Bored

Okay then I'll move Vitamin X (FIU) to the Big Atlantic as with Secret Agent (Texas A&M) signed up there was 10 possible teams in the Mid South.

Nope no fee to play. I'll worry about asking anyone to maybe switch schools if most of the remaining holdovers don't sign up but at this point just stick with San Diego State.

Thanks for signing up. I'll tentatively stick you in the Mid South although that might change. Flyboy hasn't reupped yet so there might end up being an open spot in the conference. Since at this point FIU would be the only Sun Belt conference team taken I can pretty much put you anywhere that's needed. Seven holdovers still out there and an open spot in the Big MAC. New sign ups are still welcome since I anticipate not all the holdovers will be back.

Funny no one is really mentioning Miami yet. If they can beat Virginia Tech in Blacksburg in November they could definently go undfeated. Obviously that is a big if as if Ron Mexico's brother can avoid getting high school girls drunk this year Va Tech could make a push for the Rose Bowl.

These middle relievers using steroids are trying to destroy the legacy of Jesse Orossco.

A's have signed Mark Kotsay to a two-year, $15 million extension.

Texas' undefeated season will end really quick at Ohio State in the second week of the season. You can recover in the polls from an early season loss, especially against a top ranked opponent on the road, and make it to the Rose Bowl but until they can get off the schnide against Oklahoma I seriously doubt they can get there. At Missouri the week before The Red River Shootout could also be a trap game.

No official confirmation yet but Jay Payton has been traded to the A's for Chad Bradford. Bradford is currently on the DL so that's why the trade isn't official. He was going to be activated after the All-Star break. I don't expect Payton's stay to be long with the A's unless they trade Eric Byrnes. All Mark Kotsay rumors are pretty much dead and an extension is expected to be signed soon.

While Tim dreams of his head being in Derek's lap. In other news Travis Hafner's OPS is over 1.000 now. Yup not good enough for the 32nd man ballot.

Scott Podsednik and Roy Oswalt have won the 32nd man spots. Oswalt's been arguably the best pitcher not named Willis or Clemens in the N.L. so good pick there. But a guy with a .693 OPS making the All-Star team is a joke. How was Podsednik even on the ballot? I don't care how many stolen bases he has, he's not that good.

There's a 12 pitcher requirement so that's why the N.L. 32nd man ballot is all pitcher's. The A.L. 32nd man ballot is a joke with Crawford and Podsednik on there. I'm absolutely loving the ESPN outcry for Jeter but shit he's the most deserving guy on there. Travis Hafner was robbed big time.

Mariners DFA'd Bret Boone.

AL MVP 1. Brian Roberts 2. Alex Rodriguez 3. Miguel Tejada 4. David Ortiz 5. Vladimir Guerrero 6. Johnny Damon 7. Mark Teixeira 8. Travis Hafner 9. Gary Sheffield 10. Manny Ramirez NL MVP 1. Derrek Lee 2. Albert Pujols 3. Bobby Abreu 4. Nick Johnson 5. Brian Giles 6. Jason Bay 7. Jeff Kent 8. Carlos Delgado 9. Carlos Lee 10. Andruw Jones AL Cy Young 1. Roy Halladay 2. Mark Buehrle 3. Jon Garland NL Cy Young 1. Roger Clemens 2. Dontrelle Willis 3. Roy Oswalt AL Rookie of Year 1. Chris Young 2. Gustavo Chacin 3. Huston Street NL Rookie of Year 1. Clint Barmes (won't win obviously) 2. Garrett Atkins 3. Ryan Church

Okay it's time for my weekly All-Star picks. For the starters these are not who I think should start but who I think will be voted starters and fan voting is pretty easy to predict. The only real tough one was N.L. shortstop so I went with the most recognizable name in Vizquel. Immediately people will laugh when they see Griffey's name but I remind you he was voted a starter last year and the other two top voting N.L. outfielders were Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa. Griffey is a lock to be voted a starter. Also the last two years with the player voting the rosters have been set at 20 position players and 12 pitchers, with at least four of them being relievers so that's how I'm putting them together. These aren't predictions this is just based on how these players have played so far this season. AMERICAN LEAGUE C: IVAN RODRIGUEZ, Detroit; Jason Varitek, Boston; Joe Mauer, Minnesota 1B: TINO MARTINEZ, New York; Mike Sweeney, Kansas City 2B: ALFONSO SORIANO, Texas; Brian Roberts, Baltimore 3B: ALEX RODRIGUEZ, New York; Brandon Inge, Detroit SS: DEREK JETER, New York; Miguel Tejada, Baltimore OF: ICHIRO SUZUKI, Seattle; VLADIMIR GUERRERO, Anaheim; MANNY RAMRIEZ, Boston; Johnny Damon, Boston; Gary Sheffield, New York; Carl Crawford, Tampa Bay DH: DAVID ORTIZ, Boston; Shea Hillenbrand, Toronto; David Dellucci, Texas SP: KENNY ROGERS, Texas; Jon Garland, Chicago; Roy Halladay, Toronto; Johan Santana, Minnesota; Erik Bedard, Baltimore; Jeremy Bonderman, Detroit; Rich Harden, Oakland; Kevin Millwood, Cleveland RP: Dustin Hermanson, Chicago; B.J. Ryan, Baltimore; Francisco Rodriguez, Anaheim; Joe Nathan, Minnesota NATIONAL LEAGUE C: MIKE PIAZZA, New York; Ramon Hernandez, San Diego 1B: ALBERT PUJOLS, St. Louis; Derrek Lee, Chicago; Lyle Overbay, Milwaukee; Todd Helton, Colorado 2B: JEFF KENT, Los Angeles; Craig Biggio, Houston 3B: SCOTT ROLEN, St. Louis; Chipper Jones, Atlanta; Troy Glaus, Arizona SS: OMAR VIZQUEL, San Francisco; Clint Barmes, Colorado OF: KEN GRIFFEY JR, Cincinnati; JIM EDMONDS, St. Louis; CARLOS BELTRAN, New York; Bobby Abreu, Philadelphia; Adam Dunn, Cincinnati; Miguel Cabrera, Florida; Milton Bradley, Los Angeles SP: ROGER CLEMENS, Houston; Dontrelle Willis, Florida; Brett Myers, Philadelphia; Mike Hampton, Atlanta; Mark Redman, Pittsburgh; Jake Peavy, San Diego; A.J. Burnett, Florida; Josh Beckett, Florida RP: Billy Wagner, Philadelphia; Chad Cordero, Washington; Yhency Brazoban, Los Angeles; Brandon Lyon, Arizona

