Two different players stole home today in two different games

The California Angels completed a three game sweep today of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The highlight was when Angels outfielder Gary Matthews, Jr. stole home. Meanwhile, in Chicago, the White Sox beat the Cubs 6-0. In the 6th inning, the White Sox were trying a suicide squeeze, but Cubs' pitcher Carlos Zambrano threw the ball away and Chris Getz scored easily. Matthews' steal was for real; Getz's was more of a squeeze bunt/wild pitch/stolen base kind of situation.

Meanwhile, according to White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen (below): "Our fans are not stupid like Cubs fans."

What I have been reading lately #28

I have just finished reading FreeDarko Presents...The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac: Styles, Stats, and Stars in Today's Game. I had seen this book around in bookstores and public libraries for a few months, but I wasn't sure if I would like it or not. Turns out I did like it. This book gave me a new or renewed appreciation of the following things:

• basketball
• NBA basketball
• sleeping (if it's good for Tracy McGrady, if can be good for me)
• staying home (again, Tracy McGrady, below)
• baseball
• Gilbert Arenas (below)

I would highly recommend this book to any reader.

(Below, Kobe Bryant, if he were building a ship in a bottle)

Nice catch

This man basically goes to Dodger games with his video camera and records what happens there. Some of it is actually interesting.

St. Louis Cardinals pitchers you may remember

Cleveland was not really that much larger than Spinks.

Questions you might have about Cardinals' catcher Yadier Molina

1. In a foot race to first base, who would get there first - you or Yadier Molina?
2. Yadier Molina has two brothers who have also won the World Series - Bengie Molina and Jose Molina (2002 California Angels). Has any other group of brothers ever done anything like that?
3. When Yadier Molina sits around before, during, and after games talking to Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, what language do they speak in - English or Spanish?

Top four Yadier Molina moments from last night's Cardinals' game

• Molina is in kneeling position to tag runner Omir Santos out at home plate - shortstop Brendan Ryan bounces his throw in and over Molina's shoulder. Later in the dugout, Molina is seen admonishing Ryan.
• 6th inning, runners on first and second, one out - pitcher Tim Redding sacrifice bunts. Molina springs up, fields the ball and throws the lead runner out at third.
• Cardinals' center fielder Rick Ankiel throws home on a single trying to get base runner Luis Castillo. The throw is surprisingly close but up the line. Molina dives at Castillo as he runs by. Did Molina tag Castillo? Yadier sure thought so, but the umpire did not. Uncharacteristically, Molina lets the umpire know he disagrees.
• Molina hits a ground ball behind second base. Luis Castillo dives to his right, makes the stop and throws the ball on three hops over to get Molina at first. Molina, attempting to stretch to reach first base, lands awkwardly on the bag. Later, Molina is seen crying in the dugout. Tears of pain? Tears of frustration at being so unbearably slow? No one but Yadier can be sure.

Below, Molina argues with home plate umpire Dale Scott.

Adding insult to injury after injury

The Egyptian national soccer team (above) has had an up-and-down week at the Confederations Cup to say the least.

1. They played brilliantly against Brazil, coming back from 3-1 down to tie, only to commit a handball in injury time (penalty kick converted by Kaka).

2. They played even more brilliantly to beat Italy 1-0 (see celebrating fans below).

3. They then collapsed and lost 3-0 to the USA, thus missing out on the chance to move on to the semi-finals.

4. Several of the players then had their hotel rooms robbed.

5. The South African media subsequently reported that the players were robbed not by burglars but by prostitutes who had been invited up by the players.

Egypt appears unlikely to qualify for the World Cup, so this trip represented their team's only chance to achieve glory in South Africa.

Meanwhile, in much more exciting, but unrelated, news, north Korea qualified for the World Cup finals this week with a draw against Saudi Arabia. They join south Korea, Japan, and Australia in representing Asia at the 2010 tournament.

What I've been watching lately #3

“Focused on two friends, ‘CITY OF MEN’ feels real, like a Brazilian ‘Wonder Years.’ With some guns. – Los Angeles Times

First there was the movie City of God. Then there was the television show City of Men (Cidade dos Homens). Then they made a movie out of City of Men. All of them are good.

Kaka is gone - can anyone replace Kaka?

With Kaka leaving for Real Madrid, the question now is who will replace him. Among the names being mentioned is 23 year-old Bosnian Edin Dzeko who currently plays for Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg. See him in action in the video below:

Now they say Kaka will be going to Real Madrid (or Chelsea)

Below: A young Kaka

Below: Back in January 2009, Milan fans had to live with rumors of Kaka going to Manchester City.

Above: Spanish dictator and long-time Real Madrid fan Francisco Franco