MLB Predictions
Est. 1869
What’s lies ahead in the 2013 Major League Baseball season, well no one knows for sure but Opening Day is upon us and it’s time to roll out a few predictions. If you happened to listen to our live show this past week then you already heard those predictions.
Enjoy opening day, enjoy the season. I know I will.
American League East winner: Tampa Bay Rays
American League Central winner: Detroit Tigers
American League West winner: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
American League Wild-Card winner: Oakland Athletics
American League Wild-Card winner: Kansas City Royals
American League Pennant winner: Tampa Bay Rays
National League East winner: Washington Nationals
National League Central winner: Cincinnati Reds
National League West winner: San Francisco Giants
National League Wild-Card winner: Milwaukee Brewers
National League Wild-Card winner: Philadelphia Phillies
National League Pennant winner: Washington Nationals
American League Rookie of the Year: Wil Myers, Tampa Bay Rays
National League Rookie of the Year: Jedd Gyorko, San Diego Padres
American League Manger of the Year: John Farrell, Boston Red Sox
National League Manager of the Year: Bo Porter, Houston Astros
American League MVP: Yoenis Cespedas, Oakland Athletics
National League MVP: Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies
American League Cy Young Award: Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers
National League Cy Young Award: Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals
Pedro Martinez admits to plunking on purpose
Who's Your Daddy
Monday, former pitching great Pedro Martinez, the Boston Red Sox newly minted special assistant to general manager Ben Cherington, was front and center answering reporter’s questions.
And, suffice it to say, I would have loved to have been there to listen because, according to Peter Abraham from the Boston Globe, there were some gems. Especially when the subject of teaching young pitchers the value of being able to pitch inside was brought up.
“I think it’s all part of the game. You have to pitch inside and you have to brush them back when you have to,” the three-time Cy Young Award winner said. “I will preach it and I will say they need to pitch inside if they want to have success.”
But the best part, Martinez added that “90 percent” of the batters he plunked…he did it on purpose. Retaliation for his teammates he maintains.
Oh, and about that 2003 incident with Karim Garcia of the New York Yankees? Martinez claims that wasn’t on purpose.
“It didn’t even hit him, it hit the bat,” Martinez added. “Lucky bastard.”
Cy Young Award winners make history
Mountain Climber
R.A. Dickey of the New York Mets and David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays are this year’s Cy Young winners and Elias Sports Bureau notes that for the first time in MLB history the award winners faced off during the regular season.
Back on June 13 in Tampa Bay they matched up in a blowout Mets win, as Dickey racked up 12 strikeouts in a complete-game one-hitter and Price got knocked around for seven runs in five innings.
It was one of Dickey’s league-leading five complete games and one of his seven starts with double-digit strikeouts. For Price it was the most runs he allowed in a game all season and one of just five starts in which he failed to complete at least six innings.
Through that game Dickey was 10-1 with a 2.20 ERA in 90 innings and Price was 8-4 with a 3.01 ERA in 84 innings. From that point on Dickey went 10-5 with a 3.07 ERA in 144 innings and Price went 12-1 with a 2.26 ERA in 127 innings.
Jim Palmer Selling His Cy Young’s & Gold Gloves
Can't Erase The Mind
Jim Palmer said he no longer needs trophies as mementos of his Hall of Fame career, so the former Baltimore Orioles ace has put his three Cy Young Awards and two of his four Gold Gloves up for auction.
Palmer, currently a TV analyst for the Orioles, did not say he was financially hurting. He’s just looking to make some money by selling some of the hardware he received during his 19-year run in the major leagues.
“At this juncture of my life, I would rather concern myself with the education of my grandchildren,” Palmer said. “I also have a stepson, (15-year-old) Spencer, who is autistic and will need special care for the rest of his life. My priorities have changed.”
A portion of the profits will also be given to the autism project of Palm Beach County.
Hunt Auctions is taking bids online and over the phone through July 8 for the Cy Young Awards that Palmerwon in 1973, 1975 and 1976, as well as the Gold Gloves he earned in 1976 and 1979. The live auction will take place on July 10.
