Kratovil pitch sullies Harris in Big Oil

Obviously the dirty tactics used by Martin O’Malley to smear Bob Ehrlich as a friend of Big Oil have a fan in Congressman Frank Kratovil. I recently received a fundraising pitch from the Democrat called “Apologize to BP?”

The e-mail screams that “Harris’s friends in Congress have gone so far as to apologize to BP for our efforts to hold the company accountable,” referring to Congressman Joe Barton of Texas – who later rescinded his “shakedown” remarks. Obviously we have no idea whether Harris considers Barton a friend, let alone whether they have even met.

(continued on my Examiner.com page…)

Re-entering the fray

Today my Treasurer and I filed the papers to continue the fight for conservatism and common sense in the Maryland Republican Party – as of today, my re-election bid to the Wicomico County Republican Central Committee is on!

Definitely, though, this is a bittersweet day due to some developments in my immediate family which will necessitate my absence for a few days later this week. Fortunately I can prewrite some items in the next day or two (including Shorebird of the Week) but comment moderation may be limited.

As I did in 2006, an authority statement has been placed on the site even though not all of the content will be related to my re-election. If you’re a Republican in Wicomico County I’d appreciate your vote on September 14th!

Tracking the Shorebirds 2010

This is one of my favorite columns to write each year. I take the occasion of the South Atlantic League’s All-Star Game, which is the halfway point of the season, to do some research and see what my previous Shorebirds of the Week are doing with their baseball careers. Out of 90 previous picks (some were selected twice) I’ve found over 60 are still active somewhere.

Let’s go back to the 2006 season and my initial crop of 22 Shorebirds of the Week. With time, many have seen their baseball dreams come to an end but there are still 9 active players out of the group.

Leading the way for them is one of my two initial inductees to the SotW Hall of Fame – David Hernandez now holds down a reliever spot for the Orioles. The other inductee, Brad Bergesen, was with the O’s earlier this year but sent to Norfolk after some struggles. Among the remainder of the 2006 honorees joining Bergesen on the Norfolk roster are Brandon Snyder, Brandon Erbe, and Blake Davis. One step down from them at Bowie are Chorye Spoone and Jon Tucker.

One other 2006 honoree has found success in a different organization as Lorenzo Scott Jr. is on the roster of the New Orleans Zephyrs, top affiliate of the Florida Marlins. (Unfortunately, Lorenzo is currently on their disabled list.) Meanwhile, Vito Chiaravalotti continues to ply his trade in the independent Atlantic League, although he’s listed as inactive with the loop’s Somerset Patriots.

A total of 19 new honorees (3 were repeat winners from 2006) graced my 2007 docket and ten are still active – most in the Orioles organization. Dotting the Norfolk roster are Tim Bascom and Zach Clark, while Bowie claims Pedro Beato and 2007 Shorebird of the Year Danny Figueroa as active players – Wilfrido Perez is on their DL while Chad Thall is listed as inactive. And Frederick is still the baseball home of Billy Rowell and Miguel Abreu.

The other two 2007 honorees still active now play in different major league organizations. Brandon Tripp plays for Jacksonville (Florida’s AA affiliate in the Southern League) where he could face onetime teammate Ryan Ouellette – released by the Orioles earlier this season, Ryan was signed by the Chicago White Sox and assigned to Birmingham of the Southern League.

Moving to 2008, there were 22 players selected as SotW and 17 of them remain in the game. Leading the pack is Matt Angle, who was recently promoted to Norfolk.

Five of the players now play at Bowie, although Pedro Florimon is on a rehab stint with Aberdeen. Matt Tucker, Tyler Henson, Zach Britton, and Ryan Adams are still contributing to the Baysox effort. Six other players are up one level with Frederick: Sean Gleason (my 2008 Shorebird of the Year), John Mariotti, Cole McCurry, Brett Bordes, Joe Mahoney, and Nate Nery. That experienced core may be why Frederick won the first-half title.

We still have two players who were Shorebirds of the Week two years ago in Luis Noel (who returned from a stint in the Dominican Summer League last year) and Mick Mattaliano, who’s been relegated to our disabled list. He last appeared in the exhibition game we played against Salisbury University. Brian Parker has regressed (or made a lateral move, depending on interpretation of the level) to Aberdeen.

