Phillies Fans: Keepin' an Eye on the Bastids

Let's face it (the first step is acknowledging the problem): for some of us the baseball season never actually ends, particularly for us Phillies fans this year after a defeat in The Big Dance Contest by The Evil Empire. Thus...

Watch the division first...

The New York Post reports today that Omar Minaya, Chief Spear-carrier in The Evilly Run Empire, has big plans following his squad's less-than-stellar 70-92 posting in '09. He has newly minted free agent Jason Bay in his wavering sights, apparently having decided that it might be a good idea to field at least one player with an actually professional attitude. He's also mulling over Matt Holliday and John Lackey. This trio makes up the top of his wish list. Others being considered include Joel Pineiro, Jason Marquis, Bengie Molina, Aubrey Huff, and Rod Barajas (a-hahahahahahaha)...cool...this is a clear indicator that Omar's brain starts to smoke out there at about item number eight. No sooner had the Post, um,posted this on the internet than stopmetsmadness, apparently a fan, added a comment at least as long as their article-bit that begins: "Look, what's the point of talking about what the Mets should do, or might do[,] or can do[?] As long as The Wilpons own this team[,] they will screw it up." All of this is considered terrific news, or the digital approximation thereof.

Then, watch the rest of the league...

The Cubs are tinkering. They've sent Aaron Heilman to Arizona for two prospects, they've resigned left-hander reliever Scott Grabow, and they don't anticipate any "mega-moves." Yawn. This is the Cubs we're talking about, right?

The Cardinals are optimistic about foiling The Evilly Run Empire by re-signing Holliday, and the Dodgers won't be pursuing Lackey. Great decision on the Dodgers part, huh? Why would a team that's lost twice in a row to the Phillies in the N.L.C.S. want one of the quality starters available?

And OMG: here's a shocker - the Reds are not considering any big free agent signings. Their players are hopeful, though, that the health care reforms currently being considered by Congress will help with the cost of bumps and bruises incurred on the field.

Finally, watch Uncle Bud; He Keeps Trying to Think...

Commissioner You-Call-This-Rain? has decided that the playoff schedule next year needs to be "tighter." It seems that he was told by a staffer that some 450,000 people actually missed the last two games of the World Series in favor of "picking out the right turkey for Thanksgiving." It's not clear who did this poll, however, and Uncle Bud isn't being definitive about said "tightening." Right here it says that if "Bud's teams" get any say in this, the Twins should get two votes. Here's why: after playing one of the best games in twenty years October 6^th against the Tigers for the privilege of going to "the real playoffs," Minnesota's squad had to report from the Midwest to New York City to play the Yankees within 24 hours. This ensured that one of baseball's very best players, catcher Joe Mauer, had to call pitches thrown to the likes of Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter while half asleep. Nice. (Nonetheless, Mauer managed a 2 for 4 evening at the plate and scored a run. What if he'd been awake? Right, right...he's only the second best hitter in the game.)

Bud, some things can be too tight. Go to The Clue Store. The regular season needs to be cut to 156 games, ya cheap bastid.

Sources:

Bloom, Barry M. "Postseason schedule to be tightened." MLB.com. 19 November 2009.

"Cards optimistic on Holliday," "Cubs, lefty reliever Grabow agree to 2-year deal," "Dealing, not shopping, on Cubs' agenda," "Dodgers won't be pursuing John Lackey " & "Reds won't be busy in free agency," prosportsdaily.com [from various sources], 19 November 2009.

Hubbuch, Bart. "Holliday, Bay, Lackey top Mets' shopping list." nypost.com. 19 November 2009."MLB Game Flash [Twins at Yankees]" sports illustrated.cnn.com. 7 October 2009.