A Real Record
Every time Barry Bonds inches closer in his fraudulent pursuit of Henry Aaron, it makes headlines and depresses fans. There is a record chase out there to feel good about, however. Padres fireman Trevor Hoffman is quickly closing in on Lee Smith's all-time saves record of 478. Unlike many men who chase all-time marks late in their careers, Hoffman is still getting it done at a very high level. As of Sept. 8, the soon-to-be 39-year-old has converted 37 of 41 save opportunities with a 1.87 ERA and .98 WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched). If Hoffman breaks the record before season's end, it will likely be in an important game for the contending Padres.

Blyleven Uncensored
Longtime Twins color commentator Bert Blyleven was suspended for five games for uttering one of the few words you can't say on TV anymore. The incident occurred during the pre-game show before a recent Twins-Yankees game. In his defense, Blyleven believed the segment was being taped. According to the Minneapolis StarTribune, the former Twins hurler has received overwhelming support from the fans. I'm guessing most of them were just happy there wasn't a wardrobe malfunction involved.

Taken Out Of The Ballgame?
Unless you've been in a coma the last 15 years, you've heard announcer after announcer raving about the "beautiful, state-of-the-art" new stadiums that have been built largely at the taxpayers' expense. Complete with plush luxury boxes and exotic concession stands, the baseball palaces are a "great place for families to watch a ballgame." In most cases, however, new ballparks mean that fewer fans will pay more money to watch the game. Ticket prices soar, seats are scarcer, demand is up and the working families are often left out in the cold while wealthy business clients are wined and dined in decadent suites. I don't want to come off as a bitter, anti-stadium opponent -- I love baseball -- but, like many other things these days, it constantly seems to be distancing itself from the average fans who made it great.