Mike Mussina

John Smoltz, Mike Mussina, Curt Schilling...or all of the above? It's a question Hall of Fame voters wrestled with this year (we'll find out what they concluded on Tuesday), and it's a damn tough one.

Over the last 20 years, the New York Yankees have claimed five World Series championships, seven American League Pennants and five AL East titles. The success of the Yankees has come in large part from the homegrown talents of the "Core Four."

Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte were certainly the faces of the Yankees dynasty—and arguably the most eccentric part of the success the Yankees had. However, the shrewd moves in free agency are what helped build this team into the force it has become.

Three of this year's division series seem all but over. 

The Yankees, Phillies, and Rangers lead their best of five division series by two games to none.  Only a late inning rally by the Atlanta Braves prevented all four baseball series from being two games to none affairs and feeling all but over.

Baseball has been playing five game series since 1969.  In that year baseball added four new teams and expanded each league to two divisions. 

Mike Mussina once was a dominant pitcher, but never was he more masterful than on the night of Sept. 2, 2001 against the Boston Red Sox, when he came within one strike of pitching the fourth perfect game in Yankees’ history.

Pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre noted, as he watched Mussina warm up in the bullpen before the game, that he was taken aback by the sharp drop on Mussina’s curve ball.

"It looked the same as David Wells’ curve ball on May 17, 1998."

Saying you watch the New York Yankees for their defensive prowess is like saying you watch Jersey Shore for the thoughtful and intelligent dialogue.

In other words, you're not kidding anybody.

Defense is baseball's subtle art form, and the Yankees have made their mark on the sport by being the opposite. They are the Bronx Bombers, after all, and they didn't get that moniker for their soft hands and adroit use of the crow hop.

That said, you don't win 27 World Series titles with a team full of Giambinos bumbling around the field.

This decade was great for the Yankees—winning two World Series—but not great for the Mets, only making the playoffs a couple of times.

In fact, in the first World Series of the decade, the two New York teams faced each other in the Subway Series.

Why is it that 300 wins for a pitcher is a seemly impossible feat to achieve? Could it be that the style of pitching has changed? Is that pitchers just are not pitching as long as they used to?

I don't know.

Pitchers starting in little league are taught it is easier to fool the hitter than it is to blow it by them. Not only that, pitchers are taught it is okay if they only go 5-for-6.

Come to think of it, pitching style has indeed changed.

The Voice Of Baseball: A Generation Of Quotes and Soundbites, Volume 1

Baseball generally is a silent sport. Unless you are a fan in the stands, the game is usually silent.

But the players do talk; sometimes during a game, sometimes after the game, and sometimes before the game.

It does not matter.

Baseball players have come up some of the best quotes and sound bites out there. So here is volume one of my favorite funny/somewhat serious baseball quotes.

Section Ten: Bob Uecker

The minute after Curt Shilling and Mike Mussina announce their retirements, the debating began in offices, message boards, and sport articles. Are these two terrific pitchers Hall of Fame worthy?

Well before we answer that question. I wanted to compare the two pitchers and decide who would be selected if only one was allowed.

So let's go to the Tale of the Tapes (Shilling's stats first then followed by Mussina):

Winning Pct.: 59.7% (216-146) v. 63.8% (270-153)

Regular Season