Thursday's first pitch

Leading Off
From the Associated Press: ANAHEIM, Calif. -- An off-duty police officer shot and wounded two men who had assaulted him in the crowded Angel Stadium parking lot after Wednesday night's Colorado Rockies-Los Angeles Angels game, authorities said.
The officer, who was walking to his car with his wife and two small children about 25 minutes after the game, was hit in the head with a bottle or club, police Sgt. Tim Schmidt said.
"We think he was the victim of a crime," Schmidt said.
The off-duty officer then shot the men with his duty weapon, Schmidt said. Police did not immediately identify the officer or the shooting victims.
One man was shot in the head and was in critical condition, the other was shot in the upper arm and in serious but stable condition. The officer also had a serious head wound. All three were taken to hospitals.
No one else in the parking lot was hurt, Schmidt said.

Regional Roundup
The Phillies game was not on at Bill Bateman's Bistro last night when The Southpaw played trivia. In a way that was a good thing.

• IT meant he didn't have to witness how Pat Burrell was too good against the Phillies Wednesday. The Phillies flip-flopped JA Happ and Cole Hamels in their rotations. Is it a smart move? Logically, it looks to be.


• The TVs at Bateman's, however, were locked on the the Orioles game. That was horrible. There were so many miscues. What will happen when Cezar Izturis returns? Robert Andino is playing really well.


• Another TV had the Pirates game on. That was about the only good thing for the Mid-Atlantic squads Wednesday. Then again, it meant seeing how bad the Indians are. In other Pirates' news, Ian Snell doesn't have much time left.


• The final TV, and the closest one, was tuned into the Nationals-Red Sox game. The Red Sox could play in the World Series this year. The Nats? Not so much. However, The bottom line is the big deal.

Best of Rest
Several Columnists reach for the spotlight.

• TJ. Simers defends his idolatry of Manny Ramirez.


• Youngsters starred for the Metropolitans Wednesday.


• Jason Kendell helped the Brewers break out of a losing streak.


• Gwen Knapp has interesting insight on Barry Bonds and Jose Canseco


• Franklyn Guitierrez paced the Mariners.


• Jim Souhan says the Twins Nick Blackburn is becoming an elite pitcher.

Batter's Eye

• When Sampson lost his locks he lost his power. When Vlad Guerrero lost his he gained it back. Or so it would appear.

Today in history
1968 -- Bobby Bonds, in his first major league game, hit a grand slam off John Purdin to help San Francisco to a 9-0 win over Los Angeles.

1998 -- Sammy Sosa broke the major league record for homers in a month, hitting his 19th of June leading off the seventh inning of the Cubs' 6-4 loss to Detroit. Sosa passed the mark set by Detroit's Rudy York in August 1937.

The Closer
It was midsummer in the mid-90s, temperature-wise and year-wise. The Southpaw was a teenager standing in the shadows of Veterans Stadium. He watched as Curt Schilling signed a handful of balls - none of them The Southpaw's. He watched Scott Rolen and Mike Lieberthal shrug past fans, saying, "Not now guys, maybe in the park." The Braves superstars were the same way. Maddux. Glavine. McGriff. Justice. No autographs.
The only autographs earned that day had been the chicken-scratch signatures of Ryan Klesko and Kevin Jordan.
Then something happened. John Smoltz walked toward the gate as The Southpaw was walking away.
The Southpaw looked in his binder. No Smoltz cards. He panicked. He had a Baseball Weekly with Fred McGriff on the cover. That was it.
He meekly walked over to Smoltz with his pen in one hand and the magazine in the other.
"That's not me, you know that, right," Smoltz deadpanned.
"I don't have anything else," the young Southpaw responded. "Would you sign it?"
Smoltz not only did that. He talked to The Southpaw about pitching for a good five minutes. Nobody else had noticed the big-game dominator talking in the corner of the parking lot. Smoltz talked about the importance of getting strike one. Of not being afraid of any hitter. Of trusting your teammates.
Looking back, it was The Southpaw's first interview.
Sure, he grew up hating the Braves. But after that moment, things were different. Every fifth day, that hatred subsided. The Southpaw would root for the big right-hander who was so nice to him.
And that's why, when Smoltz takes the mound tonight for the Boston Red Sox, The Southpaw hopes you root for him too.