tag:matt7.mlblogs.com,2008-03-29:/93421 2010-03-04T03:46:52Z I am primarily a New York Mets fan, my other teams to root for include the Dodgers, Cubs, and Yankees. I like discussing baseball, sports, and the world. Movable Type Pro 4.25 tag:matt7.mlblogs.com,2010://93421.1468731 2010-03-04T03:45:26Z 2010-03-04T03:46:52Z

This is one of my favorite subway lines, The F train.The F train is the 6 Avenue Local. All times it travels from 179 Street Queens along Queens Boulevard via the 63rd Street Connector to Manhattan. It goes along 6...

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The F train is the 6 Avenue Local. All times it travels from 179 Street Queens along Queens Boulevard via the 63rd Street Connector to Manhattan. It goes along 6 Avenue and underneath the East River to Brooklyn. It then travels along the Culver Line to and from Coney Island Stillwell Avenue.

Here's the (F)'s photos.



















]]> tag:matt7.mlblogs.com,2010://93421.1453721 2010-02-24T02:21:13Z 2010-02-24T02:21:44Z

I just thought I would leave an interesting note here about the currency of the United States. I'm sure everyone here has used it at some point to make trades and purchases, (unless you are one of those credit card...

matttan7
I will now discuss the four most common dollar bills used in the United States. They are the one dollar, five dollar, ten dollar, and twenty dollar bills.
Let's begin talking about the one dollar bill.
The one dollar bill has George Washington's photo on the middle. This bill is the most commonly used bill in the United States and lasts about 12-18 months before it needs to be replaced. These dollars are generally the only ones accepted at vending machines, (for snacks, and drinks) It is currently the only dollar to display the federal bank in which this bill is based from.
Here is the back side of the bill.
This dollar bill unlike most others is not color coded. They make up 45% of today's existing bills.

Now for the five dollar bill:
This dollar bill has Abraham Lincoln's photo on it. This bill has been the most recent bill to be color coded, to combat counterfeiting. The five dollar bills have an image that must be seen through light. The main purpose is to verify it's authenticity. The great seal is to the right of the image of Lincoln.

Here is the back side of the five dollar bill:
What really stands out is the large purple "5" in the lower right hand corner, probably another anti-counterfeit tactic. There are small yellow numbers near it too. The Lincoln Memorial is on this side. Despite having a higher value, the five dollar bill lasts about 10-18 months, sometimes not lasting as much as the one dollar bill. They make up 9% of today's rolling currency.

The ten dollar bill has Alexander Hamilton on it. He was the first US secretary of the treasury.
The torch from the Statue of Liberty is to the left of the image of Alexander Hamilton and to the right are the words "We the People" from the words of the constitution. The 10 on the lower right hand corner is golden and for counterfeiters, that would be very difficult or nearly impossible to duplicate. Like the five dollar bill, this one is color coded as well.

Here is the back of the bill:
This side has the US Treasury on it, with a large 10 on the right hand corner. The bill has small yellow 10s on the right side. I believe there is also an image that you must see through light as well. The 10 dollar bill lasts about 15-24 months before it needs to be replaced. This bill makes up 11% of today's currency.

Here is a bill that is used frequently in large numbers: the twenty dollar bill.
Andrew Jackson is in the front of the bill, and the Eagle is to the left and USA print on the right. There's also a golden 20 on the lower right hand corner. These bills are generally the largest accepted denomination in many stores, generally because 50 and 100 dollar bills are not that common anymore. The 20 dollar bill is also color coded. Today the 20 dollar bill makes up 22% of today's total currency.

Here is the back:
The back of the White house is pictured here. The big 20 is to the lower right hand corner. Small yellow 20s surround the White House. The 20 dollar bill usually lasts about two years before in need of replacement.

To add to this, here are three different bills that are rarely used by consumers and traders:
The 50 dollar bill:
The 50 dollar bill has Ulysses S. Grant on the front and the US Capitol Building in the back. The red stripes are to the right of Grant on the front side, and a golden 50 as well. This bill generally will last about 2 to 3 years before it needs replacing. They only make about 5% of today's currency.

