Where Taking 3 Shots In A Half Is Okay Happens

Ginobili somehow mustered enough energy to make his mark on the LA/SA series last night...I dont remember when he "jammed" his ankle..but I do remember his production level dropping every series..but he exploded last night and LA looked kinda dazed in the blowout...even though they are still up 2-1..which I thought was interesting...

Ken Griffey Jr....remember him?....well if not he's the center fielder for the Cincinnati Reds..and he's on track to hit a great mark which is 600 HRs...and if you also didnt know....600 HRs is a great mark to hit for any player..right now Ken is #6 on the list behind Sammy Sosa,Willie Mays,Babe Ruth,Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds....some company right?...I'd like to think so.But no one seems to make much deal of his impact on the game..but that is typical..making things like ARod's 500 a super big deal..now I know he is the guy who everyone is hoping to dethrone Barry Bonds at #1,but you have to give credit to the guy who they were talking about to break the HR record in his prime,not Bonds...in the late 90s when Sosa and McGwire were having their "magical" season...Griffey was a distant 3rd with 56 HRs...and for that time 56 wasnt a number you can shrug at...but it was by the people who make the most noise about the sport...maybe it was him being hidden in Seattle...but when he forced his way out of there to Cincinnati..the injuries set in...and as a result the derailment began..I think I'll go on the record of saying he had a bigger impact on baseball than Sosa or McGwire..so when he hits his 600th home run..just know that steroids were never ever an issue with any of those baseballs leaving the park.

This past week was an indication of baseball needing instant replay...it seemed every day one game would have a split decision that would have needed instant replay...and while most people would think that it would help the sport in terms if the ball was fair or foul,its not going to solve every split decision in baseball...balls and strikes will never be reviewed..and depending on the angle the umps wont make the right call on if it was a home run or a double..how many calls have you seen in basketball...or hockey or football..where the call is reviewed...you sit around for like 5 minutes only to see them blow the call?...why would that be any different...incorporate instant replay...but just dont think that calls still wont be blown..

I dont watch Sportscenter...I think its too wordy,too trendy during the highlights that come around every 10 minutes(and how does a sports show not show all the highlights of the games of the day?)...its also too over-analytical for the lack of material that they have,football is still a main story somehow year round and half of the show is dedicated to backtracking of the "experts" who use the word "wont" instead "maybe"....anyways...Sunday at 6 there was absolutely nothing on and I decided to put SC on and give it another chance..maybe I was too harsh...well it was going well,baseball was on and everything was nice...then they started to cover the Boston/Detroit series..and who did they bring on as a guest analyst?....Damon Jones of the Cleveland Cavaliers...I was dumbfounded...literally dumbfounded..but again...I thought..."Ryan..you are pretty overly critical sometimes..yes Damon Jones is a terrible shooter...but maybe he has a better grip of the game in terms of breakdown...role players make the best people on tv"......

Nope....

So much for giving him benefit of the doubt..he didnt say anything I hadnt thought of(or has been said before on that network) prior to the series...it was a trainwreck really...and didnt help me like Sportscenter any more than I did prior...maybe a little less.

Congrats to Barry Zito for winning last week and getting off the 0-8 record..1-8 isnt very much better...but its way better than 0-9.

Chauncey Billups is almost done..he had a small run when won that ring..but I personally think he's down the hill(not over) and dont think that "Big Shot" nickname should stand very much longer...if at all.

I personally witnessed my Mariners implode Sunday against the Yankees and during that 8th inning I came up with reasons why the Mariners suck.

-Walks...they dont...Ichiro is our best player...and how it works is that the team takes on the personality of their best player...Ichiro is a great hitter..but patience at the plate isnt something he shows alot of...and as a result other players follow suit...yes they are 9th in walks in the league but it leads me to the next point

-Hitting...when you as a team are only hitting .251(which is 6th worst in the league) you cant score those players in when they actually DO walk...so the mentality would be that since you cant walk because you cant get in..you swing a little more than you'd want to..which leads to strikeouts....they 4th worst in the league when runners are in scoring position at .236..ew

-Pitching....heres an easy one...tied for last in Earned Run Average(at .496)...and its all connected...if your pitcher gives up 5 runs a game...and your offense is struggling..you arent going to be winning...much..if at all...they bring in Erik Bedard from Baltimore to take over the staff...so far here's what he's brought

3-3(out of 8 starts) 4.70ERA 40 strikeouts,20 walks

Its not bad...but its easily not good either....