Baseball

It's tough to see the bright side of a game in which a three-run homer, immediately following a valiant comeback, shattered the hopes of a road win.

However, the Colorado Rockies can now head to a much colder Chicago with some positives.

The Philadelphia Phillies have placed closer Jose Contreras on the 15-day DL with a right flexor strain. There is no timetable for Contreras’ return.

Here’s a breakdown of the two-start pitchers for the fifth week of the baseball season.

Five Stars
Matt Cain: @PIT, @WAS
Cliff Lee: @ARI, NYM
Jered Weaver: vs. OAK, @TB

Four Stars
Jaime Garcia: @HOU, @ATL
Justin Masterson: vs. KC, vs. DET

Three Stars
Clay Buchholz: @BAL, vs. SEA

Here’s a look at the unheralded fantasy baseball players who played well yesterday.

Los Angeles Dodgers @ Chicago Cubs

Perhaps it's just coincidence and happenstance, but it seems like the New York Mets have had the worst luck and/or timing when it comes to collecting talent on their roster.

Whenever they would obtain a perennial All-Star-type player or former MVP, that player would prove to be a huge bust and completely tank with the Mets.

On the flip side, the Mets seem to always trade away or let go of players who would go on to lead All-Star, MVP and even Hall of Fame careers.

After an 0-6 start to the 2011 Major League Season, the Boston Red Sox have finally come around and are starting to play like the team most people thought they'd be: unstoppable.

Just 12 days ago, Daisuke Matsuzaka was booed off the mound by the hometown Boston crowd after allowing seven runs in just two innings of work, on Saturday night, Dice-K threw his second consecutive one hitter as the Red Sox blanked the Los Angeles Angeles 5-0.

I called it at the beginning of the year. Neftali Feliz has yet to throw a pitch faster than 96. While that's still blistering heat, he is used to throwing 100-plus mph. He is in the low-90s consistently, which, for the Rookie of the Year and All-Star, is awful.

Today, the Texas Rangers put him on the 15-day DL.

Last week, I ranked the rookie pitchers of the AL East, featuring arms like Zach Britton, Kyle Drabek and Ivan Nova.

This week, I've decided to take on the NL counterpart and expand my rankings to include the rookie hitters as well.

The NL East is unique in my eyes because I think the top contenders for the Rookie of the Year are right in the NL East. The division currently sports the best rookie in the NL, but we'll get to that later.

Now take a look at the power rankings of the top five on the NL East rookie ladder.

Major League Baseball is going to add one wild card to each league next season, which will give teams a better chance of making the playoffs.

Bud Selig, whom sports and political expert George Will has called “baseball’s greatest commissioner,” is right on target, but he does not go far enough.

It's been a troubling year so far for 38-year-old Ryan Franklin.  The appointed Cardinal closer saved 38 and 27 games in 2009 and 2010 respectively, blowing just a total of seven combined over the two seasons. 

2011 has been a different story for Franklin.  He's blown four out of five possible save opportunities.  That's four more games the Redbirds should have in the win column.