Random Thoughts On A Sunday Morning Updated To 7-28

[Yankee4Life]

Make new friends.

WITH WHOM?? Nobody talks about a damn thing on this site anymore. Talking baseball in here is as scarce as water in a desert. And I know that you know exactly what I am talking about because you were here during the better years of this site. All we have now is 2k users who seem to have a hard time with everything in that game (why, I don't know. If 2k doesn't provide a good manual then it's understandable) and every other week there seems to be a new cyberface maker for that game too. Not counting your thread recently about Kei Igawa, when was the last time you saw a baseball thread on the front page? That's what I mean. So I repeat, who do you make new friends with when it seems that 90% of the people are only here for something for 2k11 and they could care less about real baseball? That's why I miss guys like Mark and Kraw and the others like them who made this place interesting.

[scottybilly]

I am not a part of the 90% that only care about downloading mods, rather than talk baseball. I perfectly understand your frustration here. Just talking about what has and will happen during the trade deadline is fodder for discussions until the postseason is over. One reason why I think users of this site dont talk about baseball much because there are so many different options out there through various gaming sites and forums. People will always flock to whatever is "popular" at the moment. And baseball just isnt our country's greatest pasttime anymore either, but it is in many different countries now. Damn shame. I hate basketball, and I hate every single basketball sneaker that is made in a third world country where workers are paid peanuts, but the big shoe companies still rip you off by the billions. Quite frankly, I can't fathom why basketball players are the highest paid athletes. They don't care about their teams, teammates or fans. All they care about are their precious endorsement deals. I would like to see Kobe or Lebron try to hit a 98mph fastball or a breaking ball or try to catch a fly ball or a grounder.... :angry:

[Yankee4Life]

I am not a part of the 90% that only care about downloading mods, rather than talk baseball. I perfectly understand your frustration here. Just talking about what has and will happen during the trade deadline is fodder for discussions until the postseason is over. One reason why I think users of this site dont talk about baseball much because there are so many different options out there through various gaming sites and forums. People will always flock to whatever is "popular" at the moment. And baseball just isnt our country's greatest pasttime anymore either, but it is in many different countries now. Damn shame.

Allow me to clarify something with you before I go on. When I wrote my post I didn't put you in that 90% category.

I checked your join date and you've only been here a little over four months, so the way this site is now is all you really have known. You should have seen how it was just a few short years ago. That's why I can't agree with what you said about why people don't talk baseball much because of different options on other different gaming sites. Just a few years ago this place was one of the places to go to to talk about baseball. Oh man you should have seen it. There were fans from every team in here talking about the game and what was going on. It was great. And they still found time to get the mods, talk about them and ask questions about them like these people here.

Also, baseball was not the only sport we talked about in here. We talked about all four of the major sports. I recall another time we lit the shoutbox on fire during the Giants - Patriots Super Bowl game a few years back. You couldn't keep up. And we had some Madden dynasties and NBA live threads too. What was going on in sports, we talked about. And you can ask anyone that was here during those years. You would have fit right in then with no problem.

And another thing that is lacking in here now that was not lacking before is the interaction between the regulars. People talked to each other more out there before. They joked, laughed, yelled, argued, you name it. It was interesting to come in here each day to catch up on what you missed because at that time, something always happened. And all we get nowadays is "nice cyberface" or "how do I do this?"

And that is exactly what I meant when I answered Dylan's question about making new friends in here. With whom? Can't do it when no one talks.

[scottybilly]

Well this website is WAYYYYYYY better than 2K's, Operation Sports, IGN, Gamefaqs, Gamepro, Gamespy, and every single website in Asia that I can't browse worth a damn anyways. The fact that a game website like this has been around for so long says alot to me about the hard-core fanbase of a particular game series, and sport. Yeah, I've only been here for 4 months but I still like it alot enough to contribute my thoughts and opinions despite hearing the crickets chirp in the background. Now, if I only had the talent to mod.....:facepalm:

[DetroitStyle]

Again, Y4L makes me feel like **** :facepalm:

[Yankee4Life]

Well this website is WAYYYYYYY better than 2K's, Operation Sports, IGN, Gamefaqs, Gamepro, Gamespy, and every single website in Asia that I can't browse worth a damn anyways. The fact that a game website like this has been around for so long says alot to me about the hard-core fanbase of a particular game series, and sport. Yeah, I've only been here for 4 months but I still like it alot enough to contribute my thoughts and opinions despite hearing the crickets chirp in the background. Now, if I only had the talent to mod.....

