Upcoming series with Milwaukee will determine Cardinals fate for the rest of the year

June 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford

First of all, the Cardinals have made a roster move optioning I Paul DeJong to Memphis.  Who they are calling up has not been determined, and will be announced until closer to game time.

DeJong went down to get at bats.  It was obvious in the Philadelphia series that Matheny was not going to give him any playing time.  He needs to develop more patience at the plate, as he did not draw a walk the whole time he spent with the big club.  I was very impressed with his glove.  He will be back.

Speculation in the St. Louis media, claims it to be either relief pitcher Sam Tuivailala or OF Randall Grichuk.

The theory behind Tuivailala getting the call is for the extra arm in the bullpen for the DH this afternoon.  Grichuk getting the call comes from comments from General Manager John Mozeliak that he needs to either “sink or swim.”

In my view, Tommy Pham has won the LF job.  I have no problem with Grichuk coming up and being a fourth outfielder.  At one time I thought he was the Cardinal cleanup hitter of the future.   I just don’t see supplanting a  .300 hitter that has played stellar defense, for a guy that has struggled.  Maybe he was rebooted in the minors and will put up big power numbers.

Let me throw a name out there at you that has not been mentioned, Carson Kelly.  If Yadier Molina’s back is not better, Kelly could be brought up to catch Marco Gonzales in the second game of the double header.

Whether the Cardinals are buyers or sells at the trade deadline, I can see Kelly up with the big club well before the September call-ups arrive.

If Gonzales pitches well tonight, he could be an integral part of the Cardinal bullpen the rest of the season, as all three lefthanders in the St. Louis pen have struggled.

As of now the Brewers have not mentioned the pitching parings for the whole series.  Craig Counsell is one of the best upcoming managers in the game.  He might still look like a rookie middle infielder in the dugout, but he is very sly.

Counsell is a skipper of a Brewers team that consists of mainstay Ryan Braun, Eric Thames, who is smashing the ball,  and a bunch of hungry kids.  Coming into this season, I thought they were one year away.  I had the Reds pegged as the team that could possibly contend with the Cardinals and Cubs.

I thought the Cubs would run away with the Central, with the Cardinals poised for a wild card spot.  The Cubs starting pitching has been awful, with their bats starting to heat up.  The Reds can score a lot of runs, but their pitching overall has been horrible.  The Pirates so far have been a train wreck, but they have one their last three.

The Cardinals come into play today with a 29-32 record, 2 1/2 games behind the Brewers.  They are one back in the loss column though.  A series sweep by St. Louis, and they would be in first place.  If the Brewers sweep they would be 6 1/2 back, and likely in the cellar of the central.

A Cardinal sweep would mean Mo would go out and get a bat.  A split or one of the teams taking three out of four, the Cardinals would still have a wait and see approach.  If Milwaukee sweeps, the Cardinal front office will be running a lot of K-Mart Blue Light Specials.

It has been a long time since there has been an urgent series like this in June.  Lets hope it is a “happy flight” to Baltimore, with the Cardinals in first place.

 

Filed Under: Opinion, Sports

Why do some people feel they have to break and tear up things?

June 6, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford

Over the last few months, one thing that I have taken pride in is getting information out in a timely manner, if there is an emergency here in the county.  Last Sunday night, I was in the right place at the right time.

I did not feel well Sunday afternoon.  Because of that, I stayed home from church Sunday night.  Around 6:00 p.m., the time church would have started, I began to get word of a bomb threat at Franklin Hospital.  If I did not feel well, I would have been at church.

Several emergency crews were put into action, and evacuated patients from the hospital in a timely manner.  Even it being a well oiled machine, you had nursing home patients that the staff was doing the best they could to keep them dry on a rainy night.

When I heard the news, my first thought was, what if someone was in critical condition in the ER, being involved in a traffic accident or having a heart attack?   I hope the individual that called this in realizes how many lives he or she could have possibly put in danger.

I just don’t get the mentality of causing havoc in the lives of hundreds of people.  I don’t get why some destroy public property for kicks.

Have I made a prank call in my life?  Yes, I have called some stores and asked if they had Prince Albert in a can.  Have I soaped windows?  Yes.  I still have not figured this out, but it was a contest to soap Deb’s tavern, beer 5 cents on my aunt’s picture window by several rug rats growing up in Thompsonville.  It was also a write of passage into manhood to give the bridge at West Frankfort Lake, and Cry Baby Bridge a fresh coat of spray paint, especially if you could paint your girlfriend’s name on there.

