Sic semper tyrannus

EFL Standings for 2016

      I have a student (Joseph Cayetano) who is writing a Richter paper on legitimacy and military occupations.  He posits there are three keys to legitimacy in military occupations:  self-restraint by the occupying power; accountability to a higher body; and minimally competent governance.

      I have spent the last few weeks actively undermining the legitimacy of our reptilian overlords… (rats, there I go again!  I’ll take another run at it)…  the legitimacy of our Dragon masters… (no, that’s hardly any better) … the legitimacy of those Dragon despots…

      OK, before the jackboots come to take me away to the tallest tower in Haviland, let me make my point: we should subject the Dragons to Cayetano’s three-part test.

1) Self-restraint: They did indulge in that outburst of Dragonish violence last week to fray the pennant race, possibly permanently.  But since then the Dragons have held back, given at least the Wolverines a chance to regain their footing and pick up their weapons before finally breaking pennant race’s back.  That’s mighty sporting for such a tyrannical species.  But you know what? The Wolverines showed that same restraint yesterday.  On a day when the Dragons slipped badly, the Wolverines did NOT rush forward to take advantage of their clearly wounded or impaired rivals.

2) Accountability to a higher body.  Both the Dragons and the Wolverines acknowledge the authority of the Commissioner. But one team is likely to be much more likely to hear and obey the Commissioner. They’re like Buds, like two peas in a pod, etc.

3) Minimally competent governance: Neither the Dragons nor the Wolverines are looking very good on minimal competence. Neither could avoid a negative runs-scored result Sunday.  Scoring fewer than 0 runs is wasted effort if. Add to that the Graveman affair (now resolved, you’ll be glad to know), and the way the Alleghenys keep slewing all over the standings, and how the league has failed to nourish the Balk enough for them to avoid last place in MLB.:  one by one these affronts add up to only one conclusion:  no one knows how to fly this plane.

Oh,, and the W’s gained 0.3 games on the Dragons.

Pittsburgh:  W 2, L (-1); 8 – (-6).   (.292, .352, .396;   16 ip, 4 er).  The Allegheny plane dove when Graveman went missing, but then rebounded in relief when he re-appeared, rising 1.9 games in a single day. Jose Altuve went 0 for 5, bringing his September line to .178, .245, .267. NOW I recognize him.

Portland: “W”, 6 – 7.   (.278, .350, .407;  13.7 ip, 9 er)

Canberra: W, 2 – (-4).  (.222, .317, .333;  20.7 ip, 6 er)

Peshastin: “W”, 3 – 4.  ( .229, .315, .396;  3.3 ip, 0 er)

Flint Hill:   W, 6 – 5.  (.273; .319; .591;  5.7 ip, 3 er)

Kaline:  “W”, 5 – 6.  (.257, . 289, .486;  1 ip, 0 er)

Cottage: L, 2 – 5. (.143, .250, .250;  0.7 ip, 0 er)

DC: L, 1 – 10.  (.220, .259, . 440;  13.7 ip, 2 er)