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I must make a confession. I have gotten totally hooked on these cooking contest shows on the food network: Iron Chef America, The Next Iron Chef and Chopped. There is also a show on Bravo, Top Chef, that I watch, but not as consistantly. The Next Iron Chef and Chopped, especially, really are just horrilble, in that the contestants are a little desperate, and totally willing to stab their fellow contestants in the back, or just straight in the heart for a small advantage.

Up until these shows came into my field of vision, I prided myself, somewhat snobbishly, on the fact that I never have watched reality television. Eight thousand Survivor seasons, American Idol, the dancing shows, the Bachelor, Girl Bachelor, Loser Bachelor, The Apprentice, all these shows were just way beneath my interest level. They bring out the worst in people, and the contestants who show themselves to be the biggest asses, the worst people, seem to be the most celebrated.

Then I got hooked on Iron Chef, which is ok--it makes me feel like I, too, could make five dishes out of King Crab toenails. And, the chefs seem to have some respect for one another. After that, I discovered Chopped, which is way harder than Iron Chef, and waayyyy more interesting. The contestants actively smirk when their competition messes up, and they do these interviews where the chefs all bag on each other in between rounds. I lap this stuff up, to the point of being mildly ashamed.

The point, and I do have one, is this: Would a reality competition about baseball work? Would anyone watch it? The setup I'm thinking about would be pretty dismal, and would likely show the contestants to be on the pathetic side....which is kind of why I think it could work.

Here's what I see: the contestants would be guys who either didn't get drafted and would normally go to independant league ball or to used car dealer school, or guys who were stuck in triple A so long that they have been forgotten. The prize would be to start in ten games for whatever team they could bribe into participating...probably a cash poor team (you know who you are!).

Each week they would have contests that the players would have to accomplish and be judged on. One week each player could coach a little league team on fundamentals, one week they could have a homerun contest, one week they could each have a one-armed guy who they had to teach to hit, one week they could have to hand sew regulation baseballs. Interspersed throughout would be actual stuff having to do with actual baseball ability. There are literally endless numbers of demeaning, pointless tasks these contestants could be judged on. The weekly elimination could involve having a mascot shoot the loser with one of those hotdog guns.

I am going to say it first: This is an absolutely horrible idea. However, I think people would watch. Here's a chance for the average out of shape couch potato to see real athletes, with real abilities, put through the ringer and (hopefully) humiliated. You would get to see dreams made, but also dreams dashed. I always thought I was above liking that type of entertainment, and I'd like to think I would not watch, but I admit....my favorite episodes of my cooking shows is when there is a huge blunder or ego meltdown....I think we are all a little closer than we would like to admit to the whole 'let's go watch the lions eat the Christians' mindset.

So...what do you think? Would you watch this show? We could call it Iron Baseball Idol Survivor Apprentice. It could be hosted by one of the Kardashian sisters. If you would never lower yourself to watch such a thing, do you think anyone else would?

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JERI's Update...mostly off-topic

by mssickels on Nov 5, 2009 11:37 PM EST Comment 9 comments

OK. So it is after 10, and I'm just now getting the opportunity to sit down and type. John is in Pheonix, and has already attended a game. He sounds very happy to be there. He wanted me to tell you that he's going to try and get some good video to post for you from the games.

When John takes these trips it is always a reality check for me. We are so fortunate to be able to both be at home, so even if he is busy, if I need help with a child, or a dog needs walking, spider needs squishing, or if I have a bad night of sleep and want to stay in bed for an extra hour, he's there to help out, just like I help him with the same type of stuff. Just being able to share the day to day chores, the day to day fun, and knowing that help (and adult conversation!) is within calling distance is such a gift.

I always wonder how the heck single parents manage to keep everything going day after day. Just trying to get the dogs walked with the four year old 'helping' is enough to make me scream...not to mention doing all the kid stuff, without a break, having one kid sick, one kid with some kind of freaky insomnia from Hell...I know that in less than a week, I'll be part of a duo again, and that it won't just be me. I also know, usually after about day two of a scouting trip, why I'm not a single parent. I'm too darn wimpy.

So, there's no question of the day today, since it's so late. However, I would like to express a huge, sincere amount of awe for all the single parents of the world who manage to get it all done, and not just for a week at a time, but every day.

G'night.

