Goddamn it.   Why is everyone so down on Jae Seo?  We got one halfway decent righty out of the bullpen and a scrub who had a 5+ ERA last year for someone that went 8-2 2.59...  Maybe he had leprocy and I just didn't notice.  If he did, then this was a good trade. 

Link: ESPN.com - MLB - Seo headed to L.A. as Dodgers, Mets swap pitchers.

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers, in search of starting pitching, acquired right-hander Jae Seo and left-handed reliever Tim Hamulack from the New York Mets on Wednesday for right-handed relievers Duaner Sanchez and Steve Schmoll.

Seo, a 28-year-old South Korean, made 14 starts for the Mets last season, going 8-2 with a 2.59 ERA. He walked 16 and struck out 59 in 90 1/3 innings. He also spent time with Triple-A Norfolk.

Link: New York Daily News - Home - Submariner Bradford drops into Mets' relief corps.

I think I speak for all former wiffleballers everywhere when I say that its great to have someone with a ridiculous windup back in the mets bullpen.

Let's bring back Jeff Innis while we're at it.  How's this for a stat?  In 1991, he pitched 69 games -- 84 innings... and didn't have a win or a save.  He had a 2.66 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP.  Anybody know what he's up to now?

  Entering last night's games, we were a tie ahead of the team behind us for the last and final spot in our division for the playoffs.  We played at 6:30, which made it difficult for most of our team to show up, so we had to start off shorthanded, playing 5 on 6.  Backs against the wall, Dodge This! came out firing, wiping the floor with our first opponent despite being short, 14-5.  We wound up taking 3 our of the 4 games in our match, and the only way we could have missed the playoffs was if the team behind us went 4-0.  Well, we nearly did miss, since they went 3-1 in the late came, which we got word of this morning.  We play next Sunday night 3/13 at 7:50 at Martin Luther King on 65th and Amsterdam against Dodgy McShady, who we beat twice last night pretty handily and Get Outta Dodge.  If we win we might face the obnoxious purple team, Balls of Furry.  D-O-D... G-E...  Dodge This!!!  woooooooooo

This is quite concerning...   I just went and ordered "The Seat".

Link: Serious Riders, Your Bicycle Seat May Affect Your Love Life - New York Times.

A raft of new studies suggest that cyclists, particularly men, should be careful which bicycle seats they choose.

The studies add to earlier evidence that traditional bicycle saddles, the kind with a narrow rear and pointy nose, play a role in sexual impotence.

Link: New York Daily News - Mets - Mets add old reliable.

With Julio following in the footsteps of John and Matt, the Mets have had every player named Franco in major league history.

My best friend Brian, who I know for twenty years now, since we first played t-ball together the summer before first grade, has invested in a new business with his brother Jim.  Its called Diamond Player Development and its a great place to fine tune your baseball skills if you really want to develop into a top tier player.

When I was younger, I had coaches who played favorites--got other kids more playing time.  It wasn't until I was put on a team that was so bad that there was no way anyone was going to cut into my time  that I even started to get any good.  By then I  was 13, and although I developed into a  pretty good contact hitter and a solid outfielder, I really didn't have much of a chance of making my high school or college teams.

I always wish I had real coaches when I was at critical points in my development.  Well, I went down to DPD last weekend and I saw firsthand what kids have the advantage of today.  There were kids in batting cages who were getting videotaped and had their swing analyzed by a pro instructor.  Who knows how good I could have been with that kind of technology!  Ah well.  I suppose corporate softball will have to do.

So anyway, Brian and I spent some time in the cages on our own.  Think of this video as the "before" video.  Maybe Jim will will be kind enough to point out all the stuff I'm doing wrong.  I know one thing I have an issue doing is really turning my hips and using my legs to generate much power.  They turn, but they're not really planted very well and so its just more like spinning my wheels and not going anywhere.

View this clip on Vimeo

So drop on by to DPD or if you have a team or individual that wants some real coaching, contact Jim.

Link: ESPN.com - MLB - Marines No. 1: Valentine's team wins Japan Series.

Bobby Valentine became the first foreign manager to win the Japan Series when his Chiba Lotte Marines completed a four-game sweep of the Hanshin Tigers with a 3-2 victory Wednesday.

Before the playoffs, I made some predictions.   Here's how they fared:

Padres vs. Cardinals:  Cardinals in 1.

The Cardinals are going to win the first game 23-1.  The Padres will concede the rest of the series and apoligize for even being in the playoffs with an 82-80 record. 

Result:  Amazingly enough, this actually happened.  I was spot on.

Astros and Braves:  Astros in 4.

The Braves, too, will apoligize for continuing to win the National League East.  Roger Clemens will nail Chipper Jones in the face intentially, ruining a division series perfect game but then get the next guy to preserve the no-hitter.  Clemens will use age and dementia as an excuse for the wayward 97MPH fastball.  Nobody buys it.  Doesn't matter...  everyone's tired of the Braves anyway.

Status: I called this one.  'Stros in four.  No face knocking, though, but Clemens did come up big in the last game, making up for his first effort.

Yanks and Angels:  Angels in 5. 

Garret Anderson will drive in 10 runs.  Still, he will be drafted in the 12th round of most fantasy leagues next year.  He will legally change his name to "No respect."  Arod will go another year without a ring.  Yankee stadium will be packed with fans who got corporate seats and have never been to a baseball game before.  They'll wonder why that Ruth fellow isn't playing.  Mariano Rivera will not give up a run in his 5 appearences.  Neither will K-Rod.

Status:  Called this one, too!   I was off, though.  Garret only drove in 7, but still lead the team.  No one could have called Bengie Molina, though.  K-rod gave up runs and so did Mariano.

Sox vs. Sox:  Red Sox in 4.

Podsednick will steal 8 bases in the series.  Both teams will combine for more than 8 runs in every game.  Red Sox fans won't even watch or attend, because, after last year, everything else is gravy.  I can't seriously pick the White Sox here, mostly because, as Brian pointed out, they're throwing out Jose Contraras in the first game.

Status:  Boy, did I blow this one.  Contraras came up big and the Red Sox didn't.  As for the run scoring, every game had at least 8 runs in it...  almost got that one at least.  Pod:  1 stolen base. 

Angels - White Sox?

Angels in 7...

Garret Anderson:  More RBI.  Series MVP.