Hodge-Podge

Mike Matheny is awesome - glad to see him getting the much deserved kudos. Couldn't be happening to a better guy.

Danny Haren zipped the ball in there for 2 solid innings and when he crushed that ball to deep left center I about jumped up out of my skin. If Morris struggles, I say they bring Haren back for an inning or two (pretty sure they wouldn't do that on 2 days rest though, but I'm sure Haren could handle it). Unless he pulls an Ankiel at some point, expect to see some great things from this kid over the next few years (if not sooner).

I'm sorry, but as much as I hate the Cubs, nothing is worth paying them $87,000 - not even not playing one game for them. Sammy = idiot. If you don't show up for work, why should you get paid? And somehow his agenty thinks he will still be a Cub next year... If he is, then the Cubs need some serious help in the office.

The Dodgers might take the next one on LA, but I don't think the series will come back to town. I love the fact that the Redbirds are proving that they can win without going deep every other batter. Smallball runs amok in Busch stadium again and is followed by some deep bombs over the fence the next day. In case you haven't realized it yet, you are watching one of the best lineups in the history of baseball.

Tony LaRussa says he'll work for free if the Cards win the title this year. I'd love to see the Birds do that, and then I'd love to see Tony keep his word. If nothing else, it would endear the fans to him forever, set the current salary-heavy MLB on it's head and it would make people pause to remember it's just a game. I'd also love to see the guys still waiting contracts to defer immediate levels of obscene wealth and decide to stay together as a team and dominate baseball again next year. (Odds are heavy against such action, but I love to think that someday this could happen.)

Debate tonight.
Lot's of conversation tomorrow. A lot of which usually gets too heated for my tastes.

Try not to kill yourself or your fellow man this weekend...