R.I.P. Ken Caminiti

On the field, Ken Caminiti's all-out style served him well. Off the field is where it got him in trouble. The 1996 National League MVP, who later admitted using steroids during his major league career, died Sunday. He was 41.

Caminiti died of a heart attack in the Bronx, said his agent-lawyer Rick Licht. The city medical examiner's office performed an autopsy Monday but could not rule on a cause of death until toxicology tests were complete, spokeswoman Ellen Borakove said. That process could take as long as 10 days.

Breaking in with the Houston Astros in 1986, Caminiti's 15-year big league career ended in 2001, five seasons after he led the San Diego Padres to a division title and was a unanimous pick for MVP. But the three-time All-Star third baseman often was in trouble the last few years.

Kenny will be missed.

Pics of Hurricane Ivan

Just a quick announcement. I have uploaded my first photo album in the Pic section. It's a collection of photos my dad took the day after Hurricane Ivan hit Pensacola in September. To check those pictures out, click on "Pics" above, or click here.

Also, feel free to leave your comments below. Just click at the bottom of this post where it says "comments".

Peesh,
Skoo

MLB Playoff Picks

It's the first part of October and that means it's time for the Major League Baseball Playoffs. Unfortunatly, the Seattle Mariners are not involved with this year's festivities, but my NL favorites, the Houston Astros, are. So, time to make my predictions for this year as I'll break it down series by series.

National League Division Series
Astros vs. Braves
The Houston Astros come in playing the best baseball of any team in the majors. Having said that, you have to respect the Atlanta Braves who have just won thier 13th straight division championship. There's just something about this Braves team this year. Their pitching was supposed to be worse this year, the lineup took a hit aswell, but, still the Braves come out on top of the NL East. Still, I don't see a better pitching duo in the NL than the Clemens-Oswalt combo that Houston has.
Pick: Astros over Braves in 4 games

Dodgers vs. Cardinals
The Los Angeles Dodgers did what they had to do to get into the playoffs by winning one game against the Giants on Saturday. The problem is, they had a lead as large as 8 games as recent as a month ago. This was a sign of weakness in my eyes. That's just not going to work against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cards' big three of Edmonds, Pujols, and Rolen are the best back-to-back-to-back hitters in the majors. Also, if the Dodgers find themselves behind in the late innings, they might as well get ready for the next night as the St. Louis bullpen was nothing short of solid this year.
Pick: Cardinals over Dodgers in a 3 game sweep

American League Division Series
Red Sox vs. Angels
In this rematch of the 1986 ALCS, the Angels come in as division champions for the first time since that series. They did what they had to do to win the division as they came into last Friday tied with Oakland for the West lead making the final weekend series a best of three. The Angels took the first two. Thier reward? The Boston Red Sox, who's last playoff memory was watching Aaron Bleeping Boone's game 7 11th inning golf shot soar over the left field corner as the Yankees prevented the Sox from reaching the World Series. I have a gut feeling that Boston is on a mission this year and there's not really much Anahiem can do about it. However, I don't expect the Angels to lay down either. Still, I'm pickin the Sox.
Pick: Red Sox over Angels in 4

Twins vs. Yankees
The Minnesota Twins were nearly left for dead as they were a possible canidate for retraction in 2001. Luckly, for the fans in Minneapolis, those plans were scratched and the Twins have gone on to win three straight AL Central titles. That resume will be tested when they take on the New York Yankees and all thier all-stars in a best of five series starting Tuesday. The Yankess come in winning thier division, again, and having home field advantage, again. Still, if there was ever a place that I feel an upset could happen, this is it. Remember the Rams/Patriots Super Bowl 2 years ago? Everyone counted the Patriots out because the Rams had all the players and all the firepower. The Patriots came in and proved that if a group of guys can put thier million dollar egos aside that they can prevail. I feel the Twins could have the same mentality in this series, and they too will prove that a team can beat a group of egos.
Pick: Twins over Yankees in 5

And there's my first round picks. We'll see next week how right, or wrong, I really am. Until then, for you baseball fans out there, kick back and enjoy the games.

One,
Skoo

Gator Football Update: UF vs. Arkansas

Sophomore Chris Leak passed for a career-high 322 yards and three touchdowns to lead Florida to a 45-30 victory over Arkansas at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium before 90,014 fans. It was the first 300-yard passing game of Leak's career as the Gators (3-1/2-1 SEC) defeated the Razorbacks (3-2/1-1 SEC) for the fifth time in a row. UF scored touchdowns on five consecutive drives in the first half, including a 28-point outburst in the second quarter, to build a 35-7 halftime advantage.

UA scored 23 straight points to pull within 38-30 in the fourth quarter before an interception by sophomore Channing Crowder with 4:24 remaining set up the final scoring play, a two-yard pass from Leak to junior Dallas Baker. Baker had a team-high six receptions on the afternoon for 89 yards and set a personal-best with two touchdowns.

GO GATORS!!!

Ivan Part 2

I never did post an update on Hurricane Ivan after the storm had passed. This is an email I got from my dad a week after the storm hit, the first day he had power.

Finally got power and phone back today. Lost about forty broken shingles, bathroom vent cap, a yard or so of roofing peeled back to the plywood and a 3" hole punched into the roof. Got about two square yards of stained ceiling but no other house damage. The wind snapped off about 100 feet of 6' privacy fence and gave us a 10' x 20' x 6' pile of limbs. I am glad that Carolyn (his new wife) made me cut and trim a few trees earlier this year.

One major lesson learned, don't, under any circumstances, try to eat the "Country Captain Chicken" MRE. Another point, when you pick up a half melted bag of ice make sure you don't have a hole in the bottom of the bag pointed at your pants. We had running water all the way through, just not proven safe to drink and, of course, not heated. I have never heard Carolyn hit such high notes while singing before.

We were in line with the worst wind here on the west side of Pensacola but in the lee of a banked curve on Fairfield Drive which directs the worst of the East Wind up and over the house. We had steady wind around 100 mph for about four hours and kept an eye on the barometer and cheered when it started back up. East windows took in a little water under the pane but nothing major but a couple of towels got most of it. Some of the gusts shook the house for minutes but doesn't appear to have shifted anything. Just in this area about 1 in 6 houses has a tree onto the roof and houses in other areas within two miles just disappeared. We were well above the storm surge and almost too close to the center to see the worst of the tornado spin-offs.

We survived Ivan The Terrible and it looks like Ivan The Tantrum is going well west of us. Thanks for the prayers.

Dad

The picture above is of the auditorium at Escambia High School, which had part of it's roof blown off. EHS was about half a mile from where I lived.

One,
Skoo