As boring as it becomes to have to play the same team 19 times in one season, it's nice to know that the Twins still have so many games left against the White Sox... and also that every win means one step closer to the postseason (if there is one). Tuesday night the Twins took on Chicago with Koskie, Mientkiewicz, and Pierzynski on the bench, never went to the bullpen once, and yet they still won 5-0. The win - Minnesota's 3rd straight and 4th of 5 - moved the Twins into a 16.5 game lead and dropped the magic number down to 20. Of course, they won't all come this easily, and Wednesday night's match-up ought to be more interesting, as Chicago sends fifteen-game-winning lefty Mark Buehrle to the mound - who is 3-0 against Minnesota this year - to duel with Joe Mays, who out-dueled the best pitcher in the American League, Pedro Martinez, last Friday. While I'd prefer to see more of teams like Boston and the Yankees, if all Minnesota needs to do is pound on the hapless White Sox, I'll happily take the spot in the playoffs.

In an only marginally related topic, I find myself cheering against this Little League team from Harlem. Don't get me wrong - these boys are extremely talented; probably the most talented team in the Series - but I just can't stand the showboating. Every time they get a big hit, hit a home run, or get a big out, the first thing they have to do is rub it in the faces of the other teams. I see the job their manager is doing and have nothing but the utmost respect for the man, but as for the players themselves, I'll never be able to respect them until they learn how to respect others. For this reason, I'm also starting to lose a lot of respect for Harold Reynolds, who daily makes excuses for these players by saying that's just the way they were raised. Let me tell you something Mr. Reynolds: if that's the way they were raised - and I don't care if they're from Harlem or the Hamptons - then I think it reveals some major issues with the way parents are raising their children these days. I've never been to New York, but I have absolutely no ambition to ever visit New York either. Why? Because from everything I've ever read, seen, or heard about New York and New Yorkers, this is just the way they treat and act toward everyone, and why should I ever give a damn about anyone who so completely doesn't give a damn about me. Screw New York.