The Expos finally get to go home. Only problem is the team plane missed Montreal by about 3000 miles. They play the Mets today in San Juan in the first of 20 or more “home games” in Puerto Rico.

Why? The only viable reason is MLB is being sued by the former minority partners of the former owner Jeffry Loria, and the moguls can’t sell the franchise to anyone until that lawsuit is settled. MLB has indicated they will choose a new home for Montreal’s team by the All Star game, so the lawsuit is probably going to be settled shortly.

Meanwhile, the Mets blew another ninth inning lead and now go to Puerto Rico to open the Expos Caribbean schedule.

The opposition is running on Mike Piazza every chance they get. Expect more this weekend. Piazza’s day as a ML catcher is over, he needs a new position even if it means not breaking the home run record for backstops.

A lot more baseball this weekend. [Read more →]

Marty talks with Rangers manger Buck Showalter about Buck’s days at ESPN, the Cape Cod League, and the prospects in the Ranger oraganization. [Read more →]

I know it’s early in the season, but now that I’ve seen the three teams chasing the Athletics in the West, I am having a hard time envisioning any of these three teams beating the A’s over 162 games.

Seattle is treading water, hoping that the injuries don’t pile up. The Angels have the most potential because they will get healthy and have some excellent starting pitching.

Texas is about where I thought they would be, some offense, but not much pitching.

There is a lot more going on in the majors let’s look. [Read more →]

I don’t know about you, but I get tired of watching the highlights of the first two weeks of the season when the players have turtle neck shirts pulled up over the mouths.

Why not open the year in the warm weather cities and those cities with enclosed stadiums?

Home field advantage doesn’t apply when you have to play in 32 degree weather. It hurts both teams. Don’t you think Detroit would like to take their .133 batting average on the road and maybe have a chance of hitting the ball.

Plus, these teams come out of Florida or Arizona and then have to play in freezing temperatures. It just doesn’t make sense to continue this way, I’m sure the fans in the East and Midwest wouldn’t care if their teams spent ten days or so on the road to avoid the snowballs of April.

More action today in the majors, let’s look. [Read more →]

One week certainly doesn’t make a season, but you cannot ignore some of the results this week.

The A’s are outplaying the Angels just as they did the Mariners in their first series.

The Giants are using their bull pen every day and this is not a good sign. SF’s rotation needs to give the pen some rest especially considering the team is 5-0 against their cousins the Padres and the hapless Brewers.

The AL Central has two teams Detroit and Cleveland who will rival Baltimore and Tampa Bay for the worst in the league.

There’s more, click below. [Read more →]

Most teams in baseball get decent starting pitching from their number one thru three starters. What really separates the very good teams from the also rans is the back end of the rotation.

With off days common the first month of the season, most teams go with a four man rotation, not needing a fifth starter until May.

On Friday, the fourth starters were working all over baseball. It’s worth a look to see who did what, because if you have agood one, things are looking up for your team.

Click below and let’s see what happened. [Read more →]

Seattle needed to get out of Oakland with one win and they played like their season depended upon getting the victory, they held on to win 7-6 in eleven innings.

Ken Macha made some managerial moves for the first time in his tenure as A’s skipper.

Some turned out well and others came back to haunt him.

Click below and I’ll tell you what I saw. [Read more →]

The A’s and the Giants both won last night. Seattle has seen what the A’s can do, Jamie Moyer looked completely overmatched against the A’s power.

Barry Zito wasn’t on top of his game, but it was plenty good enough to silence the Mariner bats.

The Giants now get into the back end of their rotation, Damian Moss continued his inconsistent pitching. Tim Worrell is starting to look like his brother Todd and is the number one closer for the Giants until further notice.

Today’s games will be closer. [Read more →]

If the Seattle Mariners thought last night was difficult for its hitters wait until tonight when they face Barry Zito.

Tim Hudson pitched the way he should have in the playoffs last fall as he dominated the Mariners through eight chilly innings.

Erubiel Durazo, lurking unnoticed in the number six spot in the batting order provided all the offense the A’s could muster by driving in all five runs in the 5-0 whitewashing of Seattle.

Meanwhile The Giants continued to pound the Padres and the Red Sox got long relief help from Steve Woodard and Brandon Lyon to squeak out a 9-8 win over,yes, Tampa Bay in 16 innings.

A lot more to talk about, just click below.

[Read more →]

And finally the National

League East.

By Amaury Pi-González [Read more →]