Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine
The Dome's pretty quiet at 5:15.
[More] (338 words)
The deadline approacheth, and there are  trades to report.

The Red Sox deal for Victor Martinez seems to be final - Cleveland is apparently to receive Justin Masterson, Nick Hagadone, and Brian Price. (this is via tweets from SI's Jon Heyman, who also says the Red Sox will send Adam LaRoche back to Atlanta to clear a spot for Martinez.)

[More] (256 words)

Just another fun day in the baseball world Monday night and the Jays had nothing to do with it as they enjoyed the day off.

[More] (328 words)

The Red Sox, even with "Rescue Me" star Daniel Sunjata in the house, were not able to extinguish the red-hot flames emanating from the right arm of Roy Halladay.  With trade rumors continuing to circulate, Doc may have filled out his final prescription in a Jays overcoat by going the distance in a 3-1 victory Sunday afternoon at the Rog Mahal.

[More] (531 words)
Congratulations to Marc Rzepczynski on earning his first major league win as the Blue Jays downed the BoSox 6-2 Saturday afternoon at Rogers Centre.  Hopefully, the young lefty will go on to win more games than the last guy who wore #34.
[More] (518 words)
It's always depressing when they can't even win when Doc is on the hill. Let's change the subject.

UPDATE! BREAKING NEWS! Eric Hinske traded to the Yankees!

Say it ain't so, Dude.
[More] (100 words)

The Yankees just completed a season of dominance in New York, taking the season series from the Mets, 6-0. In that last game, Mariano Rivera trotted out of the bullpen in the eighth inning to nail down his 110th career save of more than three outs -- and, oh by the way, the 500th save of his magnificent, Cooperstown-bound career.

So here's the question ... Trevor Hoffman is still the all-time saves leader. Rich Gossage and Rollie Fingers are already in the Hall for their work in what was a different era for closers. Bruce Sutter recently joined them, perhaps representing the first real one-inning closer, or at least the natural transition from Hoyt Wilhelm and the Goose to Dennis Eckersley and Lee Smith.

But Rivera has done it on the world's biggest stage for his entire career -- none of the others mentioned were one-team guys, much less New York guys. Rivera has done it in the post-season, arguably better than anyone else ever has (with a respectful nod to Luis Gonzalez, natch).

So there's your question ... Mariano Rivera ... the greatest closer (career, not just one season or we'll get lost in the minutiae of really-goods like John Hiller and remember-him?s like Bobby Thigpen)  in major league baseball history?

And if not him, who?

[More] (28 words)
The All-Star Break appears on the horizon - after the current homestand concludes, the team has one last road trip (to the Bronx, Tampa, and Baltimore.)
[More] (105 words)
5 starting pitchers DL'd plus our current closer with the $10 million closer now a mop up man?  No problem!
[More] (224 words)
Yup, still just 1 game out of the playoffs and just 10 games from the mid-season point.
[More] (346 words)
Here's what I think I saw. The Jays went into a National League and swept the world champs. Vernon Wells had two big hits and a crucial defensive play late in the game.

I believe I'm now required to pee in a cup, right?
[More] (451 words)
Yesterday Joe Posnanski and Bill James had another of their interesting exchanges over at SI.com and this time the subject was the contemporary obsession with keeping pitch counts low.

I have some highlights from the discussion and - to justify my participation - some Data Tables!
[More] (5,515 words)
Gonna free fall out into nothing
Gonna leave this world for a while

It was just about this time last season when a three week death spiral cost John Gibbons his job. What's different about this one?
[More] (1,796 words)
Has anyone else noticed that Brandon League has been absolutely lights out coming out of the bullpen this season?
[More] (208 words)
So I'm watching the game and I hear Campbell and Tabler are talking about next month's All Star Game.
[More] (2,385 words)