I guess we don't have to wait around for Kurt Ainsworth's dramatic comeback with the Orioles. After being released, the oft-injured pitcher signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers.
It's probably not a good sign that he heard a tearing sound when he reached out to shake hands with Dodgers executives.
Ainsworth dropped some strong hints last spring that he was ready to retire after needing shoulder
surgery, one year after having his elbow scoped, but he's giving it another shot. His next one most likely will involve cortisone.
Now that Ruben Sierra has signed a minor league deal with the Twins, I guess we'll have to wait another year before the rumors spread again that the Orioles are pursuing him. Then again, now that he's out of New York, I'm not sure the Minnesota media will take the baton and run with it.
One team official was furious last winter when a report came out of New York saying the Orioles offered Sierra a two-year deal, but he took less to stay with the Yankees. Total fiction. And the team was linked to Sierra again this winter. It's become something of a tradition, like fans
demanding that the word Baltimore appear on the road jerseys, or that the team should acquire Mark Teixeira from the Rangers because he's a local guy.
Wouldn't it be nice if the Rangers went along with that idea, even though it would mean surrendering one of the top young talents in baseball? And wouldn't it be nice if Salma Hayek changed careers and shacked up with me in Eldersburg?
This just in from the NHL: The Avalanche beat the Wild.
You're welcome.
Colin assumed I was joking when I claimed to know nothing about Alexander Ovechkin and the Calder Cup, but he explained it anyway. One is a Capitals rookie, the other a Rookie of the Year trophy. Yeah, um, I knew it all along. Just messing with you.
I'm still contemplating what score to predict for the Super Bowl. I was going through some old boxes last night and found a Terrible Towel - gold with black lettering. It must be a sign.
Speaking of the Super Bowl, I don't think comedian Gilbert Gottfried is getting enough attention. He only was mentioned in about 12 Sun stories today. Maybe we could work him into the classifieds, too.