Baseball

Twelve days ago I wrote about what it would take for the Phillies to make the playoffs.  Since writing that article, here is how the NL Wild Card contenders have fared:

1. St Louis Cardinals: 5-6

2. Los Angeles Dodgers: 4-6

What happens when you take a staunch liberal who writes a movie review starring a staunch conservative?

You not only get a critical (and predictable) piece that not only declares the career of a Hollywood icon is now dead, but a pious lecture on what Americans really want and what they reject.

After about half of a day of uncertainty—no thanks to Hall of Fame writer Peter Gammons—the Robinson Cano performance-enhancing drug rumors can be put to bed as false.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today broke the news yesterday that a MLB official denied such rumors:

The American League Cy Young award race is going to be tough to call. While there are some traditionally dominant arms like Justin Verlander, Felix Hernandez or Jered Weaver in the discussion, there are plenty of other arms joining them.

In particular, David Price and Chris Sale are both having excellent seasons and could easily receive votes when the ballots are cast.

So, who has the upper hand right now?

Chris Perez may have had it wrong.

Have to give it to some people in today’s sports media. These folks sure knows how to douse the New York Yankees with high-pressured negativity.  

Talk about a core of hacks who have mastered the art of Anti-Pinstripeism.

Here is a ballclub that has fought through injury and at times ineffective pitching to win 11 of its last 15 games.

Here is a team that is on pace for another 90-plus win season and a trip to the playoffs.

Arizona Diamondbacks' center fielder Chris Young returned to the lineup on Tuesday, but he did not last long. He re-injured his quad on the first play of Arizona's crucial game with the San Diego Padres. 

The USA Today's Bob Nightengale passed along the news Twitter style. 

When Josh Hamilton and his heavy bat test the market this offseason, there will be one team willing and able to surprise baseball fans in signing Major League Baseball’s most coveted free agent.

The MLB is gearing up for yet another exciting end to the regular season as Cinderella teams are sprinkled in with some World Series favorites in many tight races for playoff spots. While we may not get the type of regular-season finale that we were blessed with last year, there's still plenty of intriguing storylines and teams right on the cusp of playoff berths. 

Just five games into his 2012 return to the major leagues, Armando Galarraga has been designated for assignment by the struggling Houston Astros and faces an uncertain future. For Galarraga, it is the most recent in a series of setbacks that have brought on the realization that his job as a professional athlete is in jeopardy.