Opinion

In this past off-season, the New York Yankees needed a bat.  Having no Hideki Matsui or Johnny Damon, they need someone to fill an outfield void.  So, they did what they always do: they got who they wanted.

This past Monday, the New York Yankees unveiled the largest plaque ever displayed in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium, a seven-by-five-foot, 760-pound monument dedicated to the Yankees long-time owner, George Steinbrenner, towers over the plaques dedicated to Yankee legends Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Joe DiMaggio.

Some people believe that the monument is too large. Others believe that the plaque is appropriate.

by Lake Cruise, September 26, 2010 

Startled by the news that Joe Torre is vacating the Los Angeles Dodgers’ dugout next season, I started to wonder if Saint Louis Cardinals’ manager Tony La Russa needs to resign.

Torre’s decision resulted in Peter Gammons also questioning Tony La Russa’s future, and Gammons mentioned Saint Louis as a possible destination for Torre if La Russa steps down.

Can we really look through the historical legacy of Major League Baseball and say that out of all of the great arms that have stymied hitters for the past century that Cy Young was the greatest of them all? I, personally, don't think so. That is completely up to debate, as is almost all things baseball, and especially the Cy Young award and how it has evolved into the most prestigious pitching award given away in the Major Leagues.

The Mets were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Tuesday. However, with 10 games left in the season, fans should not stop supporting the team. I am completely aware that it is football season and there are two exciting teams in New York. The Jets, behind Rex Ryan (you either love him or hate him), are looking to improve on last season's AFC Championship game appearance.

As the New York Yankees thrust towards the playoffs, with a magic number of three as of this writing, some postseason roster decisions still loom large.

At this point, the concern for the Yankees is their pitching. Yes, CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes, and most of the bullpen will be fine. But beyond that (the other two starters) the Yankees have some issues.

Commissioner Bud Selig said in an interview today that he would be open to revisiting discussions about expanding the postseason.

"It's a fair question. We have less teams than any other sport. Eight teams make the playoffs. One wild card in each league. We certainly haven't abused anything."

Major League Baseball explored the idea several years ago, but never came to a decision.

One month ago and this conversation would not have even scratched the surface of Red Sox nation.

But after Jed Lowrie's 4-for-4 performance (including a home run and three singles) in a 10-8 win over the New York Yankees, the debate suddenly becomes a valid one.

Lowrie has become Boston's starting shortstop after a rotator cuff injury sidelined opening day starter Marco Scutaro.

Scutaro will be healthy for 2011 and will be in the final year of his contract. Lowrie, however, will also be healthy for a change and offers more upside than the 34-year old journeyman. 

There has been some argument the past couple of years whether baseball should expand their playoff format.

The argument being that very few teams are in the playoffs and often times half the teams are out by the All-Star break, meaning that half the fans have little to no interest in baseball any longer.

So would it help if baseball decided to expand the playoffs from 8 teams to let’s say 12 or possibly 16? Well, how about we lay out a format for two potential different playoff systems.

The 2010 Major League Baseball season is winding down. Here is who should win the major awards for each league and who will actually win the awards.

For each league, I'll examine the Most Valuable Player awards, Cy Young awards, Rookie of the Year awards, Silver Sluggers, and Gold Gloves.

Also included is the fringe players who should also be considered for the awards.

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