Cannon Firing Line
Thoughts from another Planet...
By Ellis G. Cannon
PSR Publisher

If you have not yet done so, order the Extra Innings baseball TV package. Life will never be the same. It's a steal at $159 a year. It's never wise to pontificate about how others should spend their money, but if you have any interest in the sport, go Bobby Bonilla and make your move. The part about life never being the same is no exaggeration. Perhaps you, like me, ask every morning what sports you have to look forward to each night. Until now, the answers have been limited. No more. The handful of games you receive every night takes care of that. You're done. It's over. Buy the package.

At the risk of exposing something I'm receiving when I shouldn't be, you wouldn't believe how many Stanley Cup playoff games come with this baseball package.

Speaking of the unexpected, every Mike Tomlin press conference seemingly includes a question about whether he's prepared for what's about to happen to him when things heat up in Latrobe and the upcoming season. Maybe there's something to the question. Tomlin looked a little fatigued at the pre-draft press conference he and Kevin Colbert conducted immediately following mini-camp. The natural wear and tear on Tomlin will be something he can only truly appreciate by experiencing what is about to come.

As for that experience factor, the Penguins received invaluable doses of it this past season, including before the playoffs began by dominating a March schedule that had all the signs of being a backbreaker. They also benefited by playing so many of those games down the stretch with a playoff mindset. Ditto with the postseason, as brief as it was. Just having gone through all of that will almost surely translate to the Pens being better. Still, changes in personnel will be the biggest factor if the Pens are to make a move up to another echelon next season.

Adam LaRoche is much better than this…Adam LaRoche is much better than this…Adam LaRoche is much better than this.

Cincinnati outfielder Josh Hamilton is the biggest story in the game right now.

As this issues goes to print, the Pirates are in the early stages of a nine game homestand, during which they face Houston, Cincinnati and the Chicago Cubs. Assume all the necessary caveats for an April homestand, but also consider the Pirates are seemingly more comfortable on the road early on and played very little baseball at PNC Park through the first three weeks. Pittsburgh was over .500 at home last season and while even a so-so result over the homestand can be made up, the Pirates have placed so much of a premium on a solid start, the last thing they want is more pressure. So, yeah, a winning homestand would be a good thing.

And buy that package, Seam-head.

Ellis Cannon's SportsLine Pittsburgh" airs weeknights, 6-8 p.m., on FM NewsTalk 104.7. Ellis is also a regular contributor on the "#1 Cochran Sports Showdown" aired Sundays at 11:35 on KDKA-TV.