Opinion

According to MLB.com, Mets manager Jerry Manuel is leaning toward batting Daniel Murphy second in the Mets lineup to begin the 2009 season.

Earlier this winter, Manuel hinted shortstop Jose Reyes might bat third.  While every indication shows that he is returning to the top of the lineup, I was beginning to warm to the idea that Reyes could provide speed in the middle of the order with guys like Wright, Delgado, and Beltran right behind him.

If Reyes was going to bat third, I would welcome with open arms the possibility of Murphy batting second.

Here's a suggestion.

To make room for players who truly belong in the Hall of Fame, like Bert Blyleven, Tommy John, and Andre Dawson, let's toss out the members who, unaccountably, inexplicably, mysteriously, achieved "immortality."

How's that for a neat piece of revisionist history?

No need for comparisons between players from different eras.

No need to adjust earned runs averages or batting averages.

No need to employ a laundry list of sabermetrics to quantify a player's worthiness.

Just employ a little common sense.

Please.

With only 11 days until the start of the regular season, Pedro Martinez still finds himself without a home.

Is he worried about it? No.

For the past month, Pedro has been linked in rumors to many clubs, including the Mets, Astros, Dodgers, Orioles, and Royals.

Pedro has already said that he won't chase the Mets and beg them for a contract deal.

On that note, the Mets seem content to let Pedro walk out the door.

"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.

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."

Curt Schilling announced his retirement yesterday, which immediately begs the question of whether he belongs in the Hall of Fame.

No.

There, now that the suspense is gone, let me explain.

There are really only two arguments for Curt Schilling going to the Hall of Fame. These are, in the order of their importance:

As the waning weeks of spring training come to a close, we are reminded of the troubles that Philadelphia Phillies have trying to fill openings in the starting rotation, and bullpen.

A lot of players' major league lives are on the line. A bad outing here, a blown game there, and the next thing you know your back to triple-A trying to figure out what exactly went wrong, and how to fix it.