TheChestbump.com

Matt, Nick and I are gearing up for this year’s BIKE NY tour this Sunday, May 4.  Matt and I are really excited and Nick has been asking “how many days ’til Bike NY” for 3 weeks now so I gather he’s riled up for it as well.

I was in Dave’s Cycle in Cos Cob, (Greenwich) CT about a month and a half ago when a pamphlet for Bike NY stood out.  I’m pumped about the city closing down roads for traffic-free cruising and enjoying Central Park in the height of Spring while Matt is really looking forward to riding along the East River and the spectacular sights while riding up and down the Verrazano-Narrows bridge into Staten Island.  But who are we kidding - being the amateur riders that we are, we were both drawn mainly because NYC is flat as hell and our [mildly] out of shape physiques could more than handle the 42 mile tour. 

We’ll take the train in, bikes in hand, to GCT and then ride 4 miles to Battery Park for the starting line with 40,000 other riders.  After finishing the tour, we’ll ride 3 last miles to the Staten Island Ferry to bring us back to Manhattan so we can ride back to GCT.  By late afternoon, Matt and Nick’s Giants (http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/) and my Diamondback (http://www.diamondback.com/) will have clocked over 50 miles.  (I’m a little nervous after just seeing myself type that.)

So if you’re in the area, head over to FDR Drive to catch us in action, or check back when Matt posts pictures of our ride.  To see what we’re getting ourselves into, you can look at pictures from last year’s tour at <http://www.bikenewyork.org/rides/fbbt/photo_gallery.html>  Good luck to us and the other riders!

“I think here or Toledo would be the same. I just need to get another day of at-bats,” Granderson said. “Timing-wise at the plate, the results weren’t necessarily the best (last night), but the lefty (Beloit’s Michael Tarsi) had good stuff going.” - Curtis Granderson

Google adsense is a cool product, but not when it does this on your website. This is a blog for my family and friends…

Thanks Google

Mike Tarsi seemed to be back on top of his game tonight as he pitched 8 innings against the whitecaps allowing only 2 unearned runs. Tarsi had been in a funk his first couple starts and with this game should drop his astronomical 16 era down to around 8. Great job tars.

Tonight happened to be a rehab game for Detroit Tigers star center fielder Curtis Granderson. Granderson led off the bottom of the first with a strikeout. I can’t tell you how proud that makes me as an older brother to see my little brother strike out an accomplished major league player still in his prime twice. The only runs of the game came in the 3rd inning on a strange set of plays. There was a single and an error at second when the runner slid into the shortstop causing him to drop the ball. Granderson who wouldn’t have gotten to bat with a runner in scoring position hit a triple past the first basemen. The next batter hit a sac fly to center to score granderson to make it a 2-0 game.

Granderson wound up 1 for 4 with a triple and 2 strike outs.

Mike Tarsi finished up the game from that point on retiring 17 out of the next 19 batters. Tarsi’s velocity was on point tonight. While his fastball topped out around 90, he was spot on with his offspeed stuff. At one point he threw a 63mph changeup… that is a difference of 27mph! I want to be the first to congratulate him on an excellent pitching effort.

Sometimes even the flight of an angel hits turbulence. ~Astrid Alauda

MJT

I attended the New York International Auto Show a few weeks ago with Amanda, Justin and Danielle, Marsh and Maggie.  It was a good time as usual.  I’m not sure if it is quite as fun as it used to be, but the cars are still cool.  Maybe it will be more fun when I can buy one of the cool cars i see (cough ZR1 cough)

Check out the images in my NYAS 08′ gallery here:

Justin, if you don’t like my pictures… Eat me.

This has to be one of the coolest things I have seen in a while.

You know you love it!

Watch the video here:

http://www.zootoo.com/zootootv/v/shelter04daws2

Check out the Daws Profile here:

http://www.zootoo.com/shelters/zip06801_danburyanimalwelfaresociety2

Super Dog made an appearance at the Danbury Animal Welfare Society this morning to support the shelter in an attempt to sway the president of ZooToo into picking the best shelter on the list for the shelter makeover contest over at zootoo.com.  The turnout was impressive and so were the free MINI cupcakes.

Very cool video.

The 2008 MLB season has started and with that comes MiLB. The Beloit Snappers are starting their season tonight against the Kane County Cougars. No word yet on when Mike is pitching(maybe he can help me out) but good luck to Beloit this year none the less. We miss you out here Tars, but best of luck out there.

If you haven’t seen, Taylor’s Twins Talk has done a roster preview of the SNappers in which Mike is mentioned as a starting pitcher.

Just as a round up, Mike is up against his stats of a 2.22 ERA in 52.2 innings with a 59-13 K-BB ratio. Very excited to see how his hard work has paid off. After living with him over the off-season I can really appreciate his work ethic that I was never able to fully see while he was at UCONN.

Make sure to check out the Beloit Snappers website.

The first of April, some do say,
Is set apart for All Fools’ Day.
But why the people call it so,
Nor I, nor they themselves do know.
But on this day are people sent
On purpose for pure merriment.
– Poor Robin’s Almanac (1790)