Good morning or good evening, wherever  you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 6:00 a.m. in "The City" where the current temperature is 73° under clear-skies with a "Real Feel" of 73° fostered by a six-mph wind out of the west. That 73° will be the overnight low before the high-temperature today reaches a sultry 85° under skies the will range from sunny to partly-cloudy with an overnight low of 70°. The sun will rise today @ 6:57 a.m. and set later @ 8:37 p.m.

The NWS is reporting a current barometric pressure of 29.87 and falling, while my DTWS is showing 29.21 and rising. Go figure. At least the NWS reported temperature agrees with that being shown on my DTWS. 

I had a very productive day yesterday. First thing yesterday morning, I watered our plantings before I returned to the media room for some inane TV viewing. Later, I finished the daily crossword puzzle, followed by those repairs to the storm-windows on the manse, after which I trimmed some bushes too. Later, I sat on the deck and finished one of my pulp novels. Come to think of it, that was way too busy for someone who is retired. I'll have to take it down a notch today. All I have to do today is some indoor chores and help Mary assemble our new dining-room table. How hard can it be after we assembled the four dining-room chairs earlier this week? Considering the high-temperature forecast for today, indoor activities will be good idea. 

I won't dwell on the news from baseball yesterday, except to say that the Cubs management may be saying all the politically-correct things, but they are still fielding a cast of characters who have little to no chance of winning at the Major-League level, "The Show" as it is often called by the minor-league level players. 

That being said, the 54 - 70, 4th place in the NL Central Cubs only bright spot yesterday was provided by what some may call an oxymoron player, a journeyman/rookie, Patrick Wisdom, age 29, who hit his 19th home-run in a 2 - 6 loss to the 53 - 68, 5th place in the AL Central Royals. Another day, another four home-runs surrendered by RHP Zach Davies, 6 - 10. Today's game features a true farm-system Cubs pitcher, RHP Keegan Thompson, 3 - 2, starting @ 2:20 p.m. EDT.

Alas, it is too late for me. I'm too old to "Wait until next year!" I was at Wrigley Field when I was much younger, around age eight, and later as a teenager on too many opening days and other days when the Cubs opened the wall in left-field after the seventh inning to allow anyone into a nearly empty park. Unlike the "Fans" of today, I am a real "Die-Hard" Cubs fan, not like those people who jumped on the bandwagon when Harry Caray arrived and when the Cubs started to play respectable baseball. I carp to Mary about the state of the team, but as long as the stands are filled and the TV money keeps rolling in, there is little incentive for the Cubs' management to improve the team. 

Sure, I hear how the Ricketts family wants to have a winner, but do they really? One World-Championship in over 100 years does not constitute a winning attitude and certainly not a dynasty. In this era of free-agency and long-term, big-money contracts, maybe this is all we can expect. Look at the Royals, the Indians, the Mets etc. Up, then down. Just saying.

My beloved, 3rd place in the AL East, 70 - 54 Red Sox had to rely on the surgically repaired left arm of of LHP Chris Sale last night as he pitched five strong innings, walking one, striking out five and yielding five hits. It took four additional relief pitchers, but the Sox defeated the 5th place in the AL West, the 42 - 80 Rangers, 6 - 0. But, is that all they've got? We'll see. as the Sox send LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, 9 - 6 to the mound for his next start @ 7:10 p.m. tonight.

The 3rd place in the AL Central, the 59 - 65 Tigers went into the 10th inning in Toronto last night tied @ 1 - 1. A wild pitch, a timey pinch-hit, and some errant throes from the outfield led to a 4 - 1 for the Tigers over the 4th place in the AL East Blue Jays. Today; the Tigers send RHP Wily Peralta, 3 - 2 out for a start @ 3: 07 p.m. in Toronto.

The Caps looked like a High A level Minor-League team as they fell to another High A team, the Ft. Wayne Tin Caps, 1 - 11. I expect developmental level play from a High A team, not from a Major-League. Once again, just saying. 

I've already covered yesterday's activities. But, I'd be remiss if I didn't highlight Mary's culinary prowess. She used some locally-grown produce to make a dinner of baked tofu with mushrooms and her homemade marinara sauce to make an excellent dinner for last night. Definitely a keeper. Ciao.