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Born with a comic book in one hand and a remote control in the other, Cory DLG is the talent of Conroe's very own Nerd Thug Radio, Sports and Wrestling. Check out the podcast replay of the FM radio show at www.nerdthugradio.com!
Hey Nerds!
The week keeps rolling and we love it, right folks? Ok so Wednesdays are like the slow part of a roller coaster, probably required by the insurers to make sure the riders don't hurl everywhere, but hey it's almost Friday!
GOOD DEED OF THE DAY
With the recent news that the new proposed federal budget cuts $51 million dollars in funding from The Special Olympics, sometimes you have to wonder who's on the side of angels these days. Well one group that definitely resides with the good guys is The Arc of Greater Houston. They've been doing this for a while, helping both people and the families of people with disabilities, everything from helping them apply for SSA and solve the various needs and issues that come up from having this uncertainty in your future. That being said, these good guys are looking for your help, they're looking for volunteers to help their children's booth at this weekends Bayou City Art Festival. Check it out.
I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS
So regularly on Nerd Thug Radio (the show I co-host with Joey Savage and Nico) I regularly bring attention to topics and stories before they break nationwide, I usually find interesting things to talk about and what do you know? I have good tastes. This is another great example, just yesterday in my blog I was talking about how I love these paranormal things and I'm obsessed with any of these ghost shows and I'm always into it, if you have something paranormal on tape, I'm in. Which the news agency WXYZ in Michigan does in fact have, something crazily paranormal on tape, the story is going crazy and you should check this clip out.
IT CAME FROM THE HALF PRICE BOOK STORE
It can be expensive to be a nerd, some might think this goes without saying but unfortunately it just didn't and it will be said again and again and again. Everything from the tabletop games to the video games to the comic book collections to the cool statues, to the books, nothing is free and very little is ever cheap. But there's a secret weapon, used book stores. Man, these places are a treasure trove of great finds and fun new series to get into, so today I got a recommendation for you. There's a prolific writer that almost certainly has a shelf in every half price book store in America because she wrote some of the most prolific series in a young nerd's life, Anne McCaffrey. She wrote several series The Dragon Riders of Pern, The Tower and The Hive, The Freedom Series, Dinosaur Planet and early in her career she co-wrote a Planet Pirates series, later on her son joined her and wrote several more books in the Pern series himself. These are all really great reads, the last book in the Freedom series wasn't great but the other series are all great and the books before the last book in the Freedom series is also great. Seriously, check her out.
A WHAT SHOW?!
So I've always been fascinated by a burlesque show, the singing, peek a boo, vintage bombshell thing seems like good entertainment. I've only seen one and it was a long time ago but it was a lot of fun and honestly I kind of really want to get back to one, and guess what? This Friday at Numbers Dem Damn Dames Burlesque will be performing and the theme is Video Games vs Saturday Morning Cartoons, how can we the viewing public lose? I submit we CAN NOT! Also, you know, click on those links at your own discretion, it's a burlesque show not actual cartoons and video games. Yowza.
DO YOU LIKE BEER? I LIKE BEER, LET'S BUY A BREWERY!
If you have a couple million dollars lying around, and these days who doesn't? You too can be the proud owner of your own brewery. What's that? You don't want to build your own? You don't want to leave Houston? You wouldn't even know how to set one up? Oh, there's great news, there's one right here in the Heights that is built out, all the equipment in place, and literally is looking to turn key sell. Yeah but businesses only sell when they are failures someone dumb will probably mutter, well that's just wrong. You see, Houston Cider Co is having an amazing run and business has been SO GREAT that they're honestly looking to sell their existing building, gear and all because they're moving into a much larger facility. The building alone is asking for $1 million bucks, so with the gear and essentially a ready made manufacturing process installed right there at your disposal it's probably going to take a pretty penny to get into the building as is. But if you do buy it as is, well, you'll be well on your way to owning the skeleton of a very successful step one of a brewery, may I suggest GeekBrew? Just a thought.
SUPPORTING ARTIST IN GENERAL
No fun text convo today, today I want to reach out to each and every one of you readers out there. Every day you guys watch Netflix, read books, consume content, watch movies, television, radio shows, blogs and all kinds of things that people work really hard to produce for you guys day in and out. The reason I share kickstarters, indiegogos, share local artists and have my links in the bottom of the column is because it is hard for creators to create. There are bills to pay and lights to keep on, and we all have our own networks to tap and people to lean on but long gone are the days of wealthy patrons collecting artists like trading cards (which by the way helped spark The Renaissance) but those people alone are never enough to push things to the next level, so just reach out to your friends and families who are creating and remember sometimes they just need a little help.
