Opinion

In a moment of profound muscle confusion, Ronald Belisario forgot how to float an easy outside ball while attempting to intentionally walk Michael Brantley at the end of Monday night's game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Indians.

1. Hot Times, Summer in New York City

The trend lines are going in the wrong direction if you’re wearing pinstripes. The Yankees started this week in third place for the first time since April 20.

They owned at least a share of first place in the AL East for 20 consecutive days, from May 26 through June 14. They held at least a share of first place for 48 of 66 days this season, and owned sole possession of first place for 39 of 66 days.

The All-Star Game is July 14 and the Oakland A's have several quality candidates that could head to Cincinnati to represent the American League.

Unfortunately, fan voting seems like it will knock out many of those candidates, from Oakland and many other teams, in place of much less deserving players. Because of that, the likelihood the A's send more than a player or two are slim.

He's coming back. Whisper it, sing it, shout it from the mountaintop—Jose Fernandez of the Miami Marlins, arguably the most exciting young arm in baseball, is about to pitch in a big league game for the first time in more than a year. 

The Boston Red Sox don't have an ace starting pitcher. I've said it. Chances are you've probably said it as well. It's been the consensus since, well, ever.

Clay Buchholz, however, begs to differ.

The injury affects us all. 

Giancarlo Stanton’s bad luck continued Friday night as he injured his left wrist whiffing on a swing against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 2015 Major League Baseball season has now been going on for 12 whole weeks, and yet it keeps giving us fun and exciting things to talk about.

How do we know this? Mainly because—duh and/or hello—it's baseball! But we also know there are fun and exciting things to talk about because talking about fun and exciting things is what we're here for.

Admit it: Somewhere around the fifth inning of Max Scherzer's start Friday night against the Philadelphia Phillies, you were expecting history. Not just hoping for it or believing it was possible. You assumed it would happen.

The Mets are 37-37 and about a week from being halfway done with their 2015 season. The season got off to a great start and was highlighted by an 11-game winning streak. More recently, though, the Mets have struggled, and that is why they currently have a .500 record.

The hype machine is out of service.

Disappointment has surpassed hope as the overwhelming emotion. 

A scapegoat has already been unfairly blamed because it was the easiest, most predictable target.