You bet. Seven years and still going. That says a lot.

P.S. I thought I was the only one who heard the crickets.

Again, Y4L makes me feel like ****

How? What I say to you?

[DetroitStyle]

Haha nvm I was kidding... Ripping on 2k people

[DylanBradbury]

WITH WHOM?? Nobody talks about a damn thing on this site anymore. Talking baseball in here is as scarce as water in a desert. And I know that you know exactly what I am talking about because you were here during the better years of this site. All we have now is 2k users who seem to have a hard time with everything in that game (why, I don't know. If 2k doesn't provide a good manual then it's understandable) and every other week there seems to be a new cyberface maker for that game too. Not counting your thread recently about Kei Igawa, when was the last time you saw a baseball thread on the front page? That's what I mean. So I repeat, who do you make new friends with when it seems that 90% of the people are only here for something for 2k11 and they could care less about real baseball? That's why I miss guys like Mark and Kraw and the others like them who made this place interesting.

Hey Y4L,

First off, sorry it took me so long to reply. I had written a rather lengthy reply, the Firefox decided to crash, so I had to retype it.

I definitely agree that I was fortunate to be here during MVPMods' glory years, when folks like MarkB were frequently visitors, and there were posts that had nothing to do with 2k. Posts that had nothing to do with baseball even, just generic discussion. I miss those days too.

That being said, there are still those of us who frequently post: Jim, Dennis, and Redeck are some great characters. As well (although they're non-MVP players), folks Scottybilly and DetroitStyle seem like pretty cool individuals, folks that talk about generic baseball. Folks you could make new friends with.

You're also correct that the 2k-related posts seem to flood the front page, it's a shame to admit but it's more popular than MVP, and there's little we can do about it. When the 2K games were released, a new demographic discovered the site: the "young, instant gratification, I want everything now, and don't care about real baseball, just get me my mod" demographic. (There was a few members who were part of this demographic, who enjoyed MVP, too [one with 16 too many accounts, if I remember correctly]). As hard as it is to admit that the 2k games are more popular than MVP, it's even harder to realize that these users are here to stay, and there's nothing we can do about that either.

But look on the bright side...

The Shoutbox has become sort of a place for baseball discussion. I enjoy the discussions there and although there may not be as many conversations there as there used to be, it's still enjoyable.

As well, JoeRudi mentioned a few posts back that MVPMods sister site, The Show Alliance has generic baseball discussions. I know you don't own a PlayStation, (neither do I) but perhaps we should sign-up there just for the discussions?

Thirdly, although 2k posts often flood it off the front page before I get to read it, I always seek out your weekly Sunday post. I always enjoy your insights, and even if I don't post, don't think it's not being read.

I always try to put a positive spin on situations; I think we're pretty fortunate to have this site at all. :)

[scottybilly]

Thank you for the compliment, DylanBradbury.. Me being a non-modder, that means alot. For the record, I'm more than happy to talk about anything here except politics, religion, daytime soap operas, and Derek Jeter. J/K Y4L!

[Yankee4Life]

Hey Y4L,

First off, sorry it took me so long to reply. I had written a rather lengthy reply, the Firefox decided to crash, so I had to retype it.

I definitely agree that I was fortunate to be here during MVPMods' glory years, when folks like MarkB were frequently visitors, and there were posts that had nothing to do with 2k. Posts that had nothing to do with baseball even, just generic discussion. I miss those days too.

Hey, don't worry that you didn't respond right away. Things happen. And I'm glad you understand what I meant. Just coming in here and shooting the bull, or as you put it the "generic discussion" is non-existent now and was the main thing in the past that made people come here, stay here and talk. I don't have to tell you how diverse things were in here before. You never knew what the next hot topic was. But now? Damn, I can predict what I am going to see on the front page even if I am gone a day or so. It'll have nothing to do with baseball or anything going on in sports or the world in general. It'll have some quack who plays 2k who doesn't know how to do the simple things like start up the game, swing the bat or run the bases. It'll be some 2k user putting in another order for a mod, as if the modders have nothing else to do but get right on it. Proof? I can point out a bunch of threads that point out what I said but I'll just show you one made today. Look at this guy. Beltran just got traded not even twelve hours ago and he wants a new portrait. And he's one of the worst offenders in here. Gimmee, gimmee is the theme of the day in here and that's how it's been for awhile.

