2010: The Year of Huh?! in Baseball

I have to say that 2010 has been one of the most unusual years for Major League Baseball. From the perfect games, no hitters, records and some odd firsts, MLB surely has been intriguing for a Reds-aholic like myself to watch. Here are some oddities that have occurred so far in this young season:

1. 4 No Hitters & 2 Perfect Games.

-If you have lived under a rock for the start of this season, think you could name the pitchers who have achieved these feats? I'll spot you 1 in Halladay, but who would have thought of the other 3. Tim Lincecum? Nope. Johan Santana? Try again. Cliff Lee? So sad, too bad, bye bye. Try Ubaldo Jimenez, Dallas Braden, and Edwin Jackson. Heading into the season you would have asked - who? Only Jimenez and Halladay have kept up the run of success since their achievements. Jackson has yet to pitch again since his weekend no-no, but after 149 pitches I think he'll get some deserved rest. Incidentally, since Braden's perefecto on May 9 he has yet to record a win and has lost 5 of those 8 contests. There have been an increasing number of perfect games thrown in past seasons but 4 in a span of 9-10 weeks? It seems like a weird statistical anomaly, doesn't it...

2. Power outage

...until, you look behind the numbers. Not until this weekend did a batter achieve 20 HR's until Toronto's Jose Bautista blast on Saturday. Say what?!! Not until June 26 did a batter hit 20 HRs? I remember the days of McGwire, Sosa and Bonds all having 30+ by this point in the season easily. The cause of this? I'd lie if I said the stringent drug policy didn't have something to do with it. The evidence speaks for itself. The most home runs hit since Bond's record season of 2001 has been 58 blasts by Ryan Howard of Philadelphia. The average power numbers have hovered around 40-50 homers for the top sluggers of the post-steroidal era. Baseball has returned to a scene of normalcy and the end of the super-human jacked up era is upon us. For a fan like me, the long ball is nice to see but the game seems to be back to its purest and truest form.

To me, the rise of pitching and the declining of power numbers tend to point to one thing as I pointed out in relation to hitting - drug testing. It would be wrong to not find some relation with 1) the decline of power numbers, 2) the rise of no-hitters and perfect games, 3) the involvement of the Mitchell Report, 4) Juiced and 5) better drug testing. Players who in the past may have entertained the thought of using some steriods or PEDs have stopped that train of thought. Players are staying away from anything that could trigger that positive test, and for a moderate purist like myself, this is good to see.

****Y1 here. As the math guy at RSS I thought I would insert some more numbers to take a look at the rise of perfect games & no-nos the past few years and back up Brother Yohey's claims. I promise it'll be the most fun you've had on a sports blog in the past 3 minutes!

There has been a slight rise of no-nos since the stricter drug policy was enforced in 2006. 7 no-hitters from 2000-2005 and 11 from 2006-2010. But the rise in perfect games is more fascinating...

PERFECT GAMES

-20 in history: 3 in the past year (Halladay & Braden 5/10, Buehrle 7/09) and 2 in the past 2 months... and think this is without the Armando Galarraga saga! The previous time standard for 3 perfect games was just under 4 years from Jim Bunning 6/64 to Catfish Hunter 5/68. The standard for 4 perfect games aside from this recent stretch of games is 8 years from Dennis Martinez 7/91 to David Cone 7/98!

With just some quick math we can see how insane the rise in perfect games is this season. 20 perfect games over the course of 140ish years means an average of about 1 every 7 years (sure you can be more exact with expansion, more games played, etc, but this is a sports blog not Harvard and it's 1:00 AM). With 30 teams playing 162 games, that's 4,860 games in a season. That boils down to roughly 1 perfect game out of every 34,020 (30 x 162 x 7). So if 1 of those 4,860 games is perfect that means there's about a 14.28 % chance of a perfect game happening in any given year. Seeing three happen in a calendar year means multiplying that 14% chance together three times... (.1428)^3 = .29% chance of seeing that happen! Basically, what has happened the past calendar year has a 3 in 1000 chance of taking place.

Just for fun, let's play a competent MLB Commish and give Galarraga his perfect game. That would be 3 perfect games in approximately a month. So we've cut our 4,860 games pool down to 810 games pitched in a month to draw the perfect game. Doing the same math we find the odds of 3 perfect games in a month to be 0.00001.3487... or 1 in 100,000 - once every 16,667 seasons! Simply amazing!****

A a few quick hits on some other oddities:

-First place Cincinnati Reds: Who would've thought a team who has enjoyed 10 straight losing seasons would be 1/2 game on top of the perennial NL Central powerhouse St. Louis? Honestly not me but after watching nearly every game, I can see why. A starting staff led by rookie Mike Leake, Bronson Arroyo and Johnny Cueto have put up great numbers so far this season and the bullpen, led by shoe-in All-Star Arthur Rhodes, have put together some nice numbers. The offense? Only the top in the NL statistically, led by Votto, Gomes, Rolen and Brandon Phillips. They are a great group to watch night in and night out.

-Trade market: It will be interesting to see the movement of players this season. Once thought the jewel of the trade market, now Cliff Lee may not be going anywhere with the resurgent play of the Mariners. That would be a big hit to a team close to contention wanting to add a piece. Who will be the first team to bite? Should be interesting to see as we may not see the traditional buyers and sellers at work this time of year.

-Carlos Zambrano being Carlos Zambrano: Never before have I see a more prima donna player in the majors than Big Z. The Cubs have a lot of money invested in him, but his antics have to be getting old to his teammates, Cubbie management, as well as fans (right Y2?). Coupled with that, does Piniella like it when a player is a bigger hot head than himself??

So after a long absence from RSS I have returned and levied my MLB thoughts on the world. It should definetly be interesting to see how things pan out over the next few weeks before the All-Star break. Make sure to check back around the break to see the mid-season awards and fearless predictions from yours truly, the Irrational and Insane Brother Yohey. Be careful out there!!

Baseball Needs Instant Replay To Save Itself From Its Own Stupidity

An amazing third perfect game in less than a month just happened! What an unbelievable story and an all-time statistical wonder. 3 perfect games in such a short time and only the 21st in the 100+ year history of the Major Leagues. Detroit's unknown pitcher Armando Galarraga got 27 straight men out to etch his name into the history books forever.

Wait... it doesn't count? I'm confused... the last runner was out, right?

No flippin way! You're telling me an umpire with a fu manchu made a terrible call to rob Galarraga of his perfect game on the final out?

Oh, well... we can fix it with instant replay right? I mean, that would be the right thing to do...

