Thoughts:

* Hanley’s projected numbers: .338, 25 homers, 121 runs, 75 RBI, 46 stolen bases….I know, I know …. Just saying, that’s all.

Honestly, look, the horse has been dead for some time, I get that, I do, heck this whole Hanley thing drove me from this board, and Beckett’s been great this year, on pace for a solid 200-inning season, and Lowell, wow, was I off about that guy. God Bless him.

And I know it’s early on Hanley but all that said, here goes:

I wasn’t even in the zip code with this kid. As great as I thought he’d be, the kid has already passed those expectations. I never imagine those kind of numbers, not even in his peak season. I mean, has any shortstop in baseball history ever compiled those numbers in a single-season? Has any player for that matter? I’m serious, has any player in baseball history finished with better numbers in those aforementioned categories in the same season?

Not Rickey, nope on Cobb…A-Rod’s a no… Robbie Alomar came close in 1999 but still falls short in homers, steals and batting average … I just spend 20 minutes, can’t find anyone.

And Hanley’s just 23 years old.

* You know, I think Danny Ainge has to make that deal. I think Kevin McHale did, too. What does Ainge have to lose, seriously? It doesn’t work and he’s fired or steps down and what, goes home to $20 million with a lifetime broadcast gig. Why not roll the dice and try for a title. Same for Theo, if Gabbard wins 100 games, great, good for him, seems like a good kid, but that bullpen can win a second title in four years. Zero in 86 years and two in four, yeah, you deal whatever prospects you have to.

Same with fantasy baseball, come Aug. 1, if you have a chance to win money this year you go for it. Worry about keepers or whatever next year. I dealt my first-round pick in one league last week for Victor Martinez and Alex Gordon (neither keeper eligible) and people thought I was nuts but that’s for worrying about next year.

* Trivia: The last time a Green Bay QB started not named Brett Favre was September 1993. Name him, and for bonus points, name the six Pats quarterbacks to have started at least one game since then.

* Board member Shiner Man shot even-par 72 with no mulligans (we don’t use mulligans, I don’t understand people who do, just don’t) last Thursday. Never seen him so happy, I think the correct terminology was giddy. Was minus-3 on the 11th tee.

* Some fantasy football sleepers: San Francisco TE Vernon Davis, Broncos WR Brandon Marshall, Lions QB Jon Kitna could literally throw for 5,000 yards with Roy Williams going for 1,500, Brandon Jackson looks like the starting RB for Green Bay, Jerious Norwood with the Falcons, rookie RB Michael Bush with the Raiders, Ravens WR Demetrius Williams and I love Pittsburgh WR Santonio Holmes who should be one of the top-10 all-around players in the league this year.

* It’s time to say sleepy night nights to the Tour de France. It’s a joke.

* I’d rather shower with Nate Newton than debate Barry Bonds at this point, but look, at one point, at least 60 percent of professional baseball players in this country were taking some form of steroids. He wasn’t alone. Dislike him for who he is as a person, that’s fine, I think he’s as likable as diaper rash but enough about the home run record being tainted. We get it, let the guy have his moment, he’s the only one who stayed healthy enough to even sniff if. Of the last 10 guys to reach 500, perhaps only Junior Griffey never took anything and Bonds also has exactly one 50 home run season. Sosa has FOUR 60-home run seasons.

* How cool would a Game 7 of the World Series be this year with Schilling facing Smoltz, the two great postseason pitchers of their generation? Long way off, but that would be really special for the game.

* Trivia answer: Don Majkowski, aka, the Magic Man.

Pats – Brady, Bledsoe, Scott Zolak, Hugh Millen, Scott Secules and Tommy Hodson

welcome back Sully.. you gonna get the package and watch some C's games this year?

I've always stated that I hate Bonds as a person and nothing more. The guy is one of the best baseball players of all-time, and I don't care that he juiced. Half the pitchers he faced were on more disgusting shit than he was, I'm sure. And I would not be surprised whatsoever if a certain French-Canadian member of the Red Sox that we got to know in the last few days was one of those pitchers.

If we offer a moratorium on Hanley-Beckett, can you come back?

Also, I picked Rex Grossman because you told me he was a fantasy sleeper last year. He almost single-handedly won the first like 6 games for me. And then he almost single-handedly lost the next 4 games for me before I smartened up.

Honestly, Mel, at this moment, I plan, too. I'm making a comeback, I'm excited about this season, with Oden and Durant and now the Cs. You still in for fantasy hoops?

Sully, welcome back! Hang around for awhile.

That WS Game 7 scenario would be quite something, don't you think?

oh, absolutely in for fantasy

I'm psyched too.. actually took a look at the schedule when it was released.. havent done that since maybe 1992

Sexy kind of struggled in the second half, I expected more from Benson in making that call.

Well said on Bonds. I remember seeing Gagne pitch on Opening Day in 2005, compared to the previous Sept. he looked like Mick Jaggar next to Ted Kennedy.

It could also secure the Hall of Fame for one of them, depending on the results, although I think Smoltz is officially in with this season.

Grossman "kind of" struggled = Joe "kind of" hasn't gotten laid since the Lincoln administration.

I think I'm going to start a "Bring Back Sully" fund. I once sent 5 tins of Apple Skoal to Australia... Texas is nothing. Sully, you strike me as a pretty normal Skoal guy, so no flavors. You a fan of Red Man?

Grossman didn't struggle, Grossman is a lousy QB who accidentally had a few good games to start the season.

Rex Grossman:Chicago Bears 2006
Julian Tavarez:Boston Red Sox 2007

Sometimes you just thank your lucky stars for what you got and cut bait before it sinks you.