Pineda Stays True to His Name

By - Keith Smith

If you go and research the history of the Spanish name "Pineda," you will find that one of the meanings of the word is "pine forest."

You can't make this up.

Yankee pitcher Michael Pineda has lived up to his name over the past two weeks. Back on April 10th, Pineda was caught by ESPN cameras with a wad of pine tar on the palm of his hand while pitching against the Boston Red Sox. By the time the message had been relayed to Boston's bench, Pineda had washed the substance off. This past Wednesday night, in a rematch with the Sox, the cameras again saw Pineda with a large swath of the dark, sticky substance applied to the back of his neck.

This time, word made it to Sox manager John Farrell in time for him to complain to home plate umpire Gerry Davis, who ejected Pineda after finding the foreign substance on his person.

Photo by: Getty Images

The next day, Pineda was suspended 10 games. To his credit, he has admitted guilt, not that he could've denied it. He had enough of the stuff on him both times to waterproof a house. Pineda also said he wouldn't appeal the decision.

"I'll accept it because I know I made a mistake," the 25-year-old told ESPN. "That's it."

The most disturbing part of this, at least for me, is the number of announcers, ex-players and news media who seemingly have absolutely no problem with the fact that Pineda cheated. Their only problem is that he did it so openly.

I've heard both former pitchers and hitters say that the use of pine tar is commonplace, and how it's simply to help them get a better grip on the ball in cold weather, not gain an advantage by making the ball move like the old spit balls used to.

Yet, those same guys will complain about steroid users and how they have destroyed the integrity of the game.

Maybe I'm too much of a rule follower, but to me, cheating is cheating. If it's against the rules, it's cheating. If it's gaining an advantage through illegal means, it's cheating. If the rule book specifically prohibits something, it's not okay to do.

They write that thing for a reason, people.

Is Albert Pujols Finally Earning His Huge Salary?

By - Brad Heerschop

Two years have passed since Albert Pujols signed his whopping 10-year, $240M contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. A contract that even at the time (when Pujols was still one of the best hitters in the game) seemed a bit excessive.

Photo by: Alex Gallardo

It wasn't just money, though. Pujols receives four season tickets to home games during the life of the contract, a hotel suite on road trips, the right to buy a luxury suite between first and third base for all home games and a luxury suite for the Pujols Foundation (his own charity) for ten home games a season. To top it all off, Pujols receives numerous incentive bonuses as well and will be granted $1M per year from the team for 10 years after the contract expires (or he retires), in what is coined a "personal services relationship" with the club.

So why would any player deserve all this?

Well the numbers speak for themselves. The 2-time World Series champion is a 9-time MLB All-Star, a 3-time NL MVP winner, a 6-time Silver Slugger Award winner, a 2-time Gold Glove recipient and a former National League Rookie of the Year. Amongst countless other unnamed accolades, No. 5 also has the distinction of being the only guy in Major League Baseball history to bat at least .300 with 30 or more home runs and 100 or more RBIs in his first 10 seasons.

With a career average of .321, 500 home runs and all of the aforementioned credentials, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see why the Dominican was so sought after once his contract with St. Louis had expired. What was hard to fathom is why any team would give a man in his thirties a hefty contract for a period likely longer than his career will be.

Until now, the critics appeared to be right. Pujols missed 71 games in his first two seasons in California due to a nagging plantar fascia injury. His numbers were on a steady decline as well. During those first two years, he hit for a .275 average with only 47 homers.

2012 saw Pujols hit career lows in average and home runs. The following season only served to show him break those lows. As a hitter known for his ability to find gaps and hit for doubles, the 2013 campaign saw his lowest total in that department also.

To boot, his once top-notch baserunning skills looked like a shadow of what they used to be, and even his value at first base, which was once high, dropped off significantly.

Now I realize compared to league averages his numbers are still pretty solid. However, Pujols isn't an "average" player, and his contract certainly is not what I would call "average" either.

Barry Bonds Back in Baseball

By - Keith Smith

Even if it's only temporary, Barry Bonds returned to baseball this week, signing a 7-day contract as a hitting coach for his former team, the San Francisco Giants.

Will it lead to something more permanent? Who knows? At his Monday press conference, Bonds said, "Not everyone is suited for the job, and I may not be either. I don't know. I have 7 days to find out if I am."

Photo by: Chris Carlson

Even though I've always had an inherent dislike for Bonds, apparently there are many who are happy to have him back in baseball. I'm just not one of them.

It's not his connection to the steroids era, per se. Mark McGwire had the same thing and I was ecstatic that he landed as a coach with the Cardinals a few years ago. Even though I do think that the cloud of PED use hanging over them should keep both guys out of the Hall, if not indefinitely, then at least until the Veteran's Committee is their only option.

