I really can't understand all the moralizing I hear going on about Juan Gonzalez exercising his no-trade clause and not wishing to go to the Expos. To the Fan's point of view, why would Texas agree to a no-trade clause in the first place? Basically, you're asking a guy not to take advantage of a negotiated perk in his contract. That isn't Juan Gone's moral problem but the team that signed that contract in the first place.

The same sort of moralizing happened two years ago when the Cubs traded for the Marlins' Fred McGriff. McGriff was made to look like the bad guy when he really wanted to keep his family in South Florida. Who knows how much of the pressure was put on him to accept the deal as it turned out he did. A year later, he is in Los Angeles. Gonzalez feels the most comfortable in Texas. His contract allows him to turn down a trade so that he can stay there. Too bad. Tough luck. It isn't like he hasn't produced for the Rangers because he has.


So the two guys who battled in the courts for Bonds 73rd homer only (!) got $450,000 in the auction. I wonder if that covered the court costs?


Albert Pujols looks unbelievable. He is now batting in the high .380's and has a great shot at .400 and the triple crown. His new teammate, Bo Hart, had three more hits tonight and is up to .500 for the start of his MLB career.

Speaking of hot hitters, there aren't too many hotter than Geoff Jenkins of the Brewers. He had four more RBI tonight as the Brewers whomped the Cubbies 12-6. Jenkins is now batting .290 with 18 homers and 57 RBI.

I remember a few years ago (maybe it was two years ago) when Jenkins was off to a really fast start and was on his way to a breakout year when he got hurt and couldn't get it back when he returned to playing. It looks like he is going to put a great year together this year.


Just when you think a team is dead, they run off a streak. The Diamondbacks, with everybody on the disabled list, have won nine in a row to climb back into the NL West. I'm VERY surprised by this turn of events. Another team back from the dead is the White Sox as they close in on the Twins and the first place Royals (another team back from the dead).


In one of the great stories of the year, the Brewers have a player who pitches and hits. No, I don't mean that he gets to hit when he pitches. I mean that he was hired to hit and to pitch. Tonight he hit a pinch hit homer (his third) and is batting .367. This two in one player is Brooks Kieschnick and he will be fun to follow.