Roy Halladay had been the model of consistency starting between 31 and 33 games each of the past six seasons. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The Phillies placed right-handed starter Roy Halladay on the disabled list Tuesday with what the team is calling a “1/2-grade strain” of his right latissimus dorsi, according to a report on the team’s website.

Halladay will have to be totally inactive for a good three weeks; the Phillies are then hopeful he can return in six to eight weeks.

“We hate to have him down,” Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said, “but it’s nothing that requires anything other than rest.”

The news could have been a lot worse with the possibility of a torn rotator cuff or labrum, which might have required surgery.

“If there’s good news from an injury, this is probably good news,” Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee said.

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Roy Oswalt has pitched in the National League his whole career (11 years) until now. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

Free agent pitcher Roy Oswalt signed the Texas Rangers, according to a report on Major League Baseball’s website. Oswalt, who hasn’t pitched since last October when he was with Philadelphia, is not expected to play for another three or four weeks.

The deal for Oswalt, 34, is for $5 million with another million that can be earned in incentives.

Texas, who won the last two American League pennants, had a six-and-a-half game lead in the AL West heading into Tuesday night. Their need for another strong starter was elevated when pitcher Neftali Feliz went on the disabled list with a sprained right elbow.

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Carl Beane became a popular announcer in his short time in Boston. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

The stunning news on May 9 came across all media channels: Carl Beane, 59, died after his SUV crashed against a stone wall and a tree in Sturbridge, Mass.

A local announcer in the Boston area for many years, the affable Beane drove a Suzuki whose rear tire cover showcased his name. Police determined that it was a single-car accident and that his vehicle, heading north, crossed the double solid lines, left the road and hit a tree and a wall. No passengers were in Beane’s vehicle. No other automobiles were involved in the crash.

Talented, honed in to his craft, a pleasing personality, Carl Beane will be missed by those who knew him and the millions who listened to his voice at Fenway Park.

I got to know Carl Beane just a little bit while I interviewed him for my book “Remembering Fenway Park: An Oral and Narrative History of the Home of Red Sox Nation.” Humble and knowledgeable about all things Boston sports, the public address announcer par excellence was just a pleasure to speak with.

His memories and perceptions added very much to my book. What follows is just a taste of the late Carl Beane:

CARL BEANE: The first time I went to Fenway was in 1957. We lived in western Mass., and my dad didn’t drive, so we took the bus. We’d eat lunch in Bickford’s and then we would walk about two miles from the bus station to Fenway. My dad was always able to get seats in section 18, right between home and first; we’d have a clear view of everything. He had been following the Red Sox since 1933 when he was about 9 years old; the year Thomas Yawkey bought the ball club.

Opening Day 2003 was my first day as public address announcer. I couldn’t wait. All I got to say was “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, may I have your attention please? If your car is parked on Lansdowne Street you have 10 minutes to move it or it will be towed.”

That was my first announcement. I got booed.

When I told the crowd the game had been postponed because of rain, I got booed even more.

I had always been a big fan of Sherm Feller. His style wasn’t “Big Me.” It was just do the information in a regular, sedate voice. He absolutely mentored me. My opening announcement at Fenway begins: “Good afternoon ladies and gentleman, boys and girls. Welcome to Fenway Park.”

On April 11, 2007, Dice-K (Daisuke Matsuzaka) was at the ready for his first Fenway Park start. Every single seat was filled before the first pitch. The attendance was 36,630.

The game was live in Japan both on radio and on TV and there was a national Japanese media contingent at the ballpark, 170 members. I announced him in Japanese: “Now welcome to Boston, number 18, Daisuke Matsuzaka.”

He looked up. I could tell that he was very happy.

A noted oral historian and sports journalist, Harvey Frommer has written many sports books, including timed to 2012 and the 100th anniversary, “Fenway Park: An Oral and Narrative History of the Home of the Boston Red Sox.” This article, including all quotes unless otherwise noted, was adapted from his book “Five O’Clock Lightning: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and the Greatest Baseball Team in History, The 1927 New York Yankees.” His work has appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, New York Daily News, Newsday, USA Today, Men’s Heath, The Sporting News, Bleacher Report, and of course, The Epoch Times, among other venues and publications.

Visit his website here: http://harveyfrommersports.com/remembering_fenway/

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Roy Halladay’s ERA has risen from 1.95 to 3.98 in the month of May. (Denis Poroy/Getty Images)

Two-time Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay will have his shoulder examined Tuesday, according to a report on the team’s website.

The Phillies are still finalizing the details of the visit, so it’s not yet known who will be examining Halladay, who turned 35 earlier this month.

“Anytime you have an injury, you have a concern, no matter who it is,” Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said Monday morning at Citi Field. “We’ve been through these things before. [Vance] Worley, [Roy] Oswalt last year. We’re fortunate we have Kyle [Kendrick] in the role he is in. Hopefully Vance is close to coming off the DL, so we’ll be covered again.”

Halladay’s ERA has risen from 1.95 at the end of April to its current 3.98 after six un-Halladay-like starts in May.

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Jonathon Niese allowed just two hits but walked five batters in five innings. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

Outfielders Scott Hairston and Vinny Rottino each hit two-run home runs Monday but the Mets (27–22) gave up three runs in the ninth inning and lost 8–4 to the Phillies (26–24).

Jonathon Niese started for the Mets and went five innings, giving up four runs on two hits and five untimely walks. Niese struck out seven Phillies but gave up a two-run double to Ty Wigginton in the third that scored two batters—Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino—who had both drawn walks.

Niese was relieved after allowing a none-out, two-run home run to John Mayberry, Jr. in the sixth that scored Wigginton—who was on first after a leadoff walk.

Cole Hamels got the win for Philadelphia, allowing four runs in eight innings.

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R.A. Dickey got his major-league leading seventh win of the season Sunday. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Mets starter R.A. Dickey struck out 10 batters over seven-and-a-third shutout-innings Sunday as the Mets (27-21) blanked the Padres (17-32) 2–0 to take three games of the four-game set.

Dickey (7-1) scattered three hits and walked just one batter in picking up his major-league leading seventh win of the year. Reliever Tim Byrdak came on in relief in the eighth inning and closer Frank Francisco worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 13th save of the season.

Daniel Murphy had the lone RBI on the day for the Mets with his first-inning run-scoring single that plated David Wright.

The Mets’ second run was off a fifth-inning passed ball that scored Mike Baxter, who was on third after a double and a wild pitch.

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Neftali Feliz is 3–1 through eight games this season. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Texas Rangers have placed right-handed starter Neftali Feliz on the disabled list with right elbow inflammation, according to a report on the team’s website. The Rangers had scheduled Feliz to pitch Wednesday against Seattle but will replace him with Scott Feldman.

Feliz, 24, is 3–1 with a 3.16 ERA this season after eight games—seven of them starts.

The former closer, who saved a total of 72 games the past two seasons for the two-time, pennant-winning Rangers had never been a starter in the major until this season.

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Ike Davis (L) was thrown out at the plate by catcher J.P. Arencibia after attempting to score following a wild pitch. (Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

Outfielder Mike Baxter had a single, double, and a triple in four at-bats Sunday as the New York Mets (22–19) held off a late rally by Toronto (23–19) to win 6–5 and avoid the three-game series sweep.

Baxter scored in the first on a double by David Wright after doubling himself to advance leadoff hitter Andres Torres to third. Kirk Nieuwenhuis later doubled in Wright to put New York up 3–0 before starting pitcher Dillon Gee threw a pitch.

Gee got the win (now 3–3 on the season) for the Mets, going six and two-thirds innings, giving up three runs on five hits and four walks while striking out six Blue Jays. The 26-year-old right-hander lowered his ERA to 5.44 on the season and has gone at least five innings in each of his eight starts.

In the second inning Baxter, who has fewer than 100 career at-bats since arriving in the majors in 2010, struck again tripling home Ronny Cedeno to make it 4–0.

Toronto starter Henderson Alvarez settled down a bit after the triple, retiring seven of the next eight hitters. Meanwhile the Blue Jays got on the board after Gee gave up a pair of walks followed by a single in the second.

In the third, Toronto’s power-hitting DH Jose Bautista hit a solo home run, his 11th of the season to cut the lead to 4–2. Bautista, who would add an RBI-single in the seventh inning has averaged 49 home runs each of the past two seasons, but got off to a slow start this season. With three hits Sunday, including two through the hole in the Mets shift, his average is now at .217, which is the highest it’s been since April 20.

The Mets finally chased Henderson Alvarez with a two-run fifth.

Mike Baxter started the inning with his third hit, a single followed by a David Wright single. Two batters later Daniel Murphy singled home Baxter and two batters after that Ike Davis hit into a fielder’s choice that scored Lucas Duda, making it 6–2 Mets.

For Wright, the two hits on the day pushed his average to .412 on the season—tops in the majors as is his .513 on-base percentage. Conversely, the fielder’s choice by Ike Davis was his 25th out in his last 26 at-bats, and may be causing the talented first baseman to press a little at the plate as the left-handed hitting Davis saw just five pitches in four at-bats on the day.

