At the time of me scribing this piece of inconsequence, incarcerated Boston Red Sox fan Randy Aaron Baker is preparing for his temporary release from Van Buren County Jail so that he can attend today Sox game against the Royals in Kansas City.

Randy Aaron Barker is serving a 10-day jail sentence for interference with official acts and violation of a protective order. He is also a big fan of the Boston Red Sox.

According to the Ottumwa Courier story, Barker’s attorney, Margaret E. King, Barker petitioned the court to allow him to attend the Red Sox game in Kansas City with his father and brother. They have had long-term plans to attend, King told Magistrate Judge Benny Waggoner.

Baker is set to return late tonight or tomorrow to the clink – whenever, right? What’s an “official act” anyway?

There’s a word in the quote that seems both appropriate, yet glaringly absurd. Petition. As in, some judge spent the time to hear a petition for a short time criminal to go to a baseball game – and a meaningless one at that. The lawyering time would have been better spent coming up with some sort of fining scale to be levied against people who buy tickets to Royals games in September.

Just goes to show you, for every Midwest magistrate being run roughshod by unbridled serial killers acting out of boredom, there’s lawmen who have too much time on their hands.

Baseball Fan Released From Jail To See Game (KCCI.com)

In a Baltimore Sun article published today where he awkwardly calls former-MLB characters like Bobby Bonilla and David Wells – Mister, Baltimore Oriole Hall-of-Famer Brady Anderson expressed his discontent with Sports Illustrated naming Orioles owner Peter Angelos as The Worst Owner in Baseball.

I find it laughable that someone who has achieved the type of success that enables one to purchase a Major League Baseball team can be casually dismissed by many as a “meddler.” I have never understood this complaint of meddling; he owns the team. Indeed, this idea runs counter to the way that just about every other business in the world is run. I am certain many people would find it odd if their bosses sat by passively and idly as they ran the business anyway they chose (Viewpoint: Angelos doesn’t deserve the bad rap).

Besides meddling, SI most scathingly cites Angelos firing of Davey Johnson (who Anderson says resigned) and the Orioles lack of a post-season appearance the last 11 years as reasons for appointing Angelos as the heaviest head that wears the crown.

Giving the player prospective, Anderson calls Angelos “a compassionate, loyal man who truly cares about the Orioles, the fans, and the people of Baltimore.” He talks about how Angelos would visit his ex-teammate Eric Davis in the hospital and watch Oriole away games with him while he was getting treated for colon cancer. He also hopes that someday the list will be rewritten and will name the best owners in baseball (which it actually does, those five owners have combined for 35 playoff appearance and 9 World Series titles) and we’ll find Angelos at the top of that list (err, .486 winning percentage? Slow down, Mr. 30 Stolen Base Man).


If it’ll make him feel better, blame Zach Greinke for Angelos’ dubious distinction. If not for the first half run by Kansas City this season, there is no doubt, no doubt that David Glass takes the title of Worst Owner. The stats from his tenure are truly offensive (.432 winning percentage, zero post season appearances, four 100 game losing seasons). Of course, the newly rejuvenated K.C. fans took issue with S.I. even having Glass on the short list – wow, you Royal fans have short memories.

Be an informed bettor. Find the latest in sports betting news at the BetUS Locker Room. Bet on any sport at BetUS.com.