Tim McG

Exactly. The money spent on sports either through salaries or ticket prices has reached full-stage idiocy, melt-down alert status, IMHO. Colleges, coaches, players [pro and college alike] and the owners of professional teams included....not to mention the fans who think nothing of plunking down serious wads of cash to watch them play. Sports are out of control already and it has skewed our sense of what is important in this country. But then those same fans will whine about paying taxes. Go figure.

Should college athletes be paid? I think a full-ride scholarship is payment enough, thank you.

Indeed. Opening Day should be a national holiday! I'll second that

Hm. Touched for three runs with one runner walked over for a run in the 5th....not terribly impressive this Barry Zito. Lemme see, $126 million bucks and for seven years? I have a bad feeling about this.....

I've got tickets for the Giants vs the [hated] dodgers next Saturday in SF. According to the rotation, we should see Barry Zito on the mound. Go Giants!!!

Looks like the Giants have set their pitching rotation: Barry Zito LHP Matt Cain RHP Matt Morris LHP Noah Lowry LHP Russ Ortiz RHP

True enough. And now that pitch counts are all the rage, it's a small wonder more games aren't lost by an over used bullpen on top of that. too, some umpires on certain days have impossible strike zones, unless you are clemens or pedro or glavin or a few others. on certain days certain pitchers couldnt get a strike called if they hand carried the ball across the plate. That's a fact, too. The umpires seem to want to be "the show" rather than just do their jobs.

True enough. And now that pitch counts are all the rage, it's a small wonder more games aren't lost by an over used bullpen on top of that.

Kirkland Drinking Water. School night.

Cool and dry.

Well...I'm not talking dance music. I'm talking about drone symptom music with little more value than a money maker for the record industry. It has a beat and makes people nod their heads to it, but the message is hate and sexism. I'll shed no tear at the funeral.

Good point.

Nah. Rap was the new disco. It's dead, too

Mine? I've got two: My childhood hero, Jim Fregosi: My [when I was a kid] Best Friend's Childhood hero: Say "Hey," Bay-beee

Well...thanks [i guess], but the IMG function here doesn't allow me to post images from my website. Go figure.

Since "dynamic images" are not allowed [whatever the hell that is], I guess you will just have to guess what it is I look like.

Coward.

I pick the Senators to take the whole thing unless the Browns beat 'em. Um. You might want to meet me half way on this one, Chuck. Say 1975?

OK. On to new business: What are your predictions for this year's standings in the NL and the AL?

Last night's red wine....2003 Castoro Cellars Meritage.

Oh, and as a long suffering Giants fan, I welcome Barry Zito with opened arms! Finally, some bonafide pitching. I further predict that Zito's game will naturally elevate the rest of the guys on the pitching staff. Armando "Strike zone....what strike zone?" Benitez being the most notable exception [ugh. What a tragedy on two legs that guy is.]. As to his contract, with Bonds departing at the end of this season and Benitez will surely get kicked to the curb as well, that will free up a ton of cash. I'm not worried.

You gotta look more closely, and you won't be astonished as much. There's a large, active baseball thread. Ah, yes...but it is the Hot Stove Thread. The season is but a month away now and I figured on being the first to fire up a thread to begin the new season. I like to be proactive about these things

E&J Brandy. I am but a humble civil servant....

OK. I know it's been a while since I've been here....but it astonishes me that there is no baseball thread on this BBS! I am here to start it. And I'm a Giants fan.

Not that it matters...but my mother-in-law lives in Concord, NC. She loves it there. [And thank God, too. I live in California....um, did I say that?]