David Wright (L) and Frank Francisco congratulate each other after the win. Wright had two hits and drove in two runs while Francisco got the save. (Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

Davis though stretched a single into a double in his next at-bat that led off the eighth inning—pushing his average up to .163. He then advanced to third on a passed ball by Toronto catcher J.P. Arencibia and then tried to score on a wild pitch by Toronto reliever Carlos Villanueva. The pitch got past Arencibia and went all the way to the backstop but took a hard bounce back to Arencibia who made a great throw to nail Davis at the plate.

The run could have proved costly.

The Mets, up 6–3 at the time, followed Davis’s out with back-to-back singles but were unable to plate either runner.

After Mets reliever Bobby Parnell gave up a pair of runs in the bottom half of the eighth inning that closed the lead to 6–5, Lucas Duda and Kirk Nieuwenhuis both drew walks to put runners on first and second base with one out in the ninth. Toronto, though, was able to strike out both Scott Hairston and Ronny Cedeno to end the inning.

Mets closer Frank Francisco got the save, his 10th of the season, after working a scoreless ninth, which was not without its excitement. The 32-year-old former-Blue Jay allowed the first two hitters in the ninth to reach base before striking out Edwin Encarnacion, J.P. Arencibia, and Eric Thames in succession to end the game and lower his ERA to 8.04 in the process.

Next up for the Mets is a three-game series in Pittsburgh starting Monday as the Mets Johan Santana (1–2) will square off against Erik Bedard (2–5) on Monday.

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Alex Rodriguez was hitless in the Yankees loss Sunday. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

Cincinnati (21–19) scored five runs in the last three innings Sunday to rally past the Yankees (21–20) 5–2 in the rubber match of their three-game set.

C.C. Sabathia (5–2) allowed just three singles through six innings before allowing three runs—including two home runs—in the seventh inning and took the loss. Sabathia was lifted at the end the inning after allowing six hits and striking out six Reds.

Reliever Boone Logan was charged with the other two runs after giving up singles to Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce. Phillips and Bruce scored on a double by Ryan Ludwick.

Reds starter Johnny Cueto (5–1) got the win as he went seven innings allowing just two runs off a home run courtesy of Raul Ibanez that scored Robinson Cano. Ibanez’ home run was the ninth of the season for him.

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Mets starter R.A. Dickey went six innings allowing four earned runs, while striking out eight Reds. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

David Wright doubled in catcher Rob Johnson for the go-ahead run in the eighth and the Mets (21–17) to start a five-run inning and finish off the Cincinnati Reds (19–18) 9–4 to earn a split of the two-game series.

For Wright, the hit was his second of the game and the fifth time that he reached base on the day, after drawing three walks. The Mets franchise player leads the National League with a .411 batting average and a .513 on-base percentage.

Mets starter R.A. Dickey went six innings, giving up four runs (three earned) while striking out eight batters but received a no-decision. Reliever Bobby Parnell pitched a scoreless eighth for the win as the Mets bullpen did not allow a run in their three innings of work.

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The Mets will host an All-Star game for the second time in their history. (Allison Joyce/Getty Images)

The New York Mets will host the 2013 All-Star Game, according to a Wednesday announcement on Major League Baseball’s website.

“The Mets have been great; this is really a very, very happy day,” Selig said. “I know for the citizens of this great city and state, they will enjoy this immensely.”

The 2013 mid-summer classic will mark the ninth time in the city’s history that they will be hosting the event but the first time in Queens since 1964.

The last time the event was in New York City was in 2008 when Yankee Stadium hosted it. The event generated $148.4 million according to Major League Baseball. Kansas City is hosting the event this summer and is expected to get somewhere around $60 million in revenue.

A man dressed as Babe Ruth poses in front of Yankee Stadium much the way Ruth did when he would predict a home run off his bat. (Nick Laham/Getty Images)

When Yankee owner Col. Ruppert’s “Rough Riders,” as some called them, were not going head to head against their American League competition, they were playing exhibition games in Buffalo, Omaha, Rochester, Columbus, Dayton, Indianapolis, and more.

Everyone in the little cities and small towns wanted to catch a glimpse of the Babe, Lou, and the others. Wherever the Yankees went, there were always packed ballparks and playing fields. The team was a magnet, a syncopated jazz band playing a baseball song with the Babe leading, striking up the band with his home run baton, his bat. Whole towns came out early and they stayed late studying the moves of “the Colossus of baseball,” how he walked, how he ran, how he swung a bat, how he caught, and threw a baseball, how he joked and wrestled with kids in the fields of play, how many different kinds of home runs he hit. Demand for the Yankees came from all over. Murderers’ Row even played exhibition games in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, National League cities.

In Omaha, Neb., the “King of Clouts”, Ruth, and his protégé the “Prince of Pounders,” Gehrig seemed genuinely happy to make the acquaintance of one “Lady Amco” who was known as the “Babe Ruth of chickens.” She was a world champ at laying eggs. The morning the Babe and the Buster met her she produced on cue, laying an egg for the 171st straight day. In Indianapolis, the Sultan of Swat failed to homer or even swat the ball out of the infield in his first three times at bat.

Each time the smattering of boos and heckling became louder, all good-natured, of course. According to reports, Ruth in his fourth at bat tagged the ball, and it leaped over the fence in right field into the street bouncing into boxcars in a nearby freight yard. That was the story.

And its punch line: “I guess I did show those people something, make fun of me, will they,” the Big Bam boomed going into the dugout. In a dilapidated park in Ft. Wayne, Ind., before 35,000 against the Lincoln Lifes, a semi-pro team, the scene was all too familiar. Hundreds of kids screamed, ached to ogle, to get an autograph, or just to be close to George Herman Ruth, their idol.

The Bambino, to save his legs, played first base, as was his custom many times during those exhibition games. Gehrig played right field. Going into the 10th inning, the score was tied, 3–3. Mike Gazella was on first base when Ruth stepped into the batter’s box. Always the showman, signaling to the crowd that they might as well start going home, the Big Bam poked the ball over the right field fence giving the Yankees a 5–3 win. Hundreds of boys who had been relatively controlled and contained mobbed their idol as he crossed home plate. It took quite a while before Ruth and the Yankees could clear out of the park.

Wherever the exhibition games were staged, overflow crowds sat in the outfield watching the action. Attendance records were broken. Mobs cheered. They roared and howled and jumped to their feet, marveling at the power and magic of the mighty Yankees and especially George Herman Ruth. “He was a constant source of joy, Waite Hoyt said. “I’ve seen them kids, men, [and] women, worshipers all, hoping to get his name on a torn, dirty piece of paper, or hoping for a grunt of recognition when they said, ‘Hi-ya, Babe.’

He never let them down; not once. He was the greatest crowd-pleaser of them all.” In a game played at Sing-Sing, N.Y., against the prison team, Ruth slugged a batting practice home run over the right field wall and then another over the center field wall. “I’d love to be riding out of here on those balls,” one of the prisoners joked. During the game the “Sultan of Swat” turned to the crowd of cons in the stands and bellowed in that big booming baritone voice of his: ”What time is it?” Many of the cons shouted back the answer. ”What difference does it make?” the showman Ruth yelled. “You guys ain’t going anyplace, any time soon.”

The Yankees were…

Harper waves to the crowd after hitting his first career home run. (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

Washington Nationals prospect Bryce Harper hit his first big-league home run in the third inning Monday night against San Diego’s Tim Stauffer.

Harper who was the unquestioned first overall pick of the 2010 MLB draft at just 17 years old, hit a 2-1 pitch from the righty Stauffer beyond the center field fence for his first career blast.

The right fielder Harper, now in his 15th major league game, was given a curtain call after the no-doubter.

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Stephen Strasburg has been stellar thus far, sporting a 1.66 ERA through six starts while striking out 38 batters in 38 innings. (Harry How/Getty Images)

After an offseason in which several star players, managers, and executives changed teams or even retired, we’re still left with last season’s World Series participants, Texas and St. Louis, back on top. Though it wouldn’t have been crazy to predict that both of these teams would be back in the hunt this year, it did seem crazy to predict that the Angels would spend most of the first month in the basement of the AL West. The Angels, who signed away a star player from each of the two pennant-winning teams last winter, have seen former Cardinal Albert Pujols hit exactly one home run thus far, while batting .198, as he continues to struggle under the weight of his $240 million contract. Meanwhile their $77.5 million investment in former Ranger starter C.J. Wilson has paid off, as the lefty is now 4–2 with a 2.61 ERA. The last-place Angels don’t make the list here, but they should show up again later this summer.

On to the current top 10:

10. Cleveland Indians: 17–13 record, 4.4 runs scored, 4.2 runs allowed.* If you had to pick one team from the AL Central to make this list (and yes, we had to), in the preseason most everyone would have thought it would be the Tigers and their Cabrera/Fielder middle-of-the lineup power punch. But somehow, someway, the Indians are ahead of them. Why the skepticism here? The Indians only have one starter with an ERA below 4.00, and it’s 39-year old Derek Lowe, who the Braves paid them to take in the offseason. On offense, All-Star Asdrubal Cabrera (.337 average, .531 slugging) is making plenty of noise, but their past stars like Travis Hafner (.256 average, 4 home runs) and Grady Sizemore (out with injury) have done little.

