MLB

Now is not a good time to be a Mets fan. Injuries to three key everyday players have left the Mets with what looks like a AAA lineup that can’t score any runs. The possible return of Oliver Perez this week sounds like nails scratching on a chalkboard. Oh yeah, and the team with the best record in baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers, come to town for a three-game set starting Tuesday.

Since the end of the 2006 season, San Francisco Giants' general manager Brian Sabean has found himself on the hot seat.

In that time span, the Giants have not won more than 76 games, and have consistently been a non-factor in the National League West.

To make matters worse, it doesn't help Sabean's case that every team in the division has made a playoff appearance in that time span except for the Giants.

It has been a long seven years since the Giants were one inning away from winning a World Series title, and the fans haven't been too happy about it.

In a laugher, the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Cincinnati Reds by three touchdowns last night, 22-1, led by a stunning 95-yard interception return for one of the touchdowns by cornerback Shane Victorino.

Phillies quarterback Cole Hamels threw for 275 yards and a touchdown before giving way to backup QB Scott Eyre. Kevin Kolb was unavailable.

"I was really in the zone tonight," said Hamels, who completed 17 of 20 passes with no interceptions. "The protection was amazing, and how about that catch and run by (Philadelphia Tight End) Ryan (Howard)?"

I will start off by giving credit to Alex Akita, who's article "Top-11: Most Randomly Awesome Seattle Mariners of All-Time" was the inspiration for this article.

CHICAGO—The Chicago Cubs cut the St. Louis Cardinals' lead in the National League Central to two games after they beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2, behind the arm of rookie pitcher Randy Wells and the bat of Derrek Lee.

Wells (4-3) has won four straight starts after going 0-3 in his first six outings with the Cubs. 

The 26-year-old rookie has really lacked run support from the Chicago offense, but lately, it's been just enough. He went six strong innings, struck out four batters, allowed two runs, and did not allow any walks.

The Giants sit seven and a half games out of first place and hold the lead of the wild card.

They have 44 wins with seven games left before the All-Star Break.

Did anybody expect them to be here? If anybody says yes, they are lying to you and themselves.

Pablo Sandoval has been more than advertised and Tim Lincecum has been his Cy Young-self again. Not to mention Matt Cain has started to show the potential we all knew he had.

The New York Yankees have reached the halfway point of the season at 48-33, four games better than last season at this time (44-37), and have won 10 of their last 11 games entering their Monday afternoon tilt against the Toronto Blue Jays.

With the team at the exact midpoint of the season, now is a great time to assess how the players are performing this year.

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Every time I watch a baseball game I always have the same question: What is that thing on the hitter's thumbs? After being told, "I don't know" and, "Move your face off the screen" for the hundredth time, I took it upon myself to investigate.

As you watch some of your favorite hitters, check out their thumb on the hand closest to the end of the bat. Some of them are sporting a little tab of plastic that sits between the bat and the space between the thumb and the rest of your fingers.