Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Arizona Fall League

Last week, I took some time off of work to go to Arizona with my Uncle Lanny and his friend, Fred, to catch some Arizona Fall League games. What is the Arizona Fall League, you ask? All 30 Major League baseball teams pick approximately 6 upcoming players from their organization to particpate in the Fall League. There are 6 Fall League teams in total in which these upcoming prospects play - the teams include the Mesa Solar Sox(includes prospects from Angels, Cubs, Mets, Phillies, and Pirates) , Phoenix Desert Dogs (A's, Braves, Dodgers, Marlins, Yankees), Peoria Javelinas(Astros, Blue Jays, Indians, Red Sox, Mariners), Peoria Saguaros (Reds, Twins, Padres, Rays, White Sox), Scottsdale Scorpions (Diamondbacks, Giants, Nationals, Orioles, Rockies) and Surprise Rafters (Brewers, Cardinals, Rangers, Royals, Tigers.) Lanny, Fred, and I ended up seeing 6 games over the span of three days. A 12:30pm game and a 6:30pm game on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. (Nov. 8th-10th) As soon as we got off the airplane and got our rental car, we headed to the first game in Surprise between the Saguaros and Rafters.

Surprise, AZ has a beautiful ballpark
After the game was over in Surprise (with the Rafters holding on for the 6-5 win), we checked into the place we were staying and then headed on the road for Mesa for game between the Scorpions and the Mesa Solar Sox. During batting practice, the number 1 overall pick in the recent draft by the Washington Nationals, Bryce Harper, took some cuts during batting practice. The first pitch he saw he hit on line drive over the fence towards center field and I'm guessing it went about 460 feet. It was pretty impressive. We all got some food (nachos and dogs) and enjoyed the game. The nights are cooler in November apparently but we managed to make it through the whole nine innings with Scottsdale winning 8-3. We went back to the place where I watched the opening of the new Conan show on TBS then fell asleep. It was a long day. On day two, we decided to have Jack in the Box for breakfast and then head to Phoenix for a game between the Scorpions and Desert Dogs. When you go to catch the Scorpions play in the Fall League, you can expect to see Susan rooting them on. I didn't shoot the following video as this one I found on youtube came out better than mine(though this clip is from 2007).
Susan doesn't just cheer during the game but she cheers during the warm-ups as well. You can hear her from wherever you are sitting in the stadium. You might think she was a guy yelling if you didn't actually see her. Fred actually said he is still skeptical. Haha. We decided to leave the game a little early as there was a pizza place we wanted to go to before the night game. We left around the 7th inning with the Desert Dogs winning 7-4 and that is how the score ended up staying. It was then time for pizza at NYPD Pizza. On Mondays and Tuesdays, they have a special where you can buy one pizza and get the second at half price. We decided to go for this deal so that way we'd have leftover pizza later. After the pizza, it was on to Peoria for the Saguaros vs. the Javelinas (the Javelinas were the home team this time - since they both use this park as their home stadium). The Javelinas had the game in their hands but ended up making a total of 4 errors and ended up losing the game 6-4 when it was all said and done. The outcome of the game was unexpected and so is what Lanny and I saw that night on the drive back to our place. We were on a long road with nothing to see but cacti for miles (which we didn't even see at this time because it was dark). Lanny then spots some orange-ish lights in the sky and points them out to me. It was a strand of lights and did not look like the light design you would see on a plane. Before Lanny could point the lights out to Fred, they were gone. We were then left wondering with what we had seen. The lights looked much like the lights on this site (click here). Arizona has a pretty long history of people claiming to see UFOs too... whatever it was, it got us thinking and looking for it again the next night. Then came Wednesday, the final full day of our trip. We headed to JB's Restaurant for all you can eat breakfast. You can read my short review of the restaurant here. After JB's, we headed to Surprise for the day game against the Javelinas. This time the Javelinas were able to hold on for the win (unlike the night before) though they did settle for an 8-5 win after being up 8-0 after 6 innings.

Me in Surprise, AZ
It was back to Mesa for the last game we would go to for a game between the Desert Dogs and Solar Sox. It was really cold outside that night. Lanny wore shorts so he was freezing. I drank a couple beers to help warm myself up but it finally became too much cold to bear so we left around the 6th inning. (I'd later find out the Desert Dogs won 9-6) As were leaving the stadium, I found a $20 bill on the ground! Hooray for leaving early, good luck was headed our way.... Until we got to the Arco Gas Station to put gas in the rental car. When Fred couldn't remember the pin number to his card, Lanny said he would just pay cash. The person inside the Arco insisted that Lanny pay cash outside though (I've never heard of not being able to take cash inside - he must be lazy). So I help Lanny figure out their automated paying machine. The machine confirms that $40 has now been inserted and to proceed by pumping the gas. Well, the gas never pumped. Fred and I looked on as Lanny had an animated "discussion" (though the guy could barely speak English) with the guy working inside. Lanny asked for his $40 back and the guy working there claimed he only spent $11.29 or something, but that was what the previous person who used the pump had paid. Finally, after about 20 minutes at the Arco, Lanny got his $40 back and we just went to the Shell across the street instead. It definitely shouldn't have been that difficult. The night couldn't get any crazier, right? On our way home, the three of us saw the moon right in front of us, looking as big as ever on the horizon. A few seconds later and none of us could see the moon any longer. The moon disappeared! Ok, light disappearing is one thing, but the moon?! It wasn't behind any clouds because it was too low. I've tried doing some google searches to figure out where it may have gone but I am still stumped. We got back to the place and Fred went outside to see if he could see the moon there, but no dice. What a trip that was and what a trip the trip was! (does that make sense?) I had a lot of fun - Lanny, Fred, and I are discussing about making it an annual trip too - which would definitely be a nice tribute in the memory of my Uncle Lester who loved Arizona as well. And now, finally, here are some players I can see having an impact very soon in the Major Leagues and I'm talking Fantasy Baseball type impact players here.... Bryce Harper (Nationals) - Harper only played on Wednesdays and Saturdays in games so I never saw him in anything but batting practice but it was enough to convince me that if he keeps it up that he could see the majors as early as 2011. Dustin Ackley (Mariners) - Ackley played 2nd base about as swiftly as you can ask someone to play. He is also the current leader in hitting in the Fall League with a .431 average and has 28 runs scored in 19 games. After the dismal 2010 from Chone Figgins, don't be surprised if Ackley takes over at 2nd base in 2011. Another option is to have Ackley play center field... yes, the Mariners have the gold-glover Franklin Gutierrez out there currently but even Torii Hunter got moved out of center field by an upcoming prospect (Peter Bourjos). Jordan Pacheco (Rockies) - Some people were surprised that Miguel Olivo was traded away by the Colorado Rockies. Jordan Pacheco may be the reason why the Rockies were ok with making the move. Pacheco had an impressive game on November 8th against Phoenix with 2 doubles, a triple, and 3 rbi. He is currently batting .333 in the AFL. Not shabby numbers for a catcher. Brandon Belt (Giants) - Belt could very well be the first baseman next year for the Giants. He is currently batting .392 in the AFL and has very good plate discipline.

