To Chew

Here are some items to chew. First and then second Rob Morse has an article on the cell phone issue and in a recent column on the plight of Oakland and the budget.

If you hear someone with a bad rug on his head mention that Oakland needs a baseball only facility, think of how much that costs.

In some local areas schools are laying off teachers.

Not reigning in spending. Laying off teachers.

Baseball stadiums are so not relevant.

Oakland A's owners Steve Schott and Ken Hoffman have done a decent Public Relations job (no, seriously) by not making their voices public. They have kept to the shadows and let the boulder try to push itself up the hill. Rather than demand or be seen trying to slice up community funds, the owners have realized that silence is the best policy.

LAST NIGHT

This isn't the official run down, but we needed to comment on something. ESPN's headline for the game last night was "Tejada ends slump with HR to doom Tigers in 11th".

Not so fast, Sparky.

You have to be hitting above the Mendoza line (.200) to be out of a slump.

Further, you can't average 3 errors a week in the field.

If anyone else noticed, Miguel isn't talkng to himself. He looks lost and he doesn't seem that concerend.

Last year Miguel would have four conversations in three different languages all at the same time if he swung at a slider low and away.

The conversation would last until his next at-bat.

Last night Miguel just blinked and a hollow look showered his face. He stared off into left field as he struck out with the bases loaded in the 8th.

He preceded to throw a ball in the dirt that would have ended the game in the top of the ninth. Clearly, Miggi is taking his struggles to the plate, the field and maybe even home.

We're not Ken Macha or Billy Beane. Maybe it's time to move Miggi in the batting order or give him a day off. His consecutive games played streak is not as important as costing the A's back to back games...

But, boy, he crushed that pitch in the 11th.