Two in a row! I'll say nothing about it for now, except that its about time this team had a break go their way. If KC could just win 13 in a row, they'd be right back in it...

Excellent article breaking down Carlos Beltran's "leap" to superstardom by Aaron Gleeman of the Hardball Times. He presents a very convincing case that Beltran is making a great leap forward (not the Mao kind) to elite player status based on (early) 2004 stats.

I think he's right, which is why its such a shame to see another team (f***ing Yankees) lock him up for the next 6 years. It really underscores an interesting debate about what is best for a small market team to do - sign a bunch of mediocre players for $2 million dollars, or pay one superstar player $17 million and fill in the gaps around him. Each approach has its faults, and neither is a better guarantee for success. This is the San Francisco approach - BB and the outcasts. No player is Barry Bonds, but Beltran is one of the best this game has to offer, and you could argue that he does more overall for a team that Bonds does. Beltran will be the kind of player that fans make time to come out to see and watch on TV.

I'd trade Sweeney and use that money to pay Beltran.