In direct response to KP, dodgerrick, and others who have emailed me, you are correct that this is a baseball blog…specifically a Dodger baseball blog. I try very hard to keep it topical, but let’s face it, there is not much baseball going on, and news from LAD is even more sparse. I try to hold posts open for two to three days, but when I see the discussion move more into a straight political bent, I need to grab into my bag of posts and pull another baseball article out. But that well is drying up. Between 2d2, Harold, and myself we are trying very hard to keep the cupboard filled with baseball posts.
With that being said, while I almost never get involved in the political discussion, I have found myself wandering into it on occasion. I get cranky just like anyone else. Before I respond to individual commenters, I try to walk away and think of baseball, and it almost always works. However, I am not going to ban any discussion as long as it is civil, and thus far it has been. I have no objection to political positions that are contrary to mine. In fact, there are those who I absolutely disagree with politically, but respect 100%, and I know we would be friends if we lived in closer proximity. But that is not what LA DodgerTalk is all about. And I want to keep it as much about baseball as possible.
I know some on this site will wander into the political realm, and that will continue to be permissible. Some topics are more relevant than others. COVID-19 is affecting LAD and MLB. We cannot hide from it. George Floyd, peaceful protests, rioters/looters…not so much about baseball. I know there are blogs that are covering those topics in greater detail (both from the right and from the left), and I would appreciate it if you would go to those sites and vent on that topic. If you do not like Donald Trump, or Barack Obama, or Gavin Newsom, or Ron DeSantis, or Greg Abbott, or Andrew Cuomo, I do not care. If it doesn’t involve baseball it does not belong here, even though I will not edit or “unapproved” it.
I like the comment count up. It is the only tangible method I know that measures participation. At least it is a metric I value. I know there are many very good blog writers out there for fans to wander off to. But this site is successful because of the many and diverse fans that come here to participate. I want everyone to continue to feel comfortable and wanted to comment on this site. I have come to learn just how difficult it is to manage a “successful” baseball blog. I marvel at what Mark was able to start and maintain for 20 years. Even in good times, the blog will have its problems. How much more difficult do you think that a baseball blog is at this time? I do not have an OOTP baseball simulator. I do not have access to Dodger players, coaches, or executives. I do not have an unlimited source of baseball research or a staff to go through it. We have three writers who love MLB, MiLB, and specifically the Los Angeles Dodgers. If not for the pandemic, we would have already had multiple profiles of Great Lakes Loons players from Harold.
KP, Dodgerrick, DBMom, and others who have corresponded directly with me outside of the blog, please continue to participate and comment on the baseball discussion. Next week, 2d2, Harold, and I will be covering the draft. But what worries me is…what happens after that? If the children in the negotiations cannot come together and compromise on a 2020 season, then MLB will be an afterthought. It could drag on to the 2021 season because of labor issues. Maybe there will be a lockout, or a strike, due to anticipated contentious CBA labor negotiations. I do believe that future negotiations may be in good hands with Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem and MLBPA Chief Negotiator, Bruce Meyer. Both are accomplished negotiators and not figure heads or mouthpieces for their side. They are both excellent negotiators, but what is needed now are decision makers who think of the industry as a whole rather than their individual client. Below is a nice introductory article on Bruce Meyer.
Please continue to participate, and if you feel the need to comment on the political bent of the day, please do so in a civil manner. However, please do not forget to reply twice more on the baseball discussion. I look forward to the day fans can come back and trash AF or Doc or El Gasolino or Wild Man Kelly or loogie Kolarek…Or get on Bums because Joc is in one of his slumps, or Bums going off because Joc is leading MLB in HRs. I look forward to the 10 for 1 trade proposals. As long as you all stay and participate, even if not every post, we can pick up when MLB is back.
I repeat, if anyone has a baseball related topic they would like to see covered, please reach out to me. Or if you have any suggestions or comments, I will welcome them. I promise, I will LISTEN to everyone (that was for you Badger).
For my music interlude today, I want to include a couple of songs written by a legendary contemporary of many of ours, Paul Simon. Neither Simon or Garfunkle’s voices are the same, but the songs are just as impactful and meaningful today as they were 50+ years ago.
2020 is so bizarre. And we’re not halfway done. We’re all here for baseball and there is no baseball. NBA is unofficially back. NHL, MLS, and even the WNBA are just about back. Yet the sport that hasn’t played since October, 2019 can’t figure things out.