While we were  ornery kids out having fun.   There has been a rash of bomb threats at local schools over the last few years.  Most of the time it is a kid wanting the day off.  When this person is caught that called it in to Franklin Hospital Sunday night, I am curious what their rationale was.  No matter what they say, it is no excuse to put lives in danger like they did.  They should be prosecuted to the fullest intent of the law.

If a plea of insanity is used, that is a given.  Someone, no matter the grievance or other reasoning they would do that at a medical facility, is nuts.  It is as simple as that.

I used to work as an assistant supervisor for a federal subcontractor.  I remember a training session we had on bomb threats.  They told us to ask several questions.  One was repeatedly ask the person’s name.  They eventually will spill their guts with that or other information,

The one that did this will eventually make a phone call.  Law enforcement will PNG their phone and will get them.  Like I said it is not a matter of if, it is when.

While all the “excitement” was going on in Benton, six miles to the south some individuals were stomping on a wet ball field at West Frankfort park, doing considerable damage.  My question is why?  What thrill do you get tearing up a field for little league kids to play on?

As I had this thought, someone in the building I live in kicked a hole in the wall in the lobby.  What really left me shaking my head, it was under a security camera.

This is a mentality that I just do not get.  I think a just sentence for individuals is they have to physically fix their damage.  For the bomb threat person, I think sitting out in a wheelchair during a rain or snow event the whole time they are in prison, would do them some good.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Columns, Opinion

Heads of police organizations view on SB 1839

June 6, 2017 By Leave a Comment

9-1-1 is the backbone of public safety and Illinois’ back is breaking.

On behalf of the Sheriffs, the Chiefs of Police, and all the men and women of public safety in Illinois, we encourage Governor Rauner to approve SB 1839.  Without that approval, the system will be unfunded at the close of business June 30th, 2017.  It’s unthinkable that someone in Illinois might dial 9-1-1 after June 30th and nobody would be there to take the emergency call.

Legislation passed in 2015 requires the consolidation of 9-1-1 SYSTEMS, and upgrading technology to help our telecommunicators deliver the most professional and expedited service to our communities.  Our emergency dispatch centers are required to implement location services, receive text messages and automatic crash alerts within the next three years.  None of this comes without a cost and that cost spread across all users is the fairest and most efficient model for delivery.

The goal is to develop a fully-functional 9-1-1 system that meets the demands of ever-changing telecommunications technology in a digital world, while being accessible anytime, anywhere, from any device in Illinois. Providing 9-1-1 services for all members of our community simply cannot be done by keeping old, costly and failing technology in place.

We firmly believe the proposed revenue provided in SB1839 for 9-1-1 allows for much-needed upgrades to outdated, flawed and ineffective technology – including landline phone services using copper wire – in 9-1-1 centers statewide. The surcharge increase also addresses the rising cost of salaries, technology and resources required to effectively deliver 9-1-1 services across Illinois.

The time is now for Illinois to move forward, not backward, in protecting the citizens we all serve.

Sheriff Doug Maier, White County, president of the Illinois Sheriffs’ association,   Chief James R. Kruger, Jr., Oak Brook P.D,. President,  Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.

Filed Under: Letters to Editor, Opinion

ILLINOIS DEMS MOVE LEFT MORE THAN EVER DURING SESSION’S LAST DAYS

June 1, 2017 By Leave a Comment

http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/05/illinois-dems-move-left-more-than-ever-during-last-days-of-session.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2FbYHz+%28Illinois+Review%29

SPRINGFIELD, IL – (Illinois Review Magazine-  Please click on the link above to read the full article.  Here is an excerpt below)

During the concluding days of the current legislative session, the Democrat majority voted to make state income taxpayers pay 33 percent more than they do now. But they also successfully passed out of the House and Senate some of the nation’s most socially-radical public policy bills, including the following:

  • Making every publicly-funded school, pre-school, nursing home and medical facility places for criminals in America illegally to avoid deportation and seek protection from law enforcement;
  • Forcing every business in Illinois to raise their employees’ minimum wage to $15;
  • Automatically registering persons to vote that apply for drivers’ licenses;
  • Expanding taxpayer health care coverage (such as for Medicaid recipients and state workers) unrestricted abortion coverage.

