Back In The Saddle Again

It turns out that MLB self-renewing subscriptions don't, hence the almost two month hiatus.

On the other hand, I haven't had much to say while watching the Santana saga wax and wane and the toothless Mitchell Report thud into remainder bins at Borders all over the country.

My view: Selig should resign (yeah, right). Unless Congress wants to set up a US equivalent of the South African Truth And Reconciliation Commission, MLB should draw a line under the last ten years or so and move on, whilst tightening up its testing policy and aligning penalties with other major world sports.

As to being conned over the past few years, I still believe that the confrontation I saw between Barry Bonds and Randy Johnson in SF in 2003(?) was among the supreme sports moments I've witnessed. Alongside it was a moment in the Tour de France around  the same year, when Lance Armstrong looked directly into Jan Ulrich's eyes on a major climb and then stood on his pedals and rode away from him.

Both of these incidents have been coloured by drug revelations (actual adimissions in the case of Ulrich) but I'm still glad I saw them. Accept it all, learn from at least some of what has been reported and move on.

The Santana deal seems stuck, with the Sox not willing (praise the Lord) to add Ellsbury to the offer, and the media suggesting that, whilst he will move, no deal will be done before mid-January. My prediction for what it's worth: Ellsbury in centrefield on Sox opening day.

So, Christmas looms, for me in Virginia as an escape from NZ summer and a chance to visit with my sister, Stacey and Kiana, together with a trip to NC to meet up with Ted and his long-suffering wife and rapscallion kids:)

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.