Some Random MLB Stuff

A few things from watching the first week of the MLB season...

* Watch out for Atlanta in the NL East. They have kinda been written off to start the season; the Phillies and Mets seem to be the talk of the water cooler during the winter. It almost reminds me of the AL East last year with all the talk on the Red Sox and Yankees, and then the Rays come out of nowhere. With Derek Lowe and Jair Jurreins at the top of their rotation and a solid closer in Mike Gonzalez, add in a "normal" year from Jeff Francoeur to go along with solid production from Brian McCann, Yunel Escobar, Kelly Johnson and Casey Kotchman this team could really surprise some people. They're in the midst of sweeping the Phillies in Philadelphia to open the season right now and that momentum could give them the confidence to keep it goin. Not to mention Bobby Cox is a genius..

* Was there anything better than seeing Ken Griffey Jr homer in his first game back with Seattle in 12 years? Here's a guy who has done everything the right way, never had his name in any of the recent scandals and just goes about his business day to day. I don't think there's been a more "low-key" superstar hall of fame athlete in my generation that has done it so "quietly." Good for him and good for baseball fans everywhere. Here's a toast to you!

* The Washington Nationals are going to be horrible.

* If I see one more idiot out here in L.A. wearing a Manny Ramirez dreadlock wig I'm going to vomit. My prediction is he lets them grow so long that as he's rounding 1st base one of them whips around and scratches his eyeball, thus ending his season.

* If the Cubs don't play Reed Johnson in center at least 70% of the time they will not win the division. He brings energy, speed & grittiness to a team that doesn't have much of it. Not to mention he's a contact hitter and wears his uniform the right way. He is everything that Kosuke Fukudome isn't...and that's a good thing. Also, I predict Milton Bradley will play 80 games tops. He almost got hurt twice on opening day performing routine tasks like running to first base. He's never been able to be an everyday RF and asking him to do so after playing only a handful of games there last year is asking a lot...

* I said when the Yankees signed Sabathia that he wouldn't win more than 12 games with them. After his 1st start, it looks like I may be right. People forget he was like 6-10 or something before going to the Brewers last year. Sure, he was brilliant after going to the National League, but hitters were also facing him for the 1st time. Advantage is always with the pitcher in those instances. Plus, pitching in that division is a bit different than in the NL Central. Instead of pitching to Pittsburgh and Houston and Cincinnati he's now got the Red Sox, Rays and evidently Orioles to worry about. A bit tougher to say the least...

* The L.A. Angels of Anaheim (don't even get me started w/ their name!) couldn't even sell out on opening day. This is a team that had the best record in baseball last year and is predicted to repeat this year in the AL West. Thus, proving my point, again, that SoCal "sports" fans are the worst and don't care about anything until the end of a season, if their team is good. This entire portion of the state should just be sitting on one giant bandwagon! They were even selling good seats for $3!! 3 freakin' dollars! Yet still, nobody would come. I'll just bet that in Boston, Chicago, NY etc. they're not having this problem. Hell, even San Francisco sold out the first game! Gimme a break...

On another note...
Has anyone tried the Bumpy Jelly Bean Nerds candy? Simply delicious. And you don't spill them everywhere like with regular Nerds.

BYE!!