STILL DOESN'T FEEL LIKE B-BALL WEATHER

***YANKS TAKE ON THE ORIOLES***
Baltimore started the season like a house afire, but it looks like someone brought a hose to the party. After a 6-2 start, and time spent in first place, the birds are now 8-10 and closer to last place than first. The Yanks will throw Sabathia, Garcia and Nova against the O's, while Buck Showalter starts three kids, one 23-year old and two 25-year olds. They're all right-handed, so we can probably look forward to 12 futile at-bats from Bret Gardner this weekend. If he doesn't start to hit this weekend, the Yanks are going to have to make some kind of move.
Pedro Feliciano may be lost for the year, but Brian Cashman has to be thrilled with the production of his other signings so far. Colon and Garcia have been terrific, while Eric Chavez has been very productive and Andruw Jones has been serviceable.

***MLB TAKES OVER THE DODGERS***
Because the McCourts are having extreme financial difficulties, Bud Selig has decided to appoint an overseer for the day-to-day operations. Naturally, the Dodger front office is incensed over this action by the Commissioner, as one exec called the move "irresponsible" and "shocking."
The executive claims there is a $3 Billion deal in place with Fox network, so the financial problems cited by the Commissioner's office has no basis. Okay, then why did McCourt have to borrow $30 Million earlier in the week to meet payroll?
Which brings to mind this question: why hasn't MLB taken over the operation of the NY Mets? Their financial problems are well publicized and they also had to borrow money recently to make payroll, too. Oh, I forgot. Selig and Wilpon are good friends.

***BACK TO BASEBALL***
Quick quiz: What division in baseball has only one team over .500? Why, it's the all-powerful AL East. Only the Yanks 10-6 record is on the plus side.

As a side note, Bud Selig has said that MLB will add one more wild card team to the playoffs. the two wild cards will have a playoff to decide which team will be allowed to advance and play one of the division winners. Why this change, you ask? It's to prevent the DISASTER of last year when they couldn't get both the Yankees and the Red Sox in the playoffs. Bud can't have that happen again.
Of course, this means additional playoff time will be needed. So either they have to start the season in mid-March, or replace "God Bless America" with "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" during the World Series.

Curt Schilling, the smartest baseball mind (in his household, at least), says there is nothing wrong with the Red Sox. "They just have to stay healthy, because they WILL hit and they WILL pitch." He also believes they will win it all. There's no reason to doubt him, is there? By the way Curt, how's the ankle holding up?

From Dwight Perry:
Q: What do you call a wardrobe malfunction in the Lingerie Football League?
A: A busted coverage.

From Greg Cote (also in Perry's column):
• Greg Cote of The Miami Herald, with a Mike Tyson update: "Not a lot of people know the former boxer races pigeons. I'd imagine the pigeons usually win."

Janice Hough had a lot of fun with the Phillies ball-tossing robot:
"A baseball-tossing robot – PhillieBot – was booed by Philly fans after its ceremonial first pitch bounced about 10 feet in front of the plate. Afterwards, he did get a message from Santa, saying “Don’t take it personally.” Just wondering, for a pitching robot, is WD40 a performance enhancing drug?"

CP-