The 100 dollar bill with Benjamin Franklin on it. So far he's the only non-US President on the bill along with Alexander Hamilton who is on the 10 dollar bill.
I'm assuming this dollar bill is color coded as well, this is from the 1996 circulation. About 7% of today's bills are worth 100 dollars.
Independence Hall in Philadelphia is featured in the back.

Here's a dollar bill that Thomas Jefferson is on, he is on a two dollar bill:
This bill is rare, and not many stores accept it as currency.
The declaration of Independence is in the back of this bill.

That is it for this post! ]]> tag:matt7.mlblogs.com,2010://93421.1442851 2010-02-17T18:28:17Z 2010-02-17T18:28:30Z

I took two buses on my way to class. I just missed my northbound B68 bus along Coney Island Avenue and decided to hop on the next one. It looked like thisNext bus came and this is what it looked...

matttan7

Next bus came and this is what it looked like.

I rode it and decided to take some photos of the interior. I am sitting on the rear section of this bus, which is higher than the front section of the C40 Low Floor bus.




I didn't disturb anyone so far on this bus. I guess nobody liked to sit on the back.


The five seats on the back, facing forward, the seats are so high, most people's feet don't even touch the ground.

I decided to move to the back where the "high back seats" were and sat on one of them and photograph some more.




Some buses traveled the opposite way, I decided to shoot some of them. The Semi-low floor C40LF.

Oh, a Orion V bus, with all high floors.


I finally get off at Avenue J.

Time for more bus photos!


I tried boarding this B6 bus using a RTS-06 model, but it was packed!




I finally get on the next B6 bus to Midwood. This bus would get packed quickly too.




And going to class, I took more bus shots! This is the B11 bus using a C40LF, going to Sunset Park, Brooklyn.




I hope you enjoyed the ride! ]]> tag:matt7.mlblogs.com,2010://93421.1436841 2010-02-12T15:08:37Z 2010-02-12T15:08:53Z

The storm that has hit Brooklyn, New York and the rest of New York City and the region has subsided. On my way to classes I decided to ride the B train headed towards Manhattan from the Brighton Beach section...

matttan7
Transportation in New York City has returned to normal. The subways and buses, (NYCT, Bus Comp, and Long Island Bus) were running on or close to schedule. Some snowplows and garbage trucks were still removing and setting aside some snow that had struck the streets a day earlier.

Here are some photos.





I am entering the subway station in Brighton Beach and boarding the B train using R68 cars. This is along the Brighton Line.





Next up is the boarding of the train.




Soon enough, the B train leaves for Manhattan. I decided to snapshot some photographs along the elevated section. The tracks are still covered in snow.




Here comes Sheepshead Bay.




And we are leaving that neighborhood, only sticking there for about 20 seconds. Another Brighton bound B train passes us by.



The covered tracks at Cortelyou Road.
That is all for the B train.

Later in the day, I would take the F train bound to Coney Island coming from Manhattan. Snow is everywhere still. I am traveling along the Culver Line, passing the neighborhoods of Borough Park, Midwood, Gravesand, and Coney Island.







Now just waiting for the bus after leaving the F train at Neptune Avenue.
]]> tag:matt7.mlblogs.com,2010://93421.1434511 2010-02-10T22:14:43Z 2010-02-10T22:14:53Z

I have just completed my walk in my neighborhood and I'll tell you it's really treacherous out there. Buses and subways are being affected in NYC big time. The snow still hits hard. Here are some of my other photos...

matttan7




The streets along Brooklyn, well actually Brighton Beach were a bit hard to navigate around with...

A person blows the snow away along Brighton 6 Street.


My walk towards the boardwalk is adventurous.





I am looking around the boardwalk. It is bright white and the sky is dark.





I am looking south towards the ocean.

This is looking west. Hardly anyone is walking around here.
The boardwalk restaurants are closed.

I found this quite interesting.




And here's a team of snow enthusiasts.


That is all from the boardwalk. Time to get off.





