Paper Tigers

6. The more I hear about Jerod Mayo, the more I think he's exactly what we've been wishing for at linebacker the past couple of seasons, and all things considered it's a pretty damn intriguing rookie class. For the first time since the David Tyree Experience, I'm excited about the Patriots again.

7. Shhh, don't tell McCarver: Derek Jeter, a month shy of his 34th birthday, has no home runs and no stolen bases this season. Fortunately, the eyes remain as calm as ever, and his .316 batting average will dupe those who don't know any better into thinking he's been productive.

8. Barry Zito's transformation into Steve Avery circa 1997 is officially complete. I give ESPN's Keith Law complete credit for calling this one. He took a lot of heat a year ago for ranking Zito below the likes of Ted Lilly prior to the beginning of free agency. He looks pretty prescient now, and while J.P. Ricciardi might not agree, I'd sure rather have Law running my team than, say, Brian Sabean.

9. I'm willing to give Ray Allen the benefit of the doubt for his Game 1 whitewash, for a couple of reasons: 1) I expect he'll bounce back in the next game or two with a vintage shooting performance, because there's no freakin' way Wally Szczerbiak is stopping him again. 2) he's made the biggest personal sacrifice on the court of any Celtic this season, basically becoming a spot-up jump shooter after years of having the offense run through him, and for his quiet selflessness I couldn't respect him more.

10. As for today's Completely Random Baseball Card:

Stumbled upon these two (here and here) interesting links regarding, of all people, old friend Fred Lynn this week, and don't tell Buzz Bissinger, but reading them back to back will give an appreciation for the diverse styles and quality writing that you can find on blogs. (Of course, one of them is by Joe Posnanski, who is a master of the written word in any medium.) For what it's worth, the best piece I ever read about Lynn ran in the Boston Phoenix during the All-Star festivities in '99. It was by a writer named Jason Gay (now at Rolling Stone) and his quest for "redemption" as an adult after getting blown off by Lynn as an autograph-seeking kid. I failed to find it in the Phoenix's archives, but maybe one of you more Google-savvy types can track it down. It's worth the time, and Lynn, as usual, comes across as a terrific guy.

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Couple of quick housekeeping items: Yes, I am trying to write more often. Thanks for noticing. The schedule's been a little easier lately, and to be honest, I'm rejuvenated by the new home. So be sure to check back in more often - at least for now, I'm aiming for five posts per week. Also, as always, feel free to pop in and say hi on Facebook. It's always a kick to see who reads this nonsense.