That being said, there are still those of us who frequently post: Jim, Dennis, and Redeck are some great characters. As well (although they're non-MVP players), folks Scottybilly and DetroitStyle seem like pretty cool individuals, folks that talk about generic baseball. Folks you could make new friends with.

I don't agree with you fully here. This Scottybilly guy seems to be a person who likes to talk baseball and like I told him, he would have fit in here well years ago. I don't know much about DetroitStyle. Redeck's been gone for awhile now. And Jim and Dennis are guys who usually don't post about anything because those guys are, the way I see them, behind the scenes people who get more fun out of modding this game then going around posting in the forum. That's where their real fun is in here.

You're also correct that the 2k-related posts seem to flood the front page, it's a shame to admit but it's more popular than MVP, and there's little we can do about it. When the 2K games were released, a new demographic discovered the site: the "young, instant gratification, I want everything now, and don't care about real baseball, just get me my mod" demographic. (There was a few members who were part of this demographic, who enjoyed MVP, too [one with 16 too many accounts, if I remember correctly]). As hard as it is to admit that the 2k games are more popular than MVP, it's even harder to realize that these users are here to stay, and there's nothing we can do about that either.

Now here is where I agree with you 100%. As soon as 2k9 came out these type of people came to the site and they haven't stopped coming yet. And they are exactly what you say. I want my mod, you make it for me and I want it right now. And it is my sole opinion that nine out ten 2k users are like this on this website and that is why I have no use or respect for them.

But not all 2k users! With the introduction of 2k games in here we have had some excellent people join up. For example, who can say anything bad about the work DonSpa does for that game? He's the Dennis James of 2k. And there are many others who are modders for 2k and not modders who I would never consider the typical 2k user. There are a lot.

And of course, as you said there were and still are Mvp users who are the same way. The guy you were thinking of with all the accounts was Dshibshm. And he's got way more than sixteen accounts. Try doubling that amount. And he still comes back to this day. So I am not trying to paint a picture here saying that all the Mvp users are so much better. That's not true. I am just commenting on what you see on the front page every single day from the 2ker's.

The Shoutbox has become sort of a place for baseball discussion. I enjoy the discussions there and although there may not be as many conversations there as there used to be, it's still enjoyable.

There are times when you can actually have some baseball talk there, that's true. But you can also go for days without something worthwhile being said in there.

As well, JoeRudi mentioned a few posts back that MVPMods sister site, The Show Alliance has generic baseball discussions. I know you don't own a PlayStation, (neither do I) but perhaps we should sign-up there just for the discussions?

I am a member there, when they first started up the place but I never once posted there. I haven't even logged in there in months because I figured I don't have a PS3 and if I go there I'll get tempted to get one.

Thirdly, although 2k posts often flood it off the front page before I get to read it, I always seek out your weekly Sunday post. I always enjoy your insights, and even if I don't post, don't think it's not being read.

I will tell you like I tell everyone else. I thank you for reading this thread but at the same time you are more than welcome to post in here any time you wish. That goes for anyone. This is not a private thread.

I always try to put a positive spin on situations; I think we're pretty fortunate to have this site at all.

Yes, I agree about being fortunate to have this site here for us and it's always good to have a positive outlook. But sometimes Dylan you have to look at it realistically too.

[DylanBradbury]

As always, glad to read your opinion, Y4L.

An idea came to me when I was typing my post for the second time, and I posted it in the Site Issues Topic, but I'd be interested to read your opinion on it:

This idea came to me when I was posting about how it seems 2k-related posts seem to flood the front page. If it's not possible, no worries.

My idea: allow users to choose what forum sections (MVP Baseball for PC, 2K Sports - Major League Baseball for PC, MLB, Off-Topic, and MVPMods) show up on their front page. Whether it be just one, or a combination of some, it might make the site more enjoyable for some users.

Again, if this is impossible, don't worry about it. Just thought I'd throw it out there.

[Yankee4Life]

I read it Dylan and it does sound like a good idea but if it can be done or not can be only answered by Trues. My guess would be no because it would be like having two different main pages and I don't think there is any board software that can do that. I'll just do what I usually do and that's ignore the 2k threads.

[DylanBradbury]

I read it Dylan and it does sound like a good idea but if it can be done or not can be only answered by Trues. My guess would be no because it would be like having two different main pages and I don't think there is any board software that can do that. I'll just do what I usually do and that's ignore the 2k threads.

I'll PM Trues and see what he thinks.

[Trues]

I'm sure I can figure something out.

Good idea.

[DylanBradbury]

I'm sure I can figure something out.

