A few thoughts...

Jose, can you go away?

Disgraced former slugger Jose Canseco's A-Rod "revelations" are circulating the Internet today, as Canseco's new book Vindicated is set for release. I haven't read the excerpts, and haven't delved too deeply into the half dozen or so blog pieces I've come across, and here's why: Although I loathe performance enhancers and support stiff, even career-ending penalties for players who use them, I don't want to hear any more accusations from this creep, Canseco. Were the allegations from his first book, Juiced, proven? Not yet. And until baseball starts serious and credible testing programs leading to serious punishment -- such as twice weekly mandatory tests for every player -- I'm not going to get fired up over anything Jose Canseco says. Any washed up star can mouth off and make headlines. I think we've all had enough of that.

Houston, you have a problem

Yankee fans can thank Oakland A's closer Houston Street (and idiot baserunner Emil Brown) for Tuesday's Boston Red Sox victory in Tokyo. While the BoSox victory was a downer, there were some positive signs for Bomber faithful.

First -- and yes, I know pitchers generally stink in March/April -- Dice-K was less than formidable in his season debut. It wasn't so much the number of pitches he had to throw in the first inning -- 30 -- as the pitches themselves. Close to half of Matsuzaka's pitches couldn't find the plate. For the game, his five innings of work resulted in 95 pitches, but only 51 of those were thrown for strikes. Yankee fans will hope for more of the same from Dice-K this season.

Second, the Boston DH (who shall forever remain nameless on this site) looked awful, and nothing could make this blogger happier. As scary as Manny Ramirez looks -- slim, strong, very locked-in -- his partner in the three hole couldn't have looked much worse. With Ramirez in a contract year, he's likely to put up A-Rod numbers from a season ago, which means the Boston DH will see plenty of hittable pitches batting haead of Manny, and the clean-up hitting DH is likely to produce, big-time. But screw the future. Any time the Boston DH looks vulnerable is a reason for celebration.

Third, Sox closer Jonathon Papelbon looked as wobbly as starter Dice-K. Only Emil Brown's inexplicable baserunning for Oakland saved the Sox, and Papelbon, from a probable loss.

And that's the name of that tune

And we're outta here, with a quote from Yankee reliever LaTroy Hawkins, who in a Tuesday interview summed up all this March mindlessness, perfectly: "Spring don't mean shit, dude."

La Hawk has spoken. The season starts Monday.