Baseball’s power shifts to the West Coast

WSPN ... for the summer?What#146;s ESPN gonna do?The Angels sign Josh Hamilton to go along with the likes of Albert Pujols and Mike Trout.The Dodgers ink Zack Greinke to push their payroll over $200 million.Then you have the World Series champs two of the last three years in San Francisco, and don#146;t forget the upstart A#146;s just across the bay.No doubt about it, the power in baseball officially resides in California.Barry the Badger:When Barry Alvarez announced he was coming down from the AD office to coach Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl, I have to admit I thought it was kind of cool.But after hearing what he#146;s getting paid to do it (an $118,000 increase in salary), forget it #133; the excitement is long gone.The what now?Anyone have any idea what the heck Paul Tagliabue was trying to say?Hockey talk:Nice little story in the WSJ about how Patrick Kane and his mom are adjusting to life in Switzerland.Check it out.BTW:Kaner came into this week#146;s action with 15 points in 14 games for ECH Biel.So, now we know:Marian Hossa would#146;ve missed the Blackhawks#146; first 30 games this season while still recovering from concussion aftereffects.Hopefully he#146;ll be playing in the final 48 games or so beginning sometime in January.Otherwise:All we#146;ll have to look forward to are visits by the new Mobile Blackhawks Store to a strip mall near you.Yippee!Things I accept but don#146;t like:1. College football coaches leaving early.2. Registering for anything online.3. PBS pledge drives.Speaking of pledge drives:If I see Mick Jagger in that red sweatsuit one more time, I#146;m gonna lose it.Question:Until the past few weeks, when was the last time you heard the word Twinkies used in a sentence?Packing it in?They#146;ve lost five straight in the rivalry, Aaron Rodgers is 8-2 lifetime against them #133; tough row to hoe for the Bears on Sunday, huh?Usually when everything is lined up against them like that, I would go ahead and pick the Bears.Not this time.Scruffy Lovie:Never seen Lovie Smith with facial hair of any kind #133; until this week.Pressure mounting?Udderly ridiculous:The latest Internet craze is milking #151; basically pouring a gallon of milk over your head while in a public place.I have nothing else to add.Reading the defense(man):Wolves defenseman Brad Hunt will be making two local appearances Monday as part of the team#146;s #147;Read to Succeed#148; program.He visits the Huntley Library at 4:30 p.m. and the Cary Library at 7 p.m.Seriously:How sad is it that wearing your team#146;s colors to a road game puts you at risk?Real nice.Lovely links:Tom Watson, Scotland #133; perfect.Quick movie review:#147;Lincoln:#148; Really long, but really good.Fin.Grrrreat idea:#147;We need a bear, a real bear. A real live grizzly, who#146;s just chilling.#148;#151; Jay Cutler during his radio show, on the need for the team to get a new mascot.mspellman@dailyherald.com