Take out the trash day...

2009 Mock GABA Update: if we were doing the Great American Baseball Adventure this year, we'd be taking a tour of Connecticut. Saturday night, Connecticut Defenders (Giants AA) third baseman Ramon Castro hit a walk-off home run in a 4-3 win over the Binghamton Mets. Castro had come in as part of a double-switch in the top of the inning. Sunday afternoon, we would be rocking out with the New Britain Rock Cats (Twins AA), hosting the Reading Phillies, 1:35 PM first pitch. It's Family Fun Day, and I would undoubetdly be kicked out for trying to run the bases post-game alongside the under-12 crowd.


- The NL Central has turned back into Comedy Central, with the Cubs now just one game over .500 after Saturday night's loss. The Cards could win this division with one hand tied behind Pujols' back the rest of the way. Only trouble is, Pujols looked like he was hitting with one hand Saturday night. 3 strikeouts in a game is rare for the baseball god-turned-human batter, and he looks like he's opening his stance to speed up his bat. No need to panic, but Tony LaRussa would be wise to give King Albert Sunday off (with Monday being a regular off-day).

- Mets owner Fred Wilpon has given Omar Minaya the old 'vote of confidence', saying Minaya will definitely be back in 2010. Minaya immediately injured himself sneezing, and was placed on the 60-day DL. (I've finally given up on Reyes and Delgado in fantasy circles, and Beltran's next on the 'see-ya' list. Maybe it's time for the Mets to do the same and just throw in the towel on 2009.)

- Maybe the Rays haven't run out of magic after all. Carlos Pena's walk-off hit Saturday kept Tampa three games off the AL wild-card pace. Wasn't it about this time last year when the Rays became possessed by the ghost of the '69 Mets?

- Yes, it's fantasy football drafting season (I have a mock draft starting in 5 minutes), but someone please tell the Yankees and Red Sox they don't have to put up football scores in every game this weekend. (Prediction: Doug Flutie puts on a Red Sox jersey Sunday and tries another one of those drop-kicks late in the game. MLB decides to count it.)

- I know it's way too late for this stat, but only two NL teams had double-digit interleague wins this season. NINE teams pulled off that feat in the AL. Is this another year of National League sacrificial lamb getting slaughtered in the Series?

- Runs, homers, and RBIs are like meat and potatoes of the fantasy baseball diet. And I'm starting to starve. My offense has turned into the San Diego Padres. What do you give a struggling offense in the post-steroid era? I should ask the Giants. I STILL can't name a hitter on that team other than Sandoval or Molina.