Jumbo Jack with a Side of Rice

Another commercial I might not turn my back on:

• Jim Rice in his prime, say 1978, stands in against Jack from the Jack in the Box spots. With the afro and mustache prim and prominent, the Red Sox slugger pulls his helmet low over his eyes as he stares down the lanky right-hander. Cut to Jack, who's got that usual smirk on his face and is talking out loud about something irrelevant. Cut back to the plate, where Breakfast calls for the heater away. Cut back to Jack, who nods, winds and fires it belt high about two inches outside. Rice whips the bat around and lines it right back where it came from. Next thing you hear is a strange thud and a hushed crowd as the camera hones in on that smiling styrofoam head sailing toward the Green Monster. Cut to Rice eating a postgame Big Mac.

Hey, Rickey, you're so fine. Forget about the records, the mind-numbing stats and the multitude of skills. Two things about Rickey Henderson that aren't talked about enough:

1. He struck genuine fear in opposing teams -- pitchers changed the way they pitched and managers changed the way they managed when Henderson was in the lineup.
2. He made his teammates better -- especially guys like Tony Armas, Don Mattingly, Dave Winfield, Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire and Carney Lansford, most of whom were handed about 50-100 extra career RBIs on a silver platter courtesy of Rickey.

Tip of the Cup. That Philly lineup is crazy good -- they crushed the Cardinals again Sunday --and they're making a pretty fair case for convincing the front-office crew to forget about Roy Halladay. Minnesota's Justin Morneau gets mention for two dingers in helping cool down the Angels.

It's only BS if you want it to be. Two forgettable blown saves Sunday -- one was a technicality, the other was a Nationals game: Phil Coke, Yankees (4); Mike MacDougal, Nationals (1).