Each of the Cy Young Award trophies, given to the best pitcher in each league by vote, is expected to garner between $60,000 and $80,000. The Gold Gloves are expected to receive bids up to $15,000.
Until recently, Palmer kept the three Cy Young Awards on a wall in his Florida home. The Gold Gloves were in storage, mainly because his wife, Susan, didn’t want them in their home.
“Gold doesn’t go with my wife’s design,” Palmer said. “She has a design shop for women’s wear in Palm Beach, and she doesn’t do gold.”
Don Mattingly Says Roger Clemens Trail A Waste Of Money
Singing From The Roof Top
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly considers the five-year $20 million federal investigation into pitcher Roger Clemens a complete waste of resources and money. The 49-year-old Clemens was acquitted Monday on all six counts that he lied to Congress when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs.
“What a waste. I was thinking about it after all this time, what a waste of resources,” Mattingly said Tuesday before his team began a three-game interleague series with the Oakland Athletics.
“Then you hear about teachers and stuff who don’t have paper and pencils for kids, and it seems like what a waste. What a waste of money. Really, I don’t think anybody cares. At this point nobody cares, it’s like, ‘So long.’”
Mattingly played against Clemens for more than a decade while with the New York Yankees early in the 354-game winner and seven-time Cy Young Award winner’s career with the rival Boston Red Sox. Mattingly a .311 career hitter went 23 for 74 with eight RBIs and three doubles against the right-hander and also served as bench coach of the Yankees in 2007 during Clemens final big league season.
Mattingly figures the government has much better ways to spend money than investigating superstar athletes such as Clemens, Barry Bonds and cyclist Lance Armstrong.
“What a waste of money,” Mattingly said.
Mattingly hopes Major League Baseball is finally beginning to move forward from the Steroids Era thanks to improved testing and stiffer penalties for those who fail drug tests. He sees positive strides toward a reliable solution.
“I don’t know. It seems like something always pops up, you know? It always creeps back a little bit,” Mattingly said. “It’s definitely getting behind us, I think, as we go. I think the biggest thing is better testing and thorough testing. You start getting HGH testing and you’re getting better testing, it just kind of reinforces to guys that you can’t get away with it, and it’s going to be an equal playing field. That’s what I like.
“It kind of protects players from the players, it protects organizations, it protects fans, it protects everybody. I think the testing protects everybody.”
MLB Predictions
Est. 1869
What’s lies ahead in the 2012 Major League Baseball season, well no one knows for sure but Opening Day is upon us and it’s time to roll out a few predictions. If you happened to listen to our live show this past week then you already heard six segments of in depth breakdown in each division of each league but here is a cheat sheet to those predictions.
Should be an interesting year with another added Wild Card team to the postseason mix and one can only hope this season has a magical finish like last year. Enjoy opening day, enjoy the season. I know I will.
American League East winner: New York Yankees
American League Central winner: Detroit Tigers
American League West winner: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
American League Wild-Card winner: Tampa Bay Rays
American League Wild-Card winner: Kansas City Royals
American League Pennant winner: Tampa Bay Rays
National League East winner: Washington Nationals
National League Central winner: Cincinnati Reds
National League West winner: Los Angeles Dodgers
National League Wild-Card winner: Miami Marlins
National League Wild-Card winner: San Francisco Giants
National League Pennant winner: Los Angeles Dodgers
American League Rookie of the Year: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
National League Rookie of the Year: Drew Pomeranz, Colorado Rockies
American League Manger of the Year: Buck Showalter, Baltimore Orioles
National League Manager of the Year: Davey Johnson, Washington Nationals
American League MVP: Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
National League MVP: Justin Upton, Arizona Diamondbacks
American League Cy Young Award: James Shields, Tampa Bay Rays
National League Cy Young Award: Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies
Justin Verlander Launches Own Cereal
MVP Worthy
Detroit Tigers pitcher and American League Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander is getting ready throw the heater in your morning breakfast routine. Verlander has his own cereal called “Fastball Flakes” which is to benefit VA Hospitals in Detroit and Ann Arbor.
