Odds and Ends

• Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star looks back at the Carlos Beltran trade made three years ago by the Royals.  With Mark Teahen and John Buck now regular contributors, the deal can be deemed a success.  There was definitely a point, maybe early '06, where it looked like a complete bust for Kansas City.  Mellinger snags quotes from all of the principals in the blockbuster three-way trade; check it out.
• John Lackey has a blog.  This one was really flying under the radar; thanks to Will Carroll for alerting me.  And also I just learned that recently-traded starter Mike Maroth has one.
• Rod Beck will be missed by many.  This ESPN article from a few years back seems a perfect way to reflect.  Hat tip to Deadspin and The Cub Reporter on that one.

Comments

[Laputian]

I miss you Gerry Hunsicker.
-Love, the city of Houston.

[grumpy3b]

thanks for the link to the old article! Being a Dodger fan Beck was always "the enemy"...but the guy was nails!! I have always remembered that article about him living in the trailer-in-center-field. When it was first written my initial thought was Beck had to be one of the best, not only baseball guy, but best people in the game period.

So sad when someone goes out when it seems too soon...but even so, his reaching out to others, even if it was "just" sitting down for a beer and a chat, likely did more for people the Beck might have known.

We are all better for having been exposed to him in any way, even if it was simply reading about him...he showed us all how important it is to keep things in perspective and how we treat others tells everything about us as individuals...

Life is always too short and it's best experienced in a humble simple fashion.

[ArodSucksAtLife]

Thats funny, everyone I talked to today trying to point who Beck was, I referenced that ESPN article.