My World Google-style

Changing the subject from Cardinals to online for a moment, I have to talk about what Google is doing to my life. A few years ago, I looked into google with their IPO. I was fortunate to be able to buy in shortly after the IPO at about $119 a share. This was with the investment group, but none-the-less I had my first connection to google. Well, that is not considering all of the searches that I was using google for on the web.

I have become more and more aware of what google is doing, and I have to say, I like how they are improving my life. First, I added Gmail to my list of email accounts. I had used a yahoo account some, but as most of you know, I have an sbcglobal account too. Not even sure how I got that one, but it does a fine job of displaying my spam. Gmail allowed me to bring in my sbc account and link it to my google account - pretty cool! Then, more over, I could read all of my emails as a thread - so every conversation was together. Not bad...I was in.

Next thing I bought into (well, it was free) was the google calendar. I have to say, this has been the best technology that Misty and I have shared. We both upload our calendars and share what we want with eachother. "Do we have plans on Friday night" is not uttered, all we have to do is go to the calendar online and see for ourselves. WOW, has it made planning anything easier. Now I was buying into the franchise. I next took a look at this new voice mail system that google bought where I could get one free phone number and I could set it up to ring any or all of my phones. Cool I thought, but without texting capabilities it was lacking for my purposes. That voice mail system has been completely converted to google voice now and you will each see a new number from me soon. This number will allow me to pick up at home/work/on the road, where ever I want. So, all you need to know is one number...all I have to give out is one number. And best yet, I can screen calls just like the old days with an answering machine. So, if I don't want to hear from people I don't know their number...I can send them straight to voice mail and the voice mail system can text me a transcript of the voicemail.

I could go on, but this is not a commercial for google, they don't need it. It is just sharing how some new technology out there by this one company can help you organize your life. One spot online for me to see my calendar, my emails and now my voice and text messages...oh yeah...and this blog.

That number...314-714-5190. Once I get your number in the system be ready - I can even leave personalized outgoing messages.

softball downtown

so a response from Jimmy is to blame for this installment. Jimmy has sent out this comment to both me and our beaver team "I don't know what to think about the softball field going up at ballpark village, it is either the best idea or the worst idea ever". Let me take a stab at it Jimmy.

If those are my two options, I am going to have to go with best idea ever. It is a cheap way to dress up a vacant lot - and it will look like it is supposed to be there. Many other teams have created softball/little leage/wiffle ball fields where their old stadium once sat. I think of Milwaukee for instance, there is a field on the old location of County Stadium. We are going to have national media coverage of Busch stadium for the first half of the season, and this will dress up the goodyear blimp shots a little.

Would we rather there be a village on this location? Of course! Let's be honest, no one is giving out loans right now so if this village were to be built on the dollars that Missourians have paid in taxes, there would be few residents - both businesses and people. So...we can build a village that will not make money or we can make something somewhat productive out of the land temporarily and let people enjoy it.

Personally I think it would be fun to play a softball game downtown under the shadow of Busch. You bet that I will call to find out rates and times that are available. I can't beleive for a second that the owners of the Cardinals are trying to stick it to St. Louis fans by not building the Village. These are business owners that know that building this would not work now. These are the times that we live in, give them the benefit of the doubt and then step up and take you swings at the location of old Busch's homeplate.

Cards Showing Us Reason For Hope

OK, it is only March 20 - so we still have 10 days or so left of spring training, but what I have seen this spring so far is encouraging. Outside of the shotty defense that comes with sticking 2 outfielders on the infield, this team has really impressive down in Florida. Daily I look at the box scores and see impressive numbers being put up. Yes, this is not the same as watching how a guy is swinging the bat or how a pitcher's breaking ball is breaking, but it is getting results all the same.

You look up and down the line up and there are guys hitting .300+. RBI are spread out over the entire line up and an occasional long ball scattered into the mix. If the birds can keep "seeing it & hitting it" the way they have been, this could be a fun team to watch.

On the other side of the white lines, our pitching has stepped it up too. Can Carp be for real? 14 straight scoreless innings! Again, some against minor leaguers - but these kids are fighting for jobs just like ours are. These are not freebie at bats. Piniero seems to be pitching with a chip on his shoulder and dare I say that Wellemeyer may make it a habit to find the 6th inning this year.

All in all, after 3 weeks of spring training, I am looking forward to the season. My buddy, Gee, just posted some 4th row tickets for sale, I may have to look into these and have a closer look at these guys this summer.

Thanks for reading.