Getaway Day Grab Bag

One of the stories in Baseball news this week was a piece that MLB.com did on Athletics outfielder/douchebag Nick Swisher. This article actually tries to defend his reputation, instead of reinforce it. Most people, including myself, don't really care for this "Moneyball" player because of his stupid hair, the massive amount of body armor he wears while batting, and that he points towards the sky every time he gets on base. MLB.com has revealed that he is actually quite a down to earth guy who wears his hair long in honor of his grandmother who raised him, and he actually plans to do what Johnny Damon did a few years ago and donate his hair towards a foundation that makes wigs for women with cancer. It's going to take a lot more than that to get me to like you, as a person or a player, but it's a good first step I guess.


Torii Hunter was also in the news the week. The Twins centerfielder is under investigation for "donating" a case of champagne to the Kansas City Royals last season after they beat the White Sox at the end of the year, thus allowing Minnesota to make the playoffs. This is hardly a college booster issue, and I think Major League Baseball should be more focused on the steroids issue right now as it is, and Bonds only has 14 to go.


The Yost family certainly should make the TWIB Blooper reel this week. Ned Yost IV, who is in the Brewers' farm system, is out for the season after injuring himself during a bodysurfing accident. However, Brewers manager Ned Yost can ceratinly not be angry with his son, because on Tuesday he broke his collar bone after tripping and falling during a job near Lake Michigan in Chicago. He has refused to be casted or immobilized, and basically said "Hey Doc, stick it, I gotta coach ball!"


The infamous 2004 ALCS Game 6 sock worn by Curt Schilling that now resides in Cooperstown was under fire from Gary Thorne early this week. Thorne, known mostly for his hockey commentary but is also an announcer for the Orioles, seemed to indicate that the sock was a hoax and was actually paint, and not only that, but that Red Sox catcher Doug Mirabelli was in on it. All team members denied this, particularly Schilling, who offered to show Thorne the nine-inch scar on his ankle if he wanted any proof. I think Thorne is probably just pissed off that since the NHL is on Versus now, his lone duty for ESPN is now horse racing. There's no need to take it out on Schilling though, one of the greatest pitchers of all time and a true ambassador of the game - not to mention the pride of Anchorage, Alaska!


Hurt again this week were: Ken Griffey Jr (colon inflammation), Ben Sheets (groin strain), Mark Prior (torn rotator cuff), and Eric Gagne. All are expected to return shortly, excpet for Prior, who is out for the season again. No surprises here. Maybe they should just round up all the parts that still work on these guys and give them to other mediocre players. If so, I got dibs on Gagne's specs.


Records set this week: Ken Griffey Jr pulls ahead of Reggie Jackson for 10th all-time on the homerun list; Sammy Sosa's 593rd career homer at Jacobs Field today was a record 44th park he has homered in, most in major league history; Jake Peavy struck out 9 batters in a row, setting the Padres mark and falling one behing Tom Seaver's record of 10 with the Mets; A-Rod now has 14 homeruns in April, tied for most in April with Albert Pujols (he is currently on pace for about 115 HR and over 300 RBI.


Lastly, Randy Johnson made his first start of the seaon in his second stint with the Diamondbacks; his first time around, he won 4 Cy Youngs and a World Series ring with Arizona.

YESTERDAY + TODAY'S RESULTS:
Twins L, W (12-10)
Brewers L, off (13-8)
Reds L, L (10-12)

THIS WEEKEND:
Twins @ Tigers
Brewers @ Astros
Reds @ Pirates