Baseball will crush themselves for the next several years if they drop the ball on 2020. I as a season ticket holder will leave. And my money might well go to the Rams or LAFC. Many people will boycott baseball as they did in 1995-1997, and how Dodger fans boycotted during the a few years of McCourt ownership.
And for crying out loud, what will anyone here be able to talk about until free agency in November, when former/never Dodger Mookie Betts signs with the San Francisco Giants.
Is it possible that Kobe Bryant was the glue that was holding the entire world together?
Jeff, many of us appreciate the hard work and commitment of you and others who keep this blog going. And it is a baseball blog! I’ve learned a lot reading it these past months. And yes, reality also intrudes on baseball, as with all other sports (okay, maybe not synchronized swimming!). Baseball doesn’t exist in a vaccuum. We rightly celebrate Jackie Robinson’s pioneering role in dissegregating sports. Should a sports blogger circa 1947 have avoided that topic? I agree fully: keep the focus on baseball, but allow discussion of its social context, as long as debate is respectful.
My baseball fix is playing on my PS-2…..yep, the stone age of video games. But it is easier for me to play, since my reaction time is not what it once was. My current team is 50-1. I also like the fact that on this particular baseball game, MVP-2004, I can create my own players. Up to 25 of them, and all of the Dodgers on my roster are current and all hitting above .400. Only 2 have got 20 homers or more so far, Betts, and Belli. My bench is Beaty, Taylor, Hernandez and Lux. I am using the DH universally, I split that up to give some players time on the field. Unfortunately the Expos are still part of the league on this version, so playing in Montreal’s ball park is no picnic. My pitching rotation at present is Kersh, Buehler, Price, May and Ferguson with Urias, Kelly, Treinen, Baez, Alexander and Graterol coming out of the pen. Is working pretty good so far. Urias has the only loss, and he got that in relief. I like this blog, and have enjoyed posting here. As for having political differences with some, that is so. Badger is one, but as a fan I respect his baseball acumen. 2D2 and Jeff are doing a great job keeping it real. I just wish the powers that be would get their heads out of a certain orifice and understand that they are truly hurting the fans. If they blow this season, I doubt I will ever attend another game. And I definitely will no longer subscribe to the MLB.TV games.
Jeff, what most of us are used to is baseball being played on the field and the blog talking about the present circumstances. For me, this really is my only interest. The history and all the other information about the Dodgers is not my focus. I never think about baseball in the past. But, some do, and you seem to have a small audience to write for and the group of writers seem to have many bits of history to share with them.
The other side of this is that there is simply little to write about and I wouldn’t think twice if you and the others decided not to post anything. We can all read the goings on in the news and dedicated sports sites. I don’t see the need to make sure you guys are entertaining anyone. Maybe it would be a nice break for all of you to stop thinking about baseball and all the goings on, ramifications, negotiations, hopes and desires, and simply do something else with your time. Baseball is just a game that people play. It has nothing to do with the game of life that all of us share. It might be good to remember one’s balance in times like this and to decide what is really important in living life. Personally, I find nothing missing in life without baseball. I like watching it much more than thinking about it.
Jeff, I recognize that for you, <strong>”The history and all the other information about the Dodgers is not my focus.” And that is okay. What I appreciate is that you continue to come to the site and respond when you can. I too hope we can soon get back to current day baseball.
I have backed off commenting as i have wanted to avoid discussing the politics and other non-baseball topics. When I find some baseball oriented topic to discuss, i try to put in my 2 cents worth.
Right now, the big thing is the existential threat to baseball itself. While I hope that they get it together, I doubt that they will.
AC, I think Mark picked the absolute correct person to continue this blog for him. I appreciate and admire your comments above and will definitely try to respect what you want this blog to be.
I fully understand those who only want to discuss baseball here and although I’m one of those who has tended to go off down another path every so often Dodger baseball is the one topic every one of us comes here for. I’m very much looking forward to the draft because that will at least give us a Dodger topic to discuss for a little bit.
AC, you are doing a great job and I understand that it is not an easy job, but we appreciate what you, DC, 2D2 and others contribute to make this site not only welcome to everyone but informative and interesting. For myself, I like reading about back-in-the day Dodgers and learn a lot about their player history. I also, as you know, love and cheer on the young new players moving up from the minors and find their personal stories very informative.
