Many baseball fans criticize pitchers for not pitching inside and protecting the inside part of the plate.

One way to judge whether or not pitchers are trying to reclaim this part of their sacred territory is to look at the number of batters hit by a pitched ball.

The theory being, if you hit a batter you must be throwing your pitches directly at the inside area in an attempt to move the hitter off the plate.

Are more batters being hit than last year or in years past? [Read more →]

As losing streaks take on a life of their own, it’s the pitcher who has to stand up and carry the team.

Today is the day for Tim Hudson to give his team a boost.

Can he look at his teammates and give them the confidence that they need to stop the rampaging Red Sox?

[Read more →]

Even though it is still early in the season, one way to judge the strength of the A’s and Giants is to speculate which players would be going to Milwaukee for the All Star game if the selections were made today.

When you think about the choices, it becomes easier to explain the success or lack thereof of both teams, over the first 32 games or so.

Let’s see.

[Read more →]

The Red Sox are off to the second best start in franchise history, 21-7. Only the 1946 version started better with a 23-5 mark.

The Sox proved two things:

1) They can wallop the Orioles, Devil Rays, Blue Jays, and Royals anytime they play,

2) If they stay healthy, they have their best team in years.

Now, with their next 19 games against the A’s, Mariners, White Sox, and Yankees, they have a chance to quiet the naysayers who are downplaying their early season success built against the weak sisters of the AL.

Tonight, it’s Pedro Martinez versus Cory Lidle, the questions are

“Is Pedro back to his Cy Young form?”

“Can Cory Lidle stop the Sox?”

Let’s see. [Read more →]

Watching the Giants play the last week brought a question to mind.

Is it easier for Art Howe to manage the A’s or does Dusty Baker have less stress managing the Giants?

Here’s the way I see it. [Read more →]

In the 1950’s, the Pacific Coast League played a seven game series each week, ending the set with a doubleheader on Sunday between such teams as the Hollywood Stars, the Sacramento Solons, the San Francisco Seals, or the Oakland Oaks to name a few.

Sunday, still brings that rush of anticipation of the big weekend finale, even though the twin bill is a thing of the past.

It’s the last chance to win a game before the week closes and the teams move on to the next city.

Here’s what’s in store today.

[Read more →]

The signs are there. The AL West has entered the building.

This year’s Mariners are showing they are not as infallible as last year’s team, but the real story is the rest of the division.

Take a look. [Read more →]

In the American league, six, maybe seven teams are serious post season contenders.

The National League presents a more difficult analysis.

I realized this last night at Pac Bell Park when I felt the vibes around the Giants.

Here’s what I saw. [Read more →]

The last time the A’s played in Yankee Stadium, they fumbled away their chance to knock the Yankees out of the playoffs.

Tonight, the Yankee tamer, Barry Zito, gives the team a chance to start this series on a high note.

Let me tell you what he has to do to be successful. [Read more →]

The baseball season grinds slowly through the spring, into summer, and then hits its closing crescendo in the fall.

We analyze the twists and turns on a daily basis, but what are we searching for each day? [Read more →]