And no, this isn't a racial thing. Many of my favorite players of all time were African-American, so that's not it.

If I had to put my finger on it, I'd say it goes back to his horrible attitude as a player with the media, but more specifically, and primarily, with his teammates. His standoffish demeanor with the guys in his very own locker room is well documented. He had his own area blocked off from the rest of them with his own personal TV for crying out loud.

Which begs the question, "Why did the Giants bring a guy who was never a team player back into the fold?"

Maybe they felt they owed him for the incredible things he did on the field (I was under the impression that's what all those millions were for, but what do I know)?

Maybe they believed he's now contrite and finally willing to give back to the sport he's been around since the day he was born (many reporters in camp say he is as humble and genuine as he's been in 25 years)?

MLB 2014: Spring Has Almost Sprung

By - Keith Smith

I'm not alone in saying that spring is my favorite time of year. Probably 90% of Americans live for the end of winter, with bright, warm, sunshine beating down on their face, melting the mounds of snow that have piled up during the doldrums of the colder months.

But while the weather is certainly a plus of the upcoming season, it isn't what lures me to it. It's the crack of the bat, the smell of freshly oiled leather and newly mown fields, popcorn and hot dog aromas wafting through the warmth of the sunshine. In short, it's spring training for Major League Baseball.

And it's here!

Photo by: Getty Images

Spring training games began earlier this week in Arizona and Florida, as the start of the 2014 baseball season is just over a month away. And I'm like a kid with a...well, a new baseball glove.

Every spring brings renewed hope for teams from California to New York and everywhere in between; even in the heartland of Chicago. Yes, the Cubs are actually tied for first right now. We'll check on that again two weeks into the season and see what the magic number for elimination is down to by then, but for now, there is at least hope for the hapless Cubbies.

It's too early to predict who will win each division and who will claim the wild card slots. Granted, plenty of people do preseason predictions, and I could do that, too, strictly based on the talent on the field, but I'll leave that to others. The only prediction that I'll make is that, come March 30th (opening night with ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball), there will be a huge smile on my face.

Oh, I know that baseball is no longer a perfect sport, as I had romanticized it to be in my youth. The influx of overblown salaries, strikes and lockouts, steroids, etc., long ago shed the illusion of perfection for me. And now with the new rule that removes home plate collisions further proving that we are trying as hard as we possibly can to make all sports non-contact events, I'm convinced there is no going back to the game I loved for so long.

Even so, there is still nothing as wonderful as a warm summer's night at the ballpark, relaxing with friends or family (or both), watching guys struggle to make a round bat contact a round ball that's being thrown first at 97 mph painting the outside corner, followed by a ball thrown at 90 mph breaking eight inches a mere two feet in front of the plate, followed by yet another pitch that looks exactly like the one that was at 97, but is only 85 and sinking rapidly.

Will the Old MVP Be M.I.A. This Year in Mil-town?

By - Keith Smith

Anyone but me old enough to remember the old TV show "To Tell the Truth?" If so, you'll remember how they revealed the real person for whom they were looking.

It's the same question we'll all be asking in a few weeks when the MLB season starts.

"Will the real Ryan Braun please stand up?"

Photo by: Getty Images

The Brewers hope, in fact they're banking on, the real Ryan Braun being the dominant player of 2011 and 2012. Even without the steroids he admitted using during last year's Biogenesis scandal.

The question is, without performance enhancing drugs, can he even be a shadow of his former self? My guess is no, but I've been wrong before.

Braun has only admitted to using one year (2011), but a quick glance at his career numbers indicate one of two things; either the steroids had virtually no effect on his performance the one year he claims to have used (2011 - this is the scenario the Brewers hope is true), or he was using his entire career (in my opinion, the more likely scenario).

Here are Braun's year-by-year numbers:

2007 - .324 BA, 34 HR, 97 RBI, .634 SLG, 1.004 OPS
2008 - .285 BA, 37 HR, 106 RBI, .553 SLG, .888 OPS
2009 - .320 BA, 32 HR, 114 RBI, .551 SLG, .937 OPS
2010 - .304 BA, 25 HR, 103 RBI, .501 SLG, .866 OPS
2011 - .332 BA, 33 HR, 111 RBI, .597 SLG, .994 OPS (MVP season)
2012 - .319 BA, 41 HR, 112 RBI, .595 SLG, .987 OPS
2013 - .298 BA, 9 HR, 38 RBI, .498 SLG, .869 OPS (injured thumb + 65-game suspension)

Is it me, or are all those seasons (with the exception of the suspension year) eerily similar? Who knows? Maybe he is just that good. One thing is certain; this will be a very telling season.

