MLB

Some say that "play ball" is the greatest phrase in baseball.

While I would tend to agree, there is another phrase that carries equal greatness in the game.

"If."

It qualifies every statement that people tend to make when talking about their team at this point in the season.

And for Cleveland Indians fans, such as myself, we've been throwing the "If" word around a lot. Actually, a lot seems like a little. The word has been thrown around a whole heck of a lot more than you can imagine.

I've made no bones about my overall feeling for this beloved Cleveland fan base.

As a Yankee fan born and raised in the heart of the land that sports the pinstripes, the last thing I and many other dedicated fans want to see is a slump in the 2010 season, especially after nine seasons of lacking a championship win. 

Fellow fans of Bronx Bomber nation, it’s possible that we may be facing some hard times this season. 

Let’s take a look at some of the issues that can derail the Yankees this season.

First up—Alex Rodriguez’s injury.  

This announcement doesn’t exactly come as a surprise, but Yankees manager Joe Girardi made it official today, Phil Hughes—not Joba Chamberlain—will be the Yankees fifth starter going into the season.

The New York Post's Joel Sherman , among others, is reporting that Joe Girardi has officially named Phil Hughes as the Yankees' fifth starter. This has been heavily debated over the course of spring training, but I'm still not sure what the Yankees plan was here.

Before I started playing fantasy football back in 1998 — in a four-man league, nonetheless — I played fantasy baseball. I used to be a huge baseball fan as a kid, only to find my interest in the sport fade over time.

Probably has a little something to do with all the steroids, human growth hormone, All-Star Game determining home team for the World Series, no more Cal Ripken, Jr., etc.

One of the biggest misconceptions in baseball is when people refer to teams such as the Seattle Mariners as small or mid market teams. A casual fan exclaims "The Mariners are going all pitching and defense given their lack of funds." The Mariners may have a fairly unique winning strategy, but that is in spite of their market size, not because of it.

After almost two years of blogging on Jorge Says No! , I have decided to start a new venture in the baseball blogging world.

The Yankees cut five more players from the big league camp yesterday: outfielder Greg Golson, righties Mark Melancon and Jonathan Albaladejo, and infielders Juan Miranda and Kevin Russo, according to Marc Carig of The Star-Ledger.

The cuts of Miranda and Russo have pretty much cemented the Opening Day bench, ensuring a spot for Ramiro Pena.

Imagine you were chosen to select an all-time rotation and pitching staff for the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Who would you select?  Who would make your all-time pitching staff?

Your fantasy team would then have to compete against all of the other all-time rotations and teams selected.  How would it fare?

Young outfielder Tyler Colvin will make the Chicago Cubs' Opening Day roster if the team can find him sufficient playing time, according to manager Lou Piniella . Colvin, 24, would need to get somewhere in the neighborhood of two starts per week in order to justify keeping him on board, by Piniella's reckoning.