6 and 1/2 weeks

11-3! Where were these guys 6 and 1/2 weeks ago? Lee goes 4for5 and drives in 6, Uribe gets 3 hits and scores 4 runs, Gload drives in 2, Borchard homers, and Garcia pitches 7 scoreless innings. Of course, Valenitn goes 0for4... I guess I'm still mad at him for single-handedly losing that mid-week matinee game game against the Twins back in July. In 2005, I hope he winds up with the Cubs.

And on top of the good news of the Sox big win, the Cub lost. Whoo-hoo!

The other big baseball news is that the Montreal Expos are moving to DC next year. I'm surprised, not only because the O's and Angelos are only 40 minutes away, but because baseball has failed in DC in the past... twice. Since the Texas Rangers apparently own the rights to the name "Washington Senators", I wonder what the new team will be called. Truth be told, that's a pretty boring name. The new team will be called something hip, edgy and marketable, like the "River Cheetahs" or maybe "Mighty Eagles". That might be a good one- the Mighty Eagles. Their mascot could be the head of a bald eagle on the shirtless Rambo style body, complete with a tatoo that says "The American Pastime kills terrorists!" holding an M-60 machine that shoots baseballs. They've already got a theme song in place, John Ashcroft's "Let The Mighty Eagle Soar", which could be played on the huge scoreboard video monitor before every game. Damn Canadians don't deserve a baseball team anyways - hell, them Quebecers is practically French! U-S-A! U-S-A! (That was sarcasm).

On a lighter note, I spent a good chunck of the evening watching baseball, consuming internet porn, and drinking a few ice cold Old Style tall boys. Ah, America!

Forgot to mention that during my vacation about a month back, I spent an afternoon at the batting cages. I haven't even attempted to hit fast pitching in about 10 years or so... Even when I did play ball, in Little League, during high school tryouts, and college intramurals, I was always a rotten hitter. This time, I approached it differently. For one thing, I'm older now and no longer am afraid of being hit by a pitch. Maybe I've just forgotten the pain associated with it... My bat speed is slow, so I just choke up about halfway up the bat, then lower the bat to get around quicker, looking almost like Pete Rose. My wrist speed is OK. (Too bad some coach never took the time to show me this style. Makes you wonder why none of these pansy-ass millionaires hitting .210 bother to choke up. Ty Cobb choked up AND batted with his hands apart... and had a lifetime average of .367! Nah, all these rich guys today just want to hit homers, be on Sportscenter, go back to their hotel and bang their girlfriends.). So I was making great contact at pitches coming in at 50-60 mph, I moved onto the 60-70 mph cage and did very well there, too. I've always had a great glove and am still, at 35, fast as all hell (and a smart baserunner). So I think maybe I'll be lookin to join an over-30 non-competitive league next year. It's about time....

Course, I'll still play softball...

There's a debate tonight between "Evil" and "The Lesser of Two Evils". Since IL isn't a swing state, I'll be the marytr/patriot and vote Socialist. Long live Eugene V Debs! Workers of the world unite!

The Cheat's Sox Blog (link at right) has a great piece today about Carlos Lee and why the Sox shouldn't trade him. The Sox have about 6 guys taking up more than 50% of their payroll. Two of those- Contreas and Buhrle would, I think, be more likely canidates to play elsewhere. Konkerko's a stud and Frank Thomas is a team leader, so they'll be around... give it a read...

Odd story on the Cleveland Indians from last night. Apparently rookie pitcher Kyle Denney was shot while riding on the team bus as the Tribe was going from Kaufman Stadium to the airport . There's no motive, no suspects in custody (the bullet came from outside the bus.). But here's the weird part (from CNNSi);

"In Cleveland, The Plain Dealer reported that as part of a rookie hazing ritual, Denney was wearing a USC cheerleader's outfit, including high white boots, on the trip to the airport.
'Our trainers said the boots may have saved Kyle from further injury,' said Indians spokesman Bart Swain said."

See my post from last week - Sept 22 - regarding the same type of hazing behavior from the Minnesota Twins. I guess dressing up the rookies in goofy outfits ain't much of unique or secret hazing ritual...