Beauty: 2010

Friday, December 24, 2010

December Calendar Photos

Poinsettia - Euphorbia pulcherrima in commercial greenhouse,

December is now the most commonly requested calendar photo by my various publishers.? This is because many calendars now include 13 months, adding December of the year it is sold to the 12 months of the upcoming year.

So, for my posting here, I thought it might be fun to show the variety of photos I have used to illustrate December.?? There are some obvious choices such as Poinsettia but for a gardener’s calendar I want to go beyond the obvious, so I try to include images with some subtleties that might appeal to a discriminating gardener.

Poinsettia 'Monet Twilight'

For instance nearly all Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are grown in California, originating with Paul Ecke Ranch which gives me the opportunity to show a different sort of December photo – in? greenhouse.? And then there are all the Poinsettia cultivars !? Gardeners are at once fascinated and appalled by this, but there is no denying that the breeders are having fun with plant genetics.

Poinsettias are such a popular subject because they are so showy and red at a time of year when we do not expect much from our gardens.? I posted last year about Red and Green at Christmas, going into a bit of the garden origins? of red at Christmas.? I did not know then that the photo of Cornus kousa with red berries I had just photographed for the blog would be in a calendar so soon.

Red winter berries of Cornus kousa

Toyon or Christmas Berry

Red berries can make for classic Christmas time photos, and in fact, our California native Toyon shrub (Heteromeles arbutifolia) is called Christmas berry.? The woods around me are usually full of berries this time of year, though this year I seem to see far more Madrone berries than Toyon. This shot, of the berries isolated against the dark intreior of the tree really makes the redness stand out.

Pyracantha berries are also quite showy and they continue to be until they shrivel in the spring.? Not many birds like them as I hear they make them drunk.? Hmmm – seems perfect for an avian holiday party.? I loved finding this virtually wild pyracantha in front of a grove of poplars wth yellow fall color.? Strong color is always a good consideration when planning a calendar submission.

Red Pyracantha berries in winter garden

The 2011 Inspired Flower and Garden calendar from True Image is one that has two December photos, and since the photos are all my own I got to pick which I wanted.? To go with the Cornus kousa photo earlier, I chose an unexpected companion, one without much bright color – Leucadendron salignum ‘Winter Red’.

Leucadendron salignum 'Winter Red'

Being a California photographer has many blessings but I am very aware that we are not typical of the rest of the gardening world.? Our Mediterranean climate and plant palette give new meaning to seasonality, especially in context of our mild rainy winters.? I am never really sure what to send a publisher when I am asked for winter photos and usually end up simply? hoping for a good location caption.

But calendar photos almost by definition scream out “You can’t do this at home”, and are for those who just want to dream. If you have been following my fellow Gardening Gone Wild cohort Debra Lee Baldwin’s previous and most clever post? “The 12 Days of Cactus”, you know we here are not expecting the rest of the gardening world to do what we can do in California.

California drought tolerant succulent garden with Golden barrel cactus

Southern California succulent garden in winter

Not only do I routinely include succulent photos for my December calendar submissions, I am increasingly comfortable showing grass gardens in our California winters.? One of my very favorites, taken from my book “The American Meadow Garden” is Dave Fross’ meadow at Native Son’s Nursery.? I stylized this particular version.

Dave's December Meadow

But we do have some more typical winter scenes here in Northern California, where it gets cold enough for good fall color and deciduous trees.? The fantastic gardens at Filoli provide inspiration for gardeners year around but unfortunately are closed in winter.? By the time the Ginkgo trees turn butter yellow in December most visitors never get to see it.

Ginkgo trees in fall color Filoli gardens

And Filoli’s amazing Camperdown Elms make wonderful photos.? This one was the favorite one at my October ‘Picture the Enduring Garden’ lecture at San Francisco Botanical Garden and I made a print for every one at the lecture.

Camperdown elm tree in winter - Filoli

Swag with cinammon sticks

A classic motif for gardeners to express themselves in winter is with wreaths and swags to decorate windows and doors.? Several years ago I visited Colonial Williamsburg in December and was amazed at the diversity of these winter decorations all made from natural materials.

These wreaths show some of the classic materials we can find in winter gardens such as evergreens, pine cones, seed heads (aren’t the lotus pods exquisite?), and dried flowers.? But I found wonderful local materials in several wreaths using the likes of oyster shells, large dried leaves of tobacco, and pheasant feathers.

Christmas wreath Colonial Williamsburg

Holly leaves make great December photos since many gardeners look to evergreens for winter interest.? With red berries ?? So much the better for this simple but carefully composed image in my garden.? I wish we had snow to really make it feel like winter.? No, actually I am fine without any snow.

Variegated holly with winter berries

I finish with this lovely spruce tree covered with red tassels.? I? have not yet used this in any published calendar.? But who know what the new year will bring ?

Wishing all of you good health, much happiness and the beauty of gardens to sustain us.

Red tassles on blue spruce

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Abbamondi to the Padres; also, your resume sucks

Just getting around to this as it’s off our track, but since I pull for the Padres as my NL “home” team… On the face, it’s just a good hire by the Padres, getting another young, smart dude to help the organization. Now, there are many of us/you who either secretly or openly covet a GM’s job and think you could do Cashman’s job with your eyes closed. Well, have a gander at Abbamondi’s resume and see if you have what it takes to beat this guy to the next open GM spot:

Abbamondi came to the Cardinals from Major League Baseball’s labor relations department, serving there as a senior director of labor economics. While there he helped craft the current Collective Bargaining Agreement and devise baseball’s revenue-sharing policies. He came to the Cardinals highly regarded for his proficiency with baseball policy, contracts and arbitration. Abbamondi headed the Cardinals’ arbitration cases, and had roles in negotiating many of the contracts that arbitration-eligible players received before their hearings.

Abbamondi, 39, was also involved in budgeting, overseeing the medical staff and roster management for the Cardinals.

Before pursuing a career in baseball, Abbamondi served nine years in the U.S. Navy as a flight officer. He flew 40 combat missions over Iraq and was a two-time recipient of the Navy Air Medal.

