Rankings/List

There is an old saying that goes something like this: "Some days you get the bear, some days the bear gets you, and some days it doesn't pay to go into the woods."

Those words could be used to describe all of the pitchers in this article. Most of these guys are not bums or "tomato cans". Most are decent pitchers while some are even very good.

When things go badly, they tend to bundle up on you. Ask any of these men and I am sure they will concur.

Not all of them completed the inning. They do have much in common however.

Baseball stadiums come and go with regularity as of late. In small and big markets alike, teams are scrambling to build more suites and have the most up-to-date technology.

A perfect example of this is last year's New York Yankees and this year's Minnesota Twins.

Admit it: you don't know if J.A. Happ's name is "Jay" or "J.A." Despite the fact that his name is clearly listed in every scorecard, box score, and recap as "J.A.', announcers uniformly refer to him as "Jay Happ."

Happ is hardly the first baseball player in major league history to have a name that befuddles fans and sportscasters alike.

How far into the season is it fair to sit down, and really take a hard look at a players statistics? Depends who you ask. The New York media would like to put that somewhere around the fifth inning of opening day. Most fans really start to pay attention a month into the season. Statically speaking, a full season, perhaps two, is ideal. But we’re impatient. Baseball moves too fast. In my opinion, after about two months, it’s fair to at least start looking at where players stand.

Of course, we all know who’s leading the Majors in what.

For fans of teams who have already given up on 2010, the most exciting time of the year is fast approaching: prospect season.

We've already seen call-ups like Starlin Castro, Ike Davis, and Justin Smoak.

The Braves are through 44 games, which puts them over a quarter of the way through the season, and you know what that means.

That’s right—it’s time to hand out some grades and make some early judgments on how the season is going so far.

I’m looking at the bullpen today and will get to the lineup regulars next. Check out my report on the starting pitchers here.

Eric O’Flaherty

I just realized this fact after I saw Emmanuel Burriss get transferred to the 60-day Disabled List on May 22 to make room for Santiago Casilla:

The Giants haven't had one African-American player take the field for them this year.

There have been plenty of great moments in Yankees history.

If you think otherwise, http://bleacherreport.com/articles/394107-giddy-up-the-21-greatest-momen..., check that out, and then get back to me.

But believe it or not, the Yankees have experienced a handful of heartbreaking and disappointing moments as well.

And yes, I have lived through some of them.

Before I present the 10 Worst Moments In New York Yankees history, here are some honorable mentions:

1) In Game 6 of the 2003 World Series, Josh Beckett pitches a five-hitter at Yankee Stadium, striking out n

1.(↑1) Tampa Bay Rays (32-12)

The Rays are an impressive 19-5 on the road, and have won 8 of their last 10. The most impressive thing about the Rays this year however, is their pitching.

This week they scored a ridiculous 140 points while only falling out of the top four in strikeouts. They have a 2.87 team ERA and a 1.17 team WHIP—mix that with the fact that they lead the league in stolen bases (51) and they have to be the favorites to win it all right now.

Last summer, Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice were inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Henderson is one of the greatest players of all time, and an easy choice for voters.

Rice was a more difficult choice, making it after more than a decade on the ballot. But plenty of worthy candidates remain on the outside looking in.

In Bill James' book about the Hall of Fame, he suggests that fans often try to make cases for players they grew up watching, and liked.

We should focus more on the best players we can put in, rather than simply making a case for a player because we can.