#By the way Aaron Judge I’m your biggest fan but I could still hit a softball farther than you can hit a baseball

[handfulofnickels]

based off an image I found on a video lmao

“By the way Aaron Judge I’m your biggest fan but I could still hit a softball farther than you can hit a baseball” we all say in unison ❤️❤️❤️ /joke

STOP HURTING HIM 😭😭😭😭

[path-of-my-childhood]

Taylor Swift: Pop Star of the Year

By: Jonathan Dean for The Sunday Times Date: December 27th 2020

Rather than hunker down, the singer put out two albums in 2020 and won over new audiences. She’s the pop star of the year.

Taylor Swift met Paul McCartney in the autumn for a big interview in Rolling Stone. The two would have headlined Glastonbury this summer. Who knows if they will do that next year. Anyway, both recorded albums in lockdown, working from home like the rest of us. When they spoke, though, Swift had a secret. As well as Folklore, released in July, she had a follow-up record in the pipeline — Evermore, which was released this month.

Swift noted that the former Beatle was still so full of joy. “Well, we’re just so lucky, aren’t we?” he said. “We’re really lucky,” Swift replied. “I can’t believe it’s my job.” And she is right. Being a pop star is an extraordinary way to earn the living she does. But rather than accepting luxury and letting this tough year tumble on, Swift is also keenly aware what music means. Sad songs soothe, happy songs make us dance, but as fans of most artists waited for something — anything — this year, this 31-year-old released two albums that broke chart records, were critically adored and introduced her to people who once thought that she wasn’t for them.

“I’m so exhausted!” she said to the American chat show host Jimmy Kimmel, laughing, a few weeks ago, when asked if she had a third new album planned. “I have nothing left.” In addition to Folklore and Evermore, she filmed a TV special and even started rerecording her back catalogue, after a volatile dispute over who owns her work. By October I’d just about cobbled together my first sourdough loaf.

A decade ago Swift moved firmly into the limelight thanks to a squabble with Kanye West entirely of the rapper’s own making. In 2009, when Swift — then a nascent country music star — won the best female video award at the VMAs, West stormed on stage, grabbed her microphone and said that Beyoncé should have won. Swift was 19 — West was 32 — and she looked scared. This wasn’t just about her biggest moment yet being stolen, but also about her position in the pop hierarchy being questioned, very publicly, from the off. She stood there as that man bullied her. Apparently she left the stage in tears.

Years later West released Famous, with its infamous lyric “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex/ Why? I made that bitch famous.” The alt-folk singer Father John Misty also wrote about sleeping with her. Every time that sort of thing happened, a powerful man in Swift’s industry was reducing a successful, talented, younger female to the level of a sex object. It was back-in-your-box belittling — as it was when a TV host groped her. (She successfully sued him.) While Swift herself would retort to West, as her music became less country, more slick pop, such retorts felt forced and gave the rapper too much of her oxygen. A nod to him on Folklore comes with the “Clowns to the West” line, but it is a sideshow now, not a headline.

Not that Swift’s life is entirely her own. She’s been one of the world’s bestselling female artists for a decade, coupled with curiosities such as a well-orchestrated relationship with Tom Hiddleston that kept her in the spotlight. Like many twentysomethings, Swift spent her youth apolitically, only to receive flak for staying silent during the 2016 US election. This year she endorsed Joe Biden, but what if she had wanted to stay quiet? Would the media have let her? She is under so much scrutiny that, after she made an innocuous hand gesture in a recent TV interview, similar to one women make to draw attention to domestic abuse, this headline ran: “Some people think Taylor Swift is secretly asking for help in her latest interview.”

Like many at the start of the pandemic she felt listless. The world we were used to was a wasteland, and we could only find the energy to watch Normal People. Swift’s ennui, though, was, well, swift. Stuck in LA, she emailed Aaron Dessner of the beloved beardy indie band the National to see if he fancied writing with her. No fool, Dessner said yes and, mere weeks later, the duo — with help from Swift’s regular collaborator Jack Antonoff as well as Justin Vernon, from the beloved beardy indie band Bon Iver — released Folklore. The gang just carried on working and, five months later, gave us Evermore.

Creativity is not on tap. Indeed, this year is not one for judging what others may or not have achieved. However, the silence of many big pop stars is striking because they know that even a single would make someone’s day; distract for a while.

Everyone needed to adjust to working from home, but Swift was one of the only musicians who did and, by eschewing the arena pop of recent albums for something more subdued, organic and folky, she gave the sense that she was letting fans in more than ever. She was at home, like us. This is who she is, and the first single from these sessions was so cosy, it was even called Cardigan.

“I just thought, ‘There are no rules any more,’” she told McCartney. “Because I used to put all these parameters on myself, like, ‘How will this song sound in a stadium?’ If you take away the parameters, what do you make? I guess Folklore.”

Maybe it is tedious, for a deft writer with a career of varied, brilliant songs — Love Story, I Knew You Were Trouble, Blank Space — to find respect from some people only when artists who appeal to middle-aged men start to work with her. On the other hand, pop has never been particularly welcoming to many until it sounds like something you are used to and, with delicate acoustics and gossamer-like piano, Swift’s two new albums recall, sonically, Nick Drake or Kate Bush. Thematically, lyrics seem to come from anywhere. Daphne du Maurier, for one. Even the Lake District and its poets.

Some songs are personal. She is dating British actor Joe Alwyn, and on one track she sings, “I want to give you a child.” Make of that what you will. But these records’ highlights are not about herself, but others. “There was a point,” she told Zane Lowe on Apple Music, “that I had got to as a writer, [where I was only writing] diaristic songs. That felt unsustainable.” Instead, she does what the best writers do and mixes subjective with objective. The Last American Dynasty is a terrific piece of writing about the socialite Rebekah Harkness, who lived in a Rhode Island house that Swift bought and was, by all accounts, a bit scandalous. Swift tells her story almost with envy. Imagine, she seems to say, that freedom.

“In my anxieties,” she said in Rolling Stone, “I can often control how I am as a person and how normal I act. But I cannot control if there are 20 photographers outside in the bushes and if they follow our car and interrupt our lives.”

Then there is Epiphany. The first verse is about her grandfather, who fought in the Second World War; the second about frontline workers in hospitals now. Sung in a high register, it is suitably choral. Marjorie, on Evermore, is even better. It is about her grandmother, an opera singer who died in 2003. “What died didn’t stay dead” is the repeated line, and it is eerie, gorgeous. Swift sings how she thinks Marjorie is singing to her, at which point some vocals from the latter’s recordings waft in. Touching, but the real power is in Swift writing about vague memories of a relative who died when she was young. “I complained the whole way there,” she sings. “I should’ve asked you questions.”

In person she is warm like this, and funny. When Kimmel told her there were far more swearwords on Folklore and Evermore than previous records, she replied: “It’s just been that kind of year.” She is also odder than people realise. In the way pop stars should be. Obsessed by numerology, she wrote, on the eve of her birthday when announcing Evermore: “Ever since I was 13, I’ve been excited about turning 31 because it’s my lucky number backwards.” When I turned 31 I just wished to be 13 again, with all that youth, but then, maybe, she is just joking. “Yes, so until I turn 113 or 131, this will be the highlight of my life,” she said. “The numerology thing? I sort of force it to happen.”

