Clubbing the Cubbies, or Moon Over Reyes Hammy

It's hard to type while I'm holding my breath, but until I hear some news as to Jose Reyes' status. Reyes left the game late last night. Early word is it was a cramp and coming out was a precautionary measure. But I will rest easy when I see Reyes smiling back at me from SS later today. I have been puzzling over this all season given the large number of blowouts, but maybe Willie will start pulling the starters out of blowouts? Sosa continues his impressive season, and Gomez is a joy to watch. Tomorrow, the Mets go for 3 out of 4, which would be a nice way to warm up for the Spankmes.

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Metsblog is reporting that Lino has failed a Urdaneta-test or something and is facing a 50 game suspension, not for sucking, but for roiding it up. How many more suspensions and magazine covers until the Mets have a problem?

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My plan to purchase the Br*ves and turn Turner Field into a Jiffylube, Stripclub, and BBQ joint was unsucessful due to zoning and financing issues. However, the team I love to hate is about to be disassociated with Ted Turner for ever, and I can stop feeling guilty writing checks to Time Warner cable, phone, etc. every month. Liberty Media, instead, has purchased the team, hopefully in time to preside over a nice decade-long slide into mediocrity. Perhaps Hooters can purchase significant billboard space under the new regime?

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Marty "Pants" Noble takes a mailbag question: was Keith Hernandez the best defensive first baseman he ever saw? Does the Pope shit in the woods? Are bears catholic? Noble recalls an interesting tidbit I didn't remember:

Hernandez also revolutionized the position -- until umpires disallowed what he did -- by taking pickoff throws while essentially squatting in foul territory so that he could make tags to his right more readily.