Boston Wins - Next

So the Red Sox are champions. Blah, blah, blah.

Beating the Yankees the way they did was awesome, but the World Series was just plain lame. Anticlimactic.

And if I hear columnist Bob Ryan say “Boston is the hotbed of baseball in America” and the rest of us “just don’t get it” one more time I’m gonna hurl…on him.

Of course we don’t get it. Why should we get it? How could we possibly understand heartbreak and failure like you Boston people?

The Florida Marlins won two World Championships in 1/14 the time it took Boston to get one. I was on the planet little more than 86 days before the Dodgers had a ring.

The Boston Red Sox have done it. Next…

Pretty transparent of Pedro Martinez to play Mr. Nice Guy for the camera for once. His agent must’ve suggested he charm the clubs lining up to overpay him. So Pedro waved a towel and cheered for his mates, trying valiantly to look like Jose Lima. Trouble is, he looked more like ML Carr…

One curse down, one to go, and the Cubs stand alone as baseball’s losers.

Speaking of losers, some say Tony La Russa is “misunderstood.” I say he’s a cross between Marv Levy and Bobby Cox. There’s no manager who can lead a team to the overwhelming best record in baseball just to get swept aside in the World Series like Tony La Russa. I’ve almost lost count. OK, three out of four times if you must know, and a 5-12 Series record. Almost San Diego Padres numbers…

More importantly, pitchers, catchers and Todd Hundley report February 17…

No, no, no Nomar. Garciaparra is not going to play shortstop in Los Angeles. No way. Cesar Izturis and Alex Cora are untouchable. The only way the Dodgers sign Nomar is to a one-year deal and an A-Rod-like move to third, with Adrian Beltre bailing. But don’t worry, it’s not likely…

According to a high-ranking L.A. source, the Dodgers are planning to revive their annual February exhibition (loss) to USC. Remember that? With the field currently upgrading, perhaps 2006…

Removing the names from Dodger uniforms is OK I suppose, except for the confusion it’s going to cause Rick Monday…

Speaking on “The Dan Patrick Show,” ESPN.com’s Bob Klapisch absolved Brian Cashman of any responsibility for Kevin Brown: “There was no way to have known that Brown would break down?” Wow! East coast writers really need to stay up late. In the real world, there was no way not to know that Kevin Brown would break down.

Similarly, after calling Walter Johnson “the greatest pitcher of all time” like it was a given, Tim Kirkjian said of the Big Train, "In ten seasons his batting average was higher than his ERA." Actually no, never.

Johnson’s career ERA was a thoroughly incomprehensible 2.17, and included seasons of 1.14, 1.27, 1.36, 1.39, 1.40, 1.49, 1.55 and 1.65. He was a good little hitter as well, .235 with 24 homers lifetime. Even hit .433 one year.

The way math works however, there’s a little thing called, oh I don’t know, a decimal point! Batting averages are measured in fractions of one, and never get anywhere close to half of the number one. ERAs are measured in whole numbers, you see, so what Kirkjian is suggesting is mathematically ridiculous and he should know better. And I should probably know it’s time to get a life. Decimal point taken…

Sorry to hear Bob Watson didn’t get the new Washington GM gig, and that the “interim” tag may have been the reason. It’s a shame Watson isn’t appreciated for bringing the Yanks back from oblivion.

Joe Torre, Derek Jeter, and even George Steinbrenner have gotten the lion’s share of the credit, but Watson was the man who made the difference in New York. Keeping the Expos name along with the colors, and the hiring of Bob Watson would’ve been a perfect start for DC…

Statue for Sandy: You can vote early, you can vote often, you can even vote in Florida. And instead of naming party affiliation you can just plain party. The chances we’ll lose track of your ballot are only one in, say, four. Just please vote to cast Sandy Koufax in bronze at Dodger Stadium. Vote Yes on 32…

Three little words. I miss baseball…

Remember, glove conquers all….