Opinion

Since its inception the American League has dominated in season inter-league play.  Up through the 2008 season the American league had a record of 1536 wins and 1420 losses.

The American League has also dominated the All-Star game having not lost since 1996.  However, this isn't a fair measure of which league is better because a league can easily have the best group of 25-35 stars but still be the weaker league. 

After the events of the past few weeks, Mets fans are genuinely concerned about the 2009 season. Injuries have decimated the team, key players have been out for some time now, and their return is questionable at best.

Many of the doomsayers are already getting the other teams' rosters and trying to figure just how to break up the "core" players who are at fault for our lack of winning ways. I don't believe that a blow-up is necessary, but that's not the subject of this article.

We've hated him for a long time. From the time he arrived in Boston from Montreal in 1998, Pedro Martinez has been among the most prominent names on the Empire's list of public enemies.

From 1998 to 2000, he went 60-17 with a 2.25 ERA and an unearthly 11.49 strikeouts per nine innings, giving the Red Sox arguably the best pitcher in the American League. Though his numbers declined afterward, he remained a thorn in the Yankees' side and Boston's most prominent face of the rivalry for years afterward.

San Francisco Giants starter Jonathan Sanchez has a 5.43 ERA and a 1.73 Whip to go along with his 2-7 record. Many expected Sanchez to improve upon his 5.01 ERA of last year, but although some facets of his game have gotten better, the overall product has taken a turn for the worse. 

One never knows what is going to happen in a baseball game. Pennant-winning teams might struggle against cellar-dwellers, or a play that has never been seen could occur.

There are no guarantees, which is a major reason that before the first pitch, all baseball games are potentially created equal.

Gaylord Perry Against Bob Gibson

The paid attendance on Sept. 17, 1968 at Candlestick Park was 9,546.

On this Father's Day weekend, all of our thoughts turn to our dads, the shapers of so much in our lives. The lucky ones will get to hug their dads and perhaps share a silly card.

Others like me, whose fathers have passed on, can only cling to the memories of Father's Days past.

For all of us, fathers have played an instrumental role in or lives, guiding us in our growing up years and instilling important values along the way. 

Steven Tolleson, I'm willing to bet Twins fans have ever even heard the name.  In fact he is so unheard of that Getty Images doesn't even have a photo of the guy.  However, while looking through the Twins stat lines for their minor league affiliates one day I came across an impressive line attached to this name.  The killer part is, he's a shortstop. 

In the summer leading up to the 2007 Major League Baseball season, the Boston Red Sox put 50 million dollars on the table just to speak to a pitcher from Japan. Reports of a pitch known as the "gyro" ball infatuated every baseball fan from coast to coast.

The deal was completed and Daisuke "Dice-K" Matsuzaka was brought to the Red Sox with open arms from The Nation.

His first season went by looking very average and not close to worth the money.  He went 15-12 with a 4.40 ERA.

"Not only the Bronx, but anywhere, I think anywhere is a possibility..You always have to keep that in the back of your mind because you can’t just be one-sided and think that, ‘Oh I’m going to be in a Red Sox uniform my entire career.’ Because nowadays that is very, very rare. . . .

Remember when Billy Beane traded for Matt Holliday? Or when he signed Jason Giambi, Nomar Garciaparra and Orlando Cabrera in an attempt to boost an anemic offense?

Remember when the A's were said to be the darkhorse team in the American League?

With the month of June half over, the A's trail the first place Rangers by nine games. How can a team with Matt Holliday, Nomar Garciaparra and Jason Giambi be nine games out of first?