Swift, of course, is far from the first pop star to become public property, or have a close bond with fans. This year, however, she was one of the few to show that such adoration is not one-way. She is, simply, a fan of her fans — from planting secrets in her artwork and lyrics, to recording two albums of new music as a balm for them when real life became too deafening.

“One good thing about music,” sang Bob Marley. “When it hits you, you feel no pain.” The 80.6 million who streamed Folklore on its first day will attest to that idea. So will the four million who bought it. Swift is pop star of the year, no doubt — leaving her peers in her wake, on their sofas, rewatching The Sopranos.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #213

"there's a voice in my head, says i'm better off dead, but if i sing along a little fucking louder to a happy song, i'll be all right."

Are there popsicles in your freezer right now? No. Ice cream? No. Is there a lamp in your bedroom? Well, two heat lamps for Kaiju and Venus. Would you prefer eating jello or pudding? Pudding. After washing your hair, do you put any products in it? No. Last time you ate a salad? Yikes, it's been a long time... Can you name 2 books of the Bible? Uhhh Luke and Revelations? Do people usually think your brother is handsome? I don't know, I haven't lived with him since I was a kid, and he doesn't live in my state. So we don't know the same people. Have you ever crawled thru a vent? Not to my memory. Are there toothpicks in your kitchen? They're in the bathroom. How many living grandparents do you have? One. Do you eat more than 3 meals a day? No; I don't even always have three. Do you know how old your house is? I believe it was made in the '70s. Do you think you have great potential for success? Meh. Have you applied any lipstick, chapstick, gloss, etc to your lips today? No. Would you rather have tan or pale skin color? Pale. Sometimes I hate it, but I like it more overall. Especially when you're a goth at heart know what I'm sayin'. Last time you entered a high school? Probably my sister's graduation. Last time you rode a bike? It's been years, dude. Probably not since high school. Do you drink your water from the tap? You couldn't pay me to. Our water is technically clean, we've had it tested, but dead serious, the hot water smells like rotten eggs. I'm pretty sure Mom said it's something about the salt content in the pipes. But nevertheless, mind over matter would nooot work. Is there any kind of design on your socks? I'm not wearing socks. Have you ever had an ice cream cake for your birthday? No, I'm not a fan. Do you use dryer sheets? Yes. Do you like Subway? Yeah. What was your worst mistake in your life? Letting a guy become god, the entire universe, and more to me. Is this year the best year of your life? Oh, hunny- Is there someone in your life you wish you never met? I don't think so. Did you sleep well last night? I never do. I always wake up at least once. What’s the last song you heard? "Happy Song" by Bring Me The Horizon is on repeat. What is your favorite line from a TV show? I don't have a clue. Any current family issues? No. Who is the last friend you spent time with outside of school? Summer and I talked for a while at my niece's b-day party a few days back. What do you think of your mother? Your father? Your siblings (if there are any)? I love them. There's one sister I don't know so can't really say anything on her, then I do have another sister who, if I can assume via Facebook interactions, can't be too fond of me. But I could be mistaken with my habit of said assuming... Who/What is one person/thing that had the biggest impact on your life? Who: Jason. What: my mental health. What is the biggest problem in your life right now? How isolated I am and void of purpose I feel. What is one band that you find yourself going back to again and again? You mean like, stop liking but then get back into? None, I think. Have you ever had a crush on someone of the same gender as you? Yes. Have you ever kissed someone of the same gender as you? Yes. Do you and your dad get along? Yes. What’s the longest amount of time you’ve ever kept a goldfish alive for? Idk. Can you see your purse right now? Yes. Are you wearing any perfume? What kind? No. Are there products in your hair? No. Have you ever eaten cat food? I don't think so, though I wouldn't be surprised as a kid. How many pets do you have? Six. Do you actually like them? All but my sister's dog. I can't stand him. Do you have one best friend who is always there for you? My girlfriend. Do you wear skirts a lot? I never do. I hate my legs. Do you basically live in jeans? I have zero jeans. Do you wear sweatpants a lot? Not really; if I'm not in pjs, I'm usually in dance or yoga pants. How many pairs of jeans do you think you have? Zero. Do you like hoodies? Yeah. Big ones or the form fitting kind? Bigger ones. Did you ever actually have a rubber duck? I think I did. Are you one of those people who claim to live with no regrets? I go back and forth, lol. But no, I have regrets. Do you love your computer? It's got a few issues, but yeah. Do friends or family come first? Family of the heart, anyway. Us sharing blood doesn't mean shit to me, honestly. What’s your lucky number? I don't believe in "lucky" numbers. Who were the last 5 people you spoke to? I'll include via technology because otherwise I have no clue. Mom, Sara, Emma, and two women interested in adopting Kaiju. Do you have the same password for everything? No. Do you get shy around the person you like? Sometimes. What color is your phone? Dark navy. Do you prefer pens or pencils? Pencils. Do you like peanut butter? Yes. If you could live forever, would you? Hell no. Do you talk in your sleep? A lot. What was the last thing you regretted? Probably depression binge-eating something. Are you any good at cutting hair? Never tried. Do you like your yearbook picture this year? N/A What was the last YouTube video to make you laugh? Ummm there was something last night, but idr what. Do you like tomatoes? No. Do you have a pool? I wish. How would you describe your style? Too poor and lazy to be a goth so dresses in whatever is at the top of my drawer tbh lmao. Do you still talk to any of your exes? One. Have you ever been arrested? No. What was the last thing you watched on TV? I don't watch TV by my own volition anymore and there's not even a TV in my room, so... I really don't know. Do you have a tan? Even the Irish are ashamed of me. What was your most embarrassing moment? Who knows. I'm so easily humiliated and affected by it that I can remember times I've been even remotely embarrassed as far back as pre-k. Do you fall for people fast? No. Do you tell your parents everything? No. Are you quick to judge? Depends. Not generally. When was the last time you crawled through a window? I have zero clue. Are you scared of spiders? Most, yes. What would you do if the doctor told you that you were pregnant? Have a full-blown panic attack despite that being physically impossible. Do you plan on moving within the next year? It'd be nice, but I estimate it'll be around two more years. Have you been to a baby shower? Yeah. How many cars can fit in your driveway? Hm. A few, since the parking area behind the house is decently-sized. Are you taller than your mom? No. Are you a cuddler? Yes. Sleep on your back or stomach? My stomach/upper torso kinda to the side. Think of the last time you were angry. Why were you angry? I don't remember. Though I know I was mad recently. How long has it been since you had sex? Almost four years. Who was the last person to call you babe? Sara. Last reason you went to the ER? My sister got in a car wreck. Have you ever taken pictures in a photo booth? Yeah. When was the last time you shaved your legs? It's been maaaany months. What facial cleanser do you use? Biore. Do you use a blowdryer? No. If someone wanted to know what you smelt like, what should they smell? Dogs and cats lmao. Have you ever cheated on the significant other that you have now? No. For that one week a month, do you hate being a woman? Still rather be a woman. Favorite underwear brand? Idk. Last thing you bought at the mall? A book. Do your parents like your boyfriend/girlfriend? Yes. What if an ex asked to be back in your life? Aaron: We've never had issues, we just drifted apart. It'd be weird for him to ask that, but I mean, sure? Juan: I don't know. Probably not. Jason: I REALLY don't know. We could probably be friends at a distance. Tyler: No, I think. Girt: He's still in my life. If you’re on a laptop, how much charge does it have right now? It's charging and only tells me the minutes until it's at full charge. Last gift