The Time has Come: Recently, a member of the media (naturally) asked this pretty naive question, "Since when do the Red Sox own the Yankees?" I'll tell you since when: Since 2004, when the Red Sox came back from 0-3 to beat the Yankees in the ALCS and went on to end the Curse of the Bambino. Before the sale of Babe Ruth from the Red Sox to the Yankees, Boston was a championship team and the Yankees/Highlanders were chronic losers. We all know how things went for the next 86 years. However, the '04 comeback/choke may have set the pattern for the next 86 years and beyond. That's how huge it was. Since the new "Curse of '04," the Red Sox and Yankees have switched identities and the slave has become the master.
GirlRam. Red Sox manager Terry Francona recently said on The Jim Rome Show that he's not sure what the deal was with Manny Ramirez and his use of PEDs and female fertility drugs before he was traded to L.A. [Female fertility drugs?! That's bad enough no matter what the alleged reasons are for using them ("ManRam?" Hah!!). But the apparent overall reaction of shrugs from all concerned and knowing Dodger fans will stand and cheer when Ramirez returns is proof that the apocolypse is in plain sight.] I believe Francona, mostly because Ramirez doesn't say much and anything he does say isn't worth hearing anyway. However, I'm thoroughly convinced that the Red Sox management knew all along that something wasn't kosher. How else do you explain the defending world champions trading away their best player and one of the best hitters of our time in the middle of a pennant race and even cancelling the remaining two options years on his contract to get the deal done? The last time something like that happened was on August 31 1992, when the first-place Oakland A's suddenly traded away their best player. That player was none other than Jose Canseco.
Gentlemen, Start Your Amplifiers: The trophy given to the winner of the annual NASCAR Federated Auto Parts 300 Nationwide Series race in Gladevill Tennessee is a brand new, custom-made, hand-painted Gibson Les Paul guitar. That's a pretty damn nice piece of machinery. After winning the race on Saturday, Kyle Busch capped his victory celebration by grabbing the guitar by the neck and smashing it onto the Victory Lane concrete three times before tossing it aside. "It didn't break according to plan," Busch said. "We'll go back to the shop and cut it up into smooth pieces so everyone on the team can have one. Then I'm going to order two more for me and (crew chief) Jason Ratcliff."
Sam Bass, the longtime NASCAR artist who painted the Gibson guitar, said he was “stunned and heartbroken” to see his work destroyed. Even though Busch told Bass he “meant no disrespect” to anyone – the artist, Gibson or the track – Bass said Monday he’s struggled to accept the incident.
Okay, I'm not even going to try and figure this one out. It's Busch's trophy and he can do what he wants with it...I suppose. But in the future Mr. Busch, stick to auto racing and leave the guitar-smashing to Pete Townshend and the memory of Jimi Hendrix. After all, how would you like it if Jimmy Page took a $500,000 racing car and spun donuts in the winners circle at Daytona until the wheels caught fire, then cut the car up to share with his roadies and then bought two more for his bandmates? You'd be among the first ones to bitch about it.
Calling all Freuds. Former Orlando Magic Center Shaquille O'Neal used to be idolized by current Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard, but all Howard has gotten from O'Neal in return are insults and disrespect. People are puzzled by this but the reason for O'Neal's behavior is actually quite understandable: At 37, Shaquille O'Neal is finally entering those rebellious years of puberty..
Days of Whine and Roses. I'm so sick and tired of hearing everyone whining about the Mets lack of home runs. "Wahhh!! They don't hit enough homers! Wahhh!! Citi Field is too big!! Wahhhhhh!!" And it's not just Chipper Jones and his mourning the demise of Shea Stadium, his home-away-from-home. I'm talking about the lame-ass media and the fans that gobble up everything they say like barbecued kielbasa at a tailgate party. Anyone who buys into this garbage about the importance of home runs clearly doesn't get it and probably never will at this point. But read on anyway: In spite of the fact that the Mets are playing without their leadoff and cleanup hitters (Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado, who are among the best in the game at what they do), they're still right in the race. Carlos Beltran and David Wright are showing outstanding overall hitting prowess because even though they have a combined 12 homers to date, they're hitting well over .300 and are both on pace for their usual 100+ RBI seasons.As of June 10th, the Mets are:
- Third in baseball in team batting (.279)
- Third in baseball in team batting (.279)
- First in on-base-percentage (.361)
- Tied for second in triples (16)
- Third in stolen bases (59)
- 28th in homers, but 14th in slugging percentage.
And despite the fact that the Florida Marlins have outhomered the Mets 58-37 the Mets have a better slugging percentage, .410 to .384. Now, just in case you blew that info off and are still weeping about homers, go back and read those stats again. Go ahead, I'll wait.
[Tum dee de da, dee dee do...]
Okay, you're back. Now what should all this tell you? Pay attention now: The word of the day is "Fundamentals." The Mets' oversized yard is making them into a much more versatile offensive team because instead of waiting around for the three-run homer to bail them out, as in past years, now they're forced to do their scoring in other ways and that accounts for the improved concentration and more aggressive play this season, particularly in light of the injuries they've had.
But noooo, people still whine all day and all night about the low homer output. God, it's exhausting. So, as a public service, I'm posting this reminder:
Your assignment is to read it, then read it again. And again, until it penetrates!! Got that?
Thank you, and good night.
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