A few weeks ago Glenn Stout said that we won’t really feel Rivera’s absence for awhile. The void, that’s what will make it sting he said. And yesterday, as the game reached the seventh inning it hit me (again): Rivera is gone. Just when you get used to someone, poof. Maybe they are like Chipper Jones or Alex Rodriguez, a slow but sure decline, still playing but no longer great. Or like Mo, a quick injury and then…who knows?

Such was the case for our old pal Lance Berkman who sustained an ACL injury the other night. His career might be over.  I always enjoyed watching him play. He’s had a fine career.