I trust it's a decent show, but maybe it's just not my style. I know all my friends and family love it!

For me, I'm more excited about the return of CBS Monday!

-- and the Office

It was really fascinating compiling a top 30 outfielders list for fantasy baseball today. What I noticed, above all else, is that a lot of the top outfielders hit their stride between the ages of 26-28.

Matt Kemp isn't even 24 yet and I get the impression he could end up with some big numbers this year.

I need to get into the "Old Christine" club. I haven't had time for that show yet. I already watch the other 3 Monday CBS shows, so what the hell. I'm adding it for Monday.

http://tinyurl.com/2qas3z

I'm not really sure if that's the way Yankee Stadium should go out.

I've missed the last three episodes though!

-There are new episodes of Good Eats! I believe on Mondays.
-Top Chef starts again this week

I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.

356. Agreed. He gets on my nerves. I'm not much of a fan of that show. How many diners and greasy spoons can you watch him eat some discusting meal in and listen to him quell about how great it is.

I really enjoy Alton Brown's shows but I bought his cookbook and it was not for me. Its more science textbook than cookbook. For good easy cooking I still like Ina best of all. I know she's passe but her recipes are easy and hold up really well.

Back to back cheap cycles?

Apparently, Elliot's hooker didn't get the memo.

League ID#: 138391
League Name: Friends of DT Roto
Password: minotaur
Custom League URL: http://baseball.fantasysports.yahoo.com/league/minotaur
Season Type: Full
Draft Type: Live Draft
Draft Time: Fri Mar 14 7:00pm PDT
Max Teams: 14
Scoring Type: Rotisserie

League ID#: 138325
League Name: H2H
Password: monkey
Season Type: Full
Draft Type: Live Draft
Draft Time: Sat Mar 22 7:30pm PDT
Max Teams: 12
Scoring Type: Head-to-Head

http://www.basketballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=232

This hits close to home as that place is located where I grew up and two weeks ago I had the procedure done. OUCH!

But not to China.

I am biased though since I've been a Mark Grant fan since the early 1990s when he was on one of those MLB blooper videos doing an impression of various umpires. That was hilarious.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=79HbpLXqNzQ

As far as not being present for the broadcast, if it's good enough for Andres Cantor, it's good enough for me!

I had knee surgery two days before the procedure and that didn't bother me nearly as much at the snip snip. Now I know why frozen peas exist.

Soccer fans are quite used to that sort of broadcast.

"Tony Abreu left camp for Philadelphia, where he will be examined by the doctor who performed surgery on his torn abdominal muscle in the offseason."

Here are my photos from this last weekend in Florida. I have pictures from the March 7th through 9th games. Included are some great shots of Kershaw (#96). From Fridays game we had seats 3 rows behind dodger dugout, right behind the water coolers, got some great shots of players getting a drink.

Pete Schourek of the Reds was pitching to Montreal's Rondell White. Eddie Taubensee was the catcher. More details here:

http://tinyurl.com/rflt5

In the first inning today, Pierre and Furcal combined for two walks, three steals and two runs, not to mention an opposing passed ball.

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-ten-worst-leadoff-hitters-since-1957/

Anonymous: Have you talked to Manny about his approach to the game regarding strategy? He seems to have imbibed the anti-bunt/steal philosophy of the sabermetric gurus. (That's a good thing, by the way.)

Barry Svrluga: Yes, have talked much to him about this, and last week he lent me a copy of the book "Mind Games" by the Baseball Prospectus staff on the 2004 Red Sox. It's a fascinating combination of stats-stuff and anecdotes, and he loves it. He simply will not bunt in early innings, and he wants guys to have a 70 percent success rate on steals in order to keep the "green light." He also does not believe that any team has ever won a game because its manager got ejected, etc.

http://tinyurl.com/ypvmua

"Manny Acta is actually M.A.N. eACTA, the black-ops code-name for the Mechanized Algorithmic Numerical (internet-ready) Actionable Computation Techno-Automaton. When his "contract" runs out with the Nats he is going to be launched into space. We are weaponizing space. Deal with it, China."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jay (Lincoln, CA): Jim, what would you do if your Torre facing a logjam in the outfield. Jones has to play, but Kemp, Ethier, and Pierre need to fill the corners. Clearly, at least to me, Kemp and Ethier seem to field the best outfield, both defensively and offensively. I cannot understand why the Dodgers don't realize they overpayed for Pierre, deal with the loss and play the best outfield possible, while having a speedy bench guy who can fill in for 2 outfield positions. It almost seems like they are trying to talk up Pierre's value for a possible trade, or are rewarding him the position because of that ludicrous contract that he was offered and signed.

Jim Callis: (2:10 PM ET ) You may be right on both counts, Jay. Pierre would easily be the fourth outfielder for me. But Ned Colletti can't justify the bad contract or drum up trade interest if he rides the bench, which is what Pierre should be doing.

I just got an email that my subscription to MLB Audio was auto-renewed, and yet I have no Dodger game to enjoy via audio today. (Still, $14.95 for the year is a great deal)

The Atlantic-10 is like the Pacific-10 except it has more than 10 teams and a lot of them aren't on the Atlantic.

