Friends in the Bay Area tell me that John Madden’s morning KCBS call-ins from bus stations around the country have recently included his vote for Bob Costas as MLB commissioner. Personally, I can’t see a commissioner shorter than the word “commissioner” itself, but who am I to argue with a licensed Xbox character? My first thought is that no way would the MLB owners choose a journalist as commissioner. After all, the idea that a multi-billion-dollar industry could somehow use a fanboy network tv commentator as a mouthpiece to just tow a company line … inconceivable. Still, given Costa’s recent defense of Roger Clemens while continuing to scapegoat Barry Bonds post-Mitchell Report, he might just be the voice of reason ownership would want.
Also, welcome aboard new Cub fan Jay Mariotti! For a guy who opened the season by shitting all over the North Side and Fukudome, he’s now decided his hatred of Ozzie Guillien means he needs to suck-up to “classy” Lou Piniella. Ozzie’s complaints about Wrigley set Jay off, complaints also voiced by Mariotti (not to mention me) in the past, but given that Mariotti is as much a batshit hobgoblin “emotional” reporter as Ozzie is an “emotional” manager, I guess you have to excuse his inconsistent mood swings analysis from time to time. At one point in the Ozzie/Jay movie do they finally get that motel room?
Your CSTB Cub Update: as for those of you eagerly awaiting news on Alfonso Soriano’s fractured pinky, the day to day bulletins from Chicago are encouraging. No news on whether he’ll make batting practice, the All-Star game, how this will effect the current Presidential race, or how Soriano’s pinky will help Washington finally move on after Russert … but from the six-weeks of news it’s generating for The Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune, there’s obviously a lot resting on that little finger. Only four weeks of bulletins left to go, so enjoy.
With the break approaching, the injury-ridden Cubs are in need of some time off, and I hope they forfeit all their All-Star slots. Fukudome’s bench visit will probably continue today, and lately he’s been joined by Reed Johnson, Zambrano, and the might as well be on the bench Carlos Marmol. Marmol put his first batter on base last night, but apparently watching video of himself with Larry Rothschild helped as he put away the inning and held down the Orioles so that Kerry Wood could maintain a three-run lead for the 7-4 final. Jim Edmonds put the Cubs out front early with a three-run homer and a lead that went unrelinquished for the game, but my vote for the Cubs MVP of the game is Detroit Tiger Gary Sheffield. Sheff put around the winning run in the 9th of last night’s Cards-Tigers game, meaning the Cubs are up 4.5 games on Los Tards.