Brandon Belt playing 1st (in Mesa, AZ)
Marc Rzepczynski (Blue Jays) - Rzepczynski has 23 starts in the Majors in the last 2 years but is looking to make his case to stay in the majors for good in 2011. In the game we went to on the 10th in Surprise, Rzepczynski went 6 shutout innings and had 8 k's and let up only 2 hits. Overall, he has made 6 Fall League starts and has throw the most innings of any pitcher and is 4-0 with a 1.16 ERA. Thanks to you if you read this entire blog. It took me a while to type up, but I hope you enjoyed it.

I Haven't Lost a Beat

On October 23, 2010, I had my 10 year high school reunion in San Jose, CA. Originally, the reunion was scheduled for September 11, 2010, but they ended up postponing it as they hoped it would allow them to sell more tickets. I'm not so sure if that plan worked as the organizers had hoped as it was a rather small gathering than hoped for the reunion, but those that were there did seem to have fun. I was asked during the planning stages if I'd be interested in performing comedy at the reunion. I said "Sure, sounds like fun." As you can tell from the photo below it wasn't the typical performance setting. I wasn't on a raised platform and microphone belonged the the DJ that was hired for the night. The DJ was a nice guy but when I did my routine I could hear myself echoing behind me. My classmates liked it enough - though they will remember this as the night the Giants advanced to the World Series and not the night that Wes performed at their reunion.

A fellow classmate took this photo.
It was surreal seeing some of the classmates that I hadn't seen in 10 years. Some people have had their lives change dramatically as many of them are now married, have children, etc. As for myself, I got a haircut the day before the reunion. While some people changed, others didn't change as much. At one point during the night, I even asked out the girl that I had a crush on back in high school. I was kindly turned down just like 10 years ago. I haven't lost a beat.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Can I Help You?

Have you ever been at work (or anywhere really) and tried to honestly help somebody out but then come to the realization that there was no way you could help them and instead of feeling bad about the whole situation because you couldn't help them, you laughed about the whole thing? (wow, that was a long run-on question!) Anyway, I had such an experience at my day job not too long ago and thought I would share it with my readers. You see, I work in Customer Service and our customers can generally contact us by phone and e-mail. One day, I suggested that customers should have the option to chat live with us online.


They decided to launch a live chat feature which I now spend about 60% of my work day logged into.... and here is a recent chat in which all I could end up doing was laugh....


[12:05:27] Wes: Welcome to our live chat service. My name is Wes. How may I help you today?
[12:06:28] nobleralph: thanks
[12:06:34] nobleralph: my name is raphael
[12:06:52] nobleralph: iwant to know more about your service pls
[12:07:26] nobleralph: hello are u ther
[12:07:41] Wes: Yes, sorry.
[12:08:51] nobleralph: thanks
[12:09:05] nobleralph: how do i take part in ur service
[12:08:23] Wes: We are an online delivery company that provides food delivery from various restaurants in the Silicon Valley/Peninsula and San Francisco Areas.
[12:09:29] nobleralph: i live in nigeria
[12:09:40] nobleralph: can i have u deliver food to me here
[12:08:59] Wes: We do not have any services there, sorry.
[12:10:01] nobleralph: ok
[12:10:12] nobleralph: are currently employing
[12:10:21] nobleralph: people
[12:11:04] Wes: Right now, the only positions we have would be based in California.
[12:12:32] nobleralph: pls kindly send me application details
[12:12:45] nobleralph: i really need a job
[12:13:04] nobleralph: to help me finance my education and make a future for myself and my family pls
[12:15:07] Wes: We have no jobs to offer, sorry.
[12:16:27] nobleralph: send me the carlifornia email address so that i can send my cv
[12:16:51] nobleralph: pls do this for me
[12:16:59] nobleralph: and save a soul
[12:17:03] Wes: You would have to live in California in order to work here though.
[12:18:41] nobleralph: IF I AM OFFERED EMPLOYMENT THEN I WILL WORK OUT MY PAPERS TO COME DOWN
[12:19:11] nobleralph: I KNOW THEY WILL DIRECT ME ON THE PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW
[12:19:29] nobleralph: IF MY APPLICATION IS GRANTED
[12:18:57] Wes: Well, the only positions we are currently hiring for right now are for delivery drivers - and for that position you need to have had a California Drivers License for at least 2 years -
[12:20:22] nobleralph: EVERY THING IS POSSIBLE WITH GOD
[12:20:37] nobleralph: IF I CAN GET THE JOB THE LICENSE WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM
[12:20:47] nobleralph: I CAN DRIVE VERY WELL
[12:20:54] nobleralph: TOO
[12:20:07] Wes: Sorry we are unable to help you further. Have a good day.

You see how he started yelling at me? **using caps in considered yelling in the chat universe** I would have typed in smaller font if possible, ya know, to calm him down a bit.

Now I don't have anything against religion...even I was baptized once myself (then I started doing comedy...weird)...but the line where he says "Every thing Is Possible With God" had me laughing. This was after I told him he needed a CA License. OK, I can believe God is powerful, but can he really give you your CA License for 2 years in one day?

Anyway.... hope you enjoyed it. :-)

For those of you who may not have heard, I withdrew myself from the Walk The Plank Comedy Competition tomorrow night in San Francisco. Unfortunately, one of my uncles unexpectedly passed away so I will not be doing any shows for a little while... I thank you for your thoughts and good wishes.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Um, can we cut?

No, apparently we cannot cut and there can only be one take. So here it is, my appearance on Creepy KOFY Movie Time. This aired on local San Francisco Bay Area television on September 4, 2010 at 11pm on KOFY Channel 20, Cable 13. My bit was performed during the showing of the black and white movie, Blood Creature.



Yes, I know I knocked over some set pieces before even going on stage. I was "bringing down the house" so to speak. I also know I messed up on my first joke. However, some friends wanted to see this local TV appearance, so here you have it. Oh, and I know they spelled my last name wrong too. Have fun going to THAT website though!