 

 

Filed Under: Columns, State News

Thank You

May 29, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford

Today, on May 29, 2017 we are a free people in a free nation.  The freedoms that we enjoy today wasn’t free, someone paid a price for them on a battlefield across the globe.

All the way back to the founding of our nation, freedom did not come without bloodshed.  The founding fathers had a vision, as we gained out independence from Great Britain.  Their vision birthed the greatest nation across the globe.

Whoever will be reading this today, you are rich.  We enjoy a standard of living like no other nation has or will have in history.

When you woke up this morning, we have the freedom of choice what we can do with every second of the day in front of us.

We have the choice to worship God freely, without oppression or intimidation from our government.

This is still the land of opportunity.  You have the freedom of what career path you will take, and have the chance to continue to better yourself if you choose.

Every war we have fought over the history of our nation, was to keep us the bastion of freedom we enjoy today.

There are very few families, whether it be recent, or way back in your ancestry that have not had someone that gave their life for their country.

In mine, it is James E. Dunford, who was shot down in an aircraft during WW II.  The American Legion in my hometown of Thompsonville, is named after him.  I had the opportunity a year ago to say a few words at a Veterans Day-Thanksgiving Day dinner.

I was the most unqualified individual there.  I did not serve, or had a sweetheart back home.   I said very few words, but one thing I said was thank you to the ones there, that had the chance to come back home.

Today as we honor those who never came back home, if they still have a living spouse of children, thank them for sacrificing someone they loved on a battlefield, so we can enjoy this picture perfect day in Southern Illinois.

However you choose to celebrate this day, in your prayers and in your heart, say thank you.

 

 

Filed Under: Columns, Opinion

A warehouse of questions about wasteful state spending

May 26, 2017 By Leave a Comment

http://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/a-warehouse-of-questions-about-wasteful-state-spending/

CHICAGO, IL – (Chicago Sun Times Editorial Board –  Please click to read the whole article above.  Here is an excerpt below.

At a time when Illinois is sitting on $14.3 billion in unpaid bills, it’s dismaying to learn that the state rented a warehouse for $2.4 million that it could have bought outright for $750,000.

Yes, $2.4 million is a drop in the bucket when it comes to state spending, but such wastefulness begs the question of how well — or, rather, how poorly — the rest of our tax money is being spent. And it’s a miserable sales pitch for an income tax hike that both Democrats and Republics know is coming sooner or later.

Two suburban Chicago legislators — state Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, and state Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills — have called for an Illinois Legislative Audit Commission investigation into the warehouse’s five-year lease.

Filed Under: Columns, Editorials, Opinion

The numbers game is more important than wins

May 26, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford 

I slept through the most of the series with the Dodgers, in which they dropped two out of three.  I looked at the box score this morning and thought to myself, Brett Cecil must be getting right.

In the box score he worked an inning without giving up a run.  But he let two runs score that was charged to Michael Wacha.

Cecil is one of those who in the Cardinal organization the numbers game is more important than wins.  It is obvious that he is not right.  With the 15 day disabled list being shortened to 10 days now, find something to put him on the disabled list.  Let him have the ten days and go on a rehab assignment to Memphis.

Cardinal manager Mike Matheny has said repeatedly through the year we have to get him right, and the best way is to pitch.  If the Cardinals will not put him on the disabled list, the only time he should pitch is in a mop up role.

It seems like that role is going to Tyler Lyons right now.  I foresee Lyons being used in the role that Hector Villenueva was a few years ago.  He needs to be saved “just in case” we have a game that goes 17 innings.

I have referred to Cecil as Randy Choate 2.0, as Cardinal mangager Mike Matheny would put him in key spots and he would get hit hard.

Kevin Siegrist has been roughed up early, but has been better late. I would feel more comfortable with him or Tyler Lyons getting the ball to get a key lefty out.

The starting pitching overall has been stellar.  There have been several good starts wasted this year.  The offense has struggled at times.  Even though Wacha had a bad start last night, he is a fifth starter that would be a number three on a lot of teams.

Here is were the numbers game comes in.  John Mozeliak locked Cecil up for four years.  Cardinal manager Mike Matheny is one that prefers veteran preference.  Cecil has been given high leverage spots all year because of that.

Jhonny Peralta is on the roster because of the numbers game.  They rushed him in his rehab assignment because, “he could help the ball club.”  His call up was at the expense of Magnerius Sierra, who just hit .367 when he was up with the big club.  Him, along with Tommy Pham brought some excitement to the club with speed.  It was reminiscent to they days of Whitey ball.

