In 1997 I had just turned 15 years old, and like any kid with a passion for the game of baseball I thought I knew enough.  Not everything, just enough.  Like any walk of life you find out that when you get older you grow wiser and I found out I was just a kid with a lot of heart - but I didn't know enough.  Otherwise I would have given this baseball manager the benefit of the doubt when he was fired that very same year. 

11 years rolled by and not a single team lined up to hire a two-time World Series championship coach.  He wasn't first on anyone's list.  However, teams lined up to hire never-will-be's like Davey Lopez, Phil Garner, Gene Lamont or Don Baylor.  I could have put together a list of coaches who's records were better than the names mentioned above and they still would not have the resume this man had/has.  Aside from current coaches like Joe Torre, Tony LaRussa and Terry Francona, not one has as many or more championships as this man.  Not Lou Pinella, not Jim Leyland and not Bobby Cox.  In fact, this guy was this year's desperate hire to save the General Manager's job and it looks like he has done just that.

That man is Cito Gaston, the first - and only - black manager to win a World Series.  Not that race even matters in this case because winning a championship is a difficult task.  Ask Cox or Mike Hargrove.

Cito Gaston was not only a sentimental choice in Toronto but a man who's track record deserved more than just minor consideration for a Manager's job.  Granted, he was holding out for the right position and when you do that it cuts your possibilities down, but how does he get passed over?  How does Cleveland not hire him after Hargrove?  What about Seattle after Pinella left?  Boston after Jimy Williams?  The Dodgers after, well, anyone?  Marquee places where Gaston wouldn't be given a fair shake.  The closest he got was the White Sox who hired Ozzie Guillen, who won a World Series himself.  If that title was Cito's we'd be talking about a potential Hall of Fame manager along with about 10 shame-on-you articles from Fox and ESPN asking how he didn't get his shot sooner.     

His hiring was out of desperation from a General Manager who's held his position 2 years too long and knew the city of Toronto would love him for it.  J.P. Ricciardi has saved his job for another year, and if Toronto somehow (and I mean, SOMEHOW) makes the post-season in 2009, Ricciardi will keep his job for another 2 years and will continue to poorly assess talent and damage the farm system.

Take Adam Lind for example; Cito not only wanted him up with the big club, he promised he would play.  Lind has responded since going 1 for a million in his first stint this season.  This is a guy who's a 2-time minor league player of the year and the best prospect in the Blue Jays system for years.  While he was tearing up the leagues, J.P. refused to bring him up (the last time a guy under 23 has stuck with Toronto was Alex Gonzalez - well before the Riccardi regime.  Imagine how he would have held back A-Rod or Pujols if he had them).  He didn't feel Lind was ready, otherwise he would have said bye to Matt Stairs in the off-season and not sign Shannon Stewart after cutting the hard-nosed Reed Johnson due to being over-budget.  Cito wanted Lind, and he has been the MVP of the Blue Jays over the last 3 months. Not bad considering the GM wanted him to linger in the minors this season.  He hit .273 in the second half last season - he was ready this year and many people in Toronto knew it.

Not a bad call by Cito considering his one knock over a decade ago was how he handled the younger players.  Perhaps he could be guilty of loyalty to his veterans like Joe Carter, a Jays icon who only hit one of the biggest homerun in baseball history.  Cito was a players manager who was very loyal to his guys.  We've seen numerous managers do the same thing with little success.  But I bet those managers don't have fans purchasing their replica jersey the way Toronto has with Gaston.  Already I have see 4 Gaston jerseys being worn around town.  That is how much the city loves Cito.

Although he won't win the Manager of the year award, he has taken overrated talent (which means lack of talent) and has gotten the most out of it.  He's had his #2 and #3 pitchers out (Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan - Marcum has returned), his starting second baseman (Aaron Hill) and his star Centerfielder out (Vernon Wells - returned last week).  Yet the team now sits 1 game behind the New York Yankees, who have much more talent than Toronto.  The award should go to either Joe Maddon of Tampa or Mike Scoscia of L.A., but the job Cito has done with this team has been outstanding. 