I am not into discussing politics here, so I try not to get involved as I come here to discuss baseball. Politics? Believe me, you would not want to get me started. Thank you for taking over for Mark.
I have no problem talking about anything. Especially during the off season, which it has been for about 8 months.
Today’s topic is “Let There Be Baseball“. Ok by me. By all means, let there be. My opinion on that has not changed. As the numbers on the virus tick up (oops, don’t mean to get off topic) and the two sides are behaving like petulant children, I don’t see a lot of baseball in the immediate future. That’s all I got on today’s topic. I could talk about the weather (approaching fire and flood season) or the series on Netflix I’m watching (an uplifting drama on a rich family’s bizarre dysfunctions) but I sure don’t want to upset anyone.
As we reach for something baseball to discuss, I don’t have a lot to say about the most talked about topic here – that topic being former Dodgers. I will say that I prefer the way baseball was played back in their day. When I played every position in the lineup wasn’t played by 200+ pound behemoths with gorilla strength. In my game everyone could bunt, hit behind runners and back up bases. We played small ball and we played defense. Swinging for the fences was actually discouraged, mostly because it caused a lot of strike outs, which used to be a bad thing, and also because fences were further away back then. The fences on my high school field were deeper than Dodger Stadium. At 5’10 170 pounds I could reach them now and then but gap hitting and running the bases was what I excelled at. Yes, I just ended a sentence with a preposition. Shame on me. Feel free to talk about it.
Supposed to be hot this week. But I don’t expect any conversation on it. Gonna be another get together at City Hall today, but they won’t be discussing baseball so I won’t go there. Dodger Blue Mom just said “Politics? Believe me you would not want to get me started.” Yeah I would. I would love to hear your opinions on that and many other topics. But, maybe another day, another place.
If your response is tongue in cheek, then okay. However it comes across to me as condescending and belittling. So I will throw a little condescension into the fray. Apparently reading comprehension is not your forte. And since when do you NOT want to upset anyone. Do not belittle what 2d2, Harold, and I are trying to accomplish here, or those who come here to discuss baseball only. I never said you could not discuss politics. What I said was that I would never ban anyone for discussing politics. I specifically wrote…”I know some on this site will wander into the political realm, and that will continue to be permissible.” But that is where you ALWAYS want to take it. My only caveat is that the discussion stay civil. If you want to talk weather or grammar or politics…go for it. It is incumbent on me to move the discussion back to baseball. I spend hours in front of the computer looking for baseball related stories that maybe I can spin. I have other things that I am working on to try to keep the blog primarily baseball driven. But please do not disparage or make light of where I want this blog to go. If you do not like discussion on old-time players, ignore them. If you do not like discussions on movies or music or baseball cards or baseball memorabilia; ignore them. But instead of trying to be disruptive of what I am trying to maintain, you might be proactive and start your own blog.
Jeff, I didn’t interpret what Badger said as disparaging or making light of where you want to take this blog. He gave you feedback as to the content that interests him which was more strategy and less history.
I will say for myself that without history there is not a lot to write about. Also, thanks for the shout out although 99% of my Pederson comments are aimed at defending him and 1% or less gloating when he does anything good.
I generally do not criticize players and instead include those I don’t especially enjoy in trades. I also offer players in trades just because they are being mentioned in many places as players that might be traded such as Seager. I like Seager and don’t want to trade him but I also like Lindor. I was wrong when I thought that Lindor would be easier to extend than Seager.
The Dodgers need another righty bat. I want to extend Pederson so that means the righty bat might have to play first base and that means trading Muncy. Dare I mention Pete Alonso? Who else would have to be included to make that trade?
RF Betts
SS Seager
3B Turner
CF Bellinger
1B Alonso
LF Pederson
C Smith
2B Lux
Notta to worry Bum. Anytime someone says “you ALWAYS” they’ve surrendered the argument. I don’t always do anything, neither does anyone else. Most of the time here I’m just responding to a post. Many times I’ve thanked the blog writers for their efforts. I believe the collective writing skills are superb. But, reading comprehension is not my forte so what do I know? If 2d2 or Harold has been offended I apologize. I also accept the fact that if one steps on certain toes, insults will follow. Doesn’t bother me anymore. I’m quite used to it.
