The High Heat

AM: Box Full of Letters/I Thought I Held You BT: Sunken Treasure/Outta Mind ST: How to Fight Loneliness/We're Just Friends YHF: Poor Places/Heavy Metal Drummer AGIB: Theologians/Less Than You Think SBS: You Are My Face/Leave Me (Like You Found Me) WTA: One Wing/Wilco (the Song) MAI: California Stars/Hoodoo Voodoo MAII: Remember the Mountain Bed/Blood of the Lamb

Valentine's contract in Japan has expired. His team claimed he was too expensive to retain. Last week he signed on with ESPN, but he has the option to forgo that opportunity to seek a manager position somewhere. He is scheduled with an interview with the Indians soon. John Farrell, by the way, has pulled out of the running for Cleveland's job. He said he wants to focus solely on the Red Sox pennant drive.

When the playoffs started last year I told everyone the Phils were going to win it all, but it's not because I'm a Phillies fan. It was because of the swagger and confidence they performed with. They all had that aura that Manny was exuding all by himself. Same thing in 2003 with the Marlins. People just couldn't believe when I said the Yanks would fall to the Fish. You can just see it in their eyes and in the way they move. They own the field. This year? Right now the Rockies have that going on, but the playoffs are different. We'll have to see who contols the field before my gut indicates

And Verlander, too? I've realized making pre-season predictions to be a waste of time. Injuries and bullpen troubles always fuck it up.

Thank you. I hadn't been awake very long when I posted, but I remembered it not long after. I'll look into your recommendations. Thanks again.

FYI: Just got an iPhone and the first thing I tried (pure luck) was tapping what I wanted to copy, tapped "copy," went to where I wanted to paste and squiggled my finger on the screen. It worked! When in doubt, tap or squiggle.

Yes sir, I have read the two other Krakauer books you mentioned and Columbine. Never read the Waters book, perhaps I'll see if the local bookstores have it. Thanks. I've been trying out different books at B&N, including a Columbine-related novel by Wally Lamb (The title escapes me at the moment.). Having read the account of the tragedy only a couple months ago I figured this might be a good time to read it while the details are still fresh in my mind. Has anyone here read it/recommend it? Of course, I may just go with a complete change of pace and read Craig Ferguson's new autobiograph

Thank you. As per usual, after reading an incredible book, I'm having a hard time finding a follow-up read to match it.

I hope he kept his mask on.

That year I heard MC Hammer every time I turned on the radio was pretty fucking awful.

Stumbled? With 6 straight losses, the Red Sox are being dragged into the post-season against their will.

More likely: John Farrell, Buck Showalter or Manny Acta

That was great. Sounds like he's been back to the future, but then again, in his playing days Mike Blowers often predicted his own strikeouts.

That's actually a pretty good joke. Don't be a lunartic! Try brand new, straight from the earth's moon, Lunar Water! It'll knock the lunarcy right out of ya! I know a guy who drinks Smart Water constantly. He says he never has gotten smarter.

Wilco: Learning to Die by Greg Kot, page 171 The preceeding pages also note that Stirratt was living in New Orleans during the early years of the band and did not move to Chicago until 1999 or 2000. It also notes that the songs he wrote were completed songs that Jeff couldn't fill in the melodies for,as opposed to Bennett's tapes that laid out a musical landscape for Jeff to fill in. Of course, none of this answers your question of what would happen if Bennett had not joined. The dynamic would have been different, but John not living in the area would probably have limited his opportuni

Thank you for the info and the condolences, which are always appreciated. I finished Krakauer's book a few hours ago. While friendly fire deaths occur frequently in war I am disappointed the Bush administration used an implied and misleading version of Tillman's death as a method to gain support for the war, mainly because the support they were ultimately seeking was re-elction in 2004, not the defeat of terrorists. This was alot different than staging a second flag-raising in Iwo Jima to strum up cash to supply the troops in WWII. The persistant cover-ups and lack of any real discipline to

And slobberring out "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." The Tigers and Twins are adding some drama to the last week, aren't they?

I'll be finishing this book today. Does the Daily Show posts their interviews on their web site after they are aired?

Rockies' Barmes turns spectacular double play to seal win over Cards.

Being a stupid American, reading that Ichiro had been ejected from a baseball game made me wonder if it is now his duty to commit suicide for disgracing himself, his team, and country.

I never actually cared for the song I saw it played as the finisher at the Philly concert in Feb. 08. It was even better when I saw it again 6 months later. I love it live. I think if you showed a photo of Wilco to someone who wasn't familiar with the band and asked them who the star was they would probably choose Pat. He just looks like a rock star.

Ichiro was ejected for the first time in his career. (Including Japan) *He's also the first Mariner, including the manager and coaches, to be ejected this year. Had Seattle gone all year without anyone getting tossed they would have the first team since 1994 to not have an ejection for an entire season.

Hobex They were a band from the Triangle area of NC (Raleigh/Durham) that toured and made records for 11 years. They finally gave up on "making it" a couple of years ago. Now they only perform as a band a few times a year at certain festivals, but no longer record together. The leader, Greg Humphreys, has gone solo and has made a record and tours. Hobex seemlessly blended different genres/sounds and had a nice little groove going on. I have a couple of their cds, "Back in the 90's" being my favorite.

It was reported that an astronaut claimed the moon looked very much like a kid's face behind a giant bubble of gum.

I'm about halfway through it and so far it's been rotating between Tillman's life - including pieces from his own letters and journals - and world events pertaining to 9/11 and Afghanistan. Tillman was not your typical jock nor typical male. He was deeply thoughtful and introspective. I've read Krakauer's two most famous books and this one is right there alongside of those. For me this particular book is important beacuse I lost a nephew in Afghanistan a little more than a year ago on 9-11-08, and he, too, wasn't someone we'd ever imagined would even be in the military let alone die in a war.