MLB

It is much easier to write about the Reds when they are winning and things are going swell.

Unfortunately they are not, making the job of Reds sportswriters more tedious and less therapeutic.

In the last two games they have averaged one run, and you don't win many games 1-0.

Even the best percentage in baseball moving runners from first to third is useless if you leave them stranded at the hot corner.

The last time an update was available on Carlos Beltran's status, it was good news. Carlos had been able to play five innings of an extended spring training game and got six at-bats.

However, this last piece of news out of Port St. Lucie is not as good. Adam Rubin of ESPN New York has reported that Carlos Beltran is still running with a limp. There are also reports that Beltran is not yet explosive when running.

The Philadelphia Phillies face off against the New York Yankees this week in Yankee Stadium, providing baseball fans in the northeastern United States with an opportunity to enjoy interleague play, cast their All-Star Ballots, and enjoy a potential World Series preview.

And in this sense, this week's Phillies-Yankees series presents yet another reminder that Major League Baseball is broken.

Here's how you fix it.

Problem 1: The Designated Hitter Rule

Here’s a look at the unheralded players who played well yesterday.

The Pittsburgh Pirates officially called up 3B prospect Pedro Alvarez from Triple-A. He was called up before Wednesday night’s game against the Chicago White Sox and batted sixth for the Pirates.

Alvarez, the second overall pick in the 2008 June Draft, was hitting .277/.363/.533 with 13 HRs and 15 doubles in 242 ABs in Triple-A. He will be the everyday third baseman moving forward and Andy LaRoche will move into a utility role for the Pirates.

This weekend will mark the first time Dodgers' left fielder Manny Ramirez will play in Fenway Park since departing the Red Sox.

With the Dodgers currently in a first place battle in the NL West, and the Red Sox heating up and making a push in the AL East, the series looks to be a TV ratings power boost.

The Dodgers are now in first place, following two dominant wins to begin the series with Cincinnati.

The 2010 baseball season has already had two perfect games and a no-hitter plus an imperfect perfect game. This article updates how those pitchers have done since their historic games.

Ubaldo Jimenez (Rockies) – No-hitter on April 17, 2010 – Colorado 4 Atlanta 0

Jimenez was 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA after pitching his no-hitter. He has been 9-0 since the no-hitter and his ERA is an even lower 1.16 two months later.

Dallas Braden (Athletics) – Perfect game on May 9, 2010 – Oakland 4 Tampa Bay 0

Pedro Alvarez made his much anticipated debut.  Scott Baker turned things around in a big way setting a career high in strikeouts.  Tim Lincecum got a win, but his performance still brought about many questions.  Let’s look at these stories and all the rest from yesterday’s games:

CLEVELAND: The Mets are doing a lot of things right right now. They are obviously winning a bunch of ballgames, and that's taking them farther away from the .500 mark, as they are now nine over.

They are winning virtually every night that the Phillies and Braves lose, and when those two teams win, like last night, they make sure they keep pace. It's all a sign of a very good team, that seems to only be getting better, and that's a pretty scary thought.

Florida Marlins: