Baseball

We all remember how it ended.

There was the flatly refused contract offer after the 2003 season. There were the protracted flirtations between the Red Sox and Alex Rodriguez. And there was a frustrated phone call to sports talk radio from Nomar Garciaparra’s honeymoon, of all places.

Since it seems like Reds all-time player lists are all the rage these days, I thought it be best to hop the band-waggon before it fills.

Forget those other guys. They aren't even Reds' fans. My list is the one, the only, and the best.

For starters my catcher...wait, how do I make this list stuff? 

Since I don't know how to create a slide show I'll just list them by name and reason. 

Catcher:  Bo Diaz

Why? 

The dude died for his family. 

For those of you who haven't heard, the 2009 San Francisco Giants are built on pitching and for the most part, their pitching has been nothing but dominant.

Both the starting rotation and bullpen have been rock-solid all season long, but not without their fare share of weak spots.

One of those weak spots was recently replaced when rookie pitcher Ryan Sadowski took over the fifth spot in the rotation from a struggling Jonathan Sanchez.

"Manny was of a mind, 'Just let me take batting practice.'  I encouraged him to play games.  If he's going to miss 50 games, then he's going to have to do something."  Joe Torre stated this in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated's Dan Patrick.

Yes, Manny should continue to play and practice baseball.  With him missing 50 games, that is a lot of time to get out of shape.

Why should Manny get to return before his 50-game suspension?

As is the case every season, the official announcement of the rosters for the All-Star game has created some controversy.

The fans and players votes have been tallied and some glaring omissions need to be mentioned.

So without further adieu, let's take a look at the five biggest All-Star game snubs of 2009.

Amidst their current losing ways, a star burns bright in Camden Yards.

Three members of the National League West leading Los Angeles Dodgers have been selected to join the National League All-Stars for July 14th contest in St. Louis at Busch Stadium.

Closer Jonathan Broxton, starting pitcher Chad Billingsley, and second baseman Orlando Hudson are on the NL roster, with outfielder Matt Kemp still under consideration as one of the five finalists for the last spot on the roster.

Welcome to my latest project! I am endeavoring to formulate the All Time Team in each franchise history.

A few parameters need to be established prior to beginning. First, no player will appear on more than one team. It is my sole decision as to which franchise a place a multi-team player.

For example, even though Frank Robinson won the Triple Crown with the Baltimore Orioles, he spent more time and had higher numbers with the Cincinnati Reds. Plus, I am still pissed at the GM for trading him to Baltimore for Milt Pappas.

The Colorado pitching staff is chalk full of talent.

They have Ubaldo Jimenez who throws 99 MPH heat with movement, to go along with breaking pitches that buckle opposing hitters knees. They have Aaron Cook, an All-Star a year ago who throws a sinker that ranks in the top-10 in all of baseball. They also have Jason Marquis, the newest All-Star Rockie who leads the National League in wins on good pitching, but mostly pure competitive drive. Jorge De La Rosa throws in the mid-90's from the left side and has a change up that falls off the table.

With the all star rosters announced, I’m going to break it down position by position for the A.L and give you my take on whether the fans got it right, or if I have a problem with it.

American League All-Stars