MLB Power Rankings

What is this all about? I don’t see how local Democrats can be cool with this. Here is from the Chron online headline today about the Harris County swearing-in ceremony yesterday and Judge Lina Hidalgo:

Hidalgo says colleagues tried to ‘cut me out,’ then calls for unity at swearing-in ceremony

Three out of her four colleagues are Democrats. You know that.

Here is from the Jen Rice story in the Chron:

Winners of Harris County’s November elections were sworn in Monday at NRG Center, marking the start of a new super-majority on Commissioners Court after Democrats took a fourth seat on the five-member body. 

With County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia and new Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones beginning their terms, the county appears poised to continue the progressive policies that have been advanced since the court majority flipped in 2018.

The event was ceremonial, as officials already had been sworn in during earlier private ceremonies, including Hidalgo, Garcia and Briones, who ousted incumbent Republican Jack Cagle from the seat he had held since 2011.

While judges and other countywide officers took the oath of office administered by U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett, Hidalgo skipped the ceremony, arriving late and taking the microphone to deliver an unscheduled 10-minute speech after the Pride Chorus Houston had performed its closing song and many officials, including Garcia and Briones, had left the stage.

“My fellow commissioners tried to cut me out of the program,” Hidalgo told the audience. “They can’t take two women in power. Today when Commissioner Briones is sworn in, we will have for the first time two women.”

Elected officials attending the event were not invited to speak during the relatively brief ceremony. Hidalgo was scheduled to give comments during a reception, but she did not attend.

In a statement, Garcia said: “I’m excited to move this county forward with my fellow members of court. As for remarks, it was conveyed to me that members of court would speak at the reception afterwards, and I planned accordingly.”

Despite the jab at her colleagues, Hidalgo emphasized the importance of unity.

“We made huge positive change, and we made it by working together,” Hidalgo said. “That’s why the last thing we can do now is tear ourselves apart.”

Here is the entire Chron read: Hidalgo calls for unity during swearing-in ceremony (houstonchronicle.com).

The event yesterday was supposed to be a celebration. There are a lot of folks who supported her this past November that expect better. Just saying.

So much for yesterday’s political drama. Today’s will be on the U.S. House floor.

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Alyson Footer from MLB.com came out with their first of the year Power Rankings and they got us at number one. Check this:

1. Astros (106-56 in 2022 regular season)
Repeating as World Series champions isn’t easy, but the Astros probably deserve the benefit of the doubt. They’ve played in six straight AL Championship Series. They’ve won the World Series twice in that span. They have a starting staff that is six deep, which enabled them to let Justin Verlander, the AL Cy Young Award winner, leave for the Mets — simply because they don’t really need him. The “World Series hangover” likely won’t apply this year, considering Houston played two games over the minimum in the postseason and had multiple days of rest between each round. Though the AL West has improved in some areas — the Mariners will be strong again, and the Rangers took measures to improve — the Astros, again, will be the favorites to nab another division title.

Here are their top seven and the Rangers:

Mets in at number 2.

The ATL at 3.

Padres at 4.

Yankees at 5.

Phillies at 6.

Dodgers come in at 7.

Rangers at 13.

Here is the Footer read: MLB New Year’s Power Rankings 2023.

I’ll take it.