Good idea.

Wow! That's what I call speedy service.

You run an amazing site, and am eternally grateful. :D

[Yankee4Life]

...An American woman who lives in China reported this week that she came across a fake Apple store there. She found out it was a phony store only after she returned home with her purchase and discovered that it worked with no problems right out of the box.

...The NFL owners and players came to a settlement last week, and right before the scheduled start of training camp. And some people were worried that it wouldn't get resolved! These guys knew exactly what they were doing. No way they were going to let all that money get away from them if they didn't have a season.

...Hey, at least we can look forward to a season without Brett Favre in it. Right? Ok, maybe. Oh hell, don't let him come back.

...Sarah Palin seems to have so much fun criticising anything and everything about the Obama Administration that it's made me realize she has no plans to run for President next year. It's always easier to point fingers and tell everyone what should be done when you are not in a position to do anything about it.

...Casey Anthony says she is going to remain silent and not give any interviews unless she is paid 1.5 million dollars or more to do so. She's also being offered $500,000 to pose nude in Hustler magazine. What's next, a talk show?

...It figures that the New York Yankees were the team the the Mariners broke their seventeen game losing streak against. That's because they had the big advantage on the mound that day when they sent King Felix Hernandez up against Court Jester Phil Hughes.

...Only the Toronto Blue Jays could call a .246 hitter (and .259 lifetime) " a five tool talent." But that's exactly what Jays GM Alex Anthopolos said when they obtained Colby Rasmus from St. Louis. All I want to know is what color the sky is in his world?

...Well, it's official. Derek Jeter is tied with Babe Ruth for the greatest Yankee player of all time. Wow! That guy is so good he beat out a bunch of nobodys like Gehrig, Dimaggio, Mantle and Berra. I mean what the hell did those guys ever do? I wonder if those same people who voted for Jeter also think that Lady Gaga is the greatest singer ever?

...This article was so outrageous that even one of our members here (scottybilly) saw it and had to bring it to my attention in the shoutbox. He didn't know I read this piece two days before and by having someone who is not even a Yankee fan see how ridiculous this was shows how idiotic this poll is.

...I'm sorry I upgraded to Firefox 5.0 because this version of Mozilla's web browser is less stable and it crashes a lot. Version 3.5 never crashed on me as much as this one does.

...Nice spin job by Steelers lineback James Harrison for apologizing to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for all the things he said about him. Come on now, does it really surprise you that this happened?

...I don't know who this Ann Coulter person is and after reading this article when she insisted that gay people "can pray the gay away." And how does it leave you after you do the required amount of praying? When you are asleep? In the shower? When you are taking a walk around your neighborhood and the gay in you jumps out and takes resident in the guy down the street? Just when you think you've heard it all, you haven't.

...Thank you, thank you and thank you again to the Cleveland Indians for trading for Ubaldo Jimenez. I would have loved for the Yankees to get him but only for something reasonable. Colorado tried to hold up the Yankees for everything they got and in the end got little (exaggerating a little) from Cleveland. Now I just hope the Yankees don't make a trade for the sake of making one. Try something different for awhile and keep your prospects instead of giving them away.

...How about this new look on the website that Trues did? Everything looks great! If you like it, let him know it, I'm sure he would appreciate it.

...Next week's random thoughts will be delayed at the very most one day. It's time once again for a road trip down to the in-laws. But even if I am not here, come in here just the same.

...Finally, R.I.P. Hideki Irabu. :sad:

[scottybilly]

Thanks for the kind plug, Y4L! It was sad to here about Hideki Irabu's suicide. Good news is that the Yankees went ahead and gave Irabu's ghost a 3-year $28.5M dollar contract! I suppose it's a plus for them that none of the opposing hitters will see the pitches coming..... J/K :diablo:

[DylanBradbury]

...Only the Toronto Blue Jays could call a .246 hitter (and .259 lifetime) " a five tool talent." But that's exactly what Jays GM Alex Anthopolos said when they obtained Colby Rasmus from St. Louis. All I want to know is what color the sky is in his world?

Hitting is only one of the five tools, and has hit extremely well in the past as well as in the minors. Rasmus was playing in what he perceived as very detrimental atmosphere in St. Louis. An atmosphere he described as where playing baseball is not fun.

Last year he hit .276, slugged .498, and had an OPS+ of 133 (100 is average.) He also hit 23 homeruns and stole 12 bases. Also keep in mind, he’s only 24.

