MLB History

These athletes may be dominating their respective sports, but if they were actors they likely couldn't get a call-back for Freddie got Fingered.

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One of the most interesting franchise histories in sports is that of the Colorado Rockies. Since 1993, when they joined the National League as an expansion franchise, Colorado has been known for its "Blake Street Bombers" attitude and for their horrifying home-road splits.

Playing in the thin air of Coors Field, good hitters such as Vinny Castilla were made to look like Hall of Famers. However, it may just be the thin air of Denver that keeps the black-and-purple out of Cooperstown.

The Case For

In today's day and age, Twitter has allowed baseball fans all across the country and all over the world to follow their favorite Major Leaguer every step of the way.

The legends of the game never had this opportunity to be followed by thousands of their die-hard fans, leaving only our imaginations to decipher what the game's greats would have tweeted after a monumental moment in their baseball careers had taken place.

Can you imagine what Babe Ruth's reaction would've been after being sold to the New York Yankees in 1920?

Last week, a historic piece of baseball memorabilia officially was put up for auction to the highest bidder. The 34-inch Mizuno bat was used by banished former star Pete Rose in 1986 when he recorded his final and major league record 4,256th hit of his career.

Throughout each and every MLB season, the discussion always seems to arise over the next great feat to be achieved by a single player.

These feats are also—more often than not—indelible marks in the record books that sometimes seem unbreakable.

But within the mix of these conversations are also discussions about giant feats in baseball that will NEVER happen again, and I put together a Top Ten list highlighting some of these feats.

I realize in sports that anything is possible, and you may find one or two here that almost happened, but most of you should agree that this list is

If you’re reading these words, chances are—like me—you’re a baseball lover.

Surprise! Pete Rose is back in the news.

Apparently, there is a collector who has x-rayed one of Rose's old bats. He has discovered that the bat has something in it that may be cork or a similar substance. He even has some evidence that the bat was used in a game.

This is not really news, as a 2001 Vanity Fair article made the same allegations.

Here is why we should not care.

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Thin-skinned Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella took exception to criticism about his use of rookie outfielder Tyler Colvin and went on a tirade before yesterday's contest against crosstown rivals the Chicago White Sox.

Perhaps he should be worrying about the way his team is playing instead of the outside criticism about his decision.

Part of the description of your job as a manager is that people will criticize you. Until Piniella went off yesterday I didn't know you had to have certain credentials before you were allowed to express your opinion.

How many dreams come true in Pittsburgh?

On Friday, April 6, 1979, a 27-year-old man from Waltham, Massachusetts crouched behind Pirates catcher Ed Ott and prepared to call balls and strikes in Three Rivers Stadium in his first game as a big league umpire.

Whether the first pitch from Bert Blyleven was a ball or a strike has long been forgotten.

What is irrefutable from that day is this: Dave Pallone pulled his mask over his face, and he left it there for the next 10 seasons.

Cal Ripken, Jr., is one of the most celebrated players in baseball history.  Practically the Patron Saint of the state of Maryland, Ripken was beloved by home fans and road fans alike.  

Towards the end of his career, fans would flock to the ballpark in droves in order to catch a glimpse of what was palpably a living legend.

Why?  Because he played the game the right way, he showed up for work every single day, and in the 1990s, as his skills began to erode, he kept playing long, hard games every day, and kept working to get better.