Opinion

Seventh Round (212th) — Jeff Walters | RHP | University of Georgia | 11/6/87 | R/R | 6’3 190 lbs.

Billy Butler had started 89 consecutive games for the Royals, but that all ended on Thursday night at Target Field in Minnesota.

Butler hasn't been swinging the bat well, hitting just .176 over the past nine games. In that same span he has only one extra-base hit and three runs batted in.

Many of today's players do not hustle. Hanley Ramirez and Luke Scott are two players who recently demonstrated their values.

Can you believe the Big 12 Conference is going to break up? I never thought I would ever see that. I mean how can Nebraska be in the Big 10 and Oklahoma and Texas be in the Pac 10?

It just doesn’t seem right.

There was a recent NY Post report by columnist George King which portrayed the New York Yankees as being interested in the services of left handed pitcher Cliff Lee of the Seattle Mariners.

Major League Baseball umpire Jim Joyce’s blown call on a play at first cost Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game. Joyce’s mistake, for which he apologized, opened the floodgates on the debate of expanding instant replay in MLB. Was it an honest mistake, or all part of an intricate conspiracy plotted by MLB? And, will these events lead to more instant replay in baseball?

“Honest mistake?” Baseball umpires don’t make those; baseball players do, in front of Congress.

Call him bipolar if you would like. Just in baseball terms, A.J. Burnett can be considered a bit bipolar this season. We have been witnessing two very different sides to the Yankees' pitcher.

Burnett seems to be a different pitcher on the road than he is at Yankee Stadium. The numbers are glaring.

If we could pitch A.J. during home games only, he would be considered an All-Star and possible Cy Young candidate. Throw in his road game performances, and he is an average pitcher.

I've recently finished one of the most gruelingly busy months I've ever had in the five years since I've started my career.

In that time, I haven't been able to watch many, but I have been able to listen to every Met game, and I have to say I like what I've been hearing.

The Mets front office has made all the moves the fans were clamoring for (even if it did take way too long to do so.  See Gary Matthews Jr.)

With the Washington Nationals' publicity machine on overdrive, baseball in D.C. could be at an all-time high.

Bryce Harper, as you all know by now, is christened as the next, next, next big thing.

Stephen Strasburg and his 14 strikeout debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates lived up to everything it was meant to be and more!

Obviously, two No. 1 picks will get the glory, we all know that, but what about the guys getting drafted in the 20th, 30th, and 40th rounds.

When the season started, everyone expected this team to fail. This writer thought the Mets were good enough to win 79 to 83 games this season.

The Mets finished April by going 14-9. They started the month of May playing .500 ball until the Marlins swept them at Florida.

This caused concern within the hierarchy. Jeff Wilpon and Omar Minaya visited Jerry Manuel in Atlanta after the team's series with the Marlins. They demanded answers from Manuel about what happened that weekend.