English?
HAHAHA! Silly Americans!

Cubs
From the Tribune:

The Cubs announced Todd Walker will be out four to six weeks with a severe ligament sprain in his left knee, and that Mark Prior will make his 2005 debut Tuesday against the Padres.

Though the Cubs have a capable defensive replacement for Walker in Neifi Perez, who will receive the bulk of the playing time at second, the injury was a blow that could damage the team's offense, at least for the short term.

The media is (once again) making way too much of this. Is it bad that Todd Walker is out for 4-6 weeks? Definitely. We lose a left handed hitter with 15-20 HR power and a high OBP. Defensively we don't lose much. What surprises me is that this article doesn't even mention the starter we have on our bench, Jerry Hairston. Hairston, as did I, expected to start yesterday with Walker being placed on the DL. Neifi played instead. Matchup decision according to Baker.

DUring the winter there was all this talk that this team was going to be different, more balanced. And why? Because we had gotten rid of Sosa and acquired a speedy second baseman that can hit? Does it count if he was going to sit on the bench the whole time? Well no he won't, or shouldn't, and the team can have a real leadoff hitter and move CPatt out of the one hole. It's a tribute to Patterson that he's hit in every game of the season so far because he looks way overmatched during most of his at bats. He has to learn to go the other way, stay off the high fastball and breaking pitch in the dirt, and hit the ball on a line or on the ground.

So much potential there.

Playing Baseball
It's been almost two years since I last played and this weekend I got a practice in on Sat and a scrimmage game on Sunday. It's so much fun to be out there. I had forgotten all about it. Such a great sport. Oh and pitching is the best place to be.

Robert Bradley
Finally got to see him and Blackwater Surprise on Saturday night. He was great. I was also suprised by the opening act, a Michael McDermott from Chicago. He sounds a lot like Bruce Springsteen only the band he plays with has a very unique sound. They play a drum that I've never seen before, a really small guitar-looking thing that brings some country twang to the table, and a 35 year-old woman with the body of a nineteen-year-old on the violin. You don't see that everyday. Plus some of the songs were really good.
I even got me a poster from the venue - good stuff.

I some sadness in Robert Bradley's face and wondered if it had to do with his blindness. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it.

Todd Walker out
for 4-6 weeks with a damaged tendon in his knee from Sunday's game. This means that Hairston will start at second and Mike Fontenot (acquired from Sosa trade) will be called up from AAA. I hate to see Walker go down, especially since he wasn't the everyday guy last season when he should've been, but it'll be good to see Hairston out there every day - he should be leading off and will bring more speed and flexibility to the team. Plus it'll take Corey Patterson out of the leadoff spot.

Opening day, some more
Opening day at Wrigley Field - you cannot beat it. I'm not there, I'm sitting at home watching, but the whole city is electric because of it. Plus it's an awesome day. Great lineup too, I really like it:

Hairston
Patterson
Nomar
ARam
DLee
DuBois
Burnitz
Barrett

And Woody pitching. He looked so good in the playoffs back in 2003, he really needs to get his control in order. DuBois should be starting in my opinion, I have said this for a while.

Did I mention how boring/cliche/bad Bob Brenly is? The only way this day could be any better is if Stoney was calling the game. Chip? Kasper would do.

What does it mean?
- I always play the devil's advocate, I hate to agree with someone too much.

- I hate it when people agree with me too much.

- I like to have someone contradict me every now and then.

- I don't like it when someone contradicts me just to contradict me, that means there is no sincerity behind it, no passion. How can we argue if you aren't coming from a passionate place, but from a yearning to argue?

Perhaps it's just that I'm picky and difficult.

Steve Stone and the Cubs
Check out what recently departed Cubs broadcaster had to say about some of the stuff that happened last year:

On Todd Walker, who complained about having Stone and Caray on the team charter: "I've had flu that lasted longer than this guy was with the Cubs, but he was opining in the media. I called his cell phone and said: `Let's talk about this. I think we can work this out.' And I never got a return call.

Ouch...and not to brown nose Steve Stone but he's got a real good point. He's a straight shooter and that's one of the many reasons he was so good. Cubs messed up letting him go.

Bobby Hill
One time top prospect for the Cubs, Bobby Hill, will not start at second base for the Pirates after their starting second baseman, a kid named Castillo, went on the DL yesterday. Instead, they will will go with Rob Mackowiak. Why? Who knows, but it seems like Hill has run out of opportunities to prove himself as an everyday player. Which sucks.

Bulls
Ouch. GOing through a rash of injuries. Hope Curry is OK. Deng is out, that sucks. Hinrich isn't at 100%. Still they lost for the first time in 10 games last night. Not bad.