If you need to ask... as it's the equinox weekend, yes it's a Sabo 3Der™. We already got started last night. This is our plan...

• Yesterday: Night at Beach Shack. Midnight Missile Recognisance. The weather has suddenly turned spring like, even late-spring-ish.
  
  
• Last day of Winter: Today. As soon as hit sent, Sabo & me are off to the Desert Bar in Parker AZ. Sabo's been here before... this is the funky. place that is off-road and off-grid, and only open during the winter. Then we're off to Lake Havasu to finish off the spectacularly successful [highlight]Winter with Sabo's Dis-discontent, with a bang... Sabo will spend the evening visiting his Uncle D.
  
  
• The Equinox: Tomorrow. We'll be continuing on to Kingman, where revisit the Kingman Park dog run. Then Sabo will spend the afternoon visiting with his Uncle J. That evening we drive to Peoria for the evening... where it starts (see below).
  
  
• Tuesday: Sabo will visit with his Uncle H and Aunt L (Don't tell him, but I'm going to sneak off to see another Cactus Lg game). Then we'll drive to Yuma for the evening. There Sabo will visit with his God-Uncle B.
  
  
• Wednesday. Sabo will romp at Yuma Dog Park. Drive back to the Sabotat.

.$$

We're in Scottsdale AZ and Sabo's peeing blood.

We're back at the Sabotat and Sabo's peeing piss again. From all reports he's fine. Good Nurse Sabo will be along shortly.

We'll it's spring. Happy spring my (perhaps six) readers!!!1!.

We had a wet, but not long (it seemed to fly by) Winter of Sabo's Dis-Discontent. I don't know if the drought is officially over, but I do know three things: 1) Sabo saw more rain this winter than the rest of his life put together, 2) That woodchuck in PA (who called for a "late winter") skunked Sabo (who called for an "early spring"), and 3) everything is green and grown like Sabo's never seen before.

We just got back from our fourth Phoenix trip. The difference in the scenery was striking. I thought the folks of the yard above the terraces had grown a hedge, and Sabo that's why couldn't look into their yard anymore. Nope, there was a crew with weedwackers out there yesterday clearing what were weeds away. The Sabotat yard itself is a sea of foot high grass, which Sabo has carved paths through. Grandpa was out cutting that grass when he called for me.

In hindsight, the long empty house that touches on the Sabo corner was occupied around this time, which probably had more to do with the disappearance of the opossums. Since this post, ~18 months ago, Sabo has only had one opossum treeing. We also haven't seen the surprising ground squirrels and the annoying swimming ants since before that. I've never seen a racoon in the Sabotat... ever. AFAIK it's still there.

Anyways, it was a beautiful spring day. Grandpa was out working on the lawn. He calls for me, and says there's another dog in the yard.

He said it came over the fence, was Sabo-sized, grey, had a long tail, and was limping. I look out the Sabo room window... and see nothing. Sabo nonchalantly pops out his Sabo-door, says "hi" to Grandpa, and nonchalantly pops right back inside. Right about then it reappears way up in the Sabo corner. I ask if it might be a cat. He says no. It starts walking down the terrace steps like we aren't there. Sabo isn't reacting at all. I block Sabo inside and walk around outside.

Well, it was a racoon. It crawled into a dead 1'x6' gap between the two garden sheds... and promptly fell asleep. It just looked at me when I verbally rousted it. I gotta figure it's sick y/o injured and will call animal control tomorrow morning if it's still there in the morning.

In the meantime, Sabo's an indoor dog. I'm off to give him a "duty" walk as soon as I hit "Submit Reply". Which, coincidently, is useful too... as after two weeks of 'Parkmeggon" we can finally park on the streets again. I need to retrieve the minvan from where I stashed it about a mile away.

Sabo has always gone on epic hikes to celebrate Chavez Day. In 2014 it was his first visits to Balboa Park and Petco Park. In 2015 it was our epic walk around Mission Bay. Last year we walked both sides of the San Diego River. Tomorrow, we might just top them all. To further Sabo's Multi-Mobile Quest, and his mysterious Third Quest... he's going to swim from La Jolla Shores to North Torrey !!!1!

