Baseball

Any discerning Red Sox fan checking in with Gordon Edes' work on ESPNBoston.com was probably surprised to read that the "club is prepared to pick up" their $12.5 million option on David Ortiz.

The off-season is fast approaching, with a mere few weeks left in the regular season. Of course the playoffs is the middle-man in this all, but the off-season is right around the corner.

Teams use the off-season to rebuild the roster that they currently have. The desire to recharge the roster and hopefully add a piece or two that takes the roster from pretender to contender is there. Other teams use the off-season to rebuild the farm system by trading veteran pieces.

Chances are that if you were around, you remember the 1986 baseball season.

A season capped by an exciting World Series that was best known for being the launching pad for several successful major league careers, including those of Barry Bonds, Greg Maddux, Mark McGwire, Fred McGriff, Barry Larkin, David Cone, Bo Jackson, Jamie Moyer, Steve Finley, Will Clark, and Rafael Palmeiro.

Mmm, I don't like it.

Next!

Here's the basis; Tom Verducci at SI.com writes an article suggesting a way to improve Major League Baseball's playoff format and add some revenue. He has an excellent point that recent "win or go home" games have drawn outstanding viewership and the lack of these nail biters have hurt baseball.

Aaron Harang has not been the "ace" of the Reds starting rotation for a long time. He has still been considered a key part of the pitching staff and a valuable veteran presence in the clubhouse. However, his ineffectiveness over the last couple of seasons may have finally reached its peak yesterday against the Rockies.

Ryan Raburn showed flashes in 2009, hitting 16 HR in just 261 AB.  Yet, in 2010 either the Tigers were unable to find a spot to give him everyday playing time or didn’t think he was capable of producing on an everyday basis.  Through July he had just 161 AB, hitting just two home runs.

Then, in August, he was given an opportunity to play on a daily basis and has exploded.  Just look at what he had done through Sunday:

In my years as a Mets fan, I have been constantly scrutinized by members of the Evil Empire a.k.a. Yankees' fans. The "27-to-2" comparison of World Series titles is always flaunted around in claims that the Yankees are much better than the Mets.

While as a baseball fan I cannot argue that the Yankees are not a storied franchise, I can defend the "27-2" comparison as a Mets' fan, and here is why:

Ah, it's good to be back...

Last Night Rewind

With the Detroit Tigers far removed from playoff contention this September, speculation has already begun about the futures of some of the team's free agents-to-be. Among these players, the most desirable by far is third baseman Brandon Inge.

What appeared a few weeks ago as a two-man race for a potential Triple Crown has now become a three-man competition.

Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez has been hitting the ball like he was mad at it lately. He is now comfortably ahead of Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds in batting average with a .340 mark. Votto is batting .321.