A first grade teacher in New York explains to her class that she is a Yankees fan.
She asks her students to raise their hands if they, too, are Yankee fans.
Everyone in the class raises their hand except one little girl.
The teacher looks at the girl with surprise and says, "Janie, why didn't
you raise your hand?"

"Because I'm not a Yankee's fan," she replied.

The teacher, still shocked , asked, "Well, if you are not a Yankee's fan, then who are you a fan of?"

"I am a Met's fan , and proud of it," Janie replied.

The teacher could not believe her ears. "Janie, why are you a Mets' fan?"

"Because my mom is a Mets' fan, and my dad is Mets' fan, so I'm a Mets' fan too!"

"Well," said the teacher in a obviously annoyed tone, "That is no reason for you to be a Mets' fan. You don't have to be just like your parents all of the time. What if your mom were a moron and your dad were a moron, what would you be then?"

"Then ," Janie smiled, "We'd be Yankee fans."

MiniCharlie has the details on how you can see Fred, Brad, Fred's kids Josh and Jessica, and my friend Jen take on lots of nextNYers in dodgeball tonight!  Come out to watch the action!

My little sidebar guy is quickly becoming a MetPal...   I've posted a new message about Met's bizzare fashion sense.

Adam Rubin has another great post at the NY Daily News Mets blog...    This one has the results of an interview he did with David Wright and what Wright's "All Youth" team looks like.  Here's a funny exchange about his choice at third:

Wright picked one player who could beat him out for the starting nod at third base in the All-Star Game.

As Wright began, he said: “Give me Miguel Cabrera.”

“To play outfield?” I asked.

“Is he playing third base?” Wright said.

“Yes.”

“I’ll play outfield,” Wright continued.

Sweet...

The Mets win, and Xavier Nady chips in 4 hits to provide me with some great false hope about my fantasy baseball season, and then I get a great link from Oberkirch:

Ballbug! Memeorandum for baseball!

Cool!

So its Opening Day and the Daily News has a blogger liveblogging the rainy start to the season.

In honor of the season's start, I've updated my SitePal message with a message about the Mets' Kaz Matsui.

BTW...  Tonight is also opening night for my ZogSports softball team.  We're now called "Waiting for Turiansky" in honor of Eric Turiansky, who signed up to play with us last year, but never showed.  Before every game, he'd send us a message saying, "No, seriously, I'm really going to play this time!  Can't wait to meet all of you!"

Eric Turiansky.  Games: 0.   At-bats: 0.  Humor: Priceless.

I officially volunteer to play left field for the Washington Nationals.  I have years of little league and softball experience.  I'm a contact hitter that hits to the opposite field.  Please contact my agent, Fred Wilson, if interested.

This Soriano "not playing left" garbage is ridiculous.

And I've seen it before...   with good and bad results.  It really just goes to show you the charactor of the player.

Remember Todd Hundley in left?  That was a total disaster, because Hundley didn't even really try.  He didn't want to play out there and you knew it.

Mike Piazza at first?  Well, at least he tried.  He wasn't very good, but he was at least mildly serviceable.  He should have started doing that earlier, though, and maybe he could have been halfway decent.

The best example, though, and a guy I'd have on my team any day of the week is Craig Biggio. 

Craig, go catch.   Okay.

Craig, go play second.  Okay, no problem.

Craig, go play center.  Done.

Craig, go back to second.  Great.

How about A-Rod?  Moves to third to play for a contending team.

So when Soriano says he refuses to play at all rather than play second, I say, sit the bum.  Let him miss a whole season.  Its the same with the Mets and Matsui.  He couldn't field his way out of a hat at short, but it was in his contract that he couldn't move.  He should have offered to move, or they should have said, "Fine, don't play."

Playing baseball professionally for millions of dollars a year is a priviledge.  Not a right.  A lot of guys would take your place in a heartbeat and be just as entertaining and just as productive. 

Soriano, you're no Robin Yount.