MLB

The Texas Rangers are about three weeks into the new season. They were just dealt a big blow with the news that lefty Matt Harrison will need back surgery.

Despite the bad news, there is reason for optimism—after all, it's only April.

Ron Washington and his players can still set their sights on the division crown. Here are a few reasons why.

Whether it is a young player taking the next step forward or a veteran putting it all together for the first time in his career, making the MLB All-Star team for the first time is a huge honor.

Every season, a number of players unexpectedly turn in big first-half performances and earn their place in the Midsummer Classic.

Here is a look at 15 players who are off to hot starts and could turn that into a first-time All-Star selection come July.

Prepare yourself—you've never seen a baserunning adventure in Major League Baseball quite like this. 

Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Jean Segura found himself in the middle of one of the oddest plays you'll ever see on Friday night against the Chicago Cubs, stealing second base in the first part of the eighth inning only to get thrown out trying to accomplish the same feat—in the same inning. 

How much of an impact do early season trades make? They occur infrequently and usually do not involve big-name players.

The MLB trend is to anticipate the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline and strike a deal on or before that date. It's one of the most exciting days during the baseball season, as contending teams look to land a player for their playoff push while cellar dwellers dump stars for prospects.

So why aren't there any titillating transactions in April? 

On a slightly overcast night at Citi Field in New York that saw the wind blowing out, two young hurlers got together for an early dream matchup.

With the 2013 First-Year Player Draft scheduled for June 6-8, college players will have the next six weeks to boost their stock with the hope of having their name called on Day 1.

The Boston Red Sox's offseason retooling effort has yielded promising results thus far in 2013. As early as it is, an 11-4 record and a first-place standing in the AL East make for an impressive turnaround from the disaster that was 2012.

In the land that lies beyond 2013, things should only get better for the Red Sox.

As always, we’ll start by taking a look at all the latest injuries around the league and whether a team will have to go outside the organization for a replacement. 

Derek Jeter, SS, New York Yankees 

Last week, two of my three “Buy Low” picks, Carlos Gomez (10-for-18, HR, 3B in last week) and Homer Bailey (8 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 10 K in last start), came through while the third, Ike Davis, finally broke out on Friday with a two-homer game.

When it comes to baseball's TV analysts, former players often make some of the best announcers out there. They not only know the game well, but they are familiar with situations players are going through, can explain the game better and have connections to players and management that can give them a little extra insight.

While not all of the best TV analysts are former ball players and not all former ball players are always good analysts, there is a real connection between the two.