Monday night, I spoke with my buddy Mike about baseball. We talked about fantasy where I'm selling the farm for draft picks in my keeper league more shamelessly than the Pirates are trading for prospects, but also about how Pujols' slump had to be nearing its end. I don't know what it was that got him so on again in such a hurry. Perhaps after he flew out in the first, making what was his only out of the game, a Mets fan heckled him, asking him," How do you like them apples?" Now, I have great respect for Albert, but his English isn't the best, so perhaps he misinterpreted the comment as a challenge to hit the apple in center field. Seven innings later, he accomplished this feat. Two innings later, after Mark DeRosa was plunked to give the Cardinals the lead, he officially went into beast mode. He clubbed his second bomb of the game, metaphorically bitch-slapping the Mets. He looks like he actually bitch-slapped one of them in this photo. I suppose he also could've been offering Omir Santos a high five as if to say," Hey, it's not your fault that I'm this awesome."

Continue reading "Pujols Rejoins the Cards' Surging Offense"

It's about that time of year. The time when NFL camps are in full swing, rankings are being released for college football, and the Cubs begin to wilt in the August heat. One week ago, the Cubs and Cards were tied atop the NL Central and Chicago was two games ahead in the loss column. In that short span, the birds have opened up a 4.5 game lead in the division and are three up in the loss column. People aren't making such a big deal about those games in hand now that the Cubs have started playing them and losing them. St. Louis has been taking advantage of their schedule as of late, winning seven of their last nine against the Mets, Pirates, Reds, and now the Padres. The Cubs on the other hand, had seven straight against the last two NL Champions, the Rockies and the Phillies. They only managed to win one of these games, thus allowing for the Cards to gain separation. The Cubbies get a slight break, as they're hosting the AAA Pirates this weekend and then will visit the lowly Padres for three, but then it's right back to business as they get the Dodgers for four in LA.

Continue reading "Cubs Starting to Fade in Central Race"

On Monday night, I arrived home from Laura's house around 12 a.m. Knowing the Cubs had taken a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the eighth, I decided to check the scoreboard first thing when I got to my computer. I discovered that the Cubs had managed to allow four runs in the bottom of the ninth for a 4-1 loss to San Diego. Maniacal laughter ensued. Chicago is now six games back and the gap doesn't look to get closer anytime soon. In the Cubs defense, I suppose the Padres were due for a win, having just been swept over the weekend by the Cardinals. San Diego had lost four straight overall, dropping the finale of a series in Milwaukee last Thursday. The Padres seem to be the Cards' best friend right now. They took two of three from the Brewers, got swept by St. Louis, and picked up a come from behind win against the Cubs to open Chicago's road trip. Hopefully the trend will continue over the rest of the week with the Cubbies in town for two more before the Cards visit " A Whale's Vagina" for four games over the weekend.

Continue reading "Cards Eek One Out in L.A., Cubs remain Cubs against Padres"

1. Well, Brett Favre is back. Just as he started to drift out of our minds again, BAM, breaking news on ESPN: "Favre is a Viking." As obnoxious as this story has been for the last three years, it sure will make the Vikings vs. Packers games more interesting, especially the November 1st game when he returns to Lambeau Field. My guess is the reaction will be half cheers, half boos from the fans, all boos from Ted Thompson.

2. Another quarterback who has run rampant through the media lately is Jay Cutler. He needs to shut up right now if he even wants a chance at not topping the "Number One Douche Bag of All-Time" list. His latest remarks were after the Bears' first preseason game in which they played the Buffalo Bills. He criticized wide receiver Devin Hester for not breaking up an interception on an under-thrown pass. How about this Jay? Either make the passes in the first place or be gracious if Hester does break up the interception. If Hester can't fix your screw up, man up and take the blame yourself. That's where it belongs. Peyton Manning doesn't always own the blame after a loss, but the difference between Manning and Cutler is, Manning has the record to back up those types of comments. Cutler needs to earn the right to make those types of comments. He could be in danger of losing that locker room really quickly, if he hasn't already.

Continue reading "8-18 Football News and MLB Waiver Wire Deals"

1. There hasn't been much to cheer about this season at Camden Yards in Baltimore, but this past Monday, the fans got a thrill.

That looks like the longest suicide ever, especially without shoes. You really have to like the way he freaked out Juan Rivera too, in addition to the fact that he almost made it back. I used to go TPing a lot in high school, but I really wish I would've jumped onto the field before I turned 18. Speaking of 18 and streakers, most guys were hoping this girl was 18 when she hopped onto the field in Tampa during a March 2008 Under-23 Game between the U.S. and Honduras. She'll turn 27 in October in case you were wondering.

Continue reading "Just a Few Funny Things"

Last night, I got to witness a masterful pitching performance first hand.  Actually, I saw two of them. Wandy Rodriguez was solid for the Astros, allowing just one run on three hits and one walk while fanning six over seven innings. His bullpen even backed him up with a perfect inning with one strikeout from reliever Latroy Hawkins. Adam Wainwrright was just better. He allowed the same three hits that Rodriguez did, but without walking anyone while shutting Houston out over eight innings. He also struck out five, none of which was bigger than pinch-hitter Jason Michaels' knees with a breaking ball in the eighth inning with the tying run at third base. Wainwright and Molina both showed a lot of emotion after that K. They knew it was a huge spot, especially with how cold the Cards' offense has been lately. I quipped to Meghan (we'll call her a cousin of no blood relation to keep things simple) after scoring in the first inning that with the way Wainwright's been pitching, we may not need much more than that. Well, I wasn't serious, but number 50 sure as hell was. The game ended in two hours and ten minutes. One last fact that will display how dominating both pitchings staffs were is that at no point during last night's game was there more than one base runner aboard. Both teams were limited to just one runner advancing to third base. The Cards scored theirs, the Astros did not, and it was the difference in the game. It isn't likely to get much easier for the birds' bats on Wednesday when they go against Roy Oswalt, who's coming off a performance of eight shutout innings.

Continue reading "John Smoltz, Adam Wainwright, and the Cubs Defy Physics"