You can be on rehab for 30 days.  This is veteran preference and the numbers game.  You send a rookie down to AA, for an over the hill former SS who has terrible range.

Hopefully Peralta can prove me wrong, and give the Cardinals a big bat off the bench.  I think it is time to release him and cut ties with him.  But Mo has to save face and keep him, because of ten million reasons.

Yes Peralta started at 3B, and gave Jedd Gyroko the day off.  Gyroko has been knocking the cover off the ball, and has been very solid defensively at third.  I am afraid the veteran presence of Peralta will give Matheny a toy to play with.  There has already been a big decrease in Greg Garcia’s playing time, and you will see Peralta in there at least once a week for Gyroko.  It is good to see Garcia in there tonight, giving Aledmys Diaz the day off.

Before the hamstring injury, Stephen Piscotty was hovering around the Mendoza line.  The rehab days could have been used to get back on track down at Memphis.  Instead Matt Adams is now an Atlanta Brave to make room for him.

It hampered Adams because the only position he can play is 1B.  The Cardinals were sold on not having Matt Carpenter slide over to second or third to get his bat in the lineup occasionally.

Adams has improved so much defensively, I would say he is a plus defender now.  He has already made an impact, filling in for the injured Freddie Freeman.

The trade of Adams weakened the bench considerably.  There is no one now who is a long ball threat coming off the bench.  I am glad he gets the opportunity to play everyday.

There has been little OF production out of Randall Grichuk, Dexter Fowler, and Piscotty.  Tonight Grichuk gets the start in RF, Pham in LF and Fowler in CF.  Piscotty is sitting.

Until he quits hitting, Pham should be in there everyday.  I understand him not making the club out of spring training, Jose Martinez had a great spring.  Pham is producing and brings energy to the lineup.  I can’t put a finger on it but there was just something missing.  Sierra and Pham brought a much needed spark.

Another victim of the numbers game was right handed reliever, Sam Tuivailala.  He gets sent to Memphis with a 3.27 ERA with Miguel Socolovich and Johnathan Broxton with ERA’s north of 6.00.

Both Soclovich and Broxton would have to be released.  Socolovich has been solid in the last few years that he did the I-55 shuffle from St. Louis to Memphis.  Broxton has pitched better of late, but I still squirm when he comes into pitch.

There has been times in the past Socolovich has pitched well enough to stay, but has been sent down.  I think he has some worth, and could be traded for the famous player to be named later.

Tuivailala had some nasty stuff in his last few appearances.  There is no better way to say it, but the back end of the Cardinal pen has been awful.  He was one of the bright spots.  Like the other moves, he is pitching in Memphis because of the numbers game.

Here are some examples of the numbers game.  As a long time Cardinal fan I want to see the best 25 on the field.  The rotation has been the best of any Cardinal teams that I have watched over the 42 years as a fan.  It is time for MM and Mo to start worrying about wins first.

I hate painting a dreary picture.  Yes I do get pessimistic at time about the Cardinals and some have questioned about my loyalty as a fan.  Trust me, one of my passions in life is Cardinal Baseball.  That is the reason I get pessimistic.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Opinion, Sports

The best messages were preached at graduations last week

May 24, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford 

Akin students continuing graduation ceremonies on private property, after there was an objection God was mentioned in the speeches.

It is a week since most graduations have taken place.  Let me share some numbers with you.  The editorial I wrote last week reached 11,118 people.  William McPerson, of the Benton Gazette’s video, showing Sesser-Valier Senoir Kenny Eubanks, leading the Lord’s prayer reached 24,903, with 2,411 from this page.

Just between what I shared, and William’s video reached  totals 36,021.  That does not even scratch the surface of the impact of the young people’s stance.

To put this in prospective, the entire population of Franklin County is 39,000. The demographics I am going to share is around 15 years old.  The average rate of people on any given Sunday, that attend a worship service in the county is around 30 percent. So around 11,000 people are in church hearing the Gospel preached on a Sunday Morning in Franklin County.  This includes all denominations.

The statistics I shared reveal the impact both of these events had. Please do not think I am making light of preaching, it is food to my soul.

What happened with the graduation in Akin, WSIL picked it up the next day.  One reason that prompted me to write this after the fact, the Benton Evening News story on this was ran by a National Christian Website.   If I stumble onto the link again, I will share it.

