TERRY MOSHER
TOP OF THE TOWN – The last I saw of Albert Pujols he looked older than his age of 41. He lumbered up to the plate and I wondered how much longer he would be in an Angels uniform. Turns out not long. He shortly after was placed on waivers. Then in a surprise move, the Dodgers claimed him. I could see an American League team putting in a claim and using him as a designated hitter, but batting in the National League? No. But there he is, in Dodger Town. The Dodgers have been hit with a slew of injuries, so in that context it makes sense. The Doges will apparently use him against lefthanders, which he was hitting at the .250 rate. And he still adds power. He still has that, although not like he once had. So I’m going to give the Dodgers a pass, and then we’ll see how he does. … You know this Bob Baffert thing is a puzzler. Let’s get this straight right now. I love horse racing. I know there are a lot of detractors for many reasons. I get their concerns. But these horses are breed to run and there are caring people in the business. What is the major problem is that restrictions on medicines a trainer can use on them vary from race track to race track. There is no racing commissioner overseeing standard rules, so there is, and will be, a cloud over the racing business as long as that exists. Because of that, there will always be somebody testing the boundaries of decently and legality. It is just human nature to do that. Baffert, who set a record for a trainer by winning his seventh Kentucky Derby with Medina Spirit, has now been suspended by New York Racing Association from entering a horse in any New York race track. That includes the Belmont Park, Aqueduct and Saratoga because of his penalties against him or his horses failing drug tests from Kentucky and Arkansas to California. Baffert is the face of horse racing. The 68-year-old is one of the best trainers in the business, and the most successful. But something is wrong. When you have horses that continue to fail drug tests you are doing something wrong, whether intentionally or no. At the least, he is not properly monitoring his barns. At the most, he’s a big-time cheater. He may explain himself a thousand ways, but actions are stronger than words. He must clean up his act. If he doesn’t, kick his butt from horse racing. He is worth an estimated $30 million. That should get him by for the next few years. … Outfielder Braden Bishop, who reports suggest is one of the nicest players playing professional baseball, has been claimed off waivers from the Mariners by the San Francisco Giants and will start out at triple-A Sacramento. Bishop joins his younger brother, Hunter, in the Giants’ organization. Hunter is with the Eugene Emeralds in the High-A West League.