Imagination is the best toy we will ever own. Imagination never breaks and never gets old.

When I was a kid I thought that Legos, Lincoln Logs, and Star Wars figures were the greatest toys ever. But at an early age I became a nerdy bookworm...and quickly realized the power, the priceless nature of the imagination. To escape the humdrum, often troubling real world (busy body mother, nimrod step father) was better than any trendy toy. The horror of Stephen King helped me through the horror of junior high and high school. Without imagination, the Sports Illustrated swimsuit calendar, and a hand towel, I would have never learned to.... Whoops! Some acts of imagination are best left for the grave.

Although my five-year-old daughter, Jasmyn, owns hundreds of toys, it is a joy to behold her overactive imagination. She acts out scenes from her favorite books and television shows. She can quickly become one of a dozen fascinating (and odd) characters she has created. For example, one little girl has Japanese parents. My favorite character is Flowers, a girl whose parents were killed by zombies. (Perhaps this is what happens when Daddy wrongly allows Jasmyn to watch Sam Raimi's campy horror classic, Evil Dead II: Dead By Dawn.) Instead of boring, traditional outdoor games like Hide and Seek and Red Light, Green Light, Jasmyn's favorite outdoor game is to imagine I am the owner of a vast mansion estate...full of classic and contemporary monsters. She then portrays a vampire, werewolf, mummy, zombie...and then Bigfoot, Mothman, and the eery, elusive Chupacabre.

I am certain that by now the neighbors think we are bonkers, but I don't care. They can keep their expensive home theatres, including the Blu-Ray sales pitch. They can replace their cars every year, even though they still smell new. They can buy Hannah Montana for the girl and Transformers for the boy. We might be crazy, but we can't imagine living one moment any other way.

Friday's MLB card is rich with profit possibilities. I hope you enjoy the following MLB plays and supporting prose. May Friday turn our wallets fat!

Athletics/Royals Over 9 (-120)

The woeful Kansas City Royals are only batting .218 against right handed pitching, but tonight they face no ordinary A's pitcher. The Athletic's Vin Mazzaro (2.35 WHIP and 11.15 ERA) has given up six or more runs in four straight starts. Opposing righty Brian Bannister (1.17 WHIP and 3.20 ERA) has won two straight on the road, with both games falling 'under' the total. However, the 'over' has hit in four straight Kansas City games and eight of ten Oakland battles. The A's have averaged five runs in their last four games, and lead the league in doubles (55) since the All-Star break.

Cubs +113

Me betting for or against the Cubs is most often the kiss of death. However, although Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano is 0-2 with a 4.12 ERA in three visits to Coors Field, Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez is 0-3 with a 7.27 ERA in four starts against Chicago. Also, Chicago's most lovable losing team has actually won 12 of 16 meetings with the Rockies. I like a rested Cubs squad to have just enough bite to beat the Rockies, who lost two games in consecutive days to the Phillies.

Late Night West Coast Parlay
Giants -1.5 (-140) and Padres -143

It's hard to argue that exotics and parlay bets are nothing more than sucker bets. But just like any trailer trash scratch off lottery ticket addict will tell you...with a toothless smile and a cigarette, of course..."Ya cain't win if ya don't play, mo-ron." The Giants Tim Lincecum (1.09 WHIP and 1.64 ERA) has won and covered the spread in his last two starts. The San Francisco lineup is batting a hefty .308 against right handed pitching, and tonight faces Reds RHP Homer "Doh!" Bailey (1.70 WHIP and 8.22 ERA). You know things are bad when even the San Diego Padres (45-65) can beat the crap out of you. The New York Mess might want to prepare for another can of whoop ass, when they send Oliver "Free Pass" Perez to the mound tonight. Olly has given up 47 bases (walks) in 48 2/3rds innings. The Padres may have nothing to play for, but they hold a record of 7-3 over the last ten games.