Pat Stover is a talented West Coast bat who can barrel the ball and make pitchers pay.  The Santa Clara product is a no-nonsense batter and was rated as one of the best high school hitters in California.  Drafted by Oakland in the 2009 MLB draft but opted to play collegiate baseball for Santa Clara instead. After his redshirt sophomore year, he was drafted in the 40th round by the Dodgers of Los Angeles and chose to sign a professional contract.  Stover can hit and he proved that by performing well in the wooden-bat Northwoods League in 2010 and 2011.  Here are my notes on Stover.

Pat Stover Position: OF

B/T: R/R Ht: 6’4 School: Santa Clara

Wt: 215 Yr: So RS Hometown: Rocklin, CA

Pat was named to Baseball America’s Top 100 draft-eligible College Players list in their December 12, 2011 issue. A 2009 graduate of Rocklin High School, Pat was drafted by the Oakland A’s (17th round) but chose to sign with Santa Clara instead. In 46 games in 2011, Pat hit .337, good for tops on the team and sixth in the Northwoods League. He also posted an impressive . 408 OBP and a slugging percentage mark of .462. Pat is the son of Carol and Jeff Stover and he shares an ancestral link to John Adams and John Quincy Adams.

Drafted out of high school by the Oakland Athletics in 2009 in the 17th round, the 6’4 corner outfielder from Santa Clara University obliterated Northwoods League pitching in 2011, hitting at a clip of .337, which led the Stingers and was good for sixth in the league.  A native of Rocklin, CA, Stover is entering his redshirt junior season ranked 78thon Baseball America’s Top 100 College Players list.  Santa Clara is a member of the West Coast Conference and Stover is one of four players from the aforementioned conference receiving distinction.   In addition to his stellar batting average, Stover had an impressive .408 OBP and a slugging percentage of .462 in 46 games for the Stingers.Stover sported a mohawk that was well-received by teammates and fans.  He made his first team appearance on June 18th, hitting two singles and scoring his first run  A fierce competitor on the diamond yet courteous off it, Stover also had 17 multi-hit games for the team and did not commit a single error the entire summer.  A well-respected authority on the game of baseball at an amateur, minor, and major league level, Baseball America is the paramount source of knowledge for any serious fan or employee of a baseball team, present company included. Stover is draft-eligible in accordance to MLB rules.  

Thomas Taylor is a sturdy and tall pitcher for the Kansas Jayhawks.  A reliable pitcher with the strong mindset to work through jams on the mound, Taylor fits the bulldog mentality.  I saw him pitcher in the summer of 2011 and I came away impressed with his tenacity and competitiveness.  He has the frame it takes to be successful. Here are my notes:

Thomas Taylor Position: RHP

B/T: R/R Ht: 6’4 School: University of Kansas

Wt: 210 Yr: Jr RS Hometown: Overland Park, KS

The opposition hit . 251 off Thomas during the 2011 Northwoods League season. The red-shirt junior finished second on the team in starts with 11. On June 1st, Thomas was the opening day starter for Northwoods League play. A management major at Kansas University in Lawrence, Thomas registered a season-high strikeout total (8) against Brainerd on June 24th. While pitching against KU rival Missouri in Kauffman stadium on April 6, 2011, he recorded a career-high 9 strikeouts. Thomas is the son of Tami and Tom Taylor.

I don’t fit in anywhere.  I especially don’t fit in when it comes to social media.  Now, I’m sure there is a time and place for it like there are for most things.  But, when it comes to social media, I am usually lost.  It wasn’t made for a lonely and isolated person like me.  Some tweets and facebook posts are profound and insightful, dripping with beautiful word choices and slicing wit. But like most TV pilots, an overwhelming majority of it just stinks.

One such tweet concerned the Wolves and this evening’s NBA draft lottery.  The Wolves have a 1.7 percent chance evidently of securing the top pick in June.   The Bulls had that similiar chance level five years ago.  They got the number one pick by luck of the draw and picked a stud in Derrick Rose.

The Wolves won’t get the number one pick tonight.  I am not going out on a limb.  I’m just walking over one 100 yard long stretch of granite.  Are they due?  Well, of course but they were due in the lottery 20 years ago.  If it is a two player draft like it was in 1992, they will get the third pick.  Or, even if some might say it is a two player draft, the player they get will out to be a low-impact rotation guy.

I sure hope I’m wrong but I doubt it.  Social media users like to throw stuff to the wall.  It helps to pass the time.

