I'm picking the tigers for the Wild Card. Their lineup is amazing, but I think the Indians will edge them out. Carmona, Sabathia, Westbrook, Byrd and Lee look like a staff that can win a division. Their bullpen is solid and they have some bats too.

I'm hoping for an exiting season. Heck, it's not even a week into baseball and I'm predicting already. Some great teams have gotton off to a bumpy starts, and some bottom dwellers are doing ok so far. The Nationals are 3-0.

If the Nationals can develop or get a couple of solid starters, they could be contenders. Of course, they also need more offense. I really like their bullpen though.

The Tribe 2-0

Well, there's always next year.

Over the years the teams I have liked have usually f-ed up in the playoffs despite their regular seasons. (Pre-2000 Pacers, Colts (-XLI)) So I think if I didn't see baseball as a boring way to watch grass grow while eating a hot dog, I'd root for the Cubs.

A group of students from Connecticut was touring Fenway Park yesterday when a resident red-tailed hawk swooped from her perch and attacked a girl. The girl was treated and released for minor cuts to her scalp. Her name? Alexa Rodriguez.

The rivalry heats up.

Yep. Thats from the "You-can't-make-this-up" Department.

Oooh, grand slam by Frank Thomas. The Sox had them to two outs too.

Ok, Red Sox, that's enough errors now. Oy!

Holy Shit! The Orioles tied up in the bottom of the 9th on a wild pitch.

Watching 3 games at onces is tiring me out.

EDIT The Orioles come back to win the game after being down 2-0 in the 9th.

I don't think The Red Sox can come back though.

Darn. That's a shame.

Is anyone used to seeing Kerry Wood as a closer? That's one promising career that flat lined rather quickly.

How fitting for me to see Miguel Tejada make the final out. (Sorry Gina).

The Nats have gone 3-4 since I wrote this.

Talk about being the kiss of death.

The Blue Jays are 4 - 2 after six games against the Yankees and the Red Sox. Not too shabby.

I know US folks don't really follow rugby league as a sport but you do have a league(and a national team,the Tomahawks) stateside. This is a great sport and for the many NFL lovers you will enjoy the physicality and the big hits involved.

There is a team for everyone

http://www.amnrl.com

Perfect timing for me.... I turned on my tv to see the Red Sox behind Cleveland by one run going into the 9th. A quick three runs changed that, and Papelbon got the save!!

WooooHoooo.

Did the Rockies and Padres really play 22 innings last night?

What is the longest ever played game? I want to say I've heard 27, but I could be wrong.

I agree that I'm not used to seeing Wood in that role. However, he's been around since 1998 and has been injured so often that this is probably his last chance.

Beth E - have you been to the new Nats stadium yet or is too far from where you live?

I looked it up.... the longest game (by innings) in the majors was back in 1920 when the Brooklyn Dodgers played the Boston Braves for 26 innings.

Timewise, the honor goes to Chicago (White Sox) and Milwaukee back in 1984 when they played 25 innings in 8 hours and 6 minutes.

SC is absolutely right. There was an AL game about 6-7 years ago that came within a couple of minutes of breaking the time record. I think it involved the Rangers.

There was a AAA game in 1981 (I remember because it was completed during the MLB strike) between Rochester and Pawtucket that went 33 innings. The game started on Saturday evening and went to the 31st or 32d inning after 4 AM Easter morning with about a dozen or so fans left before it was suspended. They completed the game a few months later when Rochester was back in town.

The game featured future Hall of Famers Cal Ripken (Rochester) and Wade Boggs (Pawtucket). I think Pawtucket scored a ninth inning run to tie it at 1, and then each team scored a run around the 20th inning before Pawtucket won it.

Those dozen or so fans were either hardcore or homeless. I can't imagine staying that long, especially for a minor league game.

I once stayed out at a Double A game til 2:30 AM in the late 90s. My sons were with me and were about 6 and 4 at the time. I also brought one of my older son's buddies. It was in the days before everyone had a cell phone, so I didn't think of calling.

My wife went to bed around 10 PM thinking we'd be home any minute, but the game went about 18 innings, and the kids showed no signs of being tired.

My neighbors, whose son was with us, called my wife just after midnight. They heard the game was still on the radio, so they were pretty sure we were still there. Out of roughly 3,000, who attended the game, there were maybe 50-60 still there at the end. We and a couple of other mentally ill fans had an entire section to ourselves. There were free sodas and ice cream for those left. It was to surreal to leave.

Anyway, my wife thought I was nuts for having the kids out so late.

Was it a school night Klyd?

If so i bet you had fun getting them up the next morning?

No, Yogi. It was during the Summer. The budyy, however, was leaving for vacation the following day.

The NFL draft has no excitement for me this year....Colts will usually have a low first rounder but they traded it to the 49ers to pick Tony Ugoh in the 2nd round last year, which ended up being a good move after Tarik Glenn retired before Training Camp.

I agree about the draft Longneck. I look forward to it, but the Browns do not have a pick until the fourth round. I'll be interested to see where McFadden lands, but there doesn't seem to be as much intrigue as in years past.

There seem to be a few more quality offensive linemen than usual. I don't see McFadden going in the top 5 as those teams may be able to address bigger concerns more readily with guys like the Longs, Matt Ryan and Dorsey.

Shame on you, Klydon. What in the world would make you think Al Davis will draft smartly and for a position in need rather than the "sexy" pick?!

I agree the draft is deeper than usual with lineman. Not as many hyped QBs as recent drafts.



On a separate note, how in the hell did Tim Duncan hit a 3 pointer with the game on the line Saturday? That was ridiculous. That game might have broken Phoenix already.

I happened to turn on the TV right before Duncan hit the shot. That was unbelievable. It was his first 3 of the season.

One thing Al Davis might be crazy enough to do, besides taking the "sexy pick", is choosing someone with some sort of Raiders connection. There has been a lot of talk about "them" (the Raiders, as in "him" Al Davis) taking Chris Long, former Raider Howie Long's son. I think that might be a better pick for the Raiders. It will be an interesting draft I think.