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May 10, 2007
Around the bases in the world of baseball . . .
BACK ON TRACK: Now that was Daisuke Matsuzaka as advertised (projo.com), even if it did come against a team that, according to its manager, has fallen ''about as low as we can go.'' (Toronto Sun) Lyle Overbay thinks that ''[a] couple of months down the road, no one is going to remember it,'' but au contraire, Lyle; this eight-game -- and counting -- losing streak is all anyone is going to talk about all season long. If the Jays never recover from it, it will be pointed to as the time the season went down the tubes (much like an early 10-game skid is still talked about as the downfall of the 1976 Red Sox, who never put up much of a fight in defending their American League championship). If they do start playing well, it will be referred to, again and again, as the albatross around their necks, as in, "Imagine where they'd be if they hadn't . . . '' The Toronto Globe and Mail's Jeff Blair says ''[next] year isn't here yet. But it's visible.''
ENOUGH OF THAT: The Red Sox have problems of their own, namely a pitcher who seems to make headlines every time he opens his mouth or puts words to his blog. (projo.com) We linked to Schilling's apology to Barry Bonds yesterday afternoon (38pitches.com), and apparently he's been making other apologies, as well. (joyofsox.blogspot.com) It'll be interesting to see if these recurrent firestorms will change the way Schilling writes on his blog or answers questions on his weekly scheduled radio interviews.
GIANT RELIEF: Mike Pindelski of Beyond The Box Score analyzed the issue and concluded that, prior to yesterday, the Red Sox had the best bullpen in the American League, and fourth-best in baseball. (beyondtheboxscore.com) Don't ask about the Yankees; he only lists the top 10.
SENSE OF HUMOR: Give Vernon Wells credit: He knows how to respond to hecklers. (Toronto Sun) So why do I think every leatherlung in the American League will now be zeroing in on Wells in the hopes of getting their own ball?
"Dear Mr. Dork" . . . I have to admit, I like that one.
''I'M PREPARED TO TRACK HIM DOWN WHEN HE'S REINCARNATED TO BOO HIS SORRY . . . '' I don't think Chad Finn likes Roger Clemens very much. (touchingallthebases.com)
YOU CRITICIZING ME? And, conversely, Roger doesn't like some of the sniping being done at him from various corners, particularly comments made by Astros manager Phil Garner. (Houston Chronicle)
GETTING A LITTLE CHESTY: Maybe it was related, maybe it wasn't, but 'ol Rog wasn't in a very good mood yesterday. (New York Daily News)
ROGER WHO? Suddenly, the Yankees starting pitching doesn't look so bad. (New York Daily News)
CREEPING DOUBTS: Even Reggie Jackson is wondering if Mariano Rivera is coming to the end of the trail. (Newsday)
SAY WHAT? Rick Dempsey says he was just joking, and I have no doubt he was, but some subjects aren't laughing matters. (Baltimore Sun) (Sun blogger Roch Kubatko agrees, but also comes to Dempsey's defense). Can't Stop The Bleeding has the full clip, via DailyMotion. What is it with members of the Orioles' broadcast crew this year?
NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE: Joe Posnanski has a family and a regular job and everything. So how does he get the time to research and write such fabulous blog items? (thesoulofbaseball.blogspot.com) Really, this is magazine-length worthy . . . and Red Sox fans will like it because, at the end, he makes the case that David Ortiz was far more valuable in 2006 than American League MVP Justin Morneau.
MYSTERY: Orioles vice-president Jim Duquette says his club is about to the enter the market for some pitching. (Baltimore Sun) MLBTradeRumors.com tries to figure out who he's talking about.
-- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone 
at 7:02 AM | Permalink
