Thanks for reading this column this season. This will be the last in-season of 2010. Be sure to read it again in 2011!

Ask a question about your team in our FORUM. Leave a comment about this article down below.

Drama, excitement, great stories ... they are going to happen, especially during a 162-game season. Unfortunately, what also happens are injuries, and for a few playoff-bound teams, they're each currently experiencing them. And for the Phillies, Twins, and Rangers, these injuries aren't just to any player -- they qualify as cornerstones and difference-makers for each of their squads.

Comment (0) Read More...

Ask a question about your team in our FORUM. Leave a comment about this article down below.

You have to give manager Charle Manuel a lot of credit. Last year, it happened to the Mets. This year, it happened to the Red Sox. The same has happened to the Phillies . But unlike the Red Sox and Mets, Manuel and the Phillies have persevered through it and now find themselves in serious playoff contention heading into the last few weeks of the season. It began with Jimmy Rollins. Then Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino followed. Altogether, the plethora of Phillies All-Stars have combined to miss over 130 games due to injury.

But not making any big moves, the organization didn't panic, using secondary players like Mike Sweeney, Wilson Valdez and Ross Gload to help right the ship until the regulars returned. Now that they have all mostly come back (Rollins just went back on the shelf), with the assistance of the new great trio of arms, Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt, who have been reliable for a majority of the season, the Phillies have caught up with and now have gotten past the Atlanta Braves to take over their familiar first place position in the NL East.

Comment (0) Read More...

Ask a question about your team in our FORUM. Leave a comment about this article down below.

For division leaders, the Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees, its ho-hum this time of year. With less than a month to go in the season, these teams realize that nothing is clinched yet, and are playing their best baseball because of it. That is a product of experience from the managers and players, knowing how to handle the most clutch time of the regular season.

However, for division leaders like the San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers, this is a brand new experience, and its starting to show. For the first four and a half months, the Padres used their speed, clutch hitting, and their overall pitching staff in a monstrous ballpark to their advantage. On August 26th, they were leading the NL West by 6 1/2 games,  looking like they were well on their way to receiving a postseason ticket. And then it happened, something that almost everyone was waiting to happen. Over the next 11 days, they went on an 10-game losing streak, letting their division lead dwindle to 1 game over a Giants team that has enough pitching and offense and 4 1/2 games over a Rockies team who's shown the late season magic over the last couple seasons to make it to the BIG Dance.

Comment (0) Read More...

Ask a question about your team in our FORUM. Leave a comment about this article down below.

Drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 1991, it didn't take long for Manny Ramirez to validate the team choosing him in the first round. Getting his first opportunity to play full-time in the '95 season, he averaged 36 HR and 123 RBI for six seasons, playing a huge role in the Indians making it to the World Series in '95 and '97. However, he was FA after the '00 season, and with Cleveland not being a big market team, they were unable to secure him for the long-term.

One of the bigger markets, Boston, signed him for $160 million over eight years with a $20 million option for the '09 and '10 seasons. He without hesitation carried over the success he had in Cleveland, but then he showed something else; a personality that quickly stood out over any other. Things like the trademark dreadlocks, disappearing in the dugout and Green Monster, and his unusual interaction with Red Sox Nation that helped create what is known as "Manny being Manny". But all of the antics was allowed, since he averaged just about the same numbers from '01-'06 that he did in that stretch with the Indians, which included being the World Series MVP, helping Boston win in its first championship in 86 years. However, the numbers started to decline in '07, as he had just 20 HR and 88 RBI. But just like what he did in '04, he stepped up when it counted, helping the team win another World Series in '07. In '08, that unique personality finally started to show its ugly side and off the field. Fights in the dugout with players to altercations with the staff to giving up on ground balls led to many in Red Sox Nation to request the organization to cut ties with the disgruntled superstar.

Comment (0) Read More...

Ask a question about your team in our FORUM. Leave a comment about this article down below.

