Royals Review, a Kansas City Royals community

"Innocence Lost" in Boston. I love it.

Wow... these MLB guys, you always know you're going to get subtle gestures from them. As an AL fan, I can only hope that the lockout of Alex Rodriguez doesn't cost them the game.

An interesting potential discussion piece at The Hardball Times by Jack Marshall, a professional ethicist. Worth reading for anyone who has strong opinions about Boras and his critics, on either side. As I understand it, he argues that Boras' negotiating tactics, as we know them (and which so many loathe), are not unethical. However, he does make an interesting case that I have not seen made elsewhere by defenders of our national innocence (probably because they don't really think about it very carefully) -- that Boras, by representing so many high profile clients who effect each other's value on the free agent market, may be engaging in unethical conflicts of interest. I'm not sure what I think, but it's an interesting and informed approach.

Apparently: A-Rod and Tex didn't get along back in 2003 -- look out Yankees, 5-6 years ago these guys weren't best buds! A-Rod and Jeter don't communicate well -- that probably explains all the horrible seasons they've had starting in 2003. Just look at their respective WARs: Cap'n Jetes: 4.5, 4.1, 6.3, 2.9, 3.5 Cap'n Purple Lips: 6.4, 8.9, 4.8, 8.7, 6.1 Clearly, Jeter's slide into above-average hood has to do with this non-relationship with A-Rod, not at all with his slide into his mid-30s. A-Rod is clearly also soon to have a devastating fall into only the top 10 players in the game, rather than top 3. Big mistake, Ca$hmoney. Also note that A-Rod turned the Sox down himself, which was pretty bad, given how much he obviously hated Tex and wanted out of that relationship. Finally, in another display of giving us all the relevant facts not at all mixed with sour grapes (or a touch of misogyny), Gammons notes that this is all Mrs. Teixeira's fault: "...his wife doesn't like Boston -- apparently she doesn't like the stores on Newbury Street or something -- and in the end that's the way it goes," Gammons said. Those crazy baseball wives and their shopping needs! Pulitzer now

But Terrell Owens destroyed our national innocence by doing something unsavory or something. Never forget that. Or maybe it was Chad Johnson. Now Marvin Harrison, he goes about his business THE RIGHT WAY. He never dances or anything. He's just a real proper sport.

At least half the people I've seen on ESPN this afternoon sound as if they want him dead. A nation is shaken.

Part I was Sterger supposedly dissing Erin Andrews. I'm now quoting some random thing on Deadspin, which is quoting someone else: "I have a lot of respect for Erin Andrews. But it’s so frustrating because people will continually compare us because she is the most notable sportscaster that initially found celebrity because of her looks, " she said. "You do not want Erin Andrews to ‘suck it, to suck anything…you like Erin Andrews, " OnTheDL asked. "What is there to suck? Seriously. I’m a girl." Sterger says there's some sort of misinterpretation of her statement and that this is just all being blown out in double-D-like proportions. "Everyone is trying to screw everyone else. They’re going to try to take things out of context. People like controversy. They thrive on it. The way I explain it – would you rather watch a couple in a grocery store fight or make out? You wanna watch them fight, let’s be real."

Are you tired of just being known as "-----'s wife"?

I was really looking forward to this emotionally charged series with the Orioles this weekend and all the hoopla surrounding Paul Bako's return to KC. Then I learned that Bako has betrayed the Birds as well, moving on to Cincinnati. Oh dear, free agency has surely destroyed our national innocence.