Opinion

There has been a lot of chatter pertaining to the relatively uninspiring play this month by the Reds, and how their lack of " momentum" could lead to a short postseason run.

Well, based on history, there isn't really any "right" way to get into the final field of eight.

All that matter is getting there, and it doesn't matter if your mode of transportation is via a Corvette, or Geo Metro.

A total of 45,302 Phanatics packed into Citizens Bank Park on Sunday afternoon fully expecting to see the Philadelphia Phillies end the day by celebrating their fourth straight division championship.  As long as the Braves lost, of course.

Mariano Rivera has been as consistent a player as any in professional sports. His prowess in the playoffs is simply unmatched by all challengers. While every year there seems to be a hot new closer that everyone is in love with, the New York Yankees' not-so-secret weapon has been terrorizing opposing hitters for years.

Not many pitchers with a 12-12 record would ever make a compelling case to win a Cy Young Award. But Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners not only has a legitimate case, he is the most deserving to win in the American League.

Don't ask. It's a bad idea.

The only reason the suggestion even need be entertained is because it's already been put forward. People who over-analyze everything and think they know which of the final six games of the season will be most important are calling for the Giants to pull Barry Zito from the starting rotation and get Tim Lincecum two starts this week.

What do you think of when you read or hear "Every Four Years?" The Presidential elections?  The Olympics?  World Cup Soccer?

Nope, not if you are a fan of the San Diego Padres' infielder David Eckstein.

"Every Four Years" means David Eckstein wins a World Series.

The list of things that went right with the 2010 Seattle Mariners season starts and ends with Felix Hernandez.

King Felix should be the favorite for the Cy Young after a stellar season that includes a 2.31 ERA (second in baseball), a 1.06 WHIP (tied for fourth in baseball), and 227 strikeouts (second in baseball). 

Ichiro Suzuki is pretty good too, recording his 10th straight 200-hit season early last week.

After that, however, the Mariners roster is a collection of misfits, underachievers, over-the-hill veterans, and colossal busts. 

With all of the troubles with its parent club in 2010, the Pirates AA affiliate Altoona Curve and the High-A affiliate Bradenton Marauders recently completed very successful seasons.

In case you haven't noticed, or have been too turned off by the latest 100 loss season by the Pirates, most of the real talent in the organization are currently playing at one of these two levels.

All of the trades and all of the last three successful drafts will wind up paying off in the form of these talented young players. For once, the Pirates have "real" prospects.

It was a good run...right?

The Yankees defeated the Red Sox 4-3 in extra innings last night, a game that featured late inning dramatics from both sides.

The Yankees had a 3-2 lead going into the top of the ninth inning with Mariano Rivera on the hill.

Yet the resilient Sox would not go away. Ryan Kalish singled with one out, stole second, stole third, and scored on a Bill Hall single.

After all these years we still don’t know what makes an MVP in Major League Baseball. Is it the player with the best stats, the player that does the best on a playoff team or the player that is most indispensable to his team.

Well Cabrera has options one and three sewn up.

Some will still make the case for a Josh Hamilton, Robinson Cano, Jose Bautista, or even Paul Konerko, but none have Cabrera’s stats or are more important to their respective teams.