Phils "over" 82 1/2...

Paulie-

I'm with you on the Phils, and made that "over" prediction in this week's Sheet, which you will receive in the mail later this week. Could be on the Brew Crew, too; I just saw them last night vs. the Rocks in Maryvale, and was impressed when their front-liners were in the lineup. We made the annual Cactus League trip yesterday with Brad and his son Steven also one of Brad's friends and his son, saw Giants-Royals at Scottsdale in the afternoon, then went to Maryvale for Brew Crew-Rocks before catching a late flight home. A real ninja trip, but they are really gouging for hotels in the Valley during spring training these days, and didn't want to spend triple digits to stay at a Days Inn, so we made it a day trip instead.

Maryvale is my favorite Cactus venue, the crowds are smaller, and there is none of the "social outing" element you get with the Giants games, which are almost all sold out. No one down there goes to "be seen" at a Brewers game, especially one vs. the Rockies, but to me (and Brad) it was almost nirvana, and the weather was perfect for the 6 PM start, and we moved all around the park to watch from different angles. Of course, the Cubs are the biggest draw in the Cactus League, and I avoid their games like the plague when down there. The Brewer camp in Maryvale is very nice, not too far away, with Milwaukee-style food, sausage races, everything Milwaukee, only transplanted in the desert. The best complex of them all (and it is a close call, because they are all nice) is probably in Surprise, where the Rangers and Royals both train, though that place is far off the beaten track. Peoria, where the Pads and Mariners share, is also great, a bit closer in than Surprise, and they have the benefit of numerous restaurants and hotels (overpriced as they might be in March) adjacent to that new facility.

I like the Royals over 64 wins, hard to lose the 99 necessary to defeat that one, and they have made upgrades, adding Reggie Sanders, Grudzialanek, Mientkewicz, and several serviceable vet pitchers. Plus Buddy Bell now has had a season to look and analyze. Not to get carried away by yesterday's game, but rarely at any level have I seen a pitcher worked over like the Royals did to SF's Armando Benitez yesterday. Almost as if Felipe wanted him to get in some work no matter what. Maybe the worst 1 1/3 IP I have ever seen, allowing 10 runs, 11-12 hits, and all of those were scalded, including an Aaron Guiel HR that must have traveled 460 feet. They were all rocket hits, and I don't think he even threw a called strike or a swinging strike. Even the foul balls were laced. For the Giants' sake, let's hope Benitez gets such efforts out of his system in spring, but the season is fast approaching. He sure didn't have the look of a frontline closer yesterday...