Everybody's Talkin' At Me

Two fantasy drafts, two selections of Ryan Howard. So, we'll be following ther big fella pretty closely this year, as if that weren't always the case.

However, the biggest story of the weekend, besides our good fortune on draft day (and in non-baseball news, George Mason U.), was Howard's jawing episode with Boston crybaby Josh Beckett (Cory Lidle: "Nobody likes him" which is interesting since Lidle did the same thing last year after surrendering a gopher ball). It went like this:

-Beckett throws pitch.
-Howard swats it to CF, stares at it.
-Beckett tells him he looks like an idiot.
-Howard tells him to relax and goes to dugout.
-Beckett continues talking from dugout next inning.
-Howard drops glove and begins walking toward Beckett.
-Beckett pursues acting career by feigning toughness.
-Benches empty, Sal Fasano leads the 5th brigade in from the bullpen.

Making too much of this is for beatwriters and birdbrains, so we'll just say this: all efforts will be made to secure tickets for regular season showdown between the Phils and the Sox in South Philly in May and at Fenway in late July. Craigslist will be scoured. A high dollar amount will need to be paid. Good luck will be needed.

Elsewhere, Howard gets some recognition nationally, intimating that the kid used to be in the marching band, needs to develop a proper showboating technique (please, no) for his homeruns, and is quite capable of never forgetting an offhand remark on the field.

Elsewhere, Marcus Hayes asks a completely legit question with no real answer: What else can Chris Coste do? The Phils' own version of Crash Davis has been, besides Ryan Howard, the team's best hitter this spring is seriously threatening to take Thomas Perez's spot on the roster. Such a move will probably ruffle a few clubhouse feathers and quite possibly, signal to Bobby A that the time is indeed nigh, but even if its for the first month of the season until Coste comes back to planet earth, it's the right move. Grabbing another Michael Tucker or Jose Offerman would not get the team anything more than promoting Coste, except perhaps, some one could roam the outfield twice a month. We hope this one plays out along the lines of yesterday's NCAA cinderella story. I mean, how can you not root for this guy?

Finally, what is keeping college kids from wearing the big white P? The team think it's direct attention. Prepare for Rooftop Thursdays. Moreover, check out the new features at CBP this season. Mechanical bull?