MLB

The 2009 Major League Baseball Season is full of surprises, lost expectations, new heroes and fallen goats. The Los Angeles Dodgers have the best record in the Major Leagues with a 40-22 mark, a .645 winning percentage. All this is accomplished without the player some claim is the best in baseball - Manny Ramirez, out on a 50-game substance abuse suspension. Veteran Juan Pierre's play, taking full advantage of Ramirez's absence, is a big reason why the Dodger's are baseball's best team to date.

With top prospect Matt Wieters finally in Baltimore, there is finally excitement around Camden Yards. Before we analyze why this kid will be a superstar, let's go on a journey to see how he got to Baltimore.

It started on May 21, 1986, where Matthew Richard Wieters was born in Goose Creek, SC. Because he was so big, it would be difficult to determine what position he would play, but at Stratford High School, he played catcher.

Clearly, it's time for Jimmy Breslin to update his wonderful book about the 1962 Mets, Can Anybody Here Play This Game?

It’s time for a sequel about the 2009 version of New York’s National League baseball team—the team whose second baseman, Luis Castillo, gift-wrapped Game One of the Subway Series and handed it to the Yankees, 9-8.

Either you watched Castillo’s comedy act on television or in person Friday night at Yankee Stadium or you’ve seen the video:

It wasn't really a pretty game for the Philadelphia Phillies.

They looked to hand down the Red Sox at home in Citizen's Bank Park. After a successful road trip and being the No. 1 team in the MLB on the road, the Phillies weren't the team for home. They fell to 12-15 at home while Boston improved to 16-16 on the road as the BoSox slaughtered the Phillies, 5-2, in a 13-inning matchup.

I wouldn't particularly call it a "slaughter" but I just like to put things in my own "fancy" way. But as you can see right here, it's a slaughter:

Filed: June 12, 2009

Milton Bradley reacts to his eighth-inning blooper Friday (Cubbie Nation/file)

Click here for the photo gallery of Friday's game.

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<![endif]--> Before 2004, the Red Sox notoriously chased the Yankees for the top spot in the American League East for almost a century.

Then, Dave Roberts stole second base in Game Four of the 2004 ALCS, and the rest was history. Literally.

Okay, let's be honest...something in the rotation in Minnesota has got a fix. Someone doesn't belong. A sub .500 record is not exactly what the Twins had for expectations midway through June.

With injuries and a shaky lineup, the Twins remain only 3.5 games back in a lagging Central division. Somehow, despite being able to reach the fifth inning for most of the starting rotation, they've managed to remain in the hunt for a division title.

But to know who belongs or not, lets take a gander at what Minnesota has to offer at this point...

Herb Pennock, Lefty Gomez, and Whitey Ford are the only left-handed Yankees' pitchers in the Hall of Fame.

Now that Andy Pettitte is near the end of his pitching days, there is some speculation with respect to whether Pettitte should be a Hall of Famer.

Comparing Andy to Herb Pennock helps creates perspective.

Some of Andy Pettitte's Statistics

Andy was with the Yankees from 1995-2003. He signed with the Astros in 2004 to be with his friend Roger Clemens, and returned to the Yankees in 2007.

• Date: June 13, 2009
• Time: 7:05 p.m.
• Teams: Detroit Tigers at Pittsburgh Pirates
• Park: PNC Park
• Weather: 72 degrees and cloudy, 30 percent chance of rain
• Starting Pitchers: Aramando Galarraga (3-6, 5.19)  Zach Duke (6-4, 3.07)
• Records: Detroit (34-27)  Pittsburgh (28-33)
• Last 10 Games: Detroit (6-4)  Pi