Wait! We can't have it replayed!?!?! WTF is going on here??? You mean this guy that just pitched a historic perfect game didn't really pitch a perfect game because Angry Fu Manchu Guy screwed up?

This, Ladies and Gentlemen is Human Error and baseball at its finest!

YEA!!

Seriously, this is one of... no, scratch that, the absolute worst umpiring/refereeing decision in the history of sports. Forget the Soviet Basketball team, forget the French judge, forget Phil Luckett, and forget Don Denkinger - Angry Fu Manchu Man (aka Jim Joyce) is now the pinnacle for terrible officiating. To rob someone of a perfect game, something that defines a career and a lifetime, on that call is a travesty, a call that was not even close, a call that saw the baserunner out by a full step. Even the runner (Cleveland's Jason Donald) thought he was out! Donald throws his hands on his head in disbelief after the play's end because he knew what had happened, too.

I hope this is what the baseball purists want. I hope that they are cheering their precious human error, and the sanctity of the game, and all of that other worthless crap now. I hope they were watching when a 28 year old Venezuelan had the night of his life taken away by human error and baseball tradition. It makes me sick. Because baseball is the most stubborn and inept of the major sports, this idiotic series of events happened. Simply put, baseball needs expansive instant replay tomorrow. Anything but balls and strikes (home runs, plays at bases, catch/no catches) should be up for review.

But, there was something more disturbing than even the stolen perfect game. It was the reaction of umpire Jim Joyce that was symbolic of how backwards and idiotic baseball has become. Joyce had the nerve, after making a historically bad call, to angrily go at Jim Leyland, and then engage in more histrionics with the Detroit bench after the game. Joyce makes his sport and his profession look all the more insane with his angry, childish reaction. You know what though - I don't totally blame Joyce. I blame the culture of baseball that wants its umpires to bump chests with managers instead of worrying about getting calls right. But hey, I guess that's part of the game too, right?

***Update: In fairness to Joyce, he seems remorseful after blowing the call. Maybe now he thinks his reaction was silly as well. I feel bad for Galrraga certainly, but Joyce too. He has no support from MLB and no instant replay to back him up. Instant replay affects the umps as much as the players and surely Joyce feels worse than anyone over the blown call.***

Bud Selig has one option - institute instant replay immediately, and take the drastic and unheard of step of giving Galarraga credit for the final out and the perfect game. As of now, the only person in the world that probably thinks it wasn't a perfect game is the record books. For Uncle Bud to ignore Garlarraga's stolen perfect game would be perhaps as damning a comment on his time as commissioner than ignoring the steroid era (of course he'll probably convene some phony panel that will do nothing until the smoke clears). The entire system is broken. We're told that human error and old men in uniforms arguing like children are "the way the game is supposed to be played." Well, if that's the way that baseball wants its sport to look, they can have it. Maybe it was Jim Joyce who described tonight's events best when he was arguing with Jim Leyland...

Tonight was bull$h*t.

Playing Pepper

Well folks, here we are one month into the 2010 MLB Season and there have been some interesting happenings. There have been some surprises, disappointments, "wow" moments and funny moments all throughout the majors and I will touch 'em all in this look around the majors after the one month mark.

1st Base (Surprises)

San Diego Padres: A team that was picked by many to finish in the cellar of the NL West is off to a 16-9 clip and sit atop the division by 1.5 games over the Giants. The Padres are tearing it up at Petco (10-3) with Chase Headley having the hot bat hitting .327 to go along with the power game Adrian Gonzalez bring game after game. Their pitching staff has been fantastic so far with Kevin Correia (4-1, 3.86 ERA) and Jon Garland (3-2, 2.06 ERA) to go along with Heath Bell (7 Saves, 1.80 ERA) and keep the powerful Dodgers and rising Giants from gaining any ground. Will this last? Who knows, but it has to be a great thing to see for the people from the city named after an old, old wooden ship.

2nd Base (Disappointments)

I have to go with the Red Sox as the biggest disappointment so far in the 2010 season. They are currently sitting at 11-14 in a very competitive AL East but they are 2 games beind the Blue Jays!! The dreadful hitting clinics being put on by Victor Martinez, David Ortiz and J.D. Drew are enough to make any Sox fan cry. When you are seeing Darnell McDonald highlights on ESPN, you know that there are players who aren't producing at the plate the way Francona has seen in the past. When Clay Buccholz is the only starter whose ERA is under 4.50 (2-2, 2.19 ERA) and your ace, Beckett, is 1-0 in 6 starts with a 6.31 ERA, there are some mutterings going on in Boston, not to mention panic at the Worldwide Leader seeing one of their beloved teams not starting hot. Yankee fans; revel in it now. Who knows when/if the Sox will revive; they better how sooner than later.

3rd base ("Wow" Moments)

To me, the "wow" moment this season has to be Philly management shoveling a $125 million truckload of money to Ryan Howard for the next 5 years. To me, Howard is Adam Dunn with a World Series ring. If you look back at his career starting back in 2004, he has only hit .300 once (.313 in 2005) and hovers generally around a .260 clip. He strikes out totals since 2006 are 188, 199, 199 and 186. He is good to strike out once every 3 times at bat, and even though he has hit 40+ HR's the past 4 seasons with 130+ RBI, he is not someone I would've put $25 million a year into at the ripe old age of 30. Philly fans have to be wondering why they didn't spend that money on Lee when he was there; could you imaging Halladay and Lee going 1-2 in that rotation? They would be a lock to win the 2010 World Series. Instead, management wants to put that extra money into Howard when he is hitting the age when bat speed starts to fall and the game gets a little too quick. Will the Phillies regret not putting the money into starting pitching? Only time will tell.

Home (Funny Moments)

This one has to be a toss up between Javier Vazquez's struggles in New York and Alfonso Soriano's fielding prowess in Chicago but I will go with Vazquez. As of his last start on Saturday, Vazquez sits with a 9.78 ERA and a 1-3 record along with 8 HR's given up and 25 ER. The Yankess and Cashman are always lauded for their offseason moves and the one that sent Melky Cabrera packing for Javier Vazquez was one of them. Javier was supposed to shore up their rotation and get the Yankess closer to a repeat title. Unfortunately, the numbers he is putting up are in no way becoming of a great Yankee pitcher. The guy has only had 5 seasons in his career where he posted a sub-4.00 ERA and they traded Melky for him? I guess his 2009 season in Atlanta was an illusion. If he doesn't turn things around quickly he is going to lose his spot in the rotation, which may allow Joba to get a shot, which will bring more hilarity to an already great situation to watch every 5th day in the Bronx.

That does it for this edition of Playing Pepper, where we look at the Surprises, Disappointments, "Wow" Moments and Funny Moments that take place between the foul lines. Until next time; be careful out there!