you received? I don't know. Lesson you recently learned? I absolutely cannot work in a busy environment. What is your favorite condiment to go with french fries? Probably ketchup. What is a field of study that is of your interest? Zoology. What do you have a habit of doing when engaging in a conversation with someone? Thinking too hard on what the appropriate amount of eye contact is. Have you ever laid in a hammock? Yeah. What time of day do you feel mostly at peace? Morning. How has the weather been treating you lately? It's way too fucking hot and humid. Have you ever lost a pet in a tragic way? How did you cope? We've had numerous cats be hit by cars. It was always sad, but I mean, I got through it. Especially as I was just a kid and didn't quite fathom how serious death was, nor did any cats I was SUPER attached to die that way. What can you go a day without doing? Going outside. What can’t you go a day without doing? Using some form of technology. Talking to Sara. Who do you spend most of your time with? No one. I'm usually alone. Do you have a favorite classical composer? No. What type of quality is a must-have in a friend? A caring heart. Have you ever eaten a zucchini? A fried one that was sliced into chips. What type of art would you hang up in your room? Dark art or fandom-related stuff. What goes good with a nice cold glass of milk? Oreos omggggg. What fruit is too sweet to you? None, I think? How much money did your last vacation cost? I don't even remember my last vacation. Have you ever taken a physics class? Yeah. What are your thoughts on celebrity idolization and ‘fangirling/fanboying?’ Oh boy, I can't talk shit here for obvious reasons lmao. What is the messiest area in your home? I'm not sure... I haven't been in my sister's old room in forever, and I can't remember if it's empty or not. If it is empty - hell, even if it isn't -, the answer's probably the laundry room. Who was the last person you called? My mom. What’s your favorite computer game genre? Horror is my favorite game genre period. Do you have any exes your parents never liked? No. Well, Mom had mixed feelings about Juan, but so did I. She didn't not like him, though. Do you take public transportation to work? N/A. Public transport doesn't even come here. What extracurricular activities did you do when you were growing up? Soccer for one season (I hated it), softball, basketball, briefly cheerleading, and dance. Has anything unusual happened to you recently? Idk. I don't think so. Do you like chicken korma? I have no clue what that is. What was the last type of tea you drank? I never drink tea; I hate it. Have you ever been severely mentally ill? Yes. Where is the most interesting place you could go that’s within day-trip distance from your house? Stealing previous answer: Washington D.C. Do you ever rearrange your furniture? No. Have you received financial help from your parents in the past 5 years? Lol I'm still financially dependent on them. Are you a fast or a slow eater? I am an extremely fast eater. I'm not messy or anything, I just, eat how I feel is normal? Just chew until you've done so enough to swallow. What room(s) of your house did you last vacuum? Mine. How old were you when you had your first relationship? My first "real" relationship started at 15. I had a middle school bf for just like... a month or so, but that was all puppy-dog love. Why did your last relationship end? I verified that I didn't like him romantically, and I also found I was just too guarded. In our four months of dating, I got no closer to him than I was from the start. I wasn't ready to date a guy again. What was the last thing you purchased from a small local business? No idea. Is there anyone in your family/household whom you frequently argue with? No. Do you live in a high cost-of-living area? No. Have you ever used chewing tobacco? Ew, no. Do you ever feel like someone would be disappointed to see your body or are you comfortable with your body enough where you don’t think that? I fucking hate my body and I'm sure anyone else would too. What is your favorite flavor of Monster? I don't like Monster. Do you follow your head or your heart? Both, I guess. It depends. How do you act under pressure? Did somebody say PANIC?!?!?!?! Do you ever call people just to hear the sound of their voice? No. Do you ever look back at your yearbooks? No. It'd probably depress me. Have you ever ran from the police? No. Have you ever written on someone’s face in your yearbook? Ha ha yeah, back as a kid... Are you double jointed? No. Who was the last person to yell at you? Mom. What is your favorite stuffed animal that you own? My first stuffed meerkat I named after Zaphod from MM. Or my moose Brownie. Do you have any trophies? Somewhere. Do you work out? No. What grade are you in? I’m not in school. Do you like screamo music? No. Let me hear words, please. If I learn the lyrics, I can /sometimes/ enjoy the song, though. What does your wallet look like? It's rectangular with a Harley Quinn design. Do you have any hickeys on you? No. Is weed a drug? *Technically*, by definition, yes Who’s the first person you turn to when you need a shoulder to cry on? Mom or Sara. Would you cheat on someone for revenge? Or if they wouldn’t find out? No, that's fucking stupid. If you got pregnant right now, would you keep the baby? If I was, God forbid, raped, I don't think I could. If I had unprotected sex willingly, I truly think pregnancy would traumatize me, but I'd probably go through with it and put it up for adoption. I'd want to take responsibility for my actions. Does your family have a secret? No. Are you prejudice against any groups of people? No. If someone gave you a houseplant, would you keep it? Yeah, to be nice. That fella wouldn't live long, though. When/where are you most likely to sing? In the car. Are there any exercises that you do regularly? I'm trying to get in the habit of planking every day since it works out your whole body. Would you ever wish to explore a cave? HELL YES!!!! If you had a son right now, what would you name him? Probably Damien. Who names their son after a Markiplier character? Me. But real talk, I like the name. Do you own a desktop or a laptop? A laptop. Have you kissed more than three guys this year? I haven't kissed any guys. Who’s with you? Mom's on the couch outside my door. Can you use chopsticks? I highly doubt it, especially because I have tremors. When did you last go to an amusement park? Oh, wow. I actually think this was shortly before Jason and I broke up. So 2015. Are there certain things that can’t be joked about with you? Don't you fucking dare joke about rape, retardation, suicide, or self-harm. What would you do if you had a baby with the last person you kissed? We're both females. We can't. Your phone is ringing. It’s your ex. What do you say? I don't have any of my exes' numbers, so I'd answer it and say "hello?". Are any of your texts in your inbox locked? A couple from Sara. If there were no letters on the keys on your keyboard, could you still type? Yes; I don't look at the keyboard when I type. Have you ever dated someone longer than a year? Twice now. Do you currently have a scar? I have a lot. Have you ever seen somebody get shot? No. You have $5 and need to buy snacks at a petrol station. What do you buy? I mean, it depends on what I'm up for. Usually Reese's or something sour. If you were reincarnated as a sea creature, what would you want to be? Probably a dolphin. What do you order most off the internet? Clothes. Describe the last time you were injured? So I have this awful habit of tearing my fingernails when they get long, and I peeled it way too short. Rock concert or symphony? Y'all know I'm picking rock. What is the wallpaper of your mobile phone? Mark and Chica, and my home screen is Sara and me. Most recent movie you’ve watched at the cinema? Detective Pikachu. Name an actor/actress you’ve had the hots for? Jason Momoa. My straight side is certainly still there, friends. What’s your favorite kind of cake? Red velvet. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? No. Have you ever eaten snow? Yeah. Have you ever done ballet? No. Do you listen to classical music? No. Do you watch Spongebob? I don't watch TV period. Do people consider you intelligent? Those in my life seem stuck on high school me, when I was really smart. I don't think I am anymore. What curse word do you use the most? "Fuck," oops. Would you ever date someone covered in tattoos? Well yeah, I'm probably gonna BE that person one day, lmao. What’s the way people most often mispronounce any part of your name? It's impossible to mispronounce my name... The only thing that sometimes happens is my name is misspelled.

