Andre "the Giant" Ethier

NO, L.A. FANS HE DIDN'T JOIN THE DARK SIDE, but Andre Ethier has been absolutely HUGE this year. What is it, four walk-off hits this year and counting? Nine homeruns in June? Other than Brad Hawpe, there is no better rightfielder fit to make the N.L. All-Star team this year.

Pirates Still Repairing: Nyjer Morgan Traded

EARLIER THIS MONTH THE PIRATES traded outfielder Nate McLouth, prompting this post. So I've updated the original sketch here. Who would have expected them to trade yet another outfielder in Nyjer Morgan, this time to the Washington Nationals. Granted they did get a power-hitting prospect in Lastings Milledge, but time will tell if this trade pays handsome dividends.

Mariano Rivera at #500

MARIANO RIVERA NAILED DOWN HIS 500th save, but it just didn't seem as big a deal as, say, Randy Johnson's 300th victory. These milestone saves for Rivera don't mean much because most fans believe that he is the greatest closer the game has ever seen with sincere apologies to Trevor Hoffman, the current all-time saves leader. Adjectives like 'dominant', 'consistent' and 'automatic' are all appropriate Rivera. Ideally it would be nice if Rivera ended his career as the all-time saves leader, so for now #500 is just another milestone that Rivera should tuck away in his back pocket.

The Return of Joey Votto

JOEY VOTTO IS BACK after coping with his father's passing, and he came back with a bang, driving in three runs with a home run and a double on his third day back from the DL. Votto expressed finding comfort in the daily rituals of baseball to help him focus on moving forward after losing his hero, his father. Reds fans must be thrilled because Votto is having an incredible season thus far at the plate: a 1.101 OPS with 9 HR and 88 total bases in only 138 at bats.

LSU Tigers: College World Series Champs '09

Vladimir Guerrero Gets Un-Locked

SUPER VLAD. BIG DADDY VLADDY. VLAD THE IMPALER. Those are names that Angels fans love to spout. Personally, I always thought his hair resembled the look of that alien warrior Predator. Attempting to change his fortunes at the plate, Vlad clipped off each and every dreadlock, opting for a shiny new beginning. And it worked. Two days after getting un-locked, Guerrero drove in three runs with a home run and a double.

Donald Fehr: A Players Union's Winner

HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN one of the most hated men in baseball, but not in the eyes of the Major League Baseball Players Association. They should be thanking him immensely for helping them secure the financial future of their grandkids' grandkids. While Marvin Miller established free agency with as shrewd a move as you'll ever see in baseball, to borrow a football phrase, Donald Fehr took the ball and ran with it into the end zone. As a result, players are exponentially richer than they were 26 years ago when he first began leading the players' union. Everything bargained for was about securing player salaries, even at the expense of player reputations as a result of the steroids scandal.

Reds Civil Rights Jersey: Reflections of a Backwards Time

THE JERSEY WAS WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE, the 1964 Cincinnati Reds throwback jersey the team wore for this year's Civil Rights game. I love seeing teams wear throwback jerseys, and the '64 jersey the Reds wore as a tribute to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was, well, backwards with the player's name below the jersey number. This flipped treatment reminded me of how backwards the sixties really were when it came to race relations. And yet watching Brandon Phillips running around the bases in throwback style made me think of just how far we've come as a country. Of course, we haven't yet arrived, but '64 was a big step. I look forward to next year's game.

Rock, Paper, Beckett!

SATURDAY'S MATCHUP AT FENWAY PARK featured Boston's 2004 world champion ace Derek Lowe against the 2007 world champion ace Josh Beckett that lived up to its billing. Beckett delivered an efficient 3-0 shutout of the hapless Braves, while Lowe received a standing ovation after departing the game having pitched a quality start.

The Weaver Brothers: An LA Story

LAST NIGHT L.A. BASEBALL FANS WERE TREATED to the hometown matchup between brothers Jeff and Jered Weaver. Raised in Simi Valley, the Weavers are only the eighth pair of brothers to pitch against each other in Major League history, and I haven't checked yet but possibly the first to pitch head-to-head in their hometown region.

Ivan Rodriguez Catches No. 2227

BASEBALL IS POETRY. How fitting it was that Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez would set the all-time games record for a catcher by facing the Texas Rangers, the team where it all began for him. Pudge caught his 2227th game, surpassing the other "Pudge", Carlton Fisk to become the most durable catcher of all-time.

Do You Trust Sammy Sosa?

NOT THAT IT WAS ANY REAL SURPRISE that a lawyer involved in baseball's steroid investigations leaked news that Sammy Sosa tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs as one of 104 ballplayers in 2003, but what did surprise me was hearing about his new role as one of the Dominican Republic's ambassadors for investments. A terrible match it is. Imagine Mr. Sosa asking you to make a financial investment in his country. After his deceptive statement about never having taken PEDs at the Congressional Hearings back in 2005, would you trust him and his government with your money? Would you shake on it?