Where In The World Is Randall Simon?

We started this blog back in June and had to pick a name that was stupid, funny, and somewhat relevant to sports. I don't know how we came up with Randall Simon's Sausages, but that moment fit what we wanted the blog to be about - sports and having fun. Well, I always wondered, just where was Randall Simon exactly? Last I remember, he was playing for the Netherlands in the WBC. Well, we found him, or he found us. Believe it or not, we received an e-mail last night from the Rockford RiverHawks that Randall Simon had signed a contract with the independent minor-league team. The RiverHawks press team contacted us with the news that Randall Simon will be joining the RiverHawks for the upcoming season (its almost like we're a legit sports site, scary, very scary). Here are some excerpts from the press release we were sent, which can also be seen on the RiverHawks website.

LOVES PARK, Ill. – The Rockford RiverHawks will have big-league experience in the clubhouse this season.

The team announced Wednesday that it has signed eight-year major-league veteran Randall Simon to a contract. Simon, a first baseman, has played in the majors for six different teams, including the Chicago Cubs. Simon represented the Netherlands in both World Baseball Classics, 2006 and 2009.

“The first reason I signed him was identity, because he gives instant identity to our franchise,” RiverHawks co-owner and director of baseball operations Dave Ciarrachi said. “There are a lot of people in Rockford, even though we’ve been here for eight years, who had no idea who we were. They know now that we are a Double-A, Triple-A level professional baseball team, with high-level ballplayers playing at a high-level stadium.

“No. 2, he will give us the ability to have recognition in the baseball community outside Rockford.

“Third, I have checked with a lot of my sources on this. … Everybody I have talked to has told me quality things about him, as a clubhouse guy and as a guy who likes to mentor young players. Along with (player-coach) Richie Austin and another guy we plan on obtaining, we are going to have three guys in our clubhouse with a combined 40 years in professional.”

2010 will be the 19^th season of professional baseball for the 34-year-old Simon.

Simon signed out of Curacao, in the Netherlands Antilles, with the Atlanta Braves in 1992. Cubs fans probably best remember Simon as a mid-August acquisition in 2003, when Chicago reached the National League Championship Series. Simon hit .282 with six home runs and 21 RBI in 33 games after Pittsburgh traded him to the Cubs for outfielder Ray Sadler. He hit .333 in the postseason.

"I am excited about making my return to the to Chicago area with the RiverHawks,” Simon said. “I have fond memories of the Cubs fans and how much they embraced me and look forward to a great year in Rockford."

Simon has also played in the majors for Detroit, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia. Simon hit .283 with 49 home runs and 237 RBIs in 537 big-league games.

“Randall’s a contact hitter, give us a little different look,” Ciarrachi said. “He hits lefties and righties. He can be a force in the middle of your batting order. He’s not a power guy, per se, but in our ballpark he can be a power hitter, particularly with our short right field.”

The RiverHawks are members of the Northern League, an eight-team independent professional baseball league that will play its 18^th season in 2010. The RiverHawks’ ninth season begins at 7:05 p.m. May 20 against the Schaumburg Flyers at Road Ranger Stadium.

This wouldn't be complete without the incident that inspired us, right?

But, it still looks like Randall can get it done. Check out this play from last year's WBC!

By all accounts Randall is doing fairly well for himself in baseball, and it looks like he'll be a great addition to the team. The loyal Cubbie fans will make him feel at home in Rockford. The whole Sausagegate thing was overblown by the media at the time (Randall Simon took a swing at the Italian Sausage, oh the humanity!), but I think now we all have the proper perspective - a harmless, hilarious moment. Heck, we named our blog after it! When Randall reports to Rockford in May, we might even get him on RSS for an interview. We're conquering new frontiers every day - look out world!

5-4-3 Baseball Roundup - LCS/World Series/Bizarro World Edition

Our World Series matchup is set as it'll be the Bronx Bombers vs the Fightin' Phils. This WS promises to be one of the best in recent memory (knock on wood). You have the stars, the stories, and the traditional teams all on the table for this series. And, most of all, the Yankees are back, ha ha ha. So, let's go around the horn with our 5-4-3 Roundup and look at how we got here from the LCS, a mini WS preview (full version coming Wednesday)... and 3 Bizarro World moments from the week.

5 LCS Observations

1) Thanks For Playing LA -

Well, so much for the Dodgers showing up and giving the Phillies a true test. Their pitching stunk (especially the bullpen), they never got clutch hits, and they were outplayed from beginning to end. Eh, it's not like Dodger fans care anyways.

2) And That Other LA Team... - The Halos looked rattled throughout the ALCS. They were finally done in last night with those errors in the bottom of the 8th inning. This wasn't the same team that had played so well against Boston and beat the Yanks in previous years.

3) Umpiring Woes - We said there'd be controversy, and thankfully the boys in blue (or black I guess) provided it. The 3rd Base double out call was the most glaring, but referees in all of sports have been under fire recently. But, please, don't add expansive replay to baseball, I'll live with the "human error"... I can't spend 6 hours watching a game.

4) Philly Fanaticism - This just in... the Phillies are a darn good team. Jayson Werth and Jimmy Rollins stepped up with clutch hits in the series, Ryan Howard played well, and even Brad Lidge got in the act! This may be the most underrated team in any sport the last few years.

5) Yankee Yuks - As much as America might not like it, this Yankee team is one that you can root for. This bunch sure looks like a different group than last year because they're simply playing the game and having fun. I haven't seen a Yankee team look this loose and relaxed in all my years of following the Yanks. Heck, even A-Rod is getting clutch hits and looking comfortable! Hey, 2012 is right around the corner....

4 Key World Series Matchups

1) Lee v Sabathia -

This is a huge matchup in Game 1 and if they are paired up down the road in future games. In fact, these 2 former Cleveland pitchers and Cy Young winners could decide the series. It will be fascinating to see these two former teammates duke it out when it matters most.

2) Closing The Deal -

The Rivera v Lidge duel is a huge advantage to the Yankees. Rivera is simply the best of all time, while the first words used to describe Brad Lidge are usually some form of shaky and/or skittery (I think that last one is made up...). Lidge has the potential to go all 2001 Byung-Hyun Kim in this series, and that's good for the Bombers. Maybe some October magic will return to the Bronx.

3) A-Rod v R-Ho - Ok, first, Ryan Howard needs a good nickname, obviously R-Ho isn't going to cut it. These two sluggers have been awesome this entire season and it could come down to which team's big star will carry the day and get the clutch hits when it matters most.

