The next Greg Maddux...

Greg Maddux, in spite of his 5-0 brilliant start, is going to have to retire someday. When that day comes, we've found our next candidate to replace him - Scott Mathieson, SP for the Philadelphia Phillies AA squad. The intelligence of Mr. Mathieson is unbelievable and it is only too bad that Maddux couldn't be his protoge...

"The hitters are a little more patient here, and I just have to keep working ahead," Mathieson said. "I think the AFL helped the most, to be honest. It taught me a lot about working ahead and staying ahead, which is huge for me in the way I pitch." (Source: Baseball America)

Wow...the insight that he brings to the mound. Staying ahead in the count being HUGE for the way he pitches. And, watch out all of you NL East fans, but the Phillies look poised for the future when you consider the following comments out of Mathieson's mouth:

"We're all good friends and we pick each other's brains a lot." (ibid)

Wow. Watch out New York. Watch out Atlanta. And, watch out Phillies fans out there, for it appears soon, your price to admission to a game won't be the simple price of a ticket but instead upon your ability to successfully complete a basic Mensa examination.

Now, for those pitchers with slightly lower IQ's who have to rely on lowly mechanics and "stuff," Chad Billingsly is doing his best. In the hitter friendly PCL, his 1.59 ERA is bordering on ridiculous, leading Dodgers GM Ned Colletti to report "One of two things could happen. One, an opening could be created. Or two, Chad Billingsley could create his own opening." (ibid)

In one of my fantasy drafts this year, I kept going back and forth between Scott Elbert and Wade Davis. I picked Scott Elbert. Oops...

Jose Tabata, proving that just because you can't legally smoke, it doesn't mean you can't play baseball...

Interesting note - Cincinatti is barely (about 7,000) outdrawing Pittsburgh in attendance this year, even though Cincy can boast a team currently in the thick of the NL Central hunt. We all know they won't stay there, but it raises the question - who the hell cares about Pittsburgh that much?

What a weekend...

Busy weekend so unable to get out any fascinating baseball talk...

...this is a good thing for the Minnesota Twins. Not that they care what I say, but after being outscored 33-1 over the weekend, I've finally equated them to the Kansas City Royals which equals "Not worth talking about."

...Al Pujols...at 14 HR a month, he'll pass Bonds in early September. For the sake of baseball, GO PRINCE ALBERT! In a related note, the line for Pujols on the 30th - 0-1 with 4 walks, 2 intentional...the Barry Bonds treatment is already starting.

...the Kevin Mench watch stopped at 7 consecutive games with a HR...thankfully, his name didn't need to join that of Ken Griffey and Don Mattingly...

...Jeff Weaver, after his 2.1 IP, 8 ER debacle on Friday, is changing the question from total wins for the Weavers as a family to "Which Weaver will win more games this year?" Jeff is leading 1-0. :) And speaking of Friday's Angels game, J.C. Romero back to reality - 0.2 IP, 3 BB...

...On Saturday, the Yankees completed a rare feat, scoring in every inning they came up to bat this year. Coincidentally, Josh Towers fell to 0-5...and yet, the Jays are committed to turning Dustin McGowan into a reliever...huh...

...Adrian Beltre - welcome back (for a game). Let's see, at one HR a month for the rest of your career, that = ROBBING THE MARINERS BLIND!!!

...Jon Papelbon's April - 13G, 14.1 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 14K, 10 Sv, 0.00 ERA. How do you make this guy a starter? How do you not try?

...Brad Wilkerson - 37 K's in 89 AB...a 42% K rate...wasn't he the steal of the Soriano deal?

...Byung Hyung Kim - Heck of a first start of the season Sunday - 6.2 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 9K's...Over/Under on ER's next start - 5.5.

...Nick Swisher - .314/.403/.738 - Fact or Fiction

...Andy Sisco - now we know why he was a Rule V pick - Season stats: 13 G (0-1), 10 IP, 18 H, 5 BB, 9K's, 9.00 ERA.

...Carlos Zambrano - are the effects of all of those Dusty Baker Innings Pitched finally catching up with him? Through six starts and 34.2 IP, he's allowed 33 hits and 25 walks along with SIX home runs. Coming into the season, he averaged a HR allowed every 13.8 innings. This season, he's averaging one every 5.8 innings pitched.

There is so much more to talk about, but a guy's gotta work a little bit during the day...