In the past two days, I have heard baseball announcers talk about Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa slow starts. Slow starts!? Sosa always heats it up in June and is ahead of where he usually is this time of year. The last time I watched Bonds play, he hit two homers. I'd take that slow start.

Another player who has also had a tough start is Ichiro Suzuki. But he had two big hits last night and could be on his way. I doubt Japan had the arms to consistently blast him inside like MLB pitchers have been doing to him. Both hits yesterday were in the middle of the plate. Suzuki will need to adjust. Last year wasn't as big a year for Ichiro as the year before and his impact seems less. There was talk of him dealing with injuries last year. Plus he is getting older.

That leads to a point that I want to make with as much diplomacy as I can. I think MLB should model society and be as much a melted society as possible, but asian players have already been through many of their best years before they think about coming here. That limits the amount of quality years an asian player has in him in the majors. I just don't see any long term success stories out there.

Hideo Nomo has been a solid starter and has won 101 games since he arrived here. He had a great year last year and is off to a pretty good start this year. How many other asian players can you name besides Nomo who have played more than five years? Chan Ho Park? Uhh...nope. Hidecki Arabu? Puhleeze!

The same can be said to recent Cuban refugees who have signed with MLB clubs with much ballyhoo. There hasn't been one durable and effective pitcher who has defected. I don't count Livan Hernandez as he really doesn't seem to have much drive to succeed and has done little to improve his pitching. Orlando Hernandez? For two years maybe.


A sad, sad statement, but for the first time ever, I would rather play for the Florida Marlins than the New York Mets. The Mets are really the New York Mess. Steve Phillips can't be very comfortable sleeping at night.

Speaking of leadership not sleeping, Jeff Torborg is a dinosaur and needs to be replaced. The same can be said for Bob Boone in Cincinnati. It's time for a change on both teams. The other poor teams are at least playing hard. And you can't ask for more than that. Speaking of poor teams, it looks like the Tigers are going to win two in a row for the first time this year.