9. Baltimore Orioles: 20–11 record, 4.6 runs scored, 4.1 runs allowed.* It may be hard to believe that the Orioles, who’ve finished last four straight seasons, make this list, but a May first-place showing in the AL East deserves some notoriety. On offense, All-Star catcher Matt Wieters is hitting .300 with 7 home runs and 18 RBIs, while outfielder Adam Jones leads the team with 8 home runs and sports a .289 average. The real question is the pitching. Not only are their top two starters, Jason Hammel (4–1, 2.09 ERA) and Wei-Yin Chen (2–0, 2.76 ERA), not household names, but they’re barely ballpark names, as neither has had sustained success in the majors.

8. Cincinnati Reds: 16–14 record, 3.9 runs scored, 3.7 runs allowed. The Reds looked like they were set to be a contender this year, following the trade for supposed ace Mat Latos, who is an underwhelming 2–2 with a 4.93 ERA through six starts in 2012. Meanwhile slugging first baseman Joey Votto is hitting a respectable .295 but has just two home runs thus far. The good news is that Jay Bruce already has 10 home runs, and that’s helped keep this ship afloat. Once Votto and Latos get going, the team will be right in contention for a playoff spot.

7. Washington Nationals: 18–12 record, 3.4 runs scored, 3.0 runs allowed.* The two best starting rotations in baseball reside in the NL East. One, of course, is the Roy Halladay/Cliff Lee/Cole Hamels combo in Philadelphia, while the other is the Stephen Strasburg/Gio Gonzalez/Jordan Zimmerman staff in the nation’s capital. But only Washington’s has overcome a sluggish (and injured) offense to take the lead in the division. The Nationals’ incredible starting pitching (combined 10–7 record, 2.26 ERA through 30 starts) probably won’t last all season, but at least the sluggish offense gave them an excuse to bring up 19-year-old mega-prospect Bryce Harper.

6. New York Yankees: 16–14 record, 4.9 runs scored, 4.5 runs allowed.* After the Yankees made the playoffs in 16 of the last 17 seasons, their incredible success has lulled most experts into blindly picking them to win the AL East every year, simply because they’re the Yankees. But with closer Mariano Rivera out for the season and their trade of young power hitter Jesus Montero gone bad (with the Pineda injury), they need big performances this season from highly-paid stars Alex Rodriguez (.279 average, 5 home runs) and Mark Teixeira (.217 average, 4 home runs) more than ever to keep it going.

5. Los Angeles Dodgers…

Former Mets greats (from L-R) Yogi Berra, Nolan Ryan, Jerry Grote, Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, and Duffy Dyer pose during the presentation commemorating the New York Mets 40th anniversary of the 1969 World Series-winning team. (Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

This is the 50th anniversary season of the team that plays in Flushing. Through the decades there have been lots of chills, ills, and thrills connected with the franchise.

The first run they ever scored came on a balk. They lost the first nine games they ever played. Rumor has it they picked the name of arguably their best pitcher ever out of a hat on April Fools’ Day. That was “Tom Terrific” Seaver.

They were supposed to be the replacement for the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants. They could have been the New York Continentals, Burros, Skyliners, Skyscrapers, Bees, Rebels, NYBs, Avengers, or even Jets (all runner-up names in a contest to name the National League team that began playing baseball in 1962).

But as the press release dated May 8, 1961, proclaimed, the name was “Mets … just plain Mets.” They have never been anything to their fans but amazing—the Amazin’ New York Mets.

In 1960 Casey Stengel managed the New York Yankees to a first-place finish, as the team recorded a .630 winning percentage, winning 97 games and losing 57.
By 1962, Stengel was in place as the skipper of the New York Mets. They finished 10th in a 10-team league. They finished 60.5 games out of first place, losing more games (120) than any other team in the 20th century.

Richie Ashburn batted .306 for the Mets that season and then retired. He remembered those days, “It was the only time I went to a ballpark in the major leagues and nobody expected you to win.”

Once they were losing a game 12–1, and there were two out in the bottom of the ninth inning. A fan held up a sign that said, “PRAY!” There was a walk. And ever hopeful, thousands of fans started shouting at the Polo Grounds (where they played while Shea Stadium was being built), “Let’s Go Mets!!”

A bumbling collection of castoffs, not quite ready for prime-time major league players, paycheck collectors, and callow youth, the Mets underwhelmed the opposition. But Casey loved the young players on the team, who he called, “the youth of America.”

They had pitcher Jay Hook, who could talk for hours about why a curveball curved (he had a Master’s degree in engineering), but couldn’t throw one consistently.

They had “Choo-Choo” Coleman, a terrific low-ball catcher. The only problem was that the Mets had very few low-ball pitchers on their staff.

They had “Marvelous Marv” Throneberry, a Mickey Mantle look-alike in the batter’s box, and that’s where the resemblance ended.

Day after day Casey Stengel would watch the Mets and be amazed at how they could find newer and more original ways to beat themselves.

In desperation—some swore it was on the day he witnessed Al Jackson go 15 innings yielding but three hits, only to lose the game on two errors committed by “Marvelous Marv”—Casey bellowed out his plaintive query, “Can’t anybody here play this game?”

There are many who think it will happen again soon.

Time will tell the tale. But don’t bet on it.

A noted oral historian and sports journalist, Harvey Frommer has written many sports books, including timed to 2012 and the 100th anniversary, “Fenway Park: An Oral and Narrative History of the Home of the Boston Red Sox.” His work has appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, New York Daily News, Newsday, USA Today, Men’s Heath, The Sporting News, Bleacher Report, and of course, The Epoch Times, among other venues and publications.

Visit his website here: http://harveyfrommersports.com/remembering_fenway/

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Mariano Rivera still hopes to return in 2013. (Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera was hospitalized overnight this week after doctors discovered a blood clot in his right calf, according to a report on the team’s website.

Rivera said he had been on blood thinners and that it won’t affect his recovery from a torn ACL in his right knee.

The discovery of the blood clot came as doctors were examining his injured knee.

“For a minute, I was like, ‘What else can happen?’ To me, it’s a blessing. I didn’t ask why it happened, I didn’t ask how it happened. I asked, ‘How do we deal with it?’ That’s the way I wanted to leave it.”

Rivera, currently on crutches as he attempts to strengthen the knee before surgery, said he noticed a stiff and sore sensation in his calf during the examination of his knee and mentioned it to the attending physician.

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Andy Pettitte last pitched in the majors in 2010. (Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte will make his long-awaited return to the Yankees Sunday as the 39-year-old will take the mound against the Seattle Mariners, according to a report on the team’s website.

Pettitte pitched Sunday against Triple-A Pawtucket going five innings and surrendering five runs (three earned) on eight hits and striking out five while walking just one. His next scheduled start would be Friday but the Yankees have already scheduled Hiroki Kuroda on that day and Phil Hughes on Saturday.

“The reports that I’ve got have been pretty good,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi. “He struggled a little bit his last start with the command of some of his pitches, but that doesn’t mean that he’s ready or he’s not ready. We feel that he’s physically ready, he feels that he’s physically ready and that’s why he’ll be here this weekend.”

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Jayson Werth (C) was hitting .276 through 27 games this season. (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

Nationals right fielder Jayson Werth had surgery on his fractured left wrist Monday and will be out for 12 weeks, according to a report on the team’s website.

Werth injured his wrist in the sixth inning of the Nationals’ 9–3 home loss to the Phillies. Werth ran in and dove after a fly ball off the bat of Placido Polanco but as he hit the ground with arm outstretched, bent his wrist in an awkward fashion and was in immediate pain.

The Nationals replaced him with outfielder Xavier Nady who had been out with an injury to his left side.

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Dickey is now tied for second in the National League with four wins. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Mets starter R.A. Dickey went eight strong innings Sunday as the Mets topped the Diamondbacks 3–1 in the rubber match of the three-game set at Citi Field.

Dickey, now 4-1 on the season, held Arizona scoreless through the first eight innings before allowing a ninth-inning leadoff walk to Gerardo Parra, who scored on a double by the next batter, Justin Upton.

Mets relievers Tim Byrdak and Frank Francisco shut down Arizona following Upton’s double to close out the game.

Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy put the team on the board with a two-run single in the bottom of the first, scoring Andres Torres and David Wright. Torres walked to lead off the inning and Wright singled him to third, while he advanced to second, on the throw.

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Nick Swisher was one of three Yankees, along with Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano, to go deep Sunday. (Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano broke open a 2–1 contest in the third inning Sunday with a grand slam, the eighth of his career, as the Yankees cruised to a 10–4 win in Kansas City.

The base-clearing home run was just the second of the season for Cano, who hit 28 last year, while the four RBIs doubled his season total.

Just two batters later, Nick Swisher connected for a solo home run, his seventh of the season, that chased Royals starter Luke Hochevar who was charged with seven runs in two and a third innings, raising his ERA to a whopping 9.00 after six starts on the season.

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Bucky Dent's game-changing home run against Boston will always earn him a special spot with the Yankees and their fans. JIM MCISAAC/GETTY IMAGES

The gang was, literally, all there on April 20. The 100th birthday bash for venerable Fenway Park was the main event—it even upstaged the game between the Yankees and Red Sox. It was a marker moment in the rivalry between the franchises, a memorable piece of history for Fenway.

Caroline Kennedy threw out the first ball just as her great-grandfather “Honey Fitz” Kennedy had done on April 20, 1912, when the Yankees (known as the Highlanders then) and the Bostons battled. For the record, back then the BoSox eked out an extra-inning triumph.