It should be noted that neither 1992 or 1993 World Series was a lock for Toronto and nobody should look at those years and think any less of the job Cito did.  He won 4 division titles in 5 years and the two years they did not get to the World Series (1989 and 1991) they may not have been the most talented team in the old AL East.  Cito should be remembered at the manager who was ahead of his team, and got the job done when several other managers who've had a lot of talent could not close the deal.  It is a constant reminder that no sport, let alone baseball, should ever pass over a proven winner and 2-time champion the way teams in Major League Baseball passed over Cito Gaston - especially being replaced by a con artist in Tim Johnson.

And I apologize for wanting him out as Manager in the first place.  I guess 15 year olds don't know better. 

To make the situation any worse for the Toronto Blue Jays would be seemingly impossible.  Last night they achieved the impossible after a report that J.P. Ricciardi claimed to have talked to Adam Dunn over the telephone to squash any hard feelings stemming from comments they have made towards one another.  Dunn claims he never made a phone call to Ricciardi.

The situation reminds me of a politician who decides to make up a story which would have no real effect in his or her political campaign.  Regardless of what story you believe, whether Ricciardi was tricked or whether he made the story up, J.P. should have been the one to go out of his way to make the phone call.  He did start the fire.

Here in Toronto it has been difficult to give Ricciardi the benefit of the doubt.  We have seen some baffling changes over his 7 years as General Manager of the Blue Jays - considering he is in year 7 of a 5-year plan.  Here are a few quick points...

- What was once a proud franchise that use to have one of the best minor league systems around has now become one of the worst.  That comes to no surprise when Ricciardi got rid of most of the scouting department that had ties with the organization dating back to Pat Gillick.  Since the changes, few of Ricciardi's draft picks have made any kind of impact at the major league level.  The 3 faces of the Blue Jays organization, Vernon Wells, Alex Rios and Roy Halladay, were all drafted by Gord Ash.

- Ricciardi was specifically hired to make a contender out of a team that was not going to spend a lot of money.  Coming from the Oakland Athletics organization, Ricciardi was brought in to be the next Billy Beane, his close buddy.  After the 2005 season, the Blue Jays decided to boost payroll since they had brought in more revenue after the franchise successfully purchased Skydome - now Rogers Center.  The problem is, Ricciardi was brought in to win without a huge payroll and he still can't win WITH the boost in spending options.

- Ed Wade, the GM of the Houston Astros, offered Ricciardi Ryan Howard in exchange for Ted Lilly back in 2005 when Wade was GM for Philadelphia.  It was a deal that should have been made; Howard was ready for the big leagues after tearing up AAA for a couple of years and Lilly was just an above average pitcher at best.  Lilly was Ricciardi's guy, he liked Lilly from his Oakland days and felt he was going to accomplish big things.  Lilly walked after 2006 and signed with the Cubs while Howard won an MVP and hit nearly 60 home runs.

- In 2002 the New York Mets were interested in Jose Cruz Jr., then an outfielder and soon-to-be free agent for the Blue Jays.  Ricciardi was looking to deal Cruz and the Mets could only offer a Single-A player by the name of David Wright.  Cruz was not traded and signed with San Francisco after the season.

- That same year, Orlando Hudson called Ricciardi a "pimp", which Ricciardi did not take kindly.  He sent down Hudson who had a great spring training.  In AAA, Hudson was having a great year but as punishment, Ricciardi did not call him up to the big club.  Meanwhile, Homer Bush was battling injuries, Felipe Lopez was not adjusting to the major league level and Ricciardi decided to call up 1st round draft bust Joel Lawrence, who couldn't hit in the minors, let alone the majors.  Lawrence batted a cool .180 in 150 at bats while Hudson continued to abuse pitchers in Syracuse.  Hudson deserved a shot months earlier.

- 2005 draft.  The Blue Jays looked up and down the list and Ricciardi felt the need to draft a pitcher Ricky Romero.  Although the next best prospect on that list was Troy Tulowitzki, Ricciardi felt no need to draft another shortstop.  Unlike basketball or football, you have to draft the best available player in baseball because they will take a couple years before they are ready to play in the big leagues.  Therefore, not drafting the best player in the draft was a mistake.  Tulowitzki helped Colorado get to the World Series in 2007 while Romero may not ever make it to Toronto.  Other notable players that were passed over by the Blue Jays: Cameron Maybin, Jay Bruce, Michael Pelfrey and Jacoby Ellisbury.

