Miscellaneous thoughts and facts while we await tonight's game:
- In both a post buried in the comments yesterday, and in email, I was told that the White Sox individual tossing a ball around while it was raining Sunday before the game, and making obscene gestures to the bleacherites, wasn't Ozzie Guillen; it was relief pitcher Octavio Dotel. Apologies to Ozzie -- and Octavio... geez, think a little, will ya?
- "Sources say" that Jim Hendry has the green light to spend "what ever it takes" to get starting pitching after the All-Star break. This comes all the way from Sam Zell. Will it be C. C. Sabathia? Maybe, but it could be anyone. In any case, here's more proof that the Cubs are going all-out to win this year.
- Since I -- and most of you -- never hesitate to criticize Joe Morgan (justifiably so), credit to Morgan for leading the charge to get Ron Santo into the Hall of Fame:
"I played against him, and when you look at third basemen, he was the best third baseman of his era," said Morgan, the Hall of Fame second baseman and ESPN broadcaster. "I thought that's the way you judged it. Every year I voted for Maury Wills and Ron Santo. Those are my first two guys. To me, they were both a no-brainer."
Well, Maury Wills isn't really a Hall of Famer, but again, if Morgan can help get Santo over the top next winter and into the Hall, good for him. - Lou Piniella has learned some stuff, not the least of which is that Micah Hoffpauir isn't an outfielder:
Micah Hoffpauir's left-handed bat is a valuable asset with Daryle Ward out, but, like Ward, the rookie is not good enough defensively to play left or right field on a regular basis. Hoffpauir looked tentative on a few balls that landed in front of him on the artificial turf at Tropicana Field, and he didn't start over the weekend against the Sox.
I could have told Lou that after watching him play "tentative" in the outfield during spring training. The article goes on to say that Hoffpauir could be trade bait. He doesn't really have much value, so if Jim Hendry can deal him, more power to Hendry. - Finally, a site note. I have received a few emails saying that the game threads have occasionally gotten a little contentious and personal. I just want to remind everyone of the paragraph you all read -- and agreed to -- when you signed up for your BCB account:
When posting at this blog, please follow this one simple rule: Before hitting "post" to post your remarks, ask yourself: "Would I be embarrassed to say this in front of strangers who were physically present in the room with me and could respond to my face?" If the answer is "yes," then don't post. BCB encourages and welcomes all opinions, no matter how strong; however, personal attacks, vulgarity, and other uncivilized forms of expression are not welcome. Thanks.
I don't think that kind of civility is too much to ask. Thanks again. Let's win tonight.