Aaron Gleeman, writing at The Hardball Times, has some astonishing numbers showing Melvin Mora's last five healthy months, amounting to a .367/.597/.466 line. He also explains why "there's a good chance that Esteban Loaiza's 2003 season will go down as one of the strangest, completely-out-of-nowhere seasons in baseball history."

Also, Brian Gunn takes on Chris Kahrl's endless negativity on the St. Louis bench. I do enjoy Karhl, but I agree with Brian that he does ride the same hobbyhorses endlessly, and he packs so many inside references into each sentence and clause that his columns can be like reading a statute.

Then again, a note to Brian and his commenters who hold out some hope for a Roger Cedeno revival: trust me, I spent the past two years watching the guy. It ain't happening. Although it wouldn't hurt to get in better shape and have his eyes checked.