[distant-rose]

Hello! I love to read your Opinions™ and I wondered - what's the very best gift you could hope for from a fellow fandom friend who can art a bit and word a bit? Is there a prompt you've seen and would kill to read? An underused trope that you love? A story of yours that you'd destroy whole worlds for fanart of? A fic of yours that you'd like to see remixed?

I apologize for just getting to you, especially because I had a ginormous smile on my face when I read this message. My heart actually kinda exploded a bit because these questions are so lovely and nice. I’ve been outlining criminal and contract law all day so this was just wonderful to see in my inbox. When I say I’ve been outlining all day, I literally was in the law library from 9:30am to 8:00pm and just finished my outlines like maybe 30 minutes ago because I really just don’t want to fail and I have so much anxiety. And you really didn’t need to know any of this but I can’t stop word vomiting about my anxiety and just this message really kinda helped. So yeah, helping my not-so-great mental health with just a nice comments and questions. Thank you. Truly. From the bottom of my heart.

Answers to your questions under the Cut

What’s the very best gift you could hope for from a fellow fandom friend who can art a bit and word a bit?

You mean the most selfish desires? That I would normally not ask of anyone because I’m totally afraid to come off as a self-absorbed, self-obsessed narcissist? I mean I’m happy with anything and I mean that genuinely, but if you’re being entirely honest and in the realm of impossible things where I could actually feel comfortable asking? Honestly art for Little Pirates. Anytime someone does something for it, my heart genuinely fucking explodes. But I never ask for it. Because it just feels too weird and too narcissistic and I have some admittedly self-esteem issues that I really need to just get over. Like I’m fucking struggling to ask Svenja FOR A COMMISSION for my original characters and she’s getting PAID for it (and she whole heartedly deserves it. She’s such a talent and I leave her tips when I can) so asking for something like that is…not even on my radar. But honestly, I would cry if happened. Or die. Possibly both. Simultaneously. 

As for wording? I’m very versatile in my fic preferences. I just love a fucking good story, man. Like well plotted, well written. It’s really all I ask. Though, once again, deepest, darkest desires? I love sports fic more than life itself, it’s half the reason why @welllpthisishappening is my platonic soulmate. If you’re new to following me, you should know that I love baseball more than life itself. I’m the world’s biggest Yankees fan. Like literally would marry Aaron Judge or Giancarlo Stanton or Gary Sanchez or Didi Gregious or even fucking delicate as glass Greg Bird in a heartbeat. So, you could never ever go wrong with a baseball fic. Though, Laura did promise me Yankee!Killian as a Greg Bird/Gary Sanchez fusion (aka a severely wounded catcher who can hit like a dream) so if I would advise Not-Laura people to say away from catcher!Killian. I love where Laura is going with her fic, but an honest to god dream baseball fic for me would be a For the Love of the Game AU where Killian is a pitcher for the Yankees instead of the Tigers but Emma is still Jane-like in her oblivious gives two shits about baseball but grows to love it and Killian kinda thing. If you haven’t seen that movie, you should watch it, it’s the only Kevin Costner film I would ever recommend. (Here’s a link to a trailer you never asked for: [LINK])

Oh my god, I just made two huge ass paragraphs about my inner most desires. Fucking kill me.

Is there a prompt you’ve seen and would kill to read?

This is a tough question because I’ve seen a lot of prompts and a lot of amazing fics based off prompts. I would have an easier time telling you the ones I don’t understand more than I can the things I like. Though, I’m not huge on high school AUs because I’ve hit a point in my life where I’m skeeved out about the idea of teenagers banging or thinking about it but I think a 10 Things I Hate You scenario would definitely work with Killian, Emma, David and Snow. So, yeah, there! Something non-sports! I’m sure whoever is reading this is kinda relieved.

An underused trope that you love?

I’m huge on friends to lovers because that’s basically my life but that’s done well enough. Another struggle, but I guess “stealing and wearing significant other’s stuff.” Like Emma just casually taking and wearing Killian’s stuff and him being like “where the fuck are my favorite socks/pants/shirt/girdle/whatever?” Oh! And banter? Is banter a trope? I have never thought of it as a trope, more as a golden rule. I need banter to survive. It’s probably my favorite thing.

A story of yours that you’d destroy whole worlds for fanart of?

Oh man, no one reads it because not only is it Little Pirates but it’s way in the future fearing an adult Beth, but A Once and Future Thing. There are like five million scenes I would kill to see illustrate, most of them are in the upcoming chapter but goddamn. I would love to see my sassholes Jim and Beth illustrated. Like I would willingly finish a fucking drawing just for reference and I hate finishing drawings. I’m a lazy piece of shit. But yeah, totally would destroy the world for Jim and Beth illustrated.

Though I realize that LP is a dumpster fire that is written for a very niche market and totally not everyone’s thing. Which I totally respect. Like I understand and try my best in conversations not to bring it up without prompting. Like if you don’t specifically ask about it, 90% of the time, I will never even mention it. I’m totally capable of not talking about it but once I do, it’s just fucking word vomit and I apologize. Like all of my posts are essentially word vomit. 

But yeah, if someone were not willing to do art for Little Pirates, probably the scene where Killian catches Emma sitting at his desk while wearing his jacket in It Was Always You which is probably my most popular fic, and you have no idea how much that fucking amuses me since I didn’t spend that much time on it.

A fic of yours that you’d like to see remixed?

Most likely my Stranger Things AU Should I Stay Or Should I Go. I have a lot of mixed feelings about it. I go back and forth on how I feel about it because some days I feel good about it and some days I feel horrible…there’s just a lot of drama around that fic that kinda poisons my mind to it. Like I know for fact that people who I am friends with didn’t like it so knowing that kinda just fucked with my head. I have a lot what ifs? in regard to it. Like if I didn’t have a mandated word count? Would it have been a better fic? Would it have done better as a multi chapter? Should I have introduced the kid POVs to it? Does it even make sense from just strictly a Joyce perspective? Am I even a fucking good writer at all? Like just the immediate aftermath of posting that fic had me in tears mainly because of reactions and non-reactions of friends whose opinions I really value, people who were supposed to have read it and obviously didn’t and it was quite clear that they didn’t or that they just skimmed it and were like “whatever.” 

I’m not saying there weren’t positives. There were one or two people who really liked it and @cocohook38 made me some gorgeous stuff for it. And honestly, my beta was fantastic and I wouldn’t trade meeting her for the world. But every time I think back on it, I remember my mental breakdown and how I wondered if I should even bother writing. 

This was a lot of truth bombs. I’m sorry about that. Like if you made it to this point, kudos to you because I’m sure it was a struggle and a half to read. But I do truly appreciate it.

[beersfromthebleachers]

Fantasy Baseball Rankings 2018

For the first time since my rookie fantasy baseball season, I suffered a set back after being a dominant threat year after year. And, like the Chicago Cubs, got cocky and had a “hangover” and got carried away with being a stay-home again in the league. Ignorance is bliss, I have carried on my original ways of being in a better state of mind before the Cubs were dominant and I had a healthy mind set as well. I have learned from my mistakes not to get over zealous and take favorite picks over a quality team that could have won me the the damn championship last season. As a result as punishment, this year’s top-12 fantasy players DO NOT have a single Chicago Cub in it; and between you and the average rookie getting into fantasy baseball, not a single one do this season. Let’s go ahead and jump into this years list:

1.     Mike Trout, OF Los Angeles Angels – Here is what’s familiar: every year Trout is a favorite to win the MVP of the American League and he has been the top pick in drafts, consistently ever since he has shown up. Here is what’s different: there now is a loaded line up in the mix for Trout with new additions including Ian Kinsler, Zack Cozart, and Shohei Ohtani; not to mention the veteran leadership of Justin Upton and what is left in the tank for Albert Pujols. The Angels are just a season shy of snagging some quality pitching talent and making a legitimate title run, just in time for Trout to bring that swagger to the highest caliber and making the team attractive enough to be a destination in the future. This is a no brainer for stats in all league formats to take Trout first in drafts for baseball.

