Is it really, as Tom Petty would say, the hardest part?  And I don't mean that rhetorically.  I'm literally asking y'all, since I haven't experienced a blue concession stand or parking lot line in quite some time.  Are both still a hassle? 

It's funny how I spend so much time on Elysian Park Ave. during the season, but remain in a complete bubble when it comes to this topic.  The way media access works, I gotta hit the Ravine so early, I could watch "Roots" in its entirety and still catch the opening pitch.  Locker rooms open three and a half hours before the game begins.  From there, you have two hours and forty-five minutes to talk with Grady Little, chat with players, flag down Ned Colletti, etc.  In an ideal world, you'd get there about 90 minutes before game time, rack some copy, take a few notes, file a pre-game report and grab a little din-din.  In-N-Out like a burger.

Had Steve Henson's mailbag gone to press a bit later, I'm sure today's news would have made the cut.  For the second time in a week or so, it looks like another marquee name is heading to the NL West.  Or in this case, returning.  The Diamondbacks and Yankees have agreed on a deal that would bring Randy Johnson back to Arizona, and likely keep him there through 2008, when he will be approximately 73 years old.  The Snakes are giving up a reliever and some prospects, none of whom are top shelf types (as far as I can tell), so it basically costs them a pile of money.  The question is, will it matter?   On the one hand, Johnson is a 43 year old, coming off his worst season on the field and back surgery off it.  He started 33 games but threw only 205 innings, struck out "only" 170 and sported a robust 5.00 ERA.  As a means of comparison, he went for 245 in 35 starts in '04, fanning 290 with a 2.60 ERA. 

I'll be honest with you, I remember Steve Garvey more from his days as a Padre, particularly the '84 playoffs when the world got to watch the Cubs fold like an accordion.  Good times. So maybe I'm not the best guy to evaluate his Hall of Fame candidacy... but if it's not me, someone needs to get on it PDQ, because this year represents his 15th and final opportunity to be voted into Cooperstown by baseball writers.  Based on previous results, it looks bleak- Garvey has never received more than 42% of the 75% needed for enshrinement- but should it?  Take a look at his career profile.  Dude could rake, and he could pick it at first as well.  No doubt, he has lost some points because of a personal life that was, um, how should I put this... controversial (Garvey wrote the Shawn Kemp handbook before Shawn Kemp).  Then again, if we closed off our Halls to athletes who played around a little (or a lot), they'd be damn near empty. 

With guys on the edge, as I believe Garvey is, it comes down to a gut feeling.  Is this guy an HOFer?  Or a HOVGer?  That's "Hall of Very Good-er."  In my mind, he's an HOVGer, but then again, I didn't see him as much as many of you.  So does Garvey belong, or not?

BK