4) The Chess Game - This isn't so much Charlie Manuel vs Joe Girardi as much as it is Joe Girardi vs Joe Girardi. The Yankee skipper was accused of vastly overmanaging in the LCS, and has to avoid that temptation in the World Series. The grizzled Manuel has been a great influence on Philly and been here before, while Girardi hasn't. Watch the managers to see if one makes a brilliant or stupid move to decide a game.

3 Huh? Stories

1) The Cleveland Indians - As if fans of Tribe Time haven't had a bad enough couple years, your two former Cy Young winners are now starting against each other in Game 1 of the World Series!!! Are you kidding? What is this franchise thinking? That LCS appearance now seems like 20 years ago instead of 2. They were a game away from the World Series in 2007. Now... well, at least some of their castoffs are there! But, at least Cleveland fans have hope for the future:

-The prospects that you got for these WS stars stink.

-Your roster is one of the least talented in the league.

-There are more pigeons in your ballpark than Indians fans (I was there, I know)

-You just hired Manny Acta to lead your team to the Promised Land! Yes, that Manny Acta who managed the Nationals and has a 38.5 winning percentage!

At least the Browns are doing well and LBJ is going to New York soon! Cleveland rocks!

2) The Steve Phillips Story Debuts on Lifetime this Friday! - By now, you probably know all the sorted details of Steve Phillips' love affair with an ESPN staffer. Kudos to Bristol for releasing the news on a Sunday NFL afternoon (a Presidential administration couldn't hide news better, clap clap). The whole Deadspin/ESPN saga has gripped the blogosphere with the blogging giants threatening to unfurl all of Bristol's dirty laundry. The two stories need separated though. Steve Philips deserved to be canned for his shoddy analysis, and this is just the icing on the cake. Do you remember those fake press conferences starring Steve-O? I think "Who's Now" was a better idea. Phillips had a history of promiscuity and obviously needs to get his life together.

Secondly, the Deadspin crusade, while entertaining for some, is pretty vile behavior. I was most troubled with outing the exec who no sports fan knows or cares about. OK, so Deadspin doesn't like that ESPN didn't tell the whole truth about Steve Phillips... do you expect them to just leak that to a blog? Seriously? It seems like Bristol could be the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah, but plastering rumors and trying to ruin folks' lives is just plain sickening. The behavior that goes on at ESPN evidently needs some serious assessment, but this is the absolute worst way to go about it.

3) Welcome Back Big Mac? - After 8 years hiding out in the Unabomber's shack, Mark McGwire is going to come back to the St. Louis Cardinals as a hitting coach? What's his advice going to be? Take this needle and get jacked? Here's a bottle of andro - figure out your swing on your own? Is he going to tell his players that he's not here to talk about the past when they ask him for advice? Tony La Russa is going to open up a whole can of worms by having Big Mac back in baseball. Don't forget, his last meaningful public appearance was that atrocity on Capitol Hill.

Don't you think he's going to have to answer those questions throughout his tenure? If Big Mac has a place at all in the majors it's with Tony La Russa in St. Louis. Evidently, the Cards think he can be a great hitting coach, but is it worth the circus? If it goes well, maybe he'll be forgiven like Papi, A-Rod, Andy and Manny and his public image will be restored... or the pressure might be too much and he'll join Sosa, Bonds, and Clemens and move back to Parts Unknown.

You didn't think we'd give away our picks did you? Check back Wednesday before Game 1 for our full World Series preview as we will tell you who will take home the title, and check back later tonight for the YCS and Heisman Watch in College Pig.

5-4-3 Baseball Roundup - Approaching October

With the start of football season and everything else going on in the sports world it's easy to forget about baseball season. Now that the marathon is approaching the home stretch in the National Pastime, and with Fall officially beginning, it's time to check back with the boys of summer as October approaches. With the season winding down, time to go around the horn one more time!

5 Things We'll Remember About 2009

1) Steroids Still Haunt Baseball

-From the A-Rod interview to the continued leaks of the 2003 list, one thing is clear: steroids and PEDs are something that baseball is still dealing with. Yes, the super sluggers and muscle headed freaks are dwindling, but the clouds remain. Remember Raul Ibanez going after the blogosphere? A-Rod's startling sit down? Sosa's name finally appearing? We may be beyond the Steroid Era, but that doesn't mean it still doesn't haunt the game.

2) Manny & Papi's Fall From Grace

-Even as big as A-Rod's expose was the news that Manny Ramirez was suspended for 50 games for violating the league's anti-doping policy. Sure, Manny, those fertility drugs weren't used to come off a roid cycle, we believe you, don't worry. Then there was the shameful attempted cover-up over Papi's name being leaked from the secret list of positive testees (that doesn't look or sound right...). Those Red Sox titles now carry a sense of shame, and it's a pity that the Boston fans that waited a lifetime for those championships look back on those memories and see cheaters, like a lot of other fans.

3) The New Coors F.... I Mean Yankee Stadium

-What must the Bambino be thinking? He could have hit 7,000 HRs in this bandbox. The New Yankee Stadium made the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Empty seats, homers flying out of the ballpark, and insane ticket prices have made us baseball purists long for the good ol' days. Nevertheless, with the postseason lights back on the Bronx, it'll be interesting to see how the House that George Built holds up.

4) Yawn... Is It October Yet??

-Maybe our lack of baseball updates recently has something to do with the crappiness of the pennant races in the late Summer. 5 out of 6 divisions are basically sealed, the Cards lead the NL Central by 10, and the Sox are running away with the AL Wild Card. The only "races" left are to see if the Rockies and/or Tigers choke away their leads in the NL Wild Card and AL Central respectively. Let's just say this, neither of those teams are doing damage in October. The playoffs can't get here soon enough.

5) Parity? What Parity?

-Look at the names of the likely playoff teams:

AL: Red Sox, Yankees, Angels, Tigers

NL: Phillies, Dodgers, Cardinals, Rockies

Including This Year:

-Yankees: 14 playoff appearances in last 15 seasons

-Sox: 6 playoff appearances in last 7 years

-Phillies: 9 straight seasons of 80 wins or more

-Angels: 5 out of 6 AL West Titles

-Cards: 6 playoff appearances this decade

Meanwhile...

-The Pirates put together their 17th straight losing season

-The Royals are on an impressive 14 of 15 losing seasons streak

-The Orioles have had 12 straight losing seasons

-The Reds have had 8 straight losing seasons.

-The Nationals/Expos haven't won more than 83 games since 1996.

-8 teams haven't made the playoffs for over 5 years

Parity in baseball, that is a funny joke.

