Mikey D

The Trade
So it’s probably too early to declare a winner in the three-team trade the Tigers were involved in this past winter that sent Granderson to New York. At the time I thought the Tigers got a nice return (2 relievers, #3 starting pitcher, and a starting CF for Granderson and Edwin Jackson), but now it’s looking like Dombrowski made a killing. Just looking at the Yankees/Tigers side of things, here’s how the stats look currently:

Phil Coke: 13 G, 11 SO, 14 IP, 1.93 ERA
Austin Jackson: .367, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 40 H, 5 SB

Curtis Granderson: .225, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 18 H, 4 SB (just placed on the 15-day DL)

Austin Jackson is the unquestioned frontrunner for the rookie of the year. We were all worried about replacing the top of our lineup, but Jackson and Damon, the ex-Yankees, are both hitting +.320. Any coincidence that Mags and Miguel are also having great starts with those guys getting on in front of them? I think not.

And after Jackson’s recent 5-5 game, people are already wondering if the Yankees should have parted with the kid.

Under Armour
I cannot be any happier for Grace. She has gotten her job at Under Armour, which she begins next Monday. She’s been trying forever to get out of Enterprise and into a field that she desired (purchasing for a retail company), and now she has the opportunity.

And it’s a really neat place she’ll be working at. Under Armour was founded by a University of Maryland grad, and its headquarters is down in Baltimore. Grace is going to be working in one of those old brick warehouse buildings that’s been renovated and converted into an office. Very hip.

But the coolest part is that the building is right on the water at the harbor. We drove down there this past weekend so I could have a look at it. And no joke, you walk out the front door of the building, and bam, you are on the water. There is a boardwalk with chairs that you can sit and have your lunch, or just relax and watch the water. We took in a sunset this past weekend.



I’m happy for her, but I’m a little jealous at the same time.

Interview
I had an interview this past Thursday at a school in Washington DC for a summer position. I had to go in and teach a 30-minute lesson and then sit down and do the formal interview portion. I was so much more nervous for the lesson! It’s really difficult to plan a lesson for a group of kids you have never met or know, and then teach it in a foreign classroom. I mean, it sounds easy, but it’s not. But I managed through, and I think I did really well on the regular interview part, so we’ll see. I should know by next Friday.

More MSU Basketball
They announced the Jimmy V tournament participants they’ll have at Madison Square Garden in one of those early season tournaments. Kansas opens against Memphis, and Michigan State opens against Syracuse. That’s a fucking dynamite lineup. Road trip anyone? I’d love to see that.

Video
So I'm not sure if you guys have see this "Did You Know?" video (it's two years old), but it's being force-fed down my throat at practically every professional development presentation I have as a teacher.



Now that I've seen it 3139873 times, it's become less informational and more, "well, what are they trying to tell me?" My running list includes the following:
~I need to change as a teacher to meet the needs of my current students.
~I need to incorporate technology into my classroom because it is part of my students' daily lives.
~What I'm teaching now to my students might have no impact on their lives whatsoever.
~It's tough to keep up.
~Teaching problem solving and communication skills is just as important as core content.

Anything else I should add to the list?

~Mikey D