2.     Jose Altuve, 2B Houston Astros – Enter the current reigning AL MVP, reigning World Series champ, and recently contract extended to remain the franchise star in Houston. Jose Altuve is coming off the biggest year of his career and he is not stopping anytime soon. Him and his band of mates in Houston are making the AL West look something like a cowboy western with the talent being stacked against them, and this man loves competing at that high-level pace. To expect the same stats from last year from Altuve is not far from a long shot, but they are considered favorites to repeat as World Series champs. It’s a no brainer taking Altuve as the second overall pick.

3.     Nolan Arenado, 3B Colorado Rockies – It pains to admit that the best third baseman in baseball is not Kris Bryant, just like I also hate admitting the best first baseman is not Anthony Rizzo either. Both personal opinions are irrelevant, because Nolan Arenado is getting stronger and hitting more long balls year after year. Not to mention that even though he kills it in a hitter friendly park and great line up supporting him with Charlie Blackmon and Trevor Story. Aside from collecting RBIs, I’m expecting him to hit 40-plus home runs this season playing in a competitive National League West. Although, he will not be the only high home run hitter on this list.

4.     Max Scherzer, SP Washington Nationals – Considering the fact that Clayton Kershaw was ranked higher last year than Max Scherzer was only due to Kershaw’s favoritism to win it all last season. Now with back-to-back Cy Young awards and tying Kershaw with his third time winning it, it is safe to assume that Scherzer is the best pitcher in baseball right now. The Nationals continue to compete, and this year looks to be the most competitive season that they will face with a recovered New York Mets and a fully loaded Philadelphia Phillies team; Scherzer wants to own that competition and remain dominant in his division. Lately in mocks and my personal drafts I started seeing pitching go early this year. Pitching wins championships, and Scherzer can definitely bring you one on your fantasy squad.

5.     Giancarlo Stanton, OF New York Yankees – There are three more outfielders that are ranked higher than Giancarlo Stanton on most of cheat sheets for fantasy baseball rankings and that includes Mookie Betts, Bryce Harper, and Charlie Blackmon. My case for Stanton does not include his NL MVP year last year with hitting the most home runs in the league or his new team he happened to be traded to. The major concern with Stanton is health, and last year was his first complete season without injury since 2014. The depth the Yankees have in the outfield also gives Stanton the head role of designated hitter for the squad, which he will split time with his former home run competitor; Aaron Judge. The downside of coming to New York means more competitive pitching in the AL East, and expecting him to hit as many home runs as he did last year will be difficult. However, every Yankees starter in their line up is expected to hit 20-30 plus home runs this season and Stanton is going to collect more RBIs than he ever has in his career starting this season. This is as much as a reach pick snagging Scherzer early in drafts.

6.     Joey Votto, 1B Cincinnati Reds – a guy I left out of last year’s top picks in the fantasy talks was Joey Votto due to favoritism to Anthony Rizzo (also, sorry not sorry). Granted Paul Goldschmidt has consistently always been ranked higher than Votto, last year his numbers were insane at the dish and made him one of the best hitters in baseball collecting 100 RBIs and 106 runs. What is even crazier is that he is projected to repeat those numbers last year and up his home run count. Votto is also seeing red and that’s not because of his uniform, he wants to compete and bring his team closer to a championship; the downfall that comes with that is that he is stuck in Cincinnati. Regardless the idea is Votto is ever traded from the NL Central, he is a guaranteed hit machine and a solid first base pick in a loaded depth at the position thanks to the blow up of talent at the same spot last season.

7.     Bryce Harper, OF Washington Nationals – last year I had Bryce Harper outside the top ten, and this year he made more progress to be promoted a couple spots where he was last season. His value puts him higher for a few reasons, first being that this could potentially be the last year Harper spends in a Nationals uniform. The Nats don’t find themselves as World Series champions at the end of the season, you can count on Harper to be on a more competitive team next season; we can all agree he is going to play his heart out to compete for a ring or a contract. Second, the offense has powered up around him with the emerging Trea Turner, the hard-hitting Anthony Rendon, and the career returning Ryan Zimmerman; there as many good pieces around Harper as there are for Stanton and Trout. Finally, one thing I have finally observed about Harper’s performance is that he’s maturing more as a player as he continues to develop more and more each season. Expect great things from Harper if he is your first-round pick in the draft.

8.     Mookie Betts, OF Boston Red Sox – I have probably pissed off more than enough baseball writers, fantasy fanatics, and Red Sox fans to have Mookie Betts fall further than where he is ranked in all league formats and cheat sheets. There is more to this than numbers and it is more of a team effective reason than a solo blame on Betts. For starters, even Betts admitted that his best season was 2016 and he could never produce numbers like that ever again; however, that harsh truth is even harder to swallow when you become the man in Boston the year after Big Papi leaves. As for the team effort, the entire Red Sox line up hit under .300 struggling to keep up against opponents that was demonstrated on full display after an early exit from the playoffs last season. Now, this season considering that they will be fighting for a Wild Card spot with the division being favored towards the Yankees; the odds are favored against Betts this season. This is a guaranteed pick in the first round, but there will be competitive hitting in Boston’s line up this season. Build your team wisely behind Betts.

9.     Carlos Correa, SS Houston Astros – Last year I had two reigning champs in the top picks of the first round, but this one makes a hell of a lot more sense despite my stay-home favoritism. Carlos Correa is another huge bat from the World Series winning Astros that can crush the ball and hit as many home runs as Altuve if not more. Aside from the hiccup of the injury in the second half of the season, Correa went on a tear and put the majority of the competition to shame at the same position, besides rising star Trea Turner. In recent mocks, he is also being taken before other big names at shortstop, like Francisco Lindor, Corey Seager, and Manny Machado (who is now playing the position over third base. Another factor that weighs above all mentioned players is that he is the youngest shortstop despite coming into the league the same time as Lindor, Seager, and Turner. If this was a keeper or dynasty building league, this is a safe pick for you to build your team around.

10.   Clayton Kershaw, SP Los Angeles Dodgers – Despite all the talent that the Dodgers have, their biggest star still is Clayton Kershaw. There are too many factors to hone in on for Kershaw, so I will try to keep them brief. Kershaw is another player that has the option to walk away from a team after this season if the Dodgers do not win a title, but we all are more than confident he would never leave the team as their ace. After playing in his first World Series, he continues to get closer to his end goal in winning his first title and sealing his destiny of becoming a future Hall of Famer. In most mocks or ten-team leagues, Corey Kluber and Chris Sale are pitchers to go before Kershaw. The difference amongst the three is that Kershaw will most likely be back in the pennant again for the third season in a row, and Kluber’s chances are better than Sale’s. Surprising factor: Kershaw went first overall in my league, let that sink in.