So, you’re trading Pederson and Muncy for Alonzo? That’s creative. A 25 year old, likely 26 before he plays again, coming off a record year. Could be a 1 year wonder you know. He was pretty good in the minors I guess, OPS’d .940 across 4 leagues, but 53 homers? Nope. I don’t think he will do it again. Outlier year.
Badger, you’ve got that wrong, Bum wants to extend Joc not trade him.
I agree, you can’t count on those kind of numbers again out of Alonso and since you’d have to add something to Muncy to get Alonso, I’ll say no thanks.
What if I toss in Pollock? I’m trying to get Joc more playing time.
What is going on right now is simply negotiating in public, but both sides need to realize that the general public is sick of both sides: the billionaire owners and millionaire players! We have been made painfully aware of how viruses and influenza can be easily spread and the fact of the matter is that the landscape of any public event may look different in the future. It may be a couple of years before all of the fans come back… if ever.
Yesterday, my wife and I took two of our granddaughters to see my daughter and her kids in Northern Indiana. They have not seen their cousins during this pandemic. I was listening to MLB.Radio for a while (until the girls demanded to hear their music) and they were speculating that Mookie Betts could lose $150 million because of this.
The NBA is starting back up and you know that some players will get COVID-19 and pass it on. How does that look? Do you quarantine the whole team? In Indiana, they are running the Brickyard 400 with no fans. What’s different about that? That race s poorly attended anyway. The fireworks have been canceled for July 4th and the state fair in August is canceled.
Many people are hurting financially and the recovery from this pandemic will take 5 to 10 years. Next, is a recession and inflation and we hope it’s not a depression! That will impact the revenue of everything, including baseball. We have seen K-Mart, Sears, J Crew, Hertz, Pier 1, JC Penny and other companies file for bankruptcy and/or close. Many more will follow. Most mom and pop companies can’t survive this. All sports, including baseball, will feel the impact.
I am all for starting up baseball again, but it may never be like it once was. The negotiations will be really contentious… this year and next. In fact, I think it will get downright ugly. I feel for its life! It will never be the same… the question is: Will it be better or worse?
Finally, in the closest thing to being political, I will ask this: Biden and Trump? Is this the best we have got? Dumb and Dumber!
How come he can talk politics and we can’t? Maybe I should write an email to AC and complain
But to your point Mark, can’t say I disagree much. We still don’t know the exact detail of ruin all of this will create, but one thing is for sure, we will have a lot of work to do. Well, others will. I’m retired now and won’t be of much help.
“Finally, in the closest thing to being political, I will ask this: Biden and Trump? Is this the best we have got? Dumb and Dumber!“
I get that. Not great choices, again, but I look at it a tad differently. I’d call it Late Season Progressive and In Season Retarded. (retard the verb, meaning the opposite of progress. I wish to remain PC here)
P.S. this virus is considered far more easily communicated than the flu, and has a higher mortality rate. Just felt the need to throw that in there.
I come here to talk baseball and not politics. I do appreciate AC, 2D2 and Mark.
Thank you, Al. I do hope we get baseball back soon so you can participate again.
Why does he have to wait? Jump in with some baseball Al.
Yeah, why do the hosts need to publish new topics just to keep us on a baseball track? It’s not like we all stick to the topic at hand anyway! We all know enough baseball that we can, if we choose, talk baseball, present or past.
Jeff, I have no problem with what you’re doing. Spent 14 years in the newspaper business, covering sports and then government. Hey, somebody is always unhappy. I grew up in the 1960s, the most turbulent decade I’ve ever seen (oh, yes, there was the 1968 pandemic, which took 100,000 American lives and one million world wide), but those 10 years were worse than anything today, but 2020 feels worse because, well, it is worse. It all happened in a very short period of time. Not to mention the social isolation.
But the economy was better, everything remained open, graduations were held, schools didn’t close, beaches were open, sports were still happening and so was Disneyland … Oh yes, there was baseball.
So here we are in June wanting to return to some type of normal as the country reopens.
Then there is baseball, no certainty, but wow, does the country need the game now more than ever. We need games to begin in July. I’m not so sure baseball gets that, it always seems to be about money in one form or another.
Glad the draft is happening, even in limited form. Weary of Covid and protest march stories. Time to move forward.
