Opinion

I'd like you to think back about seven years ago, remember when everyone was hailing Alex Rodriguez as the modern hero of baseball.

Having finished the 2003 season with the Texas Rangers, everything was perfect in Rodriguez's world; he was 28, had just collected his first of seemingly many MVPs and had become the youngest player in history to hit 300 home runs.

Over the season, I've had to hear the media lament over key injuries. Surprisingly, when the unlucky injury-bugged teams are mentioned, the Atlanta Braves are normally overlooked.

For most baseball fans, they would look at you as if you were crazy if you mentioned that Braves have battled through several key injuries.  The Braves are believed to be lucky when it comes to the injury bug, with the exception of Chipper Jones.

Yes, this is an incredibly bold conclusion. Actually, I haven't concluded anything, I've just posed a question.

The fact of the matter is, the Giants have an incredibly fickle nature. Remember in July, when they won 20 games for the first time since September of 2000? Well, right before that month, they had a seven-game losing streak. Are they going to once again bounce back?

The New York Mets have 40 games remaining in their 2010 season. Their elimination number from playoff contention stands at 33, as they trail the Phillies by 8.5 games in the NL Wild Card race.

If you ask manager Jerry Manuel, he'll tell you his team still has a shot. Not once during any press conference, even after a rough loss, has Manuel declared his team dead.

But realistically, the Mets would have to pull off a 2007 Rockies-like effort to reach the postseason, and that happens once in a generation.

There are several managers in Major League Baseball who have put together a solid case for Manager of the Year. I have selected my top three front runners for the award.

I, like many others, watched in awe through the years as Roger Clemens pitched his way to 354 major league wins. The invincible Roger had the "it" factor right from the start as a collegiate star at the University of Texas. 

Clemens also possessed Hall of Fame appeal from the first day he stepped out on the mound for the Boston Red Sox, and would have been a Hall of Famer if he had retired with the Red Sox after the 1996 season.

Aroldis Chapman needs to be playoff eligible. And before anyone starts an inner dialogue—yes, the Reds will be in the playoffs.

Secret weapon. Remember those?

Being a former secret weapon myself, as a cannon-armed quarterback for my flag football team in college, I am fully aware of their value. I remember being down late in a game. I was brought in to start a monumental comeback against the TKE fraternity's team.

I was 3-for-3 with two touchdown passes.

Throughout the 2010 season, the Boston Red Sox have been on the cusp of making  the playoffs. With Dustin Pedroia hitting the disabled list for the second time this season, it appears that it's finally time to throw in the towel. This team could still make the playoffs and Dustin Pedroia could be back by the end of September, but realistically, this is likely the end of the road.

It's just been a horrible year full of growing pains for the Red Sox. They lack an identity and they're not the team that we thought they were.

Say the Nationals re-sign Adam Dunn...

Does that mean the team expects to be competitive next season?