tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55131702012-02-07T00:13:08.727-06:00Random Thoughts, Occassionally Posted, Poorly OrganizedRon Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.comBlogger4141100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-28278325860944612852009-11-24T13:33:00.002-06:002009-11-24T13:40:09.755-06:00

I started taking guitar lessons when I was a kid. I don’t recall exactly how old I was, perhaps it was when I was in the 6th grade, maybe around 10 or 12 years old. The lessons were in my teacher’s home – his name was Bill - and we closely followed the Alfred guitar books. I do remember that Bill liked to brag about how well I was doing to my mom when she came to pick me up.But Bill could only

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290309449953015058noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-30278443003396984032009-11-18T16:24:00.000-06:002009-11-18T16:24:05.579-06:00

I will write a more detailed review of this book in the near future, but for now just know that this book is amazing. It's helped me finally begin to understand guitar theory so now I know why those songs work the way they do. Mr. Serna is a great teacher!Learn Guitar Theory - scales, chords, progressions, modes and more on the fretboard. Music theory for guitar.

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290309449953015058noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-92186227330837252792009-05-13T21:23:00.001-05:002009-05-13T21:24:42.029-05:00

On Tuesday night at Knucklehead’s Saloon, Roger Clyne literally became a Peacemaker.Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers made their first appearance in KC with new lead guitarist Jim Dalton Tuesday night, to the delight of a sparse crowd on the outdoor stage. The rain threatened throughout the 2 hour show, but never materialized.In the 90’s Clyne was the front man for the Arizona-based band, the

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-588427394463691342008-09-09T15:05:00.003-05:002008-09-09T15:19:39.900-05:00

There have been some interesting developments in the digital music player market this week. First, Microsoft trumped Steve Jobs by announcing some updates to its Zune device and software. Then today, Apple announced the updates to the iPod and iTunes products.Before we consider this week’s developments, let’s review the long and treacherous path of the Zune.Back in November 2006, Microsoft

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-62242829811045626672008-09-01T21:40:00.000-05:002008-09-01T21:41:00.036-05:00

My daughter is a volleyball player.She’s also a dancer and a cheerleader. She’s 12, so she’s just coming into her own, starting to become the woman that she will eventually be.She’s tried a lot of things over the years. She’s played softball, but has given that up (she was hitting better than her brother), she tried basketball but didn’t like that (it didn’t help that she was on a pretty bad team

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-71283042174691591792008-09-01T21:18:00.001-05:002008-09-01T21:18:59.958-05:00

This weekend, our kids were at the lake with their cousins, so Denise and I had some time to ourselves. Besides trying to figure out what to do with ourselves (it’s amazing how unbusy a busy schedule becomes when the kids are gone), we decided to go visit the Bodies Revealed exhibit. The exhibit has been at Kansas City’s Union Station all summer, and this was our last chance to see it.If you aren

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-65436208037774291092008-08-28T21:12:00.002-05:002008-08-28T21:13:03.791-05:00

I saw my first Bruce Springsteen concert Sunday night.I’ve never really been a big fan of Springsteen. I’m 41, so I was in my prime music-taste-defining phase of my life when Springsteen was becoming popular – the late 70’s.Over the years, I came to know the hits like everybody else. I know most of the words to “Born to Run,” if only through osmosis.As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found myself

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-84002769438601404202008-08-14T13:51:00.001-05:002008-08-14T13:51:26.112-05:00

My son’s a baseball player.He’s entering high school now, and he still has the passion and desire to play baseball. He started playing ball when he was 4, so he’s been playing baseball for 11 years. He’s not very big or strong, but he is fast and he has good hands and a strong arm. And he has a love for the game.I didn’t play baseball growing up. In fact, I never really played any sports. I’m not

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-29507324697138349792008-06-04T09:11:00.000-05:002008-06-04T09:12:01.646-05:00

I recently purchased a DVD player for my SUV. (That’s right – I don’t care about the environment or gas prices. I still need a big vehicle to carry my family and all our stuff.)The DVD player was installed, and I got my truck back a few days ago. When the wireless headphones weren’t working quite the way they should, I decided to consult the owner’s manual to see if there were any tips for making

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-85842929351233255542008-05-21T15:00:00.001-05:002008-05-21T15:00:52.860-05:00

I read today that the CEO’s of the world’s largest oil companies are on Capitol Hill being harassed by lawmakers.I’m curious why Washington thinks it’s a good idea to penalize the oil companies. In this so-call democratic and capitalistic society, it seems more and more that the most successful people and companies are being punished.Of course, I don’t look at the oil companies as innocent

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-64148422321295785982008-03-18T12:08:00.003-05:002008-03-18T12:14:42.538-05:00

I'm share Royals season tickets with a group of folks. A friend of ours buys the entire season, and then we get together and have a ticket draft to divvy them up.This draft has always been a rather manual, tedious task. This year, I decided to try to automate it. To build a program to manage the draft, I downloaded Microsoft's Visual Basic Express.Visual Basic Express is one of several free (yes,

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-70048549387414049742008-03-10T16:34:00.001-05:002008-03-10T16:37:45.558-05:00

Late last night (this morning actually), my son Joey and I returned home from our annual trek to Arizona to enjoy some warm weather and Cactus League baseball. My brother Harry also came and as usual, we met Dan Fox in the desert. My buddy Bill and his son Matt also joined us this year.We arrived bright and early Friday morning and drove straight to the Surprise Recreation Campus where the Royals