11.   Trea Turner, SS Washington Nationals – So that’s a record for most players from one team in the top fantasy picks this season, just goes to show Washington is not screwing around. Carlos Correa will be the dominant shortstop in the AL, and Trea Turner will make himself a household name in the NL. If we pretended that Harper goes to another team this season or the next, we could be looking at the franchise star of the Nats that is not named “Max Scherzer”. Turner has emerged as a star over the past two seasons and his numbers are growing after each season. As a huge contributor to the offense of the Nationals, he will be collecting a great deal of runs and RBIs. Although he is not a big home run hitter, his consistency to remain a .300 hitter is exceptional. Taking him over Correa is not a bad move if you are building quality hitters over power.

12.   Corey Kluber, SP Cleveland Indians – This was tough call making the decision between Corey Kluber and Chris Sale, so the only way I can make this case of making Kluber the guy, I’ll go ahead and compare the two. Despite Sale’s lead in strikeouts last season, Kluber held the competition with the lowest ERA in the entire league. Sale had 17 wins, Kluber beat him by one at 18. Despite being neck and neck for the Cy Young of the AL, Sale had a miserable last month of baseball giving the award straight to Kluber. If we consider what will happen this season, Sale has to pitch against a loaded Yankees squad more times than Kluber does; and his only competition are the Minnesota Twins who happen to load up on talent than their run last season. The Indians will most likely win their division this season, and the entire rotation is projected to be one of the best in baseball. Taking Kluber as your first pitcher will make more than a positive impact on your roster.

What do you think about the list? Agree or disagree? Would love to see criticized comments or replies on the matter if I left out any players or players that should not be included on this list. I hope everyone is as excited as I am for Opening Day! I will definitely be loading a great deal of photos from Marlins Stadium to show the first two games between the Marlins hosting the Chicago Cubs in Miami.

Happy drafting anyone, good luck, and cheers!

[inmolyneux-blog]

Osmond, Carter And Hamilton Perform On Period Premiere Of Dancing With The Stars

What happened on Dancing with the Stars season nine's third 7 days of competitors? Who carried out "the Samba from zombietown"? Who suffered an injury throughout the week, casting a shadow of question over his capability to carry on on with the DWTS period 9 competition? Study on for the DWTS details! Aaron Carter and Karina Smirnoff. i loved this has toured the world and sold hundreds of thousands of records as a teenager pop feeling. He is presently the youngest solo artist to have https://www.hatewait.com/aaron-carter-without-makeup/ 4 Top forty singles. His companion Karina Smirnoff has been competing on DWTS since Period 3, and finished in second location with partner Mario Lopez. Her other companions consist of Billy Ray Cyrus, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Rocco DiSpirito, Mario and Steve Wozniak. Simply because of Aaron's youth, this couple may battle, but on the other hand, they may surprise even the toughest critics. Their future on DWTS could go either way. Remain tuned.

Carrie Anne commented that while it was obvious he hadn't danced prior to, she favored that he respected the dance and show the pleasure of dancing, but he has to learn to use his heels.

Aaron Carter Candy

Q: You know its humorous that you say you have zero dance encounter, just lately Debbie Mazar stated that you and Natalie Coughlin are heading to be her hardest competitors. What think about that?

Natalie Coughlin and Alec Mazo - How about that costume Natalie was rocking? I'm lovin it! But that cover version of "American Lady" she and Alec danced to was completely heinous. I thought Natalie and Alec's Paso Doble was superb, but the judges obviously didn't concur. Score: 22. "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker, Jr. The concept tune to the popular film hit #1 in 1984 and stayed there for 3 months. It's still a popular song for Halloween festivities and events.

Popstar Aaron Carter

For the latest in information on Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson and the whole Jackson family members, merely click on the "Subscribe" button on the leading of the web page. Notifications of all the newest news will be sent to your inbox. The new season of "Dancing with the Stars," is becoming billed as the biggest period however. 16 celebs will be competing for the title of "DWTS" Champion. It all kicks off with a reside 3 night premiere starting tonight at eight p.m. on ABC. Donny Osmond, Aaron Carter and previous House Majority Chief Tom Delay are among the contestants. Yet the guy has physical capability. He easily does a standing backflip. He could take on pop over here if he learns the moves and it clicks in his mind and muscles.

Aaron Carter Wife

The choice to consist of Tom Delay in this cycle is questionable at best. Whilst he proved to be charming in a self-effacing way, it was obviously not going to carry him very much. Plus, his dropping out of the competition denied viewers one of their favorite pro dancers (Cheryl Burke). Another split. Blah blah blah. Then. much more drama as the DWTS period 9 bottom 3 grew to become the formal base two. Louie Vito and Chelsie Hightower had been proclaimed secure, leaving Debi and Kathy in the base two. Samantha Harris requested Carrie Ann if she was shocked by the two ladies in the base two, and she stated she was shocked to see Debi Mazar up for elimination. Hmph. Cue the dramatic songs - it's time. Kathy Eire and Tony Dovolani had been offered the boot.

Is Aaron Carter Gay

Dancing with the Stars Fall 2009's third 7 days of aggressive dancing, considered "the sexiest night of the season" by co-host Tom Bergeron, opened with a quick review of last 7 days's motion, and ongoing on with the typical introduction of the DWTS period nine stars. We rapidly discovered that the 13 remaining celebs and their pro companions would be performing one of two dances: The Samba or the Rumba. We THEN learned that previous House Majority Leader Tom Delay's pre-tension fracture had progressed into a full tension fracture; so would he compete? Tom and co-host Samantha Harris left it a large DWTS period nine 7 days 3 unknown for now. How annoying. It's not as if I'd flip off the Television if Tom Delay and Cheryl Burke ended their tenure on the display. Hightower told him for the foxtrot "don't believe snowboarder, believe prince." Dressed in a darkish fit he has a boyish smile throughout the dance to "It's My Lifestyle" by No Doubt, but he's not sure what to do with his hands and he sickles his ft. What it comes down to is who has the bigger enthusiast foundation watching "Dancing with the Stars" and voting? Snowboarders who support Vito? Soccer fans who assistance Irvin? Swimmers who support Coughlin? Coughlin is a California woman, born and elevated in this condition. She attended UCBerkeley.

[ireviewuread]

The first and the last date I had in Vietnam | My Online Dating Stories | Guest post

Remember at the start of the year where I talked about my online dating horror experience? Yes, I mean the one where a guy asked to cut off my mole. Well, today I have another online dating story presented by my guest, Marya! Marya is a blogger from The BeauTraveler. We collaborated to produce her ‘Around the world with the Beauties’ post series. You can check out out collaboration here.

Anyhows, in this post, we’re not going to touch on horror stories. We’re going to touch on a positive side when it comes to dating online. Hey, the online world is not that bad alright. Anyways let’s hop in to her story!

Being single on my end 20s, I think I'm way too familiar with dating apps or dating sites on the internet because nowadays, who isn't really? :P 

Among many dating apps out there, I think the only one that sticks with me until this very day is the one and only OKCupid. I have no idea how many times I install this app and delete it only to actually reinstall it for the sake of boredom. 

One of the reasons why I like OKCupid compared to some other apps is that it enables you to actually find out the other side's personality through the quiz and questions answered by them.

I mean, even though you're not really looking for anyone to go out for a date with, it's always find to read their answer and religiously judge them just because you can. *lol*

Not only that, my opinion may be a bit bias since I had one of the best dates with someone I know through OKCupid. It happened a couple of years ago when I was in Vietnam for traveling. 