With the scrutiny Braun will be under coming off the suspension, any drop-off from those consistent numbers he posted from 2007-2012 will be greatly magnified. If he only hits .280 with 23 homers and 80 runs batted in, slugs .450 with an OPS around .800, it will be very telling as to the extent of his juicing.

Derek Jeter: O Captain, My Captain

By - Keith Smith

The man that some people consider to be the greatest Yankee ever, Derek Jeter, announced Wednesday that the 2014 baseball season will be his last.

Photo by: John Munson

Before I delve into where he ranks among both the all-time great Yankees and shortstops, let me say that I'm not a Yankee fan. Quite the opposite, actually. I've never cared for the team from the Bronx. So nothing I say here can be attributed to any type of bias tied to being a homer.

I will simply say, of all the players that I've had the pleasure of watching over my 52 years of life, Jeter ranks near the top in terms of people I would want to start a team with and build around.

His passion for the game shines through in everything he does. He's the kind of player that every child aspires to be when they are tossing a ball around the back yard with their dad. He's also the kind of player every father envisions his kid becoming in that same instance.

During a time in baseball history marred by the ugliness of steroids, Derek Jeter has remained the class of the league, staying above the fray and accusations. He has been solid in every phase of a sport where, nowadays, if you excel at more than two of those phases, people start talking Hall of Fame.

But in Jeter's case, there will be no reason to push people for votes. He will be a first-ballot guy, and my guess is six years from now he will receive one of the highest vote totals that the game has ever seen.

Jeter has played his entire career in New York, something we continue to see less and less of every generation. Playing on the most storied franchise in major league history, Jeter owns many of the team's all-time records.

The Captain is first in games played (2,602), hits (3,316), at-bats (10,614), plate appearances (11,968), singles (2,470), and stolen bases (348). He's also second in doubles (9 away from first, almost a certainty), third in runs (could end up first), fifth in walks (will finish fourth), sixth in runs batted in, seventh in batting average (could finish as high as fifth), and ninth in home runs.

As a matter of fact, in looking at all the Yankee career batting records, only three names appear at the top of practically every category; Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Derek Jeter. That's extremely rare company on what is universally recognized as the most successful franchise in any major sport.

Yankees Continue to Bolster Their Roster

By - Benjamin Lincecum

Coming off a week that saw them shore up their offseason moves with arguably the highest profile "free agent" signing of the period, Masahiro Tanaka, the New York Yankees are now looking forward to the start of the 2014 season.

Photo by: Danny Moloshok

This winter has seen the Yankees sign longtime Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, previous St. Louis Cardinal slugger Carlos Beltran, as well as All-Star catcher Brian McCann. Hank and Hal Steinbrenner have spent cash the likes of which their late father George only dreamed of shelling out, close to half a billion dollars, mainly on the players mentioned above.

Needless to say, changes were needed.

New York's offense was putrid much of last year, and the rotation suffered with ace CC Sabathia struggling all season long. So where do the Yankees go from here? What should the expectations be in the Big Apple in light of the turmoil still hovering around fallen superstar Alex Rodriguez, coupled with the bigger losses of Robinson Cano, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera?

There are plenty of reasons for Yankee faithful to be thinking turnaround this year. For starters, it's not like the Bronx Bombers weren't ravaged by injuries last season. Granted, all teams deal with the pesky injury bug, but what New York had to endure was bordering on insane. The offseason acquisitions have been very good and should address the offense, and potentially bring the starting rotation up to a point where it can hang with the Boston's and Detroit's of the league.

All that may not be enough, though.

Tampa, it seems, can't help but win these days, in spite of the fact that they consistently lose big name players in free agency and cannot get fans interested enough in coming out to the park for even a free game. The Red Sox lost some in the offseason, but not that much, and the major spots are still looking good for them. I find it hard to imagine the Yankees winning the AL East this season ahead of either of these teams, which leaves them fighting for a wildcard spot, and at least one of the aforementioned clubs will probably be standing in their way of that.

The Yankees may enter the season with high hopes, but they will now face what almost every other team in the league knows to be a truth; how fickle closers tend to be. Mariano was an incredible exception to this rule, and undoubtedly spoiled Yankee fans. David Robertson may or may not work out, but one thing is a pretty safe bet; he's no Mariano Rivera. This, along with the fact that Masahiro has never thrown a pitch at the big league level, might mean the Yankees will have to depend on an offense that is, as of now, unproven.

Hall of Fame Still Thumbing its Collective Nose at the Steroid Era

By - Keith Smith

While this year's vote for the Baseball Hall of Fame wasn't quite the slap in the face of last year, when no one was voted in, there was at least still a definite thumbing of the nose to those with the cloud of steroids swirling around them.

Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and Frank Thomas, each first-timers on the ballot, were voted in. All were well deserved, and when you add that Maddux and Glavine, longtime teammates with the Atlanta Braves, will go in with their manager Bobby Cox, who was selected in December by the expansion-era committee, you have quite a nice story indeed.