Through the decades there have been many highs and lows for the team that calls Fenway home. My own personal selection for the most memorable moment (even though it was a down one) took place on Oct. 2, 1978, in the winner-take-all playoff game between the Yanks and Sox.

Through my narrative and the voices of some of those who were there, that amazing rivalry moment comes back to us.

Mike Torrez was the Boston starter while Ron Guidry, the best pitcher in baseball that year, took the ball for the Yanks.

Dennis Eckersley: It was electric that day. I had pitched Saturday and won No. 20 and was glad I wasn’t pitching that playoff game. I was in the dugout. I was in the clubhouse. I was all over the place. I was more nervous watching than pitching. It was 2-0 in the seventh. They were setting up this little stage for the celebration.

Steve Ryder (a fan): Then all of a sudden:

Bill White (GAME CALL): Deep to left! Yastrzemski will not get it. …It’s a home run! A three-run home run for Bucky Dent and the Yankees now lead. … Bucky Dent has just hit his fifth home run of the year and look at that Yankees bench out to greet him!

Carl Yastrzemski: I’ve always loved Fenway Park. But that was the one moment I hated the place, the one moment the wall got back at us. I still can’t believe it went in the net.

Bill Lee (famed Boston hurler): Torrez threw that … slider that is still sitting there in middle of the plate, and Bucky Dent hit right near the end of the bat. I couldn’t believe he hit it out, but he did.

Leigh Montville (author): It was a ball that everyone thought was going to be caught, a nothing kind of hit.

Don Zimmer (Red Sox manager): When Bucky hit the ball, I said, “That’s an out.” And usually you know when the ball hits the bat whether it’s short, against the wall, in the net or over the net. I see Yaz backing up, and when he’s looking up, I still think he’s going to catch it. When I see him turn around, then I know he’s going to catch it off the wall. Then the ball wound up in the net.

Mike Torrez: I was so shocked….

Longoria was hitting .329 this season before the injury. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria will be out 6-8 weeks with a partially torn hamstring according to a report on the team’s website.

The Rays 26-year-old third baseman left Monday night’s game with what was initially described as left knee soreness. A diagnosis that has changed dramatically since.

Longoria appeared to be injured sliding into second as he limped to the dugout afterward but Longoria said it was when he ran to second. “The slide didn’t have anything to do with it,” Longoria said. “I felt a little bit of a tweak going in. So I knew something wasn’t good and the MRI confirmed that today.”

Andy Pettitte last pitched in 2010 when he went 11-3 with a 3.28 ERA. (Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Longtime Yankee starter Andy Pettitte says he ready to join the team after pitching an extended spring training game, according to a report on the Yankees website.

“I feel I’m strong enough and ready to make my next start with [the Yankees],” said Pettitte. “I feel good and it was another solid day. I felt the quality of pitches were as good as I’ve had in any of my starts up to now, and I was able to hold my velocity throughout [the outing]. I feel like I’m ready to help the team.”

Johan Santana pitched six scoreless innings in the win. DOUG PENSINGER/GETTY IMAGES

Ike Davis singled home David Wright in the top of the 11th to break a 5–5 tie and Mets reliever Ramon Ramirez shut down the Rockies (10–11) in the bottom half of the inning to preserve the win for New York (13–9) in the rubber match of the three-game set.

The hit for Davis was his third of the game, as he was one of six Mets with a multi-hit performance. Two of Davis’s hits were off Colorado’s 49-year old starter Jamie Moyer.

With the win David Robertson (L), Chris Stewart (R), and the Yankees are now 12-9 on the season. MIKE STOBE/GETTY IMAGES

Yankees ace starter CC Sabathia allowed just two runs over eight innings against a vaunted Detroit Tigers (11–11) lineup Sunday as the New York Yankees (12–9) beat Detroit 6–2 in the rubber match of their three-game set.

Sabathia (3–0) allowed just four hits, while striking out eight Tigers and lowered his ERA to 4.58 on the young season.

David Robertson worked a scoreless ninth to finish off Detroit.

“It’s nice to get your bullpen back to full strength, for the most part, going into tomorrow,” said Yankees skipper Joe Girardi, according to the Yankees website. “I thought for the most part he (Sabathia) controlled the swings by his location and his changing of speeds.”

One of the four hits allowed by Sabathia was a solo home run by Tigers first baseman Prince Fielder, his third of the season. The fourth-inning blast was the first in 72 at-bats for the Tigers prized free-agent hitter and brought the team within 2–1.

Tigers starter Max Scherzer (1–3) took the loss after going four and two-thirds innings while allowing three runs off seven hits and an abnormally high seven walks on the day. Scherzer, after winning 15 games last season has an ERA of 7.77 through five starts this season.

Scherzer served up a fourth-inning home run ball to Curtis Granderson that was nearly a sensational grab by Tigers outfielder, and former Yankees prospect, Austin Jackson who jumped up, reached over the fence, and caught the ball for an instant, but couldn’t hang on.

After seeing Detroit pull to within 3–2 by a Miguel Cabrera RBI-double in the sixth the Yankees struck back with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Scoring the second of those two runs was Derek Jeter who walked and came home on a sacrifice fly by Robinson Cano.

Jeter, who was hitless in his previous two games, was one of four Yankees with two hits on the day, as the team captain reached base four different times in all. He’s now hitting .396 on the season.

Andruw Jones came on in Swisher’s place and homered in the eighth to make it 6–2.

Next up for the Yankees is a three-game series with first place Baltimore (14-8) starting Monday.

Pineda, an All-Star in 2011, had yet to make a start this season. (Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Newly acquired Yankee starting pitcher Michael Pineda has been diagnosed with an anterior labral tear of his right shoulder and will undergo season-ending arthroscopic surgery on Tuesday, according to a report on the team’s website.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman said Pineda could be back on the mound in May 2013.

“There’s no way of spinning this as anything other than a very unfortunate circumstance that will certainly affect us here in 2012,” Cashman said. “And (it) may affect us going forward, but hopefully for the player’s sake, as well as our franchise’s sake—certainly, I was counting on this player—hopefully everything will go as well as you could possibly hope.”

Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton is hitting .403 with 8 home runs heading into Tuesday night's game against the Yankees. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Texas Rangers returned from a successful 8-1 road trip punctuated by a 3-2 11th inning win against the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park Sunday.

The Rangers benefited from a controversial call that would eventually lead to the victory.

The bases were loaded with no outs in the top of the 11th for the Rangers when Ranger manager Ron Washington called for the squeeze play with Alberto Gonzalez batting. Gonzalez bunted the ball, which went for a scoring single.

But Tigers manager Jim Leyland argued the ball hit Gonzalez on the right knee making it a foul ball. After conferring with the other three umpires, home plate umpire Tim Welke indicated they had not seen the ball strike Gonzalez and ruled it a hit.

After the game the umpire crew reviewed the replay and could see clearly that the ball had indeed hit Gonzalez on the right knee.

Umpires can consult replays during play only as on boundary calls for home runs.

The win was yet another in the fast start for the two-time defending AL Champions who are firing on all cylinders.

This season the Rangers have had great starting pitching and the bullpen seems to be able to deliver in supporting the victory.

Through 16 games, Texas is hitting at a .303 clip with a .498 slugging percentage. Thus far the Rangers have had 174 hits, 26 home runs and 92 RBIs. Through Sunday they led the American League West with an .813 winning percentage.

With hopes of forgetting last year’s World Series loss, the Rangers took on their nemesis New York Yankees Monday night at the Ballpark in Arlington.

Ranger starter Derek Holland gave up four runs in the fifth as the Yankees went on a four run rant behind a Alex Rodriquez three-run homer in defeating the Rangers 7-4. Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter had four hits and is showing signs of his once youthful skills.

Tomorrow game time at 7:05 pm CT the second of the three-games- series at The Ball Park in Arlington.

Durhl Caussey is a Dallas-based writer covering sports, cars, and life in general.

The Rangers benefited from a controversial call that would eventually lead to the victory.

The bases were loaded with no outs in the top of the 11th for the Rangers when Ranger manager Ron Washington called for the squeeze play with Alberto Gonzalez batting. Gonzalez bunted the ball, which went for a scoring single.

But Tigers manager Jim Leyland argued the ball hit Gonzalez on the right knee making it a foul ball. After conferring with the other three umpires, home plate umpire Tim Welke indicated they had not seen the ball strike Gonzalez and ruled it a hit.

After the game the umpire crew reviewed the replay and could see clearly that the ball had indeed hit Gonzalez on the right knee.

Umpires can consult replays during play only as on boundary calls for home runs.

The win was yet another in the fast start for the two-time defending AL Champions who are firing on all cylinders.

This season the Rangers have had great starting pitching and the bullpen seems to be able to deliver in supporting the victory.

Through 16 games, Texas is hitting at a .303 clip with a .498 slugging percentage. Thus far the Rangers have had 174 hits, 26 home runs and 92 RBIs. Through Sunday they led the American League West with an .813 winning percentage.

Ranger starter Derek Holland gave up four runs in the fifth as the Yankees went on a four run rant behind a Alex Rodriquez three-run homer in defeating the Rangers 7-4. Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter had four hits and is showing signs of his once youthful skills.

Josh Hamilton homered for the Rangers.

