the United Countries of Baseball

For the most part, this map seems right. It's hard to tell where central Indiana's loyalty lies. We have a pretty good mix, at least I think we do, of Reds and Cards fans, but I'm not sure we have that many Cubs fans. We have our triple-A Indians, of course, but they are affiliated with the Pirates and I've never met any gung-ho Pittsburgh fans around these parts.

Maybe my fellow Hoosiers who stop by here can offer their thoughts.

Josh Hamilton

Get Religion points to a very nice article about Josh Hamilton, center fielder for the Texas Rangers.

Faith, he regularly testifies, has put him back in baseball after four years of addiction problems so ugly you can't blame his family for not wanting to relive them. But because of faith, they do – to churches, youth groups and halfway houses.

If Hamilton could shake his habit – it included downing a bottle of Crown Royal almost daily and cocaine and crack cravings so strong he burned through a $3.96 million signing bonus – and finally get to the big leagues last season, there had to be a reason.

knock me out in the ballfield

It's always nice to see the Cincinnati Reds win - especially over the evil Pirates - but you don't want this to happen. I hope Ryan is okay.