- After the 2006 season Ricciardi had agreed to a deal with catcher Rod Barajas - or so he thought.  Barajas apparently backed out of the deal and signed with Philadelphia.  Ricciardi was enraged and spoke out about how Barajas had given him his word on signing with Toronto.  A year later, Ricciardi signs Barajas.  Funny considering the way he laid Barajas out just a year earlier. 

- If Ricciardi does his homework on guys like Adam Dunn, why did he sign Shea Hillenbrand?

There have been other things during his 7-year tenure as GM of the Jays (calling out A.J. Burnett through the media, lying about B.J. Ryan's injury last year, etc.).  What baffles me is how he still has his job.  He is down to his last few bullets after firing his friend John Gibbons, so he may be on the clock.  He has, however, established a great relationship with the media.  There have been very few people in Toronto that has taken a run at Ricciardi.  Whether it's the newspapers, television or the pre-game and post-game radio host, Ricciardi seems to have been given a pass within the media.  From now until his run as GM is over, he'll maintain a positive relationship with the media. 

Otherwise his days are numbered.

On April 25th 2006, Frank Thomas was batting .162.  He went on to hit .270 with 39 homeruns, 114 RBI's and was 4th in MVP voting while helping the Oakland A's get to the ALCS. 

On April 21, 2007, Frank Thomas was batting .197.  He went on to hit .277 with 26 homeruns and 95 RBI's, leading the team in both power categories.

Earlier today, the Toronto Blue Jays announced they released the future Hall of Famer after they said Thomas would see his playing time reduced.  This marks the second starting player to be released by the Blue Jays in a matter of weeks.  The other was Reed Johnson. 

For a team that ranks 4th last in the AL in homeruns, this move makes no sense.  The move also does not justify how a team would quit on the player who led their team in homeruns and RBI's the previous year.  It also makes you wonder why the team decided to announce Thomas' reduced playing time, yet continue to play Marco Scutaro everyday when he's batting .188 with 0 homeruns and 4 RBI's.  Unlike The Big Hurt, Scutaro does not have the track record of being a feared player offensively or defensively. 

Although the Blue Jays claim Thomas' reduced playing time was not about money, the real reason was money.  The release of Reed Johnson allowed the team to save over 2 million dollars in a cost-cutting move.  The team led people to believe Reed was not ready to play due to his previous back problems.  Reed sits with a .354 batting average for the 1st place Chicago Cubs and is becoming a fan-favorite in Chicago for his hustle, hard-work and ability to play all 3 outfield positions - the same way he was beloved in Toronto. 

What is also disheartening about this situation is how Thomas got to where he is now from 3 short years ago.  The consensus around baseball was that Thomas' injuries were too much to overcome and his career was deemed to be over.  He threw out the first pitch at Cellular Field in the 2005 World Series - which was won by the team he starred on for over a decade.  They won the title without the face of the franchise.  Then he gets one last opportunity to play when Oakland knocks on his door.  By mid-May the Athletics could have released him and nobody looking from the outside would have disagreed with the decision.  But they stuck with the man, and he delivered in a way none of us could have dreamed. 

In fact, someone asked me in May of 2006 if Frank was finished and I boldly said, "No, he's a hot streak away from having respectable numbers.  He has done this during his injury-riddled years." 

Frank proved me right, and without him Oakland would not have reached the playoffs.  He proved all his critics wrong and he showed that not only could he still perform, but that he also had a heart of a lion.  Although Toronto has lost sight of this.

You would think people would learn their lesson about doubting a man who has proved people wrong over and over again.  There is a very good chance that, if given the opportunity, he will turn it on again and prove Toronto wrong for letting him go.  Perhaps a team like Minnesota takes a chance on Frank the Tank and helps the team he use to destroy when he was in a White Sox uniform.  Or perhaps Frank realizes that he has nothing left to prove (which he has proved to be one of the greatest hitters of our generation), retires and begins working on his Hall of Fame speech early.  Regardless, he is a legend who deserved a better sendoff than this.

This should also stand as a wake-up call to Toronto Blue Jays fans and baseball fans in general that the Blue Jays organization needs a significant shake-up, starting from the top all the way down.   

