Tampa Bay Rays

Fourth devastating outcome in a row for the New York Yankees, third walk-off loss, and no longer do they hold the best record in baseball.

That honor now belongs to the Tampa Bay Rays, who take a half-game lead in the AL East standings.

The Yankees just can’t seem to catch a break, as things just keep getting worse.

Monday's pitching match-up of CC Sabathia vs. David Price lived-up to all the hype. Both leading Cy Young Award candidates, who equally proved why on the mound.

Baseball’s best hitters have hit this season, and thousands of runs have been scored, but this has undeniably been the Year of the Pitcher.

It doesn't get any better than this. 

A 19 game winner. 

A 17 game winner. 

The best two teams in baseball. 

Did I forget to mention they play in the same division? 

What about the part that they are only 1/2 of a game apart for the division lead? 

What about the historical significance that no two teams have had this many wins and been this neck-and-neck for a division race in MLB's 100 plus year history?

I am a great admirer of Boston Red Sox 3B Adrian Beltre. It’s not because I think he is such a great guy or that he is such a fantastic fielder. I admire Beltre because of his uncanny ability to have career years in his free agent year.

Mmm, I don't like it.

Next!

Here's the basis; Tom Verducci at SI.com writes an article suggesting a way to improve Major League Baseball's playoff format and add some revenue. He has an excellent point that recent "win or go home" games have drawn outstanding viewership and the lack of these nail biters have hurt baseball.

Fact is, the New York Yankees love returning to the Bronx.

Why wouldn’t they love coming home, with a packed stadium full of fans?

The Yanks are tied for the first place, and they also share the best record in baseball and Yankee fans will cheer the team till the end.

The other team leading the pack is the Tampa Bay Rays, a 12-year-old franchise with loads of potential and hands-down has the best young talent in all of MLB.

I understand the need to appeal to the mass audience. It's even somewhat expected that an announcing team from a nationally televised broadcast may not know all there is to know about the teams they're visiting.

But the shame of ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball broadcast of the Tampa Bay Rays-Boston Red Sox game crossed the border of embarrassing and went straight into laughable.

Top five Stories From Yesterday

1.    Tampa Bay comes from behind to get a walk-off win over Boston, but the Yankees win in Chicago to keep pace in the AL East.

2.    Jets starting LB Calvin Pace suffers a broken foot and will miss the first month of the regular season.

3.    Tiger Woods gets off to a bad start, but rallies to shoot a 1-over 72 that leaves him nine shots off the lead at The Barclays.

Victor Martinez backed Jon Lester in a big way, leading the Boston Red Sox past the Tampa Bay Rays.

It didn’t take long for RF Brad Hawpe to find some work.  Hawpe, who cleared waivers on Thursday after being designated for assignment by the Colorado Rockies last week, signed with the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday.