Man, if a baseball geek went into a coma in the Fall of 1989 and is just now waking up, he'd be confused as hell. Isn't Jim Thome a skinny Juco shortstop with mediocre power? You say he moved to third base as an Indian? What happened to Calvin Murray?

I won't link to this but nice headline for a Simers article:

Magic number for James Loney to depart Dodgers is 42

Ouch.

60 years ago today, Don Zimmer got married at homeplate. I wonder if his wife is still alive.

Nats sign:

-Anthony Rendon (No. 6 overall) to a major-league deal for $7.2 million over four years, with a team option for a fifth year.
-Kentucky right-handed pitcher Alex Meyer (No. 23 overall) for $2 million.
-Miami Dade College outfielder Brian Goodwin (No. 34 overall) for $3 million.
-TCU left-handed pitcher Matt Purke (No. 96 overall) to a major league deal, worth $4 million over four years.

That's a pretty good haul, especially considering Meyer and Goodwin were comp picks for Dunn leaving.

I wonder if his wife is still alive

Soot Zimmer is quite alive, according to the Rays' website. You were worried life with Zim was unsustainable? :)

Is Rendon the only 1st round pick who got a major league contract (after Bauer)? I can't find that anywhere.

-Anthony Rendon (No. 6 overall) to a major-league deal for $7.2 million over four years, with a team option for a fifth year.

In a practical sense, what does a "team option for a fifth year" mean for a draftee? Doesn't every team have an option for a fifth year for all their draft picks?

I would guess that the team option is for his salary. So if he's already arb eligible by then, they'll exercise the team option for like $4 million or whatever, so he doesn't hit the jackpot like Ryan Howard and get $12 million from an arbitrator.

...and if they don't exercise the option, he is still their property I assume?

Yea, it just that he won't have a contract and will either have to sign whatever tender the team offers, or be able to file for arbitration.

Silly post, but my wife and I were talking about themed-restaurants and I got to thinking about a baseball themed sandwich shop where every dish corresponds to the city of a MLB team as like the signature dish of that city. But I was only able to come up with about half the menu:

Blue Jays - ???
Orioles - crabcake sandwich
Rays - grouper sandwich
Red Sox - ? clam chowder was my best offering
Yankees - reuben sandwich

Indians - pierogi
Royals - burnt ends BBQ sandwich
Tigers - something with Michigan apples?
Twins - banh mi (large Hmong population!)
White Sox - Chicago-style dog

Angels - California wrap
Athletics - ??
Mariners - salmon sandwich
Rangers - beef brisket sandwich

Braves - ?
Marlins - Cuban sandwich
Mets - Italian hero
Nats - ?
Phillies - Philly cheesesteak

Astros - close enough to NOLA to do a muffaletta?
Brewers - German beer brat
Cards - toasted ravioli sandwich?
Cubs - Italian beef sandwich
Pirates - Pittsburgh-style stuffed sandwich
Reds - ?? chili sandwich?

Diamondbacks - southwest chicken wrap
Dodgers - Dodger dogs?
Giants - shrimp sandwich on sourdough
Rockies - ?? Just a burger?
Padres - fish tacos?

DC = half-smoke

Red Sox could be a fish filet sandwich (maybe Cod).

Dodgers - Dodger dogs?

French dip.

Giants - shrimp sandwich on sourdough

They actually do sell a Mission style bacon dog, which is a hot dog wrapped in bacon and topped with Mexican condiments (sour cream, jalapenos, salsa, etc).

edit > Now that I check www.google.com, I see that the bacon dog started in Tijuana, and has made it to other parts of the country in addition to SF. A Mission style burrito would also work.

French dip.

Ah yes, it was actually invented in LA, was it not? Gotta find a way to get those on the menu, I love em.

Reds - ?? chili sandwich?

Cheese Coney (chili dog).

Braves - ?

Peach Cobbler

Rockies - ?? Just a burger?

Bison burger.