cubfan33
10-10-2002, 09:30 AM
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Once again, I was provided with a perfect opening by Tony Larussa last night. Due to injury concerns, Larussa left Matt Morris out on the hill as long as he could. Not Morris' injury concerns - Morris was healthy, but simply pitched poorly. Instead, Larussa knew that Woody Williams' supposed start tonight would be lucky to last into the sixth and that Andy Benes would be popping up just a few days down the line. Both starters require a deep and rested pen, especially considering Larussa's normal platooning tendencies.
The Lofton brawl was a bit goofy, but it was fun seeing Dusty and Tony go at each other. One interesting sight was Woody Williams running in. Someone else from teh Cards bullpen came up behind him as they pulled up and seemed to hold out both hands in order to not knock Williams over. It didn't look like much contact, but Williams sure flinched when it happened. With that, I'm REALLY unsure about any report that Williams' side is pain-free. Williams is still scheduled to throw tonight, so get Jason Simontacchi and his goofy socks up in the pen.
Speaking of interesting things the Fox cameras picked up last night were a few shots of Scott Rolen in the dugout. I watched the game on Tivo and backed up to watch Rolen a couple times. I counted four times they showed him for a total of about thirty seconds. Not once in that period did he move his left arm. I don't know if it means anything, but it's interesting.
Benito Santiago? What? Is it 2002 or 1987? Wasn't he a Cub just a couple years ago? Someone please explain this to me.
Tim Salmon got grabbed by the turf monster last night. He left the game with tightness in his hamstring that was blamed on the surface of the Baggiedome. Salmon said after the game that had the game been on grass, he would have stayed in. Salmon is expected to play in Game Three, but reports indicate that Mike Scioscia may consider using Salmon as a DH in the next game with Orlando Palmeiro in RF.
There's a bill in Congress that could make Androstendione and similar "pre-cursor" drugs illegal. While I cannot fault the intent of this bill, I'm not sure whether or not I support it. Usually, I support education over regulation, but supplements are already being abused down to the Little League level and no one seems to be doing a good job of educating the public about the dangers of abuse. Note I said abuse, not use. There are many supplements that when used properly have a great effect.
If all baseball can come up with for buyers is Carlos Peralta, they need to keep looking.
Several readers wrote in to tell me that Joe Mays said he was pulled from his Game One start by his own request. A couple even poked me with a "you should listen and the answers are provided" stick. My answer to that is that the answers so easily provided tend to be, at best, half-truths and usually, just spin. While I'm not infallible, one thing I do is consult multiple sources before running with any story. When it comes to Mays, I wasn't able to get one solid story so I provided both sides. I think that's fair. I'm not a giant media conglomerate ... yet ... with the resources to make sure I hear all the post-game interviews (which I'd likely ignore) or have someone in the clubhouse to ask the simple questions, but since every time I write a column it's blazing my own trail, I'm going to pat myself on the back just a bit and say I do a pretty good job.
In the spirit of offering both sides of an issue, I used the Drayton McLane prostate surgery to illustrate how testing for prostate cancer is a good thing for older men. Reader and physician Henry Berman brought up some issues regarding the accuracy of this and offered this link that gives the other side.
If any readers are planning to attend the Winter Meetings, please email me.
Condolences to Bill Chuck of Billy-Ball.com on the loss of his father. His always entertaining column today was a beautiful elegy for his father and the beauty of baseball. To have lived long enough to have been alive when the Cubs won the series is a long life and from what Bill said today, it sounds like it was a good one as well. I'll be back tomorrow with more playoff UTK. I'm going to go call my dad and talk some baseball.
Once again, I was provided with a perfect opening by Tony Larussa last night. Due to injury concerns, Larussa left Matt Morris out on the hill as long as he could. Not Morris' injury concerns - Morris was healthy, but simply pitched poorly. Instead, Larussa knew that Woody Williams' supposed start tonight would be lucky to last into the sixth and that Andy Benes would be popping up just a few days down the line. Both starters require a deep and rested pen, especially considering Larussa's normal platooning tendencies.
The Lofton brawl was a bit goofy, but it was fun seeing Dusty and Tony go at each other. One interesting sight was Woody Williams running in. Someone else from teh Cards bullpen came up behind him as they pulled up and seemed to hold out both hands in order to not knock Williams over. It didn't look like much contact, but Williams sure flinched when it happened. With that, I'm REALLY unsure about any report that Williams' side is pain-free. Williams is still scheduled to throw tonight, so get Jason Simontacchi and his goofy socks up in the pen.
Speaking of interesting things the Fox cameras picked up last night were a few shots of Scott Rolen in the dugout. I watched the game on Tivo and backed up to watch Rolen a couple times. I counted four times they showed him for a total of about thirty seconds. Not once in that period did he move his left arm. I don't know if it means anything, but it's interesting.
Benito Santiago? What? Is it 2002 or 1987? Wasn't he a Cub just a couple years ago? Someone please explain this to me.
Tim Salmon got grabbed by the turf monster last night. He left the game with tightness in his hamstring that was blamed on the surface of the Baggiedome. Salmon said after the game that had the game been on grass, he would have stayed in. Salmon is expected to play in Game Three, but reports indicate that Mike Scioscia may consider using Salmon as a DH in the next game with Orlando Palmeiro in RF.
There's a bill in Congress that could make Androstendione and similar "pre-cursor" drugs illegal. While I cannot fault the intent of this bill, I'm not sure whether or not I support it. Usually, I support education over regulation, but supplements are already being abused down to the Little League level and no one seems to be doing a good job of educating the public about the dangers of abuse. Note I said abuse, not use. There are many supplements that when used properly have a great effect.
If all baseball can come up with for buyers is Carlos Peralta, they need to keep looking.
Several readers wrote in to tell me that Joe Mays said he was pulled from his Game One start by his own request. A couple even poked me with a "you should listen and the answers are provided" stick. My answer to that is that the answers so easily provided tend to be, at best, half-truths and usually, just spin. While I'm not infallible, one thing I do is consult multiple sources before running with any story. When it comes to Mays, I wasn't able to get one solid story so I provided both sides. I think that's fair. I'm not a giant media conglomerate ... yet ... with the resources to make sure I hear all the post-game interviews (which I'd likely ignore) or have someone in the clubhouse to ask the simple questions, but since every time I write a column it's blazing my own trail, I'm going to pat myself on the back just a bit and say I do a pretty good job.
In the spirit of offering both sides of an issue, I used the Drayton McLane prostate surgery to illustrate how testing for prostate cancer is a good thing for older men. Reader and physician Henry Berman brought up some issues regarding the accuracy of this and offered this link that gives the other side.
If any readers are planning to attend the Winter Meetings, please email me.
Condolences to Bill Chuck of Billy-Ball.com on the loss of his father. His always entertaining column today was a beautiful elegy for his father and the beauty of baseball. To have lived long enough to have been alive when the Cubs won the series is a long life and from what Bill said today, it sounds like it was a good one as well. I'll be back tomorrow with more playoff UTK. I'm going to go call my dad and talk some baseball.