Tomorrow game time at 7:05 pm CT the second of the three-games- series at The Ball Park in Arlington.

Durhl Caussey is a Dallas-based writer covering sports, cars, and life in general.

In “Driving Mr. Yogi” Yankee legends Yogi Berra (pictured) and Ron Guidry talk baseball. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

There are all kinds of sure signs of the coming of spring: green grass, budded trees, nicer weather, better spirits, the return of the national pastime and the avalanche of new baseball books of all types and quality.

“Bill Veeck,” “Pinstripe Empire,” and “Driving Mr. Yogi” form a terrific trio of reads. One summons up the tall tale of “Baseball’s Greatest Maverick.”

Another is billed as the first narrative history of the New York Yankees in a long time. And the third tome is a unique story of how Yogi Berra and Ron Guidry truly bonded together in 1999 as designated passenger and designated driver, going to the ballpark for each season’s new spring training.

The Veeck book (Bloomsbury, $28.00, 434 pages) by Paul Dickson is a full-fledged and long overdue opus that focuses on the man the tome’s subtitle calls “Baseball’s Greatest Maverick.” And that he was. Veeck went against the grain and loved doing it, and Dickson lovingly writes about it.

A showman with a wooden leg—he lost his leg in World War II—Veeck often used it as an ashtray. He instigated interleague play, the DH and names on the back of uniform jerseys. He signed Larry Doby, who broke the American League’s color line, and he signed the first black trainer, scout, and public relations person.

He was a handful for players and owners alike. But as author Paul Dickson notes, “He was a transformational figure in the history of baseball.” That he was—and he never truly got the recognition he deserved. Now he has.

“Pinstripe Empire” by Marty Appel (Bloomsbury, $28.00, 640 pages) is the mother of all narrative histories about the team from the Bronx. Appel’s masterwork bobs and weaves its way through the history of the New York Yankees.

At times serious, funny, insightful, dramatic, sad, inspiring, and nostalgic, this is a book to take to the beach, to rummage through, to pick up again and again for all the grand nuggets inside of it. The sweep of Yankee legend and lore, facts and figures is here for all time in the pages of “Pinstripe Empire.”

“Driving Mr. Yogi,” (HMH, $26.00, 212 pages) authored by Harvey Araton of the New York Times, is a book for nowadays. Poignant, perfectly paced, and precious stuff, this slim volume about the unique relationship of Yogi Berra and Ron Guidry is a must read.

The two, with a big age difference for starters and different cultural backgrounds, blend together in the pages of “Driving Mr. Yogi” as they do in real life. Going into a second decade, Yogi and Gator have shared time together in the car, in restaurants, and on the baseball field. We are the better for it as we learn what they know about baseball and life. It’s all about friendship.

Other Great Reads

“Damn Yankees” edited by Rob Fleder (Ecco, $27.99, 304 pages) is a collection of 24 writers reflecting on different aspects of the life and times of the Bronx Bombers. Fleder, formerly executive editor of Sports Illustrated, has gone to friends from the circle and HarperCollins authors in the main.

They ruminate, reflect, and tell stories from their vantage points on the good, the bad, the ugly of the New York Yankees. We have Sally Jenkins recalling the Yankee World Series competition just seven weeks after 9/11. There is Jane Leavy interweaving Mickey Mantle and Frank Sullivan of some Red Sox fame. If you are a diehard Yankee fan, this one is for you.

A noted oral historian and sports journalist, Harvey Frommer has written many sports books, including timed to 2012 and the 100th anniversary, “Fenway Park: An Oral and Narrative History of the Home of the Boston Red Sox.” His work has appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, New York Daily News, Newsday, USA Today, Men’s Heath, The Sporting News, Bleacher Report, and of course, The Epoch Times, among other venues and publications.
Visit his website here: http://harveyfrommersports.com/remembering_fenway/

Yankees starter C.C. Sabathia, who was supposed to pitch Sunday, will start Monday's game against Texas instead. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

The Yankees will have to wait for another day—the date still not set—to finish their sweep of the Red Sox, while the Mets will play a double-header Monday to finish out their four-game set against the Giants.

For the Mets, Miguel Batista and Dillon Gee will start the two games of Monday’s single-admission doubleheader, while Sunday’s projected start, Johan Santana will start Tuesday’s contest against the Marlins.

“It’s about the entire staff,” manager Terry Collins said, according to the team’s website. “We talked all spring long about making sure we keep our five starters in sync. And if we don’t, we end up getting them out of sync if we don’t back somebody up. We talked to Johan. He was on board with it.”

Daniel Murphy (L), who had two hits against the Braves, was tagged out by Atlanta catcher David Ross (R) at home in the fifth inning. (Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

Mets starter R.A. Dickey gave up eight runs on eight hits and a pair of walks in four and a third innings Wednesday afternoon in Atlanta as the Mets (7–5) fell to the Braves (7–5) 14–6 in the rubber match of the three-game set.

The out-of-character performance by Dickey (2–1), who had an ERA of just 3.28 last year, raised his ERA from 2.08 to 5.71 this season and gave him his first loss of the year.

For the Mets, the loss ends their six-game road trip against the two of the NL East’s best teams with a respectable 3–3 record.

Jair Jurrjens (0–1) started the game for Atlanta but left after four innings, 89 pitches, while surrendering four runs. Reliever Christhian Martinez came on to relieve Jurrjens, who exited with a 6–4 lead, and pitched out of a none-out, runners-on first-and-third-base jam to pick up the win.

Mets third baseman David Wright drove in three runs on a double and a single. The trio of RBIs brings his career total to 733—tying him with former Mets outfielder Darryl Strawberry for the most in franchise history.

Ike Davis started off the scoring with a solo home run to right field (422 feet) to lead off the second inning. For Davis, who started the season with just two hits in his first 28 at-bats (an .071 batting average), the blast was his third home run in the last four games. Davis also singled in the third inning and has now raised his average to .156.

The Braves answered back with a two-run second of their own, courtesy of a Juan Francisco home run that scored Freddie Freeman. Francisco and Freeman finished with two hits apiece.

In the third, Wright doubled home Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Daniel Murphy to give the Mets the lead back at 3–2. The center fielder Nieuwenhuis, batting in the leadoff spot for the first time this season, had three hits, a walk, and scored three times. He is now hitting .375.

But the Braves struck back again in the fourth with four runs, highlighted by a Martin Prado two-run double and a Dan Uggla home run that scored Prado to put the Mets in a 6–3 hole.

After Wright drove in Nieuwenhuis with an infield-single to pull the Mets to 6–4 in the fifth, Atlanta struck back yet again in the bottom of the inning with a two-run home run courtesy of Freddie Freeman. Freeman’s shot was his first of the season and it sent R.A. Dickey to the showers—the first time he’s failed to finish five innings since June 16 of last year in Atlanta against these same Braves.

The Mets now have Thursday off before beginning a seven-game home stand Friday that starts with San Francisco and ends with former-Met Jose Reyes’s Marlins.

The Yankees/Red Sox rivalry was at it's peak in 2003 and 2004 when they met in back-to-back ALCS for the right to go to the World Series. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

After the Red Sox won the 1916 World Series, Harry Frazee, a former Peoria, Ill. billposter who had become a show business wheeler-dealer, bought the club. A good friend of Yankees owners Col. Jacob Ruppert and Col. Tillinghast l’Hommedieu Huston, Frazee hungered to deal with wealthy New Yorkers.

He had a home in Boston, but his main residence was on Manhattan’s Park Avenue. And he liked to joke: “The best thing about Boston is the train ride back to New York.”

On Jan. 9, 1920, Harry Frazee’s crime was enacted. At a chilly morning press conference a very happy Jake Ruppert announced: “Gentlemen, we have just bought Babe Ruth from Harry Frazee of the Boston Red Sox. I can’t give exact figures, but it was a pretty check—six figures. No players are involved. It was strictly a cash deal.”

Sox general manager Ed Barrow had told Frazee: “You ought to know that you’re making a mistake.”
Harry Frazee said: “No other club could afford to give the amount the Yankees have paid for Babe Ruth. And I do not mind saying I think they are taking a gamble.”

The aftermath of Harry Frazee’s infamous deed has become known as “The Curse of the Bambino.” In Boston, more colorful phrases describe the act. And thus began the beginning of the dark age of Boston baseball.

From 1919 through 1933, the BoSox suffered through a stretch of losing campaigns, dropping at least 100 games in a season five times, and at least 90 games five more times. Last place finishers in that era nine times, they had become a sorry excuse for a big league baseball team. During a time of Yankee glory from 1919 to 1945, the Red Sox never placed first in the eight-team American League, finishing an average of 30 games behind in the standings.

Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer (C) didn't care much for Pedro Martinez's actions in 2003 and let him know that. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

On the other hand, the golden age of Yankee baseball can be traced directly to the arrival of George Herman Ruth. The Yankees roll on still, rolling over teams. They are the crème de la crème of Major League Baseball.

The shipping of Babe Ruth to the Yankees has been followed by all sorts of Red Sox misfortunes, read “Curse”: losing Game 7 of the World Series in 1946, 1967, 1975, 1986 (the ball dribbling through Bill Buckner’s legs in Game 6); losing the pennant in playoffs in 1948 and 1978; being done in by the Aaron Boone 11th inning home run on Oct. 17, 2003, that gave the Yankees a stunning 6-5 come-from-behind triumph over Boston which was five outs away from winning the American League championship.