This ain’t your oft-maligned, stat-geek, computer-totin’, never-seen-a-game-in-person guy. ?Don’t hate him because he’s 39. ?Hate him because he kicks serious ass.

Now get yours back to work, slacker. Vacation, schmacation.

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Minor League Recap: Tampa Yankees

Tampa was strong all season and topped off their 2010 year with a sweep of Dunedin in the semi-finals before dispatching the Charlotte Stone Crabs in the finals.? While they played well as a team, there were a few players who were particularly instrumental in Tampa’s success.

Curtain Calls:
Dellin Betances (SP): In fourteen starts for Tampa, Betances went 8-1 with a 1.77 ERA (1.83 FIP).? As one of the Yankees biggest prospects, Betances dominated the opposition in the Florida State League.? He allowed just one homer and nineteen walks, while striking out 88.? He held hitters to a .169 average before getting called up to Trenton.

Corban Joseph (2B):Joseph had a great season in Tampa before getting promoted to Trenton late in the season.? Over 98 games, Joseph put together a line of .302/.378/.436/.814.? He drove in 52 RBIs, six homers and three triples.? As Joseph continues to improve, he still committed thirteen errors in the field.? He also struck out 74 times, while walking just 43.

Walter Ibarra (SS):Ibarra also had a good season for Tampa, hitting .301/.348/.370.718.? He has continued to play well during the offseason, where he is currently hitting .312 for Naranjeros de Hermosillo.

Graham Stoneburner (SP):Stoneburner has made a name for himself in his second year in professional baseball.? After being promoted to Tampa, the right-hander went 8-5 over 19 starts and 103 innings.? He put together an ERA of 2.53, giving up just four homers and 24 walks while striking out 93 batters.? Stoneburner held opposing hitters to just .214 average.? August was a great month for the young hurler, who went 3-0 with an ERA of 1.95 over five games.? While he makes it hard for hitters to get on base, he does seem to struggle once runners are on, with his ERA jumping from 0.30 to 5.70. ?It is 11.39 when runners were in scoring position.

Adam Warren (SP): Another second year pro, Warren pitched his way to a late season midseason call-up to Trenton.? He went 7-5 in fifteen starts for Tampa.? He had a 2.22 (2.72) ERA, allowed only two homers and seventeen walks, while striking out 67 hitters.

Pat Venditte (RP): While it has been widely accepted that Venditte was not considered much of a prospect, the switch pitching youngster continues to make noise as he works his way through the Yankees farm system.? He appeared in 41 games for Tampa this season, before getting called up to Trenton for a couple games.? He recorded six saves thanks to a 1.73 ERA (1.88 FIP).? Venditte allowed only seventeen runs, fourteen earned, and two homers.? He walked fourteen hitters and struck out 85 while holding opposing hitters to a .187 average.

Players to Watch:
Andrew Brackman (SP):The big righty from NC State has struggled with injuries during his minor league career, but looks to have gotten back on track this season.? His numbers were not particularly impressive in Tampa, but his 5.10 ERA did not show the full picture, as his FIP was 3.12.? He gave up five homers and nine walks while striking out 56.? Brackman earned a spot on Trenton’s roster for the second part of the season, where he appeared to step things up and put together some strong numbers.

Jack Rye (OF):Rye spent fifteen games in Trenton before ending up back with Tampa, where he put together some solid numbers.? He hit .274/.342/.413/.755 in Florida, stealing seven bases and only getting thrown out once.? Rye has done alright in Tampa, but he has done two short stints in Trenton (once in 2009 and once in 2010) and has struggled.

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Leave it to flipflopflyin…

This is completely off topic, but in the 2010 draft the Yankees selected James (goes by Matt) Rice as their final pick. I am wondering if we signed him or if he went back to Western Kentucky. He went to the same high school as I did and I can't find anything about what happened after he was selected. Any info would be greatly appreciated. He is/was the starting catcher for Western Kentucky if that helps. Thanks.

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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Catching up with Matt Sosnick

IIATMS: Nolasco has been in the rumor mill for a while now and has reportedly been attracting a great deal of interest. Now, with his three year deal, he’ll be able to focus on remaining in FLA and less worrying about being traded. Was this deal more about security or more about Nolasco’s desire to remain in Florida, where clearly, there’s a bit of uncertainty about spending?

MS: Nolasco’s deal was about both. He is very comfortable in Florida and believes the organization is going in the right direction. He also understands that he was still under team control for two more years, so the deal provides a nice guarantee for a guy who had a bit of a freak injury at the end of the year and understands the value of a guarantee. The security, combined with the comfort and familiarity of south Florida made this deal work.

IIATMS: One of your most exciting players, Kyle Blanks (with me and my boys in the picture to the right), had a very rough 2010 with a slow start followed by Tommy John surgery. With the trade of Adrian Gonzalez to Boston, do you think Blanks will be asked to transition to first base and what are Kyle’s thoughts on this idea?

MS: Kyle is willing to do whatever he can to help the Padres compete. Obviously there is a comfort level with him at first base, but he handled himself well in LF and would be fine returning to the outfield. We expect him to develop into one of the game’s elite players.

IIATMS: What’s the latest on Willingham and Sanchez? Can we expect something before the calendar turns?

MS: Both players have interest in extensions, but these things take time.

IIATMS: More of a macro question… it has been quite the memorable offseason with Boston’s two huge acquisitions, Phillies’ surprise acquisition of Cliff Lee and the WhiteSox double dip of Dunn and Konerko. Detroit, too, has been aggressive while the Yanks have come up uncharactaristically empty. What takeaways do you have from the 2010 offseason?

MS: I think this off-season shows that the game is very healthy from a financial standpoint.

Thanks again to Matt Sosnick for taking the time to chat with us.?I remain eternally grateful for Matt’s contributions to this site via interviews with him and his clients. Behind the scenes, he’s been even better, unfailingly responding to requests for memorabilia for charitable fund-raising activities or just general counsel about this great game.