Photo from: espn.go.com

Not so nice, though just as well deserved, was the continued snubs of the list of players who were in some way linked to performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, and Rafael Palmeiro, missed again, and Palmeiro dropped so far in the voting that he missed the mandatory 5% of the vote required to stay on the ballot, so he won't be getting in at all. With McGwire at 11% and Sosa at only 7%, their days on the ballot are probably numbered as well.

Clemens and Bonds were right around 35%, less than half of the total needed (75%), so unless there is some sort of groundswell in support for them in the next few years, it's quite possible they never enter the hallowed halls, either.

We could debate forever whether those who are accused should be allowed in, and I could make a compelling argument either way. But the long and the short of it is that I don't have a vote, so it doesn't really matter what I think. The Baseball Writers of America, who vote on membership, have spoken, and they've spoken loudly.

It does matter to them.

Many thought last year might have simply been a message, sort of a metaphorical brush-back pitch, if you will, to the accused. It was suspected that the writers might acquiesce this year and put Clemens and Bonds, the two most deserving numbers-wise, in after sending that loud message with last year's shutout, but it was not to be.

The Loss of Robinson Cano Could Be a Blessing in Disguise For the Yankees

By - Jaquan Murphy

Well it's official. Robinson Cano is taking his talents to the Great Northwest. A ten-year, $240 million deal has landed the prized free agent in Seattle.

Photo by: Getty Images

It's a move the Mariners needed to make, but one the Yankees can live with. Seattle was desperate to add a big name and elite bat to their lineup. New York didn't need another Alex Rodriguez situation on their hands.

In fact, Cano going to the Mariners might actually be the best possible outcome for the Yankees. They avoided giving the 31-year-old a monster contract, and he goes to a team that is still nowhere close to contending. Even with their new acquisition, Seattle is probably finishing in the bottom-half of the AL West.

In losing Cano, the Bronx Bombers become a dangerous club just from the financial side of things. With more money to spend, they can be major players in the free agent market.

If available, Masahiro Tanaka is now the top priority for the Yanks. Strengthening the starting pitching is No. 1 on their list of things to do at this point, so with Hiroki Kuroda re-signed, they can focus on three through five in the rotation. Matt Garza, Ubaldo Jimenez and Ervin Santana are the top options on the market, and all three could realistically be on New York's radar. If they decide they want to go short-term for a fourth or fifth starter, they could look at Bronson Arroyo, or a former ace in Roy Halladay or Roy Oswalt.

Keep in mind, Michael Pineda should be healthy entering spring training.

With the additional cash, the Yanks can add a few pieces to their pen as well. A plethora of solid arms line the market. Joaquin Benoit and Fernando Rodney are two righties that can solidify a bullpen, and Eric O'Flaherty is a shut-down lefty that New York may go after.

Obviously the departure of Cano leaves a gaping hole in the lineup. Kelly Johnson has been brought in as the initial replacement option, but it will be interesting to see if the Yankees pursue All-Star Brandon Phillips. His name has been thrown around as a player the Reds could be open to moving.

Moving Forward From Baseball's Steroid Era

By - Benjamin Lincecum

I understand that this is a bit out of season, but on the way to the LSU-Arkansas football game this past Friday, my father and I got on the subject of baseball.

My dad has followed the sport his whole life. I can remember him combing through the sports pages checking team records the way I do on ESPN these days. Back then, we didn't have a TV, much less a computer. He loves what the game used to be, but hates what it is now. That's not to say that he resists common sense changes like instant replay, but he is the guy who doesn't really defend Pete Rose or feel sorry that Rose will probably never see the Hall of Fame while he's still alive.

My father is also a person who has an extremely passionate, fiery desire to see both former and current players who used steroids punished.

Photo from: yahoo.com

Granted, that's a fairly common place view among people like my father. People who grew up in a time when baseball ran the world, not the NFL. When winning a pennant was something special. When a Gold Glove was more than a popularity contest. These people feel betrayed by the likes of Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Roger Clemens. There is an animosity directed towards these men for tarnishing the game. Even now, my dad gets a look on his face when he hears the name of his one-time favorite pitcher, Roger Clemens.

I don't think he can forgive, and I know he can't forget.

My view is a bit different. While I certainly do not approve of players using illegal substances, I also temporize more than people like my father. I understand it, and I sympathize with the players who felt driven to do it. I also have wildly different views of where baseball should go from here in order to recover from the scandal that is performance enhancing drugs.

My father thinks guys who tested positive or were in the courts over allegations over it with sufficient evidence against them, i.e. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, should never sniff the Hall of Fame. They should never have their records acknowledged, and they should never be considered equal to the heroes from baseball past.

