>>>Granderson was writing about McElwain because it's time again for the ESPYs (click here). Which means it's a good time for, "Don't give up; don't ever give up" (click here for video, if you can handle another tear-jerker).

>>>From TheSportingBlog.com: "Nike has been forced to withdraw a range of shoes called Air Stab from its British outlets after a spate of fatal knife attacks across the country" (click here).

>>>Michelle Wie finds herself in contention for the first time in years, then promptly gets disqualified for failing to sign her scorecard (click here). Believe it or not, she's still only 18 (click here).

>>>Greg Norman hasn't been 18 in the past 35 years. But he's leading the British Open by two shots with 18 holes to play (click here).

>>>The Wall Street Journal reports that at least nine bids are expected for the Chicago Cubs and their related assets (click here). Assets include Wrigley Field, a regional cable company, and a curse that will follow you to the grave. Thanks to Fark.com for the link.

>>>And finally, we bring you the story of a hero dog who saved a 65-year-old from an attack by a kangaroo (click here). Adds Fark: "Cat still petrified at thought of biggest mouse he ever saw."

Sexson fits in New York because the Yankees needed a right-handed slugger to match up against left-handed pitching -- and Sexson had a .344 average against lefties this year.

Assuming the deal is completed, he'll be in the lineup Saturday against Oakland.

The Yankees will have to pay Sexson only the prorated minimum of $390,000 from his $14 million salary with the Mariners. Seattle is eating the remainder of the nearly $6 million Sexson is owed for the season.

The drawback, of course, is Sexon's numbers against right-handers: .178 average, .281 on-base percentage, .304 slugging percentage.

>>>Chase Hilgenbrinck, an MLS player, is leaving soccer for the priesthood: "I felt called to something greater. At one time I thought that call might be professional soccer. In the past few years, I found my soul is hungry for something else. I discerned, through prayer, that it was calling me to the Catholic Church." (click here).

And we won't even make any jokes about soccer being so boring that it makes the seminary sound good. Nope, no jokes at all.

Seriously, you have to admire that kind of faith. It reminds me of a column I wrote a couple years ago about Woodland graduate Sharon Heidland, who played volleyball at the University of Nevada. Heidland felt a similar calling, and after college she entered the convent (click here): "Thanks be to God. I found the meaning of my life, and I found it at 22 years old."

>>>To celebrate baseball's Midsummer Classic, ESPN.com's Uni Watch takes a look at All-Star uniforms through the years (click here). Here's one I didn't know: Reggie Jackson once wore a Seattle Mariners uniform.

>>>The NFL is taking a look at game films to uncover gang signs (click here): "There have been some suspected things we've seen. When we see it, we quietly jump on it immediately, directly with the team and the player or employee involved to cease and desist. Period."

>>>Headline from Fark.com: "This year's feel-good story of a down-and-out pro who makes the British Open with a birdie on the final hole of a local qualifier is brought to you by... Jean Van de Velde. Yeah, seriously" (click here).

>>>And finally, we bring you more lyrics from "Caterpillar" by Big Brother and the Holding Company:

I'm a pterodactyl

I'm a pterodactyl

Dying for your love

Dying for your love

Dying for your love

For your love

Josh Hamilton hit 28 homers in the first round before making 10 outs. This apparently, was a record, as if records are kept for such things. Hamilton then went through the second round, before losing to Justin Morneau in the final round. Hamilton's performance, along with his utterly amazing comeback from severe drug and alcohol abuse (click here), made him the talk of the contest, even though he didn't win (click here).

Brancaccio's point is this: Why have somebody belt out 28 home runs in the first round and burn themselves out for the remainder of the contest? Shouldn't it be designed so you have the big numbers in the final round instead of a flameout?

Why not have automatic qualifying in the first round? If somebody hits 10 or 12 or 15 homers, they advance to the next round. If you're a player and there's no limit to how many homers you can hit in a round, you want to keep going and put on a show for the fans. But if you're limited by the rules, then it's out of the player's hands and you don't feel compelled to keep going.

That would keep the players fresh for the final, which should be the showcase. Sounds like a pretty good idea.

One other thought from the All-Star Game. They did a cool thing during introductions for Tuesday's contest. They had Hall of Famers at each position, for example, Brooks Robinson, Mike Schmidt, George Brett, and Wade Boggs at third base. They introduced the Hall of Famers, and then the starters at that position.

Anyway, in center field, Willie Mays was the only Hall of Famer. It got me thinking: Is he the only living Hall of Fame center fielder? That would be remarkable. So I did a little research, and as far as I can tell, Duke Snider is the only other player in that category. Snider is 81, and maybe they explained why he wasn't in attendance. I didn't have the sound up.

