Dear Jerry

Why does your team play so poorly on weekends? (51-38 on weekdays, 16-25 on Saturdays and Sundays.) Why do they play so sluggishly, like they could care less they are in a pennant race?

Well, evidence points to the bottle, Jerry. I mean, look! On the DL has Freel partying and speculation of a Red cheating. Rumors are rampant about the behavior of your players, like they think they're in a fraternity or something. Don't forget the time that Dunn hit the game winning grand slam and had to rush out of the ballpark with Griffey to get to a concert and backstage party at the Coliseum.

We all know Arroyo didn't want to pitch in the All-Star game because he was hungover. The guy has been awful the second half of the year. Could it be because he feels comfortable around his teammates now, and the reason he was lights out at the beginning of the season is because he didn't go out so much when he didn't know the other guys so well?

I'm not one of those people who cares about the personal lives of the players. What they do on their own time is their perogative. But when it starts affecting their performance on the field, it becomes a problem.

Do something, Jerry, control your players. You guys are in a pennant race. You should be doing everything you can to be better than your opponents, and that includes not being hungover and sluggish when coming to the ballpark. Put a curfew on the team. Have a bed check. Do whatever it takes, but these guys need to stop partying so much and start playing some ball. There are no off-days on the weekends, you have to play, and you can't afford to keep losing.

Hey, I like my beer as much as (or more than) the next girl, but I also am not part of a team on a quest for the Holy Grail. More winning means better and bigger parties, anyway, and they have the whole off season to act like fools.