Monday, September 6, 2010

My 2010-2011 NFL Predictions



The 2010-2011 NFL season gets underway on Thursday night, September 9th, as the Minnesota Vikings face the defending Super Bowl champion, New Orleans Saints. As a lot of you may already know, I am a San Francisco 49er fan. I think this is the year that they will return to the playoffs. Here are my predictions for the 2010-2011 season -

* - Wild Card

AFC EAST
New England Patriots 11-5
New York Jets* 9-7
Miami Dolphins 9-7
Buffalo Bills 1-15

AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens 10-6
Pittsburgh Steelers 8-8
Cincinnatti Bengals 7-9
Cleveland Browns 5-11

AFC SOUTH
Indianapolis Colts 13-3
Tennessee Titans* 10-6
Houston Texans 9-7
Jacksonville Jaguars 7-9

AFC WEST
San Diego Chargers 9-7
Denver Broncos 8-8
Kansas City Chiefs 6-10
Oakland Raiders 5-11

NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys 11-5
New York Giants* 10-6
Philadelphia Eagles* 10-6
Washington Redskins 7-9

NFC NORTH
Green Bay Packers 12-4
Minnesota Vikings 9-7
Chicago Bears 6-10
Detroit Lions 6-10

NFC SOUTH
New Orleans Saints 13-3
Atlanta Falcons 9-7
Carolina Panthers 8-8
Tampa Bay Bucs 2-14

NFC WEST
San Francisco 49ers 11-5
Arizona Cardinals 7-9
Seattle Seahawks 7-9
St. Louis Rams 4-12


PLAYOFFS
WILD CARD ROUND

AFC - Jets vs. Ravens
Titans vs. Chargers

NFC - Eagles vs. 49ers
Giants vs. Cowboys

DIVISIONAL ROUND

AFC - Titans vs. Colts
Ravens vs. Patriots

NFC - Eagles vs. Saints
Cowboys vs. Packers

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

AFC -
Ravens vs. Colts

NFC - Saints vs. Cowboys

SUPER BOWL

Baltimore Ravens vs. New Orleans Saints

My Pick for Super Bowl Champion?


BALTIMORE RAVENS

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Everybody Sneezes

Everybody sneezes. We all know that this is a fact. Some people sneeze more than others. Sometimes a person will sneeze just once and that is all. Sometimes a person will sneeze 2,3,4, or more times in a row. Sneezes generally occur unexpectedly and are beyond our control.

Yet some people choose to ignore these human elements as facts. I'm sure we all know someone who sneezes so softly that we wonder why they even bothered to sneeze at all. I know a girl who simply makes a "meep" sound when she sneezes after a huge build up. That's like seeing a good preview then a crappy movie.

For example, this is a rather weak sneeze:



Really? That's a sneeze? Now I know this is YouTube and she could be faking her pathetic sneeze but if she did that, then that would be even dumber than the sneeze itself. It sounds like she just said, "choo" and that was all.

This guy seems to have no fear when letting his sneeze out.(fast forward to the end for the actual sneeze):




Some people love sneezing so much that they upload 60-plus videos containing sneezes! Don't believe me? Click here.

The worst thing to do is hold in a sneeze. They can lead to injuries and can turn into a really shitty situation....(please don't watch the next video if you're easily disgusted)



Hey, I warned you.

So the lesson here today? Do not be ashamed of your sneeze and do not hold in your sneezes or bad things could happen.

Babies love it when you sneeze anyway....



Bless You for reading.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Yes...I'm still here....

Hello readers. I have been meaning to write a blog sooner than this but a lot has been going on the past month or so and I never really had the opportunity to sit down and type away. So here I am, trying ti fit in a blog before I take off for an open mic comedy night at Paddy's Coffee House in Union City, CA. Yeah, that's right. Last month, my laptop decided it wasn't going to turn on anymore. I tried powering it up every way I could but it refused to work. I took the laptop in to a nearby Central Computers store to get it fixed but after a week or so of waiting to find out what the problem was - I found out that it was going to cost about $400 to get the problem fixed. (Needed a new motherboard). Um, no thanks I said, as I figured I'd be better off just buying a brand new laptop instead. The new laptop arrived on August 20th, so here I am, typing my first blog on the new laptop. HOW EXCITING! The end of July turned out to be rather crazy. Crazy as in busy. Some of it good and some not so much. On Wednesday, July 14th, my dear grandmother, Ferne Freeman, passed away. While I knew she wasn't feeling well - it was still a shock to hear the news. I am glad that I took the trip to see her the prior weekend. On Tuesday, July 20th, I performed in San Francisco at Castagnola's on Fisherman Wharf. I was pleased to see my friends Ruben Grijalva and Marcus Marotto from the Easily Distracted Theatre there to support. After the show, the three of us had a beer and watched the Giants and A's games which were both on TV downstairs in the bar area.
at Castagnola's

After the show at Castagnola's, it was off to Orangevale, CA as my grandmother's funeral service was the following day. This marked the first time I ever drove over the Bay Bridge. I was freaked out by the thought of driving over the bridge and even considered making a longer trip just to avoid it, but Ruben left me with the encouraging words of "Don't be a pussy!" Thanks Ruben, what a friend. Haha. I overcame the fear though - and I'm glad I was going the direction where I didn't have to pay the toll. On Thursday, July 22nd, I was back on stage again, this time in Oakland at Miss Pearl's Jam House. This is a wonderful show on the rise. Check out www.comedyoffbroadwayoakland.com for more on this show. I felt more relaxed at this show than the one on Tuesday - probably because I didn't have to think about the funeral service anymore. The whole week I just kept telling myself not to mix up my stand-up routines with my eulogy for the service. "Why does Wes keep telling jokes about his grandma?" people might ask... On Tuesday, July 27th, I participated in the San Jose Improv Comedy Competition. I did not advance past the first round but I had fun and that was all that mattered to me. My dad and sister and friend Brian came to the show and we all got a drink afterwards. My roommate Katie and her friend Alana came to the show too - but they left afterwards because they are early birds. On July 28th and July 29th, it was time for my monthly comedy shows that I produce in Gilroy and Morgan Hill. Both shows ended up being a blast. The shows featured DNA, Sal Calanni, and headliner Don Friesen. I highly suggest you see Friesen live if you ever get the chance. If you missed it, here is a little clip from the hysterical Don Friesen -
I have produced a lot of great shows with great comedians in Gilroy and Morgan Hill but the audiences were very delighted after these shows and let me know about it. Nothing like a great successful show!
with Don Friesen in Morgan Hill

