AL West

Felix Hernandez is having a season to remember.

The Cy Young Award is hardly a gimme in Major League Baseball.

Reserved for what is supposed to be the best pitcher in his respective league that year, the pinnacle of a season's pitching achievements sometimes is not given to truly the top thrower.

Though his record may not portray Hernandez's position among the best, the Seattle Mariners unquestionably boast a top candidate for this year's AL Cy Young.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote that Jered Weaver was very, very quietly having a Cy Young-caliber season.

His name is familiar and critical amid an unthinkable postseason push, and without Josh Hamilton, the comeback kid in baseball for restoring humankind and inspiration following a remorseful recovery a few years ago before he almost self-destructed, the Texas Rangers are doomed unless their superstar suddenly uplifts the psyche of a favorable club from imploding.

In 1960, Gene Autry, already famous as a singing cowboy, decided to travel to the Major League Baseball expansion meetings to see if he could find a baseball team to broadcast on his radio station. He walked away with an actual team instead.

Fifty years later, that same team, the Los Angeles Angels, are planning a year-long bash to commemorate their 50th birthday.

The 2010 season has been a roller-coaster ride for Los Angeles Angels shortstop Erick Aybar.

After starting slowly in the month of April (.253 AVG., 1 HR, 4 RBI), Aybar never fully hit his stride.

Suffering through another tough month in May, Aybar appeared to pick it up in June and July, raising his average to .278 and displaying more of the peskiness expected of him at the top of the lineup.

In this audio feature we have audio of Angels first baseman Kendry Morales addressing his season ending ankle break. Angels manager Mike Scioscia also talked with AM830's Jason Brennan and LA Angels Insider.com's Eric Denton about the playing time of Mark Trumbo and Hank Conger.

The one constant thing I have said about the Texas Rangers all season is that the only thing that can hold them back would be injuries.

The shortstop position is one that the Mariners have been trying to patch since Alex Rodriguez left Seattle following the 2000 season.

They used Carlos Guillen there in 2001, but his relationship with then-ace Freddy Garcia appeared to be damaging to the pitcher in the eyes of the front office, and he was sent packing to Detroit in 2003.

Words that you never want to hear if you are a pitcher: “We are going to send you to Alabama to see Dr. James Andrews.”

Those are the words that Oakland A’s pitcher Andrew Bailey heard this morning. The odds have already been set to 3-1 that we will next see Bailey in August of 2011.

The Mariners need a utility infielder that can play both second and third base and at a minimal price. Dustin Ackley will likely make his debut in mid-June in order to avoid becoming a Super Two player, and until then, somebody will have to hold his place at second base.