Preview/Prediction

The Yankees have won each of their first three series by a count of two games to one, and they'll hope to keep that success going this weekend as they welcome the Texas Rangers to town.

The Rangers are 5-4, tied in the loss column with first-place Oakland, and have received some solid pitching so far. Texas is third in the American League with a 2.95 ERA, fourth in batting average against (.238), fourth in WHIP (1.28), and third in quality starts at seven.

They'll put those solid stats to the test during these three games against the powerful Yankees lineup.

The Cubs (4-5) missed out on a sweep against the Brewers Thursday, but another sweep-worthy team, the Houston Astros, comes to town starting today at 1:20 p.m.

The offensively challenged Astros (1-8) got their first win of the season against St. Louis yesterday, but the Cubs should have no problem getting back on the winning track with a three-game weekend series against the ‘Stros.

Here we go again—Rays and Red Sox, a budding rivalry renewed. The Tampa Bay Rays, fresh off their sweep of division rival Baltimore, head into Beantown to take on the struggling Boston Red Sox, losers of five of their last nine games.

For the Rays, who lead Boston by two games and are a half game behind the perennially fluky Toronto Blue Jays, it's a golden opportunity to put the team that likely will be their greatest competition for a wild-card berth further behind them.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona currently faces two questions that are in essence one and the same; how much longer can he, in good conscience, continue to write David Ortiz's name into the lineup each day, and how much longer can he not write Jeremy Hermida's name into that lineup?

All right, the Pittsburgh Pirates began 2010 by winning two out of three at home, then lost two out of three each in two road series, for a tally of 4-5.

At that rate, alternating an extra win at home and an extra loss on the the road, would put them at .500.

And their record, so far, has been compiled against three fairly redoubtable teams, but all outside their division.

The Los Angeles Angels have gotten off to an uncharacteristically bad start. "Regression to the mean" suggests that they will do better.

But it won't be enough better to allow them to contend, or even necessarily to take them to .500. The reason is structural and dates back to the ALCS last fall.

Only ONE of the Angels' starters, Jered Weaver, is pitching reliably. The others are not. Conspicuous by his absence from the rotation is former ace, John Lackey.

The debut of Target Field could not have gone much better for the Minnesota Twins.

Joe Mauer christened the field with a three hit game that was matched and surpassed by Jason Kubel who, also with three hits, claimed Target Field's first regular season home run.

After defeating the Boston Red Sox 5-2 in the Regular Season debut of Target Field, there are a few surprises with the 2010 version of the Minnesota Twins.

Tops among them: Tied for the American League lead in home runs.

Through the first week of the season, one glaring deficiency is cutting down the Dodgers' success, and their record.

Of the four losses the Dodgers have suffered this season—the Dodgers are 2-4—three belong to relief pitchers. George Sherrill currently sports a 22.50 ERA in just two innings pitched. He has accounted for five earned runs, four walks and a hit-by-pitch. He is the lone lefty in the Dodgers bullpen and has not been reliable when called upon.

It's only April, but the New York Yankees already look like winners. I'm not ready to declare them playoff bound yet, but might be doing so before the month is out.

That's because the next four series are almost as crucial as the ones that the Yankees just won.

The Yankees took two out of three EACH against the two stronger division rivals, the Boston Red Sox, and the Tampa Bay Rays on the road.

One of the most hyped prospects in recent memory, Delmon Young has yet to fulfill his lofty expectations.

From a bat-tossing incident which lead to a 50-game minor league suspension in 2006, to criticizing the Rays’ upper management and refusing to take coach’s instructions, Young’s character has always been in question.