Baseball

Yet again, the New York Mets have failed to fulfill their potential.  In the past four years, the Mets have seen four talented teams fail.  It has been a very tough stretch for the team and it's fans. 

But the Mets organization is trying to right the ship.  Not even a week into the team's off season, big changes have already been made.  Omar Minaya has lost his job as the Mets' general manager.  Manager Jerry Manuel has also been cut.

Ian Kinsler cranked a two-out, bases-empty home run in the top of the fourth inning of Thursday's Game 2 of the American League Division Series, giving the Texas Rangers a 2-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays.

The bomb could go a long way toward earning the Rangers a far more important 2-0 lead—in the ALDS, that is.

Kinsler's shot was sweet redemption after he grounded out with a runner on second base in the second inning, and came on a fastball from the homer-prone Jame Shields of the Rays.

Three things are a given in this offseason. First, Omar Vizquel will be a free agent and has only a year or two left in the tank. Second, the Indians need a third baseman for one year, and badly. Third, career-shortstop Vizquel spent last year at third base for the Chicago White Sox and wasn't too bad there.

So, wouldn't it make sense to bring back one of Cleveland's finest from the glory years of the '90s?

Nelson Cruz of the Texas Rangers doubled to center field off Tampa Bay Rays pitcher James Shields with one out in the top of the second inning, but the Texas offense could move him no further. Second baseman Ian Kinsler grounded out to shortstop, failing to move Cruz over to third. Mitch Moreland then flew out in foul territory to left field, ending the Texas threat.

Baseball traditionalists never cede the high ground. From the supremacy of Babe Ruth to the joy of day baseball, there are many who just refuse to acknowledge the times when the modern game evolves far beyond the reaches of "Baseball's Golden Age."

Such entrenchment is nearly always myopic, and nowhere more so than in the recent insistence that Don Larsen, who threw a perfect game in the 1956 World Series, performed a greater feat than Roy Halladay, who threw the second-ever no-hitter in playoff history Wednesday.

I hope you are sitting down when you read this because it might shock you: The Cardinals picked up their option for Albert Pujols.

The fact that this "no-brainer of the century" transaction even made the headlines on ESPN.com made me laugh. After all, what are they going to tell us next, that we're in an economic downturn? 

How can today's slate of games possibly compare to the events of yesterday? Roy Halladay's first career playoff start was beyond exceptional and resulted in only the second no-hitter in playoff history!

Meanwhile, the Yankees yet again overcame an early deficit and stole home field advantage away from the wins. Lost in the shuffle will be Cliff Lee's terrific start against a potent Rays offense. Lee was lights out, giving up five hits and one run over seven innings while striking out ten.

Last night’s win over the Twins was exciting, but attention must immediately turn toward tonight’s matchup of Andy Pettitte against former Yankees disabled list mainstay Carl Pavano.

Here are some notes:

It was a jolly good day at the ballpark last Sunday.

The Giants finally got to celebrate their first division title in seven years and it only took them three tries to do it.

For those of you who thought a playoff berth would come easy, you’ve just been reminded about what it means to be a Bay Area Sports fan. Exaltation never comes without enduring a little agony.

On a night where ace CC Sabathia did not have his best stuff, The New York Yankees still managed to squeeze out a victory at Target Stadium in game 1 of The ALDS. CC Sabathia was not himself, but managed to get out of jams and kept The Yankees in the ball game.