To review: the reasons Chavez Day traditionally hosts Sabo's epic hikes are (a) to honor labor hero Cesar Chavez, (b) it's after the time change to PDT, and (c) it's the day before the San Diego City beach dog ban changes from 9am-4pm to -6pm. This gives Chavez Day the longest PM, and close to the longest total, beach dog hours. Here's the legs...

1. 6:37am, 2.6 miles: At dawn we'll drive to La Jolla and beachfront Kellogg Park (aka Shores Park). Then we'll walk around the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club (1.0), enter the water at the Marine Room access, and swim south down the beach to The Rocks (~0.3). Then we'll turn around and swim north up La Jolla Shores beach to the SIO Pier (1.3).
   
   
2. 9am, 0.5 miles: At the pier we'll exit the beach, and walk south past Mitt Romney and Aaron Rodgers back to Kellogg Park. Eventually we'll drive to North Torrey (Torrey Pines State Beach), then Lyft back to SIO.
   
   
3. 4pm, 4.4 miles: At SIO, we'll again take to the water, and swim north up Scripps Beach and (swimsuit optional) Blacks Beach, below Torrey Pines Golf Course and Gliderport, to South Torrey. The state park isn't dog friendly. I'll continue swimming north up the beach to North Torrey. Sabo will have to swim back to SIO, then run the streets to meet me back at the car.

This morning, Sabo had another "duty" walk.

Overnight, the racoon had moved out to the middle of the Sabotat. I thought it was dead. However, when I verbally rousted it... it rolled over, but didn't make any effort to get up. I called animal control. The officer just walked up, put his loop around it, and dragged it off without complaint. The officer said it wasn't his call... but that surely was the end for that unfortunate racoon.

Sabo never reacted to a dying racoon outside his Sabo-door. It's been a busy morning in the Sabotat. About an hour later, we had a Spectrum Cable (nee TWC) pole climber. That got Sabo out yapping... until I picked him up. He got his yapping in at the big dog next door after that. I guess...

Sabo Cares: Dogs, People, Opossums, Turtles
Sabo DGAF: Cats, Ducks, Ground Squirrels, Racoons

The morning legs went as planned.

We didn't plan to start at dawn (6:37) to beat the dog ban. In fact, we were off the beach well before 9am. The reason we started early was because there was a -0.47 low tide at 6:41. I imagined with such a low tide we might be able to 'swim' south along the sea wall from the Marine Room access. Decades ago you could, and with some extra effort even turn the corner at the rocks, and make it down to the caves. There also was another access farther south at Princess St. No more it seems.

When I say 'swim', I really mean walk with our paws in the wet sand. I didn't bring Sabo's life vest. Even at low tide the waves were kissing the seawall. There's a possibility the Princess St access will be reopened in Sabo's lifetime (it was illegally closed, and the developer has stalled reopening it now for 30 years). If that happens, Sabo will return with his life vest for another try.

The afternoon leg didn't go at all.

This was to be the leg where Sabo was going to further his Multi-Mobile Quest by riding in a ride-share cab. We drove up to North Torrey as planned. However, I'm a virgin at Lyft too, and it was also parking fiasco day for unknown reasons... without going into the boring details, I just couldn't make that happen for Sabo today.

Instead we went to Del Mar Horse Beach. I also promised him some Midnight Missile Recognizance tonight in Missile Beach. Sabo is getting some much needed off-leash time. After a dearth of hikes during the rainy fall and winter, Sabo definitely had a touch of cabin fever. This won't go down as another epic Chavez Day. But he will have three really good 'swims' at three really good beaches... on just about the best spring day ever. Sabo has been very, very happy.

Gotta that Sabo... he's a good guy !!!1!

Happy Opening Day my (perhaps six) readers !!!1! We had our FBB draft this morning. I've threatened it before... but this season I really did let Sabo pick my team. Whow doggy, do I gotta lotta dead wood Padres on my team. Our season picks are below.

Back on March 20th in Peoria, Sabo's Padres fell behind early 0-2, but scored a run in the 7th, 8th, and 9th on a Travis Jankowski walkoff HR. This crushed the once Mighty Rangers hopes of repeating as SDDC Champs.

