Lerner, But Still Low

(With apologies to Alan and Frederick.)

What a year this has been,
What a foul mood I'm in,
It's like barely beating the Bucs.

And the team on the field,
Perhaps sould be repealed,
For just barely beating the Bucs.

All the moves that Frank makes seem to be,
Intended just to annoy me.

And from the pain in my gut,
To Clayton's 2 for 20 rut,
I would swear we were tanking,
About to take another spanking,
And just barely beating the Bucs.

OK, so maybe I was just looking for an excuse to do that. Be thankful I took a pass on Jim Bowden's version of If Ever I Would Leave You. But even after taking two of three from the hapless Pirates, there is a deep and abiding sadness in my heart. GUZMANIA! is going on injury hiatus for the rest of the season.

On the one hand, this is absolutely the right thing to do. Goooz is obviously hurt, and a torn labrum is not the type of injury you can really expect to rehab and play with (see Guillen, Jose.) So this surgery was going to have to happen sooner or later, and getting it done now gives him the maximum amount of time to get back in shape for 2007.

On the other hand, we're now saddled with a full season of Royce Clayton at shortstop, and Royce appears determined to put Guzman's 2005 season in perspective by having one almost as bad in 2006. Apparently all Jim Bowden wants is someone to stand between second base and third base and hit under .240. There must be someone, somewhere willing to do that for less than the $1M Clayton is pulling down. Perhaps someone whose name rhymes with Glendon Ferris?