Nephew Howard Warns

Ryan Howard warns you not to count the bears before they growl.

Uncle Jack has never enjoyed a .500 season in the NASBL. The Griz's 2009's 75-87 record has been Grundy County's best record since joining the NASBL in 2001. Sitting currently at 77 - 59 with 26 games to play - GCG's fans are looking at a potential record better than .500, for the first time. Uncle Jack just smiles knowing that his best pitchers this year Zack Greinke and Brian Bannister will start 14 of the 26 remaining unplayed games.

Uncle Jack is also quick to point out the Central Less Filling Division (which has always been one of the weaker NASBL Divisions) maybe getting a little bit tougher. The division if it were a major league division would have looked much like MLB's National League Central Division Astros/Pirates/& Cubs - but Uncle Jack feels the division has improved to more resemble the American League Central - Tigers/Twins/& White Sox. TG-Central still has a long way to go to match up to the NASBL version of the American League East - Yankee/Red Sox/Rays division which is easily matched by the Taste Great East - Honolulu/Illinois/Springfield/and Lake Champlain. Lake Champlain - a 4th place team in that very tough TG-Central would be tied with the Griz for 1st if they had the pleasure of playing in the NASBL LF-Central Division.

Well to get back on point - GCG fans are happier now than ever before. The stands are full of Howard/Morneau/Cabrera/Youkilis/Holliday/Greinke/Garza/Cahill/Wilson uniform jerseys. You no longer see the Mark Prior and Juan Pierre jerseys that fans wore for years. Prior now leads the NASBL in disabled list visits and Pierre who was the only perennial league leader in any regular playing department - led in two categories year in and year out during the Griz infancy - steals and caught stealing.

Fans worried Grienke was not even going to be as productive as Prior - prior (had to do it) to this year. It appears that Greinke has decided it is easier make millions of $$$ throwing a baseball than spending big bucks sitting on a shrink's couch. Griz fans point at poor draft luck/decisions of Griz management such as Prior instead of Josh Beckett, Stephen Drew instead of Hanley Ramirez, BJ Upton instead of Ted Linceum, just to name a few. The Griz also passed on Morneau, Howard, Cabrera, and Youkilis. That is right the Griz did not draft one of their 4 1B, but instead acquired each in trades. The Griz also acquired Matt Holliday.

Griz fans are eager to see if this years entry might just break out of the sub .500 group and possibly reach the playoffs. That target is in sight. Pocono is pursuing 1st place - AGAIN. With Haren/Zobrist et al. they are a formidable team and a true challenge for the playoff spot. Additionally, the upstart NY Knights managed by their version of Buck Showalter look like they have surpassed the Fightless Sioux. We do not want to look ahead just yet said Uncle Jack. Speaking on behalf of the team, Uncle Jack said it is just great that the fans are not chanting "Wait Until Next Year" all ready.