Francoeur - 6 SO
Pujols - 7 SO

Something is wrong.  Something is terribly wrong.

Well, nobody got “plunked” in the Brewers game, Craig, but Dave Bush did hit the second batter of the game (and then later hit two batters in the 5th, immediately followed by a 2-run double that put the Pirates up 5-1). I wasn’t watching the game, though, so I have to rely on newspaper accounts. The Milwaukee papers say the first HBP “nipped Freddy Sanchez” and the other two “brushed the jerseys”. Hometown euphemisms or accurate descriptions? You decide.

Soto has me worried.  Really worried.  As both a diehard Cub fan and as someone who has him in about 7 fantasy leagues.

The Beloved A’s need to find the source of their afflictions, and soon. Three of the 4 injuries last night were calf strains, with Ellis and Garciaparra both headed for the DL. Garciaparra fought this same type of injury all last year, nearly retired, but gave it another go.

Beane no doubt understands that the team is a year, maybe two from being good again, based on the development of the young pitchers. Putting these aging, injury prone players on the field provides some name recognition and adds casual fans to attendance totals, something Oakland desperately needs.

But Ellis and Casilla battling calf strains may say something more about the conditioning program, as in too little stretching, except that both have been injury prone over the past few years.

Oakland is going to need some guys who can stay healthy and hit. Holliday was supposed to be one of those guys, at least as a 4 month rental, but right now he looks like he still has his bags packed waiting for Boras to call with news on his FA contract. Boras may be telling him that he can get Texeira kind of money, but another month of zero home runs and everybody will be saying “Coors hitter” out loud, not just in the whispers you hear now.