"I actually think the Marlins might have an edge ... they have stellar pitching and a bit more offense. The Cubs bullpen is questionable; the Marlins bullpen has shown their stuff repeatedly vs. the Giants." [October 7] Unfortunately, I was right, though when they were up 3-1 or 3-2 and six outs away, I thought differently. Some do feel it's a good thing that the Cubs/Red Sox match-up was not to be, while Dave Barry is more sarcastic (and hilarious) than usual in rooting for the Marlins.

Sorry to say, he is right, the Cubs choked, though a fan might have helped them out. [I didn't see it, but pictures seem to imply that the ball was out of field of play, so technically it was not interference.] As to the Red Sox, I am relieved, since it would have been really sad if they got in without the Cubs. First and third, no one out, and the score is already 4-0 with Pedro pitching, I admit I wasn't very optimistic. Mussina came in relief (first time in his career) and just shut them down for three innings. Redemption. Wells (Game 1 starter for the WS) gave up a home run in his 2/3 of an inning in the eighth, making it 5-2, but once it was 4-2 and Pedro was due to leave, I had hope. Pedro stuck around too long (like Mark Pryor), the Yanks tied it, and Mariano pitched three innings ... until Boone hit a home run off Wakefield. The Yanks finally got to him. A team effort and good preparation, since the Marlins won't be easy. At all.

Scott Turow was on Governor Ryan's (Illinois) commission to investigation the death penalty in that state and wrote a little book reflecting about the death penalty. It is a little over a hundred pages and is basically an extension of his magazine article on the subject. Well worth reading and can be finished in a few trips to the office. Al Franken, of course, wrote his own book on a political subject ... it is analyzed here. John Edwards, who I like but think is too young and inexperienced (more the latter) to win, is having problems. On the other hand, if Ashton Kutcher, Dennis Hopper, and Aaron Sorkin (former producer of West Wing) is on his side, he's doing fine, huh?