Just walking down the street. The snow has piled on big time, but the buses still run.




That is it for this trip. I hope you are warm if you are in the northeast. If you are reading this from California, Florida, or anywhere else that's not affected by the snowstorm, I hope you're safe and sound too. ]]> tag:matt7.mlblogs.com,2010://93421.1434031 2010-02-10T17:37:56Z 2010-02-10T17:38:16Z

While I was running some errands, I decided to take some photographs of my neighborhood. It was really windy and a mix of rain and snow occurred along my walk. The buses and subway aren't affected too much in NYC...

matttan7
All of these are taken in the Brighton Beach section of Brooklyn.





I was supposed to be at school today but they decided to close, despite only a few inches of snow falling. It's still snowing as of this post.

These buses are still running, the B68 along Coney Island Avenue.





The Taxis of New York City are covered in snow too.




The snow has gathered a bit and puddles are around the corners.




A garbage truck lays there and takes the role of a snow plow.

A garbage truck taking the snow plow role instead of the garbage pickup. They were supposed to pick up garbage today.
This is the Brighton Beach subway station for the B and Q lines.

That's all I'll show for now. I hope you New Yorkers and those in the Northeast aren't too cold. ]]> tag:matt7.mlblogs.com,2010://93421.1432201 2010-02-09T02:57:29Z 2010-02-09T03:01:21Z

I hope I didn't bore you to death if you don't like me blabbing about the subways too much, of course I've been doing that the last few weeks. Thanks for your support and your feedback I really am grateful...

matttan7
There's not really much going on in terms of baseball.

I hope you enjoyed watching the Super Bowl 42's festivities. I sure did.

If you want to read more of my transit adventures I have a blog dedicated for that:

It is called: M.T. Traveler. Here is the url: http://mattbus.blogspot.com/

I won't be uploading those entries like I did here any longer.

Thanks for your support!


]]> tag:matt7.mlblogs.com,2010://93421.1430521 2010-02-07T15:37:21Z 2010-02-07T15:38:37Z

I hope everyone's hanging in there. This is going to be a long ride. Anyways I will talk about the D train. No this is not the reference to Dontrelle Willis the pitcher.Here it goes:The D train is the 6...

matttan7
Here it goes:

The D train is the 6 Avenue Express. It runs from 205 Street in the Norwood section of the Bronx, traveling along the Grand Concourse Line. It runs through Central Park West and 6 Avenue Manhattan (running express) and crosses into Manhattan Bridge to/from Brooklyn. It runs express between Atlantic Avenue-Pacific Street and 36 Street in Brooklyn along the 4th Avenue segment and then branches off along West End Line to and from Coney Island.














]]> tag:matt7.mlblogs.com,2010://93421.1430311 2010-02-07T05:05:11Z 2010-02-07T05:07:15Z

This is my third blog about a NYC subway line, it is the C train. The C train is the 8th Avenue Local and travels from 168 Street in Manhattan via Central Park West and 8th Avenue, and into Brooklyn...

matttan7


The C train is the 8th Avenue Local and travels from 168 Street in Manhattan via Central Park West and 8th Avenue, and into Brooklyn via Fulton Street to Euclid Avenue. It makes all stops to compliment the A express service. It runs all day, but not during nights. The A replaces the C during late nights.

This is the only good photo I had that day.


]]> tag:matt7.mlblogs.com,2010://93421.1427951 2010-02-05T02:27:18Z 2010-02-05T02:30:50Z

For this month, I'll be talking about all the individual subway lines that run in NYC. I have to give you the links to the NYC Subway map just to give you readers some idea on where the subway lines...

matttan7
Here's the link for the NYC subway map:
http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.htm

And now for the (B) train.


The B train is the 6 Avenue Express. It runs weekdays only between 145 Street Manhattan and Brighton Beach Brooklyn. In Manhattan the (B) runs local along Central Park West. It is express in 6 Avenue. It crosses the Manhattan Bridge to and from Brooklyn and runs express via the Brighton Line to Brighton Beach.

