MLB

After Brian Bruney blew the hold against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night, he had yet to pitch in another game for the Yankees until yesterday. At that moment in the Tuesday night game, I said to myself that Phil Hughes should remain in the game as he cruised through a nine pitch seventh inning. But Girardi stuck to the book and here came his "eighth inning guy."

If you were to say that Yovani Gallardo is one of the best young pitchers in baseball, no one should give you a funny look or call you crazy.  If he had been healthy last season, maybe the baseball world would regard him among the elite already, but two separate knee injuries limited him to just four starts, certainly slowing his progress.

In 2009, however, he is making his case, posting the following line:

Here are a few thoughts that I had during the All-Star selection:

[11:59]

 Waiting for the All-Star selection show to start, flipping between the epic Wimbledon battle and TBS.

[12:01]

Wow. Boomer got skinnier, not skinny, just less fat. But who cares about David Wells highlights? Get to the selecting. How does Ernie Johnson have a job? Oh yeah, Daddy.

[12:03]

One thing is for sure about these Florida Marlins: They are streaky.

They were the hottest team in baseball in April. Then in May they flat-lined and fell several games behind the NL East leading Phillies. Then in June they were one of the hottest teams in baseball again.

Now the Marlins find themselves one game out first in the NL East with a bright future.

Why a bright future you ask?

Because the much-hyped Marlins pitching staff is finally living up to its expectation.

Throughout baseball's rich history, there as always been one goal for every young boy to have picked up a bat or a ball—make it to "The Show."

"The Show" is, among baseball players and purists, code for Major League Baseball.

Although there are three other professional levels in baseball, making it to the big leagues is the gold standard for baseball success. Of all the players that have made it to their ultimate goal, 1,480 have appeared in only one game.

This list takes a look at who made the best, and the worst, of their one shot at glory.

Seventy years ago today on July 4, 1939, New York Yankees legend Lou Gehrig made one of the most famous speeches in sport's history with his "Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth" speech.

In this speech, Gehrig told fans at Yankee Stadium he was grateful for the great career he had, and for all of the support he got from everyone around him during his life.

Bobby Cox is a smart manager, but his old-school approach to managing a bullpen cost Tommy Hanson a win on Saturday.

A big reason why the Boston Red Sox have won two World Series in the last five years is because a bunch of arms in the bullpen are rested after they've pitched two or three days in a row.

The Braves do have that luxury—as Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez are closers. Both have been very good this year, but Cox has for years depended too heavily on his most reliable relievers.

Saturday afternoon's game in Washington was a prime example.

Today's game versus the Nats is one that just makes you sick to your stomach.

Seven innings of one-run ball from your starter, a solid performance from your offense, and your normally shut-down eighth and ninth inning guys are coming in to finish the job.

Just the recipe that had won the Braves five straight before today.

Accredit it to arm fatigue, lack of focus, the Nationals' offense, or whatever you want. It's still a heartbreaker to blow a lead late, especially when your team's 30-1 (I believe that's right), when leading after seven.

Jason Giambi apologized when he returned to the Yankees after testifying before a grand jury to admit he had used steroids. Friday night, at a postgame conference, it was Manny Ramirez doing the exact same thing, just in a slight difference.

My, how things have changed in baseball with fan perception of players using performance-enhancing drugs. In a span of less than a decade, we have gone from running players out of the game completely to adapting to the situation.

Friday night’s return of Manny Ramirez from a 50-game suspension due to testing positive of banned substances was a sign of the times where a majority of baseball fans have collectively said, “I love the game and this is what it is, Play Ball!“