Opinion

Coming into this week's series against the Chicago White Sox, it was a do-or-die situation for the Sox. They needed to take at least two from the Twins to stay afloat in the American League Central pennant race.

The Twins went ahead and stepped on the head of the White Sox. Race over.

On June 16, 2010, the San Diego Padres got out of bed and looked up at the Los Angeles Dodgers, who were white-knuckling a half-game lead in the National League West. The next day, the Pads would move into a first-place tie with the Bums and wouldn't relinquish the catbird's seat for the rest of June.

Or July.

Or August.

Or the through the first 16 days of September.

If there were ever a climax for the instant replay debate in baseball, it came on the night of September 15, 2010, when Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter pulled a “Tom Cruise” when batting in the top of the seventh inning.

Last night, Derek Jeter created one of the most controversial moments of this entire baseball season by pretending to get hit by a pitch from Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Chad Qualls and was awarded first base.

With a national TV audience and with this game being in the middle of a heated pennant race, Rays manager Joe Maddon found himself ejected before Yankee center fielder Curtis Granderson hit a two-run home run to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead.

Why would anyone pick the Chicago White Sox to win the American League Central?

I know I sure didn't going into this season and it was simply because they can't beat the Minnesota Twins.

Until the Chicago White Sox prove they can beat the Twins, there is never any reason to pick them to win the AL Central.

Accountability and accuracy are the two of the most important aspects of a fantasy writer’s credibility.

With that in mind, and this being the final installment of By the Numbers for the 2010 season, we’ll be looking back at my pre-draft Target and Avoid series to see how well I did directing your draft selections.

It makes me chuckle.  Really, it does.  I sit back and listen to people, both fans and broadcasters whine and moan about instant replay in baseball. 

When the Arizona Diamondbacks drafted Barret Loux with the sixth overall pick in the 2010 MLB amateur Draft, many said the move was aimed at saving money: Loux was projected to go later in the first round, and was reportedly willing to sign for a smaller bonus than any other promising prospect Arizona could have had in the sixth slot.

As I awoke to the splash of reality and the realization that Lee Mazzilli was not managing the Mets, flanked by Keith Hernandez as hitting coach and Ron Darling as pitching coach, I groaned and turned off my alarm.

Once the cobwebs cleared from my brain, so did the visions of Wally Backman coaching third, Tim Teufel coaching first, and Howard Johnson filling the role of bench coach.

Making his first start in nine days, Phil Hughes was dominant for four innings. Perfect actually. He wouldn’t be perfect on this night. In fact, he wouldn’t even get his team a victory, thanks to Dan Johnson.

The Rays designated hitter who spent last season playing in Japan needed two swings to carry his team to their second win in three games against the Yankees.