Phil (Grand Rapids): Jim, what is your take on Chris Withrow. The handbook had him at a 88-91, but mentioned that he added velocity up to 95 or so during the summer. He has a big-time frame, and the Dodgers have quite a track record with high-school arms. Are we looking at a potential stud here?

SportsNation Jim Callis: (2:26 PM ET ) Yes. I don't think he'll be a Kershaw-type stud, but Logan White of the Dodgers may be the game's best judge of pitching talent. Withrow added velocity throughout 2007 and it wouldn't surprise me if he winds up with a consistent plus fastball and curveball.

Mike (Albany, NY): Hey Jim! Did you see the Mr. Snappy curveball Clay Kershaw threw to Sean Casey over the weekend? I mean poor Sean almost gave up baseball after that! Should the Dodgers plug Clay into the rotation to start the year?

SportsNation Jim Callis: (2:26 PM ET ) I'd let Kershaw pitch for at least a month or two in Double-A. But if he continues to look this spectacular, I'd have no qualms about bringing him up in June.

"Looking at dictators in the world, Mao Zedong, is a standout in the field."

"Next Chapter

We'll examine the ten worst second-slot hitters since 1957."

I am popping some popcorn and rubbing my hands together gleefully for that one.

"Sinking liner to right ... and Kemp makes a Great Leap Forward to catch it!"

I think Steve -- wherever he is -- will play the role of Dr. Joyce Brothers.

But it would be really hard for the Giants to fall short of the 574 runs scored by the 2003 Dodgers.

No one in the NL has had a lower OPS+ than the 1993 Marlins (80 OPS+). The scored 3.59 runs per game in a league that scored 4.49 runs/gm (and they were in a hitter's park then).

"Serving a largely ceremonial stint while Joe Torre is in China, he is the first Hall of Fame manager to return to the dugout after retiring.... The position is largely ceremonial, though, because bench coach Bob Schaefer and third base coach Larry Bowa will be making most of the decisions, based on Torre's wishes. That's fine with Lasorda."

today is a weird day, next thing i know i'm going to be a billingsley supporter.

That would be fun.

BTW - KABC did not "broadcast" the games last week, but the feed must have gone through their transmitter and they added their ads for revenue. But if you listened to KABC, you would have gotten the regular programming.

I remember for years and years, Michael Jackson (not that Michael Jackson), used to dread March because his show got pre-empted for Dodger spring training games. There was an issue involving the Angels because Arte's station could not get pre-empt their regular programming for the Angel games, he did put all of their games (for free which I don't know how he does that) on the web.

I'm with you on the 3 walks for Pierre. That's pretty self-explanatory.

What am I to extrapolate from the second part of your statement? It makes no sense to me.

There are a few sections of the Toyota Terrace Level (a club level, on the 1st base side) that will have $45 game tickets which include a $20 credit which can be used for concessions or merchandise (which seems pretty cool). The tickets are actually the same prices as last year, so that's a good deal.

weird story, let's hope it's nothing serious.

They sold the naming rights to seating sections? Wow, and they still claim to not be able to afford A-1 free agents. That's pathetic. What's next? After you get out of your seat in the Toyota Terrace, do you go to the Burger King Bathroom and wash your hands at the Sony Sink, then look in the Magnavox Mirror before sitting back down?

USC vs. ASU at noon and then UCLA vs UW/Cal afterwards.

All you have to do is come downtown to get it from me.

But it's just one seat.

Jeff Kent's strained right hamstring has healed well enough for him to play -- yet that doesn't mean he's about to take the field anytime soon.

Bob I think I might be interested. I'll send an email. Okay if I root for ASU?

I can also leave the ticket with bhsportsguy and he meet you before the game. But he's sitting with the fancy people leaving me to sit in the upper deck with all the ham and eggers.

Saito
Broxton
Beimel
Proctor
Kuo
Park or Loaiza (one is the 5th starter)

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/stats/player.php?id=460677

http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=6706

want to see how my hs teammate chris seddon a NRI of the Marlins is doing, he has pitched 1 shut-out inning about 10 days ago this spring. the marlins minor league affilates don't show him on any of their rosters, and i can't find anything showing if he was cut. would anyone know where i can look this up?

No, wait, Jamie Hoffmann. Never mind.

Abreu seems to be more hurt than I am," Kent said. "I've never seen this before. He's missing a grand opportunity to show his wares.

That sounds like Kent thinks he should suck it up and play.

Off subject but, cool, a new DVD for Bonnie and Clyde is coming out end of this month. Finally! The previous edition was very bare bones.

there was a whole other portion of the interview that i didn't hear.

Speaking of sliced Mozzarella, there's a pizza shop Downtown near Staples Center called "New York Pizza Next Door"

It's on 8th st just East of Figueroa St. They also use sliced mozzarella, and the pizza is delicious! It's also remarkably cheap, compared to other places [i.e. on the Westside]

Seinfield liked it so much, he flew out the Bee Movie crew for a wrap party (and put the owner in the credits).

Although the 2-4 hour wait is discouraging, it is the best I've ever had.