4 Awards Predictions

1) AL MVP - Mark Teixeira

-He's been the main reason the Yankees are back. Yes, they might have overpaid for him, but he has still produced greatly. Big Tex just edges out Joe Mauer for our AL MVP honors because of Teixeira's power numbers (1st AL RBIs, 2nd HRs) and his Yankees will be playing in October while Mauer watches.

2) NL MVP - Albert Pujols

-The easiest of the lot. Pujols has been the dominant force in the NL as the Cards have blown past their Central Division peers. The Triple Crown is no longer a possibility with Hanley Ramirez batting .350, 22 points ahead of Alby, but leading the NL in HRs, Runs, RBIs, SLG%, and OPS will have to do.

3) NL Cy Young - Adam Wainwright

-A bit of a curveball (get it... curveball... pitching... aha ha) as Wainwright edges out his St. Louis teammate Chris Carpenter and Tim Lincecum of the Giants. Carpenter has a better ERA, but Wainwright leads the NL in Wins and Innings Pitched. It was Wainwright who was the Cards' workhorse this season, and that yeoman's effort gives him the nod.

4) AL Cy Young - Zack Grienke

Don't let the 15-8 record fool you. Grienke has been the best pitcher in the AL and one of the best stories in all of baseball this season. His microscopic 2.08 ERA leads all the majors and his 6 Complete Games and 3 Shutouts have made a statement as well. It's good that Grienke has got the attention that a lot of folks in small market losing teams don't get, hopefully it pays off with the Cy Young as well.

3 October Observations

1) Are we destined for another Yanks/Sawks ALCS?

-It sure looks that way. In recent years, the Angels have had the Yanks' number, but the Sox have had the Angels'. Unfortunately for Los Angeles of Anaheim fans (wow that looks bad, do Angels fans really call themselves this monstrosity?), the Halos will be matched up with the BoSox in the ALDS. Could this be the year the Angels break the Boston hex? Possibly, but probably not. Get ready for a long October middle America...

2) We could see the best Division Series ever in the NL

-Whichever 2 teams end up meeting out of St. Louis, Philly, and the Dodgers will produce a classic series. Each one of these teams are incredibly talented and certainly capable of winning the whole enchilada. These three teams have some of the best players and biggest stars in the game, so make sure you tune in and watch the great October baseball in the National League.

3) #27

-Sure, call it a homer pick, but it's appropriate to end the decade the right way: with hearing John Sterling scream, "YANKEES WIN! THEEEEEEEEEEE YANKEEEEES WIIIIIIIN!" It's hard to believe it's been 9 years since the last Yankees championship, but it's time to end the drought. They've got the most complete team in the bigs, and they will have homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. What better way to officially christen the new Yankee Stadium, with the Bronx Bombers becoming 27-time World Champions. A guy can dream, right?

In This Economy... Even Moneyball Is Broke - Part III

The final part of the Moneyball Trilogy examines the A's most recent form. The year was 2006, genuis GM Billy Beane was at the top of his game once again, reinforcing himself as one of the brightest minds in the game. The A's were top contenders after a series of "shrewd" moves. However, just as fast as the A's were back on the scene, they were gone. Did the Mad Scientist of Moneyball spend too much time in the lab? Or did he actually blow up the building? RSS reports, you decide. (is that used by anyone?)

We begin Part III at the close of the 2006 season. The A's have actually won a playoff series but were swept in the ALCS by the Detroit Tigers. Beane was able to add vets such as Jason Kendall, Jay Payton, Milton Bradley and Frank Thomas to a lineup of young stars like Swisher, Crosby, Kotsay, and Ellis. Barry Zito was surrounded by a new emerging Big 3: Rich Harden, Dan Haren, and Joe Blanton. It seemed the A's were back in line for a run at the top of the AL West. However, after the 2006 season it fell apart again.

Zito left for free agency. Manager Ken Macha was fired. Beane traded away Kotsay, Swisher, and Kendall for a group I like to refer to as the Milk Carton Gang, because that's the only place you'll ever see them. Oh, and Billy also finished off any hopes of a second A's dynasty by trading away the Not As Big But Still Fairly Large 3 by dealing Haren to the D'Backs in Dec '07, and Blanton to the Phillies and Rich Harden to the Cubs respectively in the middle of the '08 season. Would you like to see the list of outstanding, promising, future All-Stars that the A's got for the NABBSFL 3? I knew you would.

Sean Gallagher, Matt Murton, Eric Patterson, Josh Donaldson, Adrian Cardenas, Josh Outman, Matthew Spencer, Brett Anderson, Dana Eveland, Greg Smith, Chris Carter, Aaron Cunningham, Carlos Gonzalez. (Go ahead tell me who is on the left, you can look it up too, I'll wait.)

Hmmm, so Billy Beane traded a dynamic pitching trio for a group of players that could best be described as journeyman, if it wasn't offensive to journeyman players, twice.

As a result of these moves the A's were underwhelming in '07 and '08 finishing under .500 both years. Why absolutely nuke a team that had just won the team's first playoff series since 1990 to oblivion, especially after you blew up the A's too soon 4 years earlier. Why quit on good young pitchers like Haren, Blanton, and Harden? Why trade away half your offense? Why give up on another established group of players after a couple of so-so years? Why do one of the hardest things in sports and rebuild... again?

The same questions can be asked this year. Why give up on Matt Holliday after 4 months in Oakland this season? Better yet, why bother trading for him in the first place?

And so here we are on July 27, 2009. The A's are in another rebuilding phase. Will they reach the playoffs anytime soon? No. Where have all the previous rebuilding projects got Oakland? Nowhere. Is one playoff series win worth all of the trades and tinkering? The constant building up and blowing up? If the A's do make a run, wouldn't A's fans just be waiting for Beane to dismantle another contender? Maybe he should just save A's fans the time and just stay in rebuilding mode - permanently.

If all of this analysis is just too much to digest, let's simplify it. Here is a list of players that have passed through Oakland during Billy Beane's tenure:

Barry Zito, Mark Mulder, Tim Hudson, Jason Isringhausen, Keith Foulke, Ted Lilly, Rich Harden, Dan Haren, Joe Blanton, Cory Lidle, Esteban Loaiza, Aaron Harang, Jason Giambi, Miguel Tejada, David Justice, Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye, Eric Byrnes, Andre Ethier, Eric Chavez, Jason Kendall, Mike Piazza, Milton Bradley, Scott Hatteberg, Frank Thomas, Nick Swisher, Matt Holliday, etc.

These are just some of the names that have come and gone from Billy Beane's puppet strings. None of these great major leaguers left Oakland with a WS appearance, let alone a championship ring. Isn't that the biggest condemnation of Beane and Moneyball? That this massive number of extremely talented players could come and go from Oakland without sniffing a championship.