On Saturday, July 31st, it was another busy day. In the early afternoon, I headed to San Francisco to KOFY TV 20 studios. I was shooting a 3 minute and 45 second stand-up bit for their late Saturday night show CREEPY KOFY MOVIE TIME. The show consists of two hosts (No-Name and Balrok) who discuss a horror movie being shown and there are breaks taken during the movie for comedians and other special guests. My experience was interesting and I'm wondering how they will edit my routine. Apparently I broke a bottle on the set while I walked onto the stage. Other comedians thought I was trying to make a statement like "Fuck local TV." Actually, I had no idea I broke anything til after I finished filming. You can see my bit at 11pm on KOFY TV 20 (Bay Area Cable 13) on September 4th. That night I headed to Pastime Club the small town of Gustine, CA and did a show produced by fellow comedian Jason Resler. I was hosting the show and it featured Kul Black and Rick Pulido. I had never met either but both are really cool guys and I look forward to working with them again in the future.
Rick Pulido, myself, and Kul Black

So as you can see, the last couple weeks of July were pretty eventful and for the most part, fun. August has been less busy comedy wise so far but I do have shows tonight, tomorrow, and Thursday. UPCOMING SHOWS -Tonight, August 24th - Paddy's Coffee House - Union City, CA - 8:30pm -August 25th - The Gaslighter - Gilroy, CA - 7:30pm -August 26th - Morgan Hill Playhouse - Morgan Hill, CA - 7:30pm -September 2nd - Blue Lagoon - Santa Cruz, CA - 8pm

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Ack, it found me!

I moved a little over a month ago now and the other day this came for me in the mail:

It is baaaaaaaaaaack! As I have written about before here ... the Parents Magazine has found me yet again. It is odd that they have sent me bills to pay for the magazine and I never have because I never actually subscribed. I just thought that they would stop coming in my mailbox. No such luck yet, they are following me wherever I go. In some sad news, my grandma passed away recently on July 14th... I know how she always wanted a great-grandchild. Did she subscribe me to this magazine as a hint? Probably not. . . Oh, by the way, you can learn how to raise a polite preschooler in this August 2010 issue. Looking for some laughs? Come on out for an upcoming comedy show! Tuesday - July 20 - Castagnola's - San Francisco, CA - 8pm - The best and brightest comedians in a hilarious fast paced showcase. $5 admission and 2 item minimum. http://www.wharfroomcomedy.com/ Thursday - July 22 - Miss Pearl's Jam House - Oakland, CA - 8pm - with Drew Harmon, Bob Johnston, and Brendan Lynch. http://comedyoffbroadwayoakland.com Tuesday - July 27 - Improv - San Jose, CA - 8pm - I am competing in a Comedy Competition at the San Jose Improv and this is the preliminary round night. Please come out to this show and vote for me. Winning this competition will only help my career and I would be forever grateful. See Lineup and Get tickets here: http://www.symfonee.com/Improv/sanjose/comedians/Bio.aspx?Uid=29a25eff-54ff-4c15-81d8-20015c25e101 Wednesday - July 28 - Gaslighter - Gilroy, CA - 7:30pm The monthly show that I produce and host featuring DNA, Sal Calanni, and headliner Don Friesen! This is going to be an amazing show. http://www.gaslighter.com Thursday - July 29 - Morgan Hill Playhouse - Morgan Hill, CA - 7:30pm The monthly show that I produce and host featuring DNA, Sal Calanni, and headliner Don Friesen! This is going to be an amazing show. http://www.morganhillcomedy.com

Foresight

(image copyright - Easily Distracted Theatre)

I went to see the Easily Distracted Theatre's production of FORESIGHT on Saturday night at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. Some of you may know that I was actually in the cast in the original production of FORESIGHT in 2006. 2006 may not seem too long ago, but I was promoting the show on my MySpace blog, which is something I wouldn't do today. I met writer/director and mastermind behind The Easily Distracted Theatre, Ruben Grijalva, back in 2003 when I was attending DeAnza College. I was introduced to him by my classmate, Adam Gonzalez, who was also a member of the group. So here I was in San Francisco to see a production of FORESIGHT as an audience member instead. I thought the production back in 2006 was pretty amazing - along with technology progressing and Grijalva rewriting parts and writing new parts, the play has become even more amazing. It is awesome to see how it has evolved to where it is now. Here is the synopsis of the play (from easilydistracted.com): The play tells the story of fictional Silicon Valley pioneer Victor Martinez and his wife, Lorena. Faced with a terminal illness and the approaching birth of his daughter, Victor crafts a software replica of himself, a kind of digital soul, represented as a disembodied likeness on a video screen. Victor's digital proxy, fully equipped to read bedtime stories, vacuum the house, and even make breakfast, is convincing enough to assist Lorena in raising their daughter, Shelley. Shelley loves and accepts her digital daddy, but Victor's physical absence takes a brutal toll on Lorena. The curtain rises on Shelley's thirteenth birthday, when Lorena decides it's time to finally move on. GreyWolf does an absolutely wonderful job as lead character, Victor Martinez. His voice is like that of great radio broadcaster which makes him pleasing to listen to.... which is a good thing because he is pretty much on stage in some way or another the entire show. I was also impressed with Luisa Frasconi as the 13 year old Shelley Martinez. She was full of energy and she acted very well even when it wasn't her turn to speak. I love actors who can be seen reacting to things going on during the play and aren't just waiting their turn to say their next line. There is a reason you have a line, so show it. Luisa did that well. When I was in the original production, I played the role of Allan Rodgers, the new man who enters Lorena's life and no one really likes. Of course I was interested to see how actor Jarrod Pirtle would do in the same role. I admit it was hard not to think "I can do better" or "My way was better," but Jarrod's approach still did the job. Even though he may have said the lines differently and in different tones than I did, it still worked. This is one of the reasons why live theatre is so amazing. In fact, Jarrod's performance Sunday will be different than his performance on Saturday.... no two performances will ever be the same. Ruben Grijalva's work has come a long way since I first met him and it will only get better. It is amazing that someone who is still a young 28 years old(like me!) has written a script as emotionally complex and appealing as FORESIGHT. Sunday, July 18th, is your final chance to see the production at the Fort Mason Center. Showtimes are at 2pm and 8pm. You can buy tickets here.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Who Hates Mass Text Messages?

On Saturday night, we had a small party for my new roommate and friend, Sean. It was also a housewarming party too since Sean, Katie (Sean's Girlfriend), and me all moved into the same place. Prior to the party on Saturday night, I sent out a mass text message to some people apologizing in advance if I happened to drunk text them later in the night. Most of the replies I got said something to the effect of "LOL". . . but one person responded "Was that a mass text?" She wanted to know if I had sent the same text message to multiple people and not just her. I responded, "Yeah, who cares?" She then quickly replied, "I hate those." She is not the first person to tell me they hate mass text messages though. I have only had girls, however, tell me they hate mass text messages. Of course, It got me to thinking why...