I'll still take new sign ups after the final open spot is filled just in case not every holdover signs up again this year. If the interest is there I'll expand the number of posters in the contest.

Especially considering one game would have to end in a tie for that to happen.... Anyways if the A's sweep the White Sox the will finish the first half (81 games) with a winning record which just seemed impossible five weeks ago. I'm not thinking postseason by any stretch but even 85 wins this year would be remarkable after where they were.

Edited: I realized I didn't pick anyone for the Twins. Bored's All-Star Predictions This is not who I think should go to the All-Star Game, it's who I think will go to the All-Star Game. I'm sticking with the current vote leaders as the starters. AMERICAN LEAUGE C: JASON VARITEK, Boston; Jorge Posada, New York; Ivan Rodriguez, Detroit 1B: MARK TEIXEIRA, Texas; Mike Sweeney, Kansas City 2B: BRIAN ROBERTS, Baltimore; Alfonso Soriano, Texas 3B: ALEX RODRIGUEZ, New York; Melvin Mora, Baltimore; Eric Chavez, Oakland SS: MIGUEL TEJADA, Baltimore; Derek Jeter, New York OF: MANNY RAMIREZ, Boston; VLADIMIR GUERRERO, Los Angeles; ICHIRO SUZUKI, Seattle; Johnny Damon, Boston; Gary Sheffield, New York; Torii Hunter, Minnesota DH: DAVID ORTIZ, Boston; Travis Hafner, Cleveland SP: ROY HALLADAY, Toronto; Mark Buehrle, Chicago; Jon Garland, Chicago; Bartolo Colon, Los Angeles; Kenny Rogers*, Texas; Matt Clement, Boston; Freddy Garcia, Chicago RP: Mariano Rivera, New York; B.J. Ryan, Blatimore; Dustin Hermanson, Chicago; Eddie Guardado, Seattle; Danys Baez, Tampa Bay *Status obviously up in the air. NATIONAL LEAGUE C: MIKE PIAZZA, New York; Paul Lo Duca, Florida 1B: ALBERT PUJOLS, St. Louis; Carlos Delgado, Florida 2B: JEFF KENT, Los Angeles; Craig Biggio, Houston 3B: SCOTT ROLEN, St. Louis; Aramis Ramirez, Chicago SS: CESAR IZTURIS, Los Angeles; David Eckstein, St. Louis; Felipe Lopez, Cincinnati OF: BOBBY ABREU, Philadelphia; JIM EDMONDS, St. Louis; CARLOS BELTRAN, New York; Carlos Lee, Milwaukee; Andruw Jones, Atlanta; Miguel Cabrera, Florida; Jason Bay, Pittsburgh; Moises Alou, San Francisco; Preston Wilson, Colorado DH: DERREK LEE, Chicago SP: DONTRELLE WILLIS, Florida; Roger Clemens, Houston; Pedro Martinez, New York; Chris Carpenter, St. Louis; Roy Oswalt, Houston; Livan Hernandez, Washington; Brandon Webb, Arizona; Jake Peavy, San Diego RP: Chad Cordero, Washington; Billy Wagner, Philadelphia; Jason Isringhausen, St. Louis; Brad Lidge, Houston The N.L. could go a million different ways so I'll probably be way off.

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article..._id=mlb#results Mark Teixeira has blown past Tino Martinez.

Steven A Smith seems to be under the impression that every player from a "national champion" is going to be great.

YES! Granger is right there for the Warriors now. God damnit.

When I first saw Cheap Seats with the studio audience I thought maybe it was just some joke they were doing for one episode. What makes having the auidence so bad is that they have them forcibly laugh at every single joke. And the butchering of ESPN Classic has pissed me off to no end. Replacing showing classic games, you know the original point of the channel, with those "Who's #1?" and "You Can't Blame..." What in the hell is classic about these shows? What classic games they do show now are 90% of the time done in the condensed "Drive Thru" format. What's so idiotic about the format is they show basically every key play to the game at the beginning and then show each scoring play that is coming up before each commercial break.

I've wondered how will Michelle Wie's swing be effected as her boobs get bigger...and thus that's the amount of time I actually have spent thinking about women's golf.

A's 16, Giants 0 in the 5th inning. Ya I'm sure Bonds is dying to comeback. A's call off dogs and put on the prevent defense after that. They out hit the Giants 24 to 1.

I think the Yankees most realistic trade option at center is Ken Griffey Jr. Like I said in the TWIB thread I don't think the A's will end up trading Kotsay especially if they remain hot and creep their way over .500 by the deadline.

I haven't lost a match up all year and have dominated my opponents the last six weeks while moving into first place. But now I'm in serious danger of losing to the last place team in the league!? Ugh I can't believe this.