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Montero and Nunez for Greinke: Would you have done it?

OK, armchair GM’s and dimestore psychologists…time to speak up. First, here’s Jon Heyman’s tweet:

#royals sought montero & nunez from #yankees for greinke, who told kc he’d go. but yanks werent convinced ny was right for kid

The Yanks apparently had a shot at getting Greinke but didn’t have any confidence that it’d be the right spot for him.

Would you have pulled the trigger? Why or why not?

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Voting For the Hall of Fame Class of 2011

Jeff Bagwell: Bagwell is the poster child for why Hall voters need to do research before they vote rather than simply relying on memory. Never fully appreciated when he was playing, and sort of lost in the shuffle of the steroid era, Bagwell is nevertheless one of the best first baseman in history. Bagwell hit .297/.408/.540 (a .406 wOBA) for his career with 449 home runs and 202 stolen bases. He also posted nine seasons with an fWAR of 5 or better, including seven with a 6 or better, five of 7 or better, and two above 8. This is a no doubter, but I predict he won’t make it.

Barry Larkin: This is one I’m a little afraid I’m homering out on (I grew up in the Cincinnati area when Larkin was at his peak), but all the same I think Larkin belongs in the Hall. He has a better career OPS and wOBA than Cal Ripken Jr., and was a much better hitter than Ozzie Smith, who overshadowed him in the National League. The real problem with Larkin is the matter of his ack of durability, as he only managed to play in at least 150 games in a season four times, and played just 2,180total games in his career. Still, I think he was probably good enough to merit a vote, though it’s borderline.

Edgar Martinez: When the only argument you can make against a guy is that the position he played should disqualify him from consideration, then you don’t have much of a case at all. Another no-brainer who will probably have to wait a while.

Tim Raines: If Raines didn’t have the misfortune of playing at the same time as Rickey Henderson, I don’t think this would be in doubt. A .294/.385/.425 hitter who stole 808 bases and scored 1,571 runs, I’m honestly a little surprised Raines hasn’t been voted in already. The BBWAA usually love those kind of counting stats.

Mark McGwire: And now, I guess, is where we get controversial. For reasons I may be inclined to elaborate on later, I don’t believe in retroactively “punishing” people who did use or may have used PED’s. Like, at all. So, to me, that means not even considering the issue when evaluating someone’s Hall of Fame case. And taking steroids out of the equation, McGwire is a Hall of Famer without question.

Rafael Palmiero: See above.

So there you have my ballot, commence with telling me how wrong I am. And feel free to post your own, you might even change my mind on a few people.

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The Twelve Days of Cactus

Feel free to hum along.

On the first day of cactus, my true love gave to me:

A dove in a prickly pear tree.

On the second day of cactus, my true love gave to me:

Two agave pups and a dove in a prickly pear tree.

On the third day of cactus, my true love gave to me:

Three hens-and-chicks, two agave pups and a dove in a prickly pear tree.

On the fourth day of cactus, my true love gave to me:

Four claret cups, three hens-and-chicks, two agave pups and a dove in a prickly pear tree.

On the fifth day of cactus, my true love gave to me:

Five golden barrels, four claret cups, three hens-and-chicks, two agave pups and a dove in a prickly pear tree.

On the sixth day of cactus, my true love gave to me:

Six obesas blooming, five golden barrels, four claret cups, three hens-and-chicks, two agave pups and a dove in a prickly pear tree.

On the seventh day of cactus, my true love gave to me:

Seven saguaros spinning, six obesas blooming, five golden barrels, four claret cups, three hens-and-chicks, two agave pups and a dove in a prickly pear tree.

On the eighth day of cactus, my true love gave to me:

Eight mams a-milking, seven saguaros spinning, six obesas blooming, five golden barrels, four claret cups, three hens-and-chicks, two agave pups and a dove in a prickly pear tree.

On the ninth day of cactus, my true love gave to me:

Nine lithops dancing, eight mams a-milking, seven saguaros spinning, six obesas blooming, five golden barrels, four claret cups, three hens-and-chicks, two agave pups and a dove in a prickly pear tree.

On the tenth day of cactus, my true love gave to me:

Ten chollas jumping, nine lithops dancing, eight mams a-milking, seven saguaros spinning, six obesas blooming, five golden barrels, four claret cups, three hens-and-chicks, two agave pups and a dove in a prickly pear tree.

On the eleventh day of cactus, my true love gave to me:

Eleven trips to Tucson, ten chollas jumping, nine lithops dancing, eight mams a-milking, seven saguaros spinning, six obesas blooming, five golden barrels, four claret cups, three hens-and-chicks, two agave pups and a dove in a prickly pear tree.

On the twelfth day of cactus, my true love gave to me:

Twelve ‘Sunburst’ drumming,?eleven trips to Tucson, ten chollas jumping, nine lithops dancing, eight mams a-milking, seven saguaros spinning, six obesas blooming, five golden barrels, four claret cups, three hens-and-chicks, two agave pups and a dove in a prickly pear tree.

Happy AloeDays, one and all! — Debra

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Monday, December 20, 2010

Thinking Prospects: The Draft

A grand total of five teams spent more than 10% of their total payroll (information from here) on the draft (information found here). Now, I won’t argue that teams need to spend 10% of their player budget on the draft, but for the price of one over-priced reliever that no one needs but everyone signs, each team could take some more risks on guys who slip down due to bonus demands, sign them, and still have money left to make a significant splash in Latin America (which I’ve left out but will address in a future post). It makes no sense to spend so much money on a reliever (or any other free-agent teams throw money at—Jeff Francoeur, Melky Cabrera, etc.) who won’t even account for one win of production and not spend 20% of that on a draft prospect that could bring much more. I’ll admit the Yankees are awfully low on this list partially due to their ginormous payroll, but I’d also argue they don’t leverage the draft nearly enough. If they can afford to overpay for certain free-agents, why not throw a few million at guys like Austin Wilson?

College or High School?

