You can’t touch J-Roll

Not sure if you’ve ever perused Jimmy Rollins personal Web site.

Chances are, probably not.

Anyway, it contains your basic athlete Web site material – photos, a bio (written in the third person), charitable foundations and…a MC Hammer reference?

Yep, according to his personal Web site, J-Roll appeared in music videos of Hammer and Mavis Staples in the late ’80s and early ’90s.

You may have heard about this in an SI piece earlier, but I still can’t get over it.

I guess it’s what I look for in my baseball players.

MC Hammer is from Oakland, and when I was about 13, he had an open casting call. My brother and I were picked to be in one of his videos. We were in a graveyard scene. But there was no dancing involved. You don’t want to dance next to Hammer. Then my sophomore year in high school I was in a Mavis Staples video called The Voice. I played a little thug on the street corner selling drugs. Then I shot somebody and jumped a fence. It was fun. I wouldn’t say I’m retired, just that my acting career is temporarily suspended.

Coming out with the short straw in this particular bio is Rollins’ brother, Antwon, who is the least important thing in the short piece, just below J-Roll meeting MC:

Growing up in Oakland, Jimmy got the chance to meet fellow Oakland native, and former rap artist MC Hammer and he appeared in several videos of Hammer’s and Mavis Staples’ in the late 80s and early 90s. Jimmy’s younger brother Antwon has spent time in the Rangers farm system.

No love for Antwon.

Luckily, no sign of Jimmy here. Or here.

I’m sensing a new home run dance.

Why does Ozzie still have a job?

So I’m watching the White Sox game today… I mean, looking for a job… Anyway, I’m wondering why crazy Ozzie Guillen still has a job.

The ’07 White Sox play like one of the most poorly managed squads in recent memory.

On any other team with a World Series trophy from just two years prior, 39 wins at the All-Star break would be the manager’s neck.

Why does this <– dude get a free pass?

Everyone knows that Guillen is insane off the field, constantly embarassing the team anytime he opens his mouth.

Let’s talk on the field.

In the current game, the White Sox racked up 8 runs against the Yankees’ Roger Clemens (who continues to prove he’s worth $1 million a start) in the 2nd inning.

The Pale Hose then allowed the Yankees to score 8 runs in the bottom half of the inning. Now I would say, “who does that?”, but lots of teams do.

And you know what they do afterwards? They fire their managers.

True, the Sox have had some injuries this season. Who hasn’t? Darin Erstad on the DL isn’t enough to justify a drop-off of 15 games from this date last year (21 from the World Series year of ’05).  Is it?

I won’t say the World Series title in ’05 was a fluke, because it wasn’t. The team played the best throughout the playoffs. But with similar talent, Ozzie’s letting the Sox flounder around Royals territory. And there’s nothing more embarrassing than that.

The end of the world as we know it

Well, it’s finally happened. Everyone knew it was coming, but it still just doesn’t feel right.

Yep, the Cubs are in first (tied technically). On a walk-off wild pitch nonetheless.

The above pic was taking at the first game of the series, but it seemed like a good opportunity to brag about my seats again.

Phillies 4, Cubs 5: Even though the Wrigley scoreboard showed the Brew Crew losing to the Mets, it looked like the Cubs would blow their shot at first once again. Chicago loaded the bases in the 8th, but failed to score. It wouldn’t happen again as Matt Murton scored on a wild pitch.

Royals 5, Twins 3 (F/10): Awful news out of the Twin cities yesterday. Obviously, the Twinkies probably weren’t that focused on baseball. It showed when K.C.’s Alex Gordon hit the game-winning 2-run shot in the 10th. Thoughts and prayers to all those affected.

Diamondbacks 9, Padres 5 (F/11): Arizona maintained its 1-game lead in the N.L. West with an exciting win over the Friars. Chris Young made a sick catch to rob Mike Cameron of a grand slam in the fifth. Eric Byrnes drove in the go-ahead run in the 11th (before a three-run shot) after the D-Backs blew a 5-1 lead in the 9th.

Angels 7, Mariners 8 (F/12):  Seattle closer J.J. Putz, who has been jinxed by the SI curse, blew a three-run lead in the 9th. Fortunately,  Yuniesky (you come up with a nickname for that) Betancourt hit a walk-off single to win the series.

More scores…