A friend included a pack of football cards into a birthday gift for my wife this weekend.

Guessing this was mostly intended for me, I blurted out, "Can I see the cards? Is there gum?" as my wife started to open the pack.

Sure enough, there was gum. As I started to "chew" it and look at the cards, I was struck by two things: the gum basically was disintegrating into chalky nothingness … and the cards — which I was looking at backside first, as I often do — were of players who were mighty old.

Turns out it was a pack of 1989 cards … and 26-year-old gum that didn't really hold up.

not too slow? 60 percent of MLB players who responded to an ESPN survey said they don't think the pace of the game is too slow.

no love The Twins will finish 67-95 and begin the season ranked 28th out of 30 MLB teams, per SI.com's preseason baseball preview.