Forrestt Allday puts every bit of concentration and energy into each at-bat.  This skilled hitter quite simply is not in the business of giving away plate appearances.  He aggravates opposing pitchers, working deep into counts and posts some astonishing On-Base Percentage numbers.  In his two years at Central Arkansas, he ranks as one of the best in the nation in terms of batting average and the aforementioned OBP.  Allday’s stellar hand-eye coordination will be an asset to the organization that selects him in June’s MLB Draft.  A laser-like focused player like Allday takes well to coaching and he is a relentless worker. Here are my notes on Allday prior to watching him play summer ball:

Forrestt Allday Position: OF

B/T: L/L Ht: 5’11 School: Central Arkansas

Wt: 180 Yr: Jr Hometown: Friendswood, TX

During his sophomore year, Forrestt hit. 424 at Alvin Community College and legged out eight doubles, one triple, scored 38 runs, and had 25 RBIs in 46 games. Forrestt was a unanimous selection to the 2011 Region XIV South all-conference team. Forrestt was lauded by his new college coach for his ability to hit both left-handed and right-handed pitching and outstanding defensive range.

I really like Dillon Haupt, a Catcher/Designated Hitter for the University of San Diego.  He is an exceptional young man with a strong work ethic and impressive intangibles.  A pleasant person to be around, he is a social connector who gets along well with a variety of clubhouse personalities.  When he makes contact, he hits to all fields and adds value with his ability to get on base.  I like his swing and he has strong hands.  At 6-foot-5, he has prototypical size and long levers.  Even though he is a senior, he is 21 years old. Here are my notes on him prior to the summer of 2012:

Dillion Haupt Position: C

B/T: R/R Ht: 6’5 School: University of San Diego

Wt: 220 Yr: Jr Hometown: San Diego, CA

While at San Diego Mesa College, Dillon was the 2011 Pacific Coast Conference MVP and signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Toreros. Finished his 2nd year at San Diego Mesa College with a .319 average and led his conference in home runs, RBIs, and slugging percentage. A solid receiver behind the plate, he threw out 14 runners as a sophomore and is a 2009 graduate of Mira Mesa High School. Played basketball and football before devoting himself to baseball and honing his catching craft. Dillon was honored as the West Coast Conference Player of the Month in March of 2012 after hitting .353 for the Toreros. He is the son of Saundra and Steve Haupt.

Ricky Knapp of Florida Gulf Coast is featured on Top Prospects lists as the MLB Draft inches closer and justifiably so.  He is one of the most well-rounded pitching prospects and has established himself as one of the premier hurlers in the Atlantic Sun Conference.  During the summer I watched him pitch, I saw a mature pitcher well-schooled in the art of approaching and setting up opposing hitters. His father is Rick Knapp, the former Minnesota Twins minor league pitching coordinator who was vital to the successes of star pitchers like Johan Santana and Brad Radke.  There is a lot to like about Knapp and I was impressed by his demeanor and strong mental makeup.  Here are my notes about Knapp prior to seeing him pitch in the summer of 2011.

Ricky Knapp    Position: RHP

B/T:  R/R    Ht:6’1”    School:  Florida Gulf Coast

Wt:  190     Yr: FR    Hometown:  Port Charlotte, FL

Ricky is a civil engineering major.  Drafted in the 44th round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers, where his father Rick (former minor league pitching coordinator for the Minnesota Twins) is the team’s pitching coach.  His mother is Sharon and he has an older sister named Leah.  At Port Charlotte High School, Ricky recorded 169 strikeouts over a two-year span prior to signing with the Eagles.

It is cool that I had the opportunity to watch Stephen F. Austin stud Hunter Dozier play last year.  He recently made Keith Law’s Top 100 prospect list on espn insider.  Before I saw him play in 2012, I took some notes on him for a job-here they are;

Hunter Dozier Position: INF

B/T: R/R Ht: 6’4 School: Stephen F. Austin

Wt: 210 Yr: So Hometown: Denton, TX

Hunter was named Southland Conference Athlete of the Week on April 25, 2011. Developed a stellar hitting reputation in the Southland Conference as a freshman, hitting .315 while posting a slugging percentage of .467. Followed his successful freshman campaign by being named as a Top 10 prospect in a Southern summer baseball league by Baseball America. Hunter is a 2010 graduate of Denton High School and is currently a Kinesiology major at Stephen F. Austin.

San Antonio Spurs Point Guard Tony Parker is still going strong, hitting big shots for a savvy and high-functioning contender.  He is fun to watch and really fits in well alongside the other strong bedrocks on the Spurs, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili.  Note: this is the Spurs point guard, not the underachiever UCLA big man Tony Parker who wondered aloud about transferring mere moments after his UCLA squad delivered an uninspiring performance against the Gophers in the NCAA second round.

Parker has a pretty sweet jump shot and a much better life than I.  I will never know what it is like to be an Olympian, an NBA Finals winner, or to have the special experience of having dinner with Eva Longoria. Game and life-changing experiences, each and every one. Sigh.