Two of my players are now attempting to resurrect their careers with independent league teams – Brendan Monaghan with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League and Joe Nowicki on the Schaumburg Flyers, who play in the Northern League. It’s possible those ranks may be joined by Tony Butler, who was released last week from Delmarva.

Finally, Wally Crancer began the season with Frederick but voluntarily decided to hang up the glove and spikes last month.

With four repeat honorees, 2009’s crew of 18 SotW players is almost intact within the Orioles chain and most have advanced to Frederick; however, Eddie Gamboa and Brandon Cooney have progressed beyond the next level and star for Bowie. The Keys serve as baseball home for Richard Zagone, Ron Welty (2009 Shorebird of the Year), Xavier Avery, Oliver Drake, Greg Miclat, Kyle Hudson, Ryan O’Shea, and Jacob Julius. L.J. Hoes is on Frederick’s disabled list and rehabbing with Aberdeen.

Still here at Delmarva is Brent Allar, Luis Bernardo, and Nathan Moreau; meanwhile Aberdeen is the baseball home for Tyler Kolodny and T.R. Keating (who is also rehabbing with Aberdeen but on Delmarva’s roster.)

Of the other two remaining players, Rodolfo Cardona was picked up by the Pittsburgh Pirates and was assigned to Bradenton of the Florida State League (where he’s on the disabled list) while Elvin Polanco is apparently out of baseball. Kolodny and Moreau are repeat honorees in 2010 along with Tony Butler.

This year’s 8 new honorees thus far are all still with Delmarva except for Ryan Berry, who was promoted to Frederick. Garabez Rosa and Brian Conley were among the three Shorebirds selected as SAL All-Stars, with Jesse Beal soon to be named as a Shorebird of the Week (if he’s not promoted beforehand.) Postgame, I’ll update this post with how these players did in Greenville.

Update: Brian Conley started the game in center field, going 0-for-1 with a walk before being pulled in the bottom of the fifth. At that point, Garabez Rosa was brought in to play second base and went 0-for-2. Jesse Beal pitched the fourth inning and gave up the tying run on two hits, fanning one. The game ended in a 5-5 tie in 10 innings as both teams used their allotment of pitchers.

Young Republican seeks to oust Cane

Dustin Mills is running for the GOP nomination in District 37A - if he wins, he'll face longtime Delegate Rudy Cane.For the first time since 2002 District 37A Delegate Rudolph C. “Rudy” Cane will have a GOP opponent.

Dustin Mills, who has assisted in previous local campaigns for Michael James and Andy Harris and was selected as the top young Republican in Maryland two years ago, made the announcement today that he will seek the Grand Old Party’s nomination for the district, which covers portions of Wicomico and Dorchester counties. Dustin has been active in local Republican circles since moving to the area to attend Salisbury University several years ago.

In his announcement Mills took a shot at Delegate Cane’s liberal voting record, noting, “(a)s someone who has spent most of his life in the workforce, I am not a career politician and believe that a Delegate should represent the District, not the wayward leadership in Annapolis.”

(continued on my Examiner.com page…)

O’Malley slinging the oily mud

Perhaps I don’t listen to the correct radio stations since I haven’t heard the spot in question, but Martin O’Malley got the ball rolling on nasty campaigning by producing a radio commercial tying Bob Ehrlich to Big Oil. (Maybe that ball O’Malley started rolling is a tar ball.)

Obviously O’Malley is playing to both his radical environmental base and upon the fears of a Deepwater Horizon-style catastrophe fouling the waters of Chesapeake Bay.

(continued on my Examiner.com page…)

Election Calendar: June 21 – July 4, 2010

Same format as last week, beginning with new filers.

June 15: Mike Brewington (Democrat for County Council at-large) and Pete Evans (Democrat for Orphans’ Court.)

June 16: Martin O’Malley (Democrat for Governor, statewide) and Michael James (Republican for State Senate District 38.)

June 17: Doug Gansler (Democrat for Attorney General, statewide) and Barry Steve Asbury (Republican for U.S. Senate, statewide.)

June 18: Robert McCarroll (Republican Central Committee.)

