Tuesday, July 11, 2006

well, i'm all messed up, that's nothing new

i read one of the funniest quotes ever this morning. It's funny because i'm supposed to be way too old to laugh at stuff like this. From a Sportsillustrated.com story about the declining health of champion racehorse Barbaro:

"Right now, he's happier," Richardson said. "He's got a normal heart rate, normal temperature, he's eating like crazy. He's very hungry. He's making lots of manure. He looks actually pretty happy today. Now we have to see how he responds to what's going on."

I think that's how i'm going to start responding to friendly chatter from people, such as former major league baseball player Chet Lemon.

"hey, seth, how ya doing?"
"Not so good, Chet Lemon, I haven't been making lots of poop."

or, conversely:

"hey, seth, how're things?"
"well, Chet Lemon, judging by the amount the poop i've been making, i'd have to say i'm pretty happy right now."

*****
I'm going to be traveling hither and yon the next two evenings, so i won't be around a scale for the wednesday weigh-in until friday morning. i have done some preliminary weigh-ins the last few days, and i have to tell you, it's not looking good for the home team.

I've been really good about running everyday and have been fairly good at watching what i eat (although last night at 10 i was watching myself eat half a container of crab dip). It appears that i'm going to be that whiney person on the informercials: "I lost 8 tenths of a pound on my last diet, but the weight came back!"

I'm such a loser.

*****
From Wikipedia:

Chester Earl Lemon (born February 12, 1955 in Jackson, Mississippi) is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball. He attended Cerritos Junior College in Norwalk, California, and was drafted in the first round of the 1972 draft (22nd pick) by the Chicago White Sox.

Lemon made his major league debut in 1975 with Chicago, before becoming a full time player the next season. He began his career as a third baseman before quickly switching to center field. In 1977, he set an American League record with 524 total chances and 512 putouts; in all, he recorded 400 or more outfield putouts in five different seasons, which is also an American League record. His first All-Star Game appearance came in 1978.

After the 1981 season, Lemon was traded to the Detroit Tigers for popular outfielder Steve Kemp. Kemp played regularly for Chicago for only two seasons after the trade, while Lemon stayed with the Tigers through 1990. Lemon joined a Tiger team stocked with young talent: Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker, Jack Morris, Kirk Gibson and Lance Parrish were to form the core of a successful team through the early- to mid-1980s.

Lemon arguably had his best season in 1984, as he hit .287 with 20 home runs and 76 RBI, and collected a .990 fielding percentage while handling 421 total chances. The Tigers won the 1984 World Series, and Lemon's numbers were comparable with teammate and eventual Series MVP Trammell.

In 1988, Lemon hit his 200th career home run off Cleveland's Scott Bailes. In the same game, Darrell Evans hit his 400th career home run. Also that season, Lemon moved from center field to right field to make room for speedy new acquisition Gary Pettis. Lemon also had a unique ability to be hit by a pitch; in the 1980s, he was second only to Don Baylor by getting plunked 108 times. He also had a penchant for diving headfirst into first base.

Lemon retired from baseball after the 1990 season. For his career, he hit 215 home runs, had 884 RBI, 396 doubles, a .273 batting average, and a career fielding percentage of .984. Soon after retiring, he became ill with a serious spleen disease, polycythemia vera. In December of 1990, Lemon successfully underwent surgery at the University of Michigan, and has had two subsequent surgeries, the last of which removed his spleen. He now coaches Chet Lemon's Juice, a successful 18-and-under baseball team in Sanford, Florida. Lemon's son Marcus was selected in the 4th round of the 2006 ML Draft by the Texas Rangers.

Lemon is also the head coach for Eustis High School in Eustis, Fla. His son, who has committed with the University of Texas at Austin, was the team's lead-off hitter in 2006.

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