…against a guy the former already beat up. The punchy Cubs catcher hit a game-tying triple in the 8th inning, while the widely disliked (by Cubs fans, anyway) Jacque Jones hit a two run HR off Neil Cotts to beat the White Sox, 7-4, earlier today at The Cell.

Earlier, White Sox C A.J. Pierzynski continued his campaign to become the most reveiled player in the big leagues other than Barry Bonds by hitting a solo HR off eventual winning pitcher Carlos Zambrano, then pointing to the sky as he crossed home plate. Enraged that Pierzynski would mock such a signature move (one used by several dozen other players hoping to communicate with God or space aliens), Zambrano had to be restrained.

Seems to me the only way Zambrano can get even with Pierzynski would be to start wearing one of those horrible Florida Gators visors with a pair of sunglasses on the brim. It would be one hell of a personal sacrifice, but some of us would know what he was doing.

The Cubs’ Rich Hill described Pierzynski as “gutless”, to which Jeff Kallman responds

Stop right there, Mr. Hill. I refer you (and anyone else cheering Pierzynski getting a mash in the mush) to Rule 7.06 in the Major League Baseball rule book, and the note which finishes the rule that addresses fielders™ interference or œobstruction, as the umpire is consented to call:

NOTE: The catcher, without the ball in his possession, has no right to block the pathway of the runner attempting to score. The base line belongs to the runner and the catcher should be there only when he is fielding a ball or when he already has the ball in his hand.

In other words, as unpopular as he is in certain places Pierzynski was well enough within his rights. In still other words, as unpopular as he might be in certain other places Barrett was well enough within the wrong. And, in still other words, Cub pitchers surrendering seven earned runs with five hits and five walks and inflating their season™s ERA to 9.31 ought, really, to learn the rulebook before they loose their tongues.

With all due respect to one of the more thoughtful and incisive bloggers covering the Mets or any other team, watching Scott Kazmir humble the opposition isn’t a pleasant thing when contemplating another Jeremi Gonzalez start, and it won’t get any easier as Kazmir improves over time. To take a tip from the Cubs’ sick-of-Sammy contingent at the end of last season, there is only one way to exorcise the Curse Of Kazmir, and that’s by taking a bat to Al Leiter’s boombox (sorry, Boss).