Two National League Championship series in two years. Two division titles, but no championship.

Now five-plus years into ownership for the Los Angeles Dodgers, one phrase dominates the nightmares of Frank McCourt's personal life: "What have you done for us lately?"

Picture it: Divorce papers scattered by a whirlwind in the master bedroom, those words written in red all over the walls, and a man meagerly huddled in the corner clutching his knees and a glass of scotch while muttering, "I never should have put a ring on it."

I wanted to write this blip after the Giants' loss to the Rockies on Sunday, prolonging their trend of taking the series then failing to sweep. It would have been more honest perhaps, and certainly a bit more dour than my current assessment after 2 impressive wins against the Marlins.

Milton Bradley has asked the Seattle Mariners management for help in dealing with personal issues.  Rather unsurprisingly, that was the breaking news out of Seattle tonight.

Bradley met with manager Don Wakamatsu and GM Jack Zduriencik on Wednesday morning and told the pair "I need your help."

Zduriencik says the team will do whatever it can to help Bradley.

After last night’s rally and dramatic bottom of the ninth victory, the Padres (17-10) assured themselves of having another successful homestand.  Winners of six of their last eight games and 11-4 at home, the Padres continue to roll.

Relief pitching in the first half of the 20th century was much different than the relief pitching of today.

Back then, it was still the general ideology of managers that the good arms were in the starting rotation and the duds were in the bullpen.

In a way it was true.

However, that ideology was starting to shift by the 1960s and the relief pitchers on this list broke that rule.

They could flat out pitch.

New York Times reporter, Richard Sandomir, is reporting that the New York Yankees will air their July 10th and 11th games against the Seattle Mariners in 3-D.  The YES Network has been able to make an agreement to test out the latest technology with DirecTV.

Sadly not everyone will be able to watch the game in 3-D due to the fact that not everyone has that specific cable service provider. The Yankees vs. Mariners game will be the first regular season game aired in three dimensions.

Just as the sun sets on an evening at the ballpark, so has the life of Ernie Harwell.

Harwell, the famed radio announcer for the Detroit Tigers since 1960, passed Tuesday evening before the first pitch in the Tigers-Twins game.

At the ripe age of 92 and suffering from bile duct cancer, Harwell probably defied a lot of odds placed against him. Luckily, for the sake of Tigers fans, he stayed on this earth as long as he did.

Harwell called his last baseball game in 2002.

With the Astros continuing their recent slump and offensive slumber, it’s time to quickly take a look at a few trade options especially if Houston has to begin looking at 2011 rather than making plans for late October.

Big names that are obviously wanted by other clubs include the likes of starting right-handed pitcher Roy Oswalt (who has a no-trade clause), first baseman Lance Berkman (also has a no-trade clause in his contract), and All-Star youngster outfielder Hunter Pence (whom is likely untouchable as a major part of the future of the franchise).

Some other Houston players who ma

Before I get started, I wanted to express my condolences to the Harwell family, to Tigers fans, and to baseball fans in general.

We lost a legend with the passing of Hall of Famer Ernie Harwell.

Thank you for a lifetime dedicated to the game.

Here’s a look at some unheralded players who played well yesterday.

Livan Hernandez, Washington Nationals

The WHIP wasn’t pretty (five hits and five walks in 5.1 IP), but Livan allowed just one earned run to improve to 4-1 with a 0.97 ERA.

There’s something quite odd about Derek Jeter.

I don’t mean the fact that he’s seemingly ageless, or that he’s actually a somewhat-likeable guy despite being the captain of the most evil group of players ever to walk onto a baseball field.

I am referring to the fact that the numbers Jeter has accrued so far this season simply don’t make any sense.