It was a 2-week trip as I wanted to explore Vietnam from the North to the South. I got matched with a guy called Aaron when I was in Hue as he asked me a question related to the thing I wrote on my profile. 

I wrote on my profile that I love country music and the sitcom Full House despite how it was first aired when I wasn't even born. And his first message was like, "It's only a little lame to love country music. And who are you more related to? DJ, Stephanie, or Kimmy?" 

Our conversation started there when he admitted that he wasn't even in Vietnam yet as he was still in the States and his flight to Vietnam was in a few days. His ETA in Ho Chi Minh City is only a day before my arrival to the city from Hoi An.

So we exchanged LINE account since as much as we both like OKCupid, the app could crash way too many times and more than we want it to. 

Long story short, we talked a few days before we actually met up in person. He still struggled with jetlag when we first met, but he told me it was alright since he needed to explore the city quite a bit. 

He's American who was planning to continue his Master's degree in Berlin. As the cost for German course at Goethe-Institut in HCMC is less expensive than most of the cities in Asia, he decided to take an intensive German course there. He used to live in Nagoya and Seoul as he was working as an English teacher in the past few years. 

We met in some Indian restaurant called Baba's Kitchen around District 1 area. He said that his roommate recommended it so maybe we could meet there. We had a late lunch there, it was okay. And we hit it off right away, as it was also his first day to join the German class. 

Funny thing was that I also took German class at Goethe-Institut in my hometown along time ago, so I ended up helping his homework. He told me that his teacher kept saying something that he didn't understand. He couldn't get what his teacher said, but it was something ended with 'spiel', so I was like, "Was it zum beispiel?"

Our conversation came so natural that we actually talked about a lot of things. About work, dreams, and even food. He told me that he just wanted to get out of the States for some reason, and Europe has always been on his bucket list.

One of the reasons why he took the German class in Vietnam, besides the fact that it was less expensive, was also because he wanted to get more sense of Asia before leaving for Europe. 

We spent half of our day together. From lunch at Baba's Kitchen, we also had some Ca Phe Sua Da somewhere around District 1, and everytime we always had something to talk about. Being a noob in South East Asia, he had no idea that there was actually some other apps like Uber, so I told him about Grab that we could actually use like Uber, except they also offered motorbike taxi. 

And since I've been told by one of my friends that it was really recommended to try banh mi in Vietnam, especially in HCMC, I told him I had to try a really good banh mi since I didn't find any good banh mi yet. Not in Hanoi, Sa Pa, Hue, or Hoi An. 

He told me that there was one that he passed and we could try to find it. So we ended up walking through the District 1 looking for banh mi. And we were not disappointed! 

We decided to take away our banh mi and find some spot in the park around District 1 to enjoy our banh mi. While sitting at the park, we also talked about some random stuff. I talked about the life in Saudi Arabia since I used to work there for 1.5 year. And I also mentioned that I used to spend 3 months in Turkey as well, yet Turkey felt more like second home for me than Saudi. 

The next thing we know, we came to talk about food and he asked whether there was any food that I found somewhere, yet I couldn't find back home. So I said yes, I told him about midye dolma, the stuffed mussels that I found in Turkey that I couldn't find any in Indonesia. 

First he was a little confused about this midye dolma until I tried to explain to him about this food. And he laughed telling me that I must really love this food because my eyes were actually glistening when trying to explain. 

There were some people playing badminton at the park so we ended up talking about sports. He explained to me about American Football, in which I still don't quite understand even until today. 

So I admitted that I would prefer classic football a.k.a soccer for the 'Murican as I'm probably one of the biggest fans. In return, he admitted that he knew some from the US National Team but internationally he was only familiar with Cristiano Ronaldo. 

Excuse me sir, but you're going to Germany... It's like a blasphemy to know nothing about football there! 

I forgot what happened but then it was quite late already when some lights at the park were actually turned off so I was like, "Jeez, is that how they tell us it's time to go home?" 

I didn't know what happened, but the next thing I knew, our lips were locked to each other. That was actually my first kiss in the public place, since I come from Indonesia where you could even get judged just by hugging each other in public. 

It was when my host called me to ask where I was since it was already late and she just wanted to check whether I was alright. As much as I really enjoyed the night, it was pretty hard when you actually stayed with your Couchsurfing host so I told him I should go back home. 

"Ouch. Heartbreaker." He said. 

So I told him that I wouldn't mind to stay, but then staying at a host place is not as easy as it sounds. So we bid farewell at the park as my motorbike taxi arrived, and that was the first and the last time I met Aaron. 

Despite how short we spent the day together, it was probably the best date that I've had with someone that I met through a dating app. 

Normally, sometimes the date would be so boring that it would only end up in bed for sex and that was all. But with Aaron, it was really nice that we actually wanted to know more about each other and it went really well. And even better, because we didn't even have to have sex to actually feel interested towards each other. 

We've still got our contact on our LINE account. And he even sent some pics of him on his early days in Berlin a few months later. I think it was quite hard to find a decent date through dating app nowadays when hooking up has become a culture. 

But then again, you'll never know you don't give it a chance, won't you? ;) 

About the author -  Marya The BeauTraveler

A sassy traveler who finds it difficult to travel light, but easy to find the cheapest way to enjoy life. Struggling to find the one, so she may as well travel from one beau to another. Check out her links: Blog | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Aww, it’s such a shame that this fairy tale lasted for one day only. However, I love the detailed story. It’s so nice to hear that not all online dating stories are nightmares. Once again, Thank you to Marya for sharing with us her positive online dating story. Do remember to check out her blog and social media for travel and beauty related posts.

If you’re looking for more online dating stories, I’ve created this category under the lifestyle section :

You can view the section here. So far there’s only 2 stories but I will be adding more stories and hopefully invite more guests to share their stories in time to come.

[flauntpage]

Blue Jays Mailbag: Which AL East Team Should Toronto Be Most Worried About?

This article originally appeared on VICE Sports Canada.

Andrew Stoeten answers your questions in our Blue Jays Mailbag, which runs weekly at VICE Sports. You can send him questions at stoeten@gmail.com, and follow him on Twitter.

The Blue Jays continue to inch toward .500, and toward relevance in the American League. And although the trade deadline is still more than six weeks away, the thoughts of the fan base seem to have turned to reinforcements, and what the front office can do to make this roster better.

And while no realistic answer about the 2017 Jays' trade prospects is going to be satisfying to fans clamouring for better options in the bullpen, in left field, and at second base, as we open up this week's Blue Jays mailbag, we learn that such trivialities aren't going to stop fans from speculating! So let's dig in, with an especially transaction-heavy early-June edition!

If you have a Blue Jays question you'd like me to tackle for next week, be sure to send it to stoeten@gmail.com. As always, I have not read any of Griff's answers.

At the start of the season, you said the Red Sox were most likely to challenge the Jays for 1st in the AL East. In mid-June, the Yankees have a 3 1/2 game lead. Do you still think the Red Sox are the biggest obstacle in the Jays way to winning the division?

Jonathan

Yeah, I do.

Despite also leading their divisions, I don't think the Twins or the Brewers are real, either.

Which isn't to say that the Yankees aren't better than a lot of people gave them credit for, myself included. I expected that they'd be pesky, and that they wouldn't be pushovers in their games against the Jays, but after all the veterans they traded last July and over the winter, I certainly didn't expect this.

