Opinion

As Giants fans know, F. P. Santangelo is the Giants’ fifth radio/TV announcer.  He provides “color” when the team needs a fifth announcer, which doesn’t happen all that often since Jon Miller, Dave Fleming, Mike Krukow, and Duane Kuiper can usually handle both radio and TV on any given date.

Poor Mat Latos.  Right in the middle of a breakout season in his second year with the Padres, the baseball gods have dealt him a blow with a truly bizarre injury.

Latos landed on the DL Friday with a strained left side. He suffered the injury a week ago after a win over Colorado when he tried to hold in a sneeze while going down the dugout steps.

Currently, Alex Rodriguez has 597 home runs, and he is only three away from his milestone 600th. Upon hitting number 600, A-Rod will join the exclusive club which contains only six members: Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willy Mays, Ken Griffey Jr., and Sammy Sosa.

600 home runs is a lot of home runs, and for a player to reach that career total clearly is a big deal. Yet, I feel like not very many people at all are mentioning the fact that A-Rod is only three home runs away from 600; as if this isn't newsworthy!

As the San Francisco Giants open up the second half of the 2010 season with a 2-0 victory over the New York Mets on Thursday, the rumors of trading for a big bat still grabbed more attention.

Whether it is more talk about Milwaukee Brewers' outfielder Corey Hart, Kansas City Royals' outfielder Jose Guillen, or even what the minor league signing of pitcher Dontrelle Willis' means to trading for a bat, the buzz about the Giants is centering around improving the offense.

July 6, 2010. It was another game day in Major League Baseball and a week before the All-Star break. As teams tried to finish the first half of the season on a good note, 20,428 fans entered Rangers Ballpark in Arlington to watch the Texas Rangers play the Cleveland Indians.

On a day when 84 degrees is not a typical Texas summer day, the weather wasn't the only thing out of the normal on that Tuesday night.

You questioned whether he was one of the top first basemen in the National League, let alone all of baseball.  You spat in the dirt over Phillies General Manager Ruben Amaro giving him a contract extension that made him one of the wealthiest players in baseball history.  You blamed the Phillies sluggish first half on him, wondering where the $25 million man had disappeared to when his team needed him most.

Oh wait.  That was me.  Shoot.

The second half of the Yankees 2010 season begins tonight.

The run towards another playoff appearance for the defending World Series Champions also begins tonight too.

While the offense and the starting pitching have been outstanding, the bullpen of the Yankees hasn't been very good (outside of Mariano Rivera, of course).

I made a suggestion for the Yankees to trade for Octavio Dotel. A lot of you didn't really agree or want to go for it. I have seen other teams interested in Dotel, but not the Yankees.

The unofficial halfway point of the 2010 baseball season was culminated by the National League's 3-1 win of the All-Star game on Tuesday night. In addition to the game acting as a celebration of baseball itself, the All-Star break often serves as an opportune time to reflect on a team's position in the standings and what it can realistically achieve going forward. 

Which teams will be buyers or sellers at the July 31st trade deadline?

What prospects will be called up that can make a difference for their respective team?

It goes without saying that Jeff Francoeur has pretty much worn out his welcome in New York. He is hitting a paltry .253, can't run all that well, or play other positions. Also, with the return of Carlos Beltran to the Mets lineup, New York is rather deep in outfield talent.