Their punishment should match the depths of their betrayal.

I, on the other hand, think baseball has to acknowledge these people. Baseball has to acknowledge what they did, and baseball has to acknowledge when they did it. Asking people to forget what Barry Bonds did in 2001 is absurd. People can't forget how they felt seeing Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa duel all season long back in 1998. Fans of the game loved these battles, and these seasons created new fans for the sport to embrace.

Brian McCann Trades Peaches For Apples

By - Jaquan Murphy

Last month, free agent catcher Brian McCann traded peaches for apples, leaving the Peach State to sign in the Big Apple with the New York Yankees. The deal is worth $85 million over five years with an option for a sixth, which could potentially push the value to around $100 million when it's all said and done.

Photo by: Getty Images

With the deal, McCann gets what he wants; a chance to play for a contender in a hitters' ballpark, and a pretty nice payday to boot. The Yankees get what they needed; production from the catcher position.

A deeper look shows that this was a perfect move for the Yankees. Clearly they added the top free agent catcher on the market; a tremendous upgrade to the roster and one of the players off their wish list.

By adding McCann, New York has acquired a veteran who is not afraid to stand up and be a leader. With the departure of both Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera, there is a void that needed to be filled in the clubhouse. McCann can fill that hole. Once Derek Jeter decides to hang up his cleats, McCann will have been around long enough to assume a top leadership role on the team.

On the field, pitchers can now be at ease knowing they have an experienced catcher who knows how to handle a rotation and manage a game. This also allows the prospects the Bronx Bombers have at catcher more time to develop further and fully grasp the concept of catching in the majors. McCann can be a mentor to not only the young catchers, but the young arms in need of a veteran voice to help guide them.

In the short term, this could be a major wake up call for the Robinson Cano camp as well. While the signing of McCann was a move to improve the team, it is also a sign that the Yanks are staying on track to their goal of a $189 million cap and no $300 million deal for Cano. This essentially one-ups the Jay-Z sit down with the Mets, showing that while the Cano camp is in talks, the Yankee front office is taking action; and they are not afraid to move on without the second baseman.

World Series Defined By Big Mistakes So Far

By - Keith Smith

Two games into the 2013 World Series, and I can't decide if I'm watching the best players in baseball, or my 7-year-old nephew's tee-ball game at the local park.

When was the last time errors played such a huge role in the first two games of the Fall Classic?

In Game 1, two early mishaps by shortstop Pete Kozma cost the Cards crucial runs. St. Louis got so far behind so fast, there was little hope of recovery.

Photo by: Ron Vesely

Then came a play in Game 2 that reminded me of those long ago tee-ball escapades, where everyone ends up with a "home run" as the ball gets thrown all around the joint.

With the bases loaded in the top of the seventh, Matt Carpenter lifted a short fly ball to Jonny Gomes in left. He threw home, where catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia misplayed the hop. Then, pitcher Craig Breslow, who was backing up the play, gunned the ball into the camera box in short left field trying to nail Jon Jay at third.

The double error, the first pitcher-catcher double error on a play in World Series history, gave the Cardinals a lead they would never relinquish.

It was almost comical. Well, at least to anyone who isn't a Red Sox fan.

These are not the types of plays we expect to see when we tune in to watch the best players on the best teams compete for a championship. We expect to see championship-caliber plays.

To be fair, we've seen some of those, too. Most notably, Carlos Beltran robbing David Ortiz of a grand slam in Game 1, a play that knocked the wind out of Beltran, and metaphorically, did the same to St. Louis fans, when he was forced to leave the game with bruised ribs.

In-Depth Look at the 2013 Fall Classic

By - Brad Heerschop

And then there were two.

With 162 regular season games and three playoff rounds officially in the books, we are now set for what should be a thrilling finale to the 2013 Major League Baseball season.

Photo from: yahoo.com

Representing the National League we have the St. Louis Cardinals. A perennial contender, the Cards finished the regular season at a mark of 97-65, the best record in the National League. Add to their incredible season the fact that the NL Central had two other teams make the postseason, and it's easy to see that what St. Louis did this year was no easy feat.

Success for the Cardinals came from playing well in all facets of the game. Hitting was the mainstay in St. Louis this season, as the club had a .269 AVG (2nd-NL) and a .332 OBP (1st-NL). Their 745 RBI during the regular season were also the most for any National League team.

As mentioned, a balanced attack is what St. Louis baseball has been all about in 2013. Their pitching staff had a 3.42 ERA (5th-MLB), and only allowed 112 home runs (2nd-MLB). Defensively, they were solid as well, with a fielding percentage of .988 (4th-MLB).