Apparently there are enough people against mass text messaging that there is a Facebook Page for people who hate receiving these mass text messages. I understand that marketing texts are annoying but I wasn't marketing anything. When I send a text to a group of people it is because I want to give the same information to the entire group. I'm not going to send a mass text that says "Merry Christmas" and include someone who I know doesn't celebrate Christmas. I can see why a person would be upset in that case. Why should I text each message individually? Would they have the same reaction if I sent the info in an e-mail and CC'd a few other people as well?

Why have only girls complained to me about mass text messages though? Is it a case of jealousy? I KNOW THERE WAS ANOTHER GIRL YOU TEXT THE SAME THING TO! I don't know the answer why... do you?

My first comedy show of the month is tomorrow, June 23rd, after taking a little break. Please come out and check one (or more) of the upcoming shows if you get a chance-

Wednesday - June 23rd - The Gaslighter - Gilroy, CA - 7:30pm
-The monthly comedy show in Gilroy that I host/produce. Show features David Nguyen, Marcella Arguello, and Paul Ogata. www.gaslighter.com

Thursday - June 24th - Morgan Hill Playhouse - Morgan Hill, CA - 7:30pm
-The monthly comedy show in Morgan Hill that I host/produce. Show features Coree Spencer, Marcella Arguello, and Paul Ogata. www.morganhillcomedy.com

Thursday - July 1 - Blue Lagoon - Santa Cruz, CA - 8:30pm
- Check out a great lineup of comedians from around the Bay Area. Free Admission, Ages 21 and over. www.thebluelagoon.com

Friday - July 9 - Bunjo's Comedy Club - Dublin, CA - 7:30pm
- Come see John Dekoven, Rudy Martinez, Rick Romero, and myself. http://www.bunjoscomedy.com/calendar.html

Tuesday - July 20 - Castagnola's - San Francisco, CA - 8pm
- The best and brightest comedians in a hilarious fast paced showcase. $5 admission and 2 item minimum.
http://www.wharfroomcomedy.com/

Thursday - July 22 - Miss Pearl's Jam House - Oakland, CA - 8pm
- with Drew Harmon, Bob Johnston, and Brendan Lynch.
http://comedyoffbroadwayoakland.com

Tuesday - July 27 - Improv - San Jose, CA - 8pm
- I am competing in a Comedy Competition at the San Jose Improv and this is the preliminary round night. Please come out to this show and vote for me. Winning this competition will only help my career and I would be forever grateful.
See Lineup and Get tickets here:
http://www.symfonee.com/Improv/sanjose/comedians/Bio.aspx?Uid=29a25eff-54ff-4c15-81d8-20015c25e101



Excuse me while I rant about the A's and baseball...

If you only knew one thing about me then it is probably the fact that I am a big baseball fan. My favorite team, the Oakland A's, begin play in about 20 minutes against the Cincinnati Reds. I watched the A's play the Reds last night which makes me a little hesitant to even watch the game tonight... As an A's fan, it was hard to watch.

The manager of the A's, Bob Geren, has got to go. I've said this before and I'm saying it again. Is that the only move that needs to be made? No. But it is the first move that should be made.

Bob Geren brought in closer Andrew Bailey (2009 AL All-Star and Rookie of the Year) in the top of the 9th in a game tied at 1. I knew right away this would not work. If you have watched the A's like I have this year then you know that Bailey is not the same pitcher in a tie game that he is in a save situation (that means with his team leading by 1-3 runs in case you were wondering). For whatever reason, Bailey does not seem to have the save adrenaline and effectiveness when entering in a tie game. Before I knew it, the Reds were up by the score 2-1. The A's did come back to tie the game at 2 in the bottom of the 9th only to end up losing 6-4... like I said, it was hard to watch. I wonder how the hell is it that I see this constant problem with Bailey and Geren does not? Part of managing is to understand what situations certain players excel in. . . Geren doesn't seem to be doing that.

One of my favorite baseball movies is Little Big League in which a young kid named Billy Heywood becomes manager of his favorite team, the Minnesota Twins, while they are in a serious funk, and after Billy's grandpa,who owns the team, dies.





Now I'm not as young as the character of Billy is in this movie (In fact, AJ Hinch, a former A's draft pick, is the current - and youngest - manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks at age 36 - after his Major League playing career didn't pan out as hoped).

But if I was given a shot at making some decisions for the A's right now, here is what I would do...(and yes, I'm taking the fact that they are a small market team into consideration)

Fire Bob Geren - if anything it gives the team a shot in the arm and tells them not to take anything for granted.

Don't let Brad Ziegler pitch to lefties - I like Ziegler like a lot of A's fans do, but he is having a tough time getting left handed hitters out - maybe all he needs is to gain confidence facing righties only for a while.

Put Michael Wuertz in blow-out games only - He is not pitching like himself right now. He started the season on the DL and doesn't seem to have found his form yet. It is better to have him pitch in non-pressure situations.

Send Tyson Ross to the minors and release or trade Jack Cust - Tyson Ross was a nice story out of Spring Training and was effective at first but he has been disastrous lately. He should be sent back to AAA Sacramento for more seasoning. Jack Cust started the year in the minors but the A's brought him back. The A's outfield is crowded and Cust sucks defensively. On offense, he is a good rally killer. He will hit the occasional solo home run though when the A's are losing 6-0 .... but that means Jack shit. (see what I did there?)

Promote Chris Carter from AAA Sacramento - He may be hitting only .238 in AAA Sacramento but he has 15 home runs and 53 RBIs as well. I would like to see the 3 thru 6 part of the lineup look like this - Conor Jackson, Chris Carter, Kurt Suzuki, Kevin Kouzmanoff. Looks a lot better to me. Carter could play DH (instead of Cust) or he could replace Daric Barton at First Base now and then.

Stop bringing in Andrew Bailey to pitch tie games
- You knew that one was coming, right?

::sigh::.... I know the A's have a small market team and can't afford to spend money on players like the Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers.... but that doesn't mean they shouldn't still try to compete with what they have.... and be smart (cough, Geren, cough) about it.

Monday, May 31, 2010

Don't Feed The Yuppies

A lot of you that follow me on facebook and twitter may have already seen the following clip. In case you missed it though, here is the short film that I participated in along with some fellow comedians, titled Don't Feed the Yuppies. Filmed on a hot day in the Summer of 2009, here is the final project (make sure your flash player is updated) -



Please let me know what you think and if you like it then please click "funny."

Monday, May 17, 2010

Some photos from my SoCal trip



Some Pictures from my hotel...

The Fridge

The Fridge after I made modifications.