The Yankees of New York versus the Red Sox of Boston is the greatest, grandest, strongest rivalry in baseball history—a competition of images, teams, cities, styles, ballparks, fans, and media. History, style, culture, pace, dreams, bragging rights—all are mixed in and mixed up with the rivalry in one way or another.

“Regardless of where either team is in the standings, people mark off the Yankee-Red Sox playing dates on their calendars,” notes former Yankee and Red Sox player Mike Stanley.

The competition is…

Bob Uecker is in his 42nd season of calling games for Milwaukee. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker will be inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame Tuesday, according to a report on Major League Baseball’s website.

The honor puts Uecker in the same class as broadcasting legends Vin Scully, Jack Buck, Harry Caray, and Mel Allen.

Uecker will be inducted at a luncheon in Las Vegas on Tuesday afternoon. He’s in his 42nd season calling games for the Brewers.

Uecker, best known for his comical broadcasting part in the movie “Major League,” started off playing as a catcher with the Milwaukee Braves in 1962 and played parts of five seasons for four different teams.

Giants closer Brian Wilson amassed 163 saves from 2008-11. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson addressed the media for the first time since manager Bruce Bochy announced the thick-bearded Wilson was likely headed for season-ending Tommy John surgery, according to a report on the Giants website.

Wilson, a three-time All-Star who has led the team in saves four straight seasons, seemed to have a positive outlook regarding the disappointing news.

“I’m not down at all,” Wilson said. “I can be a better teammate and watch other stories evolve this year, and I can become a student of the game again and keep learning.”

Wilson said he felt something on a pitch to Todd Helton in Coors Field on Thursday. Wilson finished the outing for the save—his only one of the season.

Ike Davis (L) and David Wright (R) each had two hits in the Mets loss. (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

Ike Davis got his first home run and RBIs of the season but the Phillies (4-5) scored seven runs in the final two innings to defeat the Mets (6-3) 8–2 Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia and avoid the series sweep.

Cole Hamels got the win going seven innings and striking out 10 batters while giving up just the two-run home run to Davis that scored David Wright.

Davis entered the game with just two hits in 28 at-bats on the season but got a pair of hits to raise his average to .125 on the season. Wright had a pair of singles and is now hitting .571 on the young season.

San Francisco Giants' Brian Wilson in a game at Denver on April 12. Wilson might require surgery on torn ligaments. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

San Francisco Giants’ relief pitcher Brian Wilson may need to undergo an elbow surgery that might jeopardize his season. The three-time all-star pitcher had led the majors in 2010 with 48 saves. He was sent for tests on Friday after he complained of discomfort. An MRI revealed a serious injury in the elbow with an issue in a ligament as well as structural damage.

The 30-year-old had been bothered by arm issues at the end of last season and had been expected to come back stronger on the rebound this year. Instead, this elbow injury will be a huge blow to Wilson and the team, and will likely put him out of commission for the rest of the season.

An elbow injury like Wilson’s generally needs a procedure known as Tommy John surgery, and the recovery time after the surgery ranges between 12 to 18 months, although players have been known to recover quicker.

The Associated Press quoted San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy and athletic trainer Dave Groeschner as saying that the club will seek another medical opinion for Wilson. Wilson has already undergone one Tommy John surgery while he was in college. Groeschner further stated to the Associated Press that Wilson was having trouble doing something simple as catching and that “it’s not really anything you can see visually.”

Brian Wilson is expected to be placed on the 15-day disabled list by today, and will be replaced by starter Ryan Vogelsong.

Albert Pujols is hitting just .217 though six games in 2012 for the 2-4 Angels. (Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

With just over a week into the season it’s time to rank the 10 best teams in baseball, thus far.

10. Philadelphia Phillies: 2-3 record*; 3.0 runs scored, 2.8 runs allowed—As expected the offense-starved Phillies have struggled to score runs. With lineup mainstays Ryan Howard and Chase Utley manning the disabled list to start the season, only Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino and catcher Carlos Ruiz have picked up any hitting slack thus far. Still, with Halladay, Hamels, and Lee anchoring the rotation Philadelphia has slightly better playoff odds than the fast-starting Los Angeles Dodgers who were also considered for this spot.

9. Los Angeles Angels: 2-4 record; 5.0 runs scored, 5.0 runs allowed—With Thursday’s 10-9 loss to the Twins, the Angels have surprisingly lost four of five games against last year’s bottom-feeders Minnesota and Kansas City. Albert Pujols is hitting just .217 thus far while starting pitchers Dan Haren (6.97 ERA) and Ervin Santana (7.94 ERA) have started slowly as well. The good news is that DH Mark Trumbo, who missed all of last season with an injury, is hitting .300 through six games in 2012.

8. Cincinnati Reds: 3-4 record; 3.0 runs scored, 4.1 runs allowed—The Reds were officially “all-in” this season when they traded several top prospects to San Diego for perceived ace starter Mat Latos and gave first baseman Joey Votto an extension worth more than $200 million. While Votto is hitting at a nice early pace of .292 average/.379 on-base percentage/.500 slugging, Latos is a disappointing 0-1 with a 5.59 ERA after two starts.

7. Arizona Diamondbacks: 4-1 record*; 4.4 runs scored, 3.6 runs allowed—Arizona has walked a tightrope thus far, with success, winning three of their four one-run contests and winning another in extra innings. The close-game success is usually fickle though, especially as long as five lineup regulars are hitting .200 or worse. Still their pitching rotation, which was fortified by the offseason addition of former Athletic Trevor Cahill, is one of the best around.

6. Washington Nationals: 5-2 record; 4.0 runs scored, 2.4 runs allowed—Suddenly it seems conceivable that Washington, which hasn’t had a better than .500 season since they were the Montreal Expos in 2003, could be a contender. With a healthy Strasburg as their ace, followed by recent additions Gio Gonzalez and Edwin Jackson the Nationals have a rotation many would covet. If they can get some offensive production from their $126 million investment in Jayson Werth (who’s hitting .296) they might have something here.

5. St. Louis Cardinals…

Aaron Boone's extra-inning walkoff home run in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS against Boston capped one of the most intense playoff series ever between New York and Boston. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

I was a lifelong New Yorker until about 16 years ago. And then, I moved on to teach and write and live in New England.

Back in the Big Apple, I had always been a keenly interested onlooker to the rivalry between the Yankees and the Red Sox. But it wasn’t until I was living in the mountains of New Hampshire that I realized, via conversations at the gas pumps, town dump, and in the general store just how important “The Rivalry” is … especially to Red Sox Nation.

After an 86-year drought the guys from Fenway finally broke the curse in 2004 and followed that up with a championship in 2007. For six straight seasons through 2003, the Sox finished second to the hated New York Yankees—a combined total of 58.5 games behind. So it was a big deal for the BoSox to show up their enemies from New York.

The roots of the rivalry extend all the way back to the first time the teams faced off on May 7, 1903, at the Huntington Avenue Grounds in Boston. They weren’t the Yankees and Red Sox then, but instead, had more geographically correct names: the Highlanders (played on the hilly terrain of upper Manhattan) and the Pilgrims (in tribute to their New England heritage).

Boston won that first game, 6-2, as well as baseball’s inaugural World Series that year. New York finished fourth, 17 games off the pace. In 1904, Boston won another world championship, and through the first 19 years of its existence, continued to be one of baseball’s most successful teams.

It was damp and chilly throughout New England for most of the spring of 1912. Boston fans hungered to break in their new ballpark against their rivals from New York in decent weather. It took a few tries before that happened.

On April 9, the Red Sox and Harvard’s baseball team faced off in an exhibition game in football weather—“with a little snow on the side,” as one who was there said. Just 3,000 braved the elements. Boston won, 2-0.

The scheduled official Opening Day match on April 12, however, was rained out. Finally, on April 20, there was a bit better weather. Fenway’s first major-league game, the New York City versus the city of Boston, was on tap.

A crowd of 27,000 showed up. Soggy, sad-looking grounds greeted them with infield grass transplanted from the Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds, the team’s former home.

Boston Mayor John “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald, whose grandson would become the 35th president of the United States, threw out the ceremonial first ball. “Honey Fitz” did not like the Highlanders. He was an active and ardent member of the Royal Rooters, a group of Red Sox fans who staged pregame parades, most of the time singing “Tessie” and “Sweet Adeline.”

The game (Opening Day…

After two starts in 2012 Johan Santana is 0-1 with a 0.90 ERA. (Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

Washington’s ace starter Stephen Strasburg pitched six scoreless innings while striking out eight batters Wednesday afternoon at Citi field as the Washington Nationals (4-2) blanked the New York Mets (4-2) 4-0.

Johan Santana went five innings for New York, allowing just one run on five hits, and struck out eight batters himself.

Mets Manager Terry Collins was ejected in the seventh inning for arguing balls and strikes. The ejection came a half-inning after outfielder Jason Bay struck out looking on a borderline third strike call. Bay appeared to argue the call while walking back to the dugout.

“Jason Bay never says a word, so when he’s arguing something, there’s an issue,” said Collins, according to a report on the Mets website.

The Mets next contest is Friday at Philadelphia.

