Random Thoughts-Super Expanded Edition

So many things have happened since my last column in the world of sports, and I don't know where to begin. As a result instead of writing about one thing, I'm just going to have to go off on as many tangents as possible. Good luck keeping up with me.

Kirby Puckett 1960-2006

The baseball world lost one of its best last week. Former Minnesota Twin and Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett suffered a stroke and died early Monday morning. He was a native of the South Side of Chicago, growing up in the Robert Taylor homes. He was also one of my absolute favorite baseball players growing up, despite the fact he played for a team that was in the same division as my White Sox. Dave Winfield said it best while being interviewed about Kirby this week. "If you didn't like Kirby Puckett, you didn't like life."

He always smiled. On the field, off the field, everywhere. He truly enjoyed living life, and playing baseball, and his attitude was infectious. A two time World Series champion, Kirby's game winning home run in Game 6 of the 1991 Series against Atlanta sticks out as one of my most vivid childhood baseball memories. It's followed closely by Puckett robbing Ron Gant of a home run earlier in that same game.

Puckett was forced to retire early due to glaucoma robbing him of his eyesight. I have heard and read in the last few days a few people talking about Puckett not deserving his spot in the Hall of Fame. People see his numbers and tend to forget he was robbed of another 3-5 years of playing due to glaucoma. Not to mention 6 Gold Gloves, 10 consecutive All Star teams, 2,304 hits, one AL Batting Championship, and a career average of .318 aren't exactly bad numbers. The last right handed hitter to have a career average that high? Just some guy named Joe DiMaggio.

Kirby's life took some dark turns after his forced retirement. He gained a lot of weight and had some off the field troubles. In his former teammate's, Kent Hrbek, opinion retirement had a lot to do with those troubles. "That's what really hurt him bad, when he was forced out of the game, I don't know if he ever recovered from it.''

In a day and age in baseball where people like Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Jose Canseco and other steroids aided mirages consume the landscape, it's incredibly sad that for a person like Kirby to get some attention he has to die for it. Kirby Puckett will be missed, both as a person, and for what he represented on a baseball field.

Barry Bonds

Speak of the devil. Raise your hand if you are shocked by the latest developments in the life that is Barry Bonds. I mean dressing up in drag and impersonating Paula Abdul, that's a shock to the system. A book coming out that supports the theory of just about everybody who watches baseball belief that Bonds uses steroids isn't.

I don't like Barry Bonds. I have never liked Barry Bonds. I hated him when he was a skinny kid on the Pirates, and I've hated him since he's been a Giant. What I never understood was why he did it. Like him or not, there was no way I or anyone can deny he was one of the best all around baseball players in the game BEFORE he started juicing. In the book (Game of Shadows by Mark Fainuaru-Wada and Lance Williams) it's written Bonds began using steroids in response to McGwire and Sosa in 1998. Apparently he was jealous at all the attention they were getting. In hindsight, knowing what we know now, he had a right to be. Bonds truly was the best player of the three at the time, but they were the ones hitting a ridiculous amount of home runs, so they got all the attention.

Bonds decided if you can't beat em join em.

As a result of his decision he has now made himself the most hated man in the history of baseball. He's right up there now with Ty Cobb (who himself had to compete with Honus Wagner as best player at the time) on the "What a Magnificent Player and Complete Ass" list. I think the right move here for Bonds would just be to retire. The fact that he is so close to catching Babe Ruth on the All Time Home Run list is a moot point now. Passing him will only bring more drama to Bonds' life.

If he retires now he will still join his Godfather, the great Willie Mays (coincedentally he's on the "Greatest Players of All Time and an All Around Great Guy" list of players), in the Hall of Fame. His numbers pre 1998 warrant it. Of course who knows for sure if he'll get in now. This steroid era is going to be very hard to figure out, especially now that we're just getting out of it (I hope). The thing is you can't keep him out of the Hall because according to the rules, he did nothing wrong. It's a shame, but really there's nothing you can do but make sure that people know about his steroid use. If that means an asterisk, or just writing something about it on his plaque.

Here's to hoping that a few years from now players with names like Albert Pujols, Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez, and others will make what Bonds did seem inferior. (Honestly I think before it's said and done we'll all consider Pujols to be one of the greatest of all time, if not THE greatest.)

World Baseball Classic

Did the US really lose to Canada?

Thank God we had South Africa to take out that frustration on. Seriously though, where does that loss to Canada fall on the all time list of Most Embarassing Losses by US sports teams? I mean losing to Canada in hockey or curling is one thing, but to lose to them in YOUR sport with some of that sports greatest players?

That's baseball for you though, and really that's a reason to love the game. Things like this are going to happen. 9 times out of 10 the US destroys Canada, but there will always be that 10th game that Canada wins.

Has anybody seen the lineup of the Dominican Republic team? How the pitchers don't have brown stains on the back of their pants while pitching I dont know. Look at this line up:

1. Alfonso Soriano-2B (2005 stats 36 HR 104 RBI)
2. Miguel Tejada-SS (26 HR 98 RBI)
3. Albert Pujols-1B (.330 AVG. 41 HR 117 RBI)
4. David Ortiz-DH (47 HR 148 RBI)
5. Moises Alou-LF
6. Adrian Beltre-3B
7. Juan Encarnacion-RF
8. Alberto Castillo-C
9. Willy Taveres-CF

Alou and Beltre didn't have their best years last season, but both are more than formidable. In fact Beltre has 3 home runs in 3 games so far. I haven't even mentioned that Vladimir Guerrero(32 HR 108 RBI) is on the team, but attending the funerals of 3 cousins and not available for right field. They are a little thin in the rotation since Pedro Martinez can't play, but with that lineup, I can pitch for them.

If Canada can put up an 8 spot on the US, what will the Dominicans do?

Also as far as the actual WBC, I'm enjoying it. It's a very entertaining tournament so far, and with a few tweaks like moving it to October would make it great. Mostly because players aren't in game shape yet in March, and the competition is not what it could be. In October there would be no need for max. pitch counts on pitchers since their arms would be in shape, and this would make for much better played games. I still think it's between the US, Dominican, and Venezeula. Japan and Korea though could give the American team some trouble in round 2 with their fundamentally sound play.

March Madness

On of my favorite times of the year has started. Postseason College Basketball. Conference tournaments are wrapping up this weekend, and then next week the Madness begins. I'm not going to make any picks just yet, I want to see how conference tournaments and the brackets turn out first. I promise I will share my picks for the first 2 rounds this week.

No random thoughts this time, as this entire column was really just an expanded version of them anyway.