We’ve moved on to the “best available player” argument. Honestly, no team’s draft board will look like another team’s, and they all have different opinions of certain players. That’s fine, but the questions is how you want your team to look at players. One of the more common debates in that discussion is to go college-heavy or high school-heavy. In favor of college players, they are better-trained, have played against better competition, and can be pushed through the system faster. In favor of high school players, they are younger, have more room for growth and projection, and have not been potentially abused by their college coaches (see most college pitchers). All in all, I would favor high school players. I’m a slight control freak, and I don’t like college coaches messing with my labor force, abusing them, and teaching them bad habits. I want the player as soon as possible. However, I would never simply skip a college player. Especially in the first 4-5 rounds, I’ll take the college player if he’s the clear best guy left because there’s something to be said for polish, experience, and quality of competition. Though after those rounds, I probably wouldn’t touch a college guy unless there were extreme circumstances because, if a guy has lasted that long out of college, he’s probably not that good. For rounds 4-5, I wouldn’t try to favor one over the other, but after that, it would probably be all high schoolers (it’s important to note that there will be drafts in which you don’t stick to your “plan”. For example, I like high school players, but there may be a draft in which I take 4 college players to begin the draft. That’s okay. You have to be flexible, and there will be years in which it doesn’t make sense to stick to that. Just always stick to the “best available player” ideology first)

Pitcher or Position Player?

Another big question, do you take the pitcher, knowing there’s a good chance he’ll get hurt, or take the position player, knowing that pitching is pricey? I would favor pitching. Pitching is not only pricy, but they get hurt a lot. My theory is to grab a lot of pitching, and after all the attrition (both injury-related and just from being a prospect), I’ll still have enough pitching to keep costs low. If pitching is inherently risky, I don’t want to invest a lot in free-agents who are also likely to get hurt—$15 million a year is a lot more than $2-3 million on a great prospect. However, I wouldn’t completely ignore position players. You just can’t. If a position player is highest on my board, I’ll take him, especially early, but if it’s close, I’m going with the pitcher. Late in the draft, I’d probably go pitching-heavy as well—grab anyone who can throw 95+ and stick ‘em in the ‘pen. I might also keep my park in mind as well. If I have a big ballpark, it’ll help any pitcher, and I might be more inclined to go after big hitters, though not much more.

Pitcher: Stuff or Command?

Once you’ve settled on pitchers, do you want a lot of hard throwers, knowing their more likely to miss bats, or do you want guys who have good command, knowing they might be more likely to make the majors? When considering this, I would keep my ballpark in mind. If I have a big ballpark and a good defense, I might be more inclined to take command/control guys who keep guys off-balance, knowing that my ballpark and defense can make their stuff play up (essentially the Twins’ strategy), but if I’m in a small ballpark and/or have a bad defense, I might go for strikeout guys to keep the ball in the park and avoid my defense. In a neutral park? I’ll always go stuff and hope repetition will improve their command. I figure that’s more likely to improve than a guy’s radar reading.

Position Player: Offense or Defense?

Once you’ve settled on position players, do you want to take guys who can hit but are not the best defenders or really good defenders that may not hit enough? Because I don’t think pitching, hitting, and defense all account for 33.333% of the game, I would imagine hitting is more valuable than defense, though defense remains important. If the guy can’t play defense at all, I probably wouldn’t touch him, but if he’s likely to be -5 runs with the glove but awesome with the stick, I’ll favor the stick. I may never have the best fielding team, but I’m willing to gamble that my team would hit enough for it not to matter much.

Right or Left-Handed?

Regardless of whether you want a hitter or pitcher, this is another big question, but I’m not sure it should be. For hitters, I imagine it’s probably better to be a left-handed hitter because of the amount of right-handed pitching, and it doesn’t hurt that your batter’s box is closer to first. For pitchers though, I’m not really sure. It might be better to be right-handed because of the amount of right-handed hitters, but people like to have lefties. And the one thing I really don’t get is that lefties are held to different standards. Why is “plus velocity” higher for righties than lefties? I realize that there are fewer lefties, and therefore, the chances of finding a lefty who throws 93-94 is less than finding a righty. But why does that matter? Does it appear different to the hitter? Does a 93 mph fastball appear faster from a lefty? Or do we just want lefties because all baseball players have less experience hitting against them? Add in the fact that you don’t know who attrition will take, and it seems pointless to gamble on what hand they are. I don’t know that I would even consider this when it comes to prospects, though it may come into play more when considering major-league acquisitions.

Upside or Polish?

A saying goes, “You win with stars,” and I agree. I prefer the guys with big tools, understanding that they might be riskier, for the small chance that they’ll become superstars. Having mid-rotation guys or decent regulars is nice, but prospects have a hard enough time of making it to the majors that they don’t need a lower ceiling to fall from. Give me the guy with huge potential, let me have him after high school, and let’s see if my player development people and coaches can’t get something out of him. That being said, taking a guy or two with some polish might help balance out the draft a little.

———————————————————————————————-

Honestly, this is how I think teams misuse free-agency. Teams think they are supposed to find their cornerstones there. No! Your superstars should come from the draft. Sure, a CC Sabathia comes along every now and then, but he’s a rarity and no one knows how that contract will ultimately worked out, though it’s been excellent so far. Spend a little extra money (like $4-5 million) on getting good prospects, don’t spend $4-5 million on the aging guy, and have a lot of inside information on whether or not to keep the superstar you’ve developed. Free-agency’s purpose (should be, though it’s not the intended goal) is to plug holes where your farm system has failed to develop a decent option. It’s not a panacea. It’s a dirty band-aid on a deep wound—use it only when there is no other option and get rid of it at the earliest opportunity. And yes, this goes for the Yankees, though the degree to which they need to adhere to this philosophy is different. Yes, they can afford to take risks in free-agency, and they prefer the certainty of established players. But there’s no reason not to throw your economic weight around in an area in which you could gain more of an economic and talent advantage.

Anyway, I’m sure you have some thoughts on how you would run the draft. You can either talk from your perspective or from the Yankees’ perspective, bu let’s hear it.

