KAZMAT Update

Watching Brian Bannister's magic act last night, here in Asia, was quite an experience. The game broadcast was pretty much smack dab in the middle of the night. I wanted to go to sleep, but 25 years of Metsfandom wouldn't let me turn off the game and sleep after Darren Oliver made it a more interesting game by giving up the dingers as is his wont. Oliver did manage to face Hardy last night as the hilarious Marty Noble points out. Delirious at 4 am, I dreamt of knuckleballers, Delgado attoning for a throwing error, and victory. Even then, I had to keep one eye open until Diaz doubled on a knuckle that didn't knuckle.

I may be the only one who still cares, but turn away from screaming at Jorge Julio for a minute, and check out what our old friend Kaz has been up to. As if to give ample support to the theory the Mets are actually paying him to stay away from the parent club, Kaz's website now features a splash page of Kaz, not training mercilessly, playing error-free minor league tune-up ball, or obsessing over what went wrong with his career, but relaxing on a sofa.

Now it's been a rough ride for the bigger failure of a Japanese import since Shinjo, or karaoke, and I'm one who really was pulling for him this season. But I misunderstood, I thought the dude was a victim of circumstance, bad timing, and illusory skillsets. Now I see that he is just here on a $7 million vacation.




...on the beach



...at the mall






...enjoying a little tennis






breakdancing... or something.

Looking at the pictures, you can't help but get the feeling that his mind's really not on baseball. Or his manager/publicist doesn't realize he may never work again! Or more likely, he knows that most Americans are too lazy to ever check out his website.

So what does all this mean? Nothing. But please stop booing Jorge Julio.