This and That...

Once again, I stand alone on my writer's island pursuing a higher calling in baseball to share a few tidbits of opinion and information with you...

• Pretty exciting race for the NL Wild Card between the Brewers and the Mets. How do think Bud Selig feels? Does he cheer for his old team he owned (that he never fully separated from) the Brewers who have risked it all to get here by trading for C.C. Sabathia earlier in the season only to lose their once strong grip on the playoffs? Or, does Selig the commissh cheer for the major market Mets, who would certainly do much more for television ratings and interest in the playoffs? A Cubs-Mets playoff series would have to get much bigger ratings vs. Brewers-Cubs right? I'm betting Selig is torn but knows the Mets would be better for the league though his heart wants the Brewers to win the Wild Card.
• Say what you will about Manny Ramirez, but it's hard to argue that he was a big part of the Dodgers' comeback and their NL West title.
• And it kills me that the Pirates and MLB baseball cowered to Scott Boras on the Pedro Alvarez signing. The #2 draft pick Alvarez got his guaranteed Major League contract worth $6.355million apparently because Boras didn't like the first deal he and Alvarez agreed to and Alvarez signed.
• And Rangers' fans, make sure and read Tim Cowlishaw's column in yesterday's Dallas Morning News. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/columnists/tcowlishaw/vitindex.html