Quincy

The "Jack Straw>Deal" they're including is a good one. Maybe I'm being optimistic here, but I think the fact they didn't nibble on 10/27 may mean they intend to release it in full someday.

Most (if not all) drug tests can give false positives (as well as false negative) results. Googling around there are claims that Amoxicillin and synthetic penicillins can cause a false positive for cocaine. Tonic water, liver infection and diabetes can also cause a false positives as well, at least according to some sites. Tonic water eh? I made my remark about how I could believe she was innocent before I knew (or noticed) that she had also retired, but I don't think that necessarily changes things. Like many tennis players who start so young, she's broken down in a bad way long before age 30.

Dick's Picks is dead, Long Live "Road Trips" A new series is born. Essentially they're no longer contained by the Dick's Pick definition (must be 2-track). It also looks like they're more willing to make compilations of tour segments, though they say they are not ruling out complete shows. Road Trips info Link to the 1st Road Trip While I know many prefer their Dead to be pre-retirement, fall '79 is very worthy of being mined and is underrepresented in the official releases. Not to be an enabler, but I know a few old-time Deadheads who visit fall '79 (and that's are far as they'll go) & enjoy it greatly when they make their rare stray from Pigpen - '74, or Pigpen - '77. Try it, you might like it. Woo hoo, it is alive again!

Pagey broke a fingertip, so the show has been delayed until Dec. 10th. I have a friend who is flying from the US to see it. Looks like he'll have some scrambling to do. MSNBC link "LONDON - Led Zeppelin fans awaiting the rockers' reunion will have to wait a little longer. The band's first concert in two decades, scheduled for Nov. 26, has been postponed until Dec. 10 after guitarist Jimmy Page fractured a finger, organizers said Friday. "I am disappointed that we are forced to postpone the concert by two weeks," Page said in a statement. "However, Led Zeppelin have always set very high standards for ourselves, and we feel that this postponement will enable my injury to properly heal, and permit us to perform at the level that both the band and our fans have always been accustomed to." Led Zeppelin, who split up in 1980 after the death of drummer John Bonham, announced in September they were reuniting for a one-off show. The lineup includes Page, singer Robert Plant and bass player John Paul Jones, along with Bonham's son Jason. More than 1 million fans entered a draw for a chance to buy one of the 10,000 tickets to the concert at London's O2 Arena, a tribute to Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun, who died last year. The lineup also includes former Rolling Stone Bill Wyman, Foreigner and young Scottish singer Paolo Nutini. Organizers said tickets for the Nov. 26 gig will be honored at the rescheduled show."

You know, after the rumor that ARod was going to be part owner of the Cubs, it's almost getting to that point.

I may be wrong, but I believe false positives for cocaine happen more frequently than the other drugs they test for. And as it's getting to be the cold & flu season I'm fairly certain some medicines can trip up the tests. My normal reaction to these sorts of stories are along the lines of "gotcha," but for some reason I'm inclined to think she might be innocent. Odd feeling, as I'm not really a big fan of hers either.

Not just Rite of Spring...22 discs of Stravinsky conducting Stravinsky (CBS) is being (re)released on November 13. Amazon price is $31.49. Customer review link. I linked it to the customer review page as one of the reviews does a better job of listing the contents than Amazon's entry. CD Universe says it's 1 CD with 427 cuts. Sounds like there's next to nothing in terms of notes, but certainly a nice "price per lb."

The Nats new park is coming along. Home plate and the infield grass in place. Click "Time Lapse" near the top if you like that kind of thing.

Yup, I love it. It's been a favorite, though Something Else & Village Green tend to be in a never ending battle for top spot. But why pick favorites, so much to love.

The 3rd baseman who'd it'd probably make the most sense to pay high & lock up long is Miguel Cabrera. He's not a FA but the rumors are already starting. Hughes, Melky, and someone else are the starting points talked about with the Yankees. Presumably the Yanks could spend money to grab one of the FA CFs if they don't want Damon to play there next year. Pretty hot hot stove all the sudden, just 2 days in. Say, isn't the Mitchell report supposed to come out very soon?

There is Jennings too, who (ha ha) got out of Colorado and barely played for Houston last year. Someone will look at him as the glass half full and pay too much. So like you said, it is a bleak group. Ah, hadn't heard the Reds now appreciated him. For the past 2 years they've treated him like an elevator operator with a flatulence problem. He played some RF in the beginning of his career and later some first base too. I get the impression that RF didn't work. The Reds had other options at first during those years which is one of the reasons he was sent to left. With Dusty as manager he can look forward to IBBs after the guy in front of him in the lineup bunts the runner over to 2nd.

Congrats BoSox fans! A damn good team, and I was glad to see Lowell get the MVP. And how 'bout the kid from Oregon, Ellsbury? That young punk now has a WS ring to add to his college World Series championship. Probably the most coverage of an east coast team I've seen out here because of the connection. Now what the hell am I supposed to do tonight? Read? Hot Stove Thread, here we come!

Gee Dan, you about covered it all. Have you been celebrating with too much coffee? Thank goodness Alex opted out as it was shaping up to be a dull free agent crop. It'll be interesting to see if Alex prefers to return to short. That would put the Cubs in play...if they had the ownership situation worked out. One free agent who should draw interest is Adam Dunn. Yeah, he strikes out a crazy amount, but he's in his prime (turns 28) & can slug. He could catch attention from the Mets (Alou's contract is up) or the Dodgers for starters.

Whew, under under under! Howie Long mentions it during the football postgame show at approximately 4:45 Pacific.