The cereal is being sold through PLB Sports, which is a Pittsburgh-based company that makes athlete-endorsed products like similar cereals featuring Jason Kendall, Marshall Faulk, Chad Ochocinco, David Eckstein, Doug Flutie, Wayne Chrebet, John Elway, Jerome Bettis, and more.
Kate Upton Teaches Circle Changeup To MLB Players
2K Sports hit a home run when they decided to select model Kate Upton to help sell MLB 2K12, their newest version of the series, as she has now also was been selected to be the cover girl of the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. Perfect timing.
Upton stars along with Detroit Tigers and AL Cy Young award winner, MVP, and 2K Sports cover athlete Justin Verlander, David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays, Jay Bruce of the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher C.J. Wilson, were she teaches them the fine art of the circle change up.
Orel Hershiser Invented Tebowing
Hershisering
Hershisering or praying just doesn’t have the same ring to it or pull that Tebowing does. However it appears after Cy Young award winning pitcher Orel Hershiser is the man that brought it the sports forefront back in 1988.
Hershiser first struck the pose after defeating the New York Mets in game 7 of the 1988 National League Championship Series. That year Hershiser had the year of his life when he lead the league with wins (23), innings pitched (267), and complete games (15) as well as finishing the season with a record 59 consecutive scoreless innings pitched, breaking the mark held by former Dodger Don Drysdale. He also won his first Gold Glove and was unanimously selected as the Cy Young Award winner, with a record of 23–8 and a 2.26 ERA.
Not to be outdone as just a fine regular season he stepped up huge in the postseason where he started Games 1 and 3 as well as recording the final out in Game 4 in relief for a save. He then pitched a shutout in Game 7 and was selected MVP of the series.
Hershiser then capped his historic season in the World Series by pitching a shutout in Game 2 and allowing two runs in a complete game in the clinching victory in Game 5, winning the World Series MVP Award.
Hershiser is the only player to receive the Cy Young award, the Championship Series MVP award, and the World Series MVP award in the same season. He later received both The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year and Sports Illustrated magazine’s Sportsman of the Year award for his accomplishments in 1988.
So it pays to do Tebowing now and then.
Barry Zito Marrying Former Miss Missouri
TALENT
It appears winners of the Miss Missouri title have a gift for getting to the wedding altar with well-known pro athletes. Candice Crawford, the 2008 Miss Missouri made that trip with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo earlier this year.
Now Amber Marie Seyer, the 2007 winner, is headed in the same direction this weekend San Francisco Giants pitcher Barry Zito.
It’s a nice ending to the year for the 2002 Cy Young winner, who had a rough season for San Francisco while being reminded often he hasn’t delivered on his $126 million contract.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports another Giant also will get wed this weekend, when outfielder Nate Schierholtz marries Kate Eveland, a former guard for San Diego State’s basketball team.
Roger Clemens thinking of comeback in Puerto Rico?
Chin Music
Former major league pitcher Roger Clemens is contemplating a comeback in a Puerto Rican winter league, according to Puerto Rico’s El Nuevo Dia newspaper. Clemens, 49, hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2007 with the New York Yankees but reportedly has aspirations of joining his son Koby on the Indios de Mayaguez team.
“(He) wants to pitch, that’s 100 percent sure. I saw his desire to compete again. He was (at) the practice and said he wanted to play with his son,” a member of the Indios de Mayaguez team told El Nueva Dia.
Clemens went 354-184 with a 3.12 ERA and 4,672 strikeouts during his 24-season major league career. He was a seven-time Cy Young award winner, an 11-time All-Star and the 1986 AL MVP.
Dwight Gooden Missed 1986 World Series Parade Cause Of Drug Induced Haze
What Could Have Been
Former New York Mets ace Dwight “Doc” Gooden admits he missed the team’s World Series championship parade in 1986 because he was in a drug-induced haze. Gooden, who has battled drug problems during and after his career said that he attended a party in the projects on Long Island after a team party ended following the Mets Game 7 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
“When the party started winding down, for myself, a lot of times I get to a certain point of using drugs, the paranoia sticks in,” Gooden said. “So I end up leaving the party with the team, going to these projects, of all places, in Long Island. Hang out there.”