Woke up this morning to read a terrible headline on foxsports.com's website stating the NLCS suffered it's lowest TV ratings in history.  Apparently people have decided they would much rather watch garbage, over-the-top drama shows than a team that is in the midst of perhaps one of the greatest runs in Major League Baseball history.

We've seen some great runs by MLB teams in recent years.  One of the most famous runs that people talked about for years was the 35-5 record of the Detroit Tigers to start the 1984 season.  They went on to win the World Series.

There was the 2001 Seattle Mariners who, despite losing in the ALCS to the New York Yankees, had an incredible regular season.  However, people quickly forgot how good they were because they didn't get the job done.

Then there was the run in 2002 by the Oakland Athletics in which they ripped off 20 consecutive victories to propel themselves into first place in the West Division.  They went on to have an unmemorable playoff loss to the Minnesota Twins.

But the biggest reason why this run is special is thanks in part to the 1-game playoff victory as well as the 7-0 start to the post-season.  That doesn't cover their 13 wins out of 14, including 11 in a row, just to climb from 4th place on September 16th to tied for 2nd on the very last day of the season.  Nobody saw this coming - and anyone who says they did ought to be a betting man for a crime family.

They got spanked 3 games in a row prior to the 11-game winning streak, once by Philadelphia (12-4) and twice by Florida (7-6 - not a spanking, and 10-2 - a total spanking).  What was impressive about their climb in the standings was that all the wins came against teams that were above them in the standings.  Then they blew right by Los Angeles after sweeping them and then tore apart San Diego.  Then they administered some more punishment on LA before swiping two of three against the team they just eliminated last night, Arizona.  They didn't have the luxury of crushing Pittsburgh or Cincinnati during their run.  They beat teams that were considered contenders all year long.

If someone came up to you in August and said, "one team will win 13 of their last 14 to force a 1-game playoff and win that playoff game", you would have maybe thought of Detroit, Atlanta, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Minnesota or even Seattle.  Colorado would have been in your top 10 but certainly not option #1.  Perhaps the shock of seeing Colorado this far in the playoffs is the reason why some may believe that this is the greatest run of any team over the course of a 20-25 game span.  

Whether or not you believe that is your call.  Nobody can take away what appears to be one of the most clutch performances by any team who could have folded up and played .500 ball and nobody would have thought any less of them. 

The people who have chosen not to watch this team has missed the opportunity to witness baseball history.  If they become World Series champions it will become part of sports history and those who watched this amazing performance will have stories to tell for the rest of their lives.

Maybe even Eric Byrnes.

Major League Baseball is back to driving the market crazy with their free spending for the simple reason that they need to.  Of course, there are teams like Pittsburgh and Kansas City who have been quiet this off-season thanks to not having any veterans they need to dump for salary purposes.  On a side note, it seems unfortunate to see two proud franchises getting pounded into the ground in the cash game.  KC was a model franchise in the 1980's while Pittsburgh has been in the MLB forever.

But this off-season has resembled what we use to see a few years back when guys were obtaining gigantic contracts.  At least, for the most part, guys who were getting big contracts back then were justified (with the exception of Darren Dreifort).  We can debate that for days, but we can at least come to common ground in admitting the market has gotten out of hand over the last month.  Let's just throw out the names of Matthews, Pierre, Padilla, Baez, Bradford, Lee and Eaton to name a few.  Let's wait until the these guys sign: Lilly, Meche, Zito, Schmidt, Drew, Pettitte and Clemens all sign.  It shall be more public outcry who cannot understand why certain guys are taking in cheques that they haven't earned.  There are a few of you that even feel guilty about seeing a guy get signed for a huge contract, and that is human nature.

It is also human nature to be upset at baseball for this inflation of contracts.  Sometimes pointing the finger at the wrong culprits.  Remember the line from Booker T: Don't hate the player, hate the game.  Free Agency has seemingly made it certain that a player will change teams for the better dollar, especially if the player played well in a small or mid-market.

It all comes down to two parties: Owners and Agents.  Agents know the pressure points of a franchise, know what positions a team is desperate to fill, knows the franchises competitors and uses other players' contracts as leverage in negotiation.  That is why players have agents; they want to maximize their contract and know they can make a lot more money having a master talker in the room with all the strategies and statistics at his/her disposal. 