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-12236877402807958602008-02-12T11:15:00.000-06:002008-02-12T11:16:16.420-06:00

Spring is in the air. Okay, it’s about 10 degrees outside, but still… The Royals officially report to Surprise, AZ tomorrow, which always gets me excited for the coming warmer months.In just a couple of weeks, I will be heading out to Arizona, along with my brother and son, to get some sun and to fill my lungs with warm, desert air. As spring approaches, I have a few thoughts about the upcoming

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-41250733673260109452008-01-23T08:55:00.000-06:002008-01-23T08:58:15.112-06:00

I was watching the Today Show this morning, and I noticed a recurring theme from the sound bytes from our illustrious presidential candidates. They kept talking about the poor souls who “live paycheck to paycheck” and those where are victims of “predatory lenders.” It made my think to myself, what about responsibility?I mean, these candidates are telling us that they will take care of us. But why

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-3913602180614849392007-12-20T12:58:00.000-06:002007-12-20T13:00:46.237-06:00

I am a lucky voter in Joe Posnanski's "Pozcar Awards." Here is my ballot for baseball's hall of fame:Bert "Be Home" BlylevenAndre DawsonGoose GossageDon MattinglyJack MorrisJim RicePete RoseAlan TrammellSome comments:Blyleven: I've always loved Bert. He's not given nearly the credit he deserves.Dawson: I grew up at a time when cable TV was just coming into homes, and our family quickly became

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-84406625720510894052007-11-05T12:46:00.001-06:002007-11-05T12:46:33.260-06:00

My wife thinks I’m a little bit nuts over this issue.I’ve been an Outlook user all of my life. (By “all of my life,” I mean “since I’ve been a serious email user.” That was probably around 1997 or so. I used other email programs before that, but that was about the time that serious work-related email use really kicked in.)I’ve always thought of email and calendar as sort of a ubiquitous activity.

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-71466655860889874312007-09-18T15:04:00.000-05:002007-09-18T15:06:56.645-05:00

Yesterday I started my new job at Perceptive Software. Perceptive makes a product called ImageNow, which is a document imaging, management and workflow tool. So far, the company seems to be a great place to work and while I'm just starting to learn the product, it is very impressive.www.imagenow.com

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-57616748199730843242007-08-20T10:44:00.001-05:002007-08-20T10:44:51.597-05:00

Our next Financial Peace University class is scheduled to begin September 17, 2007. We will have class on Monday evenings from 7-9. If you would like to join us, please email me.Our summer class is winding down. We have just one class left. It has been a good class, and I hope everybody has gotten some good information from it.Personally, our debt snowball remains on hold while we save up some

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-50381715335303832532007-08-06T13:55:00.001-05:002007-08-06T13:55:15.326-05:00

Can you pay cash for your home? Think about that for a moment… How much do you pay in monthly mortgage payments? Now, imagine your life if you didn't have to make those payments? What could you do with that money? Save for retirement? Give to a charity?So many people have the mortgage idea ingrained in their thinking. They can't even imagine having a paid for house.Is it easy? Heck no! If it was

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-57261104488572033822007-07-23T11:23:00.001-05:002007-07-23T11:23:26.527-05:00

I am coordinating a Financial Peace University class at my church. (If you are interested in taking FPU, please let me know. I'm planning our next class now).Last night's lesson was on retirement and college saving. There were a couple of very important points from that class that I would like to reiterate here.Save for yourself first You probably feel a tinge of guilt thinking about putting

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-51239952624535515982007-07-20T10:03:00.001-05:002007-07-20T10:03:36.533-05:00

You are probably thinking I mistyped the title. It should read:Credit Cards Are EvilWell, that is true too! Credit cards are bad news.But in this post, we'll talk about how using a debit card can wreck a budget.Last summer, my wife and I were shopping for our son's birthday. Just a couple of weeks earlier, we decided to get serious about our money and stop the crazy spending. Using Dave Ramsey's

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-79790451144957689392007-07-17T13:47:00.001-05:002007-07-17T13:47:53.555-05:00

One more thought about cars…I think that when most people hear someone say "save up and buy your car with cash," the immediate reaction is, "no way! That's too much money!"But, remember, you have an asset to add to your cash. The trick here is getting your current car paid off. I was thinking about this as I drove to work today. My car will (hopefully) be paid off in about 6 months. I'm going to

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-76813336516578793212007-07-16T16:22:00.001-05:002007-07-16T16:22:15.587-05:00

Cars.From my experience, cars are one of the biggest reasons people run into money problems. I am guilty of this. I've made some VERY stupid mistakes with cars in the past. But, I've learned my lessons. Here are some thoughts on what I've learned.New Cars SuckThat is, they suck the money out of your wallet. I love driving a new car. They smell great, they shine, and they don't rattle. New cars

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-89949991034929391382007-07-11T14:14:00.001-05:002007-07-11T14:14:41.897-05:00

The biggest key to getting out of debt is unbridled focus and intensity. If you focus on that and that alone, and attack it, it can be done.Dave Ramsey calls it "Gazelle Intensity," based on a show he saw on the Discovery channel. (He tells the story in his book, "The Total Money Makeover.")If you are spreading yourself across several goals, you will not get to where you want to be quickly. For