But I also don't expect this to continue. Aaron Judge looks legit, but he isn't Mike Trout. Nothing about Aaron Hicks has ever suggested he's anything close to one of the ten best hitters on the planet. Right now Didi Gregorius ranks just inside the top 60 in wRC+ among hitters with at least 150 plate appearances, and there are six Yankees regulars who rank ahead of him. Six!!! And stupid Jordan Montgomery is giving them productive starts, to boot! That shit is nuts!

These Yankees may not fall off to the point where they're still not really good, but they will fall off. They have 102 games still left to play. A lot can happen. The Yankees entered Monday with a four-game division lead on the second-place Red Sox, who are only 3.5 up on the last-place Blue Jays in the tight AL East.

And while the Red Sox have been a bit of a delicious mess so far, I still think that, top to bottom, they have the most talented roster in the American League, outside of Houston. That usually means they'll be the team to beat. Not always, but usually. And I don't think I've seen enough yet to bet against that. Even with the Yankees doing the best to make us all question everything we've ever believed in.

---

Jays badly need a good lefty in the pen, which LHRP would you like the Jays to target? My pick: Brad Hand.

Newfound Lanny

Yeah... I don't think the Jays badly need a good lefty in the 'pen.

They certainly could use one if a good one came along at the right price, but the acquisition of bullpen lefties seems to have become something of an obsession these last few years among Jays fans who haven't quite yet noticed that they've been doing just fine getting lefties out.

Obviously having Brett Cecil during the club's runs in 2015 and 2016 helped a lot in this regard. And obviously getting left-handed hitters out is important. But do we have to sweat so much about which hand someone throws with when they're doing so?

No. No, we don't.

Hand, as you mention, was the No. 2 lefty reliever on a list of possible deadline trade candidates posted at MLB Trade Rumors on May 19. The only name above his was the Pirates' Tony Watson, whose season has gone sideways since then (he's allowed 10 earned runs over his last 10.2 innings), meaning that you're probably not wrong in identifying Hand as as one of the best options out there.

But considering that, let's play a game…

Player A: .180/.319/.410, .320 wOBA, 47 batters faced Player B: .234/.333/.319, .288 wOBA, 54 batters faced Player C: .182/.333/.277, .278 wOBA, 57 batters faced Player D: .189/.211/.216, .189 wOBA, 38 batters faced Player E: .228/.276/.326, .264 wOBA, 98 batters faced

Player A? It's Brad Hand, and the numbers we're looking at are how opposing left-handed batters have fared against him so far this year.

Players B through E? Joe Smith, Ryan Tepera, Danny Barnes, and Joe Biagini.

The samples are small, yes, but for me it underlines the fact that it's more important to just have good pitchers. Handedness matters, but no so much that we need to use words like "need" or "badly need" about a problem that doesn't really exist.

---

Hi Stoeten With Devon Travis out potentially long term, will it take another injury for the blue jays to see what they have in Jason Leblebijian? Tough to watch Barney/Goins every night at 2B. Thanks! Joshua

I get where you're coming from on this, because it definitely has been tough to watch those two at the plate lately, but Goins and Barney have been good soldiers for this club. They seem to be well-liked and well-respected. And given that this a club that relies so much on a pair of injury-prone middle infielders, having backups that are as capable with the glove as those two makes a bit of sense.

The way Leblebijian has hit in Buffalo so far this season, he's earned himself a closer look, but I think the Jays will really have to be compelled to ditch one of Goins or Barney in order to bring him here. And "ditching" them is what would be necessary, because Goins is out of options and Barney can refuse the assignment and elect free agency.

Alternatively, they could DFA Chris Coghlan to clear a spot for Leblebijian and I don't think anybody would bat an eye. But Coghlan may well be the player who is due to lose his roster spot once Steve Pearce is ready. And with Pearce due back soon, and capable of playing a little bit of second base in his own right (especially when the Jays' more fly-ball-heavy pitchers are on the mound), I guess my question is, how badly do the Jays even need to force a move here?

Will the difference between Leblebijian and Goins or Barney for a few days be enough to justify losing a key piece of organizational depth just to bring him up? Or to justify shortening their bullpen? Do we believe enough in his defence and that his Triple-A numbers will translate?

I'm sure it's possible that there could come a point where the front office decides the pros outweigh the cons here, but I don't think the case is overwhelming just yet. Even though, like you, I'm curious to see what he might do, too.

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With Pearce 0 for rehab and Zeke and Coghlan looking less than stellar what can be done with Left Field between now and trade deadline?

Scott

Not to be too glib, but... uh... Steve Pearce can get healthy and fans can start to recognize that Ezequiel Carrera has actually been pretty good?

Shit, he hasn't even just been "pretty good," he's been "good." Maybe even better than good!

Yes, yes, the defensive gaffes are tough to watch sometimes, but Carrera has wiped away all those sins with a legitimately impressive season at the plate so far. Zeke's Thunder has carried him to a .292/.363/.410 slash line, and a 111 wRC+. Part of the reason he's been able to be so good is that John Gibbons has shielded him from left-handed pitching—something that's helped because, despite having a strong reverse split over his three previous seasons, this year, in a tiny sample against lefties, the left-handed hitting Carrera has been abysmal. If Carrera was a true everyday player (like the guys I'm about to compare him to) his numbers almost certainly wouldn't be as good.

Toronto has been missing the versatile Pearce for the last month, but Carrera has held down the fort in left. Photo by Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Still, though, Mookie Betts has a 112 wRC+! Same for Josh Reddick. Miguel Cabrera ranks below Carrera at 110. Also behind Carrera: Chris Davis, Michael Brantley, Wil Myers, Jose Bautista, Dustin Pedroia, A.J. Pollock, and nearly 150 hitters with at least 150 plate appearances so far this season!

I can't imagine he'll keep this up for the whole year, and I do think that left field is a place where the Jays should and will look to upgrade, it's just... I don't know that they're going to have all that much incentive to do anything dramatic. To find a player who will give them more than Carerra is giving them right now—and more than what they'll presumably get from a platoon of Carrera and Pearce, once the latter returns (and no, his rehab stats don't matter)—currently looks like it would be an expensive proposition. That could change, of course—Carrera's production could fall off a cliff and Pearce could come back in as much of a funk as he was in April—but it's really not a problem until it's a problem.

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Hey Stoeten, Big fan - keep it up. Two questions. First, if Smoak continues to be for real in July/August, do the Jays consider doubling-down and extending him again? How good does he have to be, for how long, before there's an extension conversation? (Not advocating for this, just wondering). Second, what's the deal with the Giants? Do they not mind the stench of human urine?

Cheers, Tim

Whoa! Holy hell, man! Let's maybe not rush too quickly into hoping the Jays become the team that signs Justin Smoak to his big post-breakout contract... when he's 32... with a track record that will still be overwhelmingly underwhelming. If, one year from today, this question still seems like a reasonable one—and not totally and utterly batshit, like it would have seemed as recently as April—fire up your barbecue, purchase some illegal fireworks, get liquored up and take a load of air horns up to the roof, because it's time for a goddamn celebration! At that point you can maybe start thinking about thinking about extending Smoak. Until then? Just enjoy the bloody ride and hope it doesn't end in carnage.

As for the Giants, to be perfectly honest, I'd have taken a roll of the dice on Sam Dyson, too.

Blue Jays Mailbag: Which AL East Team Should Toronto Be Most Worried About? published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv