Opinion

Albert Pujols is good; almost as good as winning a million bucks.

But is he good enough to make baseball forget the dark times it has been through the better half of this decade?

That seems to be the million-dollar question. If Pujols sets the home run records, season or career, does he take a rightful seat on the throne as Home Run King?

We've seen this story before. A slugger blazes a pace with long balls, he denies using steroids or any other performance-enhancing drugs, and because baseball is desperate for a role model, we believe.

Before I begin, let me plainly state as clearly as possible, I hope I'm dead wrong about this.

My beloved San Francisco Giants are two full games up in the National League Wild Card race and only seven games behind the division and MLB-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.

However, for as much credit as General Manager Brian Sabean should receive for not trading away his prime prospects, there should be just as much ridicule for the increasingly irritating game-to-game decisions.

The New York Mets find themselves in a rather messy predicament at the halfway mark of the 2009 season. As of now, one of baseball’s highest paid teams sits three games below .500 with a 39-42 record which is good for third place in the National League East behind the bargain basement Florida Marlins and the rival Philadelphia Phillies.

Meet Jorge de la Rosa.

Jorge is a left handed starting pitcher for the Colorado Rockies. His fastball resides typically in the low 90's. His off-speed offerings include a plus change and slider. His curveball has potential if he can fix its release point. He strikes out over a batter per inning and costs only ("only" used loosely) $2 million.

Why is de la Rosa so available? Well he is 5-7 with a 5.14 ERA and the Rockies fifth starter.

In my last article, I said that Blue Jays General Manager J.P. Riccardi would never trade Roy Halladay to divisional rival. Now it seems like he is ready to dangle his best pitcher in the division.

Rumor winds begin to swirl now that Halladay is all but gone in Toronto and the Blue Jays GM will now begin to listen to offers and if the right one comes along, he would pull the trigger.

Now, the Yankees aren't just the only team involved in this. There are plenty of teams who will be vying for Halladay's services.

By now most Brewer fans are well aware of the words exchanged between Ryan Braun and GM Doug Melvin. I can guarantee that also, by now, Melvin and Braun have had a private meeting at Miller Park to hash out any misconceptions about what was said.

The Brewers will take the field tonight as if nothing happened, and any player interviewed about the topic will surely reply with, "it's not a big deal" or "it is what it is." Basically, the same tired cliches sports fans always have to put up with.

Take away fan and player voting and managers deciding. Forget the rule that every team has to be represented. Instead, leave it to me to pick the squads for the midsummer classic.

I won't be sentimental. I won't choose fan (or my own) favorites over deserving players, even if the latter are jerks. I'll refuse to pick players based on past performance; rather I'll only select major leaguers who performed at an all-star level in the first half of the 2009 season. I will simply look at statistics and leave emotions out of it. (Sorry, Jermaine Dye.)

For one day, the spotlight dimmed a bit.

With Raul Ibanez spending a day in Reading, PA for a rehab assignment, Kyle Drabek had a little attention taken away from him yesterday.

Make no mistake, however: There were still plenty of people at the ballpark to see Drabek.

Plenty of fans. Plenty of scouts. Plenty hoping that very soon, Kyle Drabek will become one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball.

At just 21 years of age, he is noted as the top pitching prospect in the Philadelphia Phillies' organization.

Don't trade Roy Halladay, Blue Jays.

Not for the sun, the moon, and half the stars.

Maybe to the Yankees if they offer you CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes. Or for an equivalent offer from another team. But not otherwise, because he is the "sine qua non" (without which not) of your playoff chances.

I have been one of the people that believes your team has a legitimate shot at the playoffs, if not this year, certainly next. You got off to a good start, then faltered, mainly against (weaker) National League teams. A better "draw" next year might see you through.