Brrrrr. It's time to get one of those Hot Stoves everyone is talking about. Jason Werth has no worries. Now that tax cuts for the super rich are soon to be permanently institutionalized, he can buy a Central American country to keep him warm in the off season with his $128,000,000 contract with, who else, the Washington Nationals. Irresponsibility is alive and well in the nation's capitol.

I'm pleased and not surprised that George Steinbrenner failed as a first round Hall of Fame selection. I suspect that the writers are waiting for Scot Boras, Werth's agent and provider of great Picasner blog-fodder, to retire so they can bring George and Scot, the Yin and Yang of bizarro baseball, into the Hall together.

On the signing front, the Red Sox have improved, the Yankees have not - yet. Let's hope for a couple of size 16 shoes to fall in the next week or two.

Curtis Granderson sat opposite Skip Bayless on ESPN's First Take today. Yes, Curtis was the smartest man in the room.

Ben Roethlisberger Enterprises will be marketing a a Big Ben(d) halloween mask modeled after Ben's badly bent grill acquired in last night's Raven's Rearrangement.

For the hardy few living in the Oswego County snow belt, CPAL wishes you all well in your Big Dig.