In a pair of articles (from yesterday’s Chronicle), Susan Slusser and Henry Schulman analyze this year’s A’s and Giants teams. While the outlook for the A’s is promising:

After a rare offseason in which they lost no major components and added three interesting ingredients, the A’s have emerged as a solid all-around contender, a team some are calling the division or even league favorite.

Their pitching, especially the starting rotation, is excellent. Their defense should be strong. And their lineup is improved.

The Giants look to have a difficult season unless their aging cadre can stay off the disabled list:

The urgency in Felipe Alou’s voice is palpable. The Giants’ manager has had a winter to stew over a 75-87 season that he cares not to repeat, that he dare not repeat for the sake of the faithful.

With pitchers and catchers set to report to spring training Wednesday in Scottsdale, Ariz., Alou sounds like a man running toward a set of doors that are rapidly closing. He desperately wants to get there before they slam shut, on him, on his son Moises, on Barry Bonds, on a franchise that would have to dig into its Eisenhower-era files to find the lineup for its last October victory parade.

Either way I’m looking forward to a better season than last (could it be worse?) for both teams.

irc.irchighway.net

That is all.

Steve Kroner of the Chronicle reports:

Two sources close to the negotiations have confirmed the A’s radio broadcasts will air on KYCY (1550 AM) and KNTS (1220 AM) in 2006.

KYCY will be the flagship station, but its signal does not cover the South Bay well. KNTS is a South Bay station, but apparently it will not carry weekday broadcasts until 6 p.m. So, the plan is for KNTS to skip weekday afternoon games, and to join in progress games that begin between 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Pacific time.

I haven’t yet gone out to check reception on KYCY here in Palo Alto. Does any other MLB team have such a ridiculous scheme for broadcasting their games? And way to cater to the South Bay audience, guys, that’ll sure help your quest to relocate to San Jose.

I have XM, which carries all MLB games, in the Infiniti. Unfortunately, XM runs the home team’s broadcast for each game, so if the A’s (or Giants) are on the road that means I will hear the other team’s broadcast.

I’ve added three posts to Project Insomnia Restaurant Reviews: Bennigan’s, Santa Clara; Pasta?, Palo Alto; and Rancho del Zocalo, Anaheim (Disneyland Resort).

Woman Downs 26 Grilled Cheese Sandwiches:

A 100-pound woman ate 26 grilled cheese sandwiches in 10 minutes Wednesday at a New York restaurant, winning the World Grilled Cheese Eating Championship.

Sonya Thomas won $8,000 for the contest at the Planet Hollywood restaurant in Times Square but said she was disappointed in her performance.

‘I could have done better,’ she said, adding that she was aiming for 30 sandwiches.

I love grilled cheese sandwiches. The thought of debasing them with water to shove them down my throat is repugnant. Jen got me a panini press two years ago and makes fantastic sandwiches with whatever kind of cheese we have at the time.