It's a double-edged sword - TV series are supposed to accelerate ratings as seasons come to their conclusion, while others have major or minor stars moving on, whether due to contract negotiations or new opportunities that come up. So, in the last few weeks, especially the final two weeks, it's increasingly likely that stars you've come to expect to see week in and week out, well, they're going down in a hail of bullets.

This Sunday afternoon, as we plowed through CSI, Law and Order and Conviction, while seeing previews for season finales for just about everything else, we saw people get shot, and others promising plenty of violence as their seasons come to an end.

You'd think we get used to it, and of course, we are. We're not surprised when assistant district attorneys are held at gunpoint, or kidnapped, or shot. We're not surprised when police chiefs come out on the losing end of negotiations with a suspect. So, the thrill is somewhat gone, as we understand the back-room dealings that go into what's supposed to be compelling television. And in some cases, we know they're leaving, and are just curious how the people will be written out of the show.

Of course, that doesn't count West Wing. That show, still the best out there, wraps up tonight, and it's all done. We'll be sure to catch that as close to live as possible, TiVo permitting.

Listening to ''The Hardest Part'', by Coldplay (Play Count: 6)

With full-time catcher Jason Kendall out for a four-game suspension following his memorable dust-up against the Angels in Anaheim, seldom-used backup Adam Melhuse put on the tools of ignorance, and to the surprise of those of us expecting much, much less offense from the catching position, Melhuse blasted home runs in back to back games versus the Blue Jays. This anomaly, and any future efforts for Adam to see more playing time, is investigated in this week's ANtics, "Melhusin' For a Bruisin'".

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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | PDF | Take the Poll

There comes a time in many successful TV actors' lives when they are remembered so well for a specific role, that they can't ever break out of that mold, even when they appear in new TV series, or film. After five seasons as terrorists' worst nightmare, Jack Bauer, on 24, Kiefer Sutherland has got that role down. So it was with no lack of amusement that we saw him team up with Michael Douglas in The Sentinel last night, working with the Secret Service to protect the president against a nefarious plot that threatened his life.

For those of us who watch 24, we've grown accustomed to Jack's brusqueness, and his oft-repeated lines like, "Send it to my cell (or PDA)!", or his hostile interrogation techniques. All were on display in The Sentinel, as he struck a familiar pose, trusting noone, and "following the evidence".

The film was interesting, but fell short of the twists and turns expected from 24 fare - as in an hour and 48 minutes, you didn't have time for true character development, or too many alternative plot threads. Simply put, the movie went from threat to subplot to main character being mistrusted, on the run, discovering the true threat, and returning to good graces. Not even those points that were expected to be surprises did much, as they were dealt with quickly.

While The Sentinel wasn't the famed "24" movie that is in the works, it was a hint as to what we can expect - some action with a thinner plot, and amusing one-sided acting by Sutherland. And if you do see the movie, try and figure if the "subplot" could actually happen in a world of such intense security and media scrutiny. My money is against. Explains the critics average review being a C+.

Listening to ''Tribal Attack'', by Blank & Jones (Play Count: 6)

The world knows I'm an A's fan, first and foremost, but I'm a huge baseball nut, and so I view the major league ballparks around the country (and Toronto) in the same way that history devotees view landmarks and ancient finds. So, with my travel picking up over the last few years, I've made it a point to try and find time to see the major league baseball parks around the country wherever I land for business.

After seeing any number of games at the Oakland Coliseum, and a smaller number at the Giants' stadiums, Candlestick/3Com Park, and PacBell/SBC/AT&T Park, the tour kicked off last year, when we saw games at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, Arizona, Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland, and the two most historic parks, Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, and Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois.

Others were way too close to my grasp and evaded me - Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium in New York, as well as Safeco Field in Seattle. In those cases, either it was during the baseball off-season, or the hectic show schedule wouldn't make time. But they're definitely on the radar for my next opportunities.

This upcoming first week of June, we're headed back down to Los Angeles, and lucky for us, it looks like the Dodgers are taking on the Mets, so we're already scrambling for tickets. While we're definitely working on making sure the event is a profitable success, looking forward to singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in a new crowd in a new city is very exciting. Maybe some day we'll hit them all.

Listening to ''Energize'', by Nick Lunn (Play Count: 2)