This was Sabo's third game @Peoria. He's popular here... last season with the TV crew, and this season with the team store crew who fussed over him and took pix. He also knows his way around. The first thing he did was pull straight to the Rangers bullpen looking for Tyson Ross. We didn't see him. But, it was spring training... so I just asked the players for Sabo. He wasn't there. I had warned Sabo this was likely, as it's a bus ride night game, and he's a veteran player still rehabbing from injuries. As always, Sabo had a blast at the ballgame on this wonderful desert evening... nonetheless.


The MLB regular season starts this very instant. The first regular season dog game is Friday. Sabo's Padres have their home opener against the Giants, and every game is a 'Barkyard' dog-box game @Petco this season.

In hindsight, this might not have been my wisest Pointless play. Sabo's shrine is the T.Gwynn Sr Statue. He's now been to 22 ball games. He never misses listening to his Padres. I've talked ball with (well, at) him countless hours. I thought he was ready to help draft my fantasy team. He wasn't.


His draft strategy was to pick his idol, his favorite MLBer, and then anyone named 'Sabo'. This, even though he already knows that the people name is pronounced SAY-bow, not SAB-oh like his. At this point the League Office intervened... and instructed me to take Sabo for a walk, while they made a ruling.

Well... the rulings were (a) By original rule 'anyone can be drafted', so I'm stuck T.Ross in my DL, and C.Sabo on my bench, and (b) Folks gone onward are not "anyone", so the T.Gwynn Sr and A.Sabo picks were vacated. The draft resumed.


With a team full of his Padres, Sabo proverbially dropped the MIC, and literally ran out back... where he set about yapping at the neighbors, surely boasting as his Padres just locked him up a win in the Pointless League. At this point the League Office, once again, intervened... and instructed me to let Sabo yap, while they made another ruling.

Some background information: The whole concept of formal Taunting Rights, and now my Taunting|Yapping Rights w/Sabo, comes out of the Pointless League. The League Office is the final arbitrator. Both Sabo & me were blindsided by their ruling.

The rulings were... (a) As Sabo has no Taunting|Yapping Rights, he's suspended from the draft for out-of-order yapping; (b) As Sabo picked my the team, if I win, he'll have Yapping Rights over me; and (c) As I didn't win last season, and as Sabo just pwned me good, I must be taunted mercilessly.


Ouch. Yikes. All I could do t that point was "Pick for the DL". Not only did I end up with Worst Fantasy Team ever... I now gotta spend all summer long trying to lose my Taunting Rights over Sabo. I guess Sabo really did outsmart me after all

⚾	⚾ Pointless League ⚾ Record ⚾ Wildcard Pts ⚾ Score #1 ⚾   Go Sabo !!!1!   0-0   -6 (last)   4-10 (after 2/8 dates)	⚾
C	A.Hedges, C.Bethancourt*
1B	J.Abreu ws, W.Myers
2B	R.Schimpf
SS	T.Story rc, E.Aybar
3B	Y.Solarte, C.Sabo rd (DL A.Beltre rn)
OF	J.Bautista bj, T.Jankowski, M.Margot, H.Renfroe (DL J.D.Martinez tw, A.Dickerson)
SP	R.Porcello rs, J.Chacin, C.Richard, J.Weaver, J.Cosart, L.Perdomo, R.Iglesias rd (DL T.Ross rn, C.Friedrich, R.Erlin)
RP	T.Cahill, B.Maurer, R.Iglesias rd, B.Hand, R.Buchter, C.Stammen, J.Chacin, C.Richard, L.Perdomo (DL C.Capps, B.Baumann)
⚾	Starters in Bold. UT is J.Bautista. Padres unless noted. * Wildcard Pts only. Wildcard Pts provided by All-Star Sabo-Metrics. Not quite a gratuitous sports post... Yapping\Taunting Rights are in play. Gotta that Sabo... he's a good guy !!!1!	⚾

The big news of the news is the Brewers, the only MLB team with an IRL mascot (Hank above), are having the first ever "Bark at the Park" at Miller Field. Also... the Padres have extended their "Barkyard" box seats for the entire season. Their only general dog game (down from five last season) is the "Dog Days of Summer" on 6-29. The D'backs have extended their "Dog Days of Summer" box games to Mondays, and all but two Sundays. One of those Sunday games, on 9-10, is also their "Bark at the Park" general dog game. The Pirates have extended their "Pup Night" to every Tuesday. Over the phone, the Phillies are saying they'll have a dog game, date TBA.

