Speaking of Good News

I am going to the All Star Game. I will try to bring back pictures.

After 3000

Derek Jeter got hit number 3000 this afternoon. I'm tempted to quote Mickey Mantle ("Weren't most of them singles?") or wonder out loud how great an accomplishment that many hits is considering players like Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Mike Schmidt and Joe DiMaggio fell far short of that total.

But that would be passive agressive nonsense.

Now he only needs 1,200 or so to catch Pete Rose.

It might could happen.*

*No way in hell.

Rabbit's Foot

That's me.

The D-Backs are 3-0 at games when I go. 10-15 when I don't.

I saw Ian Kennedy, yes, that Ian Kennedy, shut out the Phils and Cliff Lee on April 25th.

Then I saw them pummel the Cubs 11-2 (with a 7-run 1st) on the 28th.

Tonight, I saw them beat the Rockies 4-3.

Coincidence? Abosolutely. But I'm wondering if I can get a Charles Victory Faustesque spot with the team? Stranger things have happened.

I made a few observations at the game tonight:

-Troy Tulowitzki is what the press pretend Derek Jeter was.

-It's a good thing Joe Saunders can "win games" because he sure can't pitch.

-Billy Bean traded away Carlos Gonzalez, Dan Haren and Andre Eithier, the last one for Milton Bradley. I don't think that's going to be in Moneyball.

-According to the numbers, Justin Upton is a good right fielder, so why do I get the impression he isn't? On the other hand, Chris Young is an average/below CF, but I don't see that. Guess it shows the problems with small sample sizes. But I would like to add I have never seen Young dive for a ball, nor have I seen him have to.

Osama

Thomas Aquinas offered three points to consider regarding the morality of an action:

1) The act itself

2) The situation

3) The motivation

Seeing scores of people waving flags, cheering, shouting "U-S-A!" I've no idea their motivation or intentions, but it does remind me at times of those who stand outside of prisons and cheer as people are executed.

Not an exact parallel, as this might be more in line with the famous photos from V-J Day. I doubt those people were cheering because of what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

But I don't know. That's the only conclusion I've come to. I can't stare into their hearts and determine why they're happy.

Three Days, Two Games, Pt. 1

Saw the Angels lose to Boston in Anaheim. For those who don't know, the "Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim" is the single dumbest name in the history of sports. Worse even than the Mighty Ducks. It's that bad because it's factually incorrect.

See, Anaheim is a city in Orange Country, Los Angeles is a seperate city in a seperate county (Los Angeles County). They share a state, and are both considered part of Southern California, but Anaheim is not in any part of Los Angeles, city or county.

Imagine if the Yankees called themselves the Manhatten Yankees of the Bronx. Yes, it's that dumb.

Having said that, I do like going to games at the Halo, as the fans there are generally pleasant, though passive-agressive in their issues with Sox fans filling out the stadium during our visits. They do know their baseball, hate the Yankees and I've never heard any of them call it "Edison Field." So they have that going for them.

Anyway, I got to see my 3-year-old nephew Grahm's first baseball game. My brother dressed him in his Daisuke jersey and let him wear his '75 Boston hat, and carried him on his shoulders through the center field concourse to our seats in right. Grahm shouted the whole way, "Let's go, Red Sox!"

I'm serious. The whole way. Above, you see him standing and clapping for the last out, as Daniel Bard got Vernon Wells to ground out to Pedroia.

He ate some cotten candy during the fourth inning, and when given a baby wipe to clean his hands, crumbled the paper into a ball and threw it a few rows in front of us, hitting some lady in the back.

After being scolded by his father, he responded, "But daddy, we have to win the game."

I think he'll fit right it at Fenway.