Tampa Bay Rants and Raves is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - some of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Bluff development: now comes the hard part

The city of Clearwater has cut a deal with Gotham Development out of New York to build two 27-story towers on the old City Hall site and a 13-story hotel on the former Harborview Center site. Calling two 27-story towers on the bluff out of character for the waterfront would be an understatement. The same could be said for a 13-story hotel – both Harborview and City Hall were three stories. Clearwater residents are very jealous of their bluff having rejected a much better plan over twenty years ago when naysayers, among other lies, linked the Florida developer to Scientology (he had about the same link to Scientology as the Pope). This November’s referendum, if held, is going to be a very tough sell.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Before pro-life advocates celebrate the SCOTUS decision too much, they must remember there are states like Colorado that have outrageous abortion laws that parallel Godless countries like China.

Related note, and seriously he said this, "I think it (Roe v Wade) was a horrible decision. I think women should have the right to decide what happens with their bodies." – O.J. Simpson

Number of the Week: Two – that's the number of states where Joe Biden’s approval numbers outrank disapproval. They are Hawaii (45% vs 42%) and Vermont (44% vs 38%).

Yes, it’s not even mid-term time, but our guess is neither of 2020’s top candidates will head their party’s ticket in 2024.

Another political note – this one from the 5:05 Newsletter or facsimile thereof: The Democratic National Committee is charging $5000 for a photo with Vice President Kamala Harris….. $6000 for a photo without her.

This week in 1953 (July 14): The SS United States sets an Atlantic crossing speed record at just over 84 hours. A conservancy group continues their efforts to save the venerable ship still docked in Philadelphia.

Sports, media and other stuff:

An addendum to our July 4 MLB update: here come the Pirates. Not this year, but soon, their farm system led by rookie phenom O’Neil Cruz will bring back some of the luster of the 60s and 70s when Clemente, Parker and Stargell ruled.

Oddity: at the midway point in the season, the National’s Juan Soto has more walks than hits. The last major leaguer to do that was Barry Bonds during his chemically powered years.

Jacoby Brissett – remember that name Gator fans? He briefly played for UF before transferring to NC State. Unless things go amazingly well in the NFL vs Deshaun Watson proceedings, he will be the starting QB for the Browns after they traded Baker Mayfield to Carolina.

A Rave to uBreakiFix in the Gulf-to-Bay Publix shopping center. While they could not fix our techno problem, they referred to folks who could. Cannot say the same for the brusque “service” we received at Best Buy.

We occasionally quote bits of humor from the Gassman, Crotty & Denicolo law firm. They also publish a Thursday Report each week with meaningful law-related material. And for some of us occasional pieces like David Finkel’s Mentality Shifts – applicable to any station in life. Go to their website and selection Issue 326 of the Thursday Report. Well worth your time.

Pitchers and dream outfield at the All Star Game

We’ve always enjoyed baseball observer Ken Rosenthal for his insightfulness and rightful conclusion that the emperor has no clothes as relates to baseball dictator Rob Manfred. But he was a little off the charts last week with his idea that LA pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Shohei Ohtani be the starting pitchers for the All-Star Game. We’re not sure either pitcher should even be on the All-Star roster. Neither has thrown enough innings to qualify for any pitching hallmark. And there are guys like Gonsolin, Alacantara, Verlander, Fried, Musgrove and the oft overlooked Alek Manoah of Toronto who have far superior numbers. Our picks would be Gonsolin and Verlander to start. But all that aside, Rosenthal’s suggestion of a starting NL outfield of Acuna, Betts and Soto harks back to the days when the NL annually ran out Aaron, Clemente and Mays in the All-Star game. Never since that trio has there been a more exciting threesome available to the National League. Soto will probably be the odd man out this year, but in the years ahead, the 23-year-old Soto, 24-year-old Acuna and the “old man” of the group, Betts, 29, will form a dream outfield for the National League.

UP NEXT: Tarnished Hall; Dove at 65; Free Maps

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