GLENN BURNIE, MD.--- As we sit here during this second week of April, the baseball season has started, the war in Iraq continues, and Hootie (not Blowfish) Johnson has stood strong on his ridiculous stance that women will not be given clearance to play golf at Augusta National Country Club. Now before I get started on the baseball stories of late I just want to say one thing. I truly believe that it is an absolute shame and injustice that a Country Club as prestigious as Augusta does not allow Women to play at their club. Just 40 years ago Blacks were fighting for a chance to drink at the same water fountains at Whites. Blacks were fighting for survival in a land that wanted us out. Is this any different? If there were a club in America where Blacks were not allowed, don’t you think you would have Jessie and Al fighting for those rights? Oh yeah, by the way, according to Hootie discriminatory practices are not allowed at Augusta. At least that is what he said on April 9th during his press conference.

Ok, on to baseball! The first full week of baseball is completed and as expected some have played up to expectations and some have not. Now, how many of you would have thought that Barry Bonds would be batting just .217 with 6 strikeouts? He does have 3 home runs and 8 walks, but we’ve come to expect more from the best hitter in Baseball. Sticking with shocking developments, how about Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez with no wins in 2 starts. Both Schilling and Johnson are 0-1 in 2 starts and have over a 4.00 ERA. Pedro however is a different story.

In 2 starts this season, Pedro has pitched 15 innings with 12 strikeouts and just 1 walk with a league low .60 ERA. Now with these numbers you would think he is 2-0 and on his way to the cy young award, but only in Boston can a pitcher have these numbers and be 0-0. The one good thing that has happened to Pedro this year is that the Red Sox have taken the $17.4million option on Pedro for the 2004 season. Coming into the season Pedro had said that once the season started that no more contracts talks would continue, giving the fans in Boston some doubt as to whether Pedro would return for the 2004 season.

“I’m looking forward to finishing my career here in Boston,” said Martinez after getting his contract extension. Martinez continued, “Hopefully, this will be a sign of me remaining with the Boston Red Sox. I wasn't very optimistic about it. By showing the compromise of picking up my option they are actually saying 'Yes we can work something out.'”

One thing we have to remember is that this is just 2 weeks into the baseball season so trying to pick who will win from this point is unfair to the fans and to the players. Just remember last year when the A’s went on their run to win their conference. It wasn’t until July and August when they really made their run at the title.