Ian Kinsler hit .308 in last year’s playoffs for Texas. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

The Texas Rangers have signed second baseman Ian Kinsler to a five-year $75 million contract extension that runs through the 2017 season with an option for 2018, according to a report on the team’s website.

Kinsler, 29, hit .255 last year but drew 89 walks, stole 30 bases in just 34 attempts, and scored 121 runs in the leadoff spot for the two-time defending American League champions. In addition to being an excellent base runner, the two-time All-Star Kinsler has some pop in his bat as he connected for 32 home runs and 34 doubles while driving in 77 runs last season.

Derek Jeter and the Yankees are 0-3 for the first time since 1998, when they went 114-48. (J. Meric/Getty Images)

Jeremy Hellickson pitched eight and two-thirds shutout innings for Tampa Bay (3-0) as the Rays won 3–0 Sunday afternoon to sweep the Yankees (0-3) in the teams’ season-opening series.

For the Yankees, Phil Hughes got the loss after going four and two-thirds innings and giving up two runs while striking out five.

New York managed just three hits (all doubles) but came up empty in all six at-bats with runners in scoring position. Overall the Yankees left seven runners on base.

For Tampa Bay, Carlos Pena and Jeff Keppinger each hit solo home runs. Pena’s homer was his second of the young season as the 33-year-old first baseman capped his first weekend back with Tampa Bay by driving in seven runs and collecting six hits.

Jonathon Niese has the Mets off to their best start (3-0) since 2007 when they went 88-74. NICK LAHAM/GETTY IMAGES

Jonathon Niese had a no-hitter until the top of the seventh inning as the Mets completed their three-game season-opening series sweep of the Braves with a 7–5 win Sunday afternoon at Citi Field.

Niese, who signed a $25.5 million contract extension with New York just before the season began, got the win after striking out seven batters in his six innings of work.

Newly-signed closer Frank Francisco sealed the game for the Mets with his third save of the season.

Shortstop Ruben Tejada had four hits, including a pair of doubles in the leadoff spot, and scored twice. Second baseman Daniel Murphy, hitting right behind Tejada, also had a pair of doubles and drove in two runs.

The Mets will host Washington Monday as Mike Pelfrey will start the game on the mound against Edwin Jackson.

A general view of players and coaches from the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves lined up on the foul line for the performance of the National Anthem during their Opening Day Game at Citi Field on April 5, in New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

NEW YORK—The excitement was palpable as long lines of fans, young and old, streamed into Citi Field stadium under cloudless blue skies on Thursday for the beginning of the 2012 New York baseball season.

Johan Santana hurled the first pitch as the Mets treated the near-capacity crowd of 42,080 to a 1-0 opening day victory over the Atlanta Braves.

The start of the season heralds a clean slate and new hope for Mets fans.

Mets fans Rich Fitzgerald with his son Ethan and friend Luca Columbano, wait in line to see the Mets on opening day at Citi Fields. Rich said that he has been going to opening day for around 20 years. (Benjamin Chasteen/The Epoch Times)

“The one thing we always have is hope because, at least today, we are all tied for first place,” said lifelong Mets fan Assemblyman Francisco P. Moya on Thursday. The assemblyman, who grew up in the shadows of Shea Stadium in Corona, donned orange and blue to support his favorite team.

Moya did not attend the game, but visited with friends who were tailgating in the parking lot.

“I don’t think there is any better place to celebrate opening day,” he said.

Mets fan Bryan Lang, who has been attending opening day for around 20 years, was at Citi Field on Thursday and shared why opening day was so special for him.

“I am passing on my family history. When I was growing up my father took me to the opening of the Dodgers games. When they left we became Mets fans and now I am passing down the history to my children,” Lang said.

While the city’s fans may be divided between the Yankees and Mets, the sentiment of family resonated between both fan bases on opening day.

“The Mighty Casey,” founder of Bleeding Yankee Blue.com said via email, “It’s about bringing my kids to the Yankee Stadium; me trying to watch a game and them, eating their way through the ballpark.

The Yankees will start their 2012 campaign on Friday in Tampa where they face the Rays.

Derek Jeter (L) and Alex Rodriguez (R) have been to the playoffs seven of the eight seasons they've been teammates. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

With the rest of baseball starting their seasons on Friday, it’s time for the second part of our baseball preview—the American League.

For most of the last decade, the league has been considered superior to the Senior Circuit with their win/loss advantage in interleague play as well as the All-Star game. But with St. Louis’ winning of the World Series in 2011, the National League has now hoisted the trophy four out of the last six seasons.

A couple significant moves happened in the offseason that may squelch any talk of the National League being superior as both Albert Pujols (Angels) and Prince Fielder (Tigers) joined the AL and instantly made their teams better.

AL East

1. New York Yankees; Predicted Record: 93-69, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: Exchanged top hitting prospect Jesus Montero and pitcher Hector Noesi for Seattle’s top pitching prospect Michael Pineda, three days before signing pitcher Hiroki Kuroda. Then signed Raul Ibanez to replace Montero as DH and paid the Pirates to take on A.J. Burnett’s contract. Lastly, 39-year-old Andy Pettitte signed with them on March 16. Even with aging stars Jeter and A-Rod the free-spending Yankees are still favorites to win this division for the third time in the last four years.

2. Tampa Bay Rays; Predicted Record: 91-71, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: Rays signed two second-tier power hitters in first baseman Carlos Pena and DH Luke Scott. Though closer Kyle Farnsworth will start the season on the DL, the Rays pitching is their strength with the foursome of starters James Shields/David Price/Jeremy Hellickson/Matt Moore. With manager Joe Maddon still at the helm the Rays will be in the hunt again.

3. Boston Red Sox; Predicted Record: 86-76, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The Red Sox did little in the offseason besides replacing departed closer Jonathan Papelbon by trading for Oakland’s Andrew Bailey. Since then the injury-prone Bailey has landed on the DL and won’t be back until mid-season. After their late-season collapse last year Boston and their aging roster may need an overhaul.

4. Toronto Blue Jays; Predicted Record: 76-86, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: Toronto’s main offseason move was signing closer Francisco Cordero who has averaged 39 saves the past five seasons. The Blue Jays have several good players in starting pitcher Ricky Romero and outfielder Jose Bautista but will need more before they can break through the top of this division.

5. Baltimore Orioles; Predicted Record: 66-96, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: Despite seeing DH Luke Scott and Vladimir Guerrero leave via free agency, Baltimore still has a decent offense with Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, and Matt Wieters but their starting rotation needs a major upgrade to compete in the AL East.

AL CENTRAL…

The Dodgers are finally under new ownership and boast two of their best young players in the game in pitcher Clayton Kershaw (L) and outfielder (R) Matt Kemp. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

With the National League set to start Wednesday night with the defending-champion St. Louis Cardinals facing off against the Miami Marlins in Miami, it’s time to predict how the National League will turn out.

National League East

1. Atlanta Braves; Predicted Record: 93-69, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: Atlanta traded away pitcher Derek Lowe in more of a salary dump to Cleveland and despite an injury to Tim Hudson have a good rotation with Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens at the front of it. Chipper Jones may start the season on the DL.

2. Philadelphia Phillies; Predicted Record: 91-71, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The five-time defending division-champion Phillies will start the season without infielders Ryan Howard and Chase Utley and saw Raul Ibanez leave for the Yankees. They countered by signing former Phillie Jim Thome and re-signing shortstop Jimmy Rollins, but it won’t be enough for a sixth straight title.

3. Miami Marlins; Predicted Record: 84-78, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The suddenly free-spending Marlins signed shortstop Jose Reyes, reliever Heath Bell, and starting pitcher Mark Buehrle to contracts worth a combined $191 million. Should incumbent shortstop Hanley Ramirez gracefully move to third base and regain his hitting form, the Marlins may have something. Giancarlo (formerly Mike) Stanton is questionable to start the season with a bruised left wrist and left knee inflammation.

4. Washington Nationals; Predicted Record: 80-82, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The Nationals bolstered their starting rotation with the additions of Gio Gonzalez and Edwin Jackson and didn’t break the bank in doing so. If young pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg returns to his ace form, the NL East could challenge the AL East as the toughest division in baseball.

5. New York Mets; Predicted Record: 72-90, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The Mets saw star player Jose Reyes take his talents to South Beach then traded away outfielder Angel Pagan to San Francisco for reliever Ramon Ramirez and outfielder Andres Torres. Maybe Jason Bay and David Wright will enjoy renaissance seasons with the moving in of the left field wall though.

National League Central

1. Cincinnati Reds; Predicted Record: 94-68, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The Reds are all in after making several splashes in the offseason in acquiring starting pitcher, and potential ace, Mat Latos from San Diego and then signing closer Ryan Madson (who’s now injured and will miss the season). First baseman Joey Votto was just recently locked up to a 10-year contract extension worth $225 million.

2. Milwaukee Brewers; Predicted Record: 84-78, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The Brewers lost first baseman Prince Fielder to free agency and tried to buffer the loss by signing former Cub Aramis Ramirez. At shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt is gone and will be replaced by former Brave Alex Gonzalez.

3. St. Louis Cardinals…

Mariano Rivera begins possibly his last season in 2012 still regarded by most as the best current closer in the game. (J. Meric/Getty Images)

With the baseball season nearing the official Opening Day later this week (not including Oakland and Seattle who played an official two-game set in Japan last week) it’s time to rank the game’s best closers.

