MLB

Teams will normally assess where they are in the standings much closer to the trade deadline on July 31st before deciding if they will be "buyers" or "sellers". Yet, here we are in June and there are a handful of teams that have to feel like they are heading in the wrong direction and it's getting close to "do or die" time. 

If we were to re-imagine Major League Baseball divisions as historically significant times and places, the AL East would have to be Ancient Rome, right?

Yeah, sounds about right. Ancient Rome was characterized by prosperity and power, and that's pretty much the AL East in a nutshell.

But look there! A power is rising, and it's in the vicinity of the NL Central!

Cal Ripken Jr., he is not.

Like Ripken, Troy Tulowitzki is a big, power-hitting, MVP-caliber shortstop.

As far as staying healthy, though, Tulowitzki and Ripken are on opposite ends of the spectrum.

The future is coming quickly for the Boston Red Sox.

Giants 6, Braves 0 

WP: Madison Bumgarner (6-4) LP: Kris Medlen (3-7) 

How They Scored: 

Top 1: Gregor Blanco Solo Home Run (1) 

Top 2: Gregor Blanco RBI Single 

Top 3: Hunter Pence RBI Double 

Top 5: Brandon Crawford RBI Double 

Top 7: Buster Posey RBI Double 

Due to a combination of scouting, player development, PEDs largely out of the game and young, cost-controlled players representing a more efficient route to winning than their tenured, highly paid counterparts, youth continues to take over the sport.

About a decade ago, I got a text from Peter Gammons. "When did baseball players start having obliques?" Peter knew that players had always had the muscle, but it did seem that we were suddenly seeing more of them injured about that time. This year, it seems to be rib injuries that are the hot new thing in training rooms around the league.

But why?

As we approach the MLB All-Star break in July, there seems to be a handful of new faces that will appear in this year's All-Star Game. Young players from around the league are beginning to take over MLB as this generation's new set of stars.

In the 2013 MLB All-Star Game, there will be three standout performances from players likely making their All-Star debuts.

Chris Davis

The New York Yankees are hitting just .242 against left-handed pitching this season, which is important to consider when making your MLB picks Friday, as they open up a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium.

The Cincinnati Reds are set to take on the Milwaukee Brewers in a three-game series starting Friday night in Cincinnati.

Both teams are coming off of series wins. The Reds won three of four against the Chicago Cubs while the Brewers won two of three against the Miami Marlins.