“Then you know what time you have to be at the ballpark to go into the city for the parade, but I’m thinking ‘OK, I’ve got time.’ And the clocks, I mean the rooms are spinning. I said, ‘OK, I’ll leave in another hour. OK, maybe in 30 minutes I’ll leave. Well, maybe 15 more minutes I’ll leave. Then the next thing you know, the parade’s on and I’m watching the parade on TV. … Horrible, horrible feeling.”
Gooden, the fifth overall pick in the 1982 draft, won NL rookie of the year honors with the Mets in 1984 at age 19 and was the NL Cy Young award winner in 1985. That season, he led the NL in wins (24), ERA (1.53), strikeouts (268) and complete games (16).
Gooden remained with the Mets through the 1994 season and then missed the 1995 season due to various stints in rehab.
Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player: Chris Carpenter
Chris Carpenter
Every Tuesday Sports Grind Entertainment presents you with the Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player of the Week. This week the recipient of this prestigious honor goes to St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter for the three-hitter he pitched against his old pal Roy Halladay and the Philadelphia Phillies in a deciding Game 5 of the NLDS. The Cardinals won 1-0 to become just the sixth pitcher over the last 30 seasons to throw a shutout in a deciding game and the first ever to do it in an NLDS Game 5. Carpenter walked none and struck out three in the matchup of Cy Young Award winners and a team that won a baseball best 102 games on the season.
Congratulations Chris Carpenter you are this weeks Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player.
Former Landlord Sues Tim Lincecum For $350K In Damages
Freak
The former landlord for San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum has filed a lawsuit against the pitcher seeking $350,000 in damages, claiming the two-time NL Cy Young Award winner stole and destroyed items in the San Francisco apartment he rented. The lawsuit filed in San Francisco Superior Court by Mindy Freile alleges that after Lincecum’s lease expired, he returned to living in the unit and “broke, stained, defaced, tore, injured or destroyed” her property.
Lincecum signed a lease in May 2010 to rent the Mission District apartment, according to court documents. The lawsuit alleges that shortly after the lease expired on February 28, Lincecum occupied the unit without his landlord’s permission and stayed through May 13.
Freile, who said she had been trying to evict Lincecum, later entered the unit and found the damages. The landlord wrote in the complaint that Lincecum also failed to pay rent on time and stole and destroyed household properties such as “bedding, doors, carpet, pillows, kitchenware, linens, furniture, household appliances, art work, decorations, patio furniture, lights, lamps, and mirrors.”
She is seeking $200,000 in property damage and an additional $150,000 in time and money lost.
Leo Mazzone Retracts Accusations That John Smoltz Cheated
Rockin Leo
During Leo Mazzone’s tenure as Atlanta Braves pitching coach, he schooled terrific Braves pitchers John Smoltz, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine. Mazzone was the team’s pitching coach from 1990-2005. During that time period, Maddux won three NL Cy Young awards, Glavine won two and Smoltz won his lone award. Also during that span, the Braves 3.60 staff ERA was the best in the majors.
However in an interview with SiriusXM on Wednesday, Mazzone said Smoltz used pine tar to doctor baseballs when he pitched.
Said Mazzone: “One time Smoltzy had it on his shoes and I said, ‘John, you can’t keep bending over and touching your shoes all the time. Let’s put it someplace else!’ “
On Thursday Mazzone was backing off those comments
“We were trying to have some fun on the air and in trying to have some fun somebody took a story and ran with it and said that I said that Smoltzy cheated in the game,” Mazzone told WNNX-FM in Atlanta on Thursday morning.
Asked point blank whether Smoltz cheated during his pitching career, Mazzone told WNNX, “No, absolutely not.”
Mazzone also expressed disappointment that his comments were taken out of context and that they created such a stir.
“I am so angry about it because somebody took it and ran with it and said ‘the Braves pitchers were cheating,’ ” Mazzone told WNNX. “That’s a bunch of bologna.”
