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Neither of us is going to convince the other guy here, so all I can say is, as little as it matters to me personally, if the candidate coming out of the Democratic convention is not white and/or not a man and/or not cis and/or not “Christian”, my concern is that it will lose them enough votes on the margins to cost them the election. And given how the middle ground of thinking on issues of identification is likely to shift between now and 2028, that marginal loss of votes may be even more likely than it was in 2024 or 2016.

That was 2008 and 2012. This is 2025. Things definitely change in 13 years. Just look at the difference between 1958 and 1971. Also, Hillary was nine years ago. The difference between 1962 and 1971 may also apply here.

We just finished seeing Adolescence and I can see why people might think this is an odd show, and also, why the tomatometer laps the popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes. We as TV viewers are generally conditioned to approach shows like this as a whodunit, and this show upends those expectations. Even toward the end of the second episode, we were still speculating that the murderer might end up being someone else. But that’s not the point of the show at all. The point is to examine the effect of social media, toxic masculinity (or as they say on the show, the “manosphere”), bullying, and the rise of incel culture on society as it relates to teens and the adults around them. They even name-checked Andrew Tate during the show. It was not a black and white show. Nobody was 100% bad or 100% good, not even the angel-faced victim, which some might even find offensive and maybe even victim-blamey. Adolescence was as nuanced an examination of issues along these lines as I have ever seen. But then, I love that kind of show because it tries to get at what makes someone or something tick rather than, again, whodunit. And you’re right about the end. I started getting really verklempt during it.

Right—Miggy may never have had to examine why he is such a great hitter. He just did it. Teddy Ballgame might be the exception when it comes to that principle.

We are also still (back?) at the point where no one but a (1) white (2) cis (3) “Christian” (4) man is electable as president. Anyone the Democrats put up who doesn’t satisfy all four of these attributes will lost critical votes on the margin. It’s not the way it should be, but I believe there’s a good chance that’s the way it is now, and in 2028 (assuming free and fair elections).

Not only that, but **** anyone who tries to tell him what he can and cannot do, know what I mean?

This Natalie Kerwin really isn’t very good at talking baseball, is she? How did she get the job, anyway? Oh …

Aw, tough loss. But hey, taking three out of four from a key division rival is a big win here.

It would be a huge loss because it seems like every IL trip these days is four or six weeks out.

Riley made a good effort on the throw home, but it was just impossible because he was just too deep.

OK, well, maybe not this inning …

Bottom of the ninth now—time to walk it off!

Now this is the kind of high leverage situation I’ve long thought Tyler Holton was cut out for.

Maybe it’s not Zacharias … ?

What Zach giveth, Javy taketh away.

It is true they give Trump thanks when good things happen, and when bad things happen, it’s simply Trump’s will.

This makes sense. I’ll co-sign onto this. Maybe the Christian right is simply confused that he’s offering up Easter greeting to the enemy anyway. They’re not real big on sarcasm or nuance or intelligence, after all.

Or—and I’m just spitballing here—Zach might have unlocked something? I notice his BABIP is .326, which is not that out there and unsustainable. He’s not going to hit .300, but if he can keep his walk rate well into the double digit percents, he’s going to continue to see pitchers have to come in to get strikes and give him something to hit.

Well, that Riley 3-2-3 DP sucked. But we do have the lead. Gotta hold it now!

All-Star Zach again with the steak!

And the game is tied, thanks to 2025 All-Star Zach McKinstry!

Skubal’s was close to a quality start. We have time to cover the deficit here. And the Sweeney base hit to start the fifth might be the good start we need. EDIT: oops that was Colt Keith with the leadoff single, wasn’t it? But Sweeney followed up with his own base hit and now runners on first and third with no out in the fifth.

Kerry Carpenter caught that foul fly near the stands for the second out. I wonder whether it would’ve been OK for him to just toss the ball into the stands to a kid? After all, nobody was on base to keep close, and they were going to use a new ball on the next hitter anyway.

Wouldn’t it be the most baseball thing to go into the fourth game of a series gunning for a sweep with your Cy Young winner on the mound and then he gets run off the mound in the second or third inning after giving up something like seven runs? #jinx

Speaking of which, an accurate throw is what McKinstry made to get the runner at third on that second base hit, except Javy flubbed it.