How could A's fans expect success when so many All-Stars have been sent packing for what-ifs, could-bes, and never-weres? How long will it be until 2009 rookie All-Star pitcher Andrew Bailey is traded by Beane for a new wave of livestock on the Moneyball farm? For all of the praise that has been showered upon Billy Beane, there is one glaring wart about Moneyball:

None of these moves have worked!!!!!

Then again, maybe the Beane loyalists are content that he had the fanciest and nicest assets throughout the decade, and that winning titles isn't realistic. Sorry, but success is measured in championships, and sometimes those assets and stock portfolios don't always come through, especially in this economy.

One thing is clear when truly taking an in-depth look at Billy Beane. He has an itchy trigger finger. Maybe the hype and fame surrounding Moneyball went to his head. He's too concerned with moving pieces around on the chessboard that he forgets he's about to get checkmated. It's almost like trading pieces and players and prospects is a temptation Billy Beane can't resist. He's the kid playing Madden on XBox360 that has to build the perfect dynasty. Maybe he's too smart for his own good. Or maybe his system of Moneyball just doesn't work.

Ironically, over at ESPN.com, an in-depth story just went up today by Howard Bryant about Billy Beane and the Moneyball A's. I wasn't surprised to see a largely sympathetic view towards BB and the A's, considering how idolized Beane has been over the years.

Yes, he has been a revolutionary mind, yes he has changed the game of baseball, but what has Moneyball produced for Oakland A's fans? A famous, well-respected GM? A possible movie about their team? Not to cut down all the VORPies, but the Indians in Major League II got farther than Moneyball ever did, and they had to go through Jack Parkman.

Again, this is not a personal attack against Billy Beane. Bryant references folks around baseball taking pleasure in the recent struggles of the A's. I am not one of those guys. But, I do want to take a fair and balanced (whoops there I go again) account of the Moneyball Era and cut through the hype and fame that have hidden the true success or failure of Moneyball.

I'm sure that Billy is a nice guy, and perhaps he is a victim of his own brilliance, maybe he didn't ask for the burden that Moneyball has brought. But, one quote from Beane in 1999 got my attention about what is wrong about Beane and Moneyball:

"What I want," he told me that day 10 years ago, "is to be the baseball equivalent of Bill Walsh, where you have a tree of guys who worked for you, the same way I worked for Sandy, running teams all over the league. That to me is pretty cool."

Does he say he wants to win? No! Is this not a problem for warm-blooded American sports fans?? His main concern is his own legacy. A Billy Beane tree. Fame and fortune. Is winning a World Series ever in the discussion in Howard Bryant's article? No.

Maybe the legacy of Moneyball is that Billy Beane got what he wanted. He's the most famous GM in all of sports. He owns a share of the team. He gets paid to speak all over the world. His philosophies are now wide-spread among the major leagues. His disciples now run teams of their own. Brad Pitt was supposed to play him in a movie.

It's just a shame that for all the fame and adoration and legacies that Billy Beane and Moneyball have produced that Oakland A's fans never got what they wanted.

A championship.

In This Economy... Even Moneyball Is Broke - Part 2 of 3

Well... thankfully Part I did its job and stirred up quite the discussion didn't it. Of course, this isn't a personal attack against Moneyball, Billy Beane, or baseball's new wave of creatures from their mother's basements known as sabermetricians (sorry I just can't leave out that mother's basement line, it's solid gold). Thinking outside of the box and breaking the status quo is what we love best here at RSS. Emotions and loyalties may run high from progressive baseball minds when it comes to Moneyball, but will the facts about Mr. Beane and his A's persuade the VORPies? Without further adieu, Parts II and III addresses the specific moves Billy Beane has made, where the A's have been, where they are, and where they are going, thanks to Moneyball. (I didn't anticipate needing 3 parts, but consider this my masterpiece... or epic failure)

First off, give Billy Beane credit. He built a darn good ballclub in Oakland that competed consistently. From 1999-2006 their worst season was 12 games above .500. However, Beane's A's could never close the deal. The question that needs answered is did Beane's constant moving and shaking help or hurt the A's in the grand scheme of the Moneyball A's?

Let's initially look at the A's roster from their first run of playoff appearances from 2000-2003. Here, they won 3 AL West titles and made the playoffs each year, but failed to advance out of the first round.

The pitching staff was led by the Big 3 of Zito, Hudson, and Mulder throughout this run while Tejada and Giambi slugged their way to MVP awards before walking away in free agency. Even though the names changed, the lineup constantly produced enough to hold up their end of the bargain and get the team to the postseason.

But, with a stacked pitching staff and a loaded lineup, the A's could never get out of the first round. They lost twice to the Yankees including the memorable 2001 ALDS when Derek Jeter stole the show with his flip (left) and dive into the stands. In 2002 and 2003 they managed to lose the ALDS with homefield advantage to Minnesota and Boston respectively. However, its clear Beane was going for it. Good players like Damon, Dye, Justice, Lilly and others were added to the roster in this time frame and contributed. To this point, I would have been drinking the Billy Beane kool-aid with everyone else. However, things changed after the 2004 season when the A's missed the playoffs and the division crown by 1 game.

After the 2004 season Billy Beane did the unthinkable, he broke up the Big 3.

Within 3 days in December 2004, 2 of the Big 3 were dealt as Mark Mulder was sent to St. Louis and Tim Hudson was shipped to the Braves. I dare anyone to tell me one player of consequence the A's received in return besides Dan Haren from those deals. You know who else the A's got for 2/3 of one of the most vaunted pitching trios in history? Juan Cruz, Dan Meyer, Charles Thomas, Daric Barton, and Kiko Calero. (they aren't going into Cooperstown anytime soon)

Oh, and that one player of consequence, Dan Haren? He was traded in December 2007 for a ragtag group of hit or miss prospects from Arizona that have all fared about as well as Bob Uecker thus far in the bigs.

The 04-05 A's had restocked with good young players like Crosby, Ellis, Kotsay, Byrnes, and Swisher. While they had lost Giambi and Tejada, the lineup was still producing. So why did Billy Beane pull the plug on the A's incredible run in December of 2004? Why commit yourself to rebuilding by trading away Mulder and Hudson, especially in December? Why not try another run with a team that had made the playoffs 4 out of the last 5 years and missed the postseason by one game the year before? Surely, he could've seen where the team was at in July and got much more for his aces? Wasn't it too early to start over?