We just saw Jose Guillen sign for about 5.5 million dollars with Seattle and though that might look like a lot, Seattle could potentially get a bargain if Guillen is healthy.  However, he did not have leverage at the negotiating table.

However, adequate pitcher Vincente Padilla receives 33 million for 3 years.  Why?  Well not only does Texas need a pitcher, they we're not ready to let Padilla go knowing they did not have a stranglehold on Barry Zito.  What kind of leverage could Padilla get from that?  Tons.  But he could also measure himself to other players...

"A.J. Burnett got 55 for 5 from Toronto and he's a .500 pitcher." Or..."Jaret Wright got around 9 million a year from New York after he won 15 games with Atlanta."  Guess how many wins Padilla had this season?  15.

Another adequate pitcher, Ted Lilly, goes 15-13 and he has a career year.  A 15-13 career year does not toss any confidence in a typical baseball fan.  But there is a reason why he hasn't signed yet: Barry Zito.

Zito will command the most money out of any pitcher for so many reasons: He's durable, he's reliable, he's left handed, he has been an ace and he's a former Cy Young award winner.  Is he the best pitcher available?  He isn't the most dominating, that goes to either Clemens or Schmidt.  But teams want a lefty who can take the ball for 33 starts if necessary.  So Lilly will measure his contract up against the team who shells out tons of cash to Zito.  Lilly needs Zito for leverage at the negotiating table.  He becomes the best available lefty on the market. 

And Agents know that.  So they use every angle in the book to squeeze owners into paying them what his player wants and what their team needs.  The New York Mets will blow their wallet on a big name pitcher because they need an arm.   Just like Houston needed a bat and went after Carlos Lee and showed him the money.  Houston needed to get stronger to match Chicago and hoped to stay on pace with St. Louis.  Now if only Houston got another pitcher to compliment Roy Oswalt...

Hardball is being played in the business dealings this off-season.  Owners are vulnerable for help in spots and agents prey off the necessities of each team.  So even if you don't put up stud number like Gil Meche, you will get paid.  Eventually, however, the market should level off like it did for a couple of years during this decade.

Regardless, many fans don't understand how certain players are commanding huge money.  Even with the competition being so high on and off the field, some of these signings are mind-boggling.  So if you think all of this is ruining baseball, just remember it is a total team effort and not just one person or one facet in the baseball world.



 

We had a long discussion about Pedro Martinez and whether he is or isn't a hall of famer.  Jeff Bagwell hits an interesting discussion when it comes to Cooperstown.

Bagwell, the 1994 NL MVP, is looking to come back in 2007 and play after missing the 2006 season due to injury.  Looking at his career and other factors involved in making an argument for someone, he definitely is an intriguing case.

Before looking at some of the points that would or would not get him in, one of the classic arguments people have said is that if you need to argue someone in then they probably aren't a hall of famer.   For example, the moment Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux retire we will all say 'yes' at the same time without hesitation.  Many major leaguers are like that.  But Bagwell is not, so there is already 1 strike against him.

Here is what he has: Career .297 hitter (good for power guy), 449 Homeruns and 1529 RBI's.  He has had 8 seasons with over 100 RBI, including 6 in a row, as well as 40 homeruns 3 times.  In the 1990's, he played in a ballpark that was considered to be one of the toughest to hit balls out of.  So when we saw guys hit bombs at an alarming rate in homer-friendly ballparks (Kingdome, Arlington, Coors etc.), he was jerking them out of the Astrodome.  By the time they moved to Ten-ron Park (Minute Made/Enron Field), Bags only had a few productive years left which he maximized as much as possible. 

Then you have to think about one little factor: Was he the best first baseman of his time?

- Certainly was not better than Frank Thomas in the mid 90's.

- He was no Mark McGwire, performance enhancers not included.

- Though he's never mentioned, Todd Helton has some incredible numbers early in this decade.

- The Albert Pujols factor over the last few seasons.

Was it out of the question to think Bags was a top 3 first baseman for some time period?  Yes he could be considered.   From 1994-2003, Bagwell was a top of the line first baseman. 

So the question remains: Is he in?

Let's say, for instance, he is in.  What does that do for us?

- If Bagwell get's in, then Fred McGriff should be in.  A two-time homerun champion from both leagues who was a top tier first baseman alongside Bagwell for many years with Toronto, San Diego and Atlanta.

