When you're winning, respect is superfluous

I loved this quote from Tigers’ manager Alan Trammell:

``These guys are playing well,'' Tigers manager Alan Trammell said. ``They're in first place, but sitting here and looking at the division, Minnesota is still the team to beat.''

It’s true, they are the team to beat. Right now, though, the Sox are in first place. Their record against the ‘best’ team in the division? 4-1.

The Tigers have to be somewhat relieved that right-fielder Magglio Ordonez has a hernia. His insane 5-year, 75 million-dollar contract isn’t guaranteed if Ordonez misses extensive time due to injury. Ordonez is going to be one of those "what happened to him?" Players.

When Frank Thomas’s star started to fade, Ordonez picked up the slack. In 2001 he batted over .300 with 31 home runs and 25 stolen bases. That’s fantasy and real-life gold. After that season he stopped stealing bases as often but his power and average stayed the same. Two mysterious knee injuries sidelined him for most of 2004. The Sox smartly let him go as a free agent.

This means nothing to nobody, but Ordonez was born two days after me. Yep, I’m getting to the age when athletes start getting out of their prime. Woo hoo.

My obsession with walks continues. The Sox had three walks last night. If it’s not a season high, it’s pretty close.

I've had a love of the word 'superfluous' ever since I saw it in the SAT and had no idea what it meant.