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-88340371783383419492007-07-11T09:00:00.001-05:002007-07-11T09:00:31.382-05:00

I started using Windows Vista last October. Since then, I've tried off and on (unsuccessfully) to connect my MDA phone to Vista's new Mobile Device Center.I've used the ActiveSync for years without any problem, but the Mobile Device Center just wouldn't connect at all. It's not a big deal for me because I sync directly to my company's Exchange server over the air, so I can get anything to my

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-3541183362172579032007-07-10T15:54:00.001-05:002007-07-10T15:54:19.707-05:00

Since August, 2006, my wife and I have been able to pay off over $45,000 in debt. That's a lot! There are several things we did to make this progress.Stop Borrowing Money We cut up our credit cards and agreed that we would never borrow again. We've gone a year now without using credit cards, except for work expenses that were reimbursed. By refusing to borrow more money, all our steps are going

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-53103259999145277092007-07-10T08:58:00.001-05:002007-07-10T08:58:22.991-05:00

A year ago, I became fed up. My wife and I both have great jobs and make good salaries. But, when I sat down to pay the bills, I found that we had no money left to buy groceries. We had too much debt; too many payments.It was last July when I discovered Dave Ramsey. His radio program motivated me to get serious about our money.I have been resisting blogging about this because it is somewhat

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-17176597617795036722007-07-09T13:25:00.001-05:002007-07-09T13:28:48.275-05:00

My good friend Jon Box blogs about Microsoft's newest innovation... the Windows Mobile OFone.Check out the video here.Watch out Apple!

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-26031044413679356792007-06-05T09:15:00.001-05:002007-06-05T09:27:01.619-05:00

Over the weekend, I broke a world record. Well, not just me... Me and 1,682 of my closest friends.The record was for most guitars playing a song. We all took the field at Community America Ballpark and played "Smoke on the Water." I wasn't sure about the event leading up to it, but it turned out to be a great time. The best part was that I got to hang out with my old buddies Kris and Mike, and

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-44010903151011655042007-05-30T12:06:00.000-05:002007-05-30T12:17:30.747-05:00

I've been wanting to get a Pink Zune for my wife. When I saw Circuit City's sales flyer this week, I knew it was time to buy. The Pink Zune is a limited edition, only 100,000 of them are begin sold, and they are selling better than any other color of Zune. The retailers have started charging different prices for the different colors (see amazon.com), so at $199, I jumped on it.We got the Pink

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-14316676233052394842007-05-30T12:01:00.000-05:002007-05-30T12:06:19.618-05:00

"Breakfast in America" was a huge album. I remember when it was released back in 1979. "The Logical Song" was a big hit, and I remember a story about how the saxaphone solo was recorded in a bathroom because they liked the sound of the echo in there.There were some huge hits on that album, and not surprisingly, four of the tracks on "The Very Best of Supertramp" come from that album. Also

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-90380342220880010452007-05-30T10:49:00.000-05:002007-05-30T12:00:24.831-05:00

Check out Microsoft Surface. At first you may wonder what the purpose is. A table top computer? Why?But think about the possiblities. For example, a demo at the end of this video shows an interesting example of this technology in a retail setting.Another cool idea: You and a friend have lunch, and wish to split the bill. You each lay your credit card on the table, and it automatically recognizes

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-71016491451601582802007-05-07T09:31:00.001-05:002007-05-07T09:35:17.942-05:00

Okay, okay… so I missed a couple of weeks. So sue me!To make up for it, I'll give you two downloads this week.First up, an example of what makes the Zune Subscription so cool – rediscovering old favorites. I grew up listening to the FM Album Rock station, which included a healthy dose of David Bowie. I never considered myself a Bowie fan, but after years and years of hearing those songs, they

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-4155641494340027832007-04-22T20:25:00.000-05:002007-04-22T20:36:37.955-05:00

When we have the XM Satellite radio on in the car, the kids always want to put it on the "Top 20 on 20" channel. If you aren't familiar, this a channel that constantly runs a top 20 countdown, based on listener votes. As soon as the finish with Number 1, they start all over again.One evening, the channel was on but we were having a conversation. I remember thinking to myself that whatever song

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-5925687264593279122007-04-14T17:20:00.001-05:002007-04-14T17:35:06.290-05:00

I'm currently enjoying my second month of my Zune Pass subscription. With the subscription, I can download as much music as I like for one monthly fee.I've decided to share with you some of the new music I've discovered as well as old favorites I've rediscovered. I will try to post something new each week.I've downloaded a bunch of music, so I have plenty to write about. This week, though, I'll

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-57347738677017942062007-04-05T22:06:00.001-05:002007-04-05T22:06:16.187-05:00

According to the Zune Insider Blog, Microsoft is prepared to launch a new ad campaign in May. This corresponds with news that there will be a new color for Zune: pink.This got me to thinking, as I cleaned the kitchen while listening to U2's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" on my Zune: it's hard to feel good about being a Zune owner.First, the original ad campaign didn't relate to me. I'm not a

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-88593831169633945372007-04-05T12:23:00.000-05:002007-04-05T12:37:24.806-05:00

Please check out Dan Fox's column on the decline of Angel Berroa at Baseball Prospectus (subscription required, but well worth the money).Dan has more info at his blog.Don't forget to check the Breaking 100 blog to track the Royals.

