"The Jack" Is Back

By Jack "the hack" Mason (Guest Blogger)

Now that David is back to posting, (welcome back, man- glad to read ya!), that means he can go back to posting my crazed thoughts, too- sorry, readers!

For today, we'll go with some random musings:

~So now that nearly 1/8th of our roster has the last name "Reyes" I wonder where Omar was when the Rays were acquiring Anthony Reyes from the Cards...

~If you would have told me in April that our season would depend on the contributions of Tatis, Evans, Murphy, Cancel, Stokes, A. Reyes, Easley, Ayala and Reyes, I would have guessed - "Last Place!" So I guess the preseason naysayers who couldn't wait to a.) rip Omar for being unable to put together a productive farm system and b.) those same naysayers who thought we traded all of our productive youngsters for Santana with the Yankees making the right decision to pass on the deal are all now looking at the standings, wondering when they might reverse themselves just like they are praying that their stocks will make substantial gains in the next week! Yeah- and gas is going to be $0.99 cents per gallon next week and the sky is pink!!

~Can the Nationals get any worse?? I guess they can if they don't even get to 60 victories. Manny Acta deserves better...but not Bowden!

~If the Marlins will re-sign Paul Lo Duca, who name was all over the Mitchell Report in addition to being linked to "youngish" women and some interesting gambling "issues" then why won't someone sign Barry Bonds? They are equally guilty of using PEDs, and PLD seemed to be responsbile for bringing others into the PED-fold, so to speak, so why is he a better signing then Bonds, who could still bring a potent bat to someone's line-up? Don't get me wrong- I'm NOT pro-Bonds- I just think the hypocrisy needs to end! And I actually like PLD a lot!!

~I loved the late Gene Upshaw as a Raider, and think he did great things for the NFLPA, but the way he ignored and glossed over the plights of retired vets certainly did nothing for his reputation. Our best wishes and prayers go out to the entire Upshaw family...

~David passed on a great book to me last week - "Spoke" A Biography of Tris Speaker - and it was great to read about this legendary centerfielder considering we never got the chance to see him perform.

~Macsine Agee pulled down the number "20" before today's game, the number her husband wore as a Met, and it was great to see his memory honored. Tommy Agee was a great player who retired too early due to injury, and anything to keep his memory alive is okay by me. Agee will always be a tough-looking, free-swinging outfielder and the sight of those eyebrows will always remind me of great times as a youngster in Queens, New York, in 1969, when we, for one season, became the center of the universe based on the heroes from the blue and orange and the green and white! There's still something about those uniforms that look so innocent and clean, and Agee will always remain a hero of mine who represents getting the best out of us, like his famous World Series catch.

~Ted Simmons and Jerry Koosman and Bert Blyleven belong in the Hall of Fame- I'm just saying - and, most of all, it's an absolute CRIME that one Gil Hodges is STILL not in the hall!!! And add Buck O'Neil to that list, too!!! Just my opinion...Simmons was a switch-hitter who hit over .300 a number of times, was an excellent fielder and a good power hitter, and if he played today, he'd be the best at his position in the game. Kooz was far better than his stats, he lost some time to the military and injuries and played for some horrible teams, just like Mr. Blyleven. And Hodges- he was a better player AND manager then Mr. Torre, and deserves to be in there a long time ago!!!

~If Ayala and Reyes don't help out the bullpen, I heard a rumor Omar was going to bring back Skip Lockwood and Ray Sadecki...

~And if that doesn't work, I heard Nolan Ryan said he can still throw in the high 80's, touching 90, so maybe it's time to bring the Alvin, Texas native out of retirement!

~I have NEVER seen one player turn his season around so dramatically as Carlos Delgado has - and neither have YOU! So there!!! I guess he's coming back next year, too...

~Oh where, oh where, has my little O-Hern gone, or where, oh where can he be???...and does anyone care anymore???

~Does Castillo know that he's not coming back to a starting role? How would you like to be shown up by a 38 year old bench player and a 26 year old journeyman - with Daniel Murphy needing a regular position next year, and second base seemingly being the best fit, can Castillo learn to sit home and count his "benjamins?"

~The Yankees got left in the dust by their first rounder, a Bore-us client, who chose to go to UCLA instead- makes me into an overnight UCLA baseball fan!!!!

~Chase Utley- it takes an entire season to be an MVP, not just a strong half! And Jimmy Rollins- you ain't so bad right now- or actually, you ARE so bad right now- keep it up, you fairweather player!

~Finally, its really great to be back and let's hope that this team continues to learn how to win and get used to it, so the play-offs will help lose the taste, once and for all, of last season's atrocity.