Truth indeed is stranger than fiction.
Carlos Gomez of the Minnesota Twins was on his way to work yesterday morning when he suffered a weird accident.
On his way into the Metrodome, the Twins centerfielder got stuck in a revolving door, banged his head and somehow suffered a cut that required two stitches.
"It's really funny," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "I mean, it's not funny. But it's really funny."
You were right the first time, Ron: It's really funny.
Weird stat. The defending world champion Phillies are a pathetic 8-13 at Citizens Bank Park after last night's embarrassing loss to the Florida Marlins.
But they have the best record in the majors - 16-6 - on the road.
Maybe they're just scared by all the people at the Bank.
A hero at last. Ken Macha, who has managed Oakland in the American League and Milwaukee in the NL, holds that his players make out their own lineup.
He means, of course, that a player who's hot forces his way into the lineup, and a guy in slump essentially takes himself out.
So Milwaukee's Bill Hall couldn't have been surprised when he was benched yesterday after a Pat Burrell-like slump that saw him go 1 for 28 in his last nine games.
But Macha left the door open for Hall to work his way back into the lineup.
"I want to see guys come out and work their way out of it," the manager told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "You want guys on your club that are fighters and are going to come out to work to make themselves better."
Apparently Hall fulfilled Macha's requirement. The manager sent him up to pinch-hit in the 10th inning of a marvelous 0-0 game against NL Central rival St. Louis yesterday.
Hall slapped a two-out RBI single to right for a 1-0 win that propelled the Brewers into first place.
Working his way back. Manny Ramirez took batting practice yesterday in an empty Dodger Stadium, a team spokesman said.
It was his first appearance in L.A. since he was suspended for 50 games for violating Major League Baseball's drug policy 2-1/2 weeks ago.
He won't be back when the Phillies visit the Dodgers June 4 through June 6.
Just wondering. Why hasn't Eddie "The Shot" Stefanski hired Avery Johnson to coach the 76ers as fast as he can speed-dial the number?
Johnson is the only proven coach out there - one who would have credibility with both players and paying customers - and the only one who could survive the inevitable losing streak.
Any of the other candidates would be fatally wounded by a 3-11 start. And if the next coach goes down, he might take the front office with him.