Boswell On The Park

Tom Boswell writes a weekly email column. Most of them have been fluff, but today's was excellent. Read the whole stinkin' thing.

"There's no way it's only 380 feet," said Vinnie Castilla who has hit 309 homers, but only six this year compared to 35 last year in Colorado's home run heaven. Castilla has seen two of his best blasts -- "way out of any other park" -- hit near the very top of the diabolical 380 sign, as though it was taunting him. "If this was any normal ballpark, I'd have about 16 homers so far."

"I'd probably have 15," said Brad Wilkerson to Castilla. Last year, Wilkerson had 32 homers but this season, like Castilla, he's got only six -- on pace for a paltry 11 homers.

"I know my own power and I know that sign is wrong -- by a lot," said Guillen. "I should have 26 homers."

"You see all those notches he's carved above his locker?" says catcher Brian Schneider, grabbing Guillen playfully. "He's keeping track of 'em. He's gonna tear out that chunk (of wall) and take it to arbitration. Think Jim (Bowden) will count those?"