IT'S A GIRL MRS. WALKER

"It's a girl Mrs. Walker, it's a girl,''

- from "Glow Girl" by the Who


My wife and I found out this week that we're having a baby girl. Maybe.

The ultrasound showed no evidence of a tallywacker, so the doctor feels confident we're having a girl, but not 100 percent confident, because the baby was in the breech position.

So we're holding off buying all the pink stuff.

But at the very least, we've stopped calling her "him.''

I am excited to have a girl, but have to curb my intincts of wanting to be overprotective.

Yet, I am poised to be the scary dad when little horny high school boys start coming 'round my house.

I think I'm going to buy a shotgun.

Something in the Air

Yesterday, I got to watch my first full spring training game - more or less - as the Braves held on to to beat the Detroit Tigers 4-3.

It was encouraging as Tim Hudson tossed 5 scoreless innings.

But as soon as the bullpen came in, my stomach started to churn, and true to form, the relief corps allowed 3 runs, and nearly coughed up the lead in the 9th.

Anyhow, I know it's only Grapefruit League games, but a win is a win.

And it got me to thinking whether this year's team will turn out to be better than last - Atlanta's first losing season since 1990.

On paper, I think the 2007 edition is much better.

The 2006 Braves main weakness was the bullpen.

This year's bullpen appears to be a strength with the additions of Bob Wickman, Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez. Of that trio, only Soriano has been impressive in spring training, so the jury's still out. At least there won't be dead weight such as Chris Reitsma, Tom Martin, and Mike Remlinger.

The right side of the infield may appear to be a weakness with the departures of starting first baseman Adam LaRoche and starting 2nd bagger Marcus Giles.
But I think if Bobby Cox utilizes a mix and match approach, things will smooth themselves out.
If he uses a combination of Chris Woodward, Kelly Johnson and Willy Aybar/Pete Orr/Martin Prado to man 2nd, it'll be like the days when Blauser, Treadway and Lemke battled for playing time. Competition stokes the competitive fires.
Same thing with first base. I think new acquisition Craig Wilson is going to see plenty of playing time at 1B. Cox loves a 1B platoon, and has always employed a rotation except in the days when we had a primetime 1st bagger such as McGriff and Galaraga. The rest of the time, it's been platoon city, featuring such names as Brian Hunter, Ryan Klesko, Rico Brogna, Ken Caminiti, Julio Franco, Matt Franco, B.J. Surhoff, Randall Simon, Wally Joyner, and Robert Fick.

Overall, I think this year's team has more flexibility and depth with Woodward and Wilson on the bench.

I wish we a had fulltime leftfielder, but Ryan Langerhans and Matt Diaz are adequate. I wish Brandon Jones would get the call, but he needs some more seasoning in the minors. He looked good yesterday, however. Houston has had the Killer B's and it looks like we'll have another member of the Jones Boys soon.

It's starting to look like a very crowded infield.
Who knows which utility infielders are going to make the team. At least this year we have some good options from which to choose, and some depth should someone (Chipper) get hurt.

And Tanyon Sturtze will be waiting in the wings for a bullpen spot around May, should someone falter.

And if someone under-performs in the starting rotation, or gets hurt, we've got whoever doesn't make the fifth spot (Cormier or Davies) getting innings at Richmond.

Speaking of the rotation, how does this potential lineup sound when Hampton gets healthy:

Smoltz, Hudson, James, Redman, Hampton?

Sounds as good or better than anybody else in the N.L., if these guys perform to their abilities (Hudson).

Let's get this party started.

Finger Lickin' Tip

Let me first say that I have tremendous respect for the service industry as it plays a vital role in our economy here along the Grand Strand.

And when I receive excellent service, I tip accordingly, usually 20 percent or more.

But I had an experience the other night to make me stop and ponder whether tipping has gone too far.

After waiting for about 5 minutes in the drive thru at KFC in Surfside Beach before someone would take my order, I got to the window and paid with my debit card. Oops, let me backtrack, they were out of Original Recipe - what I usually order, so I had to get crispy instead.

Anyway, I get my bill to sign and return, and it has a slot for the tip. A tip? At KFC?

I've got a tip for 'em: make enough original recipe to last until closing time.

Digging in the "Dirt"

Okay, I'm sitting in here in anticipation of my new favorite show, ``Dirt'' on FX starring Courtney Cox.

I was hooked from the moment I saw Cox using her vibrator under the covers.

"Dirt'' - with its sex-fueled fictional look inside the Hollywood tabloid scene - is the best thing going on basic cable right now.

Check it out at 10 p.m. Tuesdays on FX, which is channel 39 on Time Warner's south Strand cable system.

I have but one problem with the show: the character Holt is totally not believable as an action hero/movie star. He has the charisma of a turd growing moss.

The Cure for What Ales You

I'm still kind of shocked at how nice the remodeled Remedies near the Backgate is after visiting Saturday night.
Still looks like a dive from the outside, with its yellow and brown decor.
But on the inside, it's a whole different ball game.
First off, it's been expanded to take up the other half of the building, formerly occupied by a succession of strip clubs.
Everything is wide open, as they did away with the overhead storage above the bar, and pub-style booths have been installed, with stainless steel table tops, the floor is tiled, and in the new space, there's some nice couches creating little den areas, and flat panel TVs are everywhere.
This place is snazzy now - and it's on par with say Liberty Taproom. Seriously.
It's as if Ty Pennington and his Extreme Makeover crew made a stopover at Remedies while they were in town recently.
You gotta check it out. Remedies Sports Bar and Grill is at 4803 U.S. 17 Bypass, just south of the intersection with S.C. 707.

Hope Springs Eternal

Yes, I know it's pre-season and the games mean nothing, but I'm still psyched over today's 7-2 ass-whoopin' the Atlanta Braves handed out to the L.A. Dodgers.

We're 2-0!

More importantly, 5th starter candidate Kyle Davies tossed two scoreless innings.

Cannot wait until tomorrow's 1 p.m. ESPN-televised matchup of the Bravos vs. the Pittsburgh LaRoache's - er Pirates.