Tsmfp, Yjpihjyd ("Random Thoughts" with my fingers one key off)

Having survived this morning's subzero assault:


* Mo Williams again got snubbed for the All-Star roster, as Commissioner David Stern chose Ray Allen to replace the injured Jameer Nelson. I'm led to understand a lot of people are upset about this, and a caller to the Trivisonno show this afternoon (hosted by Chuck Galeti in Triv's absence) suggested that LeBron should sit out the All-Star Game in protest. I hope most of us can agree that's ridiculous. I agree that Williams deserved to go, but Stern didn't do this to flip off Cleveland. Ray Allen's a pretty good player too. Reasonable people can disagree about which deserved it more.

* LeBron's performance at Madison Square Garden last night was just unbelievable -- except that we've come to expect that from him. But come on, a triple-double in which he scored 52 points? Kobe Bryant got so much attention for scoring 61 in the Garden in the Knicks' previous game, but that was with zero rebounds and three assists. LeBron's follow-up was just as good. If you add up all his positive stats (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks) and subtract his negative ones (turnovers, missed field goals, missed free throws), LeBron's game total is 53. Kobe took a lot of shots and didn't miss many on Monday night, but he didn't do much else. His total was 51.

* It's hard to imagine in this weather, but the Indians' pitchers and catchers will report to the club's new spring training home in Goodyear, Arizona, a week from today. There are a few things to be decided in Goodyear. Mark Shapiro and Eric Wedge have said Mark DeRosa will play third base, leaving Jhonny Peralta at short and Asdrubal Cabrera at second. It makes more sense to me to shift J.H. to third and Droob to short, but that's assuming J.H. can play third. We can't really assume that. He is supposed to see some time at third in Goodyear, so maybe that's still on the table.

* We know who the closer is (Kerry Wood), and we know we'll have Los Dos Rafael along with Joe Smith and Masa Kobayashi in the bullpen. The last spot in the pen is likely Adam Miller's to lose, but there's always a competition for that spot, and it always changes a couple of weeks into the season anyway. We'll probably see John Meloan, Tony Sipp and Rich Rundles at some point. Edward Mujica, who had a great year at three levels a couple of years ago but was pretty awful last year, is out of options, so he might be gone. But he might clear waivers anyway.

* The top of the rotation is Cliff Lee and Fausto Carmona, and of course Carl Pavano has a spot locked down already. The last two spots are up for grabs, but I'm thinking Anthony Reyes has earned a chance. Unless they sign somebody else, the favorite for the fifth spot is probably Aaron Laffey. I'd sure like to see Jeremy Sowers bounce back, but he might have to start bouncing back in Columbus. (Too bad they moved the AAA team; "bouncing back in Buffalo" would have sounded better.)

* I haven't been paying close attention to college basketball this season, but I can't help but notice that after Ohio State's upset of No. 12 Purdue the other night, the Buckeyes are 16-5, 6-4 in the Big Ten, which puts them in a four-way tie for third place. They're still unranked, but they're 26th in RPI, and could make some noise come March Madness time.