From ESPN.com:

Major league pitcher Joe Kennedy died early Friday morning while at home with his family in Florida, agent Damon Lapa confirmed to ESPN.com.

I’m shocked and speechless. This is incredibly sad.

Rest in peace, Joe.

Good morning - or bad morning, depending on how you feel about the Boston Red Sox being the World Champions. It’s not what I was rooting for, but I can’t be mad that the best team won, and that’s what happened.

How about that Ronnie Mac? From cut by the Oakland A’s to game-winning World Series home run. I’m happy for him, even if he did shave his head and didn’t have the hair to fluff out after the home run. I’m sure he’ll be looking for a new home this offseason, but it’s no doubt he’s feeling good coming out on top of the baseball world after a season in which he got cut by an under .500 team.

Oh, and thank goodness for Mike Lowell - I came this close to having to write “I Love the Red Sox” on my forehead with a Sharpie. OK, not that close, but Kielty still did more than I thought he would.

Now that the World Series is over and it’s officially the offseason, what do we have to look forward to in the near future? Well, the announcements of the awards should be coming out over the next couple weeks, and we’re likely to see our six-time Gold Glove third basemen be unseated. It will be sad, but understandable given Chavez’s recent injury woes. Mark Ellis could nab a Gold Glove at second base, but I’d bet against it as Placido Polanco made headlines with his errorless streak. As much as I want to see Ellis get recognized, maybe this under-the-radar thing is good for the A’s. They can sign him to a long-term deal and keep him as the green and gold secret weapon.

And in other news, it sounds like the A’s may start the 2008 season in Japan against the defending world champs. I really hope this won’t be considered a “home” game for the A’s because that would be an extreme ripoff. Not only would they be in another country, but they’ll be playing in front of a crowd that will no doubt be rooting for the Red Sox. I still think it’s cool after our boys missed the opportunity in 2003. I remember getting all excited about watching the season opener at 3 a.m. After a long winter, I don’t care what time I have to get up.

And this Japan thing also sounds like it could mean pitchers and catchers reporting a few days earlier. “Pitchers and catchers…” - no three words sound so sweet in the winter!

Go A’s!!