- If Bagwell get's in, what about Andre Dawson?  Another former MVP who's stats are similar with the exception of more stolen bases and gold gloves for The Hawk, but he also was an outfield.  That suggests that the hall of fame will look at positions when comparing eligible ex-players, which is true.  Catchers or second baseman typically have had less impact in terms of offensive numbers than those of outfielders or first basemen.  The proof is in the numbers.

- What about other guys on the cusp like Gary Sheffield?

- Who had the bigger impact during the 1990's, Bagwell or Albert Belle?  And where's Albert in the hall of fame mix?

Basically we are looking at this 2007 season as the make or break year for Bagwell to get in.  500 homeruns is suppose to be the benchmark and he is 51 away.  He won't get it next year and probably not 2008 either.  So if he hits 475, does he make it in?

My decision is at this point in time, Jeff Bagwell is not in.  However, a healthy 2007 season can get him in.  He does not need Frank Thomas numbers from this past year to do it, but 20 homeruns will help his cause.  Bags was a great ballplayer and seems like a classy dude.  Unfortunately, I think he needs to put in a little more work to get himself enshrined into Cooperstown.

Two stories hit the sports newswire today that you can consider one sad and the other bad.

I sat in front of the TV watching my guilty pleasure, All My Children, where ABC cut from the show to a plane that went into a high rise apartment building.  I received a call from a friend so my attention went to the phone with my eyes looking at the footage being brought to the front of the television.  An hour ago my brother calls me to tell me Cory Lidle, a former Blue Jay who I've watched pitch since his days in Oakland, was killed in the crash.  What really hit me was finding out someone saw his passport lying on the pavement.  It's scary how quickly a person's life can end suddenly.   However, one thought that brushed my mind was how a small aircraft hit the apartment and the feeling of shock came over me, the most ever since September 11.  Maybe the reason was because Cory Lidle was on that aircraft, a man who I have watched pitch for many years who pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays and seemingly owned the Jays his entire career whenever he faced them.  It went from a terrible plane crash to someone well-known dying.  Before I even knew he was on the plane, the feeling was there.

The ugly part of the day in sports was the Lawrence Phillips fiasco.  For those that are too young to remember, Phillips is what Maurice Clarett is to all of you.  Except, the justice system has allowed this pr!ck to walk in society for far too long.  Phillips is looking at 20 years for beating up kids and the judge better close the deal.  Phillips had it all: Great athlete, great future, great College team (I think he won a National Title, help me out America!).  He then went to the NFL and completely tanked.  Some talented mid-90's runners failed to deliver out of college (Phillips, Rashan Salaam, Curtis Enis and Ki-Jana Carter to name a few), but Phillips perhaps screwed his life up more so than anyone.  He came to Canada and was amazing in the CFL.  He put up numbers Ricky Williams has no prayer of reaching even if he was healthy.  The closest person to his numbers at that time was former NFL bust John Avery.  Phillips screwed that all up too by beating up some woman in Montreal (supposedly), plus missing practices as well. 

This brings me to a guy by the name of Robert Edwards, former New England Patriot running back who blew his knee so bad he almost lost his leg in a freak accident at the Pro Bowl a bunch of years ago.  After rushing for over 1000 yards he was damaged goods.  Today, he runs for the Montreal Alouettes, Phillips's old team, and is probably the top running back in the league.  He lost millions in a freak accident and he's still busting his tail.  Phillips lost millions because he was a tool.  Big difference, and it must kill Edwards inside that he watches someone like Phillips ruin their careers while he's lost money, rings and perhaps an NFL legacy.  I only mention him today because I watched him play on Monday and remembered how good he was prior to that horrific injury.

Tough to indulge into the negative of the sports world.  Nothing is positive over what we have been exposed to today.  Cory Lidle's story is sad as he leaves behind a family and a career.  Lawrence Phillips has always been bad.  And what went down with Robert Edwards was just ugly. 

The NHL season begins today.  The ones of you will be very happy about it.  Typical Toronto sport radio goofs bypassing the baseball playoffs to discuss how the Maple Leafs will place anywhere from 7-14 in the Eastern Conference.  Very compelling.  Speaking of which, my blog contest is tomorrow on a radio show that talks about all sports.  A real sports show.

