A lot was made a couple of weeks ago about Pedro being some kind of Master of Ceremonies at a cockfight in the Dominican Republic. We at Surviving Grady don’t claim to know much about political correctness. As a matter of fact, we don’t know anything about politics or correctness. We talk a little baseball; fantasize over hot chicks, and Red throws in the occasional glimpse of his puppet obsession. And that’s pretty much us. And granted, I’m a Pedro guy from way back, but I just don’t see the big deal.

Cockfighting is not only legal and accepted in the DR, it is a tradition. How the media in the U.S. can express such shock is a bit hypocritical. These are the same people who watch humans beat each mercilessly in boxing rings and ultimate fighting events while chowing down on a plate of Buffalo Wings. So cut Pedro some slack, it’s not like he tossed Nelson in the ring with the nasty birds.

I guess when all of the Hot Stove trades are done and steroid scandals are slow, this is what we are left with during the waning days of the off-season. Maybe Congress will get involved? As for me, I’m jonesing for the first spring training games and a preview of the 2008 team. And before you know it, the first of 162 nail-biting, bottle-throwing, high-fiving, fist-pumping games will be upon us. Amen.