His mid-range jump shot is pretty but not as exquisite as Eva Longoria, his ex.

The best attribute I can give Parker and his Spurs is quite basic yet profound; stability.  It is a rare status to attain and like most things in this, it is impossible to describe.  But when others have it, I see, value it, and admire it.

He is the second-best foreign point guard on my all-time best list (Canadian Steve Nash is tops) but he is tremendous and like Nash, somewhat undervalued as a NBA prospect in their early 20’s.  They both see things develop and know where to go on the court to make themselves and ultimately their squads successful.

November 5, 2008, the day after a historic election and that evening, I saw the Timberwolves play the Spurs from the fourth row.  By far, they were the best seats I ever had in my life.  Even better, they were free.  Not so good? Watching Parker cut the Wolves off at the knees, scoring 55 points in a double overtime win.  The Spurs at that time were off to a strange slow start, prompting overzealous media outlets to question whether the Spurs were about to take a massive jump off a cliff.  They rebounded to win 50 plus games, ho-hum.  I knew watching that game that the Spurs were going to be winners at the end of the day and season and that the Wolves would be on the opposite end of the spectrum.  We all knew it that night; this game was an interesting 55-point footnote on the inevitable journey of both teams that season.

The 1999 Alexander Payne-directed comedy Election is a triumph, dealing with a variety of controversial topics as one high school in the Midwest inches closes to a decisive student government election.

Teenage movies in the late 90′s were plentiful but not always memorable.  Some were garden variety but Election stands apart because it is bold, honest, and does not focus on one domineering narrative point.  We learn about the unique characters as the events unfold-who they are and why they do the things that they do with the backdrop of high school politics.

Superb acting performances enrich this emotional and thoughtful film, from the seemingly well-liked Mr. McAllister character played by Matthew Broderick (and his fall from grace) to the perky overachiever Tracy Flick played wonderfully by Reese Witherspoon.   Also, featured is a quality performance by a relative unknown at the time Chris Klein, who plays Paul, one of Tracy’s opponents in the student election.  He plays a lovable oaf who certainly means well and with the encouragement of Mr. Mccallister, is giving student politics a go of it after injuring his knee.  All three give unique depictions that show us so much.  If the performances were less credible or thoughtful, these roles would merely be stock characters, robbing us of such a special and superb film.  In too many movies, voiceovers can come off as preachy or arrogant but in Election, the voice overs give us insights obviously into their own motives and insecurities.

High School isn’t always bliss.  For some, it can be quite shocking and humbling.  When I first saw Election, I had my whole life in front of me.  Since I saw it a few weeks ago, I have been somewhat less enthused about my future.  Ok, maybe more than somewhat. But, the messages from that I gleaned from Election more than a decade ago are still clear to me now; people are people and we just want to know that we matter to others and our efforts are not marginalized.  The feelings from high school like isolation only intensify and the bullies from the real world are the same from high school, only fifty pounds or so heavier.  The relationships in Election are strong one day and obliterated by one person the next.  The end of a relationship is never poetic, I certainly don’t feel stronger for it and I probably never will.  The characters in Election face rejection too and this smart film deals with the aftermath and what comes next.  The characters may feel sad, but they have another chance to grow.

Reese Witherspoon was just awesome in Election.  When actors like Mel Gibson or Lindsay Lohan mess up, we as film lovers usually reflect on that star’s career and their highs and lows.  It certainly isn’t malicious.  Although she won an Academy Award for her role as June Carter in Walk the Line, Election is my favorite Resse Witherspoon film, hands down.  She immerses herself into this character of Tracy Flick, an ambitious yet flawed heroine who dutifully drives policies and spearheads school wide efforts. However by the portrait of her, it is admitted that she has hardly any friends and her improper relationship with a teacher is a subplot to the story, but by no means is it the primary device.  Each main character in this well-executed classic has the chance to share their talents and flaws.

My favorite musical composition is from Mozart.  “Lacrimosa” is absolutely incredible, a powerful piece that I first listened to as an elementary student.  During music class, we watched the spectacular film “Amadeus” on a sunny, opulent Thursday afternoon.  Its powerful subtext, elegant arrangement, and overpowering harmonies evoke the same amazing awakening that I felt so many years ago.  It was the first piece that obiliterated those silly, small-town notions about classical music being for “squares” and it changed the way I interpreted all genres of music.  This tour-de-force of raw human emotion is the perfect accompanying piece to any activity that demands laser-like focus and concentration and sometimes, it helps break up the repetitive feeling of isolation. Although it sounds absolutely divine with a pair of Beats headphones, this amazing gift will be conveyed through any auditorial vessel. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoR4jeB6OI0