(continued on my Examiner.com page…)

Phoebus takes over for Elmore in 38A race

In a whirlwind set of developments which actually seems quite seamless, Crisfield attorney John Phoebus announced earlier today that he would seek the GOP nomination for the District 38A seat now being vacated by Delegate Page Elmore. Earlier, Elmore made it official that his health issues would prevent him from seeking re-election.

In a release this evening, the 38-year-old Phoebus claimed his bid was encouraged by leaders and residents of both Somerset and Wicomico counties.

(continued on my Examiner.com page…)

Delmarva to host 2011 SAL All-Star Game!

The placard revealed at last night's Shorebirds game.

Last night it was revealed that Delmarva will play host for the 2011 South Atlantic League All-Star Game after a 12-year hiatus.

Perdue will act as the presenting sponsor but this was billed as an opportunity for Delmarva to shine in the eyes of the baseball world. It will give local fans the chance to see a number of up-and-coming stars all on one field as the best of the Northern Division take on the cream of the Southern Division crop.

This also gives the region the chance to enjoy the atmosphere surrounding the game – although each year’s festivities are subject to change, this is some of what Greensboro is doing as host this year. Obviously opportunities abound for utilizing our location to also showcase Ocean City and Chesapeake Bay.

The game will also have a charitable aspect to it based on the sponsorship by Perdue and area food banks. I suppose that’s a natural fit given we may be the most rural of the league’s 14 cities.

So look for that big ‘Coming Soon’ sign in left field to be replaced by a large welcoming banner. Hopefully those involved will also make the effort to give the stadium a facelift for the game, making it befit the honor of playing host.

Friday night videos – episode 37

Once again it’s time for the interesting stuff I run across in the course of a week. Let’s begin with a video you may have already seen. I’m putting it up because it’s a case of a Congressman who thinks he’s above everyone else.

Let’s hope he’s not above his opponent after the votes are counted Election Day. Let’s also hope that the subject of the next video has to turn over her Speaker’s gavel in January. Human Events is moving quickly into the realm of video – this is the first of two I use from them and it features one of my favorite Congressmen, Rep. Mike Pence.

Speaking of slimy and dishonest politicians, the subject of the next video is our very own governor, Martin O’Malley. Bob Ehrlich calls him out on a radio ad the O’Malley campaign recently produced.

The slime theme continues as I turn your attention to the Deepwater Horizon disaster and its handling. First is the assessment of Obama’s performance from a man I respect (and would have voted for had he survived long enough in his Presidential primaries,) Steve Forbes.

That was the second Human Events video. Another video from Americans for Limited Government details the first 45 days after the accident.

I vote for the second option myself. The next one is something a little different, and considering it was forwarded to me from political gadfly Daniel “the Wig Man” Vovak, isn’t something I would have looked for. But this could be a nice little comedy.

Last but not least is the local band Vivid Season and their take on Seether’s ‘Remedy.’ I throw it in because I like the song.

Once again, thanks for following this week’s edition of FNV and it should be back next week!

A withdrawal or maybe two

Citing the fact he’s been “inundated with work and family” thus “cannot mount (the) serious campaign that is needed for such…a race,” Republican County Council at-large hopeful Ryan Hohman will withdraw today. For the moment, his departure leaves no Republican to team up with incumbent John Cannon should he decide to seek a second County Council term.

The fate of another race affecting Wicomico residents who live in District 38A may also be decided in a matter of days.

(continued on my Examiner.com page…)

One thing I didn’t add is that the rumor mill has at least three Republicans supposedly interested in the seat, but out of respect to them and to Delegate Elmore I’ll wait until something becomes official.

Wargotz responds to ‘soft on illegals’ charge

A controversy over a statement Republican U.S. Senate candidate Eric Wargotz made to the Baltimore Jewish Times last October has grabbed some notice in a summer where voters are focused on the race for governor.

The Jewish Times remarks got the attention of fellow Examiner Scott Strzelczyk, who hammered Wargotz’s announced stance on immigration as “misleading” Republican voters. In his post Strzelczyk quoted Wargotz as telling the BJT reporter, “I was very disappointed that President Obama stated that he wouldn’t pay health care for illegal immigrants.”

(continued on my Examiner.com page…)