Baseball is Back!

And oh what a start it is, even if it costs $200 million. When people asked me about how I felt about Giambi coming back (people being nobody really), my thought was, all will be forgotten if he performs. The Same goes true with Sheff, Ruben and A-Rod. No matter what happens, as long as they hit, I'll support them. As you may have heard, the 54,000 plus fans at opening day agreed, with standing ovations to big Jason G. Who was really apologizing, not for steroid, but for not contributing last year. We love you, and can't wait for the 50 bombs you launch this year.

Having a friendly banter with my buddy Pete (Son of John H Sununu, former Bush Chief of Staff) who happens to be the only 'Sox fan I can stand, I had this to say to say to him about Boomer Wells
"42 year-olds with historic weight & back problems, who like to binge drink the night before starts and have only won 20 games once in their careers (5 years ago) have a lifetime 4.03 ERA who would rather give up homeruns than walks, are great additions to any Pitching Staff. But hey, if you can get him for only $13 million this year, you have to pull the trigger, right Pete?"
Which I think was more than justified by his 4 inning 4 run performance on Opening Day. Boomer's not a Red Sox (Red Sock?) he's a Yankee, and the fact that George paid him an extra $3 million to play for the "hated ones", to destroy their clubhouse chemistry and sabotage any chance of a repeat, is paying dividends already.
The problem with the Yankees the last two years, was very well brought to lite by Buster Olney in The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty. The biggest problem was the lack of role players, competitive guys like Tino and Paulie. Last year all "we" had were Rivera, Jeter and Posada. This year, bring Tino back, bring in the Big Unit to replace the Roger type pitcher and everything is starting to fit back in place. Add to that the addition of Tony Womack, who absolutely "gave us fits" in the World Series, to replace Enrique Wilson & Miguel Cairo and we've got it together. It's all about the post season, and here's how this line-up plus Tino looks in the post season: 129 Post Season appearances with a combined BA of .273. Highlights include a .557 slugging percentage from Sierra and a nice little .339 BA from Hideki Matsui.
This team will not falter like last year's debacle. They will win no less than 108 regular season games. They will be the champions of the "World" once again in 2005.

Some random thoughts

• I've started a new trend to replace my "pass out my couch instead of in my bed" routine after partying till very late. I haven't thought a good name for it yet, but it goes along the lines of "go to the convenience store under my apartment, buy tons of snacks and drinks, get home and pass out on the couch instead of my bed, with bags full of groceries". You should try it, it is grrreat.
• WhatIfSports recruiting starts in three days, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t dreaming of it when I lay my head down at night.
• The DVD player I spoke about in an earlier blog, I find out is unable to play something called DVD9, in addition to playing anything over an R-rating. So, I went to the local mall and purchased a new DVD player for 580 RMB, ~$70. I took it home, set it up, but couldn’t get it to work right. I could only see things in Black and White. The ending of Sleepers as well as the Sponge Bob Square Pants movie, just don’t have the same feeling in B&W. So, I take my receipt and player back to the mall to exchange it. Ends up, although the packaging was new, they had sold me an old DVD player. Like a really old one…Saweet!
• If you have a chance, please watch this little flash video. Pretty damn funny.

Look, it's not in my nature to be mysterious. But I can't talk about it and I can't talk about why