Jeff is right, not much to talk about on the baseball front, including the Dodgers. So, everyone needs to hang in there until baseball resumes. I haven’t posted much lately because there is not much to talk about.
I could say that we rolled our season ticket package into 2021 with the 10 percent boost. I might add that the Dodgers had better not increase ticket prices next year and I made sure I made that point.
I always follow what’s on this site, the content is fine, especially considering all the craziness taking place. Let the games begin.
where are your seats, Buff? I’m still in Reserve 3
Use to be in the loge, Bobby, and I really liked those seats, but got a chance to join a group which had field level seats, which look directly into the Dodger dugout. Great seats, but not quite like the loge where you saw the same people every game. A lot of corporate on the field level or groups sharing costs.
Like Idahoal I too enjoy this site for the baseball and not the politics (although I’m not exactly sure what that term actually includes). I use what I call my “Barstool Rules” in what I discuss on this blog, If i’m sitting on a bar stool I never discuss politics or religion. It’s my rule. From my years in the bar business I’ve heard enough of these conversations and I have never seen anybody change anybody else’s mind. And it’s often not a civil disagreement. It’s an exercise to satisfy a desire in most cases to look smarter than somebody else, bully others or listen to yourself talk. It’s not to share information. I have many Facebook friends who raise their blood pressure daily arguing politics with people they have never met and who’s minds they will never change. It’s a head scratcher to me. I’m just not interested in going there. To me, disagreeing is one thing and picking a fight behind a keyboard is something else entirely.
Thank you Jeff for what you are doing for this blog and the time you spend trying to keep things civil and baseball oriented. You very tactfully have advised guidelines for us follow. You are doing a great job and I really appreciate it. Thanks also to the other contributors with informative stuff especially on the old players. Let’s keep this site going.
Exactamundo Phil, no one is ever going to agree on those two subjects. Playing in bars for years, and also trucking, I know that for a fact. You can also get into some pretty heated discussions about baseball. My baseball discussion always centers around the fact that I think the game was better in the 50’s and 60’s than it is now. I loved watching a pitcher go 9. Players staying with a team their entire career. That will rarely happen in this day and age. I think the only current Dodger who might do that is Kershaw. I think Mays was better than Trout. Personal opinion. I think Trout is the best player in the majors right now. But he is no Mays. Mantle, had he taken care of himself, and not injured his knee in 1951, he would have probably easily hit more homers than he did. That injury plagued him for the rest of his career, as did his binges with team mates. But he was a natural talent. Best RF I ever saw was Clemente. Cannon for an arm, Aaron spraying line drives all over the place. Gibson, Spahn, Marichal, Koufax, Drysdale, pitchers who finished what they started. Oh, there have been some really great players since, Maddux, Bench, Joe Morgan, Stargell, one of 3 players who have hit balls OUT of Dodger Stadium, and he did it twice…little aside, I was there both times. I love the game. And I despise the petty infighting they constantly go through.
There you go Bear. I could happily discuss your thoughts and opinions about the game, all day long.
Most people cannot disagree without being disagreeable. One of my sons can’t …while the other one can.
What follows is not political, but rather an example of people on two totally polar opposite sides having a respectful and long-lasting relationship. What follows is Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Eulogy at Justice Antonin Scalia’s Memorial Service.
We should all learn a lesson from this:
Excellent Mark. I usually can control the emotions when engaged in a disagreement…usually. There are occasions where I let them get the best of me, and I often feel upset about that happening later. In the heat of the moment, one can lose control…
“I attack ideas, not people” – Anthony Scalia
Great share Mark.
Yesterday was the anniversary of D-Day. The Longest Day. I would like to pay my respects to all those who participated, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. It was not pretty. None of those kinds of events ever are. Just the sad reality of war, that the youth of the nation are usually the ones who give all. At the time of D-Day, my dad was in the Pacific island hopping with Nimitz and MacArthur. I would bet all of them would have rather been watching baseball.
My father served in Guadalcanal and Luzon.
In honor of D-Day, this is from the BBC:
I admit I sometimes get sidetracked from baseball like with hockey and music, but will leave politics to others. I do honor the military as my dad, grandfather and my two uncles served during WW2. My dad with the Canadian forces during the raid of Dieppe. He was captured and spent time in POW camp. So send great respect to those who served and/or did not come home.