On the flip side, over the phone today, the White Sox and Tigers say they have no dog games scheduled. The Braves are not having dog games in their new SunTrust Stadium. This source claims they will in the future. My Red Sox are having their annual dog open house, but no dog games as usual, date TBA.


Sabo's Padres are 3-0 in SDDC games this season, opening up a 1½ over the peloton, and soared to a 10% win projected.


The dog game season starts out in earnest tomorrow with dog box games in Phoenix and San Diego, and the first regular season general dog game @Citi Field in New York City. It could be a short SDDC season for the Indians... as a loss eliminates them. In other news, the Dodgers (12%) remain the SDDC favorite, while the Orioles (~0) now have a road dog game scheduled.

So... Sabo & me had just stepped out of our hotel room, heading for an evening of cocktailing in Oldtown Scottsdale. Sabo lifts his leg... and pees out a blood-red stream. That can't be right.

This was just after his vet's office had closed. Luckily, we were in a major city, and there was a 24-hour animal hospital less than a mile away. However, Sabo wasn't in any distress, so I decided to let him rest up overnight, and call his vet first thing in the morning. That night he still peed red on his next "duty" walk, but it was diluted.

The next morning, his pee only had a little red in it. I had planned to have my cousins in Surprise watch Sabo while I went to another Cactus Lg game that day. Those plans went out the window with Sabo peeing blood... even if he was OK, I can't ask that favor. Instead, I called his vet the minute they opened. The vet tech recommended I bring him in for a checkup. As I blogged, I set a speed record (for me) driving him back to Dago.

Sabo, for his part, wasn't happy with the vet visit. I said right away, put that cute little muzzle on him. He wasn't going to let that happen, at least not by the vet techs. They tried twice... no luck. Both times I ended up with my hand fully inside an angry dog's mouth, but Sabo never bit down on me. After they left us alone for a while, and Sabo had settled down, I slipped it on without incident.

Walking up to the vet office, I captured some of Sabo's pee as instructed. There was no visible blood. The lab work found blood and bacteria. Doctor Kevin said he proly had a bladder infection. She prescribed him a couple weeks of antibiotics... which he just finished taking. The entire time Sabo wasn't in any distress, and seemed just fine. Gotta that Sabo... he's a good guy !!!1!

Also...

Sabo broke his left-front dewclaw again a coupla days ago. It's another clean out-of-the skin break. I'm going to give him until Monday to gnaw it off, then I'll take him into the groomers.

I've previously blogged the Ultimate Guide to Cactus League Dog Games, and the Ultimate Guide to MLB Dog Games. For last season's Ultimate Regional Guide to MiLB Dog Games I surveyed the seven MiLB teams in southern California and southern Nevada. This season I'll survey the 22 MiLB teams within 400 miles of Sabo's shrine: The Tony Gwynn Sr statue. These teams are members of four minor leagues...

• Arizona League (R): All the Cactus League teams, excepting the Rockies, have teams in the AZL. Sabo's Padres have two teams in the AZL. Fourteen of those teams use their organization's spring training stadiums. None of those nine stadiums are dog friendly. However, the AZL is "Complex Ball", the lowest rung in the minors. The players are paid, and the games and stats count... but there's no admission charged or concessions sold. It's not obvious a dog ban would be enforced.
  
  The outlier is the A's. Their AZL team plays @Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ. This isn't the name of a stadium... it's actually the name of a dog friendly city park.
  
  
• California League (A+): Last season I surveyed six of the ten Caloop teams. The two that did not host dog games, the Bakersfield Blaze and High Desert Mavericks of Adelanto, both folded. This season I'm adding the surprisingly close (closer than Las Vegas or Phoenix) Visalia Rawhide. All five of these Caloop teams host dog games. The Inland Empire 66ers are bringing "Man's Best Friend Mondays" back to San Bernardino. Sabo's Padres Lake Elsinore Storm are hosting eight Monday dog games.
  
