New York Yankees

Robinson Cano’s career has been a battle of improvement. And, for the most part, it has been extremely positive. After nearly winning the batting title in 2006, and hitting .306 in 2007, things looked pretty good for Cano. But, once he hit .271 in 2008, the Yankees needed an answer.

The answer was Cano’s aggressiveness. In 2008, he had just 26 walks, the 12th lowest in the Major Leagues among qualifying batters. He swung at 52% of the pitches he saw, well above the league average of 46%.

I'll admit that I wasn't always the biggest Marcus Thames fan.

I hated his long swing. I hated how he played the outfield like a foreign exchange student in gym class. I even hated his name—and no, not his oddly pronounced last name.

Has there ever been a likable Marcus? Really? No...no there hasn't.

Marcus Thames hit his sixth home run in as many games as the Yankees slugged their way past the Oakland A’s 11-5.

Here are some notes:

We've seen it throughout the years, as teams encounter difficult decisions, when long-serving veterans and fan-favorites enter the inevitable, athletic decline phase of their careers.

No one can escape the clutches of the dreaded father time, when a player's body simply cannot do the same things that it could during the prime of his youth. Maybe it's the eyesight, maybe the legs feel heavier and the footwork slower, the hands a tick behind Major League fastballs.

CC Sabathia leads the American League in wins. And now he's been tagged as the front runner for the 2010 American League Cy Young award.

Through history, many players have entered baseball's most hallowed hall. The list of players is numerous: 54 starting pitchers, 16 catchers, 18 first basemen, 17 second basemen, 10 third basemen, 21 shortstops, and 60 outfielders have plaques in the Hall of Fame. Even nine umpires have gained entrance to Cooperstown.

Some claim third base, or even catcher, is the most underrepresented position in the Hall of Fame.

Roger Clemens plead not guilty to the perjury charges levied against him Monday, according to a report from the Associated Press. 

Clemens was accused of lying to  Congress during a hearing regarding the use of steroids and HGH in baseball.

If he's convicted, he faces jail time of up to 30 years, and a fine up to $1.5 million. But the real damage was done today, as Clemens' not guilty plea has already sealed his fate.

Here are 10 reasons why Clemens' Hall of Fame dreams were dashed today.  

The New York Yankees have a situation. And it is pretty simple to know what the situation is regarding: the AL East.

The Yankees goal is to win the division, but the Tampa Bay Rays are standing in the way. The Rays have kept pace with New York and vice versa, as both teams are tied for first place.

The Yankees need to get in sync and end this awful August run.

A turn-around by AJ Burnett, who is taking a lot of blame, is not the main issue.