MLB

This article originally appeared at the Baltimore Sports Report.

Finally, after many weeks of watching and waiting for the left field dilemma in Baltimore to subside, we watch as youngster Nolan Reimold rushes out onto the field. 

On May 5 of this year, the New York Yankees were hurt badly when they lost starting catcher Jorge Posada to injury. Posada already had five homers and 20 RBI and was looking good as new.

This injury wasn't a surprise, though, because Posada has been banged up for a while. 

But there was no need to worry, as the Yankees had a dependable backup in Jose Molina. 

And for two days, Molina started until he went down himself with a quad injury on May 8.

Immediately following his appearance on ESPN's First Take, in the midst of a 30-game hitting streak, Ryan Zimmerman proceeded to go 0-for-3 in the Washington Nationals' 6-3 win over the San Francisco Giants, thus ending his run at history.

The first quarter of the MLB season is coming to a close and it's as good a time as any to take a look back at what we've seen thus far. First, lets take a look at who might win the end-of-season awards if things ended today:

American League MVP - Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays

The rain is starting to become the Arizona Diamondbacks best opponent. Count that now as three straight game days without a loss. They have now been rained out two days in a row. I suppose that’s one way to avoid more losses. You know, eventually a sunny day or a roof will find them and unfortunately they will have to go out and play nine.

The carousel of Red Sox shortstops have not stopped since 2004. 

When whining Nomar Garciaparra was shipped out to Chicago, in the most daring, yet greatest trade in the Theo Epstein era, the Sox have never solidified the position. 

The Sox got in return Orlando Cabrera, who revitalized the Sox and sent them their first World Championship in 86 years.  Cabrera's defense, range, and overall great clubhouse demeanor was pivotal to the Sox.  But, he was a free agent and the Sox let him go.

Since then, the Sox have seen the likes of:

On May 4, 2009 Yankees starting catcher, Jorge Posada, strained his hamstring running the bases. He was put on the disabled list.

Jose Molina took over as the number one catcher and the Yankees called up Francisco Cervelli, the only other catcher on their forty man roster.  Cervelli was playing at Double A Trenton at the time and was hitting .217.

Three days later, May 7, Molina was running home and came up lame with a strained quadriceps.

Before the 2009 season began and when there was hope that Noah Lowry would pitch this year, I wrote a column comparing which pitcher, Lowry or Jonathan Sanchez, would be the better option for the fifth starter spot.

With Lowry missing the previous year because of arm injury after arm injury, it would be a serious accomplishment for him to not just win the final spot in the Giants' rotation, but to just put up a serious fight for it.

I’ve heard some pretty terrible excuses in my day: “I forgot;" “The devil made me do it;” and “Baby, I was drunk.”

But to blame an umpire review on an injury? That, my friends, is a first. And it’s total crap.

New York Yankees reliever Brian Bruney cursed an 8 1/2-minute intermission during an umpires’ video review for causing a strained flexor muscle in his right elbow.

White Sox and Astros players are bundled up to the point where no part of their skin can be seen. What can be seen, however, are their nerves with each breathe they take blowing into the air.

Before each batter steps to the plate he rubs his hands frantically and with each crack of the bat a player's painful grimace can be see as he scampers toward the bases.