Mazzone though didn’t deny that pine tar was used.
“With something like pine tar, that’s not doctoring a baseball,” Mazzone told WNNX. “That’s trying to get a grip when it’s cold. What’s wrong with that?”
During his 21-season major league career, Smoltz went 213-145 with 3.33 ERA and 154 saves. Twenty of those seasons were spent with the Braves, with whom he won the 1996 NL Cy Young award.
Tim Lincecum Launches Clothing Line
The Freak
San Francisco Giants Cy Young Award winning pitcher Tim Lincecum has been able to cross over from the baseball world into GQ and the cover model for The New York Times Style Magazine. That has allowed Lincecum to launch his signature style of caps and tees into a new business venture. The Giants pitcher has teamed up with The Original Retro Brand to release an exclusive clothing collection available for everyone.
The brand is a collection of vintage-style tees that come in the Giants team colors with Lincecum’s very recognizable silhouette as well as his famous nicknames, “The Freak” and “The Franchise.”
For purchase click here.
Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player: Justin Verlander
Justin Verlander
Every Tuesday Sports Grind Entertainment presents you with the Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player of the Week. This week the recipient of this prestigious honor goes to Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander for being the first pitcher in the Major Leagues to reach the 19 game win plateau. Verlander’s season continues to be that of American League Cy Young Award worthy even with his latest performance against the Tampa Bay Rays, in which he surrender one run on three hits and struck out eight over seven innings. His 19th win equals his career high that he established in 2009 as well as winning his last seven seven straight starts. It’s a season that has him leading the AL in victories, strikeouts, winning percentage, innings pitched and opponents batting average. Verlander’s ERA of 2.28 is second only to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Jered Weaver. On top of it all, Verlander threw a no-hitter on May 7 against the Toronto Blue Jays, the second no-no of his career.
Congratulations Justin Verlander you are this weeks Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player.
Orel Hershiser & Steve Garvey Would Like To Purchase The Los Angeles Dodgers
True Blue
Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser has joined a group of investors led by former Dodger first baseman Steve Garvey with the idea of purchasing the team should they be put up for sale. The collection of investors, now called the Garvey-Hershier Group, has been assembled by Garvey in case owner Frank McCourt is forced to sell the team.
Major League Baseball is already running the day-to-day operations of the Dodgers and the league could force McCourt to sell the team if he fails to reach payroll. McCourt has been able to make the payments after much uncertainty the last two months.
“Garvey approached me,” Hershiser, who is currently an analyst for ESPN. “We’ve always talked and communicated through the years. He was a little more of a role model for me, the way he did things. I was like, ‘That’s what I want to do.’ He’s been a good businessman.”
“When he called and said he wanted me to be part of this group, I said, ‘Garv, I’d always be interested in helping and doing something like this that would be a lot of fun.’ We’re forming a group that’s investigating situations as they arise. That would be very interesting for me.”
Hershiser spent the first 12 years of his playing career as a Dodger, winning the Cy Young Award and World Series MVP in 1988. Garvey has connections to billionaire Ron Burkle, part-owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, to also be a possible partner.
Dwight Gooden Says Lenny Dykstra Tried To Bust Him Out Of Celebrity Rehab
Hard Times
Former Cy Young award winner Dwight Gooden will be featured on Season 5 of the VH1 reality show, “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.” But his ex-teammate Lenny Dykstra wasn’t crazy about the idea. Dykstra, who played with Gooden on the Mets from 1985 to 1989, showed up at the facility where the show was being taped and tried to break his teammate out, Gooden says.
“Actually, Dykstra came to visit me on ‘Celebrity Rehab,’ Gooden told WFAN’s Boomer & Carton on Tuesday. “I’ll tell you what, it was crazy. He thought that I had been hypnotized and (Dr. Drew) got me in there and was holding me hostage. He tried to come in with two guys to get me out of there.”
“So they come in. I’m talking to him, he wanted to talk (and he said to me), ‘Doc, I don’t like this.’ So we go out on the patio, me and him and the two guys are sitting there, we’re talking.”
