MLB

The Five Great Pitching Trios

It hasn’t occurred very often that three pitchers rise to the challenge and cause a team to ascend to great heights because of their efforts. The stars aligned for this to occur about once an era. 

The formula would be something like this—you take a staff ace, a great pitcher, bring up a good rookie, and trade for a promising pitcher someone else might not value so much. Every once in a while everything clicked.

The Philadelphia Phillies are set to open its free agent signing as soon as next week with the signing of free agent utility man Juan Castro, late of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The signing appears imminent, according to his agent, who added in a Philadelphia Inquirer report that Castro is out of the country and has to pass a physical to make the signing official.

It's all over the Internet: the Boston Red Sox are making a huge push for Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay.

Year: 1960

Record: 71-83

Win Percentage: .461

Win Percentage Change: -33

Run Differential: -11

Pythagorean Record: 76-78

AL Finish: 6th of 8

Manager: Jimmie Dykes, Billy Hitchcock and Joe Gordon

I'm 23 years old, and along with my family, friends, and a handful of great girls, sports have been one of the loves of my life. I grew up gazing in awe at a gliding Michael Jordan, wanting to mash homers like Ken Griffey Jr., and wondering why every running back couldn't reverse fields like Barry Sanders. (Of course now I realize how unique Barry was). And as I watched the superstars do their thing for other teams, I had my own personal favorites to worry about: the Mets, Jets, and Islanders. Maybe you know where this one is going...

There wasn't a murmur of protest.

In 1934, Lou Gehrig won the American League's Triple Crown, batting .363, hitting a career high 49 home runs, and driving in 165 runs.

Detroit Tigers' playing manager, Mickey Cochrane, was voted the American League's Most Valuable Player.

Rumors have been flying about him since the trade deadline last July. Padre fans, as well as the San Diego media, sat on the edge of their seats as the hours and minutes ticked away, wondering if Adrian Gonzalez was about to be traded.

The deadline came, and the news that followed shocked everybody when it was learned that it was Jake Peavy that had been dealt and not Gonzalez.

Now that the offseason is in full swing, the Gonzalez rumors have started to fly once more—though this time they don't involve the Boston Red Sox.

As you know, Albert Pujols won his second consecutive National League Most Valuable Player Award. He didn't just win it, he won it unanimously. Every single voter had him as their No. 1 pick.

Pujols' exploits have been well chronicled. I think he is the best baseball player who is currently playing baseball on Planet Earth. Some would disagree, but that is the prerogative of baseball fans everywhere.

While we shower Prince Albert with praise that he is absolutely deserving of, I would like to ask a question. Is he the best player to ever play for the St. Louis Cardinals?  

I remember being about five or six years old and writing a letter to Santa every year around Thanksgiving. I would grab a sheet of the paper with the HUGE lines, and write a list as long as I could, with the smallest chicken scratch handwriting I could muster. It would include all things Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, or Darkwing Duck. And I would never get everything I wanted, but if I had gotten just one or two of the items on my list, I would always be exceptionally happy.

I expect this list to have a similar effect.