One of the central themes to the year of the pitcher has been the no-hitters/near no-hitters. There have been 30 instances this season where a pitcher has taken a no-hitter into the 7th inning, with five pitchers completing it. However, the most intriguing ones have been the last two, Minnesota's Kevin Slowey and Texas' Rich Harden. Both, who have never thrown one, took one into the 7th inning, but were still taken out without giving up a hit. It's one of the toughest decisions a manager has to make. But for Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire and Texas manager Ron Washington, knowing their pitchers, Harden, who had just come back from the DL, and Slowey, who's had a history of arm-related injuries, they realized that they are going to need them for the rest of the postseason push.

When Edwin Jackson, an Arizona Diamondback at the time, went 149 pitches to get his no-hitter, a couple factors I'm sure played in: 1) He was facing his former team, the Rays, a team that gave up on him and 2) the Diamondbacks were already way out of the playoff race and I'm sure the manager valued the individual accomplishment a little higher.

Comment (0) Read More...

Ask a question about your team in our FORUM. Leave a comment about this article down below.

It might have been the most crucial move when Angels manager Mike Scioscia put rookie reliever Francisco Rodriguez onto his '02 Playoff roster. During the World Series run, Rodriguez made the manager look like a genius, as he was basically dominate throughout the postseason, helping the Angels finish as the final team standing (He allowed just 4 ER while striking out 28 batters in 18 2/3 IP). That was just a preview of what was to come. After two seasons of being a solid setup guy, K-Rod took over the closer role and rolled that setup guy success over. He got at least 40 saves in each of the next four seasons, including the record-breaking 62 SV in '08.

However, that was his free-agent season, and with a few high-salary suitors for his services, the Angels really had no chance of getting him back. One of those suitors, the Mets, originally didn't have a need for a closer as they had veteran Billy Wagner. However, when Wagner went down with a serious elbow injury, which required Tommy John surgery, the team all-of-a sudden had a vacancy, and as a result, went after K-Rod and eventually were successful in the pursuit.

Comment (0) Read More...

Ask a question about your team in our FORUM. Leave a comment about this article down below.

As we're nearing the final quarter, the pennant races aren't the only things heating up. In the center of that is this week's NL Central battle between the Reds and Cardinals. In the first game, as Cardinals SP Chris Carpenter was ready to throw his first pitch, SS Brendan Ryan requested the dugout for a new glove. Safe to say that didn't go over with Mr. Carpenter real well, as after the top of the 1st was over, he took Ryan down towards the dugout hallway to give him a little tutorial. Even in the bottom of the 7th, with the Cardinals up 7-2, Carpenter got upset with Ryan again. In that inning, the Reds got their third run via a single past the left side of the infield, in a spot where Carpenter thought Ryan would be, but wasn't. The Cardinals wound up winning that game, but as you can tell, Carpenter is a veteran leader who's focused on the prize.

And then before the second game even began, it was Reds 2B Brandon Phillips who was front and center. Phillips is one of the best middle infielders with his bat and glove, but if you take those away from him, he can be a detriment. Phillips made some comments in a local newspaper basically trashing the Cardinals and explaining how much he dislikes them (PG-13 version). Well apparently the Cardinals got a hold of that newspaper and didn't waste any time showing Phillips how he felt. As Phillips was walking to homeplate leading off the bottom of the 1st, Yadier Molina took off his catcher's mask and gave Phillps his feedback, which led to a big brawl. Then Molina got to show up Phillips, as he got to round the bases after a HR in the top of the 2nd. The Cardinals wound up beating the Reds again, and then again with Cy Young candidate Adam Wainwright helping the Cardinals execute the sweep and reclaim the top spot in the NL Central.

Comment (0) Read More...

Ask a question about your team in our FORUM. Leave a comment about this article down below.

For the first time since the All-Star Game became the "Home Field Advantage Game", the NL finally came out on top this season, and being the 'weaker' league, it needed it. Maybe the weakest NL division leader, San Diego, improved their team at the trade deadline the most with the offensive additions of OF Ryan Ludwick and IF Miguel Tejada, while other contenders like Atlanta and St. Louis added ancillary players. Yes, the Phillies did add All-Star pitcher Roy Oswalt, but with him being helpful only every fifth day, the bullpen still a sticky situation, and all the recent injuries to their All-Stars, it just might not be enough. The team I believe baseball fans are most rooting for is the Atlanta Braves, with this being legendary manager Bobby Cox's last dugout reign with the Braves. With no real clear cut favorite, it should be real interesting to see who represents the 'weaker' league in October.

