Red Sox win Game Five 3-1

Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester was dominant yet again as the Boston Red Sox beat the St Louis Cardinals 3-1. Game Six will be on Wednesday Night in Boston. Red Sox are leading three games to two in the World Series.

World Series Tied

Red Sox win 4 to 2 thanks to a three run homerun by Jonny Gomes in the sixth inning. The Cardinals had the tying run on base in the bottom of the ninth inning when the runner at first was picked off to end the game.

The World Series is tied at two games a piece.

Crazy Ending to Game Three Of The World Series

Cardinals win 5-4 over the Boston Red Sox on a crazy Obstruction call. I have never seen any game end like that, no less a World Series game. Cardinals now lead the World Series two games to one.

My 2011 World Series Prediction

The World Series is set to get under way in just a few hours. The Texas Rangers have a repeat trip to the World Series thanks to their amazing bullpen, and the St Louis Cardinals have finished off an improbable rally in the standings just to get to the World Series.





Here is my prediction as to who will win:

I think the Texas Rangers are going to take advantage of their second trip to the World Series. The Rangers can score with any man in their lineup. Nelson Cruz had a historic ALCS with six homeruns. He will need to hit some homeruns with men on base in this series if the Rangers are to win this thing. I pick the Rangers to pull it out in five games.

Mets and Cards Team Up for Marathon Game

It took almost seven hours for the Mets and Cardinals to complete their Saturday game, but they did with New York winning in 20 innings 2-1.


I Started watching this game...In The Nineteenth Inning! I couldn't believe that game went so long without anybody scoring! What a crazy Game!

Mark McGwire Tells AP He Used Steroids

Former major league slugger Mark McGwire tells The Associated Press that he used steroids for about a decade during his playing career, including 1998 when he set a single-season home run record.


Baseball Tonight's Tim Kurkjian reacts to the news of McGwire.


Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa talks about McGwire coming forward.


Here is Mark McGwire's full statement to the Associated Press below:

“Now that I have become the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals, I have the chance to do something that I wish I was able to do five years ago.


I never knew when, but I always knew this day would come. It’s time for me to talk about the past and to confirm what people have suspected. I used steroids during my playing career and I apologize. I remember trying steroids very briefly in the 1989/1990 off season and then after I was injured in 1993, I used steroids again. I used them on occasion throughout the ’90s, including during the 1998 season.

I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era.

During the mid-’90s, I went on the DL seven times and missed 228 games over five years. I experienced a lot of injuries, including a ribcage strain, a torn left heel muscle, a stress fracture of the left heel, and a torn right heel muscle. It was definitely a miserable bunch of years and I told myself that steroids could help me recover faster. I thought they would help me heal and prevent injuries, too.

I’m sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids. I had good years when I didn’t take any and I had bad years when I didn’t take any. I had good years when I took steroids and I had bad years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn’t have done it and for that I’m truly sorry.

Baseball is really different now - it’s been cleaned up. The commissioner and the players’ association implemented testing and they cracked down, and I’m glad they did.

I’m grateful to the Cardinals for bringing me back to baseball. I want to say thank you to Cardinals owner Mr. DeWitt, to my GM, John Mozeliak, and to my manager, Tony La Russa. I can’t wait to put the uniform on again and to be back on the field in front of the great fans in Saint Louis. I’ve always appreciated their support and I intend to earn it again, this time as hitting coach. I’m going to pour myself into this job and do everything I can to help the Cardinals hitters become the best players for years to come.

After all this time, I want to come clean. I was not in a position to do that five years ago in my congressional testimony, but now I feel an obligation to discuss this and to answer questions about it. I’ll do that, and then I just want to help my team.”

Obviously, the news today that McGwire has come forward is five years too late for me, but at least McGwire came forward and admitted what we had all suspected for so long.
 
This may not help his hall of fame chances, but it will help this wonderful game take the next step past the Steroid Era.

Mark McGwire Returns to the Cardinals As a Coach

Tony LaRussa will return to the St Louis Cardinals as manager. However, there is a major shakeup as Hal McRae will not return as the team's hitting coach and will be replaced by Mark McGwire.

The only question I have is: Will Mark McGwire talk about his past?

Dodgers Advance With Sweep of Cardinals

With a combination of tough pitching and timely hitting the Dodgers beat the Cardinals 5-1 Saturday night to complete a sweep in their NL Division Series.
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How about Andre Ethier! He was just a single shy of the cycle! Wow!

The Dodgers will play either the Philladelphia Phillies or the Colorado Rockies.

