MLB

"The Yankees have their dynasty. Now, let's make the Orioles a winning dynasty." This statement was made by Orioles owner Peter Angelos at the beginning of his tenure as Orioles owner. I say, "Hey Pete, what winning dynasty?!"

Most Orioles fans today still remember this statement. Nowadays, it has become a complete joke, after 11 straight losing seasons. However, the Baltimore Orioles still remain one of the most-storied franchises in the history of baseball. They had many winning seasons in the '60s, '70s, early '80s, and early-to-mid '90s.

Dear America,

The World Series should no longer hold that title. For the title "World Series" implies the whole world.

So why are the World Series Champs called the World Champions?

Because MLB teams are the best, right?

Wrong.

The days of American baseball dominance have long been over and it has taken until now to prove it.

By defeating Korea for their second straight World Baseball Classic championship, Japan has a legitimate claim to call themselves the World's best baseball nation.

It seems that since October of last season, it's become en vogue to repeat a single word so as to focus on one's goal.

For President Obama, it's "economy," his work in progress.

For the Seattle Mariners it's "transformation," and they've mostly completed it.

Clubhouse chemistry, defense, the back end of the rotation, power in the lineup, and the bullpen were all addressed this offseason.

The M's traded away J.J. Putz, Jeremy Reed, Luis Valbuena, and Sean Green in a swap that brought defense and power. It also rid the team of locker room poison.

Not only did Michael Young have to spend his Spring Training learning an entirely new position, but now he is dealing with a left quadriceps injury that continues to nag him.

This past weekend he missed back-to-back games after feeling some tightness in his left quad.  On Tuesday he returned to the lineup, but was only able to last one inning.

After singling in the top part of the first inning and then playing the field in the bottom part, he was pulled from the game. 

Since their appearance in the 2005 World Series, the Astros have constantly been given very low expectations, preseason. This season is no different, with many figuring the Astros will only be a .500 team. However, I believe that if the teams stays somewhat healthy, it have a real chance to surprise some people.

Why, oh why, is Opening Night not a day game? I need your help.

I know the official reason is that the Padres don't want to fly cross-country to play a day game. Why do the Padres have to play the Mets the second week of the season? I never remember the schedule being like that.

Why couldn't Bud Selig use his powers of baseball to make the Padres play a day game? Why couldn't the Mets play Tuesday and risk the rain-out? It's not like they won't make us sit there for hours anyway. (See Yankees, Opening Day 2008.)

While SS Tim Beckham was tabbed for greatness the second Tampa Bay announced that they would go with him at No. 1, the White Sox were sitting on their haunches, ready to strike. With the eighth pick in the 2008 MLB Amateur Draft, the ChiSox went with Gordon Beckham. Gordon shares a surname and position with Tim Beckham—but not much else.

On April 4, 2009 the San Diego Padres will kick off their 40th season in Major League Baseball. In contrast, FOX's popular animated sitcom "The Simpsons" is in the midst of its 20th season on television.

They've had a more successful run than the Padres, too.

In those four decades, San Diego has yet to obtain a World Series championship and boast a grand total of one win in the Fall Classic.

After moving into Petco Park at the start of the 2004 season, the Padres' fortunes seemed to change somewhat, with four consecutive winning seasons and two NL West crowns.

On Mar. 5, 2009, 16 teams started a tournament of unique proportions. It wasn't 16 teams from the U.S. or from Europe; it was 16 teams from around the world.

When people think of a world sport, they think of soccer, or futbol to my European friends. They think of the World Cup. However this was not soccer or the World Cup, it was the American past-time of baseball.

I remember watching a Robin Williams stand-up on HBO referring to the World Cup.

"Everyone plays it. Not like the World Series, 'cause the French don't have a baseball team."