Baseball

I hate myself.

They just don't make showers hot enough to clean me of my new fragrance, "Hate" by J.P. Ricciardi.

And I've tried. I think I've lost a few layers of skin trying.

What I'm talking about is the negativity that surrounds these Toronto Blue Jays, honorable defenders of fourth place in the AL East. I've found myself criticizing every facet of their play (most of the time deservedly so) but I haven't found happiness doing it.

Long-suffering Orioles fans will look to the second half of this baseball season for answers to two key questions: 1. Is a winning season on the horizon? and 2. Can the Birds contend in the division within two to three years?

Unfortunately, the team's record after the All-Star break won't provide any real answers to those questions.

Want evidence? Of course you do.

Entering the year, it seemed that Giants fans were looking for Matt Cain to take a big step forward and join Tim Lincecum as a second ace in the San Francisco rotation.

With a 10-2 record and 2.38 ERA, Cain looks to have blown his 8-14, 3.76 ERA 2008 season out of the water.

But he hasn't.

Now, I have nothing against Matt Cain; I think he may improve somewhere down the line. I'm just telling you what the numbers are telling me.

You know what the best season of Matt Cain's career has been thus far?

2007.

When he went 7-16.

I'm not kidding.

In a town, where the arch resides, one of the world’s greatest artifacts that overlooks the city and where the Mississippi River streams along St. Louis. In the town, there’s also baseball’s unquestionable hitter who hails before the enthusiastic Red Birds fans, where average fans contains of Pujols’ Craziness.

At age 28, Curtis Granderson is a first time All-Star. I definitely do not think this will be his last trip to the mid-summer classic.

Granderson got selected for his first All-Star game by putting up the type of productive numbers he is bound to increase upon in his career. He is already five home runs away from his season best total of 23, set in 2007. He has his 18 dingers this season in only 86 games played.

Granderson's RBI totals should increase over the next couple seasons, as well. Being moved to the middle of the batting order from leadoff should facilitate that.

Well it's that time of the year. Players rest. Minds are eased. A meaningless game is televised by Fox as fans listen to McCarver rant.

It should come at no surprise that Prince Fielder can hit home runs, in fact he hits them with authority and confidence unlike any other player. Which is why Fielder won the 2009 Home Run Derby.

First off a little history lesson, Prince has been hitting home runs his entire life, when he was living in Detroit and his father, Cecil, was playing for the Detroit Tigers, Prince would hit home runs in Tiger Stadium to the amazement of all the players.

He made it into the seventh inning last Thursday night with the no-hitter intact, and when he finally came off the mound in the same inning, the line score wasn’t nearly as strong as his performance indicated. Nonetheless, Tim Lincecum would garner his 10th win of the 2009 season.

It’s the unofficial halfway point in the baseball season, and most teams are deciding whether or not they have what it takes to make a run at the postseason before the trade deadline at the end of the month.

The Braves are currently standing at 43-45, 6 games back of the division-leading Phillies.

To start this first half review, I will look at the performance the Braves received from the catchers on the season. All stat lines will be AVG/OBP/SLG/HR/RBI/SB