HOW'S KURKJIAN DOING?

It's only been 9 days since I posted Tim Kurkjian's predictions, so things shouldn't have changed that much. However, Tim went against the grain a lot, so let's check.

In the AL, he put his money on Baltimore, Detroit and Seattle.
The Orioles sure didn't look like potential champions against New York this week, in fact, one of the Yankee broadcasters said Baltimore looked like they were just going thru the motions.
The Tigers have lost 4 of the last seven and stand in 3rd place in the AL Central, 10 1/2 games out.
The Mariners have lost 6 of 10 and also 10 1/2 games back.
The Yankees weren't mentioned and have looked like the class of the AL East.
As a side note, the last time the Boston Red Sox won a game was on July 11, almost two weeks ago.

Kurkjian was spot on in the National league with Washington, St. Louis and the Dodgers leading their divisions and Pittsburgh and the Giants pushing for the wild card spots. The Cubs are also a candidate for the wild card.
We'll check back in a month and see if Tim still has a job.

The Silly Season - summer edition:
The trading deadline is approaching with only seven days left. One pitcher has been traded, with Scott Kazmir going to Houston from the Athletics. There doesn't seem to be any big name position players on the line but there is a wealth of pitchers. Those teams ready to trade off some players are waiting to get the best deal they can, while those teams wanting players are waiting for the price tags to come down. Let's see who will blink first.
There are those in Boston who are calling for the Sox to dump Hanley Ramirez, Pablo Sandoval and Rick Porcello - Boston's big moves this off season. Instead, the GM seems poised to move first baseman Mike Napoli. Boston appears to have written off the 2015 season. One writer says that no one should be surprised since the Red Sox have finished last three of the last four years. I never really thought about it like that.
Meanwhile, the Evil Emp...er, the Yankees have only one piece they may move and that's 2nd baseman Steven Drew, he of the .180 batting average. His fielding is absolutely outstanding, however, and with Yanks hitting like Murderers Row, they can probably afford to carry him.  Besides, Annie-O likes him. (She's the queen of the underdogs)

Congratulations to the four newest members of the BB Hall Of Fame, to be inducted on Sunday. They are, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Craig Biggio and John Smoltz.

***THEY SAID IT***
"Big news from Green Bay as Brett Favre's No. 4 Packers jersey was retired last weekend. Today the jersey changed its mind."  -- RJ Currie
"Former Cubs (and Yankee) outfielder Joe Pepitone, who was quite the partier, says fans used to throw him joints and grams of cocaine in center field, and he would hide it in the ivy. He said “with all the stuff I was getting in center field, I would have played for nothing”.  -- TC Chong
" Barry Bonds just held his annual baseball camp. It’s the only two-week camp where every kid is guaranteed of putting on 70 pounds of muscle. After completing Barry Bonds’ camp, every camper is presented with a little asterisk."  -- Brad Dickson
"The Oakland Athletics have started their trades earlier this year, sending pitcher Scott Kazmir to the Houston Astros. Thinking the A’s really need to come up with a bobblehead with an erasable face."  -- Janice Hough
"A 2-year-old racehorse in Australia, born with five legs, is doing her thing after undergoing corrective surgery, with a third-place finish to show for her first two starts. The filly’s name? Spare Parts."  -- Dwight Perry
"One of my idols, (showing my age) 79 year old Sandy Koufax threw out the ceremonial 1^st pitch to Johnny Bench to start baseball’s All Star Game. Of course, former big league manager Bobby Cox came out and argued that it was a strike and got ejected, as usual."  -- Tony Chong
"During baseball’s upcoming Hall of Fame weekend in Cooperstown, N.Y., officials warn visitors that prohibited items include weapons, coolers and Pete Rose."  -- Greg Cote
" Calvin Coolidge has joined the Racing Presidents at Washington Nationals games. This was after William Howard Taft tested positive for PEDs."  -- Brad Dickson
"The overwhelming favourite lost in the Nathan’s hotdog eating contest July 4. Is it fair to say Joey Chestnut choked?"  -- Scott Ostler
" Defections have been a big story during the Pan Am Games in Toronto. Two Cubans left the baseball team during tune-up games in the U.S., and this week four Phillies asked for asylum with the Blue Jays."  -- RJ Currie

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