"No favorite" in Beltran derby 

Posted 8:52 AM by Sean
Scott Boras says there is no current front-runner among the clubs pursuing Carlos Beltran:

"Carlos is considering a limited number of teams and the Houston Astros are one of them," Boras said. "The others, we have kept private. He has not designated a preference for any one team over another. To say that is inaccurate."

Previous reports had indicated the Astros were offering or about to offer six or seven years at $13.5 million per year, an amount well below the $15-$19 million/year Beltran was expected to command. But I get the sense that the big cats are still circling. We'll probably turn on the TV some Saturday in January and hear about how Beltran received five different offers from three different teams in the past 24 hours, and now he's a Yankee/Angel/Cub/Whoever.

Ow 

Posted 9:09 AM by Sean
I hadn't even heard of this, but apparently a fan took it into his head to bop a San Benito County Sherriff's Deputy in the head with a Thunderstick at the October 6 playoff game, whereupon said Deputy slammed said fan to the ground, fracturing two vertebrae and his skull.

Nice, all around. The article doesn't say whether the Deputy was in uniform, acting as security, or just attending the game. Nor does it mention whether the bopping was intentional or accidental. Anybody know?