“He said, ‘You sure this is what you want?’ I go, ‘Yeah.’ He goes, ‘I don’t know, I don’t feel good about this … let me take your bags and if you don’t like it, you call me.’ I was like, ‘Trust me, I’m cool.’”
Gooden, who won 194 games during his 16-year career, has battled substance abuse problems for years. He twice tested positive for cocaine during his playing days and detailed his struggles with cocaine and alcohol in his 1999 autobiography.
Tim Lincecum’s Pitching Motion Broken Down In Red Bull Commercial
San Francisco Giants Cy Young Award winning pitcher and World Series champ Tim Lincecum has joined Boston Celtics all star guard Rajon Rondo as spokesman for Red Bull and they have decided to breakdown “The Freaks” herky jerky, unconventional wind-up.
MLB Predictions
Est. 1869
What’s lies ahead in the 2011 Major League Baseball season, well no one knows for sure but Opening Day is upon us and it’s time to roll out a few predictions. I can only hope to match last year when I picked the San Francisco Giants to win it all and then right before the World Series started calling it over in five games, which had a few local industry folk laughing at the gesture cause it was against their beloved Texas Rangers.
If you happened to listen to our live show a week ago then you already heard a few of these but a few have been added before today’s first pitch. So here I go (wish Calvin Casey and Rudy J would have participated).
Enjoy opening day, enjoy the season. I know I will.
American League East winner:
Boston Red Sox
American League Central winner:
Chicago White Sox
American League West winner:
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
American League Wild-Card winner:
New York Yankees
American League Pennant winner:
Boston Red Sox
National League East winner:
Philadelphia Phillies
National League Central winner:
Cincinnati Reds
National League West winner:
San Francisco Giants
National League Wild-Card winner:
Milwaukee Brewers
National League Pennant winner:
Cincinnati Reds
American League Surprise team:
Detroit Tigers
American League Disappointing team:
Tampa Bay Rays
National League Surprise team:
Pittsburgh Pirates
National League Disappointing team:
St. Louis Cardinals
American League Rookie of the Year:
Kyle Drabek, Toronto Blue Jays
National League Rookie of the Year:
Aroldis Chapman, Cincinnati Reds
American League Manger of the Year:
John Farrell, Toronto Blue Jays
National League Manager of the Year:
Dusty Baker, Cincinnati Reds
American League MVP:
Carlos Quentin, Chicago White Sox*
National League MVP
Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers
American League Cy Young Award:
Dan Haren, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
National League Cy Young Award:
Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
*indicates changed from on-air pick
WTF: Tim Lincecum?
Now there is no confirmation whether this is San Francisco Giants Cy Young Award winning pitcher Tim Lincecum or just some Joe walking the the streets that has a strong striking resemblance to the Freak. However, just looking at the face and hair it seems like it has to be him and we do know Lincecum does like to smoke marijuana so the joint in his hand isn’t that far fetch but would Tim be that dumb to make such a video and does he walk around everywhere wearing a Giants cap?
Former MLB Pitcher Randy Johnson Has A New Day Job
The Big Unit
Former MLB pitcher Randy Johnson has a new career as a sports photographer while over the weekend trying to perfect his craft at the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona California. Johnson is no stranger to being behind the camera lens as he studied photojournalism while attending the University of Southern California and working for the school’s newspaper.
Johnson,a five time Cy Young Award winner and owner of 303 victories in the majors with two no-hitters, including a perfect game, finds himself spending himself just feet away from funny cars that go from zero to more than 300 mph in just five seconds.
People in the photographer business probably never imaged one day they would be next to the Big Unit and him asking for tips.
WTF: Tim Lincecum
Bring Back Mitch Kramer
This is the look that San Francisco Cy Young Award winning pitcher Tim Lincecum is sporting just days before he has to report for spring training. Lincecum has decided to go for that dirty French woman mustache that smoke France’s version of Virginia Slims to that of his all to famous Mitch Kramer from “Dazed and Confused” look. I’m not sure if I would even call that a mustache as it appears that he used eye-liner and drew it on.
The scarf does help one bit either.
