MLB

• Year: 1996
• Record: 53-109 (second most losses in franchise history)
• Win Percentage: .327
• Win Percentage Change: -90 from the year before
• Run Differential: -320
• Pythagorean Record: 56-106
• AL Finish: 14th of 14 teams
• Manager: Buddy Bell
• Best Transaction: This one is arguably Randy Smith’s best move as GM of the Tigers, he sent pitcher Greg Gohr to the Angels for Damion Easley. Gohr was a bust with the Tigers and the Angels thought they could get him on track.
  

If you're a veteran catcher, have your agent give the Houston Astros a phone call. The 'Stros just might need your services.

That's because 36-year-old Chris Coste, acquired by Houston earlier this year after the Philadelphia Phillies had placed him on waivers, has rejected the team's outright assignment to Triple-A Round Rock and is now a free agent.

In the minutes preceding the Yankees' miraculous, positively 2001-esque, one-run rally in the ninth inning last night against the Phillies, my friends and I attempted to glean any positive developments from a disheartening evening.

The conversation went something like this:

Dan: Um, CC battled through without his best stuff.

Howie: Yeah, definitely. 

(Awkward silence)

Howie: Marte did his job.

Dan: Oh yeah.

(Extended pause of sorrow)

(Also featured on Rotoprofessor.com)

While most 20-year-olds are in the midst of their college careers, a different type of career has begun for a Detroit Tigers pitcher.

One of the more highly touted prospects coming into this season, Rick Porcello slid into the fifth spot of the Tigers' rotation and proved that even the least experienced arms can have success in the major leagues.

The boo birds are lying in wake. They are getting ready to let loose a tirade the likes of which have not been seen in a very long time in the Bronx. Last night there were rumblings, signs of things to come.

Despite the fact that Alex Rodriguez was hitting over .430 in the post season and hit clutch tying home runs late in games, here he was on baseball’s greatest stage with the opportunity to completely bury his past failures and finally be accepted as a true blue New York Yankee.

So the guy that brought in Esmailyn “Smiley” Gonzalez was unjustifiably fired ?

A Dominican Republic tribunal has ordered the Washington Nationals to pay US$40,000 in damages to a scout who was fired after signing a prospect who lied about his age.

Jose Baez, the Nationals’ former director of operations in the Dominican Republic, sued the team for what he said was an unjustified firing. The court issued its order last week.

In the Cubs' 133 year old history, the team has been owned by one of the founders of the National League, a sporting goods mogul, a chewing gum company, and a media company. The newest owner to the list, a family of Cubs fans.

On Tuesday, Tom Ricketts officially took control of the Cubs and 25-percent of Comcast Sportsnet. The deal was valued at $845 million.

Family members Todd, Tom, Pete, and Laura will form a board of directors. The Tribune Company will hold a five-percent interest in the team and sit on the board. Tom Ricketts will be the chairman.

Old glory never dies—it just repeats itself into oblivion.

The World Series isn’t what it was. It’s also, thankfully, still what it is. As America limps its way out of the Great Recession, there’s reason to doubt whether We the People will ever regain our position of global preeminence—which would be worse news if we couldn’t at least find peace in the praxis of our national pastime.

Habit is what you do without thought.

Ritual, on the other hand, is what you do to stop thinking.

Not only does Cliff Lee compLEEte me, he pulled another compLEEte game out of his hat. His domination of the team with the best record in the majors, the most home runs, and the highest payroll was something out of a storybook.

Hey, they should act that out on Broadway.

Wait, they are.