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Sunday, December 19, 2010

A moment of reflection

Admittedly, I am a good day or so late on the unfortunate death of Yankees fan Steven Smith. Not that I didn’t see it yesterday, but I struggled figuring out how I wanted to discuss it.

Discussing the death of a figure like Bob Feller is easier because we all know of him and we know can review his career exploits and war stories rather quickly. However, the tragic death of a 24 year-old is not something we’re all equipped to handle.

I did not know Smith, known in the Twitterverse as @stevensmithy. I wish I had.

Smith is exactly why I started this website nearly three years ago: to have the dialogue about my favorite teams with other fans. I’ve come to know many of you, including the folks who write with me here, in a virtual sense, having only met a few of you personally. While it’s unfortunate, I feel as if we’ve been able to bond over our shared love for the pinstripes and the game of baseball. I consider you part of my circle of friends, even as we’ve never actually met. I’m incredibly thankful for those of you who comment here and online at Twitter or Facebook. It’s my hope to run into many more of you during the 2011 season.

So with the spirit and memory of @stevensmithy as a backdrop, thank you for being here. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and feelings. You have no idea how much I appreciate it.

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What’s in a Name? Whence They Came

Fun, fanciful, or even downright silly, cultivar names often offer some clues as to what a plant might look like. If you want a hint as to where that plant might grow best, though, the botanical name is a better place to look. I’m going to save specific place names for another post, but for this one, I’ve collected a bunch of epithets that relate to general plant habitats.

Many familiar plants have been grown by people for so long that it’s reflected in their botanical name. For “cultivated” in general, there’s sativus (and sativa and sativum), and there are lots of familiar examples: Allium sativum (garlic), Coriandrum sativum (cilantro), Crocus sativus (saffron crocus), Eruca sativa (arugula), Lactuca sativa (lettuce), Oryza sativa (rice), and parsnips (Pastinaca sativa).

For garden (think “horticultural”) origin, there’s hortense, hortensis, and hortorus (-a, -um), as in Atriplex hortensis var. rubra (red orach), Satureja hortensis (summer savory), and Pelargonium x hortorum (zonal geraniums).

Getting more specific, there’s muralis and murale for plants that typically grow in walls; think of Gypsophila muralis (low baby’s breath) and Cymbalaria muralis (Kenilworth ivy). There’s even a name for plants that grow on roofs: tectorum—as in Iris tectorum (Japanese roof iris), houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum), and Elegia [Chondropetalum] tectorum (thatching reed).

As we all know, where there’s cultivated ground, there are usually weeds. Little wonder, then, that so many plants that are common crop weeds have arvensis or arvense – meaning “of cultivated land” – in their name. There are lots of examples for this one, including Anagallis arvensis (scarlet pimpernel), Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle), Convolvulus arvensis (field bindweed), and field horsetail (Equisetum arvense).

For those specifically associated with corn (grain) fields, there’s segetalis, segetale, and segetum, as in Glebionis [Chrysanthemum] segetum, a cute little annual known as corn marigold.

Plants that commonly grow in meadows have their own terms: pratensis and pratense. Among them are Alopecurus pratensis (meadow foxtail), Geranium pratense (meadow cranesbill), Salvia pratensis (meadow sage), and Trifolium pratense (red clover).

For open fields, plains, or other level places, there’s campestris and campestre, as in Agaricus campestris (meadow or field mushroom) and Acer campestre (field maple). Moving upward, collinus (-a, -um) indicates plants that are found growing on hills or slopes, such as Tiarella cordifolia var. collina (foamflower) and Daphne collina.

Epithets that relate to mountainous origins appear in the names of a number of garden plants. For mountain habitats in general, there’s the obvious montanus (-a, -um): Alyssum montanum (mountain madwort), Centaurea montana (mountain bluet), Clematis montana, Pueraria montana var. lobata (kudzu), and Satureja montana (winter savory).

High in the mountains, above the tree line, is the alpine habitat, indicated in names by alpestris, alpestre, and alpinus (-a, -um). It’s surprising how many of these plants named for this habitat have adapted to life in our gardens, too: among them, Myosotis alpestris (alpine forget-me-not), Alchemilla alpina (alpine lady’s mantle), Clematis alpina (alpine clematis), Dianthus alpinus (alpine pink), Epimedium alpinum (alpine barrenwort), Eryngium alpinum (alpine sea holly), and Ribes alpinum (alpine currant).

And for plants often found growing near or in snow, there’s nivalis and nivale, as in Galanthus nivalis (snowdrops) and Trillium nivale (snow trillium). Other names specifically related to cold regions include frigidus (-a, -um) – Petasites frigidus (arctic butterbur), for example – and glacialis (or glaciale), as in Ranunculus glacialis (glacier buttercup).

Now, let’s forget all that cold and snow and move on to some moist habitats. It’s not surprising that some common water-garden or pondside plants have aquaticus (-a, -um) – for “growing in or near water” – in their name: for example, Myriophyllum aquaticum (parrotfeather) and Orontium aquaticum (golden club).

The banks of brooks, streams, and rivers get their own terms: rivalis, rivale, rivularis, and rivulare. Think of Geum rivale (water avens), Trillium rivale (brook wakerobin), Iliamna rivularis (streambank wild hollyhock), and Cirsium rivulare (brook thistle).

The words for wetlands – marshes, swamps, and other soggy spots – are palustris, palustre, and uliginosus (-a, -um). Some familiar plants native to these habitats include Equisetum palustre (marsh horsetail), Caltha palustris (marsh marigold), Quercus palustris (pin oak or swamp Spanish oak), and Salvia uliginosa (bog sage).

Littoralis, littorale, and maritimus (-a, -um) all relate to maritime (coastal) habitats, making them useful clues to plants that might be salt tolerant. Some you may recognize: Armeria maritima (sea thrift), Crambe maritima (sea kale), Pancratium maritimum (sea daffodil), and Prunus maritima (beach plum).