  
• Pacific Coast League (AAA): The Las Vegas 51s are again hosting a dog game.
  
  
• Mexican League (AAA): The Mexican League is officially a AAA league, where the teams are independent. The Tijuana Toros play @Gasmart Field, out on the mesas. I've actually seen a winter-ball game there back in the day with my brotherman Z. I've heard it's been remodeled... which is a good thing, as before the sanitary facilities were the most disgusting disaster I've ever had the misfortune of visiting. Anyways... they don't have any dog games on their promo schedule. However, this being Mexico, it's not obvious dogs are banned, or if such a ban would be enforced.

Well, Sabo's Padres aren't going undefeated in the SDCC this season. The Indians are the first team eliminated. And... the Mets and D'backs are now the 2nd & 3rd favorites, only 1% and 2% behind the Dodgers.

Sabo's broken dewclaw hasn't been bothering him, but he also hasn't gnawed it off. So it's off to the groomers, and heck, I might as well have his non-broken claws grinded and get him a bath.

Then tonight, Sabo' favorite hotel, the Hotel Indigo San Diego, is bringing back their Canine Cocktails happy hour. Sabo will be attending with his personal trainer JQ and myself.

So, I took Sabo up to the groomers Thursday, and they said "hell no"... that broken dewclaw is a job for the vet. We saw doctor Annette this time. She ended up clipping Sabo's other claws, so no need to take Sabo back to the groomer.

Sabo, again, wasn't a happy camper at the vet. I told them to just give me the cute little muzzle, and I'll slip it on before we start. Sabo ended up squirming and growling at the vet so much it took me -and- a vet tech to hold him. He even managed to squirm out of the muzzle... at which time Sabo's vet stopped until I put it back on.

The broken dewclaw was just dangling, so we held the struggling dog while the vet just yanked it off with a tool. Sabo sent up a shriek, something that he's never done before... and pooped himself. Until this morning he had a cute little blue bandage wrap around his left-front paw (below).

We had seen doctor Annette to get Sabo's health certificate before last year's Atlanta trip. She asked how the ballgame was. She also suggested that I give Sabo some of that doggy xanax she prescribed (and I never used) before his next vet visit.

That evening Sabo was a happy camper. We went with JQ to his favorite Hotel, Hotel Indigo, for the first Canine Cocktails happy hour of 2017. Gotta that Sabo... he's a good guy !!!1!

I certainly didn't agree with the screwy ruling by the League Office. Predictably, my complaints were met by still more taunting. It is what it is.

Strangely, this makes Sabo & me, who have become IRL strangle bed partners since he's developed his predilection to burrow, fantasy strange bed partners too... managing my FBB team. As screwy as this all is, I'd rather have Taunting Rights over the league, while Sabo has Yapping Rights over me -vs- the league champion having Taunting Rights over me, while retaining my Taunting Rights over Sabo. Sabo isn't conflicted. He'd love to regain his Yapping Rights over me... and he'd love for his packmate to win the championship.

Some background information: Last week was our 17th big The Draft over our 40 preseasons. This week was our first ever in-season Supplemental Draft . Twenty-six players were picked, including 11 free agents.

To the league's surprise, I sent Sabo back out to the mound, so to speak, for the Supplemental Draft. This time... he was ready. This time... imagining the dog would just make gimmick picks again... some of the other managers weren't so ready. Especially when it came to their protected lists. The League Office choose not to intervene. Hilarity ensued.

With one exception, Sabo was happy with his hitting. However, when Trout was unexpectedly left unprotected, even Padre lover Sabo couldn't resist making the Angel an impulse pick. The Turner pick gives Sabo versatility and depth on the bench. Turner's already website eligible at 2b-of, and as he's now actually playing short, that'll soon be 2b-ss-of.


