CatNip

So often the baseball season parallels the sport of rock climbing. I'm sure that elite rock climbers have periods where they feel invincible, and other times they must wonder why they accept the challenge.

The NL East represented good handholds, favorable weather, and perfect health. Who could have guessed that Tampa and KC would have been the sheer face of cold, wintry death? The other day the Boston Globe had an absurd column asking whether the Tigers were 'real'. At this point in the season, the Tigers of 2006 eclipsed the World Series Champion, 35-5 starting Tigers, who were very toothy. Pitching, pitching, pitching. The Tigers have it in abundance, with live young arms, the kind the Sox are trying to assemble.

The Sox acquired Eric Hinske in a waiver deal, which gives them some corner pop. What next, Shea Hillenbrand?