Tuesday Morning Hangover

Not much to post today, with the Tour being off yesterday and baseball at the All-Star break. So we have a short hangover this morning, because I’m moving all day. In 105 degree heat. Good times.

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Cycling

The tensions between Lance and Alberto Contador continue to rise

“Armstrong suggested on French TV that he will not settle for third place, and “the honest truth is that there is a little tension” between him and Contador. Contador’s reaction the next day was to cite several riders as contenders, but not Armstrong. ‘I think the most dangerous rivals are the Schleck brothers (Frank and Andy),’ he said. ‘They are well focused on the race. Cadel Evans is the only one to have attacked, and Carlos Sastre, he has a lot of experience.’ The friction that was evident between Armstrong and Contador before the Tour intensified on Friday. With Astana controlling the peloton and rivals unwilling to attack, it seemed as if the seventh stage would grind to an uneventful halt. But Contador could not hold back and attacked late into the final climb to the Pyrenean ski resort of Arcalis. He zoomed past Armstrong, as the 37-year-old Austinite used to do to rivals in his heyday.”

Minor League Baseball

Some new faces will be in the Express pitching rotation after the All-Star break

“Polin Trinidad is expected to start on Saturday against Oklahoma City. Since being called up on July 2, the left-handed Trinidad, who was 7-5 with a 2.94 ERA in 13 appearances at Double-A Corpus Christi, is 1-0 with a 1.23 ERA in two road starts with Round Rock. Trinidad has appeared once at Dell Diamond this season, pitching four innings of the Hooks’ 6-1 exhibition win over Round Rock in April. Also joining the Express in Round Rock will be Felipe Paulino, who was demoted by Houston on Sunday. After missing most of the 2008 season with an arm injury, Paulino started the season with Round Rock before earning an early call-up with the Astros. But Paulino was 2-5 with a 7.04 ERA in Houston and had recently been demoted to the bullpen.”