Welcome to the Fray

Well, then. It's about time.

We've tossed this idea around for several years. We recognized the need to create a forum for intelligent, informed minds with something to say as a counter-balance to the pervasive idiocy that surrounds most mainstream sports coverage. It was easier to sit back and watch others for a while, but there is no definitive voice to help re-instill sanity any longer. Now is as good of a time as ever to start.

That being said, let's get down to some business.

Contrary to a report earlier today in the San Francisco Chronicle, reports of Eric Chavez's death have been greatly exaggerated. The headline declared:

ERIC CHAVEZ (sic) CAREER IN CRISIS


However, if one takes a little closer look at the article (which is, let's face it, what we're here to do) one can see that Susan Slusser is simply rebel-rousing here:

The next time Eric Chavez's back goes out, it will be the end of his career.

Oh. The next time. As in, he didn't throw it out last night while vomiting at the sight of Sean Gallagher's mullet (or ERA). So, you're writing an article to let us know that just in case Eric Chavez should injure his back again, that his career will be over.

Thankfully, Slusser articulates this immediately. And by immediately, I mean in graph eight:

So the only hope Chavez has for continuing his Gold Glove career is to rehab his back, strengthening the area so that it is more stable, and crossing his fingers that nothing goes wrong.

Oh, so he's not even having surgery. He's rehabbing, just like every other athlete who doesn't need surgery.

Just to be clear, this would be like saying that if Koyie Hill chopped off his fingers again in another off-season buzz-saw accident, he probably wouldn't be able to throw a baseball for a living anymore.

There have since been a couple of stories published in reaction to Slusser's, which more accurately articulate the severity of the situation. Congrats, Chronicle. Setting the bar for journalism at the height even a paraplegic midget could clear.

Now, to be fair, anyone who pays any real attention to the Oakland Athletics (like, say, their beat writer) should know that it has been several years since Eric Chavez has had much chance of ever returning to the 30/100 form we saw from him in 2001-05. It's a sad possibility that we may never see him casually pick rockets out of thin air at the hot corner anymore, but the A's have been prepared for that possibility for a while. Keep an eye out for Tommy Everidge— who is basically Jack Cust trained to play third base— to make an appearance before season's end.

Enough for now. The Nuggets are up 10 on the Lakers early. Chauncey Billups is vying for my Person of the Year Award for '09. To be continued...