Preview/Prediction

Many people are hating against the Chicago Cubs. Only three analysts out of 40 picked the Cubs to win the central division. Only three! 

The Cubs get no love.

Yes, I understand they are a pretty good bet to lose. I understand they have gone over 100 years without a MLB Championship. That doesn't mean they aren't talented. 

The Cubs deserve more love. 

Starting Pitching

Don't deny it, the Cubs can pitch. Pitching has never been their fault. 

July 31 is the MLB trade deadline. This is the special time of year when teams put the "for sale: inquire within" sign on the outside of the stadium. Teams from across the country look to shed salary, unload unhappy stars, or add that special piece, that the front office believes will propel the team to a championship level.

Looks like summer has come early for Mark Teixeira this year.  After two abysmal starts to the past two seasons, Teixeira is starting off 2011 very strong.  The Yankees first basemen, hitting his fourth home run of the season in just his fifth game, looks very comfortable up at the plate and is doing a lot better than he usually does in the month of April.

The Cleveland Indians have gotten off to shaky start. After three games, the team has the second best team batting average, .318 just behind the Chicago White Sox batting .324.  Collectively, Cleveland has scored 20 runs, 20 RBI, 35 hits, four doubles and four home runs. So what's the problem?

Currently, Michael Brantley starts off the lineup, followed by Asdrubal Cabrera, Shin-Soo Choo, Carlos Santana, Travis Hafner, Orlando Cabrera, Austin Kearns, Matt LaPorta and Jack Hannahan.

There aren't many rivalries in baseball bigger than that between the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies.

Ever since the Phillies stunned the Mets by overcoming a seven-game deficit to win the division in '07, there has been a growing feud between the two squads.

I have to preface this by saying, I know it's almost impossible to make any real substantive evaluations based on four games. But there is a lot of optimism in Baltimore right now and I want to write about something, so here we go.

If the Los Angeles Dodgers begin to fade in the NL West, one of their prized possessions, right fielder Andre Ethier, may become available.

Most teams would jump at the chance to add the 28-year-old outfielder to bolster their lineup.

Naturally, the season is only four games old, so counting the Dodgers out already would be extremely premature. However, the Dodgers could get a nice return on Ethier later this season if things don’t work out in their division.

If you ask me, the Philadelphia Phillies got off to a pretty good start this weekend at home. Three games. Three wins.

That good start went way beyond simply getting three wins, however, as the team answered several imposing questions that people around the game held against them heading into the season. As Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt toed the hill, people questioned whether or not they would be able to live up to the hype. They responded by walking just one hitter, striking out 23 more and allowing just six earned runs in 19 innings pitched.

View From the Rockpile – Musings From a Mile High Along the Journey to Rocktober

A Weekly Colorado Rockies Report – By Michael Paul

April 4, 2011

The opening month of the season is a time for optimism around baseball, as everyone is still in the running at that point. Still, there are clearly teams that will not be in that position for long, and they need to look ahead to what moves they may make at mid season to strength their team moving forward.

There are a number of intriguing options who may find themselves on the trade block sooner rather than later, with no name larger than Prince Fielder, who has been at the center of trade rumors for what seems like years now.