Another sign of a good baseball team

I know they left 11 on the bags tonight and had numerous chances that didn't come together tonight, but my sign of a good team is when you leave a one run lose and still like the way your team approached the game. That is how I look at tonight.

Who is the bigger loser?

Vote on the pool question -- Bud Selig or Barry Bonds?

Selig's reaction tonight on sitting on his hands and then not be available for interviews tells me he thinks he is the show. He decided to turn this whole thing into being about him. If that was going to be his reaction then be a no-show. This man actually believes he is bigger than the game. As I have said before, Selig knew about the steroids (he has lied about this) and he decided that he would let it go because the game needed it. This is what you get for letting it happen and then to shun it --- you Mr. Selig are the biggest loser.

My vote is Selig.

Betting Scandal in Tennis

This from the AP in London

In an unprecedented move, British online gambling company Betfair voided all bets Friday placed on Thursday's second-round match at the Prokom Open in Sopot between the defending champion and No. 4-ranked Davydenko and No. 87-ranked Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina.

Betfair said it received about $7 million in bets on the match — 10 times the usual amount — and most of the money was on Arguello to win, even after Davydenko won the first set 6-2.

Baseball hypocrisy on Bonds

I don't disagree with anyone who talks about Bonds as petulant ass.

However, I find the way baseball is treating his quest for the home run record despicable. The fact is Bonds has never failed a test for steroids by Major League Baseball. Why, because baseball didn't test. Why, because baseball had no steroid policy. Why, because Bud Selig and baseball conscientiously put their head in the sand about an obvious steroid issue. Why, because baseball was in such desperate need of a pulse that it was willing to allow performance enhancing drugs to bring the fans back.

Therefore, for Bud Selig and the baseball world to stand on some ethical plateau on the issue of Bonds breaking the home run record is one of the greatest acts of hypocrisy that the game has even seen.

Remember when .....

Yuniskey Betancourt was an all defensive too weak to hit shortstop and Jeremy Reed was going to be the all everything offensive player. Sometimes numbers aren't the answer. Instead what mattered was that no matter how bad his pitch selection was when Betancourt hits the ball the bat wins the battle and when Reed hits the ball the ball beats the bat.

Bonds road to 755

My guess is this takes forever. Considering how terrible Bonds has been in every pressure situation his entire career I assume it is going to take him a while to hit the next two home runs.

Wouldn't it be a pity if the nation lost the last little bit of its waning interest because he can't connect over the next 10 days.

Passing of the First Genius

Everyone remembers their first team. They recall the first player they loved. They remember the first jersey they ever had. I vividly remember my first coach.

Bill Walsh was my first coach. He walked the sidelines with silver hair of a fox and the smarts to match. When Walsh walked your sideline you knew you were ahead before the game started.

As a seven year old I watched him when he lead the Stanford Cardinal to back to back bowl games. First it was the Bluebonnet Bowl and next the Sun Bowl. He was magical. He had the answer to every situation and was a step ahead of the game.

My memory tells me he used to bring Darin Nelson out of the backfield in motion to the sideline and then send him on a streak down the sideline. At that stage defenses weren't ready for those type of moves and mismatches were exposed all over the field. After playing for Walsh, Nelson left Stanford as the all time NCAA total yardage gainer. Walsh believed that a 5 yard gain on a pass to the running back was as important as the 5 yard run by the back and Nelson was the recipient.

He took his magic to the sidelines of the despondent San Fransisco 49ers. He quickly took a culture less franchise that was 2-14 and brought them to life. He gave them the edge. Where some coaches have brought a toughness with their persona, Walsh brought a genius. Roger Craig was his piece that he figured out how to use better than anyone before him. Craig a powerful fullback/running back from Nebraska, would play the fullback for Walsh and one year lead the NFL in receptions.

Walsh made you believe the guy on your sideline was truly smarter than their guy.

To understand what Walsh did to the game of football simply look into Seattle. Mike Holmgren is a disciple of Walsh. Tyrone Willingham is a product of the minority coaching program that Walsh built and Willingham learned under Walsh and Dennis Green, another Walsh disciple.

Walsh's influence changed how the game was played, how coaches were taught, how coaches were viewed and what people expected.

My first coach was the best that ever coached.

Fans love the kids but .....

Tonight's performance by Miguel Batista is why you sign a veteran. Tonight's game sets the tone for the entire marquee series against the Angels. Batista has the rings around the tree to understand the importance of tonight's game. He brought his best performance of the year to the table.

With John Lackey against Jeff Weaver tomorrow Batista had a huge burden of carrying the Mariners into the series. He needed to keep the bullpen fresh and most of all he needed to get this team in a position to win.

Fans always love the guy in AAA. They always want the youngster to come up. However, young kids don't have the experience to have the appearance that Batista did tonight.

Key stat and a huge sign of experience by Batista was 0 walks.

When you plead not guilty .....

You better hope your co-defendant do the same. It is not a good day to be Mike Vick when your co-defendant pleads guilty and decides to "fully cooperate" with the auhtorities.

I guess when he decided to change his name to Mike from Michael so he wouldn't be like Jordan, he knew what he was doing.