The Severed Cortex

Curt Schilling. Mariano Rivera. Jon Papelbon. Carlos Zambrano. Michael Barrett. Ken Griffey. Roger Clemens.

They're all big name players on their respective teams who basically may not play the entire month of September. Assuming the Astros, Reds and Red Sox don't make the playoffs ... and they won't ... that means all but Rivera are done for the year. Done for the year. All having good or great seasons and then with no warning, kaput.

Add in the couple of scares that happened recently, Big Papi was out for heart palpitations as was Marcus Giles, although the latter turned out to be just heartburn, and you have a rather auspicious start to September.

As far as I can remember it's the weirdest start to a September. I've never seen this many big name players go down at one time. Granted Griffey, Clemens, and Schilling are old. So old that it isn't all that unlikely that they are somewhat akin to the tire tread on a 1969 GTO; worn slick. Even Mariano Rivera could be lumped into that group of crotchety old farts.

I'd like to comment on Michael Barrett's injury, but it hurts my parts to think about it.

So who is next? Maybe we should start a death pool on the next big name guy going down. The easy pick would be to pick an old guy like Maddux ... or any Cardinal outfielder ...