As we did for best offensive players and best pitchers, this list will take into account factors such as age, consistency, and venue to determine the best in the majors at saving a game.

Unlike what we did for our previous lists, this one will include pitchers from both leagues. And with apologies to injured closers Joakim Soria and Ryan Madson who will miss the season with injuries (thus, won’t make the top ten here), on to the list:

10. Drew Storen, Washington Nationals, 24 years old; 2011 Pitching stats: 43/48 saves/opportunities, 2.75 ERA, 75.3 innings, 8.8 strikeouts/nine innings, 2.4 walks/nine innings, 1.02 walks/hits per inning. Career full-season average: 87 percent save rate, 3.10 ERA, 70 innings, 8.7 strikeouts/nine innings, 2.9 walks/nine innings, 1.13 walks/hits per inning—Storen, the 10th overall pick of the 2009 draft has just over a year’s experience in the majors but has made the most of it, ranking seventh in saves last season. He will be higher on the next if he repeats his stellar 2011 performance.

9. Heath Bell, Miami Marlins, 34 years old; 2011 Pitching stats: 43/48 saves/opportunities, 2.44 ERA, 62.7 innings, 7.3 strikeouts/nine innings, 3.0 walks/nine innings, 1.15 walks/hits per inning. Career full-season average: 84 percent save rate, 3.06 ERA, 75 innings, 9.2 strikeouts/nine innings, 3.0 walks/nine innings, 1.20 walks/hits per inning—The Marlins paid a lot of money ($27 million over three years) to get Bell and grab some headlines as they open their new ballpark. Though Bell’s ERA and saves were still excellent last year, his strikeouts fell from 11.1 per nine innings in 2010 to 7.3 last year, which could be a bad sign for someone his age and keeps him from being higher on this list.

8. Andrew Bailey, Boston Red Sox, 27 years old; 2011 Pitching stats: 24/26 saves/opportunities, 3.24 ERA, 41.7 innings, 8.9 strikeouts/nine innings, 2.6 walks/nine innings, 1.10 walks/hits per inning. Career full-season average: 89 percent save rate, 2.07 ERA, 75 innings, 9.0 strikeouts/nine innings, 2.5 walks/nine innings, 0.95 walks/hits per inning—Bailey, who was traded this offseason from Oakland to Boston, would rank ahead of Feliz if not for injuries. The right-hander, who has averaged 25 saves over the last three seasons, may open the year on the disabled list for the second straight season with a sore thumb but can close with the best when healthy.

7. Neftali Feliz, Texas Rangers, 23 years old; 2011 Pitching stats: 32/38 saves/opportunities, 2.74 ERA, 62.3 innings, 7.8 strikeouts/nine innings, 4.3 walks/nine innings, 1.16 walks/hits per inning. Career full-season average: 88 percent save rate, 2.55 ERA, 72 innings, 9.1 strikeouts/nine innings, 3.1 walks/nine innings, 0.95 walks/hits per inning—Feliz, obtained by Texas as part of the Mark Teixeira trade in 2007, has been solid in his two seasons as the club’s closer, ranking in the top 10 in the American League in saves both years. He’s been especially clutch in the postseason, notching seven career saves with a 1.93 ERA.

6. Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves, 23 years old; 2011 Pitching stats: 46/54 saves/opportunities, 2.10 ERA, 77.0 innings, 14.8 strikeouts/nine innings, 3.7 walks/nine innings, 1.04 walks/hits per inning. Career full-season average: 85 percent save rate, 1.75 ERA, 66 innings, 15.4 strikeouts/nine innings, 4.4 walks/nine innings, 1.08 walks/hits per inning—Kimbrel had a remarkable 127 strikeouts in just 77 innings last year and his strikeouts-per-nine-innings rate would have led the majors had he pitched enough innings to qualify. Kimbrel was tied for the National League lead in saves and will move up on this list with a repeat performance of 2011.

5. John Axford, Milwaukee Brewers, 29 years old; 2011 Pitching stats: 46/48 saves/opportunities, 1.95 ERA, 73.7 innings, 10.5 strikeouts/nine innings, 3.1 walks/nine innings, 1.14 walks/hits per inning. Career full-season average: 93 percent save rate, 2.26 ERA, 72 innings, 11.0 strikeouts/nine innings, 3.7 walks/nine innings, 1.18 walks/hits per inning—Axford tied Kimbrel in saves but gets the nod here with his tremendous save rate, which is tops on the list. Having only been a closer for two seasons, Axford is another relatively inexperienced closer who will move up this list with another great season in 2012.

Papelbon, now a Phillie, has now 219 regular season saves and 7 postseason saves in his career. (Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

4. Brian Wilson, San Francisco Giants, 30 years old; 2011 Pitching stats: 36/41 saves/opportunities, 3.11 ERA, 55.0 innings, 8.8 strikeouts/nine innings, 5.1 walks/nine innings, 1.47 walks/hits per inning. Career full-season average: 87 percent save rate, 3.17 ERA, 69 innings, 9.6 strikeouts/nine innings, 4.0 walks/nine innings, 1.33 walks/hits per inning—Wilson’s beard has made him popular but it was his performance in 2010 (league-leading 48 saves, 0.00 ERA in playoffs) that put him on the map. Took a step back in 2011 with a high walk-rate and relatively high ERA at a pitcher’s park, but could catch Valverde should he return to his 2010 form.

3. Jose Valverde, Detroit Tigers, 34 years old; 2011 Pitching stats: 49/49 saves/opportunities, 2.24 ERA, 72.3 innings, 8.6 strikeouts/nine innings, 4.2 walks/nine innings, 1.19 walks/hits per inning. Career full-season average: 89 percent save rate, 3.02 ERA, 69 innings, 10.4 strikeouts/nine innings, 3.8 walks/nine innings, 1.17 walks/hits per inning—Valverde’s strikeouts and walks numbers aren’t the best on this list but he gets the very slight edge over Wilson by converting all 49 of his saves last season. Only his postseason performance (5.25 career ERA) keeps him from catching Papelbon at this point.

2. Jonathan Papelbon, Philadelphia Phillies, 31 years old; 2011 Pitching stats: 31/34 saves/opportunities, 2.94 ERA, 64.3 innings, 12.2 strikeouts/nine innings, 1.4 walks/nine innings, 0.93 walks/hits per inning. Career full-season average: 88 percent save rate, 2.33 ERA, 73 innings, 10.7 strikeouts/nine innings, 2.4 walks/nine innings, 1.02 walks/hits per inning—Papelbon rather quietly reclaimed his status as second-best closer with a much-improved 2011 season. Whispers of his demise started in the 2009 playoffs after he posted a 13.50 ERA in two innings and then carried into 2010 when he posted an ERA of 3.90—a full run ahead of his previous worst season.

1. Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees, 42 years old; 2011 Pitching stats: 44/49 saves/opportunities, 1.91 ERA, 61.3 innings, 8.8 strikeouts/nine innings, 1.2 walks/nine innings, 0.90 walks/hits per inning. Career full-season average: 89 percent save rate, 2.21 ERA, 78 innings, 8.3 strikeouts/nine innings, 2.0

The contract will run through 2017 with a vesting option for the 2018 campaign.

“If you had full relief, this would be it, to know we’ve got everything settled,” Cain said, according to the report. “There’s nothing better than knowing that. We’re going into the season excited about what’s going to happen.”

Cain was taken with the 25th overall selection in the 2002 draft by the Giants and has started at least 30 games each of the last six seasons.

Felix Hernandez will be making his fifth career opening day start. Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The 2012 Major League Baseball season will start Wednesday in Tokyo, Japan, between the Oakland A’s and the Seattle Mariners.

The 7 p.m. local time start time will be a bright and early 6 a.m. EDT Wednesday start for fans on the east coast.

Oakland’s Brandon McCarthy will start things off on the mound for the A’s that went 74-88 last season, finishing 22 games out of first. McCarthy went 9-9 last season with a 3.32 ERA in 25 starts.

McCarthy’s first pitch will likely be thrown to new Mariner leadoff hitter Chone Figgins. Former leadoff hitter Ichiro Suzuki will hit third for Seattle, which finished last in the AL West last season with a 67-95 record.

Joba Chamberlain pitched just 28.7 innings in 2011 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. (NIck Laham/Getty Images)

Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain was released from St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa on Sunday after undergoing surgery on Thursday to repair the open dislocation suffered in a trampoline accident that same day, according to a report on the team’s website.

The accident, an open dislocation, occurred the day Joba was jumping on a trampoline. An open dislocation occurs when the wound opens through the surface of the skin.

Chamberlain, still recovering from Tommy John surgery, will be in a cast for six weeks and then a walking boot.

Chase Utley has missed 106 games over the past two seasons. (Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley will miss the season opener and will instead open the season on the disabled list, according to a report on the team’s website.

Utley met with reporters Sunday to talk about his condition but gave no indication of when he’ll return.

“I will take this process fairly slow, because I think it’s important to get everything around my knees working correctly,” Utley said. “And I think it’s going to take a little bit of time.”

“I don’t have patellar tendinitis,” Utley said. “It’s called chondromalacia, which is a roughening of the cartilage underneath the patellar. And it’s not that bad. It’s not bad enough to have microfracture surgery.”