Some News From Yesterday

A's exercise option on Payton; part ways with Yabu (AP)
The Oakland Athletics exercised their $4 million contract option for outfielder Jay Payton on Monday that keeps him with the club through next season. Also, the A's declined to exercise their option on right-handed pitcher Keiichi Yabu, who signed a $1 million, one-year contract last January but was disappointing in his first major league season.

Cards Shock Astros in Ninth to Win Game 5 (AP)

AP - Whoa there, Astros. Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals aren't ready to hand over that NL pennant just yet. With Houston only one tantalizing out from its first World Series, Pujols saved St. Louis by hitting a stunning three-run homer off Brad Lidge in the ninth inning, and the Cardinals rallied for a 5-4 victory Monday night in Game 5 of the NL championship series.

(That was an incredible turnaround. For the record, the Cards had approximately a 5% chance of winning before Albert crushed that homer. Afterwards, they had about an 83% chance of winning.)

Clubhouse Chatter: Mission Impossible? (Scout.com)
General Manager Billy Beane, this is your mission, should you choose to accept it: find a middle of the order hitter for the Oakland A's by the start of the 2006 season. This mission will be difficult and risky.  Here are a few suggestions on how you can navigate this tenuous situation.

(This article has been discussed a little in another diary, but this is the original.)

The Adventures of Diego Chavez (Season Two)

(Season One: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12)

(Season Two so far: 1,2,3,4,5,6)

It's okay if you don't laugh. It's not all for bellylaughs. Next: Movie Challenge.