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-12482704033365335152007-04-03T11:57:00.000-05:002007-04-03T12:00:54.225-05:00

Yes, I am doing the Breaking 100 blog again this year.In this blog, I track the Royals and thier pursuit of a sub-100 loss season. Last year was the first year for the Breaking 100 blog, and the result was exactly 100 losses.This season is off to a great start, with the Royals already projected to win 159 games. This could be a fun season!!!Keep checking the Breaking 100 blog all season long...

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-23868321911577354822007-04-02T09:37:00.001-05:002007-04-02T09:40:40.285-05:00

My family and I enjoyed Blue Man Group's "How To Be A Megstar" show in Kansas City over the weekend. I had never seen a Blue Man show before, but I was familiar with them. My family was less familiar with the group.I thought the show was fantastic. The show, of course, was quite a spectacle, with the three blue men pounding on homemade instruments made of PVC pipe and a hard rocking 8 piece band

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-70053891108624802042007-03-26T13:51:00.001-05:002007-03-26T13:51:33.614-05:00

Office Max seems to be leading the charge on discounting the Zune. Last week, Office Max offered the Zune for only $179 in a two-day "Friends and Family" sale. Now, Office Max is offering the Zune for just $199 to anybody who walks in the door. This is the best price I've seen on the Zune, other than special, invitation-only sales. Grab yours quick!

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-69979118916523051662007-03-17T16:54:00.001-05:002007-03-17T16:54:45.331-05:00

I picked up a brochure at a Zune display at our local video game store the other day. It was typical Zune marketing – "spread the music," "Music the way it wants to be."However, I did notice an interesting paragraph tucked in with the list of features. It read as follows:"It Only Gets Better: As Zune evolves, your device can easily be updated. The Zune software on your PC will let you know when

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-84433079716651582352007-03-05T14:58:00.001-06:002007-03-05T15:01:03.547-06:00

This is odd… I logged into the Zune Marketplace this afternoon, and of course, I always like to check the current top seller lists on the right side of the screen.I found it very strange that an Art Garfunkel album from 1975 is listed as the number 1 album. How can that be?I can understand Daughtry, Hinder and Nelly Furtado... But Art Garfunkel???

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-89046593778672438572007-02-23T09:15:00.001-06:002007-02-23T09:15:05.294-06:00

What can you say about Denny Matthews?Denny has been the voice of the Kansas City Royals since their inception in 1969. He's called nearly every pitch in the history of the Royals.He's missed a few games in recent years. Matthews has taken a few road trips off the last few years, a luxury that he certainly deserves.But other than those few games, he's been there. Night after night, game after

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1171298639570485462007-02-12T10:43:00.000-06:002007-02-12T10:45:39.073-06:00

Have I discovered a bug in the Zune? I'm listening to an MP3 recording of last night's Drudge Report Radio Show. It's a long "song:" 53 minutes and 24 seconds.While I was playing this file and when it got half way through, my Zune's time counter stopped ticking. So, on the left side it showed 26:42 elapsed, and on the right side, it showed -26:42 to go. The progress bar stuck in the middle. The

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1171035513956527612007-02-09T09:38:00.000-06:002007-02-09T09:41:17.643-06:00

One of the many changes that Royals GM Dayton Moore has brought to the organization is to create a Speaker's Bureau. By making himself accessible to the public, Moore hopes to bridge the gap between frustrated fans and the club.I experienced this first-hand Thursday night when Moore visited my brother's church. Moore spoke for about an hour, most of which was Q&A with the audience.Moore began his

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1170864873205871592007-02-07T10:14:00.000-06:002007-02-07T10:14:33.286-06:00

Could the end be near for DRM? Probably not, but if Steve Jobs and Bill Gates have their way, DRM would soon go the way of the dinosaurs.Steve Jobs wrote a very interesting commentary regarding DRM in which he calls for the music companies to release their DRM requirements. Bill Gates has also indicated that he believes DRM is broken and suggests that music lovers should just "…buy a CD and rip

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1170800459297502772007-02-06T16:20:00.000-06:002007-02-06T16:22:02.926-06:00

Just thought I'd pass this along…ArtistDirect is offering free MP3's for download at their site. There's some good stuff there, including Moby, Barenaked Ladies and Cracker, along with a bunch of stuff I've never heard of.I found it interested that on a page featuring "Free MP3's brought to you by Zune," that right next to the photos of the Zune player is an ad for iTunes/iPod.Vicious.

