Baseball

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<![endif]--> Before 2004, the Red Sox notoriously chased the Yankees for the top spot in the American League East for almost a century.

Then, Dave Roberts stole second base in Game Four of the 2004 ALCS, and the rest was history. Literally.

Okay, let's be honest...something in the rotation in Minnesota has got a fix. Someone doesn't belong. A sub .500 record is not exactly what the Twins had for expectations midway through June.

With injuries and a shaky lineup, the Twins remain only 3.5 games back in a lagging Central division. Somehow, despite being able to reach the fifth inning for most of the starting rotation, they've managed to remain in the hunt for a division title.

But to know who belongs or not, lets take a gander at what Minnesota has to offer at this point...

Herb Pennock, Lefty Gomez, and Whitey Ford are the only left-handed Yankees' pitchers in the Hall of Fame.

Now that Andy Pettitte is near the end of his pitching days, there is some speculation with respect to whether Pettitte should be a Hall of Famer.

Comparing Andy to Herb Pennock helps creates perspective.

Some of Andy Pettitte's Statistics

Andy was with the Yankees from 1995-2003. He signed with the Astros in 2004 to be with his friend Roger Clemens, and returned to the Yankees in 2007.

• Date: June 13, 2009
• Time: 7:05 p.m.
• Teams: Detroit Tigers at Pittsburgh Pirates
• Park: PNC Park
• Weather: 72 degrees and cloudy, 30 percent chance of rain
• Starting Pitchers: Aramando Galarraga (3-6, 5.19)  Zach Duke (6-4, 3.07)
• Records: Detroit (34-27)  Pittsburgh (28-33)
• Last 10 Games: Detroit (6-4)  Pi
  

Armageddon has arrived. I hope you've stockpiled your canned goods.

Roy Halladay exited Friday's game with a strained right groin, and I think the Four Horsemen have just run through my backyard. Death trampled my tulips and Famine is eating the burgers off the barbecue.

I'm scared, hold me.

No pitcher means more to a franchise right now than Halladay. No one.

You study the offseason, compile data, create lists, read the rumors and Mock Draft like there's no tomorrow just to be ready when your draft day comes. You can't sleep, your significant other thinks you're having an affair, and your dogs and/or cats haven't eaten for days and are leaving you "messages" all around the house.

All this and you still can't believe your struggling to stay afloat barely half way into the season.

It's your worst nightmare! Nearly all your players are either not quite hitting their stride and/or are suffering from a freakish accident/injury.

Pinch me, I must be dreaming.

Everything seems to be working out perfectly for the Rockies. It’s like all of a sudden, something clicked and the light turned on.

What were you doing about three months shy of your 22nd birthday?  Better yet, what were you doing in the final days of your senior year of college?

I can't answer either question—don't know the first answer and the second one's not appropriate for innocent eyes (or those of my parents).  I'm guessing I'm not the only one.

Ryan Scoma, who hits the double deuce in September, had several irons in the fire.

It's getting ridiculous, and the strategy simply does not make sense.

Something has to be done about the Chien-Ming Wang situation, and the best solution is to send him down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he can rebuild his stamina and regain his control and movement.

Julio Lugo won't be in a Red Sox uniform if Theo listens to my adivice in this slideshow. He's one of the first guys traded. Some of the choices replacing some of the Red Sox player I have selected may suprise you, they may make you laugh, or they may make you scratch your head.
None of these trades could actually go down, but here's hoping. They are ment only for satrical reasons.