My, how things have changed in baseball with fan perception of players using performance-enhancing drugs. In a span of less than a decade, we have gone from running players out of the game completely to adapting to the situation.

Friday night’s return of Manny Ramirez from a 50-game suspension due to testing positive of banned substances was a sign of the times where a majority of baseball fans have collectively said, “I love the game and this is what it is, Play Ball!“

At the beginning of June, the Colorado Rockies were in the basement of the NL West, a comfortable place for them, sitting at 20 and 29, 13.5 games out of first.

At the end of June, the Rockies were only 7.5 games back of first, and only 1.5 games out of the NL wild card.

Many things were positive for the Rockies in the month, so let's take a look into some specific numbers that helped Colorado climb the mountain in the standings.

It’s funny how things have changed. A little over two months ago Mets skipper Jerry Manuel had all but officially denounced Ryan Church as an everyday player. There were rumblings that Church would eventually be traded. For the next month or so Church fell out of the limelight, rarely earning a start in right field.

The Mariners signed Guillermo Pimentel on Thursday, effectively stealing him from the Rangers.

It may have proved that the Mariners aren’t committed, at least not to the hell-or-high-water extent that the previous members of front office were committed to their own specialized recipe for success, to defense.

Actually, perhaps the proper characterization is that the team has actually acquired a philosophy and stopped hiding from the evolution of baseball scouting.

The 2010 schedule won't be officially announced until sometime in September, but the Associated Press has obtained at least a portion of the schedule, including the date of the first outdoor game in Minneapolis in twenty eight seasons.

Target Field is set to open on April 12, 2010 when the Minnesota Twins take on the Boston Red Sox. This was released:

Target Field has a target date.

In my humble opinion, baseball, more than any other sport, lends itself to historical analysis and the reliving of its greatest moments. Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier and the "Shot Heard 'Round the World" immediately come to mind.

Record breaking moments, amazing streaks, and heroic postseason plays are often times retold to the point they become legendary.

After the emotional roller-coaster ride of the last two games against Boston, it is hard to tell just what state of mind the Baltimore Orioles will be in as they hit the road for a seven-game West Coast swing.

One thing for sure is that they can’t have a repeat of the performance displayed the last time they trekked out west a month ago.

On that trip, which followed a home stand in which the Orioles had won five of seven games, Baltimore won the first game in Seattle 1-0 on the best outing of the season for starting pitcher Rich Hill.

Those of us that were busy composing the official obituary for the postseason prospects of the St. Louis Cardinals have spent the last two games scratching our heads and eating our words. It seems pretty clear that we have severely underestimated the possible effectiveness of this baseball team.

With a chance to take three out of four games against one of the best teams in baseball, it would make sense to keep your team's hottest hitters in the lineup.

But with Giants manager Bruce Bochy throwing out his 45,699th lineup of the season on Thursday, both right-fielder Nate Schierholtz and shortstop Edgar Renteria were absent from the lineup.

To be fair, after picking up 14 hits in a six-game stretch, Schierholtz went 0-for-4 in back-to-back games heading into Thursday's series finale.

Rain delays are frequent in baseball:  it rains, the game is delayed, the rain eventually stops, and baseball resumes.

However, in the series finale between the Astros and Padres at PETCO Park, Thursday, there was a different sort of delay.

Bees were the result of the 52 minute delay.  Yes, bees...those pesky insects that sting you when they're mad.

The delay came in the top of the ninth, when bees got out of control in left field.

Play was halted, and a few sections of fans were cleared out.