So what is the legacy of the Big 3 Era in Oakland? A lot of near misses, and a lot of promising prospects that fizzled out faster than Todd Van Poppel. Hudson, Mulder, and Zito are mere ghosts of Oakland's past and reminders of the glory days of Moneyball. Little did anyone know that the Big 3's time in Oakland would be as good as it would get for the rock star GM and his Moneyball A's. But hey, no one could see the economic collapse coming either, right?

The final part of the Moneyball Trilogy coming soon looks at the A's since their only playoff victory this decade in 2006. The A's were successfully rebuilt by that time, or were they? Were they only rebuilt for the demolition expert GM to be overanxious to start from scratch again? The 2006 A's stand as a symbol for what haunts Billy Beane and the Moneyball A's. In Part III we look at the A's most recent struggles and the fate and ultimate verdict of Billy Beane and the Moneyball A's.

5-4-3 Baseball Roundup - 2nd Half Kickoff

With the trade deadline looming and the 2nd half of the season in full swing what better time for our 5-4-3 Baseball Roundup. This week Mr. Yoder I (red) and II (black) take their turns at the dish discussing the players to watch in the second half, teams that need to make a move, and managers on the hot seat.

5 Players To Watch In The 2nd Half

1. CC Sabathia - Remember his heroics in Milwaukee in the 2nd half last season? He went 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA, 7 Complete Games, and 3 Shutouts. Thus far in the Big Apple he's a respectable, but understated 9-6 with a 3.66 ERA. In order to keep pace and ultimately surpass the BoSox, Sabathia will need to call on his Milwaukee form to lead the Bombers.

2. Albert Pujols - Of course, most of the media attention on Albert Pujols in the second half of the season will be his quest for the Triple Crown, the first since 1967. However, what has been understated is what happens to the Cards if Pujols starts to slip from his amazing start. With his almost historic production, the Cardinals are still even in the L column with the Cubs. Any drop in production could lead St. Louis to missing out on the playoffs.

3. Pedro Martinez - Welcome back Pedro. Surprisingly, the Phillies signed him and then instantly put him on the 15-Day DL. Honestly, anything positive from Pedro would be a bonus for Philadelphia this season given his injury-plagued end with the Mets. It's a risk relying on him down the stretch, but the Phillies are good enough to afford to play high stakes poker with the former Cy Young winner.

4. Milton Bradley - The $30 million headache for the Cubs has to turn around his attitude, and more importantly, his production at the plate if the Cubs have any hope of reaching the playoffs. Bradley is hitting a shocking .239 with only 6 HR and 21 RBIs overall, with even worse numbers from the left side. He's already gotten one hitting coach fired and is now being personally tutored by Lou Pinella to find some of his form from last year. While it might be unfair to blame all of the Cubs problems on Bradley, a hot streak would undo a lot of the damage.

5. Josh Hamilton - The hero of last season's HR derby struggled in the 2nd half last season, admittedly partly due to the hangover of his derby swings. This season has seen Hamilton battle injuries and struggle mightily (.240, 7HR, 27RBI). With Texas still in the AL West race it'll be up to Hamilton to help the Rangers overcome their annual late summer fade.

4 Teams That Need To Make A Move

1. San Francisco - With the help of young players like Pablo Sandoval (above) and an amazing pitching staff, the Giants have been one of the pleasant surprises this season. However, offense has always been a problem by the Bay and they'll need to add a bat (Aubrey Huff?) to hold off Colorado and others for the NL Wild Card.

2. Texas - The surprise of the baseball season so far is the Rangers being a legitimate threat to the Angels in the AL West. As of tonight they sit only 3 games back, but need to shore up their pitching if they want to make a run at the division title. I challenge anyone except the baseball nuts to name me 1 starter after Kevin Millwood and 1 bullpen pitcher after Frank "chair toss" Francisco. They have to add some depth to this young pitching staff to last to late September.

3. Chi Sox - GM Kenny Williams' favorite childhood game show must have been Let's Make A Deal. The MLB's Monty Hall is always a mover and a shaker at the Trade Deadline. He's already tried and failed to make a deal for Jake Peavy, so expect him to possibly add another arm or bat for the stretch run to overtake Detroit in the AL Central.

4. St. Louis - Every year, the Cardinals seem to get the most out of the least talented roster among NL contenders. While they are currently 1st in the mediocre Central, they need an impact trade if they want to seriously compete with the Dodgers and Phillies for the NL pennant. Mark DeRosa was a nice start, but another starting pitcher and a corner outfielder could make this team the NL favorite.

3 Managers On The Hot Seat

1. Joe Girardi - The Yankees manager is by nature always on the hot seat, its a part of the job. In fact, I'm surprised Girardi survived a year without making the playoffs. The Yanks' have had a good run of form recently, but they need to make the playoffs if the Girardi/Cashman regime is to stay in place. Hank Steinbrenner doesn't exactly seem to have the patience of Job, at least the nut doesn't fall far from the tree.

2. Lou Piniella - As a Cubs fan, I can really empathize with Sweet Lou and this team's struggles. However, Lou and Jim Hendry were behind the offseason addition of a left-handed bat (who turned into Milton Bradley) and the shakeup of a 97 win team. While injuries have played a part, Pinella's inability to break through to slumping hitters like Soriano and Bradley have led to frustration, which is becoming more and more evident every day in Pinella's postgame comments. If the Cubs go down in flames, especially in transitioning to new ownership, I could see Pinella walking away from the Wrigleyville circus.

3. Eric Wedge - Frankly, Wedge should have been fired a long time ago. Ever since the ALCS loss to the Red Sox a couple years back the Indians have fallen in the tank. GM Mark Shapiro should take some of the blame because talent-wise the team is nowhere close to where they were two years ago. Cleveland needs a major shakeup, sooner rather than later.

5-4-3 Baseball Roundup: All-Star Edition

This week our 5-4-3 Baseball Roundup focuses on selections for the 80th All-Star Game from the new Busch Stadium in St. Louis next Tuesday.

5 All-Star Musings

1. Ted Lilly - It's not a surprise that the Cubs' pitcher is an All-Star, but that he is the only Cubs representative. Shockingly, the most popular team in the NL has no fan-voted starters. Also, former All-Stars Soriano, Lee, Zambrano, etc. were snubbed by the reserves as well.

2. Tim Wakefield - The best story of the All-Star selections as the Boston knuckleballer is making his first appearance... at 42! This makes him the 2nd oldest debut All-Star behind the great Satchel Paige who was 45. As a Yanks fan it's tough to give any Red Sox player his due, but Wakefield is certainly deserving of this honor.

3. Dodging Bullets - Baseball catches a break in that Manny and A-Rod are not taking part in the ASG. Having them present would certainly be a huge distraction and take away from the festivities in St. Louis. While the majority of fans may not care, Uncle Bud is breathing a sigh of relief that the steroid soap opera stars will be missing.