The main takeaway from the recent Winter of Sabo's Dis-Discontent is this: now that Sabo is fully in his prime at 5yo, he has matured... in his own sweet and subtle Sabo way, of course. Here we have another example. Even a Padres lover like Sabo can't be blind to the fact that, just like when he's been called up in the past, Hedges (.000 BA at the time) seems to be overmatched at the plate by MLB pitching. Look for Sabo's Padres to make a move at C. The new mature Sabo bit the bullet, and pulled the trigger... again, in a manner of speaking.

While Sabo was happy with his hitting... the pitching was a different story. Sabo's Supplemental strategy was clear: After sandbagging the league last week, snag what might be the Best Pitching Staff Ever this week. Cliffs: Sabo pwned me last week, and Sabo pwned the rest of the league this week.


To make room for Sabo's Supplemental picks, we had to drop 11 players. We quickly settled on two: the aforementioned Hedges, and his long retired goggle wearing namesake, Chris Sabo. Sabo was clearly in favor of next dropping the non-Padres I drafted last week, whilst he was out yapping. I quickly vetoed that idea. I left it all up to Sabo to choose which of his merry band of baseball playing monastic brothers got the boot.

The younger, less mature, Sabo would have run outside yapping at this point... and surely would have gotten suspended again, and thereby vacate his last nine Supplementary picks. The new, more mature, Sabo rolled over, let the whole league rub his belly, and then did what needed to be done. Rest assured, Sabo's still Keeping the Faith. It's still a team jammed full of his Padres. Only right now it's a team with 13 Padres (9 starting), down from [in a correction] 24 Padres (16 starting).

Well... how is Sabo's All-Padres-Almost-All-The-Time strategy doing? So far, so good. We won our first matchup 12-8. However, with less Padres we're getting squished in our second matchup 3-14 (6th). In other news Trea Turner hit the DL the day after Sabo drafted him. Sabo dropped another of his Padres, Robbie Erlin, to make room for Turner on the DL, and made his first free agent pickup of Rougned Odor as his backup 2B.

And... after going 46 years without hitting for the cycle, on Sabo's watch his Padres have now done it twice... Matt Kemp in 2015, and our FBB starting 1B, Wil Myers, this week (top). The Marlins remain the only team to never hit for the cycle. FYI: Sabo's Padres remain the only team never to pitch a no-hitter.

⚾	Go Sabo !!!1! ⚾ 1-0 (first) ⚾ 401 Wildcard Pts (last)	⚾
C	J.Lucroy rn, A.Hedges, C.Bethancourt
1B	W.Myers, J.Abreu ws
2B	Y.Solarte, R.Odor rn, R.Schimpf (DL T.Turner ex)
SS	T.Story rc, E.Aybar
3B	R.Schimpf, Y.Solarte, C.Sabo rd (DL A.Beltre rn)
OF	T.Jankowski, M.Margot, H.Renfroe, M.Trout an, J.Bautista bj (DL A.Dickerson, J.D.Martinez tw, T.Turner ex)
SP	R.Porcello, J.Chacin, C.Kershaw dd, M.Scherzer ex, M.Bumgarner gn, N.Syndergaard mt, R.Iglesias rd, C.Richard, J.Weaver, J.Cosart, L.Perdomo, R.Erlin (DL T.Ross rn, C.Friedrich)
RP	B.Maurer, B.Hand, R.Iglesias rd, K.Jansen dd, A.Chapman yn, Z.Britton or, E.Diaz mr, J.Chacin, T.Cahill, R.Buchter, C.Stammen, C.Richard, L.Perdomo (DL C.Capps, B.Baumann)
⚾	Starters in Bold. Noobs in blue. Padres in Brown. Red Sox in Red. M.Trout is UT. Wildcard Pts provided by All-Star Sabo-Metrics. Not quite a gratuitous sports post... Yapping\Taunting Rights are in play. Gotta that Sabo... he's a good guy !!!1!	⚾

The Reds got their SDDC season off right, with a win at the first "Pup Night" at PNC Park. Later this season, Sabo will be attending a "Pup Night" game in Pittsburgh.


The SDDC season resumes with three games between the D'backs and Sabo's Padres. If the D'backs win the series, they'll be the new favorites. If Sabo's Padres sweep the series, they'll be the new favorites. The feature game is the Wednesday "Bark at the Park" @Kauffman Stadium. The luser will have only about a 1% chance of winning the SDDC.