Kirby Puckett died at 45, and he is the only Hall of Fame center fielder whose career started after 1951. That's amazing, and it's something that hadn't dawned on me until Tuesday.

All of which reminds me: For the Inside Baseball page the following two Sundays, we'll be selecting our own Hall of Fame, starting from scratch. Be sure to check it out.

Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy made more than 100 phone calls to a fellow official at the same time he was providing information to gamblers during the 2006-07 season, Fox News reported Monday.

Citing court documents and phone records it obtained, Fox reported Donaghy placed 134 calls to referee Scott Foster between October 2006 and April 2007, the period during which he has confessed to betting on games or passing on game information to gamblers.

>>>From the unique memorabilia category: A sweat-stained baseball cap worn by Babe Ruth has been sold for $328,000 (click here). Or maybe this should go under the some-people-have-too-much-money-on-their-hands category.

>>>Athlete qualifies for his second trip to the Olympics. The first was in 1964 (click here).

>>>Apparently, not everybody is enthralled by the story of 41-year-old swimmer Dara Torres making it to the Olympics. You know, like her ex-husband (click here): "Believe me, I've achieved many significant things in my life, and none of them was being married to her. I don't want to talk about that marriage, and I don't want to talk about her." Thanks to SportsByBrooks.com for the link.

>>>And finally, we bring you more bad lyrics, from "Catepillar" by Big Brother and the Holding Company (click here):

I'm a caterpillar

I'm a caterpillar

Crawling for your love

Crawling for your love

Crawling for your love

For your love

In 1971, Murcer batted .331 with 25 homers, 94 runs, 94 RBI, and 91 walks. Impressive numbers, even if they weren't Ruthian. But the typical AL team averaged only 3.87 runs per game, and the Yankees were playing in a pitcher-friendly park. Murcer led the league in on-base percentage and was second in slugging percentage. That's a great season.

In 1972, Murcer hit .292 with 33 homers, 30 doubles, 102 runs, and 96 RBI, again in a run-scarce environment. He was third in the league in slugging.

But here's the interesting part: Those two seasons, Murcer was credited with 38 Win Shares and 36 Win Shares. Bill James created Win Shares, distilling everything a player does into one number reflecting his value. In 1971, Murcer led the AL in Win Shares; the following year, he was third.

Mantle had five seasons with more than 36 Win Shares; DiMaggio had two such seasons, with a career high of 41. DiMaggio had more outstanding seasons than Murcer, and obviously had more career value. But at their best, Murcer was just about as good as DiMaggio, at least for two years. Here are the Win Shares totals year-by-year for DiMaggio, Mantle, and Murcer:

Age	DiMaggio	Mantle	Murcer
19		13	2
20		32	0
21	25	26
22	39	36
23	30	41	20
24	34	49	27
25	31	51	38
26	41	39	36
27	32	30	25
28		36	20
29		48	21
30		33	21
31	24	14	19
32	30	34	18
33	34	16	15
34	21	18	9
35	29	25	4
36	17	24	2
37		0
Tot	387	565	277

Packer has been the network voice of the Final Four for 34 years -- including years on NBC -- which has to be some sort of record for a major sporting event. And yet we don't know of anybody who will miss him. Especially the guys who wrote this (click here).

The only drawback is that Packer is being replaced by Clark Kellogg instead of the great Bill Raftery. Even when they do something right, CBS screws it up.

>>>Chris Mottram of TheSportingBlog.com is blogging from the All-Star Game festivities in New York. Here he writes about a fake Phillies player drawing a crowd at FanFest (click here). Yes, a fake player.

>>>TheDailyStab.com has an item and photos of some guys who think they're pretty funny for taunting Alex Rodriguez with photos of Madonna. Until he actually turns around and looks at them (click here). Thanks to Fark.com for the link.

Which reminds me of a story. Years ago, while in college, some friends and I drove from Chicago to Milwaukee for a Brewers game. Late in the game, we had worked our way down to the front row near the on-deck circle. When the Brewers brought in Bob Gibson (no, not that Bob Gibson) to pitch, my friend yelled at Rickey Henderson in the on-deck circle, "Hey Rickey, if you hit a home run you can tell your grandkids you homered off Bob Gibson."

Rickey thought it was hilarious. He turned around to face us and doubled over in laughter. Seriously. Rickey, apparently, is easily amused.

>>>Headline from Fark: "Jose Canseco knocked out in the first round of celebrity boxing match. If only there had been some way for him to enhance his performance" (click here).

>>>Sunday's column was about Richie Sexson and how he has been vilified in the Seattle media (click here).

>>>And finally, we bring you a list of the worst lyrics of all-time (click here). The loser, er, winner: "I'm serious as cancer, when I say rhythm is a dancer." Although "I love you like a fat kid love cake" is No. 5 with a bullet.