Fan News

Imagine Miguel Cabrera not in the blue and orange of the Detroit Tigers, but in the red and white of the Los Angeles Angels.

It could have happened.

When Clayton Kershaw steps on the mound Tuesday night, he'll be after career win No. 64. If the Dodgers lefty, still just 25 years old, is ever going to have a chance to step on the mound to achieve his 300th win, when might that be and how will he get there?

The most dangerous words to use when scouting and evaluating talent are ceiling and upside. Major League Baseball teams are loaded with players, both in the big leagues and throughout the minors, with plenty of both that have been unable to reach it. 

When you use those words—and when fans read them—they think that is the final word on what a player will be. 

Prospects are called prospects for a reason, nothing is certain. When you have blue-chip talents, however, there is less of a chance that the player will turn out like Lastings Milledge and they're more likely to turn into David Wright or Jose Reyes.

Baseball is in the midst of a golden age of pitching. While many fans chide the mere notion of pitch counts for young arms and "babying" prospects as they fondly remember the days of complete games thrown with regularity and 300-inning seasons from starters, those days are gone.

Coming off two World Series wins in three years and bringing back most of their major contributors, the San Francisco Giants have to live up to lofty expectations.

With the return of all five members of the rotation, several key bullpen members and All-Stars Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval, the Giants were expected to make a run at the West. 

FINAL

Los Angeles Dodgers 7 - 2 New York Mets

Home Runs

LAD: Mark Ellis 2 (1,2)

NYM: none

WP: R. Belisario (1-2)

LP: B. Lyon (1-1)

In baseball, maybe more than any other sport, fans gravitate toward phenoms. The thought of a pitcher that can be the next Justin Verlander or outfielder that can match the swing and power of a young Ken Griffey, Jr. can almost be more tantalizing than watching a finished product through the latter stages of a career.

The world of social media, instant gratification and, in the minds of baseball executives, cost-controllable stars equal fan interest, victories and potential.

Imagine a Major League Baseball trade deadline where the New York Yankees are in Miami Marlins mode: Everything must go.

If there ever was a year for it to happen, it's this year.

...Not that I'm counting on it, mind you.

Like, oh, pretty much everyone else, I had my doubts about the Bombers heading into the season. With guys like Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Curtis Granderson and Alex Rodriguez out of commission, the Yanks went into Opening Day looking like a collection of pinstriped impostors.

The NFL draft is this week, as you might have heard. The NBA playoffs have started, a two-month second season that will soak up a lot of attention if we get the expected LeBron James vs. Kevin Durant matchup. The NHL is getting ready for its postseason as well.