This is the first installment of “Stat Guy” — a randomly timed update of numbers and names for those of you who do not know who Chris Shelton is. It’s also a good way for me to get in a concrete baseball post every once in a while.
It’s early, but here’s look at the leaders in the MLB:

Skimmin’ the channels tonight and find the MLB package doing their free previews. All the games are on but happen to be watching the Braves/Phillies games only because I’m diggin’ the braves throwbacks (and Sosa is pitching, i’ll hold on to him for a while). Orr is the new ‘Charlie Hustle’, ripping around the bases for a triple…wow. Mets/Nats not living up to it’s pre-fight billing, Loiaza on the mound in Minnesota, and Sheff had lift off today in the Bronx.

Chien-Ming Wang vrs crafty Joe Mays today in the Bronx. It’s quite a ticket if you can afford it, being the home opener on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon, and the high profile Muts playing a few states away in DC against the Nats. Fans of both squads are bound to meet in a pub or alleyway later on today to yell (unknowingly) at each other over who’s a *beep* and who’s better than who.

If I had a choice, I’d take a ticket to the already heated rivalry in DC. Ortiz on the hill vrs Bannister, who’s No-No in 50 degree weather for 5 innings was talked aboot all over Mets land as a second coming of sorts. Unfortunately, he plunked Soriano in the head..which was a start to a beanballing extravaganza. The Nats lineup has been overlooked throughoot the league (DCdaily) with Vidro doing what he has always done — playing great baseball with Soriano staying content in left field. With Frank’s batteries being recharged after serving a one game suspension last night, today’s game should be a doosey. The question is — who will get more boos, Pedro or the VP?

Other games of mention today: Beckett vrs Towers at Boston’s home opener against the retooled Bluejays.

It’s a beautiful day here in the Tri-State area and there’s some baseball games on the dial today. Yanks lose a tough one last night and seemed to be hitting mostly “at-em” balls to the Angels. I will finally get to see a game withoot falling asleep halfway through and that will be nice for me — for you. Colon vrs Moose at 3:35pm at the field seen below. Colon’s got the Cy Young, A-Rod’s got the MVP and I don’t know who swings harder — Vladdy or Sheff. Great day for a radio and a grill…who’s in?

What’s up with Pedro?
Yankee fans know what he’s up to….

The Yanks aren’t playing tonight so I decide to get my fill with a little Mets/Nats action. My buddy, Mr Run Around, is at the game to see his Muts and Mr DC over at DCdaily is watching at home (local broadcast). I’m sure they’re in for a fun conversation at the ‘ol watercooler tomorrow. Pedro plunks 3 batters in 5 innings. The Mets at this point (the game is still on) have hit 6 Nationals batters in 2 games — Nick (he’ll always be a Yankee) Johnson twice, Guillen thrice and Soriano in the head. Wow. Now, I believe those guys would be considered stars of their team. 6 times in 2 games? The worst part aboot it is Pedro Martinez gets no warning after he throws behind Guillen (it hit him in the back) Then he hits Johnson square in the elbow — no warning — then hits Guillen again; Guillen takes exception this time with a late charge, bat pointing stare down. Pedro was a head hunter when he was young, but I know from watching him in Boston he has enough control these days. I think he meant to hit all of them, and it probably will end up being a good thing for the Muts and their team unity. We’ll see… The umpiring in this situation was awful and if Johnson didn’t have an elbow pad on, it would be shattered at this point. Great game to watch and it’s not over yet. For a more in depth experience and Ernest-like run-on sentences, head over to DCdaily

My better half (can’t believe I just wrote that) and I recently bought a new Honda Accord (Soprano-like product placement) equipped with a XM Satellite Radio ($$). Besides reuniting me with the virus-like antics of a trio of slap-your-knee funny guys, XM provides the nation with round the clock baseball talk and broadcasts all games throughoot the country, “it’s wonderful Marge!” Again this year I will order MLB’s radio package for it’s the best deal going. MLB, like XM, provides all the games for your listening pleasure online. Working by a computer — it’s great to be able to throw on a game anytime and get a feel for some different announcers around the country; some more bias then others.
Radio was the only device for people way back when, and today it’s one of many but still is a main player in the game of mass communication. Families would gather around the big wooden box and wait for their favorite mystery story or news broadcast. Today is a bit different, with the www and all, but what’s more classic then a ballgame on the radio? All great baseball movies use it as narration, our grandfathers and fathers (Daddy please come home) used to tell us stories about games they “heard” and we still listen today. I heard the ninth in Oakland last night, which leads to who was calling the game….