Prince Fielder's First Grand Salami

IRONICALLY IT WAS A WALLSCRAPER, Prince Fielder's grand slam yesterday, but a slam nonetheless. Surprisingly it was the vaunted slugger's first career grand slam. That is, it was also his 130th career homerun now into his 5th big league season. To explain the drought one could argue that Fielder gets pitched more cautiously with the bases loaded than others, but still 130 is a lot of roundtrippers without the sacks ever having been full. Last year White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez hit four grand slams during his rookie season. Sometimes there's no rhyme or reason in baseball, which is one reason why it is such a great game to watch.

Won-drous Colorado Rockies Go 11 Straight

A FEW TEAMS HAVE PUT TOGETHER NICE WINNING STREAKS this year like Boston, New York, Florida, San Diego, but 11 straight wins by the Colorado Rockies is impressive for a team that used to be 12 games under .500. Now if only they could get above .500.

Luis Castillo Takes Over Oliver Perez' Dog House

Coco Crisp: One for the Birds

Manny's Futurama

IT'S A REAL SHAME that Manny is choosing to avoid discussing his past regarding his drug-related supsension as he really owes it to the fans. If he only cheated this past winter, then wouldn't it serve him better to tell? Or does his silence suggest that he cheated, say, for an entire decade? Part of the problem is the blind support of some of his fans who don't care one bit that he cheated. Because they don't care, he doesn't care. I guess I was foolish to hope that Manny might be that superstar who chooses to be forthcoming about his past mistakes, forsaking any Hall of Fame chances and becoming a spokesperson against PEDs? How liberating it would be. Manny has made more money than he could ever spend in his lifetime, but it's clear that it's just not enough for him because in his eyes fame belongs with fortune.

Big Papi's Prescription: Play the Bronx Bombers

WHEN THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN, you just sit back in wonder, that is, Big Papi emerging from his season-long slump by hitting a 2-run bomb against the Bronx Bombers. In six games against New York this year, Big Papi is slugging a hefty .609 with 7 RBI. Apparently the best prescription anyone could have given him is a spot in the lineup against the Yankees. Or was it really the eyedrops?

Boras' New Stephen Strasburg Shades

TUESDAY IS THE FIRST-YEAR PLAYER DRAFT, but it'll only be the tip of the iceberg for the team that selects phenom fireballer Stephen Strasburg. The real fun won't start until negotiations begin. While the average Joe may balk at Scott Boras' $50 million dollar bonus suggestion, the real question is whether Washington Nationals' owner and billionaire Ted Lerner will balk at that figure? Lerner has the money, but there's also the question of whether it sets a very dangerous precedent for the rarest of talent. SI's Jon Heyman breaks down the options in his article.

Pittsburgh Pirates: A Constant State of (Dis)Repair

THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES HAVE LOST three outstanding outfielders in less than a calendar year in Jason Bay, Xavier Nady and recently departed Nate McLouth. That can't feel good in the clubhouse or fanbase regardless of how it's spun. But the Pirates do have a brain child in GM Neal Huntington and so continues the smart albeit painful approach of dealing proven players for multiple farm talents. Eventually Huntington and the Bucs will reap the rewards with a fully-stocked farm system to complement a highly-talented major league roster while having saved a boatload of money.

Tom Glavine Mulling Retirement?

IT COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED MUCH BETTER, the way the Atlanta Braves and Tom Glavine parted ways earlier this week, but after what happened with John Smoltz during Spring Training, perhaps it shouldn't have been all that much of a surprise. It's understandable for a pitcher to want to go out on his own terms, but with a Hall of Fame resume like Glavine's, there's really nothing left to prove.

Randy Johnson: #300

Joba Chamberlain Flops and Makes the Catch!

ALL 230 POUNDS OF HIM hit the infield grass at Jacob's Field when Joba Chamberlain made a heckuva bellyflop catch on Monday of Kelly Shoppach's failed bunt attempt. I'm sure it's happened before, but I can't remember a larger pitcher than Chamberlain laying it out like that. And 230 pounds seems a bit on the conservative side, yet not for any of the bugs and midges that might have been between him and the earth. This catch will likely make it onto MLB's season highlight reel.

If You Need Anything Right Now, Just Ask Frank McCourt

THINGS ARE GOING SWELL IN DODGERVILLE, just ask owner Frank McCourt. His recent approval of the prospects of Manny being in this year's All-Star Game just confirms how fine things are in the Land of Blue. Who could have guessed that the Dodgers would have the best record in the majors after Manny's suspension? Nobody. But that's not all, we all know that McCourt has $7 million cash back coming to him for Manny's indiscretions via his pro-rated salary and also a fresh and well-rested slugger for the second half of the season. Who needs steroids when you get 50 days off? And how about not asking your best slugger to give account for his cheating? It's no wonder McCourt has his head in the clouds these days.