MLB History

You can see great players like J.R. Towles when you come to Minute Maid Park for an Astros game! Wait. He's now bent sent down to Double AA Corpus Christi. See what you miss when you don't go. Double AA talent at Major League prices!

Sure the Astros are bad. Really bad. But there are still compelling reasons to head out to the old ball park. Can't think of any? Luckily, I'm here to help.

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Mike Mussina once was a dominant pitcher, but never was he more masterful than on the night of Sept. 2, 2001 against the Boston Red Sox, when he came within one strike of pitching the fourth perfect game in Yankees’ history.

Pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre noted, as he watched Mussina warm up in the bullpen before the game, that he was taken aback by the sharp drop on Mussina’s curve ball.

"It looked the same as David Wells’ curve ball on May 17, 1998."

The old baseball adage is that pitching and defense wins championships. That being the case, the Minnesota Twins appear to be going in the right direction in 2010.

The starting pitching, led by Francisco Liriano, appears to be the strongest and deepest staff the Twins have had in ten seasons. Four of the starters have spent their entire major-league careers with the Twins. Liriano, Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn and Kevin Slowey have all been a part of the rotation since 2008.

The Chicago White Sox won the World Series in 2005 for the first time since 1917.

The 1917 White Sox won 100 games and defeated the New York Giants to become World Champions, but with the passage of time, the Pale Hose have become an afterthought.

A major reason is that many associated with baseball prefer that the 1919 World Series, which was fixed, be mentioned as little as possible. Bad memories should be repressed.

Many players on the 1917 World Champion White Sox were members of the 1919 American League Champion White Sox.

It's hard being the younger, less tradition-rich franchise in the city that never sleeps.

On May 6, 1953, in his first major league start, the St. Louis Browns’ Alva “Bobo” Holloman pitched a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Athletics.

The 27-year-old Holloman struck out three, walked five, and helped himself offensively by batting in three of the Browns’ runs with a pair of singles in the Browns’ 6-0 victory.

Since 1901, only Bobo had tossed a no-no in his first start.

The Browns Paid $10,000 for Holloman's Contract

This is going to be my one of final articles here on Bleacher Report. I can honestly say that I enjoyed writing on this site. Now, I could write something narcissistic about how Bleacher Report has changed my life...but I am not.

Bleacher Report has changed my life. I have become a Sports writer and now I am the Sports Editor for Temple University Ambler Campus' student-run newspaper my time here on "the Report" writing about the Phillies and Temple University Athletics. But it really hasn't changed my life that much or to that extent.

Anyone who knows anything about Milton Bradley’s career wasn’t surprised to hear about him in the news again for something other than his performance on the baseball field. 

Throughout his career, Bradley has rubbed more than a few people the wrong way and he has bounced around to eight different teams during his 11 years in the major leagues.

He’s always been a serviceable player; a career batting average of .276, with decent power, and a solid throwing arm. 

Barry Bonds has set some remarkable records. What is notable is not the fact that he set them, but that he broke the old marks by such a wide margin.

Babe Ruth was the most feared batter in baseball history until Bonds, late in his career, discovered how he could become even more frightening to pitchers than the Ruth.

Pitchers wanted to face Barry Bonds as much as a pudgy kid wants to face a naked salad. 

Grade: A

Andrew Bailey (Athletics)

Bailey is one of only three closers (Broxton and Rivera) who have not given up a run yet.

He has just four saves on the year however, two of which came last week. Oakland’s closer gave up just one hit in 3.2 IP last week.

Heath Bell (Padres)

Bell has enjoyed the Padres success this year just as much as anyone else on the team.