MLB

The Rockies defeated the Nationals 2-0 on Thursday behind another incredible performance from their budding star Ubaldo Jimenez.

We all love Kurt Suzuki and Andrew Bailey, but Dallas Braden is the next player the A's need to lock up long-term.

All the starting pitching hype coming into the season was centered on former All-Stars Justin Duchscherer and Ben Sheets coming back from a 2009 season lost to injuries, and the expected growth of young Brett Anderson looking to follow up his brilliant rookie campaign.

Oh, and there was that big spring training battle for the fifth rotation spot between Gio Gonzalez and Trevor Cahill.

The Rangers have finally lost their patience with first baseman Chris Davis for the second straight season and have called up super prospect Justin Smoak .

Smoak will start immediately and unless he pulls a “Chris Davis” and strikes out like it is going out of style, he should be here to stay. 

A former first round pick, Smoak’s best traits are his fantastic plate discipline and his eye-popping power. 

Oakland Athletics pitcher Dallas Braden was on the hill to take on the 2009 World Series champions the New York Yankees on Thursday.

In the top of the sixth inning Alex Rodriguez jogged across the mound after a foul ball. Braden yelled at Rodriguez for trespassing immediately at the conclusion of the inning. Rodriguez brushes Braden off like a child.

The 2010 Astros can be best summed up by this stat: through 15 games, the pitching staff have more extra base hits (2) than left fielder and cleanup hitter Carlos Lee (1).

Certainly, Lee will snap out of it. Right?

Right?

It's not just Lee that has suffered offensive atrophy in the first three weeks of the season. The Astros managed nine hits in Thursday's 5-1 loss to Florida, but all nine were singles.

Four of the hits came with two out, which didn't get the 21,802 fans giddy for a rally most knew wasn't going to happen.

Extra baseball every once in a while is okay, but right about now the Round Rock Express are likely pretty sick of having to stick it out for extra innings.

Since Monday’s first pitch, Round Rock (the Houston Astros’ Triple-A affiliate) has battled through three straight extended games...as they aim for an extra innings-free contest (and a victory) this evening when the Express host the Omaha Royals.

By the time I decided to post this piece, Round Rock had thankfully held on to beat Omaha 5-2 in a normal nine inning matchup, with Wesley Wright picking up the win and Yorman Bazard

I'm reminded of a scene in a movie, where Jack Nicholson is walking out of a psychiatrist's office.  He stops, looks at the patrons in the waiting room and asks...

"What if this is as good as it gets?"

Well, what if this David Wright, the peaks and valleys, the streaks and slumps, the hold your breath every time he throws the ball to first base...

What if this is as good as he gets?

No one will argue that Wright has shown flashes of brilliance in his Major League career.

During this afternoon’s media briefing, Red Sox manager Terry Francona announced that CF Jacoby Ellsbury (at center in photo) has been diagnosed with a hairline fracture in each of four ribs.

RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka has now completed his rehab assignment (three starts) with the Pawtucket Red Sox and, according to Sox manager Terry Francona, he will rejoin the rotation on his next turn.

In today’s media briefing, Tito said the team will NOT go with with a six-man rotation, therefore one of the current members of the starting five will be sent to the bubllpen. It says here it will be Wakefield, who has been brutal in each of his last two outings.

Francona was not willing to name the starter to be demoted in today’s briefing.

Joe Morgan, one of the Cincinnati Reds greatest players of all-time, is working with his former team again.

Morgan, 66, joined the Reds as a special adviser to baseball operations. The move was announced during a news conference at Great American Ball Park on Wednesday.

In a 22-season career from 1963-84, where he established himself as one of the best second basemen of all time, Morgan batted .271 with 268 home runs and 1,133 RBI. He was a 10-time All-Star (including eight straight with the Reds) and a five-time Gold Glove Award winner.