rodón and Home Runs series when I realize that my third vacation home isn’t gonna fund itself (or at least not with those numerous spousal support payments).

For now, though, allow me to introduce you to the first book in my new series: Carlos Rodón and Two-Out Singles: The New Greatest Love Story of our Time.

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Clayton Kershaw wild in yet another Dodgers loss to the Rockies

https://www.truebluela.com/2022/6/28/23187450/clayton-kershaw-wild-dodgers-rockies

Clayton Kershaw had his worst start of the season, missing very few bats and uncharacteristically missing the strike zone in the Dodgers’ 7-4 loss to the Rockies on Tuesday night at Coors Field.

The Rockies scored in all four innings against Kershaw, his six runs allowed the most earned runs charged to his ledger since June 19, 2017 against the Mets. Kershaw’s nine hits allowed were his most since opening day 2021, which was also in Denver. But it was the wildness that got Tuesday off on bad footing.

Kershaw entered Tuesday with a 4.1-percent walk rate, seventh-lowest among major league pitchers with at least 40 innings. He only walked seven batters in his first eight starts, never more than two in a game.

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Padres bullpen blows the win against Arizona in route to a 7-6 loss.

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Brutal. In the 7th no less.

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It was brutal. Even more so for a good friend of mine who is doing a 41st bday road trip to Colorado and was in Phoenix for the game last night and was heckling Dbag fans when we were up 6-0.

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Why TF is Melvin sending Manaea back out there for the B7 at 98 pitches? Lame.

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A's lose 2 - 1 in a close contest with the Yankees. Need a win today to avoid a series sweep.

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Jun 29, 2022·edited Jun 29, 2022

Another hard luck outing for Frankie Montas, who always pitches pretty well but gets no run support.

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Julian Edelman spouts off at Jimmy G about not playing while only modestly hurt in a non-throwing hand

https://www.masslive.com/patriots/2022/06/julian-edelman-a-lot-of-guys-got-mad-at-jimmy-garoppolo-for-sitting-out-with-injury-with-patriots.html

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All signs point to him being right.

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The The Angels Angels' pitcher Archie Bradley broke his arm after falling trying to go over the dugout railing during the Angels/Mariners brawl on Sunday.

https://twitter.com/Jared_Tims/status/1541905081141907456

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Pitchers forget that being called an athlete doesn't mean they're generally athletic.

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CAL

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Latest ESPN mock MLB draft has Dylan Beavers going to the White Sox at 26th overall

"I think the White Sox will play cleanup on the back end of this run of college bats. Since a similar group of scouts/execs took a college power hitter with a divisive hand move (Zack Collins in 2016) at 10th overall, I could totally see them taking another divisive hand-move guy in Beavers this year."

https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/34160528/2022-mlb-mock-draft-20-kiley-mcdaniel-projects-first-41-picks-odds-no-1-overall

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MLB Pipeline mock draft from earlier in the month has Beavers going to the A's at 19th

"19. Athletics: Dylan Beavers, OF, California (No. 21)

Beavers could start a run on college outfielders with as many as eight going in the span of 16 selections. Non-outfield candidates here include Oklahoma State right-hander Justin Campbell and Toman."

https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-mock-draft-orioles-go-for-jackson-holliday

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Sounds like a predictable outgrowth of the investigation into Teri McKeever. I wouldn't read too much into it. But one could also assume that Scheff may be complicit in McKeever's alleged bullying tactics.

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The most interesting thing here is that this investigations started at the end of last year, so it might conclude "soon" and give us a hint at what might happen with McKeever.

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hopefully she gets fired with cause

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That's my guess, that he may have somehow reinforced the systemic abuse. Can't really determine much of anything based on the information provided so far.

I know the knee-jerk expectation with the headline is sexual misconduct but I'm not reading that between the lines.

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Likewise.

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Go Bears!!!

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