Sports: Lots of excitement in MLB ... the lowly Brewers won ten in a row, but lost before they would force a local business to sell hamburgers or something to the entire city [per a promise, which they actually had to do once a while back), the Wild Card race is something like a six way tie, and the Central races continue to be close. My underdog Royals are in trouble, needing to play a doubleheader today, as well as a couple other extra games ... while being statistically behind by a few percentage points. The Mets got their 5000 home run, Detroit their 100th loss before September (quite a feat), and Bonds came back from bereavement leave (his dad died of cancer) and hit a home run off Randy Johnson ... and was very emotional.

The Yanks eked out a 10-7 win vs. Boston, after a 8-4 lead dropped to 8-7 after Mariano almost completely gave up the lead ... inheriting three of Jeff "the latest nailbiter path to Mariano" reliever runs, but than the Red Sox's closer gave up yet another home run to the Yanks. Kim is iffy in other games too ... if Pedro can't hold on to a 3-0 [a Pettite error basically led to all three], 3-2 [a ground rule double and a wonderful catch stopped even more runs], and 4-2 [down 3-2, Pettite gave up a run in the very next inning, but that's it] leads ... the team just isn't going anywhere. Pedro lasted but four, but in general, he always is too tender. This and the failure of the Red Sox to cut back on the offense and get at least one more stud starter, is why they never will get anywhere.

Meanwhile, after getting two of three from the Braves, the Mets were swept by the Phillies. Sao again had trouble in the fifth -- he seems to be five inning pitcher these days -- changing a 1-0 game to 4-0, and you knew it was over. They finally got a hit in the seventh [a player did get hit earlier] in the last game, but on the last play of the game, Reyes got hurt (a costly rare walk). Well, the Phillies always love playing at Shea. A nod to the Mets organization btw for having a special "cheap seats" promotion for the last month of the season. I think they probably should have did something like that earlier, and it obviously has something to do with the fact that school will mean a lot fewer fans to the lastest round of meaningless games. But, it's a good thought, anyhow.