Catching up with Baseball

Summer has officially started and basketball season is finally over.

No four-peat for the Los Angeles Lakers, therefore, no rioting in the streets of Los Angeles after another Lakers win.

No more watching Jason Kidd blowing kisses to his ever present wife and son while he misses still yet another free throw for the New Jersey Nets.

No more hockey to follow either.

Yes, I'm aware that last Saturday, June 21st, the NHL draft was held in Nashville, Tennessee, but does the "Princess of Puck" really care?

Actually, no I don't. I'm on summer break from hockey right now and following baseball.

Even though I live in Anaheim Angels country, that isn't stopping me from keeping a close eye on my New York Yankees.

Of course, I want them to win this year and bring the World Series trophy to where it rightfully belongs -- the Bronx, New York.

Those other teams like the Diamondbacks and Angels have rented it long enough. It's time to give it back to New York, and I don't mean the Mets.

Seriously, though, I'm happy to get back into baseball.

I love the interleague play.

Although, I can do without those "exciting" Florida Marlins and Tampa Bay Devil Rays games.

I think I speak for all Yankees' fans when I ask -- why can't the Yankees get a decent relief pitcher? And how about a decent left fielder while we're at it?

They seem to get first basemen pretty quickly, but no relief pitchers or left fielders.

I'm getting sick of these so called "experts" who flood the sport talk shows and newspapers telling us about the "good old days" of baseball and how much better baseball was "then" compared to "now."

I say just lighten up.

Yes, baseball has changed, but so have a lot of things.

It's a game people, not something that we should be having a philosophical discussion about.

Sit back, relax, enjoying watching Barry Bonds striking out, Normar Garciaparra hitting a homerun, Gregg Maddux setting a new record or Eric Gagne and John Smoltz making saves.

I know I am.