Funny how baseball’s players association suddenly agrees to some form of steroid testing in a year when no one will hit 60 home runs, maybe not even 50, and certainly not 73.
Think some players started cycling off the stuff, knowing the agreement was coming, or did pitchers suddenly get a whole lot better?
Sammy Sosa said the lack of home runs is because pitchers won’t challenge great hitters anymore. Sosa has struck out 100 times, so someone is challenging him pretty good.
The Cubs gave up three runs on a grounder to third. That is so Cubs.
The Chicago National League Ball Club, a subsidiary of Tribune Co., has problems with the managers, on defense, at the plate, in the bullpen, with administrative wonks and now the charter plane.
That’s some season.
The Astros, who face the Cubs in Wrigley starting Monday, forced their rookies to wear dresses before catching a charter flight. The Houston Chronicle reports that pitcher Kirk Saarloos donned a tight purple number and started answering to the name “Exxus.”
“I feel a part of the team, especially now that I’m wearing a dress,” Saarloos said.
Hey, look! Paul Konerko!
Carlos Lee cut an endorsement deal with PrimeCo. Hope he can get baserunning lessons on speed dial.
Either Gary Pettis can’t teach baserunning or Sox players can’t learn. Fix this.
Good for you, Jim Parque.
Sox manager Jerry Manuel says they’re trying to get Todd Ritchie “back to where he pitched well,” and I’m thinking, he’s too old for Little League.
In 2000 then-Sox GM Ron Schueler said the team was a year ahead of schedule. What’s the schedule now?
The White Sox unveiled the logo for the 2003 All-Star Game, scheduled for Comiskey Park, if there is no work stoppage. So there you go. A team that can’t market is promoting a game that might not be played.
From staffer Bob Vanderberg, after the small-market Sox agreed to help pay salaries of players they traded: “Am not getting any positive reaction over at Comiskey on my question of whether the Sox are willing to help me pay for my season tickets next year, if indeed we decide to renew, which I doubt.”
Eight Italian soccer league teams, including two recent champions, were told they would be kicked out if they don’t straighten out their finances caused by high salaries. Jeez, even soccer leagues are smarter than Bud Selig’s bunch.
Then again, Major League Baseball seems to be doing better with the Expos this year than Tribune Co. with the Cubs and Chairman Reinsdorf with the Sox.
Selig’s name in lawsuits involving racketeering charges and funny bookkeeping makes you wonder if he’s going to be a cellmate of John Rigas and Ken Lay.
Here’s my problem with the Bears’ attempt to acquire Tulane rookie quarterback Patrick Ramsey from the Redskins: New Skins coach Steve Spurrier knows quarterbacks and he apparently didn’t want him.
The Bears practice in sweaty Bourbonnais, while the Cowboys, one of two NFL teams to lose at least 10 games each of the last two seasons, are staying in an upscale hotel, not a college dorm, when they aren’t practicing in the 72-degree Alamodome.
Bears defensive tackle Keith Traylor said he went to a nutritionist to get in better shape for this season. Seems to me a couple of laps around Ted Washington would have done it.
You can buy Drew Bledsoe’s house in Medfeld, Mass., now that he’s quarterbacking the Buffalo Bills. It’s 11,000 square feet and has 20 rooms, including a home theater, wine cellar, spa with hot tub, exercise room and billiards room. There’s also a pool with a waterfall, a children’s playground, tennis court and putting green. Asking $8.99 million. Will settle for an offensive line and a running game.
Oakland’s Scott Hatteberg prepared to switch from catcher to first base last winter by having his wife hit him grounders on a local tennis court.
The Ft. Worth Cats minor-league baseball team has plans for a “Labor Stoppage Night” if major-leaguers go on strike. Pregnant fans will be admitted free.
Fired Notre Dame coach Bob Davie joined ESPN as an analyst. ESPN was immediately installed as a 14-point underdog to Fox Sports Net.
If the Fighting Irish really want to cut down on tailgating, they could rehire Davie.
Coming to a store near you: Ted Williams DNA in a Drum.
The Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto is looking for a new sponsor for its Great Hall that houses all the plaques upstairs. The last sponsor was WorldCom.
Wait a minute. I think another Sox player was just thrown out on the bases.
Canada’s Alexander Despatie, who followed two gold medals in diving with a bronze at the Commonwealth Games: “As we say in French, I choked.”