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1170694355685559342007-02-05T10:52:00.000-06:002007-02-05T10:52:35.806-06:00

I hadn't thought much about the subscription service offered by Microsoft's Zune Marketplace. Being the tightwad that I am, I just immediately dismissed the idea of paying $14.99 per month for music.But after I purchased my Zune last week, I eventually succumbed to the temptation and I redeemed my free 14 day trial of the Zune Pass subscription service.Wow.How liberating is it to know that you

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1170617557089908352007-02-04T13:32:00.000-06:002007-02-04T13:39:25.530-06:00

Hello from SeattleThat's the tag line on the back of my new Zune. Yes, I finally purchased a black Zune (with blue "double-shot" no less) yesterday.Now, I've been reading a lot of reviews and blogs about the Zune, and I was beginning to get scared. According to these folks, the Zune is one device that can and will take down the free world.Fearing the worst, I grabbed my pocket knife and cut the

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1170086311131110542007-01-29T09:58:00.000-06:002007-01-29T10:01:53.486-06:00

I was just reading another review of Microsoft's Zune. This one is published at Digital Media Wire and was written by "jay."It was pretty clear early on that jay's "review" would be a bit biased. The third sentence of the review reads, "But I still prefer my video iPod."Interestingly though, jay then spends the rest of the review describing the advantages that Zune has over the iPod, all the

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1169760098904108492007-01-25T15:21:00.000-06:002007-01-25T15:21:38.906-06:00

In an earlier rant, I was venting about my issues with technology. Several days later, I've calmed down a bit.My "failed to start" problem was my problem. I had a typo in an XML definition file. Easily fixed and everything worked great.I did resort to putting Windows XP back on my laptop so I could use an AirCard while I was out of touch, but I've since reinstalled Vista and things are running

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1169759694976695982007-01-25T15:14:00.000-06:002007-01-25T15:14:55.063-06:00

No, I still haven't purchased my Zune, so I haven't had the opportunity to explore it firsthand. But I have been keeping up with all of the Zune blogs (ZuneScene, ZuneThoughts, Zunerama, and my favorite, ZuneInsider) as well as the various reviews of the device.It seems to me that after the initial hate-filled garbage was written at the time of the Zune launch, some of the criticism is starting

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1169253818831996122007-01-19T18:43:00.000-06:002007-01-19T18:43:38.883-06:00

I'm sick of my crap not working.Understand I've always been one of the "early adopter" types. I love checking out the new stuff, even when it's not quite ready for prime time.But I've run into issues recently that are about to drive me to drink (more). And I even waited for the production versions to be released.I'm running Windows Vista Business. Vista hasn't been released to the general public

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1169007226776153562007-01-16T22:13:00.000-06:002007-01-16T22:13:46.843-06:00

I haven't purchased my Zune yet. I have been reading up on some of the Zune blogs, and noticed an interesting bit on Clikzune regarding podcasts. One of the big criticisms of Zune is the "lack of podcast support." Of course, that's not correct as the Zune can play podcasts just fine. What's missing is the lack of a podcast directory on Zune Marketplace.I listen to a lot of podcasts, a lot of

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1168886693379094042007-01-15T12:44:00.000-06:002007-01-15T12:44:54.286-06:00

I've decided to buy a Zune. I'm not sure when the purchase will be made – perhaps this week – but it will indeed be made.You may be wondering why I've made this decision. I have a perfectly good (back from the dead) iPod. It is an old sucker that nearly bit it last month, but it's still cranking out the tunes.And now there is word that the killer feature of the Zune, its wireless music sharing,

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1167855107373840682007-01-03T14:11:00.000-06:002007-01-03T14:11:47.440-06:00

I am Time Magazine's Person of the Year. I am very grateful to receive prestigious award. So as not to disappoint the folks at Time Magazine, I offer these bits of random thought:The ads say it only happens once a year, but I believe Toyotathon is a year-round event.Of the thousands of videos on YouTube, I would venture to guess that only 2-5% of them are worth watching.Debt is dumb; cash is

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1166199354479051932006-12-15T10:15:00.000-06:002006-12-15T10:15:54.556-06:00

Why are record company executives such morons? I mean, seriously.They sit in their corner offices and espouse all this hatred toward music lovers; specifically, music lovers to take their music with them on portable music players.Universal CEO David Morris is quoted as saying: "These devices are repositories for stolen music, and they all know it. So it's time to get paid for it." These

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1165609576878710382006-12-08T14:26:00.000-06:002006-12-08T14:26:16.920-06:00

The Royals have been making a splash over the last two days. They signed pitcher Gil Meche to a 5 year, $55 Million contract, and reportedly have also signed close Octavio Dotel. The Royals are still pursuing Miguel Bautista as well.A lot of folks are a bit up in arms over the amount of money the Royals are giving to Meche. Meche has been an average pitcher of the last few years, but is only 28

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1160404982236189582006-10-09T09:42:00.000-05:002006-10-09T21:03:19.700-05:00

We met Buck O’Neil in March of 2004. My son Joey and I were in Arizona to see some Spring Training. We saw Buck at one of the stadiums where the Royals were visiting. I don’t recall which stadium or which team the Royals were playing that day, but I do recall it being a warm, beautiful day. Of course, all days in Arizona are beautiful in March.We were walking through the stadium looking for our

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1159026250627570362006-09-23T10:43:00.000-05:002006-09-23T10:44:10.640-05:00

If you are involved in youth sports and are looking for a fun, exciting fundraising opportunity, check out In The Game Sports Cards.