In other news, the White Sox announced their dog games: "Dog Day" May 9 vs Twins, and Sep 6 vs Indians. The last game brings the Indians (~0) back zombie like into contention.

Sabo's Padres whacked the snakes two Barkyard games to one, while the Royals gained a share of first, and relegated the Giants to 1%.

Next: the Marlins swim into the Barkyard. The fish need to win the series to avoid being hung with the dreaded "~0", or win one to avoid elimination. In other action, the morning book favorites, the Dodgers, and the Mighty Cubs, start dog game play. The world champion Cubs will retain their 'Mighty' status, even if they lose. The feature game is the Astros @"Dog Days at the Rays". The luser will be effectively eliminated, and hung with the dreaded "~0".

Two keys to Sabo's revamped "Best Pitching Staff Ever", Zach Britton, and then Madison Bumgarner riding a dirt bike, both hit the DL. Sabo activated Trea Turner, and dropped Padre Christian Friedrich, on the DL all season, to make room for them. He also picked up Rockie RP Greg Holland for his bench.

This means Sabo is down to only 12 Padres (nine starting). So how is Sabo's Less-Padres-More-Pitching strategy going? Well, not so good. We got walloped 2-15 in Matchup #2, getting swept in all pitching categories. Then we got whipped 9-13 in Matchup #3, getting swept in all hitting categories. Maybe Sabo was right to begin with... with 24 Padres (13 starting) we won our first matchup 12-8 and were in first place !!!1!

• Right Now: Midnight Missile Recognisance and night at the Beach Shack.
• Tomorrow: Drive to Las Vegas. Last year we stayed downtown. This year we're staying on the strip... where I also haven't been for over 20 years.
• Saturday: Day in Vegas. I've made enquiries with some in-the-know locals regarding cool dog parks.
• Sunday: 51s game @Cashman Field. Drive back to Dago.
• May Day: The most wonderful day of the year !!!1! Sabo will be leading the parade... as he well should with a name like Sabo.
• Tuesday: Sabo's going to his first high school baseball game @Sabo'hood HS.

It's a big weekend for the Mets organization. Win both games, and they'll be in first, and be the new All-Star Sabo-Metric favorite at ~26%. The Nationals start dog game play @Nationals Park. Sabo will be seeing a game there later this season. The Albuquerque Isotopes start a stretch of four straight dog games for the Rockies organization.


The Dodgers won and thus remained the favorite. The Mighty Cubs, and the Astros, also won. On the flip side, the Rays lost and got hung with the dreaded "~0". Miami was hung with the dreaded "~0" also, even though they did win their "Barkyard" series 2-1. In other news, the Phillies have announced their "Bark at the Park": Fri May 26 hosting the Reds.

It's was a big weekend for the Mets, dog game wise. They beat the Nationals on Saturday, and their AAA team, the Las Vegas 51s, won on Sunday. The Mets are now alone in 1st at 3-0, and the new All-Star Sabo-Metrics favorite.

The latter game is official for the SDDC only because Sabo was in attendance. Yes, this was Sabo's 23rd organized baseball game, and his second visit to Las Vegas's Cashman Field. They had about twice the crowd as last season's dog game, and we had the option of sitting on the RF lawn, which we declined. It was a little warm in the high 70s... Sabo laid behind us to get in shade. We were joined by my brotherman, and The Missile's Uncle, G. We were also joined once again by ILOVEPOKER929 (who this time wisely wore a hat and covered up in the sun). Just like in Peoria last year, Sabo caught the eye of a local tv crew. At the end of the game, we gave a long interview... which it seems was destined for the cutting room floor.


The Rockies' AAA team, the Albuquerque Isotopes, like last season, suffered the PCL loss. The Rockies visit the "Barkyard" for a three game series starting tomorrow. If they are swept, they'll be hung with the dreaded "~0". The feature game is the Pirates, trying to stay relevant to the SDDC after starting 0-2, at the Red's first "Bark in the Park".