The questions begin now as to whether or not Tony La Russa will return for his 15th season managing the St. Louis Cardinals. La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan are Free agents after this season.

My Division Series Picks

New York Yankees Over Minnesota Twins In Five Games
Boston Red Sox over Los Angeles Angels in four games
Los Angeles Dodgers over St Louis Cardinals in Five Games
Philadelphia Phillies over Colorado Rockies in Four Games.

National League Division Series Previews

Rockies-Phillies


Dodgers-Cardinals

MLB Highlights 4-30-09

Padres Vs Dodgers


Atletics vs Rangers


Angels Vs Yankees


Red Sox Vs Rays


Matt Garza talks about his fantastic outing.


Marlins Vs Cubs


Diamondbacks Vs Brewers


Cardinals Vs Nationals

MLB Highlights 4-21-09

Mets Vs Cardinals


Athletics Vs Yankees


White Sox Vs Orioles


Rangers Vs Blue Jays


Braves Vs Nationals


Marlins Vs Pirates


Rays Vs Mariners


Tigers Vs Angels


Padres Vs Giants


Royals Vs Indians


Dodgers Vs Astros


Rockies Vs Diamondbacks


Reds Vs Cubs


Brewers Vs Phillies

Baseball Tonight Previews Sunday Night Baseball

Baseball Tonight previews Sunday night's Cardinals vs. Cubs matchup.

MLB Highlights 4-8-09

Here Are Your MLB Highlights from last night courtesy of ESPN Video!

Colorado Vs Arizona 4-8-09


Yankees Vs Baltimore 4-8-09


Rays Vs Red Sox 4-8-09


Atlanta vs Philladelphia 4-8-09


San Diego vs Los Angeles Dodgers 4-8-09


Seattle Vs Minnesota 4-8-09


New York Mets Vs Reds 4-8-09


Chicago Cubs Vs Houston 4-8-09


Milwaukee Vs San Francisco 4-8-09


Kansas City vs Chicago White Sox 4-8-09


Cleveland Vs Texas 4-8-09


Detroit vs Toronto 4-8-09


Pittsburgh Vs St. Louis 4-8-09


Oakland Vs Angels 4-9-09

Cubs Deal DeRosa, Add Miles

The Chicago Cubs have signed one versatile player and traded another.

Early this morning, it was announced that the Cubs had signed Aaron Miles to a two year contract. Miles has played the innfield and outfield and has even made a relief appearance on the mound last season in a Cardinals blowout loss.

Later this morning, it was announced that the Cubs had traded Mark DeRosa to the Cleveland Indians for three monor league pitchers.

DeRosa was in the final year of his contract with the Cubs.

Albert Pujols Wins Second NL MVP Award

St. Louis Cardinals First Baseman Albert Pujols won his second NL MVP award.

Pujols won the NL MVP award by a substantial margin over Philladelphia Phillies First Baseman Ryan Howard.

Voting was done before the Playoffs began.

Pujols hit .357 with 37 homeruns and 116 RBIs while playing with a sore right elbow that required surgery. Howard hit 48 homers with 146 RBIs for the Phillies.

Congrats to Albert on winning his second NL MVP award.

Scott Spiezio Released By Cardinals

Utilityman Scott Spiezio was cut by the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, released after being charged in a six-count complaint involving drunken driving and assault in a December car crash.


"We had heard some things about this," Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said. "Ultimately nothing was ever confirmed to the level it was today. To have this warrant put out there, it completely changes the landscape of what we're dealing with."

A warrant was issued Tuesday for Spiezio, who missed more than a month last year while getting treatment for substance abuse. The warrant was recalled Wednesday after Spiezio's attorney appeared in court, and the arraignment was continued to March 26.

The Orange County district attorney charged Spiezio with misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence, driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or more, hit and run, aggravated assault, assault and battery.

"We anticipate a successful resolution to this misdemeanor matter," attorney Paul Meyer said.

The 35-year-old Spiezio did not play in Wednesday's exhibition game against St. Louis University at Jupiter, Fla.

"Scott and I will have a statement at a later date," Spiezio's agent, Barry Meister, said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

"Scott is clean and sober and has been for a significant period of time and is fully prepared to continue his career. He has had no problems at Cardinals camp, is in great shape and was and is looking to have a great 2008 season," he said.

Police said the accident occurred Dec. 30. The maximum penalty is two years in state prison.

"We've never been able to talk to him," Irvine police Lt. Rick Handfield said. "The detective has expressed an interest in having Mr. Spiezio come to California."

