Baseball

In an effort to improve both financial and on-the-field performance, the Atlanta Braves announced today that they have agreed to allow Dulcolax Stool Softener sponsor the team.

In a press conference, Bobby Cox was quoted "We feel that this move will allow for more regularity in run-production and revenue, plus, this product has a nifty logo that we can put on our uniforms."

Relief was prevalent in the Braves' clubhouse (wink wink nudge nudge).

The Steelers squeaked out a win to bring home the NFL's top piece of hardware.  The Pens battled the Red Wings to get the same from the NHL.

Big Ben and company are always a huge hit in the 'Burgh. Sidney and Gino are rising superstars.

All is well in "The City of Champions."

Or is it?

For the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are trying to keep from setting the Major League record for consecutive losing seasons, it's not.

A true Dodgers fan understands the meaning of the upcoming interleague series against the team's cross-town American League rival. These Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim—so called for marketing reasons—are not true rivals in our book. 

The Dodgers and Angels cannot go back in history and recall any turbulent battles between the two teams. Each organization does have its history of great players, though they never met in a meaningful game—let alone the World Series.

If you've read my first two articles, "The Stolen Base: A Lost Art. Will we ever see a 100 Steal Man Again?" and "Gimmie Five!

The New York Times is reporting that lawyers with knowledge of MLB's 2003 drug tests say Sammy Sosa tested positive for PEDs that year.

In other news, the earth is round.

So it's not that shocking. But it does make me wonder why only A-Rod and Sammy have had their test results publicised.

What about the rest of the 104 players on that list? 

In each case, the timing was curious.

Selina Roberts was writing a book about A-Rod. Meanwhile, Sammy was on the verge of formally announcing his retirement, saying he was a lock for the HOF.

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After the Giants finished 2008 with a record of 72-90, a lot of people saw promise.

There were flashes of brilliance from young guys, steady contribution from veterans, and it looked like a couple tweaks to the roster could change a lot for 2009.

When we last left our hero Jim Hendry, he was holding on for dear life as I was about to enter the bad phase of the trilogy.

With a huge payroll over the past several years, Hendry has spent like a drunken sailor on shore leave.

I remember a time growing up when I was just a naive, young kid.

I loved the game of baseball, and still do. In 1998, I was 8-years-old and in the prime of my childhood.

It was a simpler time then. The Yankees were the best team baseball had ever seen, and the Red Sox couldn't buy a playoff win.

But above all, in the middle of that summer, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire captivated me.

With everything else going on with the Mets and their injuries, one positive is coming as we near the end of this first half.

David Wright leads NL third basemen in votes, and Beltran is ranked high enough in the outfield category to have a good chance at making the team as well. 

Johan Santana and Francisco Rodriguez may be joining Wright and Beltran in St Louis next month.

You can hear it, even from the Bay Area.

You can hear the trash talk, the snide remarks, the fans' shouts of support for their winning team. You can hear the calls of this year being different, this one meaning more than the ones before... and none of it about the Lakers.

The Freeway Series has split SoCal again.

As the Angels and Dodgers prepare for the second half of the yearly Freeway Series, the Dodgers, as usual, seem to be scrambling to find a way to knock off their persistent AL rivals.