Interviews set

Paul Meyer reports the Pirates will interview Macha tomorrow and Tracy on Monday. Or vice versa. I just read the article, and already I forget.

If I ran the circus, I'd want to know who these guys would bring along to fill the rest of the coaching staff. If there is such a thing as a coach or a manager who can make a huge difference, I figure these coaches are much more valuable to small-payroll teams than they are to large-payroll teams. Roger Clemens and Alex Rodriguez don't need coaching. Kip Wells and Jose Castillo need coaching.

So I'd want to know, who is the best and brightest, Mr. Macha and Mr. Tracy? Who would you hire? Who could you hire? What would they cost, and why are they worth so much money?

If the Pirates merely hire a skeleton crew of inexperienced or league-average coaches, then I suppose they fired McClendon and cleaned house for nothing more than a cheap publicity stunt.

DL plans to interview Macha

Paul Meyer reports. Busy DL also talked on the phone with Tracy for two hours Wednesday. "We were talking baseball," Littlefield said. "It was that more than an interview per se."

In other news: (Earmuffs! i.e. cover your children's ears if you're reading aloud) Cam Bonifay (earmuffs off) was fired by the Rays today. All hail that.

Some picks for Week 5

Great card for handicappers this week. With all the field-goal-or-lower spreads, we're picking winners mainly. And the matchups look real even to me with so many better teams on the road. So far I like these sides: Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, San Francisco, Arizona, Jacksonville, Buffalo, St. Louis, and Houston.

The Bills really screwed up with the demotion of Losman, I think. They traded up for that guy last year; why do that and then get weak-kneed when he struggles early? Eli Manning was a dog for what, at least six games. How long did it take Carson Palmer to play well? Not everyone can be Ben Roethlisberger; at the very least, the Bills should play Losman from the start and yank him at the first sign of suckitude. He was real good in the opening drive last week. Put him on a low pitch count and have your Brian Meadows (Kelly Holcomb) prepared for long relief.

Kelly Holcomb is like that donut in the back of your car. You can put him on and go about fifty miles, but the Bills can't regard him as some kind of solution. That said, I think the Bills are poised for real success this week, Losman or Holcomb. By pulling Losman from a game which figures to go their way, Holcomb will get the glory and their QB troubles will be set in stone, Cleveland-style, faster than you can say Tim Couch.

Yar

Have a little Pirate cheesecake while Littlefield deals with the Tracy/Macha conundrum.

A's throw Macha back

"It was a compensation issue" Beane said. Macha's agent talked to DL today and also claims the Marlins have nibbled. My telepathic messages sent to Macha, Tracy, and DL requesting their comments were not immediately returned.

Leyland accepts managerial position

with Detroit. Looks like we'll host his new team June 30th-July 2nd.

Tracy and other thoughts

USA Today reports Tracy now the favorite. Perrotto agrees.

Not sure what Perrotto means by "a move straight out of high school" - any idea? It refers to Littlefield opening all the coaching positions.

I had a lot of good moves in high school, but that was not one of them.

Other random thoughts:

I wonder if the Bucs would target Chad Tracy if they hire Jim.

Zach Duke's VORP, 32.7, blows away the top NL position player, Ryan Howard, who finished at 17.9. VORP is not the be-all and end-all, but hopefully that number will encourage the beat writers to look closely at just how great Zach was in his rookie year. He deserves a ton of votes.

Lately I wonder if we don't want to bring back Kip Wells as a fifth starter. Or, if Redman re-signs, maybe we trade Wells to Seattle for Jamie Moyer.

Removing Wells from the situation would certainly make life easier for the next pitching coach.

I was surprised that Spin was let go, until I realized that both starters we relied upon the most, Kip Wells and Oliver Perez, failed us badly. While that's not Spin's fault, you have to work with what you have. Perhaps it's not a question of getting better coaches so much as it's a question of getting coaches that better fit the team of misfits they'll mentor.

All hail express and LouCrandall

Lou took the weekly honors. Express leads the pool with a .534 percentage. A number of other players, with better records, are just short of the 50% minimum plate appearances. After 60 games, you need to have made 30 picks to qualify for the championship.

I tread water at 7-7 and remain eight games under .500. That won't stopping me from Acting Like I Know. You can expect more piratical swami action from me later in the week.

Spin fired

So long, Spin.

13th losing season haiku

Painful bleeding wound
maybe forming scab? All hail
Bay, Duke, Maholm!