[editor's note, by carp] - Upon Poppy's request and AN's participation, the DLD has been changed from SuSlu bringing her "A" game. Her first report deals with the Stewart signing, has quotes from Forst, and notes that 2 buck Chuck was DFA.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2007/02/09/SPGEDO1HHM1.DTL

...Stewart, who turns 33 at the end of the month, has been pain free for three months since going to the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, where an ultrasound pinpointed the problem. A cortisone shot in the heel calmed things down, Stewart said, and he's had no sign of the injury since. He's running four days a week and working out five days a week..."He's like Jay Payton, but better,'' said Stewart's agent, Greg Genske. "As long as he's healthy, the A's have just upgraded."

In her next piece she breaks down a possible reason for Johnson's disappointing year: double vision.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2007/02/09/SPGEDO1NH61.DTL

... Johnson's season-long trouble with dry eyes was discovered to be far more serious: The A's first baseman also had developed double vision, according to a group of specialists in Mesa, Ariz., that Johnson's agent found.

One of the prescriptions Johnson was given during the season apparently caused the double vision, the specialists said. Johnson just thought his vision was blurry, and that complicated the diagnosis, because "my perception of what was wrong was wrong."

Johnson has been undergoing intensive eye therapy and, he said, "There were dramatic results right away. It's night and day."

Will we see an improved Johnson?  Perhaps we can more accurately assess his talent now.  How good can these elephants be?

For an excellent (and I mean excellent) review of
Cal football's incoming recruiting class, check out this blog at http://tightwad-hill.blogspot.com.  And no, that's not my blog.  I can barely find the "Start" menu let alone set up a web log.

By all means, place your dumps here.