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1153769442536234192006-07-24T14:30:00.000-05:002006-07-24T14:30:42.556-05:00

Two weeks ago, my son’s baseball team, the Northland Storm, participated in the USSSA 12U AA World Series. This is the final tournament for his age group and ability level. (USSSA defines ability levels as major, AAA, and AA). It included 62 teams from about 10 different states. We were fortunate that the tournament was held in Lenexa, very close to our home.The tournament coincided with the

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1150251872295587082006-06-13T21:24:00.000-05:002006-06-13T21:24:32.310-05:00

A lot has been made recently of the Royals’ decision to revoke the press credentials of two radio reporters.This all started last Thursday when the Royals held a press conference to introduce their new general manager, Dayton Moore. Royals owner David Glass opened the press conference by saying a few words about a renewed dedication to making the Royals better, and stating that he felt they had

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1149564017601843222006-06-05T22:14:00.000-05:002006-06-05T22:20:17.613-05:00

A few months ago, SlingBox began advertising on 810 WHB, the radio station I tend to listen to the most. The ads said that using their device, I would be able to watch my living room TV from anywhere in the world with my laptop or Windows cell phone. The drawback to me was the $250 price tag.I started doing some research on this device to see if it might be worth trying. I could see situations

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1147837381062488602006-05-16T21:43:00.000-05:002006-05-16T22:43:01.170-05:00

They did it again. The Royals blew another game. They were leading the Indians 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth and were able to lose it 6-4.It's not so frustrating anymore. I mean, we all know this team won't win. But what is frustrating is that this organization is in complete turmoil. There is no reason to feel hopeful.Smart baseball fans understand that sometimes you have to exchange a losing

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1146847211224737162006-05-05T11:09:00.000-05:002006-05-05T11:40:11.336-05:00

I love the Royals radio broadcasters. Denny Matthews of course has been the voice of the Royals since their inception. And for the last seven seasons, Ryan Lefebvre has been slowly gaining the approval of Royals fans including myself. I am very fond of the chemistry between Matthews and Lefebvre, and their dry humor always seems to make the awful baseball bearable.It's a different story on the

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1146756783364038032006-05-04T09:57:00.000-05:002006-05-04T10:33:03.456-05:00

I was in Wichita this week for a business trip, so my co-worker and I decided to take in a Wranglers game to get a peek at the Royals prospects there.It was a nice evening, but rain clouds were hovering over the stadium. When we arrived, we were surprised that the gates to the stadium didn't open until 6:15, 45 minutes before game time. Once we got in, we found our seats just a few rows up from

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1146101062784378522006-04-26T20:24:00.000-05:002006-04-26T20:24:23.580-05:00

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1145851670735489652006-04-23T23:03:00.000-05:002006-04-24T14:22:50.256-05:00

Friday, April 21, 2006 was a very special day for our family. Last fall, my wife and I attended a charity auction for a church that my best friend attends. As it turns out, it is the same church that Mike Sweeney attends.Up for auction that evening was something called “A Day at the K with Mike Sweeney.” The description indicated something about spending some time with Sweeney and watching

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1145637679919556192006-04-21T11:38:00.000-05:002006-04-21T11:41:19.933-05:00

I was just doing some quick queries against the RetroSheet Game Log data.In the 184,280 games that RetroSheet has data for, home teams have won 99,066. That's a .542 winning percentage. There are also 1,235 ties in the data.Given this very large sample size, it's pretty obvious that it certainly does help to play on your home turf.

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1145568503755477302006-04-20T16:21:00.000-05:002006-04-20T16:28:23.813-05:00

If you haven't subscribed to Baseball Prospectus yet, you should do so today. I've always been a big fan of the Baseball Prospectus Annual books, but have always resisted buying the subscription to the web site.When my friend Dan became a BP author and started writing a weekly column, I decided to take the plunge and subscribe.Not only am I able to read all of Dan's columns, I'm also finding a

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1145563272769112162006-04-20T14:58:00.000-05:002006-04-20T15:01:12.790-05:00

I may have to find a new team to cheer on. Being a Royals fan is turning me into a grumpy, depressed person. (but I’ll still track their march to 100 losses at http://breaking-100.blogspot.com).I watched the Mariners / Texas Rangers game last night. When I turned it on, the Rangers were leading 6-2 in the top of the eighth. Now, I’ve watched enough Royals games to know that when you’re down 4

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1145377206151251362006-04-18T11:18:00.000-05:002006-04-18T11:20:06.163-05:00

Last night against the White Sox, Royals pitcher Joe Mays gave up 8 runs, 6 of them earned in 5.1 innings, and lowered his ERA from 12.86 to 11.68.

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1144439979024565532006-04-07T14:52:00.000-05:002006-04-07T14:59:39.026-05:00

Anybody else hate the "sunburst" mow pattern at Kauffman this year? I can't stand it. It looks like the outfields have to run uphill to take their positions.Give me the the standard, old-timey checkerboard pattern.

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1144439211495179662006-04-07T14:43:00.000-05:002006-04-07T14:46:51.510-05:00

Interesteing new Rob & Rany column at robneyer.com. I have to say I agree with them. They didn't like the choice of Shane Costa over Aaron Guiel (or even Chip Ambres). They didn't like the choice of Steve Stemle over Steven Andrade (or even Luke Hudson).They conclude the column with a hint that they expect the Royals to begin their GM search this summer. I like Allard Baird alot, but some of the

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1143667532417133072006-03-29T15:21:00.000-06:002006-03-29T15:25:32.430-06:00

Check out Breaking 100. It's a new blog that I've started that will track the Royals as they try to avoid 100 losses. I'll be writing about the push for 63 wins, and contributions are welcome. Let me know if you'd like to submit content for the site.

