MLB History

Baseball is a sport unlike others when it comes to age. If you're 40 and a basketball player, you're done unless you have extreme ability or are just playing a few minutes a game. If you're 40 and a football player, you're either retired, a kicker/punter, or Brett Favre.

Regularly though, ballplayers will play well into their 40s, and play well at that. Julio Franco hung around forever, as did Nolan Ryan.

There are currently ten ballplayers over 40 who have been active this season.

It was eight years ago today that Mark Prior became only the 14th player in Chicago Cubs history to win his Major League debut dating back to 1920. Prior and the Cubs beat the Pirates 7-4.

Prior was drafted second overall by the Cubs in 2001. The Twins, who had the first pick in the draft, were interested in Prior, but were told that he did not want to play for them. Instead, Minnesota took Joe Mauer number one. That's worked out pretty well for them.

Is Mariano Rivera a future Hall of Famer?  How about Albert Pujols?  What about Joe Mauer?

Playing the Hall of Fame prediction game is always fun.  Bill James likes to analyze future Hall of Famers from a percentage standpoint.  I have never stuck around long enough to figure out how he says things like “Todd Helton has a 67 percent chance of making the Hall of Fame,” but he does it, and so there it is.

Houston Astros fans will soon be facing a sad reality.

Roy Oswalt is heading elsewhere—and soon.

According to Houston Chronicle sports columnist Richard Justice via Twitter, Astros general manager Ed Wade (pictured at right) confirmed the team’s right-handed ace has asked to be traded.

It was also the talk of the evening during Friday's night home game at Minute Maid Park against Tampa Bay—as both Astros announcers and sports media alike flocked to Wade for confirmation of Oswalt's request.

This weekend, the New York area will once again be enthralled with a yearly spectacle. That spectacle is the Subway Series. That is the name given to the series of games between the now defending champion New York Yankees and the lovable amazin's , the New York Mets .

This modern day version of the series first started in 1997. The first two years were just a three game series per season.

Derek Jeter is a first ballot Hall Of Famer. There is no evidence that Jeter is even interested in the hit record. However, if he averages 188 hits per season for the next nine seasons (including this one), he can pull it off.

Jeter is ahead of Rose's pace now. It would be fun to watch someone challenge a great record like this. It also would be nice if the hit king was eligible to be inducted into the Hall Of Fame.

Here is why it won't happen.

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The Red Sox have the Phillies’ number.

That first became evident when Boston ousted Philly in the 1915 World Series, and little changed once interleague play began over 80 years later.

The Phillies are just 15-22 against the Red Sox since their interleague dates began in 1997. Philly and Boston have met in interleague play every season except 2002 and 2007.

Back to the present…

Baseball uniforms sure have changed over the years. From the flannel material to cotton to polyester, baseball players have adorned numerous types of fabric for the sake of team unity. But it is not just the uniforms themselves that dictate a player's appearance.

Players have gone to many lengths to alter their look on the field, adding their own personal twist to their daily gameday attire. Over the years, players have pushed the limit with their changes and looks. Some have worked while many others have not.

Wrigleyville has seen Cubs come and go for years.

The story of the Chicago Cubs dates back to the 1870's.

The Cubs won 11 of their 16 pennants before 1920.

Unless you are over 100 years old you can not remember a Chicago Cubs world championship.

Since there halcyon days, the Cubs have given Chicago and Cubs fans everywhere, heartbreak and very few triumphs.

The anatomy of a Cubs fan is different then any other fan. When things are so close you know something is about to go wrong.

It’s about time the Houston Astros made a positive move.

That move came in the form of releasing slumping second baseman Kaz Matsui—who has two days to clear waivers.

According to Astros senior director of social media Alyson Footer, the Astros “asked for waivers on Matsui for purposes of granting him release. If he clears wavers in two days, [the] Astros [are] on the hook for [the] remainder of [his] salary.”

Jeff Keppinger will get a majority of the starts at second base, according to Footer.