MLB

With the decade coming to an end tomorrow at midnight, let’s take a look back at the Boston Red Sox top 10 individual seasons from 2000-2009:

No 10: Tie—Championship Performances

Curt Schilling, 2004

Is He on the Block—Or Not?

There is a rumor going around that Carlos Zambrano, Chicago Cubs ace, is headed out of the Windy City via a trade.

May I add that my ambiguously worded article regarding the Mets' offseason intentions may have added some legs to that rumor.

The facts are—there are no facts. Which is why if you re-read my piece you will see that the trade of Zambrano to the Mets for Luis Castillo is "a possibility," not a solid lead.

Since the blunder that sent George Sherrill, Adam "I'm not Pacman" Jones, Chris Tillman, and two others for Erik Bedard, the Seattle Mariners have played as if they were trying to win a Class 3A high school championship, not a World Series.

However, there has been a shift in the AL West.

When the Yankees signed Nick Johnson as DH for approximately $5.5M base pay, I thought that it was a very solid move.   Nick Johnson "keeps the line moving," wears down starting pitchers and gets on base, which is not a bad think in a lineup including Rodriguez, Teixeira, and Posada behind him.

Very shortly thereafter, the Yankees traded Melky Cabrera and two prospect pitchers for Javier Vazquez.  Nothing wrong with that trade either.

Every year, hundreds of rookies touch down in the major leagues for the first time. Each has the same goal: to demonstrate to his team and the fans that he has what it takes to be a baseball star.

Luckily for them, they have a generous margin of error should they not immediately succeed. While the fans might not be patient, managers usually are; most people who matter understand that it takes time to transition to the big show.

Unfortunately, not everyone has this safety net.

Washington DC

By Patrick Read

The new year is looming around the corner, and with 2010 comes the knowledge that Spring Training will begin in just a couple short months.

If you were looking to pick your greatest ever Philadelphia Phillies lineup based on single-season offensive performances, where would you start?

Do Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, and Chase Utley deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Von Hayes, Juan Samuel, and Larry Bowa?

Is Chuck Klein the greatest outfielder ever? Is the past worth more the present? Is power more important than speed?

It all points to one all-encompassing question with hundreds of possibilities: Which Phillie had the greatest offensive season at his position?

After a long hiatus, my obsession with uniform aesthetics continues with a look at Major League Baseball's road and alternate caps.

The baseball hat plays the integral role in a baseball uniform and it is one of the great American inventions and traditions we've ever seen.

Be aware that this list constitues hats worn only during the 2009 season and will not include teams that do not have road or alternate caps (Yankees, Dodgers, Angels, etc.).