Three young men admitted in court this morning to stealing Cal Ripken Jr.'s Number 8 sculpture back in September from in front of Camden Yards. None said a word in court, other than to answer basic questions.

So we still don't know why they did it, other than a prank. It turned out to be an expensive one -- they all had to chip and write a check to the Orioles for $7,618. That's for the theft of a single digit!

That prompted the quote of the day from defense attorney John Grason Turnbull III, who told me he told his client, "You're lucky you didn't take the Number 33. It would've been twice as expensive."

Remember, this is the case in which Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld commented, "Don't come to Baltimore to be a moron." Three of the four defendants are from Essex.