In the NLDS, St. Louis went the distance with their long-time rivals, the Pittsburgh Pirates, but came out on top, taking the series 3 games to 2. In the NLCS, they bested Clayton Kershaw, baseball's best pitcher, in both of his outings en route to a 4-2 series victory and their 19th NL pennant.

The Red Sox are the American League representative following an impressive return to glory. In 2012, the Sox finished 69-93, their worst season since 1965. However, a simple managerial change and the Sox were a brand new beast. Boston finished an AL-best 97-65 under new skipper John Farrell.

Boston was the best hitting team in baseball this year, statistically sitting at or near the top of virtually every major offensive category. Their explosive offense combined for 819 RBI (1st-MLB), a .349 OBP (1st-MLB), and a .283 AVG (2nd-MLB).

The Red Sox won games with their bats, but their pitching was nothing to scoff at either. Their 156 home runs allowed and their opponents .248 AVG were both the 5th-lowest totals in the AL. On defense, the Red Sox had a .987 fielding percentage, good for 8th in all of baseball.

Vin Scully: A Timeless Treasure in Broadcasting

By - Keith Smith

With the Major League Baseball playoffs down to four teams and the Braves not being one of them, I have no dog left in the fight. I can only say that I really don't like the Dodgers. Never have, never will.

There is one thing about the team that I do like, though. Actually, that I love.

Vin Scully.

Photo by: Jon SooHoo

Scully, who has been announcing Dodger games since 1950, is easily the greatest baseball announcer that ever lived. In fact, he may be the greatest sports announcer of all time, period.

His silky voice and dulcet tones make him the Sinatra of play-by-play announcers, and his vocabulary makes even the most poetic of writers envious. Rarely does he reach for the wrong word, even when that word is no words at all.

Following a rally-killing pickoff of shortstop Nick Punto in Game 4 of the NLCS Tuesday night, just as Dodger Stadium was ready to erupt, Scully quipped, "Listen to the crowd now," then went quiet and let the deafening silence speak for itself.

That wasn't the first time Scully had let the fans tell the story. When Henry Aaron broke Babe Ruth's home run record in 1974, Scully was on the mic for NBC, and stayed quiet for well over a minute to let the exuberant fans express what they were feeling.

But Scully also knows when to talk, and the exact right words to say.

Like the verbiage he spoke on that memorable April day in Atlanta, after 90 seconds of fan jubilation subsided and he took back the airwaves:

"What a marvelous moment for baseball; what a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia; what a marvelous moment for the country and the world. A black man is receiving a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. It's a great moment for all of us, and particularly for Henry Aaron. For the first time in a long time, that poker face in Aaron shows the tremendous strain and relief of what it must have been like to live with for the past several months."

Perfection.

MLB Postseason Power Rankings

By - Brad Heerschop

A slightly unorthodox way of doing things, but rather than give you some inevitably incorrect predictions as far as the playoffs go, it's time for the final installment of our 2013 MLB power rankings.

Photo from: yahoo.com

If your team didn't make the postseason, sorry for your luck. On the bright side, you're off the hook for having to hear about how your club came up short this year. Instead, the intent here is to focus solely on baseball's 10 playoff participants.

While the Reds have already been eliminated, these clubs were ranked prior to the start of Tuesday's wild card game in order to maintain as much subjectivity as possible. As per usual, the numbers in parenthesis indicate where the team's ranked in our previous installment.

1. St. Louis Cardinals (9) - In baseball's most competitive division this season, the Cards did what they do best; won games when they mattered the most. Finishing the season with 97 wins (tied with Boston for the most in MLB), the Cardinals are one of the favorites to win the National League pennant, as well as the World Series. St. Louis had the best record in the NL in September, going 19-8. They went 8-2 in their last 10, and capped off the regular season winning 6-straight. Their pitching staff was extremely solid over the final month, posting an impressive 2.71 ERA, the best in baseball. Simply put, this team will be a force to reckon with in these playoffs.

2. Boston Red Sox (5) - With the American League's best record this season, the 2013 Red Sox are nothing like the 2012 version. In fact, this year's edition won 28 more games than they did last year, finishing 97-65. The difference? Manager John Farrell. From worst to first, and with postseason experience all over their roster, the Red Sox are a locomotive, essentially running over most of their opponents. Despite the fact that they were 5-5 in their last 10 games and lost their final two tilts of the season, Boston finished the month of September with an impressive 16-9 record. Their pitching staff allowed fewer hits, and offensively they hit for a better average, than any other AL team during that span. Although they sputtered a bit down the stretch, they're still the team to beat in the American League.