Hockey and music talk is great! Even though you’re a Sharks fan :). Can’t wait to watch postseason hockey again
And music is my life. I can go to a Jay Z concert to a Garth Brooks concert and from a Bruce Springsteen concert to a Taylor Swift concert. Please discuss music; I’d love to chime in!
Of course, for the purposes of our blog here, my fave song of all time is Randy Newman’s “I Love LA”
Sharks fan second, Maple Leafs fan first, but Dodger fan tops both of those, Bobby. Thanks for your comments.
Been playing music for a long long time. Played in clubs in LA before I left the state for good, and I have a bunch of friends I jam with as often as possible. Not a hockey fan, gave up pro football years ago, love USC, have not watched basketball since Kobe retired…admittedly, the Lakers have sucked in the interim until now. Dodgers are my first love, country music my second. I have played all types, and can sing most anything. Despise rap, not really into blues, but have a ton of friends who are. Have wrote a couple of songs, working on some more. Met some stars over the years, did shows with some others. Proud of my country and proud to have served.
Our keyboard players dad was with the 5th engineer brigade. At Normandy they were the first ones ashore and suffered very heavy casualties. They were there to blow up the beach defenses. Yogi Berra was a gunners mate on the USS Bayfield. He was part of a 6 man crew firing machine guns and rockets at the German defenses on Omaha Beach, he was not wounded. But he was later in the day also sent to Utah Beach. My dad, being in the Pacific was a long way from that battle. But he more than paid his dues on December 7th, 1941 at Pearl Harbor. His battleship, the Nevada, was the only battleship to get underway during the attack. Respect to all veterans of all nations.
Some baseball news; Matt Harvey is considering playing in the KBO to re-start his career;
https://nypost.com/2020/06/05/matt-harveys-reps-tried-to-get-him-into-kbo/
It is probably his last chance, and he has not been very good for quite a while
Badger, I come to this site to read the comments on Dodger baseball. As soon as I run into political statements, I leave. It makes me mad. I am 80 this year and I do not want to get upset anymore. My good friend died last year. He and I were total opposites politically. Yet we were good friends. We golfed together, played bridge, but we could not talk about politics. I took him every week to his exercise class. I was a pall bear at his funeral. I just know you cannot change anyone’s mind on politics. So why talk about it and get upset. Maybe it is my fault.
I am just afraid we will not have baseball this season. Millionaires and billionaires arguing over money. No thought about the fans or the game of baseball. It may ruin baseball . People will find other things to do with their time and never come back. Sad.
Point made.
I have many friends that I disagree with politically. One of them posts right here. We’ve been disagreeing since before the ‘16 elections. He was my friend then and he still is. He can be a prickly old goat, but, he’d likely say the same about me. Then we’d both laugh about it. Know this Al, you can say whatever you want about any topic you want, but as long as you’re honest and don’t resort to name calling and insults, which I know you won’t, you will never have a problem with me.
I’m truly sorry about your friend. I also know that age 80 you’ve no doubt seen a few leave this plane. I’m 8 years younger and I’ve said goodbye to several.
I agree with your last thought there. Losing baseball for a year would be sad. The way the two sides are behaving is embarrassing. But I’ve said all along I thought sports would be suspended, and rightfully so, until this pandemic is in fact under control. Despite what many believe, I don’t believe it is, nor do I believe it will be this summer.
Jeff, thank you for the well though out response. I didn’t mean to cause problems it is just that I truly love baseball and it and Vin Scully have helped me through a lot of down times just waking up in the morning excited to read the box scores. This is really the only blog I read regularly and will continue to do so. You are right, there is not a lot of baseball to talk about and that is my fear- no one will be talking about baseball in a few weeks when the NFL reports to camp, NBA has their tournament, NHL has their tournament, auto racing continues, soccer is back and our “summer sport” quickly fades away only to be followed by more major labor battles after 2021 (really something to look forward to)! I just want to hear that the Dodgers got a great deal by signing Mookie long term because he was afraid there would be no money left in 2021! Please PLAY BALL!
I thanked AC, DC, 2D2 and others for their contributions in making this the best Dodger site online. I forgot to thank Mark, who most of all started it and maintained it for so many years and is still adding his input. So thank you Mark, your contributions are appreciated.