Matt, myself, and Chris Valenti at O'Brien's in Santa Monica

This one is obvious...
RikkiAnn and myself in Santa Monica

"The Big A" at Angel Stadium


Day 4.5 of SoCal trip and back home...

Today I got up around 8am and left the hotel around 9:30am and headed to Cecily and Dan's place in Sherman Oaks to meet up with them before the A's-Angels game in Anaheim. I got to their place at about 10:30am and we then proceeded to pick up James and Andrew (I hope I didn't get either of their names wrong - I went to school with them two as well - but they were in the film department so we didn't cross paths all that often). After we had Dan's Ford Focus full with 5 people, we got a quick bite to eat at a nearby Jack-In-The-Box (No, I'm not writing a review for them).

We got the Angel Stadium in Anaheim shortly before game time and I was amazed that parking was only $8. Parking is $15 or so in Oakland. And of course, Angel Stadium is a lot nicer too.

Unfortunately, the game didn't go as hoped for us A's fans. Joel Pineiro of the Angels may have pitched really well against the A's, but it looked more like the A's weren't even trying to make him throw many pitches. The lack of offense by the A's - and really there wasn't a whole lot by the Angels either - made it a rather quick game. In one hour, it was already the 5th inning. I think Dan left to get a beer in the 3rd inning and when he came back it was already the 6th inning.

Cecily and I yelled at the Oakland players to do something but alas, the A's did not even score once, and lost 4-0. Despite the loss, I am glad that I got to go to Angel Stadium for the first time. It is another Major League ballpark to mark off on my list.

An Angels fan told us after the game, "Sorry we beat you guys. Maybe next time." I responded by saying, "Why are you apologizing? I didn't see you on the field."

After the game, Dan took us back through traffic to his and Cecily's place and I got my car and made my way back for San Jose... I got back home shortly after 9:30pm...

Overall, I really enjoyed my stay there. I am glad I got to see some of my friends that live in the area while I was there and was happy they took the time to hang out with me. I got to meet new comedians and all the people that booked me told me to let them know when I am back in the area - so that has to be a good thing, right?

It was fun learning experience and I am happy I made the trip because it was a goal I had set for myself this year. I should make more goals.... so my next goal will be to think of a new goal.

I should have some pictures posted from the trip in my next blog...

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Day 4 of SoCal Trip

I slept in a little bit again today and got ready for my my day.

Shortly after 1:00pm, my good friend, RikkiAnn (see her blog here) arrived from Santa Ana to hang out with me. We headed toward Main St. in Santa Monica, parked, and just walked the streets as we talked and took some photos. We eventually made our way to Border Grill on 4th St. I ordered what were basically some chicken tacos and she ordered the grilled fish tacos. Before we even ordered, RikkiAnn told me that she was going to pay for whatever I wanted and not to argue against it. In addition to the food we ordered, she ordered a Sangria and and I ordered a Strawberry Margarita (we both asked for our drinks on the rocks).

The food arrived to our table quicker than we expected which was neat. When we received the bill, RikkiAnn grabbed it quickly so I didn't attempt to pay. Read my full review of the restaurant here.

I told RikkiAnn, "thanks for lunch."
She said, "thanks for visiting."
I said, "thanks for visiting where I was visiting."

After lunch, we leisurely walked back to where her car was parked (we paid for 3 hours in the parking meter). I stopped at the nearby Coffee Bean first and ordered a drink that RikkiAnn had said was one of her favorites. We sat in front of Coffee Bean for a little bit and were about to leave, but I said that I wanted to ask someone to take a photo of us first. Not a second later, a woman comes down the sidewalk and does a leap like a ballerina. It was like "Here I am to take your photo!" RikkiAnn says, "She'll do it." And she did.

She brought me back to my hotel around 4:45pm so I could get ready for my show in Hollywood. I would have liked to hang out with her longer - but some time was better than no time at all.

I took off for Hollywood shortly after 5pm and got there around 6:15pm. I was told to arrive at the Green Room at 6:30pm to check-in. I ended up being the first comedian to show up. The show actually turned out to be a show by comedians mostly for comedians. I was only person sitting up front so the other comedians used me to riff on. This included a comedian in drag who said to me, "I can see you are looking at me. Most women have an innie clit, I have an outtie."
Another comic across the room says to me, "you ready to go back to San Jose now?"
Since it was a show that was mostly watched by comedians, I can't really say how well I did. Comedians have a weird thing about laughing real hard for other comedians - they usually don't.
I wanted to stick around and support everyone going on stage but the show went on forever. Eventually, I took off around 10:30pm. I would have liked to roam Hollywood Blvd. a little bit more but my contacts were bothering my eyes.

They kept a star blank for me!

I went to a nearby gift store and got myself a few mementos from my trip. To friends who are expecting a gift from me when I get back to San Jose, sorry, I didn't get you anything. Just thought I'd tell you that now.

I will be writing my next blog from home. I head back to San Jose tomorrow, but I am going to the Angels-A's game in Anaheim with Cecily and Dan first....I have yet to see Angel Stadium so it will be nice way to end the trip. Especially if the A's win.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Day 3 of SoCal Trip

Today marked the middle day of my trip to SoCal... turned out to be less eventful than I would have liked for different reasons. I slept until about 9 this morning and got up and got ready like usual. I then went online to look for a breakfast place but by the time I found one that seemed interesting it was already around lunch time.

I decided to take a walk down the street and have lunch at an Italian place called Mosto Enoteca. Let me say, if you are ever in the Marina Del Rey area and want some good Italian food, check this place out. You can read my review by clicking here.

After lunch, I walked back on the other side of the street and decided to stop by Joni's Coffee Roasting Company and I ordered a Large Iced Vanilla Latte. Want to know what it looked like? Too bad... here is a picture of it:

If you want read my review of place then you can do so by clicking here.

I walked back to the hotel after Joni's and watched the last 3 innings of the Cubs-Pirates game that was on TV. I was pleased that the Pirates' Andrew McCutchen had a great game since he is on my Fantasy Team.

I talked online with my good friend RikkiAnn, who lives in Santa Ana, and we discussed ideas on what we're going to do during the day tomorrow, as she is going to drive here and meet up with me. Whatever we do, I know it will be fun.

I left at 7pm tonight for Long Beach to do a show at iCandy Coffee shop.... but unfortunately, I never arrived. If you were there to see me, I truly apologize. I made the following video to explain what happened:



Well, that is all for now... look for a much more exciting blog tomorrow, my last full day here... I get to hang out with one of my best friends and do a show in Hollywood tomorrow... you can't beat that!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Day 2 of SoCal trip

I got up rather early today - 7:30am - which to me is early for someone who is on a vacation. Why did I wake up so early, you ask? I wanted to check out the free continental breakfast the hotel offers! FREE?! Oh yeah. So I showered and dressed and all of those "I'm getting ready for the day" type things and went to check out the breakfast. There were two old ladies who mistook the butter for coffee cream.... and then there was a cute girl working behind the counter. Then there was me, who had problems opening the door to get into the place. Women like that, I hear. Haha.