3. Oakland Athletics (8) - Oakland won their second-straight AL West title this year, even with the fifth-lowest team salary in the bigs. At 19-8 in September (second best in MLB), the A's enter the postseason as one of baseball's hottest clubs. During the regular season's final month, Oakland had the second-best ERA in the AL at 3.02, and held their opponents to the lowest AVG in the league at .231. To boot, their bats were solid to end the season, considering they struck out fewer times than all but one team in the majors, and posted the third-best AVG in all of baseball this September. Oakland's offense also combined for more home runs over the final month than any other team. In a tough ALDS matchup against the Tigers, it will be intriguing to see if the A's have what it takes to compete in the playoffs.

4. Cleveland Indians (13) - If they weren't forced to play a wild card game against Tampa Bay just to make the ALDS, the Tribe might have been No. 1 in these rankings, especially if you're a firm believer that the hottest team entering the postseason is the most likely candidate to win it all. Look no further than Cleveland if you're looking for a club that is on fire. The Indians held the best record in baseball this September at 21-6, and ended the regular season on a 10-game win streak. Pitching wins playoff games, and that is exactly what Cleveland does well. The Indians held an AL-best 2.84 ERA in the final month, and their staff struck out the second-most batters in all of baseball during that span. If Cleveland get by the Rays, expect them to put up a heck of a fight against the Red Sox in the ALDS. Manager Terry Francona has these guys playing well above expectations.

Picking Major League Baseball's Award Winners

By - Jaquan Murphy

Now that we've reached the end of Major League Baseball's regular season, it's time to hand out some awards.

While some of these picks may be somewhat under the radar, all of these players deserve recognition for their stellar play this year.

And the winners are...

American League Most Valuable Player: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

Photo by: Mike Janes

Last year's AL MVP did more than enough to defend his title this season, even if he did fall short of a second-consecutive Triple Crown. Cabrera's offensive dominance is simply unmatched, and the combination of a .348 average partnered with 44 homers and 137 RBI on a first-place finishing club is what separates the 30-year-old from the rest of the field.

Runner-Up: Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles

If not for another great year by Cabrera, Davis would be the talk of the baseball world, seeing as how 53 home run/138 RBI seasons aren't exactly common in the post-steroids era. He was also pivotal in keeping the Orioles in the playoff picture until the final week of the season, which is always a big plus as far as MVP voting goes.

National League Most Valuable Player: Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates

Many players may have put up better numbers than McCutchen, but none were more valuable to their team's overall success; his WAR of 8 reflects that. And it's not like a .317 average, 21 homers and 83 RBI are numbers to dismiss. The three-time All-Star showed his worth in other aspects of the game as well, stealing 27 bases and posting a .982 fielding percentage. Besides, when you're one of the primary reasons your team managed to end a 20+ year postseason drought, you deserve some love from the BBWAA.

Runner-Up: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves

This may come as a surprise to some people, but it really shouldn't. Freeman sits tied for fourth in the NL with a .319 average, to go along with 23 home runs and 107 runs batted in on a first-place Atlanta Braves team. On a squad where many of the other bats have battled either injuries or inconsistency, the 24-year-old has remained a steady stick in Atlanta's lineup.

Selig Retiring as Commissioner, 20 Years too Late

By - Keith Smith

News broke on Thursday that I had been waiting to hear for 20 years; Bud Selig is retiring.

Photo by: Patrick McDermott

The only downside is we still have to wait a year and three months before it happens.

Selig was originally scheduled to retire at the end of the 2012 season, but decided to grace us with his presence in the commissioner's office for a little while longer.

As you may have guessed, I'm not exactly Bud's biggest fan. When he became commissioner, he was owner of the Milwaukee Brewers, and I never thought it was a good decision to put an owner at the helm of the league.

That's like giving an alcoholic the keys to the liquor cabinet and trusting that they will keep it locked.

In addition to having one of the inmates run the asylum of MLB owners, I especially didn't care for the way in which Selig essentially weaseled his way into the position.

As an owner, he had a pretty big feud with then-commissioner Fay Vincent (whom I had great respect for in that role). Selig led a group of owners seeking Vincent's ouster, and after procuring an 18-9 no-confidence vote against Vincent, he resigned. Selig, as chairman of the Executive Council of Major League Baseball, became the new acting commissioner by default.

The problem between the two was a result of Vincent accusing the owners of collusion, stating that it was "a $280 million theft by Selig and (Chicago White Sox owner) Jerry Reinsdorf of that money from the players."

Vincent claimed that collusion was responsible for affecting labor relations between the players and owners for years, effectively doing irreversible damage to the sport. You may recall that only two years into Selig's tenure (1994) came the worst strike in baseball history, which prompted him to cancel the World Series that year, the only time that's been done except during war.

Rising From the Ashes: How the AL East Was Won

By - Lauren Dundee

What a difference a year can make.

Just ask the Boston Red Sox.

