I totally forgot to include a bunch of cool links in Friday’s roundup, and these probably shouldn’t wait another week, so welcome to a Very Special Saturday Links. Go crazy: I haven’t said anything about the Keith Hernandez/Kelly Calabrese flap. Here it is, then: Hernandez is an idiot, and bigotry doesn’t belong in baseball. His [...]

First off, apologies for the recent technical difficulties around here. I am hopeful that the powers-that-be have resolved those — if you do notice any problems, please drop me a line (and thanks to folks who did this time) so I can pester the appropriate parties. One of the beauties of being “indy” again is [...]

Is it just me or, did it seem like Friday would never arrive this week? Well, it’s here now. Let’s see what we’ve got: Brazelton shelled again (San Diego Union Tribune). All I know is that giving up eight earned runs in four innings shouldn’t lower your ERA. As Nick G. pointed out in Thursday’s [...]

Well Portland Oregon and sloe gin fizz If that ain’t love then tell me what is Well I lost my heart it didn’t take no time But that ain’t all. I lost my mind in Oregon Beavers hope new script makes opening a hit (Oregonian). John Hunt talks about Grady Fuson’s strategy of “controlled aggressiveness” [...]

I had a dream the other night where Jake Peavy tries to bunt for a base hit to lead off an inning and is thrown out at home plate after circling the bases due to throwing errors by the third baseman and right fielder. I don’t know what it means, but I can tell you [...]

Time for the wacky weekly wrapup that is Friday Links. Here’s what’s going on out there: Top 100 San Diego Padres: #100 Akinori Otsuka (Future Friars). Richard Wade and Lance Richardson kick off their ambitious “Top 100 Padres” series with one of my personal favorites. I can hardly wait to see who came in at [...]

first pitch: 12:00 noon, PT television: ESPN matchup: Bartolo Colon vs Yadel Marti Well, the games finally have arrived in San Diego. Today’s opener sees two Caribbean nations do battle. Many of the names on the Dominican squad are familiar (Albert Pujols, Moises Alou, Luis Polonia (?!)). Due to politics, and not lack of talent, [...]

A little bit of this, a little bit of that… Etherton back in the game (Padres.com). Darkhorse candidate for the Padres pitching staff has rediscovered his curveball, a pitch that abandoned him after 2001 shoulder surgery. Agent: Brocail optimistic about ’06 (San Diego Union-Tribune). I know I said who cares if Doug Brocail comes back [...]

Happy Friday. You know the routine: Padres Minor League report: March 5 (Padres.com). Top prospects Cesar Carrillo, Jered Wells, George Kottaras, and Sean Thompson figure to start the season at Double-A Mobile. Joining them will be former A’s and Rangers left-hander Mario Ramos. Quoth Grady Fuson: “He’s an intelligent guy who knows what he’s doing [...]