mariano rivera

For the second straight season, the All-Star Game was a shutout, but this time the game went to the American League 3-0 over the National League at Citi Field in New York City.

Mariano Rivera, the ultimate baseball x-factor of the last several decades, is hanging up his spikes at the end of this season.  His teammate, Derek Jeter, is in the final year of a three-year deal with a player option for 2014, which he will likely pick-up, assuming he can play at somewhat of a high level in his return from an ankle injury...

After taking two of three from Baltimore, the Yankees' 10-game home stand continues with a four-game set against Kansas City.  Here is a series preview:

Based on all star selections, it should be the Detroit Tigers vs the St Louis Cardinals should meet in the World Series. These are the 2 teams that led the leagues in players selected with 2 more picks to come. Dodgers rookie sensation Yasiel Puig is not on the all star roster-Yet...

The Yankees are stumbling after getting swept three games in Baltimore.  They are struggling with runners in scoring position, giving up big, early leads and their pitching doesn't equal the opponent.  You also know it's bad when your ultimate x-factor, Mariano Rivera, can't get into ballgames...

Mariano Rivera is retiring this season and will provide the biggest transition in Yankee history since Mickey Mantle waved good-bye to the Bronx patrons.  The good news is, while no one will ever again be Rivera, the Yanks have a lot of nice, young pitchers in the bullpen they can choose from.

With his baseball career coming to a close, New York Yankees reliever and future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera could very well move on to another sport to dominate.

The Subway Series is here again.  This of course is more for the fans and the media, but there are some terrific New York baseball storylines to this one.  First thing is first.  The Yanks come fresh off an impressive series win in Tampa Bay, where they seem to never win games. The Mets continue to be a disaster, losing a series to Atlanta and getting no consistent hitting or depth in the starting

Curtis Granderson was injured on the first pitch of Spring Training, with a broken forearm.  And now, after sitting for weeks, is out again, this time getting hit by a pitch on his left hand  in the fifth inning and breaking his pinkie in Tampa Bay on Friday, May 24.

After this season, the Yankees have a decision to make in terms of Phil Hughes, the guy once designated for pinstripe greatness and ace-type status.  Hughes' contract (third year, arbitration eligible, one-year, $7.15 million) is up this year.  Here are the three options for the Yanks as far as Hughes goes after 2013:

Mike Lindsley recently talked on The Team with Yankee great Bobby Richardson (pictured above right next to Yogi Berra), a three-time World Series champion and 1960 World Series MVP (still the only player from a losing team in the Fall Classic to win the award)...

LeBron James (now), Sidney Crosby, Albert Pujols (while with the Cardinals), baseball's Giants as a team, Derek Jeter through the years, Mariano Rivera, Eli Manning, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan, Henrik Lundqvist and plenty more.  You get the picture.  When these guys step-up, their teams win and advance.