 Having said that, let'#### these up:

- Saw Friday Night Lights yesterday during the Yankee/Tiger game.  Saw every run scored so I really did not miss a thing.  The show was a mix of the movie and also the movie 'Varsity Blues', where there was the QB injury, the backup QB heroics, the token skank that wants the QB, the suave black running back and the token drunk player.  I'll tune in next week and determine if the show is good.

- I truly believe 'God Bless America' should not be done during the 7th inning stretch.  I am not here to advocate taking it out entirely, but I feel this is much more suitable before the actual game begins.  Maybe it really does not matter.  What I do know is I cannot believe Gustavo Chacin can belt out vocals like that.  I thought he was spectacular singing 'God Bless America' at Yankee stadium.  First Reed Johnson changed his name to Chris Daughtry for this season's American Idol, Roy Halladay is the lead singer of Offspring, and now Chacin sings at Yankee games.  If the Jays could play like they sing they'd dominate the AL East.

- Jeff Kent and J.D. Drew read that ball worse than Billy Madison in Veronica Vaughan's grade 3 class.  What the hell was that?  Sid Bream said Kent looked awfully slow rounding third.  Everyone's happy J.D. didn't get hurt on the play.  Gotta love Paul LoDuca's reaction to Drew, about the same as his reaction to that College skank he's been fooling around with when she outed their secret: 'What the ####?'

- Wasn't Shawn Green a former all-star?  I watched him from 1995-99 and I have never seen him stand that far away from the plate nor have I seen such a horse-#### stance from him.  He use to have one of the smoothest swings around, now he looks completely constipated. 

- Torii Hunter tried that trick once before against the Oakland A's back in 2002 and the results were the same: Inside-the-park homerun.  That time it was Ray Durham.  Difference this time around is Oakland didn't boot the ball enough today to blow their lead.  Although that doesn't mean the A's won't blow their series lead.  If they manage to tank their next 3 games that will be embarassing.

- After Jason Giambroid hit his 2-run to drive in teammate Gary Steroiffield, he and Alex Rodriguez did not even look at eachother, let alone high-five.  There may not be a problem between them however, especially not after Giambi went Joe Hypocrit in sports Illustrated.  The other hypocrit on A-Rod's case looks to make the Yanks 2-0 tonight, Mike Mussina.

- What is with all the calf injuries happening lately?  I think this is more than just a coincidence.  My subliminal, intangeable message is in the paragraph above.

- El Duque was willing to pitch through his.  How tough is he, and how tough did Cuban baseball make him?

- Albert Pujols is the most dangerous hitter alive. 

- Frank Thomas even playing is remarkable.

- Because guys can't jerk balls out of this park, San Diego's Petco Park is my favourite stadium right now.  It doesn't hurt to have a good-looking stadium, which they have.  But my take is this: Bigger ballplayers means bigger parks.  More chances of putouts which means quicker ballgames and any homerun hit in that park is more impressive than any other homerun in any bandbox.  Having said that, Pujols's bomb was an absolute shot.

- Gilbert Arenas is weird.  He is also a damn good basketball player.

- Why is there this feeling that come Sunday there's going to be some sick things to see in Philadelphia when the Cowboys walk into the stadium?

- Watching Junior Seau play makes me cringe.  He cannot run sideline to sideline like he once did which is obvious based on the years he has accumulated, but why is he the one celebrating on every single play when most of the time he does nothing on that play?  Sure he's passionate, but look at the team he plays for: The New England Patriots, who won titles using the 'professional' and 'as a team' philosophy.  There is nothing pro about his celebrating and since he's usually by himself doing it that would mean it's not really a celebration as a team.  Junior, the only wrong choice about your retirement announcement was not announcing it 3 years earlier after you were clearing done in San Diego.  Then again, this is New England's problem.

- Pacman Jones claims there needs to be more thugs on the Titans.  I think the Titans need talent.

 That's all folks.  Again, my blog contest is due tomorrow at 11 AM EST.  Check it out, this one is a dandy of a question.  Answer to chevradionoise@gmail.com.  Or if you want to send an e-mail about anything related to sports and you have an opinion, send that to this address as well. 

Did I mention the NHL is back?