This mess of a World Series has done the unthinkable...

The city of Wilmington Delaware has become a factor in the World Series.

It's bad enough for Fox, who had dreams of Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York dancing in their heads, are stuck with Philadelphia and Tampa Bay.

It's bad enough that they tried to play in worse weather than Bishop Pickering had when he was struck by lightning*.

It's bad enough that the stupid decision to play the game, have the Phillies waste their best pitcher and then have the grounds crew pull the tarp out as the tying run was scoring...

But now it turns out they had the same luck as Mary and Joseph finding a hotel room in Philly.
So off they go to Wilmington Delaware and the Hotel Du Pont.

Now it looks like a sweet hotel... but this was the October we were going to be comparing the Green Monster of Fenway to the Ivy Covered walls of Wrigley... not write the new chapter in the Wilmington Michelin Guide!

One thing MLB doesn't have to worry about is a Ray Lewis-esque night club shooting during the down time in Wilmington.
It's not exactly a den of temptation.

You don't hear a lot of newly single men saying "Let's go to Wilmington and forget about her!"

I'm guessing a lot of the guys stayed in their room and watched Iron Man on Pay Per View.







* If you find a more obscure Caddyshack reference on a blog, drop me an e mail

Rodney Dangerfield IS Phillip Hughes

So the Yankees phenom Phil Hughes has stunk so far this season.

Nothing to be alarmed about... a lot of terrific pitchers start off horribly.
Greg Maddux finished up his rookie status with an 8-18 mark and a 5.59 ERA.

Between Tom Glavine's debut in August of 1987 and the end of the 1988 season, he compiled a 9-21 record and a 4.76 ERA.

And not to let their parter in titles get away Scott free... John Smoltz started his career 2-7 with a 5.48 ERA.

All three are going to the Hall of Fame.

Who knows if Hughes will join them, but right now he seems like a guy who is overwhelmed by the pressure and is 0-4 record with a 9.00 ERA and allowing 34 hits and 13 walks in 22 innings (less than 4 innings a start).

The Yankees have only 2 options:

1. Stick with him and gut it out and say "Hey, it's a transition year. There's nothing left for him to do in the minors. These are growing pains."

or

2. Send him to the minors to get his confidence back and to take him out of the glare. He WILL be an ace... he's just not ready yet.

Well, of course I forgot the third option... the Joe Borowski option.

Pretend he is hurt!
Yeah... that's it.
They aren't sending him down... that would make Prince Hank Steinbrenner even more angry that the Yankees didn't send Hughes to Minnesota for Johan Santana.

We didn't rush him up... he's hurt. Yeah, that's the ticket.

When I read he was being sent down (a day after saying he felt fine) all I could think of was the scene in Caddyshack when Rodney had the ball hit him on the arm while he was playing lousy. I almost expected Hughes to pause awkwardly and say "Ow my arm!"