Countdown to October

As I was wading through the rookie hazing links - check here and here and here - I ran across a series of black and white portraits on the Sports Illustrated site.

It's a strange mix - I really enjoyed the awkward posing done by Jeter and Rivera - of great portrait work and over hyped snapshots. I think it's good that Yankee and Red Sox players are finally getting their pictures online - their mothers must be so happy to finally have some sort of photographic record of their time playing in the big leagues.

Both of these occurances are surefire signs that the post-season is around the corner. Still time to screw around and take pictures or embarrass your rookies before the media comes down on your head for not paying attention to the business at hand.

As I keep an eye on the scoreboards tonight, the Cubs are officially losers in Florida as Dontrelle Willis successfully made it out of the second inning for the first time all season (8 IP, 7K, 2 ER) and thus kept the ball out of Kevin Gregg's hand in the late innings.

As a fantasy owner of both pitchers, this has only happened once or twice so far this season.

Milwaukee is smoking last year's champs, which will narrow the lead in the NL Central as the final week works itself out.

Cub fans are officially warned - it will be best to avoid the national media this week - it's going to get ugly.

(Image from SportsIllustrated.com)