[The Poet]

Thanks for the update, John. For Ortiz to go so postal over a single RBI, and for a decision made by his home scorekeeper no less, coupled with his "fight" on the field a month back, does not bode well for his mental and emotional stability.

Last year, when he got off to such a slow start and was being bashed by the fans and Boston press, he was correct to point out that they were wrong to jump to conclusions based upon a dozen games . . . even if his attitude then was perhaps overly aggressive. But this kind of crap is simply that . . . crap.

Oh, and to address your earlier query re A-Rod, I only refrained for the same reason I have not posted about the reported "recruiting violation" of Coach K down at Duke: namely, because I was awaiting more facts before expressing any judgement. But to make one thing clear, let me state emphatically that, if A-Rod did something MLB told him not to do, be it illegal or just merely foolish, and he never plays another game for the Yankees or for anyone else due to this, I have absolutely no problem at all with that. Baseball, the Yankees, and I shall all survive with or without A-Rod.