MLB

National League West Preview: Dodging Giant Conundrums

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: March 24, 2013

Just like last season, teams from the two largest cities in California are expected to feature at the top of the standings. The other three clubs in the division still have some issues to figure out before they can be considered serious contenders, based on recent MLB futures. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS 2013 Predicted Wins Over/Under: 81.5...

MLB

Blue Jays Dream Big, But the Bloom May Be Off the Rose

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: March 18, 2013

It has been a momentous off-season for the Toronto Blue Jays as general manager Alex Anthopoulos made several big moves and raided the prospects cupboard to restock the team with proven veterans. Now, however, it would appear that the heightened expectations may be weighing on the perception of the team. When Anthopoulos essentially rebuilt the...

MLB

Team Canada WBC Preview: Lawrie Injury Hits Hard

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: March 7, 2013

World Baseball Classic Odds When Team Canada takes the field for its first World Baseball Classic game Friday against Italy, manager Ernie Whitt is well aware that his team isn’t likely to win many 2-1 games. Even though the rotation looks better than it has in the past, it’s still Canada’s clear weakness. In Wednesday’s...

MLB

Marlins Have to Start Again After Lousy 2012 and Mega-Trade

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: February 27, 2013

The Miami Marlins began 2012 with very high hopes: a new $500-million stadium, a new manager in Ozzie Guillen, a new roster of bright and shiny (and expensive) players. For the first couple of months of the season — despite some indiscreet comments made in public by the loose-lipped manager, for which he apologized several...

MLB

Brandon Morrow Ready to Compete in Jays' Rotation

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: February 20, 2013

Saturday will be big for the Blue Jays. It will be the first chance in 2013 for Toronto to face another Major League Baseball club, and it will also be the first opportunity for Brandon Morrow to show he belongs in the outstanding pitching staff. Manager John Gibbons announced Morrow will start against the Detroit...

MLB

Nationals' Strasburg Optimistic As Spring Training Begins

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: February 11, 2013

This is the time of year pro baseball fans long for, especially those who live in snowy climes: major league pitchers and catchers begin showing up at spring training. You can count Washington Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg among those who is happy to be in camp and not having his surgically repaired right elbow as...

MLB

Move to American League Won't Save the Lowly Astros

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: February 5, 2013

Pitchers and catchers are due to report to spring training in the next few days, and already one thing is apparent: the Houston Astros will be an epic fail once again. On Monday, the team pulled the trigger on a five-player deal — its first as a member of the American League — which saw...

MLB

Signings See Red Sox Rebuild In Shadow Of Jays’ Big Moves

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: December 18, 2012

Finishing last in the American League East in 2012 cost Bobby Valentine his job, so the Boston Red Sox ended up making the first high-profile trade of the off-season by moving infielder Mike Aviles to the Toronto Blue Jays for their manager, John Farrell. Since then, the Jays have made a series of deals that...

MLB

Los Angeles Angels Add Josh Hamilton to Stacked Lineup

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: December 13, 2012

With all the money the Los Angeles Dodgers have spent — especially in the past few days — to acquire talent for their roster, it stood to reason that the crosstown Angels would reply in a big way. Now they’ve jumped into the deep end of the pool again with the signing of free-agent outfielder...

MLB

Blue Jays’ Blockbuster Trade Complete; New Manager Inked

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: November 20, 2012

The Toronto Blue Jays’ offseason makeover is becoming more drastic by the day. With a news conference scheduled to introduce a handful of new players picked up in a blockbuster trade with Miami set for Tuesday, the Jays threw another curveball by announcing the signing of their new manager. Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos reintroduced...

MLB

Mets End Relationship with Outfielder Jason Bay

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: November 7, 2012

The Jason Bay era with the New York Mets is officially over. On Wednesday, the club announced they had come to an agreement to terminate the Canadian outfielder’s contract two years early. Terms of the buyout were not disclosed publicly. Bay was due to be paid $16 million in 2013, and the Mets were also...

MLB

Marlins Fire Controversial Manager Ozzie Guillen

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: October 23, 2012

Perhaps the most predictable dismissal of a manager in the American League happened two weeks ago when the Boston Red Sox got rid of Bobby Valentine. Now the most anticipated firing of a National League manager has occurred as the Miami Marlins gave Ozzie Guillen his walking papers on Tuesday, one year into a four-year,...

MLB

Farrell’s Move to BoSox Leaves Jays in Limbo

• Frank Doyle

• Last Updated: October 22, 2012

When rumours began surfacing that John Farrell was looking to pack his bags and leave the Toronto Blue Jays to manage the Boston Red Sox, Jays fans immediately wondered what they’d get in return.  As it turn out, not much. In exchange for Farrell, the Red Sox will send utility infielder Mike Aviles to Toronto....

MLB

Sealed With A Kiss: Tiger Pitcher’s Smooch Inflames A’s

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: October 7, 2012

Sometimes the most innocuous gesture can cause an uproar; what doesn’t seem like a big deal to some can mean a lot to others. For instance, take what Al Alburquerque did on Sunday. Alburquerque, a reliever for the Detroit Tigers, made a play on what became an out in the top of the ninth inning...

MLB

Boston Red Sox Dismiss Manager Bobby Valentine

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: October 4, 2012

Everybody knew it was coming from far away. Frankly, it was easy to see early on in the season that Bobby Valentine wasn’t going to last as the manager of the Boston Red Sox. On Thursday, it became official: the club issued a press release firing… oops, “thanking” Valentine for his work as the bench...

MLB

American League Playoff Race Hots Up

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: September 19, 2012

With the days to the post-season counting down Charlie Boccanegra looks at the playoff picture in the American League. Peeping Toms From the outside looking in, the Angels and Rays division championship hopes are fading faster than my hairline with the passage of time. The Rays are plummeting fast, posting a 2-8 record over the...

MLB

Stroman Becomes the Latest Issue in Blue Jays’ Lost Season

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: August 30, 2012

The 2012 season started with much hope for the Toronto Blue Jays. That hope has faded amid a blur of injuries, poor play and now Marcus Stroman. He is a right-handed pitcher from Duke University, and was Toronto’s first-round draft pick (22nd overall) in the 2012 MLB draft. The fireballing 21-year-old notched a victory, compiled...

MLB

Phony Website Adds Twist to Suspension of Giants’ Cabrera

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: August 19, 2012

It’s not unusual these days to hear about baseball players being barred from the game for a set amount of time (first offense, 50 days; second offense, 100 days) after getting caught with substances in their bodies that are not allowed. However, it appears Melky Cabrera might have taken an unusual step to try to...

MLB

For Some Fans, the Expos Have Never Been Out of Fashion

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: August 16, 2012

Whether it’s Big Boi from OutKast sporting a red one or a regular person wearing their “tricouleur” on the street, chances are at some point in the last few years you’ve seen the famous “M” logo on someone’s head, on a discreet lapel pin or even emblazoned on a baseball-style jacket. Fans of retro baseball...

MLB

Blue Jays Deal Snider and Thames Before Trade Deadline

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: July 30, 2012

They pulled off a 10-player trade last week with the Houston Astros, but apparently Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos hadn’t finished working the phones. On Monday night, the Jays sent outfielder and fan favourite Travis Snider to the Pittsburgh Pirates for right-handed pitcher Brad Lincoln, then dealt outfielder Eric Thames to the Seattle...