From the impact from the Akin graduation, six figures is a very conservative estimate for the reach.  The school board and administration was put between a rock and a hard place.  In the situation, they made a good call.   The opposition to the speeches being given,  turned from a few hundred hearing them, into a few hundred thousand.

Both events showed courage.  No matter what the issue, stand up for what you believe in.  There are several examples throughout history that greatness always faced opposition.

Again, good job kids.  I have said this several times.  As a whole, this generation is much better kids, than mine was in the 1980’s.

 

Filed Under: Columns, Opinion, Slider

Akin Valedictorian, Salutatorian take a stand at tonight’s graduation

May 17, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford 

First of all let me say no one from Akin Community Consolidated School District #91, or the valedictorian or salutatorian, nor their parents have contacted me.  I have confirmed the details from attendees of the graduation.

Second, let me remind you this is my unsolicited opinion.

There was a citizen in the Akin School district that received word there would be prayer, and God would be mentioned in the valedictorian and salutatorian speeches at graduation.   The citizen raised a ruckus.

The speeches as well as prayer were given and completed off of school property, with the vast majority in attendance following the students.  In the photographs, I can not tell if it was the house across the road, or in front of the Akin Baptist Church.

I applaud the action of the young individuals.  I never understood anyone having a problem with thanking the almighty for the great things that he has done in their lives.

This logic saying that the speeches violate the first amendment and free speech is protected by the first amendment is an absurd contradictory statement to say the least.

The ones who decry separation of church and state, need to look what the clause was put into the constitution for.  The pilgrims came to this country to escape persecution from the Church of England, who departed from the teachings of God’s Word.

The first amendment was put in place to proclaim the government can not interfere with what is being proclaimed in the pulpit.   Most of our founding fathers in several documents were God fearing men.

Over the last half century, it has been a slow subtle secularization of our country.  Public displays of the Ten Commandments and Nativity Scenes,  and even a few years ago saying Merry Christmas was under attack from a very small minority who claim we must “be tolerant in case some one might be offended.

Here in Southern Illinois a few years back, there was controversy over city councils that opened their meetings with prayer.  The complaints came from outside sources, not from the constituency they serve.  What is wrong with mortal men and women asking the Lord to give them wisdom, as they conduct their business affairs?

I never understood the logic of atheists and agnostics, who throw a hissy fit over things they claim are religious, and violate their rights.  If they do not believe in God, why do they care?  Why do they fight so hard against something they believe that does not exist?

For those young people tonight, some of us older ones need to take heed of the courageous stand they took.  The following verse came to mind:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16, KJV)

I have been saying this for over the last several months.  This generation that is coming up, have a hunger and thirst for spiritual things, that mine did not have.  Tonight, is another example of it.

 

 

Filed Under: Columns, Opinion, Slider

WDQN: I will miss you

May 14, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford 

The studio of WDQN , from the station’s Facebook page. The station was located on the north edge of DuQuoin in the village of St. Johns

Radio station, WDQN in DuQuoin , 1580 on the AM dial, left the airwaves this evening.

When I lived in Sesser, I used to enjoy their format, when it was simulcast on the 95.9 FM frequency.  I could pick the station up in at least a 30 mile range.  They boasted of the top 80 format; Top 40 country, and top 40 on the pop charts, with some classic tunes of both genres mixing in.    They still had local and national news at the top of the hour.

A few years back, Three Angels Broadcasting, out of Thompsonville purchased the FM frequency.

When I was the  pastor of the East Side Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon, I would listen to a lot of NASCAR races on the way home from church.  I would occasionally catch yes, the Chicago Cubs at times.  This ol’ Cardinal fan enjoyed listening to the late Ron Santo call a game.

I would follow the DuQuoin Indians making their playoff runs in football and Indians basketball from time to time.

I think I have established that high school sports means a lot to me. Each play by play man in each community is the face of high school sports. The face of the DuQuoin Indians for me was Steve Marek.

I hope an online streaming service, another station, or as long time morning man Dave Juhl was pleading on Facebook Live, someone buy the station.

There will be a huge hole in the local media.  It was the only radio station in Perry County.  It was an affilliate of the Illinois News Network, and delivered commodity reports.

From a lifelong resident of Franklin County,  I will miss you.

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Columns, Editorials, Opinion
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