If that was what he accomplished in a bad environment, I can only be excited as to what he can accomplish on a team which has taken clubhouse cancers and made them into stalwarts (see: Jose Bautista, Brandon Morrow, Yunel Escobar, and Brett Lawrie.)

As well, stats only tell part of the picture. Toronto leads the league in money going towards scouting, and all scouting reports indicate Colby Rasmus is a five-tool player.

Toronto’s GM is by far the best in the business! (He traded away the worst contract in sports, Vernon Wells, and practically stole Rasmus from the Cardinals!) For the first time since Pat Gillick’s tenure with the team, we have a plan and are sticking to it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also, straight from MLBTradeRumors.com, here’s what baseball writers had to say about the trade:

The price the Cardinals paid to acquire Jackson and bullpen help was "just too high," according to ESPN.com's Keith Law, who suggests St. Louis' internal emphasis is on manager Tony La Russa, not the players. Law loves what Toronto did and doesn't understand Chicago's move.

Jim Bowden of ESPN says the Cardinals had better win this year "or they will really regret this one." He calls St. Louis' move the "worst trade of the year" and gives the Blue Jays an 'A.'

Joel Sherman of the New York Post confirms that the Cardinals turned down the Rays' offer of Jeff Niemann and J.P. Howell for Rasmus (Twitter link). Sherman suggests the Cardinals would have been better off accepting Tampa Bay's offer.

A longtime scout tells ESPN.com’s Buster Olney that Rasmus has a chance to be a star. “I don't understand that deal at all," the scout said (Twitter link).

Joe Pawlikowski of FanGraphs explains that it's easiest to see the trade from the Blue Jays' perspective, since they gave up three relievers and a prospect for a player who can help them contend for 2012-14.

Tim Dierkes wrote earlier today that “it's hard to see this as anything but a win for the Blue Jays.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I first heard about the trade, I couldn't believe it. When it was finalized, he placed a permanent smile on my face that hasn't been wiped away since.

For the first time in a long time, Toronto Blue Jay fans can be proud of the future of our team.

[DetroitStyle]

1) Not only is there the fake apple store, but now a fake IKEA store. http://www.cnbc.com/id/43967635 China has no regard for intellectual property rights. As long as they can get away with whatever they want, competition and global market will be screwed. What's worse, is that this isn't just a fake product or bootleg dvd. This is mimicking an entire retail experience (such as the apple store) on a scale never seen before. China needs to be put in it's place.

2) I will never vote for a MILF for president. Never. Especially stupid ones.

3) The first network to offer Casey Anthony money for an interview will receive a **** storm so big, hurricane katrina will look like childs play. Now that things have settled down and it's kind of out of the public eye, no network wants to touch that. They wouldn't touch it with a condom.

4) It's Canada eh?

5) Yankee fans need to step playing my dick is bigger than yours with whose a better player. I think boston and new york are the only franchises that do this. In detroit, no one says oh, miguel is totally better than ty cobb. Who cares? It's from two different eras you can't compare. Yankee fans need a new hobby...

6) New firefox sucks. I got google chrome. And now google owns just a little bit more of my life.

7) I feel sorry for you that you now know who ann coulter is. She's the one who stated that Jews need to be "perfected". Sad thing is she graduated from U of M law school. As the saying goes, stupid is as stupid does. No surprise shes a fox news analyst?

Harrison is an idiot, but he expresses the same feelings everyone else in the league has. He apologized because his agent told him to. He's going to be fined heavily again this year, count on it. http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Whitlock-Pittsburgh-Steelers-James-Harrison-remarks-on-Roger-Goodell-over-the-top-but-understandable-071311

9) Ubaldo is having a terrible year...in the NATIONAL league. American league hitter will rip him apart. Tiger's have nothing to fear.

9) Site looks great! Thanks trues!

[Yankee4Life]

5) Yankee fans need to step playing my dick is bigger than yours with whose a better player. I think boston and new york are the only franchises that do this. In detroit, no one says oh, miguel is totally better than ty cobb. Who cares? It's from two different eras you can't compare. Yankee fans need a new hobby...

What the heck are you talking about here? Did you actually read that article? Not even 1,600 people took that poll and it was painfully obvious that most of them were a bunch of stupid kids.

9) Ubaldo is having a terrible year...in the NATIONAL league. American league hitter will rip him apart. Tiger's have nothing to fear.

Why don't you run out right now and buy a lottery ticket since you seem to know the future so much.

