Many baseball people cringe every season when interleague play rears its ugly head.

I’m not one of them.

The division races are taking shape, the summer is right around the corner, I think interleague play comes at the right time to give the fans a boost.

There are many intriguing match ups on the schedule.

Is interleague play fair?

Here’s what I think. [Read more →]

For the past two nights I’ve seen the A’s play the division leading Seattle Mariners.

While the A’s and the Mariners square off in Oakland, Anaheim is quietly gaining confidence beating the Rangers.

Will Seattle bury the West this season?

Now that I’ve seen the Mariners up close here’s what I think. [Read more →]

June is the month when the baseball races start to come into focus.

I recall the phrase “June Swoon” first describing a faltering Giants team in the late 50’s.

Then each year the writers would bring it up as soon as the Giants had a June losing streak.

Today, the “June Swoon ” is feared by every major league team. I think I know why.

June separates the fake early season contenders from the solid teams. You can see it happening as the month unfolds.

When June ends, three months of the season is gone, about 80 games.

You know where you stand.

Are the Giants due for a “June Swoon?” How about the A’s? Is it too early to tell whether June will be kind to the Cincinnati Reds? Are the White Sox fading in the first definitive month of the season?

Here’s what I think. [Read more →]

You see it every year as May turns into June during the baseball season.

Runs, runs, runs everywhere, and not a stopper in sight.

Unless your name is Bartolo Colon.

Colon threw a 122 pitch shut out against the reeling Chicago White Sox Friday night.

Colon is the hottest commodity on the open market.

He’s out of Cleveland, but where will he go? [Read more →]

Erik Hiljus sealed his own fate Tuesday night with another subpar performance in a starting roll.

Baseball coaches are well known for masking their true feelings when assessing a player’s performance, but pitching coach Rick Peterson was less than complimentary when he described Hiljus’ poor outing.

Now, the question becomes when do you pitch Aaron Harang, Sunday or Monday?

Here’s what I think. [Read more →]

Three teams relying on their pitching got a boost Tuesday night from their starting pitchers.

Mark Mulder beat the Orioles on the road.

Miguel Batista and Jason Schmidt hooked up in an old fashioned National League pitching duel for nine innnigs.

It’s been a long time since I saw Mulder pitch a good game, I’m not as excited about his performance last night as everyone else seems to be.

Batista and Schmidt seem to be the real deal right now.

I’ll tell you why I’m still concerned about Mulder. [Read more →]

Charlie Maxwell played for Detroit in the 50’s. He was from Paw Paw, Michigan and he could hit homers for the Tigers.

He hit most of his homers on Sunday. He is the most famous Sunday hitter in major league history. I used to listen to his games on the radio when he played against the White Sox on Sunday.

See, I only got Sox games on the radio, when I lived in Miami in the late 50’s. Charlie was a legend with his Sunday power. I think that’s where I got hooked on the magic of Sunday baseball.

Today it’s Randy Johnson, Kevin Brown, Greg Maddux, Javier Vasquez, Barry Zito, Mike Mussina, Eric Milton, and Kevin Appier to name a few, the list is impressive.

They all pitch in key games for their teams this Sunday.

Why does it seem that more rides on Sunday games than any other games during the week.

Baseball fans exhale on Sunday, sit back, and can’t wait to figure out what the day’s results mean to their favorite team.

Sunday was Charlie Maxwell’s day. I’ll never forget him.

[Read more →]

Even though it would take a lot of nerve to do it, the Reds should trade Ken Griffey, Jr. to the Athletics.

I know you will say, it can’t be done. Griffey is a hometown hero who is playing in front of his boyhood friends and family.

In addition, the Reds move into a new park next year. Junior is the center piece of the franchise.

You argue, the Reds need him, they are in contention this year.

Here’s why it could and should happen.
[Read more →]

The Rocket in Fenway Park pitching for the Yankees. It still doesn’t seem right.

Pedro Martinez got the Sox off to a great start with his 3-1 victory Thursday night against the Bronx Bombers.

Maybe Pedro is exorcising the Curse of the Bambino by challenging to drill The Babe in the butt if he faced him in a game.

Can Clemens get victory number 288 tonight?

Are the Yankees going to need more pitching help with David Wells and El Duque nursing back injuries?

Let’s see?

[Read more →]

Jeremy Giambi scored 173 runs in his big league career including one in the playoffs. If he would have scored one more run in last year’s ALDS, he probably still would be an Oakland A today.

By not sliding in that rendezvous with fate in game three of the series against New York, Giambi sealed his eventual departure from the A’s.

It was just a matter of time.

Considering all the circumstances, was it a good deal, Jeremy Giambi for John Mabry? [Read more →]