In lieu of a trip to Central Europe I bought a bar of chocolate at the local Polish deli. It's been 20 years since the Velvet Revolution. Seems like a dream.Not a lot has happened so far this off-season. The other day the Phillies signed utility infielder Juan Castro. At 37, the light-hitting Castro is not an exciting replacement for the even lighter-hitting Eric Bruntlett.
The Phillies have raised 2010 ticket prices by about four dollars. That times four million and you've got another pitcher or a third baseman. So far, nada.
Larry Bowa, back home in Philadelphia, had some interesting things to say some weeks back on the radio. He was talking about things players say and how what is sometimes said on the West Coast would be unthinkable, and certainly not tolerated, on the East. His prime example was from Game 5 of the NLCS, when the Dodgers were facing elimination. In the locker room before the game, Bowa heard one of the Dodger players say, If we don't win tonight, there's always next year. Bowa was, needless to say, stunned.
