Hondo broke out of his latest slump by scoring with the Cardinals over the Brewers Wednesday night to lower the deficit to 1,850 nobises.

Thursday night: Mr. Aitch will vacate the diamond district for an investment on the Dirty Birds over the disappointing Bucs — 10 units.

Those who suggest Charles Barkley throws like a girl after his first-pitch effort at Wrigley Field Tuesday night, are being unkind to girls. He throws more like a 44th President. … Umpire Country Joe West was suspended for one game for “initiating contact” with Phillies reliever Jonathan Papelbon. So, to break it down for you, as per the rules and regs of MLB, that offense is deemed to be one-seventh as heinous as what Papelbon did, which was to initiate contact with his crotch. Seems about right.