Spiezio won World Series championships with Anaheim in 2002 and St. Louis in 2006. He has cultivated a hard-rocking image during his 12 seasons in the majors and plays in the heavy metal band SandFrog.

He batted .272 in 119 games with 13 homers and 52 RBIs in 2006. Last year, he appeared in only 82 games because of injuries, illness and treatment, managing only four homers, 31 RBIs and a .269 average.

Spiezio was entering the final season of a two-year, $4.5 million contract. He was released the same way most players are cut, for failure "to exhibit sufficient skill or competitive ability."

That means the Cardinals owe him this year's $2.3 million salary plus a $100,000 buyout of a $2.5 million team option for 2009 -- because of that, the likelihood of a grievance by the players' union is small.

Asked about Spiezio's release, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said, "I think it's a consistent message about what the team represents."

"It wasn't like he escaped last year without catching some heat and the organization acting to try to get him right," he said.

When the Cardinals activated him from the restricted list last September, Spiezio said, "I was out of control for a while. I learned a lot and I'm ready to start contributing in a good way now."

At the time, Spiezio said he'd been struggling with substance abuse for six or seven months, although he wouldn't disclose the substance, saying, "I'll save that for the book."

Spiezio is best remembered in Anaheim for a three-run homer in Game 6 against the San Francisco Giants that helped the Angels rally from the largest deficit ever in a potential Series-deciding game.

Spiezio played in Seattle for two seasons before joining the Cardinals in 2006 and helping them win the World Series that year.

Irvine police responded to a report of a single-car crash at 12:20 a.m. on Dec. 30.

Officers found a 2004 BMW registered to Spiezio had crashed into a curb and fence. The driver was seen running from the crash site, Handfield said.

A neighbor told police Spiezio arrived at their condo complex appearing disheveled and apparently injured. The neighbor said Spiezio allegedly assaulted him, causing significant injuries, Handfield said.

Mozeliak said that he and La Russa met with Spiezio and his agent before spring training started to discuss the accident. The GM said team officials did not know until Wednesday that alcohol was allegedly involved.

"We were led to believe that there was a chance that some of this was not going to gravitate to the level that it did today," Mozeliak said. "Obviously what came to light today changed how we looked at it. We decided we had to react."

Spiezio was devastated by the death of Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock, who was legally intoxicated when he crashed into the back of a flatbed truck last April.

Spiezio said the situation might have pushed him deeper into dependency.

"You've got to put yourself in the right situations, sometimes change friends or go out to breakfast with a friend and not to a place where you can start making bad decisions," he said in January. "I've got to be in a frame of mind where I can't lose focus in any way."

Let's Hope that Scott, for his sake, gets his situation resolved and gets his life straight.

Cubs Bring Back Steve Trachsel in Trade With Orioles

Steve Trachsel helped the Cubs in the middle of a division chase in 1998 when the Cubs won the National League Wild Card. Here in 2007, Trachsel is in position to do the same thing again, only this time, the Cubs are in First Place.


Trachsel was acquired by the Cubs today for reliever Rocky Cherry and Minor League Third Baseman Scott Moore. Trachsel will give the Cubs the much needed extra arm in the stretch run of the season, Late August, Early September.

Hey Cubs fans, if the Name Steve Trachsel sounds familiar to you, consider this: Trachsel was on the mound in 1998 when "Big Mac", the now disgraced Mark McGwire hit his (at the time) record breaking 62nd homerun. The record has been broken since then, but Steve will always be known as the guy who gave up Number 62 to Mark McGwire.

Pitching used to be the Cubs weak point. Now they have plenty of it, but will it be enough to hold off the Cardinals and the Brewers for the Division? I think so.

Cubs Win! Cubs Lead The NL Central By Half A Game!

Jacque Jones has heard it all. Boos, catcalls and on Friday the cheers from a powerful ovation at Wrigley Field.

Benched earlier this season and nearly traded, Jones made a great catch and hit a two-run homer to lead a 2-1 Cubs' victory Friday that ended the St. Louis Cardinals' five-game winning streak and pushed Chicago into first in the NL Central.
The Cubs lead Milwaukee by a half-game, after the Brewers lost 8-3 to Cincinnati. St. Louis is three games back in third.

This is the first time that The Cubs have led the NL Central by a half a game since the 2004 MLB Season.

Yes! Cubs Win! Now let's hang on to the lead! Don't let Milwaukee or St. Louis take it from us!