Or the Cardinals last year. Somebody's changed his tune. But I don't think I ever said that it was wrong, per se - only that some poor teams back into the playoffs and then get hot and win it all. This year's Rockies are a better team than last year's Cards, imo, and not only because they won 8 more games in the regular season. Yeah, they were about as far from the scorching hot Rockies as a team could be. They were doing everything they could to hand a weak NL Central to the Astros. Weak? I dunno. Cubbies looked pretty darn good this year. I was talking about the 2006 Cardinals (and central division.) The World Champion Cards only won 83 games that year, and just barely held on to win the division.

Or the Cardinals last year. Somebody's changed his tune. But I don't think I ever said that it was wrong, per se - only that some poor teams back into the playoffs and then get hot and win it all. This year's Rockies are a better team than last year's Cards, imo, and not only because they won 8 more games in the regular season. Yeah, they were about as far from the scorching hot Rockies as a team could be. They were doing everything they could to hand a weak NL Central to the Astros.

Or the Cardinals last year. Somebody's changed his tune.

The last 7 game series was in 2002 (Angels-Giants) and the last 6 game series occurred the following year (Marlins-Yanks). Since then, they've all been rather one sided and dull, this one arguably the most uncompetitive thus far. A 7 game series is no guarantee of a good series, not if all the games are blowouts. I suggest you revisit the White Sox-Astros series. One of the more exciting sweeps in baseball history. Baseball ref link

I think in Game 3 with CO throwing a righty you go ahead and start Oritz, just to see how (badly) he handles playing 1st. You can get him out of there (perhaps on a double switch) or replace straight up as needed. And that way you have better defense the rest of the way. It's a tough call, would you rather have him get in 2 at bats early in the game or just 1 at bat late. The way the Red Sox offense is I'd be inclined to try to blow 'em out early with Ortiz, get him out by the 5th give or take an inning. And Ortiz with a bad knee is still a much more dangerous bat vs. RHP than Youkilis on a hot streak (who went 0 for 3 last night btw.) The results of Game 3 determine whether to do it again for Game 4. I'd be tempted to sit Ortiz on Game 5 vs. the lefty and use him like Kirk Gibson, Game 1 1988.

Meet the Rockie's ace in a couple of video shorts. Humidor sketch Off days

A flu shot does no good against "stomach flu" (which is often food poisoning) or the Norwalk virus, but it's just so unnecessary to have the possibility of influenza playing a role in the playoffs, be it MLB or NFL. And yet every few years it does. Guess you can tell my dad is big on flu shots. Ah...good point. And now I see Wake can't play. Too bad as he's such a good team player. Plus its always entertaining to watch those flutterbies. That's the other thing I admire about the Red Sox, they have the good sense to see the value in a knuckle-baller! True, though if you're a line drive hitter (and I don't know Helton or Hawpe's tendencies) it can boost your average, and often doubles result too. Doubles and singles that advance baserunners the extra base suit me just fine! Yup, just as I admired Wedge for talking about the Indians gaining experience for next time, it's probably best for future Red Sox teams that Lester gets a start. And I do think tossing a lefty against them would be a good idea, since y'all don't have Bruce Hurst available.

Does anyone know if the Red Sox do the sensible thing and require/provide flu shots for their players? Flu has turned up very early here in parts of the West, and if there's one thing that could knock the team down a notch it would be that. It never ceases to amaze me that sports teams that play championships during the fall & winter don't protect their multi-million dollar investments with a shot that costs $15 to 30. It's so damn stupid, as it's the cheapest insurance imaginable. As the Red Sox seem to be more enlightened about such things as not getting in the way of worker self-expression, I was wondering if their upper management brain trust is on top of this. I'm amused at the head games that Coors ballpark is putting on the BoSox. The idea of throwing Wakefield in game 2 so as to avoid having him pitch at Coors ignores that Schilling the Younger pitched horribly there. You think the old man version will do any better? Of course Wakefield did pitch a dandy for awhile in his last game, and with the day off between game 2 & 3 you can throw the whole bullpen if necessary if he fails in Fenway. Still, this coupled with imagining a winded Ortiz or Manny being especially light-headed at the higher altitude gives me a chuckle. (I can also stifle my chuckle by seeing those 2 and other BoSox hitters sending shots into orbit.) The Rockies are probably happy as hell Boston doesn't have a lefty starter. Their OPS is .798 vs. RHP, .722 vs. LHP. Helton & Hawpe will benefit. I think another factor that may help the Rockies is that the road park is hitter friendly. The knock on 'em has always been the guys who slug .700 at home look like banjo hitters away, but that's less likely to happen when they go to Fenway. I'm hoping it'll be fun. A bunch of kids, one vet (Helton), one with World Series experience (Taveras w/ the 'stros) and Matt Holliday whose at that perfect age (27), who seems to be immune to playoff pressure. Certainly a fine way to introduce his talents to America, assuming anybody is watching the series. As good as Boston pitching is, there's also a pretty high variation in outcomes once you get past Beckett. The unfamiliarity of that patchwork Rockie staff might help CO in a short series. Not saying they'll win, but Go Rocks! If for no other reason than to keep making this decade for 1st time champs & it's-been-a-very-long-time-since-you-were champs.

A bit late but Happy Birthday!

That's it right there. Maybe the most surprising thing to me would be if he pitched a serviceable game. Seems more likely to blow up or blow 'em out. Game 7!

Yeah, that's going to be really hard to find. Good luck indeed. Bobby Valentine probably thinks he can manage the Yanks and his team in Japan at the same time. Joe Girardi tried to act cool on Fox...what's Derek's opinion about him I wonder. Yup, there's a big shortage of guys who'd want to manage the NY Yankees alright. Ok hoss. I'm also thinking that Lou Piniella is bashing his head against a wall screaming "why the hell did I sign with the Cubs!"