[scottybilly]

Lol. DetroitStyle, that is rather bold of you, but opinions be opinions. If they were more than that, then I would ask you to read my fortune! :good:

[DetroitStyle]

Why don't you run out right now and buy a lottery ticket since you seem to know the future so much.

Really Y4L? Really? What's the point in talking baseball if I can't call it the way I see it?

[Yankee4Life]

Really Y4L? Really? What's the point in talking baseball if I can't call it the way I see it?

Nothing wrong with that, but do you have any basis of fact or is this something that you just want to happen?

[scottybilly]

shameless plug for WWE's The Miz.. LOl Really? Really? Really?

[Yankee4Life]

Updated to 8-7

...I am thrilled to be back home after being forced to spend time down in Binghamton, New York to visit the in-laws. In a perfect world I would see more of them and less of that city. My favorite part of the trip was when we were on Route 81 North headed towards Syracuse and civilization.

...If anything happened between Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoon in the sports world or the world in general I did not know about it because they don't get a paper down there and the closest thing they have to real world events is when they watch reruns of Law and Order.

...Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' return to the Congressional floor this week was a story that should have received more attention than what it had. But sadly in this country these are the stories that are glossed over with very little fanfare. Apparently it is more interesting following a ditzy Alaskan around the country than to pay attention to Gabby Giffords.

...In case I ever take a flight out of Boston, I have to keep this in mind when I get there. According to this article, Logan Airport officials will be having casual conversations with selected individuals to try and spot high risk travelers. Now here's where it can get dicey for me:

Airport Official: Hello sir, how are you doing?

Me: Fine, thank you.

Airport Official: Did you enjoy your stay in Boston?

Me: Well, yes.

Airport Official: How about them Red Sox?

Me: Why you son of a &*(&*!!!!!

...Since he's been a Yankee, Alex Rodriguez has had a target on his back that he is never going to shake. And this time a report from a supermarket tabloid called Star Magazine has him linked to some underground poker games where high stakes money was involved. This is a magazine that makes its money on gossip and this time they attached Alex Rodriguez' name to one of their stories. The thing about these kind of stories is that once it is out there you can never take it back. Now idiot baseball fans on this site and all over are going to accept this as fact even after Bud Selig's stuffed shirt brigade exonerates him.

...Last Wednesday in Chicago, the Yankees had one of those games that you love to see your team have as they beat up on the White Sox by the score of 18 - 7. And I never saw one pitch. That's because A.J. Burnett was pitching and since last year I have refused to watch any game started by that guy. If I ever had to make a list of the worst Yankee pitchers I saw, this guy would be number one. He couldn't even pitch the required five innings on Wednesday to get the win even though he was staked to a 13 - 1 lead after three innings. Clearly that was not enough for Burnett as he allowed the White Sox to climb back into the game as he gave up seven runs on thirteen hits in 4 1/3 innings. The Yankees couldn't give this guy away to anyone even if they offered to pay his full salary.

...How about this pearl of wisdom that came out of the mouth of Boston's Dustin Pedroia before the start of this weekend's Yankee-Red Sox series in Fenway Park? "We're trying to win the division and they are, too." It's insight like that that the fans want to read about. Thanks Dustin!

...During one of the Mariner games this week there was an Ichiro imposter in the stands wearing a full uniform and also looked a little like him too. This was the second Ichiro imposter spotted in Seattle this year. The first one is actually playing right field for the Mariners and isn't even hitting .270.

...What the hell happened to Alex Rios? From 2006 to 2008 with the Blue Jays you couldn't say enough good things about the guy but since then he's sunk faster than the Titanic did. He doesn't hit anymore, he doesn't field well, he doesn't hustle. He's playing like he wants the off season to come tomorrow.

...Here's a scary thought. What if Rios and Alfonso Soriano were on the same team? Balls would fall in the outfield and both of them wouldn't go after them. They'd never have to break in a pair of new baseball shoes during the season because the two of them would never run hard enough to wear out the pair they have. If one of them would run from first to third on a hit they'd stop the game and have a ceremony. The only time during the season that either one of them would be happy is if they were on the disabled list.

...Jason Heyward? Really? Why does this guy get so much attention? He's hitting .222 with 12 homeruns and 30 RBI. The guy's been hyped up to be a superstar when in reality he's nothing but a bum.

...Well, that was fast. As soon as the Pittsburgh Pirates remembered who they were, they started their expected nose dive to their usual sub-.500 record. They're currently in fourth place now with fifth place an attainable and reachable goal for them by the end of this month.