During the Padres 2009 season San Diegans had a difficult time deciphering between games played at the downtown Petco Park and riding the Mission Beach Roller Coaster, the “Giant Dipper”, one of two original oceanfront roller coasters still operating on the west coast.

After the first three series last season, the Pads found themselves tied with the Dodgers for 1st place at 7-3. However, as roller coaster enthusiasts well know, what goes up-must come down, and the Padres plummeted to a 25-25 record.

The Tigers were well on their way to the ALDS last year before a September collapse and an Alexi Casilla single ended their 2009 season and left them on the outside looking in, despite leading the AL Central race for much of the year.

It's the classic dilemma in sports: What do you do when all of your options result in a no-win situation? Well, I don't claim to have the answer, but that is what is facing the Cardinals with Albert Pujols.

Look, no matter what they do, they lose. If they fail to sign Albert, St. Louis fans will revolt and may come to the park brandishing weapons.

Yet if they trade The Machine, no matter how good the bounty received, there will be many fans and media around the nation criticizing the deal.

So Battle of the Blogs Fantasy Baseball League had its draft last night. My team, Double G Sports , had the sixth pick in the first round—and each round after that was done in a snake format.

Too many articles talked about Joe Mauer heading to free agency after this season and signing with the Yankees. That was never going to happen because of Mauer's native roots and his homegrown status of being a Twins first-round draft choice and first pick overall.*

Last Sunday the Minnesota Twins all but assured that Joe Mauer will be wearing a Twins cap into the Hall of Fame by signing their star to a eight-year 184 million dollar contract extension.

Thank God, because seeing the St. Paul native in pinstripes might have been too much for me to handle.

Mauer’s deal is a huge commitment for the small market and thrifty Twins organization, but it shows that they, unlike many small market clubs, have their priorities straight.

What I’m Reading

• Tune in tonight at 7 for our unnecessarily extended sappy special, “Not Officially, But Close: The John Smoltz Retirement Story.” Sounds like a romantic-comedy.

Before I started playing fantasy football back in 1998 — in a four-man league, nonetheless — I played fantasy baseball. I used to be a huge baseball fan as a kid, only to find my interest in the sport fade over time.

Probably has a little something to do with all the steroids, human growth hormone, All-Star Game determining home team for the World Series, no more Cal Ripken, Jr., etc.

The Yankees cut five more players from the big league camp yesterday: outfielder Greg Golson, righties Mark Melancon and Jonathan Albaladejo, and infielders Juan Miranda and Kevin Russo, according to Marc Carig of The Star-Ledger.

The cuts of Miranda and Russo have pretty much cemented the Opening Day bench, ensuring a spot for Ramiro Pena.

Imagine you were chosen to select an all-time rotation and pitching staff for the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Who would you select?  Who would make your all-time pitching staff?

Your fantasy team would then have to compete against all of the other all-time rotations and teams selected.  How would it fare?