I'm going to jump out and wish you guys a great Wednesday and remind everyone to be kind to each other and try a little harder to have a great day! I'm coming back tomorrow and we'll be bringing more good times your way. Feel free to check out my digital short story The Wilson House, or buy a shirt from Side Hustle Ts where every shirt is now under $20 or listen to Nerd Thug Radio. Thoughts, complaints, events and comments can be sent to corydlg@gmail.com.
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So where does one turn now in Houston for mediocre, overpriced salsa? I kid, I kid. While wondering if Breggy Baked Beans are on the horizon. Congrats to Alex Bregman and agent Scott Boras for landing an on its face outlandish three-year 120-million dollar contract with the Boston Red Sox. With deferred money part of the deal the contract will be valuated in the neighborhood of “only” three years 90 million. Would Bregman have taken that from the Astros if offered? The Astros’ six-year 156-million dollar proposal was 26 mil per season. Bregman has the right to opt out after each of the first two seasons of his BoSox deal. If his decline (while still a very good player) of the last two seasons continues, or even if he holds steady, there is near zero chance of Bregman opting out unless he hates life in New England. At the end of the three years, will Bregman be able to land a three-year 66 million-dollar deal when he’s about to turn 34 years old? That plus the 90 mil with deferrals accounted for in his new deal would total 156 million. Massachusetts taxes personal income of just over a million dollars and upward at a nine percent rate. Playing half his games in the Bay State, Bregman will pay Massachusetts tax on half his salary.
Reminders...
Bregman obviously had an excellent Astros’ career, among non-pitchers he is top 10 all-time, but the excellence was frontloaded. Over Bregman’s first three big seasons he compiled a .289 batting average and .924 OPS. Elite numbers. Over the five seasons since: .261 and .795. Good, nothing legendary. After his monster MVP runner-up 2019 season (stats aided by the juiced balls of that season) Bregman was on a strong early Hall of Fame track. Now not so much, without some offensive resurgence. Fenway Park should suit Bregman well. He’ll bang singles and doubles off of the Green Monster, though the much higher than Crawford Boxes wall will not goose his home run numbers. In his time with the Astros Bregman mashed at Fenway with a .375 batting average and 1.240 OPS. That’s in a statistically not very significant 98 regular season plate appearances.
It is myth that Bregman in the postseason was some relentless hitting machine. He posted phenomenal numbers over seven Division Series batting .333 with an OPS over 1.000. Over 68 American League Championship Series and World Series games: batting average .196, OPS sub-.700.
For his career, Bregman’s worst month of performance by far has been April (plus any days in March, .737 OPS). In 2024 Bregman was baseball garbage into mid-May. Should a typical slow start happen again, we’ll see what the Fenway faithful patience level is. By far, Bregman’s best batting month has been August (.992 OPS). As it works out, both Astros-Red Sox series are in August this year. First in Boston August 1-3 then in Houston August 11-13.
Who's on third?
Over the last two seasons combined, new Astros’ third baseman Isaac Paredes has been as good offensively as Bregman. That includes Paredes pretty much stinking for two months in Chicago after being dealt from the Rays to the Cubs. Paredes, who turns 26 years old on Tuesday, was an AL All-Star last season. Bregman, who turns 31 March 30, was last an All-Star in 2019. The defensive drop-off from Bregman to Paredes is a fairly steep one.
There is no question that Bregman’s official departure weakens the Astros via a domino effect. Had Bregman wound up staying here, Paredes would have shifted to second base with Jose Altuve primarily in left field. Now, 600-plus plate appearances that Bregman would have taken project to be divided among Mauricio Dubon, Ben Gamel, Zach Dezenzo, and others. That projects as a substantial offensive downgrade. The lineup net result of the Astros’ offseason is negative. Christian Walker and Paredes joining the infield in lieu of Jon Singleton and Bregman is fine. Kyle Tucker out, hodge-podge in in the outfield, oh boy.
Alex Bregman is an unquestioned gamer, leader, and would seem to have the temperament to take well to the more intense baseball environment of Boston relative to that in Houston. Yankee fans should reeeeally love him now!
New beginnings
Considering baseball wasn’t invented until more than a century later, the poet Alexander Pope did not have baseball in mind when in 1732 he wrote “Hope springs eternal (in the human breast).” It works though. Other than the Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies, Major League teams have convened in Florida or Arizona thinking if things break right this could be their year! I’d probably put the Miami Marlins in with the ChiSox and Rockies. Many Astros’ fans are strongly disgruntled over the departures of Bregman and Kyle Tucker. This team still has “gruntlement” potential. The batting order appears Morganna-level (Google as necessary) top heavy, but one through five stacks well versus most other lineups. In the American League only the Mariners, Yankees, and maybe Royals have starting pitching rotations that should rate above the Astros’ rotation. Let the countdown to Opening Day begin!
Spring training is up and running. Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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