I haven't read the morning thread yet, but we're approaching four digits on the comments, so I imagine it's about time for some fresh bandwidth.

I was at the second-to-last game of the year in 2006, when Scott Spiezio hit his season-saving triple off then Brewers closer Francisco Cordero. My dad called me up around eight in the morning with a pair of bleacher seats he wasn't going to be able to use It was around the seventh inning the score from the Houston/Atlanta game came on the board and we all thanked the Braves for the assistance by doing the chop. It's strange, really, to say one of the best moments I've ever experienced in a baseball stadium in my life was actually doing that incredibly irritating chop, cheering not only for another team, but for another team in a game taking place a couple hundred miles away.

I don't suppose it would be fair to ask Atlanta for a similar assist this year, since helping us get in would have some rather adverse consequences for them. Still, maybe they'll be nice enough to help us out. Southern hospitality and all that.

It would be nice to see this team get to 90 wins this season. It just has a much nicer presence about it, sound and sight both, than 89. A 90 win team is a good team. An 89 win team is virtually the same team, yes, but it just doesn't have that same kind of cachet.

Anyway, here's a fresh thread. Play nice as we wait for the fun to start, and don't forget to root for the Rays.