Since Sunday at 5 p.m., I’ve watched approximately 417 baseball games, or about half the number of college basketball games I watched in March. The opening of the new season has me more excited than any supposedly grown man should really be, but I can’t help it: I’d missed baseball, and it was back in a big way the last few days. So what have we seen so far? Well, I’ve proven that I can jinx even the best pitchers: Mike Mussina, my pick for AL Cy Young, has now been blasted by the Devil Rays in two hemispheres to the tune of an 11.00 ERA. (Completely random note: Roy Halladay won the AL Cy Young Award last year despite having an ERA of 5.13 after eight starts.)
Is Michael Tucker really going to bat third for the Giants on a permanent basis? The Giants chapter in BP ’04 (you have your copy, right?) homed in on the indecent degree to which the Giants depended upon Barry Bonds for their offensive production last season. Well, a rewrite may be in order. Not since Liam Neeson defiled his career by appearing in Satisfaction has an elite performer been surrounded by such drek (yes, Julia, you’re drek).
The Braves improved their staff with a couple of nice trades. Despite an excellent spring, Grant Balfour isn’t the Twins’ current fifth starter. And Jose Cruz Jr. has begun the season on a good foot in Tampa Bay. All this and much more news from Atlanta, Minnesota, and Tampa Bay in your Wednesday edition of Prospectus Triple Play.
As I sat at last night’s Indianapolis book event, I wondered if I’d be able to just enjoy a margarita after a great night of talking baseball. I didn’t even make it to the end of the signing, though, without the Nokia blowing up with news of injuries. So here I am, your faithful servant, to break down the breakdowns and hit you with the hurt. Maybe Thursday will be quieter… it’s a longer drive back from Cincinnati and the cell coverage isn’t so good on the way back.
So, powered by that imaginary salt and tequila elixir (Hey, Chris, is there anywhere I can get one in Chicago?), on to the injuries…