Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

New York Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina is calling it quits after a brilliant 18-year career.  Sure, the Moose very well might take his 270 career victories, 17 consecutive seasons with 11 or more wins, and 2,813 strikeouts to the Hall of Fame one day; but for Yankee fans, it is a time to consider that this could be the end of a relatively dark era in recent memory because of one pivotal decision gone wrong.

The Yanks were winners of three-straight titles, four of the past five, and entered the winter after the 2000 season with intent to go for the jugular.  With two prized free agents available, the Yanks knew they had to make the right choice to stay on top.

They then signed the number-one pitcher available over the number-one hitter available - Moose over Manny. Read more

The Fall Classic has finally arrived.  After 162 regular season games and two rounds of playoff action, Major League Baseball is down to its final two teams: The Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays.  Now it doesn’t surprise a lot of people that the Phillies have returned to the World Series, but the Rays?!?!

Yes, the Tampa Bay Rays won the American League Pennant.  Both teams got here with tremendous pitching and clutch work coming out of the bullpen.  Both teams have the ability to hit the cover off of the ball.  Here is a breakdown of what to expect this World Series: Read more

Forgive me for going on a tangent over the national pastime - but every time we advance into a new round of the baseball post-season we are subjected to watching baseball teams wearing goggles and running around the locker room pouring champagne and beer over everybody.  Now this is a terrific event when your team wins the CHAMPIONSHIP - but when you win the AL Wild Card? Read more

Twelve Years ago, Joe Torre became the manager of the New York Yankees and guided them to the pinnacle of the baseball world in only his first season at the helm.  When Charlie Hayes made the final out in Game 6 of the 1996 World Series, the Yankees won the world championship for the first time in 18 years. Read more

Since the end of 2003, the Red Sox have won two World Series championships, while the Yankees haven’t even made a return trip. We all know about the 2004 Red Sox and their triumph over the Yanks, coming back in the ALCS after being down three-games to one. However, what is interesting to look at how things have changed since 2003 as a direct result of how the Red Sox talent evaluators have fared much better head to head against the once-mighty Yanks.

Let’s take a closer look. Read more

This Saturday marks the highly comical return of Carl Pavano to the decimated Yankee rotation.  With the Yanks sitting six games out of the Wild Card spot and just over a month to play, will he provide enough of a boost for the Bronx Bombers to reach the playoffs for the thirteenth consecutive year?  Or will he only provide enough to boost his own personal checking account this off-season?

The timing for Pavano’s latest comeback attempt is convenient enough to weasel yet another lucrative contract offer out of another team looking for starting pitching depth - something that all 30 teams are interested in.  If he comes on strong in the final five weeks of the season and shows flashes of returning to his 2004 form, will another team pay a hefty salary in hopes that he can anchor the number two or three spot in their rotation? Read more

… but this time it is for a good cause.

He promised that he wouldn’t gamble again for a couple after running out on a $400K marker, but Charles Barkley is back playing poker in Vegas.

But here’s the rub -– the Round Mound says that it’s all for charity. [TMZ]

Barkey and other gambling addicted players will shell out $5K a piece to enter a celebrity poker tourney–the “Ante Up for Africa” event–at the 2008 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

Half of all the winnings will go to charity. But being the ever so nice guy that he is, Chuck says he will donate all processed to the charity. That charity being, The Charles Barkley for Charles Barkley Foundation, we’re guessing.

After a 86-year freezeout, the curse of the Bambino lives no longer, as the Boston Red Sox won their second World Series in four years last night against the Colorado Rockies (final score 4-3).

Is this the beginning of a new era for the Sox and their fans alike?

The Colorado Rockies, a great team in their own right, were stomped by the Red Sox, swept in four games without a remote possibility of coming back from behind (one possibility if you count last night’s final inning scare). The Red Sox outmatched the Colorado Rockies both in pitching and batting, dominating the series.

Even Rockies fans watched in awe as the BoSox battered their hopeful team to a pulp.

With Terry Francona at the helm the Red Sox are primed and ready to usher in a - dare I say it - dynasty, not unlike the Sox squad of 1903 -1918. Some may scoff at the comparison, but there’s no team in baseball worthy to go toe-to-toe when the Red Sox are running on all cylinders…like the New York Yankees of the past decade.

Now, if only the Chicago Cubs would clean up their act and make like Boston…

In a recent survey taken by Travel and Leisure Philadelphia ranked dead-last in terms of attractive people. Even if you go the old “brains over beauty” route, Philly ranked #14. (Finger Food)

Relationship “Expertâ€? rationalizes cheating. (College Candy)

In Japan, even criminals have a wicked sense of fashion. (Gizmodo)

Video: an interesting take on the old slinky. (MySpace)

Colorado Rockies’ fans wanting to purchase World Series tickets are left out in the cold. (ABC)

After a topsy-turvy season, the New York Yankees have been eliminated from the playoffs by the Cleveland Indians. Historically, outside of baseball, Yanks losing to Indians is irony at its best.

The Indians will move forward to face the red-hot Boston Red Sox for the ALCS.

The question on everybody’s mind: what is the future of Joe Torre and the Yankees?

The answer: if George Steinbrenner isn’t happy, nobody’s happy.

Steinbrenner has mentioned on many occasions that Torre would be replaced if the Yankees were eliminated in the early stages of the playoffs; that day has come.

The top prospects to replace Torre would be Florida Marlins’ magicmaker Joe Girardi - he took his team from rock bottom to a respectable middleground with rookies and a low payroll - or Larry Bowa, the Yankees current third-base coach.

No matter what happens to Torre, nothing can tarnish his 12-year legacy: 4 World Series titles in his first 5 years of coaching the Yanks, 2-time AL Manager of the Year, etc.

With that said, go Red Sox!

Lenny Dykstra stood at a staggering 5′10 and weighed in at 167lbs at the peak of his career. A small man to some, but a leader to all. Often referred to as “Nails”, Lenny entered Major League Baseball in 1985 and joined on with the New York Mets. It was evident he would be a force to be rekoned with and wouldn’t let his small size effect his level of play. This is a tribute to Leonard Kyle Dykstra, a true American hero. Read more