Baseball

The baseball season is all of 12 days old and already we think a player is done for the year? What we have failed to realize is that the somewhat odd need some fans and members of the media have to jump on a topic and run with it. Apparently, the story of the week is David Ortiz's struggles.

This might be compounded by the fact all the talking heads in March decided that the Red Sox would rise or fall based on how Ortiz did. They also said the Sox would have a hard time on offense. 

On April 14, 1947, Major League Baseball was a whites-only sport. Not since the expulsion of black players in 1888 had a non-Caucasian man swung a bat or thrown a pitch in the Big Show.

That changed on April 15, 1947, when Jackie Robinson suited up for the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field.

Today is the 63rd anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier. April 15, 1947 is arguably the most historic date in baseball history because of the monumental event that day. Robinson’s courage and accomplishments on and off the field not only changed the landscape of baseball, but society as well.

However, exactly five years earlier on April 15, 1942, Hiram “Hi” Bithorn became the first Puerto Rican to appear in a major league game. He pitched in relief for the Chicago Cubs in a 4-2 loss to St. Louis at Sportsman’s Park.

Here’s a look at the unheralded players who played well on Wednesday.

David DeJesus, Kansas City Royals
DeJesus went two for five with a run, a double, two RBI, and a walk. He’s hitting .324 on the year.

Brett Gardner was 0-3 for the New York Yankees. Not zero for three at bats in yesterday's loss to the Angels.

Gardner is zero for the last three games. In a total of 10 at bats in the last three Yankee games, Gardner has not gotten a hit.

He did get one walk yesterday and scored one of the Yankee runs.

Gardner is not the only Yankee struggling right now. The most obvious is Mark Teixeira. But Teixeira has enough credit in the bank to run up some lousy numbers, even for the entire month of April.

All right, the Pittsburgh Pirates began 2010 by winning two out of three at home, then lost two out of three each in two road series, for a tally of 4-5.

At that rate, alternating an extra win at home and an extra loss on the the road, would put them at .500.

And their record, so far, has been compiled against three fairly redoubtable teams, but all outside their division.

Just like Monday was a bad day to be an American League second baseman, Wednesday was a bad day to be an American League closer. Whether it was because of injury or because of just flat out pitching poorly, there were a bunch of closers who were replaced on Wednesday.

Let’s take a look at what is going on in the world of closers.

Baltimore Orioles

As I sit here gazing at my complimentary Phillie of the Month calendar, a problem occurs to me: they’re all fully dressed.

What happened to equal opportunity, women’s liberation, and all the hints I sent last year? My husband buys a subscription to a crappy car magazine and gets a calendar with Marisa Miller scantily clad in a dozen seasonal plunge bras. I spend hundreds on a season ticket package and get a calendar with pictures I can find in my kid’s baseball card collection.

Javy Vazquez started his second game in his second stint for the New York Yankees yesterday.

Pitching against the Angels, Vazquez was just as abysmal as he had been against the Rays last Friday night.

Philadelphia Phillies players make manager Charlie Manuel look like a genius time after time.

The latest blow to the defending National League champions was leadoff man Jimmy Rollins landing on the 15-day disabled list due to a strained calf muscle.

No problem.

Juan Castro filled in nicely at leadoff in the first game without Rollins. In a 7-4 win on Monday against Washington, he hit an RBI double.

Castro had to lead off because Rollins' name was already on the lineup card. Rollins was pulled shortly before the start of the game.