MLB

It is hard for a baseball player to get attention playing in South Florida. You have to be good, real good, before the baseball world starts to notice.

Just ask Josh Johnson. He is one of baseball's best pitchers, yet even the local Miami Herald did not include him in a comparison of the league's best.

Last season, he returned to the Marlins after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2007 after beginning the season 0-3 with a 7.47 ERA. Look at what the kid has done since then:

As the 2009 season progresses, there are plenty of issues on the minds of not only the Cubs organization, but also Cubs fans alike.

The high-powered offense of last year—the same offense that was supposed to thrust the team into this year—has been eerily quiet. The talented pitching rotation that made so many strides last year has been marginally acceptable this year, and the bullpen that was touted as one of the best a year ago has yet to separate itself from the average.

Baseball truly is something special.

It’s more than a simple sport or even a game.

Baseball involves feelings and emotions, and in result, can create a special bond between a father and a son.

With Carlos Beltran headed for an MRI tomorrow and still no sign of Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, and Oliver Perez, I think now is an appropriate time to discuss trading for someone who could provide some steady offense, especially if Beltran hits the DL.

The problem for the Mets is they have very few trade chips to work with.

Earlier in the week I took a look at the 10 worst hitters BABIP to see who could be in line for a drastic improvement (click here to view). Today, let’s take a look at starting pitchers who have been succeeding, and potentially are sell high candidates, thanks to a tremendous BAIBP (I’m setting it with a 40 inning minimum). 

Another day, another walk off win for the Chicago Cubs. Earlier in the week when the Cubs' offense struggled mightily, I would never have guessed that these last three games would have ended the way they have. Overcoming huge deficits and coming up in the clutch, it may look like the Cubs have started to turn the offense around.

The Minnesota Twins have spent most of June slowly gaining ground on the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central.

Early next month, the Twins could quickly gain ground on the rest of the Major League Baseball when it comes to high-profile international signings.

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Matt Cain is coming into tonight’s start against the Texas Rangers as a rising star. His stock around the league is rising, and fans across the nation are starting to know his name.

Yet Cain should not be looked upon as a new arm. After all, he’s compiled almost four full years of major-league service time, and has been playing professionally for the last eight.

In the first game I have attended since moving back to Seattle, the Mariners rallied from a three-run deficit to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-3.

Ken Griffey Jr. hit a two-run pinch hit homerun in eighth inning to tie the game and Rob Johnson had the go-ahead RBI as the Mariners earned a victory in their MLB-leading 27th one-run game.

The Diamondbacks drew first blood, scoring two runs in the third inning after a costly throwing error by Mariners SP Jarrod Washburn. A Miguel Montero solo homerun in the fourth inning gave the Diamondbacks an early 3-0 lead.

As we are now approaching the half way point of their first full season, I thought it would be a good idea to check up on some of last seasons highly regarded draft picks.  Among the many 2008 Draft picks was a solid core of arms again. 

Dave Dombrowski drafted solid relievers that could be MLB ready soon to put some Neosporin and a band aide on a wounded Tiger bullpen. With that said lets take a look at some of our newest Tigers that are earning their stripes.