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1143650730304439672006-03-29T10:41:00.000-06:002006-03-29T10:57:54.106-06:00

Earlier today, I was emailing with my brother Harry about the Royals’ infield utility position. The Royals acquired Esteban German from the Rangers in the off-season, and he battled 33 year old Joe McEwing (along with Chris Clapinski) this spring for the utility infielder spot.German had a decent spring, but he is out of options meaning it’s more difficult for the Royals to send him to AAA Omaha

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1143566593370769992006-03-28T11:22:00.000-06:002006-03-28T11:23:13.380-06:00

The other shoe finally dropped on Runelvys Hernandez. After seeing Elvis report to camp some 30 pounds overweight and struggle to put together a decent outing, the Royals have put him on the DL.Buddy Bell says that it’s simply a matter of getting Hernandez some extra time to get ready. Hernandez will apparently report to Omaha to make a couple of starts before the fifth starter is needed.It’s

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1143387502076445902006-03-26T09:29:00.001-06:002006-03-26T09:38:43.443-06:00

So much for those great pitching performances. On Saturday, Runelvys Hernandez gave us another stinker against the Cubs. He walked the first batter he faced, and couldn't find the strike zone all day.Hernandez has not had a decent outing against major league batters this spring. He came into came at least 50 lbs over wieght, and yet he has secured the number 2 spot in the rotation.The Cubs game

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1143252442657722802006-03-24T20:05:00.000-06:002006-03-24T20:07:22.656-06:00

Just a quick tip of the ballcap to my good friend Dan Fox, who just learned that he will begin writing for the excellent Baseball Prospectus web site. Good job, Dan. Count me among those will be reading your articles weekly.

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1143251708360607122006-03-24T19:49:00.000-06:002006-03-24T19:55:08.373-06:00

I jumped onto kcroyals.com tonight to see what the Royals did this afternoon in their game against the Angels. The headline was bold:Elarton pitches Royals past AngelsSounds great! The Royals had won 7 of their last 8 games with some very impressive pitching sprinkled in. The headline made me think that the Royals enjoyed yet another fantastic outing by a pitcher, after Affeldt and Bautista both

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1143213473288172302006-03-24T09:17:00.000-06:002006-03-24T09:17:53.290-06:00

When I was in Surprise, I was very impressed with Denny Bautista’s performance against the Brewers. (5 innings, 3 hits, 2 runs, 3 SO, 1 BB)Bautista continued his ways last night against the Padres. Bautista pitched 5 shutout innings giving up just one hit. He walked 3 but struck out 5.The Royals continue to mention Mike Wood as a potential starter, but it’s obvious to me that the two open

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1143212970287571722006-03-24T08:51:00.000-06:002006-03-24T09:09:30.346-06:00

Jeremy Affeldt made another case for a spot in the rotation Wednesday evening with a very strong outing against the Seattle Mariners in Surprise.Affeldt pitched 6.0 innings and threw 81 pitches, well on his way to building up the endurance needed to be a starter. He gave up one hit and one run while striking out three. He walked just one batter.Affeldt had struggled in the past, and I’ve stated

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1143000664091854002006-03-21T21:52:00.000-06:002006-03-24T08:51:27.750-06:00

I just returned last night from my annual trip to Arizona for Spring Training Cactus League baseball. This tradition started in 2003 when, on a whim, I flew out to Surprise to see the Royals play the Brewers and flew home the same evening. The combination of the baseball and sunshine hooked me on Arizona in March.This year’s trip included me, my son Joey, my brother Harry and my good friend Dan.

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1142347365536490322006-03-14T08:35:00.000-06:002006-03-14T08:42:45.546-06:00

I’ve enjoyed watching the World Baseball Classic so far. The enthusiasm these players have for playing for their country is fun to watch, and it’s interesting to see how baseball fans from other countries watch their games. Americans tend to quietly sit and visit with their friends, and will cheer when something exciting happens.Fans from other countries, especially the Latin countries, are into

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1142010976530985572006-03-10T11:14:00.000-06:002006-03-10T11:16:16.546-06:00

As Opening Day creeps closer, I can’t help but feel a little bit of dread for the upcoming Royals season.For one, I’m not convinced the Royals spent their $22 million surplus wisely this past off season. Dan pointed out these two articles (Part I, Part II) by Marc Normandin that go into great detail, but suffice it to say that they could probably have gotten similar performance from their much

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1141224660415909352006-03-01T08:43:00.000-06:002006-03-01T08:51:00.426-06:00

There seems to be more evidence that Zack Greinke’s disappearance from Spring Training is related to emotional issues. The team is still very mum about the reason for Greinke’s departure.Yesterday, 810 WHB aired an interview with George Brett that took place during the team’s intra-squad game. I can’t recall the exact quotes in the interview, but Brett said several times that he hoped Zack was

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1141162056117858762006-02-28T15:27:00.000-06:002006-02-28T15:27:36.130-06:00

The curious case of Zack Greinke continues. Greinke was drafted out of Apopka (FL) High School in the first round in 2002. Even though the common school of thought was already turning against drafting high school pitchers, Greinke seemed to be a special case that was worth the risk.Greinke was quickly identified as a pitching phenom. He moved quickly through the minors, pitching very well at each

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1139514364980086812006-02-09T13:37:00.000-06:002006-02-09T13:46:05.046-06:00