Sandy places – at the sea shore or elsewhere – have their own epithets: arenarius (-a, -um) and arenosus (-a, -um), as in Arenaria montana (mountain sandwort), Dianthus arenarius (sand pink), and Leymus [Elymus] arenarius (sand rye, also known as blue Lyme grass). There’s an easy-to-remember epithet specifically for desert habitats: desertorus (-a, -um), as in Agropyron desertorum (desert wheatgrass).

Rock gardeners will recognize many of the epithets that relate to plants found growing among rocks, though many of these plants also adapt well to life in ordinary, well-drained beds and borders.

Petraeus (-a, -um): Daphne petraea, Dianthus petraeus, Erodium petraeum
Rupestris, rupestre: Sedum rupestre, Agastache rupestris
Rupicolus (-a, -um): Penstemon rupicola (rock penstemon)
Rupifragus (-a, -um): Papaver rupifragum
Saxatilis, saxatile: Aurinia saxatilis (basket of gold), Geranium saxatile, and Iberis saxatilis (candytuft)

And to finish, a collection of names that relate to shady, woodland or grove habitats, with ample examples:

Nemoralis, nemorale: Dendrobium nemorale, Solidago nemoralis (gray goldenrod)
Nemorosus (-a, -um): Anemone nemorosa (wood anemone), Salvia nemorosa (wood sage)
Sylvaticus (-a, -um): Geranium sylvaticum (wood cranesbill), Myosotis sylvatica (wood forget-me-not)
Sylvestris, sylvestre: Anthriscus sylvestris (wild chervil), Nicotiana sylvestris (woodland tobacco)
Umbrosus (-a, -um): Saxifraga umbrosa, Veronica umbrosa

Keep in mind that a habitat-related name doesn’t always mean that a plant normally grows in that sort of site. The epithet palustris, for instance, might make you think that Pinus palustris (longleaf pine) naturally grows in swampy spots, but it’s actually most common in upland sites with dry, sandy soil. And don’t expect great performance from Salvia nemorosa (wood sage) in a shady site, despite both the common and botanical names. It’s just another one of those quirky things about nomenclature that keep us from getting complacent, I guess.

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Leaving money on the table is the new market inefficiency?

First Cliff Lee, now Kerry Wood?

In a move that surprised even the Cubs, former staff ace and closer Kerry Wood agreed to return to his baseball roots and sign with his original team for one year, $1.5 million, according to a source. [...]

Wood also considered a one-year, $3.5 million offer from the White Sox before following his heart back to the North Side, where he maintains strong relationships with Cubs? front office personnel, as well as several former teammates still with the club.

Someone trying to get me to change my URL?

Rather than that, I have added Wood to the anti-IIATMS roster, as you can now see on the righthand side of the page, joining Lee and Marco Scutaro. Feel free to let me know who, in recent vintage, has also taken materially less than the highest offer.

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Yanks closing in on LOOGY Feliciano UPDATED

UPDATED 12/17/10, 9:30am: Jon Heyman has the details (via Twitter):

feliciano is close to a deal with #yankees. will get $4 mil a yr, 2 yrs plus, an option

Might be a bit high for a LOOGY, but with Marte out all year, the Yanks need another lefty in the pen this year. At least they didn’t go three years guaranteed and I hope that option is a team option.

UPDATED 12/17/10, 10:15am: Ken Rosenthal has an update (via Twitter):

Feliciano deal with #Yankees will be 2 years, $9M, plus a club option.

Per RAB (with a Bob Klapisch tweet):

According to Bob Klapisch, the Yankees are getting close to a deal with lefty reliever Pedro Feliciano. Our anonymous source that’s both close to the situation and a friend of someone involved in he negotiations who asked not to be named but is a baseball person confirms that the two sides are close. Terms of the deal are unknown, but Scott Downs got three years and $15M while Randy Choate got two years and $2.5M, so I bet it’s somewhere between the two. With any luck, it’ll be a one year deal.

I wholeheartedly agree with Mike Axisa: I’m OK with Feliciano as he’s the typical LOOGY, if used properly, but I do not want to be the lastest team who gets snookered into giving a set-up guy a three year deal. The Mets misused and overused Feliciano, having him lead the NL in appearances each of the last three years. It’s a concern.

His career lefty/right splits:

Split	PA	HR	BB	SO	SO/BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	IBB	BAbip
vs RHB as LHP	854	19	106	131	1.24	.283	.376	.420	.795	26	.319
vs LHB as LHP	762	10	53	210	3.96	.214	.282	.297	.580	0	.291

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Thursday, December 16, 2010

RIP “Rapid Robert” Feller

Sad news for the Cleveland Indians organization, the MLB family and servicemen and women around the world:

Bob Feller, the Iowa farm boy whose powerful right arm earned him the nickname “Rapid Robert” and made him one of baseball’s greatest pitchers during a Hall of Fame career with the Cleveland Indians, has died. He was 92.

Feller was about as good as they come, breaking into the majors at –a what’s now unheard of– seventeen years of age in 1936. His career numbers are staggering but let’s remember that Feller was not only one of many to serve in WWII, he was the first to enlist:

Stirred by Japan’s bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy the following day — the first major league player to do so. He served as a gun captain on the USS Alabama, earning several battle commendations and medals.

Feller missed his age 23-25 (and most of his age 26) years of age due to his service in the war. Prior to the war, his win totals were 17, 24, 27, 25. Upon his full time return, he posted 26, 20, 19 win totals. In those seven consecutive full seasons pitched by Feller, he lead the league in strike outs every one of those years. And in three of those seven season, Feller eclipsed 300 innings, reaching a high of 371.0 over 42 starts (48 total appearances) in 1946 , his first full year after the war. That’s a 10.1 WAR for those favoring those new-fangled stats.

Feller was elected to the HOF in 1962 with 93.8% of the vote.

Rest well, Rapid Robert. Thank you for your contributions to this great game and to this even greater country which allows us to enjoy baseball and life freely.