They had bagels and eggos and a couple toasters available for use. They had coffee, juice, and fruit. They also had four different selections of cereal. I decided to go with some Raisin Bran (which is funny because I hardly ever eat cereal at home) and a cup of coffee.

Will I be waking up this early tomorrow? Probably not.

I came back to my room for a bit and realized that the cup of coffee with breakfast wasn't going to cut it... my dear friend, RikkiAnn, had told me that Coffee Bean was the place to check out in SoCal for coffee. So I took a walk down the street - and realized it was already pretty hot outside at 9:30am - and went to the nearest Coffee Bean. Check out my review of the Coffee Bean by clicking here.

I came back to the hotel with coffee in hand and discovered that room service had already cleaned my room. (I had only been gone about 20 minutes!)

Later on in the day, around 2:30pm, I headed toward 3rd St. Promenade which is one of happening spots in Santa Monica. The street has a lot of eating places as well as shops. I met a longtime friend from my days playing Little League Baseball, Matt Mackowski. He also went to the same high school as me though he graduated a year earlier. For lunch, Matt recommended, Barney's Beanerey. So we had lunch and talked. We were there from about 3pm to 4:30pm. Read my review of Barney's Beanerey by clicking here.

I came back to the hotel after lunch... what is about a 5 mile drive back took me 30+ minutes... thank you LA traffic! It was then time to get ready for the show at O'Brien's in Santa Monica.

I got to O'Brien's around 8pm and met up with Matt again - as he stuck around in the area to see the comedy show. Then I just waited my turn on stage. After a couple comedians had done their sets, someone taps my back. I turn around and it is Chris Valenti! In case you don't know who Chris Valenti is, he is probably best known for being the driver in this popular car commercial from years ago. Chris had performed at O'Brien's a week ago on May 6th and I had sent him a note that I had missed him by a week. My note led him to come by O'Brien's again this week. Chris has also performed a couple times at my show that I produce in Morgan Hill.

I ended up being the last comedian to go on stage. I didn't expect to be the one closing out the show. Unfortunately, they ran out of time too as I had to wrap up my set sooner than I anticipated. Not everyone in the place was paying attention either so it was tough to get a good read of things.

After the show, Chris, Matt, and I all had a drink and chatted for a while about comedy, writing, and the ladies. If you know Chris and his music then you know he has a lot of stories/songs about dealing with ladies...

So even though I felt my set was somewhat rushed due to time and just so-so overall, it was really cool to hang out and chat with Chris and Matt afterwards. (I took pictures this time too - which will be up sometime shortly after I get back home).

That's all for now... until next time...

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Day 1 of SoCal trip

I just got back to my hotel a little while ago from the Punk House Show booked by Ed Galvez at the Westside Comedy Theatre (www.westsidecomedy.com) in Santa Monica. For my first night in the area and the more-than-usual type nerves I had, I thought my set turned out pretty well. I was very happy to see my college friend, Cecily Ryan, and her boyfriend, Dan Trujillo, come to the show. (that's right, I just linked to their IMDB pages.) It is always cool when a few friends come to a show - and even more so when it is at a place that is 300+ miles from my home. It was also really cool that Ryan Stout made a surprise appearance! (I feel like an idiot now for not getting my picture taken with him)

I stumbled through my words in the beginning a bit due to the nerves but eventually I got back on track - so overall, I am pleased. I didn't film the set tonight - so sorry if anyone wanted to see it. I will try to film my set tomorrow night at O'Brien's.

I didn't really do much else today except drive here from San Jose. I arrived to the hotel around 2pm and pretty much just watched baseball and fooled around on facebook. I also ordered a pizza. I was so worn out from driving that I didn't really feel like walking around the town today.

My drive here had an interesting moment. I was on Pacheco Pass headed toward I-5 when I saw this big dirt cloud go up on the side of the road about 3 cars ahead of me. Suddenly, everyone braked. Someone's car had gone off the side of the road and into some trees. A lot of people stopped and pulled over. I drove carefully through and kept going. Not because I am heartless and don't care but 1) there were like 5 people who had already stopped to help 2) I would just stand there and be worried and not much of a help anyway 3) No need for me to stop and create even more traffic.

Aside from having to see that incident occur (I hope they are ok... I see no reports online).... the drive to SoCal went well.

Until tomorrow... thanks for reading.

Southern California, I have arrived!

Hey everybody - I arrived in Southern California after a drive from San Jose about 2 and a half hours ago. Now it is time to do some comedy. Please come check out one of the following shows if you live in the area! Thanks!


Wednesday, May 12th @ 9pm
Punk House Show
Westside Comedy Theater
1323-A 3rd Street Promenade
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Admission: $8
www.westsidecomedy.com

Thursday, May 13th @ 8pm
O'brien's Irish Pub and Restaurant
2941 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Admission: Free, Ages 21 and over.

Friday, May 14th @ 9pm
iCandy Coffee
1708 E Broadway
Long Beach, CA 90802
Admission: Free
Note: It might just be a coffee shop...but there will be comedy!

Saturday, May 15th @ 7pm
The Green Room
6756 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90068
Admission: Free

Hope everyone can make it to at least one of the shows! TELL YOUR FRIENDS TOO!
Let's do this!!!


Wes Hofmann
www.weshofmann.com

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Tales from Wes HaHa Hofmann


What's up readers of my blog? (I think I have three or four of you now!) I just thought I'd share some stories of some past shows and give some updates on upcoming shows. I meant to write a blog sooner than this but I have been busy with the day job, comedy shows, and watching baseball.

On April 6th, I did my first show at Castagnola's, located on the Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. I may not live in San Francisco, but I do know there are lots of people on the street sidewalks trying different things to make money. I was running a little late and walking down the street on Fisherman's Wharf and a guy stops me and says he would like to shine my shoes! This is hysterical to me because I'm wearing some New Balance tennis shoes. How do you even shine those? I tell the guy that I am running a little late and have to get to Castagnola's down the street. He says, "If I can tell you where you got those shoes will you let me shine them?"

Knowing there is no way he could possibly guess that I got them at Sports Authority in San Jose, I said, "go for it." So he points at my left shoe and says, "You got this one on your left foot" then he points at my right shoe, "And you got this one on your right foot." I laugh and shake his hand as I congratulate him on being clever and fooling me.

