And we're optimistic we won't fall to the level of the Evil Empire.

Well, at least until Mark Cuban buys the team.

Good, we agree.

No one will ever mistake the Yankees for the Cubs (or vice versa).

That is the part that I am talking about. Do you know how the rivals were selected or even who matches up with whom? Is there only one rival for each team or are there more?

Things are getting back to normal.

The Yankees win 2. Rivera saved both games. The other Savior, Dice K, gives up 7 earned runs and 5 walks in 5 innings. Got an ERA of 5.45 now. He did have a strikeout though. One. And yes, DJ, Manny shoulda been nailed on strikes before he homered in the 8th. He did go around on that checked swing. Doesn't really matter anyway; the M's woulda found some other way to blow it.

And, of course, the Cubbies went winless again yesterday also.

I don't really know, Nevada. I think that we get Atlanta every year. They're our traditional "rival", as JR pointed out, b/c of Atlanta's roots in Boston. But I don't know how everybody else's are chosen.

He's struggling at Fenway so far. It's not the ballpark, tho, when you walk the first three hitters of the game. Last time, he waited until the 4th inning to walk the first 3 hitters. When he's settled in, he's really good. But he gets himself into really bad stretches a little too often.

I think I remember the check swing. I don't seem to remember thinking "Ooo, he got away with one." And I don't remember the announcer (Jerry Remy, former Sox 2nd baseman, and a better announcer than 90% of the bozos you hear on national TV) commenting on it.

What should happen, tho, is that when the Sox visit Seattle, the M's pitcher places a large bruise in Manny's ribs with the first pitch he throws. I am a staunch defender of Manny, but he behaved very badly after the second home run. He stood there, walked 10 steps or so, started to jog, pointed to the heavens with both hands, rounded the bases, tossed his helmet away and then jumped up and down with his (reluctant) teammates as if it was a walk-off game-winner.

I know he's been off to a slow start and he was probably genuinely happy to have a great game, but I wouldn't object if the M's gave him a wake-up call in Seattle.

A few more days like that, and the Cubs just might be mistaken for the Yankees this season. :p

I hope this helps poor Manny:

http://www.sportsline.com/spin/story/10164295

Hmmm.
 

I guess Jeff Weaver isn't the Mariners' only pitcher.

<TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=section_medium><TD class=black12bold align=middle colSpan=8>Seattle</TD></TR><TR><TD class=black12bold width="30%">Name</TD><TD class=black12bold align=right width="10%">IP</TD><TD class=black12bold align=right width="10%">H</TD><TD class=black12bold align=right width="10%">R</TD><TD class=black12bold align=right width="10%">ER</TD><TD class=black12bold align=right width="10%">BB</TD><TD class=black12bold align=right width="10%">SO</TD><TD class=black12bold align=right width="10%">ERA</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#cccccc colSpan=8 height=1>http://images.usatoday.com/_common/_images/clear.gif</TD></TR><TR><TD class=black11>C Baek</TD><TD class=black11 align=right>1</TD><TD class=black11 align=right>6</TD><TD class=black11 align=right>5</TD><TD class=black11 align=right>5</TD><TD class=black11 align=right>1</TD><TD class=black11 align=right>0</TD><TD class=black11 align=right>7.71</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#cccccc colSpan=8 height=1>http://images.usatoday.com/_common/_images/clear.gif</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Igawa can't hold a five run first-inning lead today.

And here's one for you! Randy Johnson pitched last night for the D'backs. When he faced Julio Franco of the Mets, it was the highest combined age for a pitcher/hitter matchup in the history of MLB. Franco is almost 49 years old and Johnson is almost 44.

Yankees score 11 runs; Sox score 2 runs. Who ended up winning last night? :D

We'd have been OK except for the 2 missed field goals.

I have to wonder if you're related to the Elias of sports statistics fame.

Also, I've heard from Mets fans that Franco's age isn't quite pinned down.

Still laughing this morning...gonna be a long season for the Yanks and the M's with that kind of pitching!!

If only they hadn't traded Jeff Weaver.
 

<TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=0 width="100%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=5><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=black16bold align=left width="50%">Houston 13</TD><TD class=black16bold align=right width="50%">St. Louis 0</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD>http://images.usatoday.com/sports/ba.../va/astros.gif</TD><TD width=10>http://images.usatoday.com/_common/_images/clear.gif</TD><TD align=middle><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=section_medium><TD class=black12bold align=left> FINAL</TD><TD class=black12bold align=middle width=25>1</TD><TD class=black12bold align=middle width=25>2</TD><TD class=black12bold align=middle width=25>3</TD><TD class=black12bold align=middle width=25>4</TD><TD class=black12bold align=middle width=25>5</TD><TD class=black12bold align=middle width=25>6</TD><TD class=black12bold align=middle width=25>7</TD><TD class=black12bold align=middle width=25>8</TD><TD class=black12bold align=middle width=25>9</TD><TD class=black12bold align=middle width=25>R</TD><TD class=black12bold align=middle width=25>H</TD><TD class=black12bold align=middle width=25>E</TD></TR><TR><TD class=black12bold> Astros </TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>1</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>0</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>0</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>1</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>5</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>2</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>0</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>4</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>0</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>13</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>14</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>0</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#cccccc colSpan=13 height=1>http://images.usatoday.com/_common/_images/clear.gif</TD></TR><TR><TD class=black12bold> Cardinals </TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>0</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>0</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>0</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>0</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>0</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>0</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>0</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>0</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>0</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>0</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>4</TD><TD class=black11bold align=middle>2</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD><TD width=10>http://images.usatoday.com/_common/_images/clear.gif</TD><TD align=right>http://images.usatoday.com/sports/ba.../cardinals.gif</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>