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Piliere: Others’ claims that Montero not being an MLB-ready catcher “vastly overblown”

Still looking for some good news to get yourself past the Cliff Lee news? Try scout Frankie Piliere’s latest take on Jesus Montero:

At his size, he’s going to have to put in additional work to stay flexible and athletic, and his defense will always be something that requires extra attention. But the idea of him being simply unable to catch at the next level is one that is still vastly overblown. As I’ve stressed numerous times over the last year, like many elite big-league sluggers, if he reaches his ceiling as an offensive force he’ll never be known for his defense. That does not mean he can’t be adequate behind the dish.

There’s plenty more in there to read about the Yanks’ farm system but Frankie leaves us with this:

In other words, the future of the Yankees is safe, but only if it’s handled correctly and given a real chance to blossom. How much of a chance Montero really gets at that starting catching job in 2011 will tell us just how willing the Yankees are to embrace their youth.

We can only hope so.

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Bad idea: Doc Gooden as celeb bartender

Yeah, this might not have been thought through completely:

Former Mets/Yankees hurler Dwight “Doc” Gooden was slated to mix drinks last night at Sofrito — a NY restaurant of fellow bballer Carlos Beltran — but a rep for the event told us Doc couldn’t serve drinks “due to legal reasons.” Turns out Dwight is on probation for DWI.

We’re told Doc was a big sport and volunteered to work in the kitchen — and the reviews are glowing … he makes a “kick ass paella.”

So he’s got that going for him, which is nice. Who doesn’t enjoy a kick ass paella?

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Wednesday, December 15, 2010

UPDATED: Russell Martin? Yes!

So, let’s say that Martin should be ready for Opening Day (which is actually reasonable). What are the Yankees going to get from him? Russell Martin was one of the most valuable players in baseball in 2007, and he was pretty good again in 2008. Nothing about those years was particularly fluky, but his ISO dropped from .176 to .116 to .079 to .085. His amazing 2007 is out of the question, but 2008 isn’t. He usually has a BABiP around .300, but he’s been around 20 points below that over the past few seasons while not losing anything off his LD%, BB%, or K% (his K% went up this past season, but those numbers don’t include about 50 games that were in other seasons, which could have balanced it out). Considering all of this, he’s probably somewhere between his 2008 line of .280/.385/.396 and his 2009 line of .250/.352/.329, and because those seasons gave him 4.6 and 2.2 fWAR, he’d be around a 3-win player if he could play 140-150 games. If he caught around 100 games, he’ll probably be around 2-2.5 wins, which would be worth about $8.5-9.5 million. He’s no longer the absolute stud from 2007, but he’s a catcher who can still get on base at an excellent clip for a catcher, which makes him fairly valuable. LA seems to have become frustrated with what he could be instead of accepting what he is (or have serious concerns with his health, but we’re assuming he’s okay, or at least on schedule, because we haven’t heard otherwise) because they just gave up a guy who has still been worth at least 2 wins the past 2 seasons.

But the question again becomes how healthy he will be. No one really knows for sure. Anyone who thinks about signing him should take a good look at his medical records, and if medical professionals deem him healthy enough to play, I don’t see a problem believing he could play 100 games. Torre and the Dodgers rode him pretty hard, and the years of wear-and-tear may have led to the injury. If the Yankees want to bring him on-board, they need to be careful how often they use him, and I’d try to offer something closer to $5 million to off-set for the injury risk. The Yankees may be the perfect fit for what Martin needs—a place to rebuild his value, a place to ease back in, and a place that doesn’t need him to be a key cog in the lineup—and he’s a perfect fit for what the Yankees need—a decent defensive catcher to play part-time and hit at the bottom of the order while not killing the offense. The problem is that Martin probably wants a full-time job, and while the Yankees’ situation may be best for what Martin needs, Martin may be able to find an actual starter’s job somewhere else. But the Yankees should try anyway. Three-win catchers don’t grow on trees.

*Yes, Jesus Montero needs to be mentioned. But I’m going off a couple assumptions. One, Montero shouldn’t be catching. Two, getting Martin would allow the still-20-year old Montero to season a little longer in the minors.

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Lee Is A Philly (Again)

Cliff Lee shocked the baseball world today by turning down the Yankees and Rangers, and signing instead with the “mystery team” in these negotiations, the Philadelphia Phillies.

For Yankees fans looking for a bright side to this story, the news could have been worse. At least Cliff Lee did not sign with the Rangers (or the Red Sox). At least the Yanks will face Cliff Lee only in interleague play, and perhaps in the World Series. Also, we won’t have to read any snarky MSM stories about how the Yankees used their money to overwhelm the rest of baseball and grab yet another $20 million plus free agent. Instead, we’ll have to read the snarky stories about how the Yankees weren’t able to sign Cliff Lee even with all of the money they offered him.

Our focus now will shift quickly to the Yankees’ so-called “plan B” to improve the team for 2011. For the moment, I advise deep cleansing breaths and a rational approach. The Yanks did manage to win 95 games last year without the help of Mr. Lee.

For those who are historically inclined, this is the second time in 150 years that a Lee spurned the Yankees. Maybe we should have seen it coming.

More on this story will follow here in the upcoming days and weeks.

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Favorite Picks for 2010

When I first started assembling information for this post, I thought I was going to write about The Best Gardening Gifts for 2010. But you know how it is on the web; one thing leads to another.

This is where I landed; with a list that consists of a hodgepodge of projects, products, services, institutions and publications, all that I have seen or used (except for one product) and which I unabashedly recommend. This in no way is meant to be a ‘best of’ list. It is strictly ‘my favorites’. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

Botanical Garden Research: ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN

“Their active captive breeding and research program promotes the conservation of amphibians. “More than one-third of the world’s amphibian species are considered threatened or endangered. Recently, an emerging infectious disease known as the amphibian chytrid fungus has been shown to wipe out massive numbers of amphibians from pristine natural locations in many places around the world. This disease is currently unstoppable in the wild, but treatable in captivity.”

A big thank you goes out to Rhett Turner of Red Sky Productions who brought Atlantic Botanical Garden’s research and conservation efforts to my attention. Rhett’s work as a producer of environmental films is noteworthy.?

