So much for my baseball predictions. Alberta answered Tony Plush so loud it's probably still ringing in Nyjer Morgan's ears and the Cards made the Brew Crew look very beatable especially heading to St. Louis for the next three games.

Meanwhile, Texas came back against Detroit, forced extra innings and Nelson Cruz became the first in MLB post-season history to hit a walk-off, grand slam. The Tigers are ailing, but need to turn it on as the ALCS shifts to the Motor City.

In the world of the New York Yankees there are conflicting reports of whether Brian Cashman will return as GM. His 3-year contract expires at the end of the month and while he is still on the job, and initially word had hit the NY papers that a contract was in the works, but Cash' told the same papers that that simply is not true.  He claims that there has been no communication and no progress either forward or back. I am not sure whether re-signing Cashman is the way to go or not.

In some ways being the GM of the Yankees is the best and easiest job in the biz: you have all the money and the prestige behind you, but in other ways it's always a losing proposition unless you win the World Series each and every year. Other teams use the Yanks as a negotiating tactic, agents and the players they represent do the same thing.

And I do give great respect to Cash' for what he pulled off this year. In the Yankee brain, we "lost" both Andy Pettitte and Cliff Lee in the off-season; they were both "supposed" to be in Pinstripes in 2011 and despite all the great efforts of Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia (who Cash' signed off garbage heaps and they helped the Yanks to the division and the best record in the AL) and the other castoffs that wound up filling the bullpen; a bullpen that wound up being the best in the league DESPITE getting nothing from Feliciano and Marte and injury-plagued seasons from Joba and Soriano. And he did that while being saddled with some huge contracts (including Soriano for 3 years which the GM was quite opposed to, but he did sign the lame Feliciano so... a push at best?) and plucking guys who came to the Bronx hungry and performed above all expectations. I'm talking about Ayala, Wade and that other guy here in case you're wondering.

Hmm... I maybe just talked myself into backing Brian Cashman into re-signing the GM. It's not like Billy Beane would work in NY. By the way, hadn't read "Moneyball," but enjoyed the movie far more than I expected to; I can really recommend it and it's rare that that happens...

Ok, I've got boxes to fill and emails to wordsmith to potential muses; better than a gub at the back of your head.

Cheers,
Brian