Photo by: Getty Images

September 28th, 2011. The Sox complete one of the biggest collapses in baseball history, losing to the Orioles 4-3 on the final day of the regular season, allowing the Rays to grab the AL wild card with their 8-7 come-from-behind win over the Yankees.

Boston somehow managed to squander a 9-game playoff cushion in the span of just 25 days.

The late-season meltdown cost manager Terry Francona his job, but the stench of the epic collapse carried over into 2012. Boston was abysmal, going 69-93 and finishing dead last in the division, easily making it the worst season the franchise had suffered through in a half-century.

To no one's surprise, Bobby Valentine, Francona's replacement, was sent packing at season's end.

Fast-forward to this past Friday. With a 6-3 win over the Blue Jays, the Red Sox clinched the AL East title for the first time since 2007, and a club that lost over 90 games a year ago entered the homestretch with the best mark in all of baseball.

To say this is a pretty impressive feat would be an understatement.

Obviously this team has undergone some changes over the last few seasons, but the biggest move was probably the hiring of John Farrell as skipper.

After one season at the helm in Toronto, the 51-year-old returned to Beantown where he had spent four years as the team's pitching coach from 2007 to 2010 and instantly provided a boost to the damaged team chemistry inside the clubhouse. Farrell had already forged a strong relationship with the veterans during his first stint with the organization, so they had the utmost respect for him from the start. He also assisted the younger guys along in their development, helping them play to their full potential.

A Shift of Power in Major League Baseball

By - Jaquan Murphy

As we near the end of baseball's regular season, several notoriously bad teams are still very much in the playoff hunt, while many of the usual contenders are either on life support or completely out of the picture altogether.

Photo by: Lenny Ignelzi

What's to blame for this phenomenon? Global warming? A different alignment of the stars and planets? Aliens perhaps?

Actually, none of the above. Essentially what has happened is the bad franchises have finally developed and the once solid clubs are losing the battle against Father Time.

Teams like Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cleveland and Kansas City have made a habit out of finishing at or near the bottom of their respective divisions for a long time now. This year, all these teams are in striking distance of a wild card spot, and a couple still have a chance at winning their division outright.

But how are all these teams that were once good for 90+ losses each and every season now serious postseason contenders?

A combination of good scouting and patience.

Year after year of sub-par play results in year after year of high draft picks. Where many of the middle-of-the-pack and upper echelon teams would be quick to trade a prospect for an established veteran, these teams have stayed the course. Good scouting is finally paying off. All the prospects that these clubs spent first and second round picks on partnered with the talent acquired for players shipped off in numerous trades have blossomed into the teams we see now.

So what happened to clubs like the Yankees, Angels, Phillies and Giants?

Simply put, there's always the other end of the spectrum. While the clubs at the bottom were stockpiling youth, these teams were stockpiling players in their prime, and to a degree, neglecting their farm system. When they did get prospects that were projected to be stars, they shipped them off for already-established talent. Now that some time has past, these teams are left with a lot of players that are on the downside of their career, and guys who should be backups at this point are still everyday players.

End of an Era in New York?

By - Jaquan Murphy

1995 marked the beginning of an era defined by championships and accolades in New York.

2013 could be the end of the era.

With a tweak of his surgically repaired ankle sidelining him for the rest of the season, the injury may mark the end of the road for Yankee shortstop and team captain Derek Jeter.

Photo from: yahoo.com

If this does spell the end, Jeter will hands down walk away as one of the best shortstops to ever play the game. In his 18 years in pinstripes, Jeter has accomplished just about everything a big leaguer can, including Rookie of the Year, thirteen All-Star appearances, five Gold Gloves, five Silver Sluggers and a World Series MVP.

However, what defines Jeter as a player the most is his ability to show up in October. On a team where success is based solely on playoff appearances and championships, 'The Captain' has compiled a .308 batting average in the postseason and hit .321 in 38 World Series games.

Another thing that stands out about Jeter's career is his sparkling reputation. Ever since his big league debut, he has been the true definition of a professional. As captain of the most known franchise in all of sports, Jeter has been under the microscope for well over a decade now. Remarkably, he has never been caught up in any real negative publicity. He has managed to make it through one of the darkest times in Major League Baseball history (the steroid era), and a common trap for athletes with social media sites being all the rage (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) with his pristine image still fully intact.

Now, after spending virtually the entire season on the disabled list and Father Time staring him in the face, is it time for Derek Jeter to hang 'em up and call it a career?

Normally, I would say yes. However, Jeter is a different breed. He always seems to rise to the occasion and has always had a flair for the dramatic. I would expect nothing less during a final healthy season.

At 40 years of age and playing on a surgically repaired ankle, would Jeter be able to play shortstop for an entire 162-game season at the level we've come to expect? Probably not. But, he could still give a solid 120-130 games at the position and provide veteran leadership both on and off the field.