Take A Pill Will Ya

Evenin peeps and anyone else who checking in tonight or whenever it may be.

Day 1 of my vacation (actually...it started Friday at lunch when I bolted - the patio across the street from work was calling). Maybe its just me, but does it seem to you that everyone went nuts this weekend? Seriously, this was one funny weekend - where to start?

MLB
First off, congratulations to Rafael Palmeiro on his 3,000 hit. The guy has been a class act his whole career (even when he was an unhappy Cub - Cubs fans...don't you wish they had gotten rid of Mark Grace?) Rafael Palmeiro...take a bow, for your accomplishments on the field - but above all...for being one of the good guys in baseball (no matter what Canseco said).

Red Sox Nation is up in arms - it's everybody's fault. It is Dale Sveum (a terrible 3rd base coach according to the board), it is Terry Francona making bad calls (he should have pinch hit for Cora etc), no one is hitting or pitching - so why isn't Epstein making a trade yet? One guy even went on record saying they were the worst team ever - now that is funny on a Red Sox board. Come on Red Sox Nation - they are just in the midst of a slump that every team goes through once or twice a year - you know, the kind the O's just got over - which allowed you to catch them and overtake them. Take a pill gang...but I will say this - while you seem to be obsessed with the Yankees (which is normal) - the O's are getting healthy and look like they are ready to go on another little charge (Eric Bedard - a Canadian) is back, Sosa seems to be hitting a bit...the O's are getting a few clutch hits...when their bats wake up, watch out! stay tuned.

New York Yankees fans are back to being their arrogant, brash, obnoxious selves with the run they have been on. Yankees fans, forget it...its not going to happen for you this year. Your pitching staff is going to get hit hard in the second half of the season - have you been paying attention to how hittable Randy Johnson is? Al Leiter isn't the answer - it was a good game on Sunday, but a 39 year old is going to have those once in a while. Mussina has pitched well, but certainly isn't a stopper anymore. Pavano has shown nothing this year. You had a good series against the Sox, but it was just that - a series. They'll come back and get you.

So before you discount the 1st part of the season as "just a bad start" - think twice...its going to happen a few more times in the second half - your pitching staff is too old, they aren't going to be get you through a 7 game series.

Toronto Blue Jays fans got slapped back to reality this past weekend (apologies to Hazel Mae if she's reading this). If you were holding out any hope that this team could contend with Halladay gone for any period of time, I ask you - what in the hell are you smoking or injesting? The Jays are ok, but just ok. The reason they are in contention at this point in the season is that the stars lined up - the Sox and the Yankees haven't been as good as expected, but they are still much better than the Jays...and the O's put things together this year. I heard the Chickenhawk talking on a broadcast this weekend - pointing out that one of the things that has hurt the Jays this year has been (say it all together peeps) "situational hitting" - they aren't getting situational hitting...but the Chickenhawk chalks that up to the team being young. I still don't buy that crap - and Jays fans shouldn't either. They aren't that young...Zaun, Wells, Hillenbrand, Catalanatto have been around long enough to be out of the "young" category...Eric Hinske has had enough at-bats over the last 2+ years to be considered veteran - I still don't think he's in the bottom half of corner infielders when it comes to hitting. Well, it doesn't matter - no matter what the Chickenhawk says...this team isn't going anywhere, you don't have the payroll to compete with the big boys. So reality check/pill before you start talking about what could have been...I don't think so.

NHL
The NHLPA has not ratified the deal agreed to by the principles. Ya...they haven't ratified the deal - they've come out and admitted defeat, what makes anyone think they aren't going to accept it. It would show me something if they did...but that doesn't seem like its going to happen.

Maple Leafs Nation (of which I am a member) is dreaming of a number of free agent signings that include...but would not be limited to - Markus Naslund from Vancouver ($5 Million), Scott Niedermeyer ($4-5 Million) - then here is where we get dreamy... the logic goes that if the Ferguson signs these two...he can make a case to other free agents that this team is really going for the Cup...playing on Gary Roberts and Joe Nieuwendyk's affinity to Toronto to get them to sign cheap, thus attracting even more high level talent to take a pay cut to make the Toronto Maple Leafs the NHL's equivalent of last year's Red Sox. I'm betting the Leaf Cup party would out do Boston's celebration - before any of "hazelspeeps" email me with hate mail...remember one thing - our party is going national...Coast to Coast. I guess there could only be one real judge of the celebrations huh? A person who experienced Boston's first hand, and a person who would almost certainly come home to celebrate her beloved's Leafs first cup in her lifetime...don't ya think? But Leaf Nation...as much as I want to buy into this one...I think we all need to take a pill (especially those of "us" that think we are getting Crosby...as much as I wish....).

There's a lot more to write about...my weekend working outside and listening to sports radio...but that is for tomorrow night I think...it's late...I'm exhausted...and I've got to haul ass up early tomorrow morning.

Night to everyone...and especially to you

Song of the Day at Hazelspeeps...for fans who are hallucinating about their teams (hello Jays and Yankees fans)...to those stressing and obsessing about their boys (big shout out to Red Sox Nation)...to those of us dreaming of a Maple Leafs team that is an All-Star team...

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - the Beatles (not a fan of them...but)

Everyone needs a big dose...smile peeps...its summer...its all good!

Peesth out!