KMart is the funnest place on earth.
I'd like to take a moment to welcome myself back to the world of the internet. Yes, they do have that on computers now, and I once again have one of those thingies. So that means the temporary hiatus is over. Over, I tell you.

I spent my non-internet time reading Ball Four (thanks Frank) and for those of you who haven't read it, I recommend it highly.

So the hotstove (as its called for a reason nobody really knows) has started. Free agents have filed, and since I'm behind the time, I better get caught up before the good ones start to sign and the anger begins to mount. After all, there's a pretty good chance I'm going to have to dis-erect my Jason Varitek altar, which pains my heart. Regardless, it has to be done.

Anyways, one thing I like to do in the offseason is put together a team from scratch. Well, not scratch, you'd of course need about $400 million, no aversion to being told what to do by a car salesman in a bad hairpiece, and a local government willing to stick the taxpayers for a brand new ballpark. But lets say I had all that and wanted to start a baseball team. Forget the draft, I'm starting with free agents only. Give me Scott Boras on line 1, and I'm going to build myself a team and move them to my new park in Mexico City.

I did this last year with a friend who unfortunately is a proud (as much as one could be) Tigers fan and we actually put together a pretty good squad. Not cheap, but pretty good. Here's this year's,

Nomar Garciaparra  SS

Carlos Beltran     CF

Carlos Delgado     1B

Troy Glaus         DH

Adrian Beltre      3B

J.D. Drew          LF

Magglio Ordonez    RF

Jeff Kent          2B

Jason Varitek      C



Bench:

Richie Sexson

Edgar Renteria

Moises Alou

Todd Walker

Quinton McCracken (for fun)



SP  Pedro Martinez

SP  Carl Pavano

SP  Matt Clement

SP  Brad Radke

SP  Kevin Millwood



CL  Troy Percival

RP  Armando Benitez

RP  Robb Nen

RP  Chris Hammond

RP  Jeff Nelson

RP  Rheal Cormier

A little weak in the relief core, but that lineup is a contender. Maybe we sign Derek Lowe and Matt Morris and move them back to the pen. The only problem with the whole deal is that by my (very) rough estimate, that 25 man roster sets its new owner back about $170 million. At least they would beat the Yankees.

Where's Mark Cuban when you need him?
Curt  ¶ 2:22 AM