MLB

Alex Rodriguez will break Barry Bonds’ career home run record—and he won’t need to hit 73 in one year to do it.

If he can play seven more years and average 30 home runs each year (he’s averaged 44 so far), that’s all he’ll need. Even assuming he’ll decline a bit in his 30's, he still looks a good bet to get there.

Keep in mind that from age 33 to 39, Bonds averaged 47 home runs per season. Rodriguez would break his record by averaging 17 fewer over the same period of his career.

Well, well; take a couple of weeks off and look what happens to the Washington Nationals.

I hope they don't expect me to clean up the mess.

Two weeks into the season and the Washington Nationals are in last place in the National League East. That's not unexpected. Their record is 2-10.

That's crazy.

But wait a minute. Before we write the team off as a "laughing stock" as so many national journalists and sports reporters already have, let's look a little deeper into all those layers of statistics that makes following baseball so much fun.

My friend Moorphrang is from Nepal and he recently visited me. In order to introduce him to some true American culture, I decided to take him to see an afternoon game at Yankee Stadium.

We decided to see the Cleveland Indians against the Yankees on Saturday afternoon last. I checked online and realized that even at the last minute I could still get four tickets for seats three rows from the field just a little to the third base side of home plate.

The lineup for today's game has been posted and here it is:

Jeter(ss)
Damon(lf)
Teixeira(1b)
Posada(c)
Cano(2b)
Swisher(rf)
Matsui(dh)
Ransom(3b)
Gardner(cf)

Some notes courtesy of Peter Abraham:

The Yankees are batting .125 with runners in scoring position at home so far this year.

Brian Bruney has retired 20 straight batters; his last seven outings are 6.2 perfect innings striking out twelve.

Cincinnati Reds vs. Chicago Cubs

Free Pick: Cincinnati Reds
April 21, 2009 8:05 PM: Baseball Odds
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I am hopeful the Yankees will play tonight, since it has only been misting all morning, but I'm not sure what is going to happen tonight. If the game is played it will be Andy Pettitte vs. Dana Eveland. Jason Giambi must be chomping at the bit to get started, as he makes his return I am sure to applause. The Big G is a character and the fans have grown to love him.

With two weeks behind us in this young baseball season, there are a high number of what could be called "surprise teams" in baseball right now. There are also a number of teams that are underperforming expert expectations. Allow me to come to your aid and provide hope to the hopeless and rain on a few parades.

1. Florida Marlins

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Houston Astros o9.0 (-125)
Tue April 21st 2009 8:05p - MLB Baseball Odds
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The Los Angeles Dodgers have one of the hottest offenses in baseball, and while the Houston Astros have been struggling, the Dodgers may carry this Over by teeing off on Russ Ortiz.

San Diego Padres vs. San Francisco Giants u7.0
Tue April 21st 2009 10:15p - Baseball Odds
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This is why I said making the moves, as the Angel's front office did, made no sense.  The moves limited our control of the situation and basically left us with less options.