I hadn't played in almost a year... and it showed. OK, seriously, I was short-stacking anyways, having only brought $500 poker $$$$. Then I got felted for $200 almost as soon as I sat @Harrahs. I was also strangely card-dead all weekend, only getting three pairs: 10s (won a good pot), 7s (missed & folded after flop), 4s (I got my money all in good, see above @Harrahs).

I played in six new poker rooms: I'd been to Luxor, I'd been to Harrah's, I used to stay at and have a casino host at the old Holiday Inn, and I'd been to Vegas World before the Stratosphere. But I don't remember playing any poker, or there even being poker rooms, at these casinos back in my day. Mandalay Bay, Venetian, and Encore didn't exist last time I was on the strip.

Sabo's Padres continue their homestand with three against the hated Dodgers and two against the Rangers. If the Dodgers sweep, they'll be alone in first, and again be the All-Star Sabo-Metric favorite at ~32%. The feature game is May 8th. I had penciled this game in for a Barkyard box when Sabo's favorite MLBer, Tyson Ross, signed with the Rangers. Alas, T.Ross is still rehabbing his injuries, and again won't be with the team. If the Rangers sweep, they'll shed the dreaded "~0". If the Rangers get swept, the defending SDDC champion will be eliminated.


In the featured game, the Reds beat the Pirates to move alone into second place, a half game behind the favorite Mets (3-0 26%). Sabo's Padres also lost two out of three to the Rockies in the Barkyard.

Early tomorrow morning Sabo will be walking for, and with, the animals. We're on Team JQ !!!1!

Sabo's Padres had a freak rainout on Sunday... only the third in Petco Park. The game will be made up as a day-night "Barkyard" doubleheader on Sept 2nd. The hated Dodgers swept the previous two games, tying them for first, and making them once again the favorite.

Sabo's Padres then split the first two "Barkyard" games of the four game split-venue series. It turns out Sabo's favorite MLBer, Tyson Ross, was travelling with the Rangers. He pitched two 15-pitch simulated innings prior to Monday's feature game. As seen on tv, he watched the games in uniform from the dugout... and not from the visitor's bullpen which is directly in front of the "Barkyard" boxes.


With most teams now having played a dog game, the SDDC season is in full swing. There are 11 dog games, by 11 teams, over the next seven days. The A's, Mariners, Phillies, and White Sox are making their dog season debuts. Each of those teams, as well as the Nationals and Padres, need a win to avoid the dreaded "~0". The Pirates need to win two. The Brewers, also making their dog game debut, need to win three. The Brewers, as well as the defending champion Rangers, need a win to avoid elimination. OTOH a Mets win will once again put them alone in first place and make them the All-Star Sabo-Metric favorite.

The feature game is the A's @Rangers. I considered travelling to this game too, as I've effectively made promises to take Sabo to Globe Life Park before the new stadium opens in 2020.

Tomorrow is why I couldn't take Sabo to all 21 dog game stadiums this season.... the Cardinals and Dodgers have their only dog games simultaneously. Sabo will be attending one of these games however... he's making his third annual trip to "enemy territory", Dodgers Stadium. He'll be representing his Padres, of course.

This season, the visiting team is a new team for Sabo: the Marlins. After the game, and counting spring training, Sabo will have attended games played by 16 MLB teams. In other words, Sabo could say (if he talked) that he's seen most MLB teams. I've seen 14 MLB teams without Sabo, counting the Expos and Nationals as distinct. I never saw a Devil Rays, and haven't seen a Rays, game.

There are three other dog games the next three days. If the D'backs sweep those games, and the Dodgers lose, they'll be the new SDDC favorite. Both the Giants and Sabo's Padres need a win to avoid the dreaded '~0'. The White Sox need to win to avoid elimination.


Things are starting to sort out in the SDDC. Last week the Phillies, A's, Pirates, and White Sox were hung with the dreaded '~0'. In other news, the Rays (0-1 ~0) added a second "Dog Days with the Rays" on Sep 17 hosting my Mighty Red Sox (~0). This leaves 17 teams with an All-Star Sabo-Metrics projected win rate of 1%+, 11 teams hung with the dreaded '~0', and two teams ineligible.