The B is extended Rush Hours (6-9am and 4-7pm) to and from Bedford Park Boulevard in the Bronx via the Grand Concourse line.

Here are some images:








]]> tag:matt7.mlblogs.com,2010://93421.1414341 2010-01-27T23:50:38Z 2010-01-27T23:55:03Z

The (A) train is the 8th Avenue Express. It runs between 207 Street Manhattan through 8th Avenue, into Brooklyn via Fulton Street and to/from Far Rockaway via Rockaways all times.Also during the day additional A train service also starts at...

matttan7
The (A) train is the 8th Avenue Express. It runs between 207 Street Manhattan through 8th Avenue, into Brooklyn via Fulton Street and to/from Far Rockaway via Rockaways all times.

Also during the day additional A train service also starts at 207 Street Manhattan with the same route as above, but this time goes to and from Lefferts Boulevard.

Basically all A train service is the same but the two branches split east of Rockaway Boulevard in the Ozone Park Section of Queens.

Special rush hour service runs to/from Rockaway Park in Queens (6-9am and 4-7pm).

The A train is the longest route in the NYC System, traveling 31 miles along its route, from 207 Street Manhattan to Far Rockaway in Queens.

Here are some images of the (A) train.


]]> tag:matt7.mlblogs.com,2010://93421.1408511 2010-01-23T05:07:22Z 2010-01-23T05:22:47Z

Interleague play as you may know in MLB is played on one weekend in May, and about two to three weeks around the Summer. Here is how intereague play is set up.On the May weekend of interleague play it's usually...

matttan7
On the May weekend of interleague play it's usually the geographical rivals' game, that are played out. For example, the Yankees play the Mets, the Dodgers play the Angels, the Cubs play the White Sox.

The fact that AL and NL teams don't play frequently against one another, it's strange isn't it? In the NFL, NBA, and NHL the teams of both leagues or conferences take on one another very frequently. Why can't the MLB leagues follow suit?

If inter league play deserves a spot in the MLB season it should be all season long. I'd get rid of all those extra divisional games (for example Red Sox vs Yankees) and have those two teams face NL teams. When will the Rockies visit Yankee Stadium? Will the Cubs ever hit Fenway Park? Will the Yankees ever go back to San Diego? Will the Twins ever hit Busch Stadium in St Louis? I keep asking myself these questions, because the scheduling of interleague play really is so disorganized.

Some people have problems with inter league play even existing. Reasons include the fact that the MLB All Star game and World Series matchups are losing their value to inter league play because those are usually the times where the AL and NL would only face each other. Before Intereague Play, there was never any regular season games between the American League and the National League. There is now, but it's very limited.

I like Inter League Play because there's more value to the game. It's like the American League and the National League are united. This is the unity that makes Major League Baseball. I think that Baseball should consider extending their interleague games from just one block of the season to throughout. No, I don't mean have each AL team only face only NL teams, I say that make interleague games sporadic so only games with two teams in the same league can face each other.

My final word is, extend Inter League Play throughout the season, or just don't do it at all.




]]> tag:matt7.mlblogs.com,2010://93421.1408151 2010-01-23T00:09:47Z 2010-01-23T00:16:53Z

Mets acquire Gary Matthews Jr. from the Los Angeles Angels. In return the Angels take Brian Stokes, one of the Mets relievers. All I know is that because the Angels had Torii Hunter play a lot, Matthews did not play...

matttan7
All I know is that because the Angels had Torii Hunter play a lot, Matthews did not play too frequently. I say the Mets are winners in this trade, he most likely will get the starting Center Fielder's job. The Angels have another good relief pitcher in Brian Stokes.

Only time will tell.

Gary batted .250 with four home runs and 50 runs batted in for the Angels.

Brian won two game and lost four while with the Mets. His earn run average was about 3.95, and had two save chances but didn't get any.

All this information I took from ESPN.com.



]]> tag:matt7.mlblogs.com,2010://93421.1406631 2010-01-21T21:31:05Z 2010-01-21T21:51:33Z

Around the United States, softball is played by approximately 40 million people annually. That's a lot of people. In fact softball rules are applied more than baseball rules in school classes and recreational events all around the nation and around...

matttan7


How is Softball different than baseball?