PS. Once again, the picture has nothing to do with anything. It is out cat, Spock, from when he was just a few months old.

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JERI's Update, and Question of the Day

by mssickels on Nov 4, 2009 11:45 AM EST in News Comment 33 comments

Greetings! It's been a while since I've posted anything for John. He's driving through New Mexico, and has assured me that he will NOT turn left at Albuquerque (rim shot!).

Just a few updates in this post. First, and most importantly, we have the order site, www.johnsickels.net, set up for the BPB2010. Yes, it still looks like the work of a drunken monkey, and yes, I would be that monkey. However, the links work, and I'm hoping that it is pretty simple to use. The older PDF files and assorted hard copies we have available of past editions are posted on the second tab (on the left side of the site). I have reached a certain level of acceptance concerning my lack of artistic ability involving, well, pretty much everything.

Our older son has strep throat...he awoke Sunday morning, after an evening of trick or treating with two other families, with a fever of 103, and a really sore throat. We got the culture, and after the first dose of antibiotics on Sunday, he was already feeling much better.

So far, John, Jackson (the four year old) and I seem to be clear, as are our friends. Is it just our circle of friends, or do you guys notice that someone always seems to get sick 12 hours after a get together, so that both families have to be at red alert for a few days waiting to see who else will get the sickness spores.

NOW, for Jeri's Question of the Day...(Not a huge, groundbreaking question, I'm just really curious to see what you think...)

I'm guessing a fair percentage of you are watching the series. Does it diminish the fun/importance of the series since both teams are from the same geographical area? How much, if any amount, do you think MLB loses in merchandising and advertising revenue when there is a local series? Or, am I just a shallow fan for thinking it's a bit boring when the teams are neighbors?

Catch you later!

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Heading To Arizona

by John Sickels on Nov 2, 2009 9:41 PM EST Comment 3 comments

We'll I'm leaving at 6 am tomorrow for Arizona. First destination target: Amarillo, TX, tomorrow evening.

Jeri will keep you entertained while I'm on the road, and I'll chime in once I get there.

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Next Team Poll

by John Sickels on Nov 1, 2009 11:00 AM EST Comment 11 comments

After I do the Nationals and Angels, I'll switch to a National League West team. I thought about doing the Diamondbacks or Rockies just to be contrary, but most of you seem interested in either the Giants or Padres. I'll do a poll on this one.

Note that my Arizona trip is going to slow down the writing considerably, and it won't accelerate again until about November 15th or so. After that things will pick up quickly as i incorporate Arizona Fall League data and get into the proper writing frame of mind.

Poll

What team should John write up after he does the Nationals and Angels?

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Los Angeles Angels Farm System Discussion

by John Sickels on Oct 31, 2009 3:11 PM EDT Comment 34 comments

I'm now working on the Washington Nationals. The next team in the queue is the Los Angeles Angels, so use this thread to discuss the Angels farm system.

I'm driving to Arizona this week to take in some Fall League games and take part in the Baseball HQ First Pitch Arizona Fall League Forum.

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Top 20 Kansas City Royals Prospects for 2010

by John Sickels on Oct 30, 2009 11:05 PM EDT Comment 47 comments

More photos » by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

Kansas City Royals first baseman Billy Butler, 2004 First Round Draft Pick (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Browse more photos »

Top 20 Kansas City Royals Prospects for 2010.

All grades are EXTREMELY PRELIMINARY and subject to change. Don't get too worried about exact rankings at this point, especially once you get beyond the Top 10. Grade C+/C guys are pretty interchangeable depending on what you want to emphasize.

Feel free to critique the list, but use logic and reason rather than polemics to do so. The list and grades are based on a blending of present performance and long-term potential. Full reports on all these players can be found in the 2010 Baseball Prospect Book.

Continue reading this post »

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Update

by John Sickels on Oct 29, 2009 10:57 AM EDT Comment 11 comments

I'm working on the Royals and hope to have them done tonight or tomorrow. The next team after that is the Nationals, followed by the Los Angeles Angels. Note that I try to keep things balanced geographically as I work through the teams. When the Royals and Nationals are done, that will give us two central teams and two eastern teams finished, so it will be time to fill in some western clubs. After the Angels I'll do either the Padres or the Giants...I'll probably put up a poll to help me decide.

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