I haven't blogged in a while, so here are a few random thoughts while we wait for Opening Day...Every "national expert" I've read or heard has ripped the Royals' moves this offseason. I can't say I disagree. Yes, they will probably avoid 100 losses, but they won't win the division and the free agents they signed are short-term guys. They aren't necessarily holding any young players back, since

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1137012671241677322006-01-11T14:50:00.000-06:002006-01-11T14:51:11.253-06:00

Apparently, the Kyle Snyder experiment is over. To make room for Reggie Sanders and Joe Mays, the Royals DFA’d Snyder and Devon Lowry.Snyder was a first round draft pick in 1999. He’s shown promise his entire career but has had injury trouble. His frail arm has eventually caused the downfall of his career. The Royals have given him plenty of chances, but each time he ended up hurt.Royals GM

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1136398474054248962006-01-04T12:14:00.000-06:002006-01-04T12:14:34.066-06:00

Royals fans always feel a slight tug at the heart when they hear the name Albert Pujols.It’s well known by now: Pujols and his family moved to Kansas City where he played high school baseball and was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals when he was playing at Maple Woods Community College in Kansas City (about 3 miles down the road from my house). Now, he’s one of the best hitters ever. He compares

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1136392827236033492006-01-04T10:39:00.000-06:002006-01-04T10:40:27.250-06:00

Yesterday, Dick Vermeil had his final press conference since retiring as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.My opinion of Vermeil has been pretty neutral since his arrival. He obviously had the credentials, having reached two Super Bowls and winning one.I knew that Vermeil had amassed a very large coaching staff with the Chiefs, but it was during his farewell that I realized what was really

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1135008286862865232005-12-19T10:04:00.000-06:002005-12-19T10:04:46.876-06:00

The Royals finally made a splash this off season, announcing the signing of four players on Friday:• Doug Mientkiewicz, a light hitting but strong defensive first baseman who will presumably play first most of the season allowing Mike Sweeney to concentrate on DH’ing so he can stay in the lineup.• Mark Grudzielanek, a second baseman with played with the Cardinals last season. Grudz will likely

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1133491486388617872005-12-01T20:41:00.000-06:002005-12-01T20:44:46.403-06:00

If you enjoy articles and esseys about baseball, especially related to statistical analysis of baseball, please take a look at Hardball Times.I've been reading their web site for some time, and they just recently released their annual book. My buddy Dan Fox contributed a couple of articles for the book, so that alone makes it worth it, in my opinion. I've always marvelled at Dan's writings. I'm

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1133371984280016902005-11-30T11:29:00.000-06:002005-11-30T11:35:19.933-06:00

The off season is in full swing. Several clubs have made moves already.The Mets signed Billy Wagner, the Blue Jays signed B.J. Ryan, The A’s signed Esteban Loaiza, the Cubs signed Bob Howry and Scott Eyre.Of those players, I, like Rob & Rany, would like to have seen the Royals sign Loaiza. But instead, the Royals so far have signed Seth Etherton, and Adam Bernero. That’s not quite the splash

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1130875949043568342005-11-01T14:06:00.000-06:002005-11-01T14:12:29.056-06:00

I was reading a Boston Globe column (“Diminishing Returns” by Brian McGrory, November 1, 2005) about the sudden departure of Theo Epstein. In the column, McCrory was discussing an email he received from Red Sox owner John Henry regarding the rebuilding of the team this off season:''There is quite a shortage of talent available this year in the free agent market," he wrote. ''At the same time

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1130784797495729592005-10-31T12:52:00.000-06:002005-10-31T12:53:17.510-06:00

I've been trying to figure out how to express my feelings about how Kansas City has approached the idea of building a new baseball stadium downtown.C.J. Janovy put it perfectly in his recent column in the Pitch. Read it here: http://pitch.com/Issues/2005-10-27/news/janovy.html.

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1130771551160714072005-10-31T09:09:00.000-06:002005-10-31T09:12:31.173-06:00

I was listening to the Home Plate channel on my XM MyFi radio while mowing the lawn Saturday. The host, Holden Kushner (who I believe was a Kansas City radio guy for a while), was soliciting calls regarding the rumored firing of Dodger’s GM Paul DePodesta (The rumor came true later in the weekend).Most callers were Dodgers fans who were glad to see DePodesta go. I believe most Dodgers fans got a

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1129317598590116412005-10-14T14:05:00.000-05:002005-10-14T14:19:58.630-05:00

There’s a lot of discussion in Kansas City these days about potentially building a new baseball stadium in the city’s downtown area. I for one would be excited to see a new ballpark go up, but I’m not as enthusiastic about it as some of the supporters I’ve been hearing and reading. However, I am getting irritated at the Kansas City Star which is printing overtly negative information about the

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1128362486756997252005-10-03T11:34:00.000-05:002005-10-03T13:01:26.806-05:00

The Royals finally concluded their worst ever season Sunday with a 7-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.After the game, they fired pitching coach Guy Hansen and bench coach Bob Schaefer, both moves that I agree with.The pitching has been awful this year under Hansen. When he arrived, he tried to change the delivery of almost every pitcher on the staff. Brian Anderson ended up hurt and missed half

Ron Hostetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040880043673919467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513170.post-1128098392249841892005-09-30T11:38:00.000-05:002005-09-30T11:39:52.256-05:00

Check out this hilarious piece on The Onion.

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