1. Softballs are either 11-12 inches in circumference whereas a baseball has a 9 inch circumference. Softballs are less dense than baseballs.

2. Softball bats must be no longer than 34 inches in length, wood or aluminum may be used at any level, whereas baseball bats can't be longer than 42 inches, wood or aluminum may be used at grade school and collegiate level, but wood only in professional level.

3. Baselines in baseball are 90 feet whereas softball's baselines are 60 feet. In other words a softball field is about two-thirds the size of a baseball field.

4. There is a double first base in softball, not baseball though.

5. Softball pitchers must pitch underhand, Baseball pitchers can pitch overhand or underhand.

6. Balks are a bit iffy. In softball, the pitcher making an illegal motion, is charged with a one ball count if the batter does not reach ball safely. In baseball, runners just move one base, no count change made unless bases empty, then it's one ball.

7. There's a raised mound in baseball, in softball, no raised mound, just a circle in the middle.

8. Baseball lasts nine innings, while softball is only seven innings long.


The comparison is between baseball and fastpitch softball. Slowpitch softball might have varied rules that may differ from the fastpich type softball.

 


]]> tag:matt7.mlblogs.com,2010://93421.1405321 2010-01-20T22:48:15Z 2010-01-20T23:41:31Z

matttan7
11. Andre Ethier of the Los Angeles Dodgers had four walk home runs in the 2009 Regular Season. This is him after hitting one of those off the Milwaukee Brewers.



 

10. Chris Burke of the Houston Astros hits a walk off home run off Joey Devine of the Atlanta Braves in 18 innings of Game four of the 2005 National League Division Series to catapult the Astros to the National League Championship Series. They eventually were swept by the Chicago White Sox in the 2005 World Series.



9. Scott Podsednik of the Chicago White Sox hits a game winning home run off Houston Astros' closer Brad Lidge in Game 2 of the 2005 World Series. Scott never hit a home run in the 2005 MLB Regular Season, and already this is his second in the 2005 Postseason.



8. David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox hits a walk off home run off Paul Quantrill of the New York Yankees in Game four of the American League Championship Series, forcing a Game 5. This is not the first walk off home run for Ortiz in this tournament, he had another one against Jarrod Washburn in Game three of the American League division Series to put the Red Sox up to this point. 



7. New York Yankees third baseman Aaron Boone hits a home run off Tim Wakefield of the Boston Red Sox in the bottom of the 11th inning. The Yankees would eventually lose to the Marlins in the World Series.



6. David Wright of the New York Mets, hits his first ever walk off home run off the San Diego Padres in the 2008 regular season. He never had a walk off home run ever, not even high school nor college.



5. Robin Ventura of the New York Mets hits a grand slam off Kevin Glinchy of the Braves, however it's a "grand slam single" because he was unable to touch all four bases, in Game 5 of the 1999 National League Championship Series. The Mets eventually lost that series! 



4. Magglio Ordonez of the Detroit Tigers hits a game winning three run home run off Huston Street of the Oakland Athletics, thus completing a sweep of the 2006 ALCS. The Tigers would eventually lose to the St Louis Cardinals in the World Series.



3. How about a grand opening of Nationals Park? Ryan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals hits a walk off shot against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday Night Baseball. That's how to get things started for the Nats in 2008! 




2. Alex Rodriguez hits a walk off grand slam off Chris Ray of the Baltimore Orioles in 2007. This is his third career walk off Grand Slam.



1. My number one favorite walk off home run moment has to go to Jim Thome of the Chicago White Sox. He hits it off Angels pitcher Dustin Moseley in the 2007 Regular season. What make this more special is that it was his 500th of his career. 


 
To be quite honest, it was hard selecting my favorite walk off home runs, I never been to a game that involved a walk off hit, nor a grand slam. I have had been to games that involved multiple home runs though.

What are your favorite walk off home runs?



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