4. THE Star - There is no doubt that Albert Pujols will be the main attraction next week. Having the game in St. Louis, being the leading vote-getter, and participating in the HR Derby means it will be Pujols' time to shine.

5. 23 First Timers - This is just a staggering number of players making their first appearance in an All-Star Game. It's great for baseball to have so many good young players making their mark in the game. Here are 4 of the first timers who should become breakthrough superstars.

4 Breakthrough All-Stars

1. Justin Upton - After a slow start, BJ's brother has put up impressive numbers in the desert. He doesn't stand out in any one category, but is a terrific all-around player. Too bad I gave up on him in fantasy baseball in April.

2. Felix Hernandez - Hard to believe this is the first ASG for the Mariners' ace in his fourth season. It's also hard to believe he is only 23! This is a guy with a world of talent who is finally putting it all together this season. He's in the AL Top 10 in W, ERA, K, WHIP, and IP.

3. Adam Jones - Hard to remember the last Orioles player worth noticing, but Baltimore is slowly putting together a fantastic young roster with the young CF as one of the cornerstones. Jones is the most impressive Orioles youngster batting over .300 and adding some power as well this season.

4. Billingsley/Broxton - You can't separate the two stud pitchers from Los Angeles. Chad Billingsley the starter and Jonathan Broxton the closer are two of the main reasons the Dodgers are running away from the rest of the NL. Oh, and they are 24 and 25 years old respectively.

3 Snubs

1. Johnny Cueto - An 8-5 record and a 3.45 ERA may not seem too impressive, until you remember Cueto pitches in the bandbox known as Great American Ballpark. The Reds are somewhat relative again, and Cueto is the ace of an underrated pitching staff.

2. Miguel Cabrera - Miggy ranks in the AL Top 10 in BA, OBP, SLG, and OPS, but those numbers aren't good enough to earn him a spot on the roster. With the Tigers in first place and Cabrera's All-Star pedigree, he has to be feeling a little snubbed.

3. Pablo Sandoval - The Giants rookie 3B is putting up huge numbers batting .328 for the Wild Card leaders, but because every team needs a representative, the Nats Ryan Zimmerman is an All-Star instead. Not even the most diehard Nationals fan will argue that their team deserves an All-Star this year, especially when a great young player like Sandoval has to sit out.

5-4-3 Baseball Roundup

With the Confed Cup behind us, it's time to turn our attention from the global pastime to the national one. The summer months are baseball's time to shine and as we approach the All-Star Break it's a great time to see where we are at in the majors. Throughout the season RSS will go around the horn in our Baseball Roundup. Here are 5 Observations, 4 Surprises (good and bad), and 3 Predictions from the big leagues.

5 Observations

1.) The Steroid Era is Behind Us - Did you know... gasp ...Sammy Sosa was on the juice?! What a surprise! Honestly, does anyone care at this point? All known users should be banned from the Hall of Fame, but after several years everyone is ready to move on. Manny's suspension, A-Rod's comeback, etc. have all been viewed with a collective yawn from the American sporting public. The attendance numbers have shown that fans still want to go to games. Fans have reached the exhaustion point with two things: steroids and Brett Favre.

2.) If Joe Mauer Bats .400 in the Woods... - The Twins ace catcher is batting .386, and it isn't making a sound. At the moment, he doesn't have the ABs to officially qualify, but he will soon. The SI cover story this week is his first national publicity this year, as he has flown completely under the radar. A chase for .400 might be the best thing for baseball as we head into the post-steroid era.

3.) Parity is Coming? - 19 of the 30 teams sit within 5 games of their respective division leaders throughout the majors. Only LAD and Boston appear to be elite, post-season locks at this point. While this may be what baseball has been striving for, parity also brings mediocrity as it's safe to say this has been a less than compelling season so far. What is the top moment thus far, Luis Castillo dropping the ball in the Subway Series?

4.) Baseball Needs a Rookie Wage Scale - For #1 Pick Steve Strasburg and agent Scott Boras to demand $50 Million from the Nats for a guy who's never thrown a pitch in MLB is ridiculous. It's not like stud pitchers have flamed out recently, cough...Mark Prior...cough. Uncle Bud needs to step in and install a rookie wage scale to prevent this insanity.

5.) The Nats Stink - Sorry Yard Yoder, but at 22-52 and a -100 run differential, the Nats are a joke at this point in their existence. It's sad that our nation's capital can't get a good baseball franchise. At this rate, by the time the Nats right the ship, they could be playing in Portland.

4 Surprises

1.) Zack Greinke - Leading the AL in Wins and ERA, and 2nd in K's, the Cy Young frontrunner is the best story in baseball. Coming back from depression and personal demons to become the best pitcher in the bigs is an outstanding achievement and an inspirational story.

2.) NY Mets - With their bagel in the most recent Subway Series and a 6-14 record in their last 20, the Mets sit a game below .500. Has any team underachieved more the last 3 years than the Mets? The infamous '07 choke appears to have a vicegrip on the franchise. Somewhere Willie Randolph is getting the last laugh.

3.) LA Dodgers - They are running away and hiding from everyone in the NL, even without Manny for 50 games. Nobody expected them to be able to succeed this well without Manny being Manny, and they should be even better when he returns.

4.) The House that Johnny Damon Built - 119 HR thru 35 home games is an embarrassment for the New Yankee Stadium. In fact, I refuse to call it that, Coors Field East is more appropriate. Babe Ruth would hit 130 HR a year in this facade of a ballpark. For the most iconic stadium in the world to be replaced by some sort of mutant tee-ball park is sad for baseball and American sports.

3 Predictions

1.) Albert Pujols Won't Win the Triple Crown - There's a reason why it hasn't happened since Yaz 42 years ago, it's just too hard. While Pujols will take the HR and RBI crown, the best player in baseball you don't know, (mainly because he plays in front of 5,000 people nightly in Miami), Hanley Ramirez, will win the NL Batting Crown.

2.) The Yanks Are Going Back to the Postseason - Sure, they can't beat the Red Sox, but the rest of the AL outside the East is not looking so strong. NYY should be able to hold off Tampa Bay for the Wild Card spot with a solid starting rotation of Burnett, CC, Joba, and Pettitte... as long as they stay healthy.

3.) The Cubs Will Right the Ship - If anyone can handle turmoil, it's Lou Piniella. While bringing in knucklehead Milton Bradley wasn't a bright idea, this team has too much talent not to win a weak NL Central. The June/July schedule sees their division rivals visit Chicago where the Cubs will put a nice run together in front of the Wrigleyville faithful.