A few thoughts from the last few days...

- Why I don't gamble: My pre-weekend prognostications on the Sox-Yankees series didn't exactly hit on the mark. The Sox lost two of three instead of winning two of three. If you consider the 1-0 Beckett-Joba classic, I wasn't really that far off though. Boston and New York exchanged beatings on Saturday (10-3 Bombers) and Sunday (9-2 Sox), so a clutch hit against Joba at the right time could have turned that around.

- Manny being irritating: This whole Manny thing is out of control. Making phone calls from the Green Monster and jaywalking in Seattle is funny and harmless, but his act the last week isn't good. Sitting out games because of a "knee injury" is totally unacceptable, especially the Friday night game against the Yankees. Could Manny have been the difference in a 1-0 game? It's a bit of a rhetorical question, isn't it?

Manny's strategy is depressingly obvious: he doesn't want the Sox to pick up his $20 million option so that he can become a free agent and make one last big score in the $80-100 million guaranteed range. In that, I think he's succeeded. I can't see Theo picking up that option, regardless of Manny's production. I think he'll take the extra money in his budget and the two draft picks and be happy about it.

- Angels in the outfield: Anyone else think the Angels have a very good chance of winning the World Series this year? I sure do. Strong starting pitching, an excellent bullpen and very good defense is a recipie for post-season success. J. and I will have a chance to see the Halos first hand at Yankee Stadium on Sunday.

UPDATE: I wrote this today at lunch before I heard that the Angels had acquired first baseman Mark Teixeira from Atlanta for Casey Kochman and a minor league pitcher. Getting Teixeira, a power hitting switch hitter and Gold Glove caliber defender, has to make the Angels the odds-on favorite to win the whole thing. Kudos to Angels owner Arte Moreno and GM Tony Reagins for pulling the trigger on a big deal like this. It shows how far they are willing to go to win.

- Must see TV: Cubs-Brewers from Miller Park on ESPN tomorrow night. Two games separate the teams going into tonight.