Fin

Well, as Chase Utley's reminder that he's themost valuable Philly sailed over the fence I bid a fond adieu to the Astros 2006 season. I knows it's not over, and I'd gladly eat these words, but this set with the Phillies was instrumental to bailing out the sinking season. It was a good effort, but it fell short. Some day someone will look back on this past season and calculate how many runs were left stranded at second or third because the Astros 7-8-9 hitters often struggled to hit the ball out of the infield. It happened again today with what wouldprove to be the winning run waiting for Adam Everett to bring him home.

Mrs. SFC B is a huge Adam Everett fan, and I know he's not without his uses. Hell, by some measures he's the best defensive shortstop in baseball. And that's something backed up by the visual evidence, he's a really slick fielder, but he can't hit his way out of a paper bag. It's not his fault though that the Astros sandwich him in the order between Brad Ausmus and The Pitcher. It would be interesting to know if there has been a team recently where three everyday players had as much of their value tied to their defense as Everett, Ausmus, and Willy Taveras do. The up-the-middle players represent a monumental drain of offense that required a repeat from Lance Berkman, Morgan Ensburg, and Jason Lane that only Berkman was able to deliver upon.

The meaningful season is over and my Astros, for the first time in two seasons, are reduced to spoiler.

How I wish they could have put together a handful more wins so I could spend SSG Rage's sweet, sweet money.

Day by Day's latest arc seems to have run its course. My concerns were addressed as Mr. Muir chose not to Jump the Shark by introducing/killing off beloved characters. Looking back on the weekend I realized that a comic strip was able to really get me involved into the lives of the fake characters. I like it when that happens. God forbid a Day by Day MMORPG is every created. My track record for separating the fantasy of the game and the reality of life does not bode well for me. I fear losing myself for hours at a time playing some office geek in the fantasy office of Damon and Company. It would be like Office Space meets... well... Day by Day. On second thought if they allow me to destroy a fax machine while listening to Ghetto Boys and making quips about Bush, free trade, Reuters, and interoffice relationships I'd pay the $14.95 monthly fee.

Labor Day draws to a close and the rest of the week looms large. It's going to be a race to find that last contract who'll join in time to box for the second time in a quarter. And to do it while also trying to prepare for the next month and year that looms even larger. Counting chickens is a tim-honored tradition in the recruiting world, and as much as I try and avoid it, I know it cannot be done. It's too tempting to think of what could be.

Late, tired, hope everyone had a good weekend.