Second thoughts

He’ll be gone by the time the Red Sox play their Opening Day game in Texas, but for now, Tony Graffanino has no idea where he’ll be playing come April 3.

And while he might not be impatient about finding out, the Chicago Cubs could be getting a wee bit antsy about it all.

Chicago is finding itself a bit impeded in its attempt to deal a surplus at second base. With teams interested in Graffanino, Chicago is finding an already narrow market for Todd Walker and Jerry Hairston Jr. even more limited.

That may force the Cubs to dump one on a team like Florida and be forced to pick up the salary, according to Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune.

It was just yesterday when Walker, the former Red Sox second baseman, went on a Chicago radio station and proclaimed that Cubs manager Dusty Baker had awarded him the second base job over Neifi Perez and Hairston. That was of some surprise to many in the organization. Most of all, Baker.

“I don’t recall saying that,” Baker told the Tribune. “I’ve got to talk to ‘Walk’ about that. I don’t even know who’s pitching for [the Reds] on Opening Day.”

Walker backed off his statement later in the day.

“It was awful early in the morning,” he said.

Meanwhile, it appears Theo Epstein has one less suitor for Graffanino’s services. Reports out of Texas claim that rookie Ian Kinsler has laid claim to the Rangers’ starting second base job. Kinsler has four hits, and has driven in six runs in 14 at-bats this spring.

The Mets and Marlins remain reportedly interested, but Baltimore could become a player quickly as it monitors the progress of Brian Roberts’ injury.

In a completely unrelated development, nude sunbathing may be a thing of the past in Bali. Honma! Oppai desu!