Garden Magazine: THE GARDEN

The Garden is a monthly magazine published by Royal Horticultural Society. This is the ‘go to’ magazine for gardeners who are more interested in reading a publication that is chock full of useful information .? It is an unheralded publication in the U. S. market; it continually surprises and informs me. I wouldn’t be without it. And hey, who wouldn’t want to be a member of the Royal Horticultural Society. Even if you don’t make use it, you get bragging rights. To order, click on: RHS MEMBERSHIP.

Botanical Garden Membership: BROOKLYN BOTANICAL GARDEN.

Even if you don’t live in NYC, it feels great to support a botanical garden that is committed to community involvement, teaching, research and educating children. It’s an innovative 100 year old institution. As a member, you receive 4 BBG soft covered books annually; all with information on useful subjects and an easy read.

Membership Garden (non-botanical) Organization: GREEN ROOFS FOR HEALTHY CITIES

If you’re interested in learning more about green roofs and vertical gardens, becoming a member of Green Roofs is worth every penny. All of the latest information on the green roof industry, course offerings, conferences, publications and access to their online magazine is an opportunity to immerse yourself into the ever growing world of green roofs.

Vertical Wall 2010: LONGWOOD GARDENS

The unveiling of their new indoor vertical wall in October has brought Longwood Gardens into the forefront of the gardening world. Located in its East Conservatory Plaza wing, the wall is the 4,072 sq ft, displacing the title of North America’s largest green wall from the PNC Bank building in Pittsburgh by over 70 percent. The green wall was designed by GSky. It is made up of over 47,000 plants.

Green Roofs 2010: GREEN ROOF FOR HEALTHY CITIES PICKS

Green Roof’s? selection of winners offers a look at some of the latest and best.

Intensive Institutional
Project: ASLA Headquarters Green Roof
Award Recipient: Conservation Design Forum

Efficient and cutting edge Recycling Repository: BIG BELLY

This invention shows what one individual can do when they have the desire to make a change in the world. Big Belly is gaining momentum in cities throughout America. Its efficiency, cutting edge technology, environmentally sound and monetary paybacks are enormous. Hopefully, the word will get out as other cities learn about it. It is a hands down winner in my book.I wrote about it in an earlier post on The Best Cities for Recycling.

?Innovative and User Friendly Public Garden: THE HIGHLINE

I’ve sung its praises in an earlier post. Suffice it to say that even in a city like New York, it dazzles and boggles the mind of residents and visitors throughout the city.? With the second phase of construction beginning this month, The Highline will expand its presence above the streets of Manhattan. It is quickly becoming a NYC Landmark.

?Celebratory Garden: CHANTICLEER

This is a garden that makes me smile every time I visit. Chanticleer celebrates the artistry and beauty of plants and the landscape. With an able Executive Director, Bill Thomas, and a creative and skillful team of horticulturists, Chanticleer maintains a good balance of playfulness and intensity.

Art As Part of The Urban Landscape: PHILADELPHIA’S MURAL ARTS PROGRAM?

Philadelphia has over 3000 murals strutting their stuff on walls and throughout the streets. This is thanks to the vision, tenacity and creativity of one woman, Jane Golden, whose belief that ‘Art Changes Lives’ transformed a nascent anti-graffiti project into a world renowned multidimensional arts program. This is a jaw-dropping inspirational program that other cities are now modeling.

Giving A Gift That Gives Back:?WOMEN FOR WOMEN INTERNATIONAL

It is an outstanding organization that helps women who are survivors of wars become active citizens, learning how to support themselves and their families. You can choose from 4 categories: organic farming, job skills training, education and animals. It’s a win win proposition for everyone. And if you want to treat yourself to a very special gift this Christmas become a sponsor.

Moderately Priced Gardening Gifts: FLORA GRUBB.

Flora Grubb? offers plenty of gifts? that come in under $30. that will thrill gardeners and non-gardeners alike. Order quickly to get them sent in time for Christmas.

Hand Made Gifts: DEBRA LEE BALDWIN

My GGW colleague , Debra Lee Baldwin, never ceases to amaze me with her constant flow of creativity. Her new online store, SUCCULENT CHIC, is filled with moderately priced products: succulent calendars, mouse pads, holiday greeting cards, stocking stuffers and watercolor painted t-shirts, all with Debra’s trademark succulent photos and now, some with her watercolor paintings.

?Seed Catalogue : SEEDS OF CHANGE

There are several other seed catalogues that I enjoy and order from. But Seeds of Change, organic and with heirloom and new selections plus the yearly staples, keeps me engaged from the moment it shows up in my mailbox.

Online Source for Perennial Grasses: KURT BLUEMEL

He is known as one of the founding fathers of the perennial grass movement. A fantastic offering of large, healthy grasses at moderate prices.

?Online Source for Perennials and Semi Hardy Plants: DIGGING DOG NURSERY

A nursery that focuses on perennials and shrubs, Digging Dog’s specimens are hardy, healthy, good sized, moderate prices and with a selection that will delight. Their salvia offerings are outstanding.??

Book of 2010: BE LOVE NOW : THE PATH OF THE HEART, written by Ram Dass.

Ram Dass? is a renowned spiritual teacher and writer has inspired spiritual seekers for over 4 decades. In this thoughtful and humble book filled with wisdom, Ram Dass shares what he has learned over the past 40 years with a humble, humorous and loving voice.??

Sort of a gardening (but not) Book of 2010:? SLOW LOVE?, Dominique Browning

Dominique Browning, the Editor of the now defunct House and Gardens, knows how to write a riveting book. Her personal journey, in which gardening plays a prominent role, is open, authentic, and inspirational.

Movie That Depicts The American Landscape: A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT

A combination of fly fishing, Montana and a compelling story directed by Robert Redford. It’s a classic.

Photos courtesy of: RHS, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Longwood Gardens, Brooklyn Botanical Garden,? Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Program, Flora Grubb, Debra Lee Baldwin, Sony Pictures, Seeds of Change, Women for Women International and Amazon.

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