The two favorites to represent the 'stronger' league in the World Series, reside in the AL East. With the trade deadline coming and going, the Yankees were the aggressors, picking up a reliable bat with 1B/DH Lance Berkman, decent outfield depth with OF Austin Kearns, and their projected eighth-inning guy RP Kerry Wood. There was some disappointment that the Rays basically stood pat. They did pick up reeling reliever Chad Qualls, but it wouldn't have happened if Grant Balfour didn't get hurt not being able to control his wrestling urge. However after taking two out of three vs. the Yankees last weekend and then taking two out of the first three from the Twins, Tampa Bay finds itself back in the driver's seat in the AL East. With this being All Stars Carl Crawford's and Carlos Pena's possible last seasons as Rays, and the Rays having something to prove after missing the postseason last season, there's reason to believe that Tampa can hold on to the driver's seat for the rest of the season. However, let's not count out those Rangers, who bolstered their already impressive staff and lineup by adding a premier pitcher in Cliff Lee and slugging IF Jorge Cantu respectively. And you can never sleep on the Twins, who always find their way into the Big Dance.

Comment (0) Read More...

Ask a question about your team in our FORUM. Leave a comment about this article down below.

In the year of the pitcher, the state of Florida has been front and center of most of it. It started with Oakland's Dallas Braden, who on Mother's Day (great personal story), threw a perfect game against Tampa Bay. Then it was Philadelphia ace Roy "Doc" Halladay who finally prescribed his first no-hitter and perfect game against the Marlins. Next was former Ray Edwin Jackson, who returned to Tropicana Field and though a tad on the wild side (8 BB), hurled a no-hitter against his former team. So I guess Matt Garza and his teammates had enough of these ultimate pitching performances thrown against them. Garza, who was coming off his worst performance of the season (6 1/3 IP, 10 H, 7 ER), faced the minimum 27 batters on his way to his and the franchise's first ever no-hitter. And then there was two, as the San Diego Padres and the New York Mets are now the only two active franchises never to thrown a no-hitter in their history. Being a Mets fan, I think I know where this is going.

On a side Floridian note, remember me mentioning that I didn't realize how hurtful a celebration can be? This was referring to LAA's Kendry Morales probable season-ending knee injury after attempting to jump on home plate after a game-winning HR. You think that was bad? I think Marlins OF Chris Coghlan tops that. After an extra-inning win last Sunday vs. Atlanta, Coghlan decides to the traditional pie-face the hero (in this case, Wes Helms). The pain is usually from the receiver, as they get that burning sensation in the eyes. But in this case, it was Coghlan who suffered the brunt of the pain, as he tore his meniscus and now could miss up to two months. The updated celebration lesson learned here: When celebrating a win, plain and simply, stay on your feet.

Comment (0) Read More...

Ask a question about your team in our FORUM. Leave a comment about this article down below.

One of the best storylines in MLB in '10 is Bobby Cox, who's been involved in baseball for over 50 years, and his goodbye tour as manager of the Atlanta Braves. Managing the team to an amazing 14 consecutive postseason appearances (1991-2005) with a World Series title in between (1995), he'll be dearly missed, but not just for his success. He always stuck by and defended his team, which has been shown by his MLB-history number of early showers he's received from umpires. It also has been shown by the way the Braves have been playing so far, leading the NL East comfortably. With him and fellow future Hall of Famer, 3B Chipper Jones, possibly in his last year as well, the team is doing all they can to make sure this is a very memorable season.

But MLB Nation has been ready for this, since Cox made the announcement late last season. But Cox won't be the only future Hall of Fame manager leaving the dugout this season, as Cubs manager Lou Piniella announced this week that he'll be retiring after this season. He spent 18 seasons as a player, but clearly he'll be remembered more for his 23 intriguing seasons as manager. Like Cox, he's achieved alot, including three championship rings and winning over 1,800 games. However, like Cox, he might be more remembered for what he did on the field, which included alot of creative and memorable exits from ballgames.

Comment (0) Read More...