He then proceeds to rub each of my shoes for a nanosecond and asks for $2. I give him $2 for being clever and then I asked him if he knew how far away Castagnola's was.... he didn't say, but a homeless guy sitting down with a sign asking for money looks at me and says, "It is two more blocks down the road." Too bad I didn't have any money to give him.

The show at Castagnola's was a lot of fun with some amazing comedians including Coree Spencer, Brendan Lynch, Dean Inouye, and even Laurie Kilmartin (who has appeared on Comedy Central and Jimmy Kimmel). The last three comedians to go on stage were Laurie, myself, and Brendan. I knew that I would really have to bring it since I was following Laurie and I am pretty proud with the way my set turned out that night. I had so much energy that the crowd might have thought I was on drugs. . . like a real star.

At Castagnola's

On April 8th, I did a show at a pizza joint (yeah, that's right) called Mission Pizza in Fremont. Sammy Obeid headlined the show (he is also the one that started the comedy nights at Mission Pizza on every other Thursday.) I went to the show with a couple of my good friends and they decided to buy some heavy beer with our pizza before the show. It was some sort of Double IPA... so I started my set of the family-friendly show by saying the F-bomb twice in my introduction sentence. I'll blame the beer. Mission Pizza is a tough room sometimes though as a lot of people were chatting during the show and not actually watching, but still I try to do my best wherever I go.

The funniest part of the night came during Sammy Obeid's headlining set. Sammy opens one of his jokes by saying, "Women should take premature ejaculation as a compliment..." and one of my buddies yells out, "EXACTLY!" I started laughing non-stop. He was embarassed and it was great.

Here are some upcoming shows of mine - I will be in the Los Angeles area from May 12th thru May 16th so stay tuned for more show details for those dates as well!

-Thursday, April 22, Blue Lagoon in Santa Cruz, CA -8:30pm

-Wednesday, April 28, The Gasligher in Gilroy, CA - 7:30pm

-Thursday, April 29, Morgan Hill Playhouse in Morgan Hill, CA - 7:30pm

-Wednesday, May 12, Punk House Show @ Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica, CA-9pm

-Wednesday, May 19, Rooster T. Feathers in Sunnyvale, CA - 8pm

As always, stay tuned to my site at http://www.weshofmann.com/ for upcoming show information!

Friday, March 26, 2010

My 2010 Major League Baseball Predictions

For those of you who know anything about me or just a little about me, know that I am a big baseball fan. I enjoy trying to predict how the season standings will finish and who will win the awards. The great thing about baseball is you never really know for sure who will have a breakout year and each game is different. (there are other great things about baseball too)... so here are my predictions for the 2010 Major League Baseball Season... after you read this blog, be sure to check out my friend, Sean's blog, and his predictions at http://mummblesrantings.blogspot.com/ I haven't read his predictions yet myself but I will after I finish mine.


My Predictions (* - wild card)

AL WEST:

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (91-71)
Seattle Mariners (88-74)
Texas Rangers (80-82)
Oakland A's (78-84)
Notes: I hate that I am picking my favorite team, the A's, to finish last. I think they have some good core players, but their offseason moves made little sense. The Mariners got a lot better but I think their rotation is rather weak after Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee. The thing that makes the Angels stand out the most as the team to beat is Manager Mike Scioscia(pictured).

AL CENTRAL:
Minnesota Twins (93-69)
Chicago White Sox ( 89-73)
Detroit Tigers (88-74)
Cleveland Indians (74- 88)
Kansas City Royals (72-90)
Notes: Minnesota Twins star closer, Joe Nathan has been ruled out for the season which will probably cause the Twins to lose a few more games, but I still see them winning the Central. Let's just hope the 8 year-184 million dollar contract that the other Joe (Joe Mauer, pictured) doesn't go to his head and makes his production go down. The hardest thing for me to decide in the Central was who would finish last between the Indians and Royals.


AL EAST:

New York Yankees (99-63)
Boston Red Sox (94-68)*
Tampa Bay Rays (90-72)
Baltimore Orioles (84-78)
Toronto Blue Jays (62-100)

Notes:
By far the toughest division in baseball, I don't see how the Yankees won't repeat as AL EAST Champions.
Don't be surprised by the Baltimore Orioles this
year if they finish with a winning record. Nick Markakis and Adam Jones (pictured) give the Orioles
and promising future.
The Jays just suck.


NL WEST:
Colorado Rockies (89-73)
Los Angeles Dodgers (88-74)
San Francisco Giants (86-76)

Arizona Diamondbacks (80-82)
San Diego Padres (72-90)
Notes: The NL West looks to be the closest race in terms of the playoffs. I see the Rockies, Dodgers, and Giants as all have a legitimate shot at winning the West. If Colorado's Jeff Francis (pictured) can come back and do well after missing 2009 with an injury, then the Rockies probably have the edge.

NL CENTRAL:
St. Louis Cardinals (95-67)
Milwaukee Brewers (88-74)
Cincinatti Reds (85-77)
Chicago Cubs (81-81)
Houston Astros (78-84)
Pittsburgh Pirates (74-88)
Notes:
St. Louis gets the edge here as they have great starting pitching and some big bats in Albert Pujols and company. I figure the Reds will be a lot like the Orioles will be in the AL East. They can definitely give other teams a problem and have a pretty potent lineup. And even though they will have a tough season again, they will improve slightly and the Pirates' Andrew McCutchen(pictured) will continue to be exciting to watch.

NL EAST:
Philadelphia Phillies (94-68)
Atlanta Braves (90-72)*
Florida Marlins (87-75)
New York Mets(81-81)
Washington Nationals(71-91)
Notes: This is the Mets' year, right?!? No. The Atlanta Braves will find themselves back in the playoffs in 2010. Highly touted rookie, Jason Heyward (pictured), will prove that he belongs on the big stage. The Marlins will stay in the running to contend, but in the end, their pitching will let them down. Everyone will tune in to watch the Washington Nationals play when Stephen Strasburg gets called upon, but they should also keep an eye on prospect, Ian Desmond.


WORLD SERIES
The World Series will see the New York Yankees take on the St. Louis Cardinals and the Yankees will win in 5.

POSTSEASON AWARDS:
AL MVP -
Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
NL MVP -
Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies
AL Rookie of the Year - Brian Matusz, Baltimore Orioles
NL Rookie of the Year -
Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves
AL CY YOUNG -
Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox
NL CY YOUNG -
Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies
AL Manager of the Year -
Ron Gardenhire, Minnesota Twins
NL Manager of the Year -
Tony LaRussa, St. Louis Cardinals
AL Comeback Player of the Year -
Justin Duchscherer, Oakland A's
NL Comeback Player of the Year -
Tim Hudson, Atlanta Braves