Yankees fans can now breathe at least somewhat of a sigh of relief.

Closer Mariano Rivera – a 12 time All Star and the all-time saves leader with 608 over his illustrious career – announced late Friday afternoon that he will not retire after suffering both a torn ACL and partially torn meniscus in his right knee while shagging fly balls during Thursday’s batting practice in Kansas City.

“I am coming back,” said Rivera, a five time World Series champion. “Write it down in big letters…I’m not going out like this.

“I love to play the game. To me, going out like this isn’t the right way… I don’t think like that. With the strength of the Lord, I have to continue.”

The 42-year-old Rivera’s right knee buckled after he extended his reach for a fly ball near the warning track of left-center field in Kauffman Stadium, causing him to critically injure it. Unlike most pitchers, Rivera actually enjoys shagging fly balls during batting practice, and makes it a part of his daily workout routine.

Rivera publicly hinted at the possibility of this being his final season in the Majors just before the 2012 campaign got underway. With that in mind, everyone who loves/works for the Yankees organization was certainly apprehensive that the freak injury could ultimately be the final straw for the greatest closer to ever take the mound.

But according to Rivera, a decision to not call it a career was made last night after speaking with Dr. David Altchek – the same doctor who performed shoulder surgery on him back in 2008. They discussed a time frame, and Altchek told Rivera that he could return somewhere between three and five months.

“Dr. Altchek said I could be back in three, four, five months,” Rivera said. “He said, ‘You’re a fast healer.’ I will do my due diligence, my research. I will talk to whoever I have to. Yeah, it hurts me, I’m sorry that I let my teammates down, but at the same time, I’m positive. I’m positive. This is going to pass. This is going to pass.”

If the recovery process does work out as Altchek claims the possibility of Rivera returning before this season’s conclusion could be a reality.

The popular consensus is that Yankees manager Joe Girardi will slide setup man David Robertson into the closer’s role until Rivera makes his way back onto the field.

Most believe that Robertson will eventually become the full time closer once Rivera walks away from the game. He is yet to allow a run in 11 innings of work this season, and finished the 2011 season with an astonishing 1.08 ERA and his first All Star Game selection.

Rivera’s contract with New York expires at the end of this year, but he is not concerned about not returning to the team as long he proves that he is healthy and can still get the job done.

The one they called Sandman just smiled and said, “They will want the old goat.”

In nine appearances this season Rivera has posted a 1-1 record, a 2.16 ERA and has converted five out of six save opportunities after blowing one during the first game of the season in Tampa Bay against the Rays.

Image Courtesy of    Anthony Correia / Shutterstock.com

The article Rivera Announces He Will Not Retire Following Serious Knee Injuries appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Looks like Manny Ramirez’s playing days aren’t over just yet. The 39-year-old veteran outfielder, who immediately retired at the beginning of last season following his second known positive test for performance enhancing drugs over his career, signed a minor league deal worth $500,000 with the Oakland Athletics on Monday.

Ramirez had one hit in just seventeen at-bats and five games with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011 before calling it quits. He was well aware that with this being his second violation of MLB’s drug policy that he would have been required to miss 100 games, and therefore, decided to apparently walk away from the game on April 8.

At MLB’s winter meetings this past December, word got out that Ramirez had applied for reinstatement back into the league. The Commissioner’s Office granted it to him and decided to cut the original suspension he faced in half, down to 50 games, after considering the fact that he essentially sat out the majority of last season anyway, which was a punishment in itself.

Not many teams showed interest in Ramirez, but the A’s figured there would be no harm in giving him a low-cost minor league contract and an opportunity to make the Major League club. Oakland expects Ramirez to join the team at their spring training facility in Arizona this Friday. Manager Bob Melvin certainly supported the signing.

“I watched some video of him and saw the swing. It didn’t look any different, and it looked like he was in good shape,” said Melvin on Tuesday. “He’ll be ready to go with the position players, and we’ll see what he has to offer.”

Ramirez is easily regarded as one of the greatest offensive players of both his generation and of the entire modern era. Since beginning his career with the Cleveland Indians in 1993, the 12-time All Star, 9-time Silver Slugger Award winner, and 2004 World Series MVP has hit .312, driven in 1,831 runs, and ranks 14^th on the all-time home run list with 555 long balls.

“He is one of the best right-handed hitters I’ve ever seen,” said A’s general manager Billy Beane. “This is a guy who combines power with on-base percentage along with a high batting average. He’s a unique player.”

Ramirez is best known for his time in Boston with the Red Sox from 2001 to part of 2008, where he played a key role in the team breaking its 86-year World Series drought with a sweep over the St. Louis Cardinals in 2004, along with its 2007 World Series sweep of the Colorado Rockies.

The Red Sox front office and Ramirez no longer saw eye-to-eye by 2008, and he was subsequently traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He remained in L.A. until he was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 2010. He would sign with the Rays the following year. Despite all of the bouncing around during the latter part of his career, Ramirez believes he can still be a productive Major League player.

“I’m feeling really good, mostly on a spiritual level. I’m very confident with the shape I’m in heading to spring training,” said Ramirez in an interview on a Dominican radio station. “There were three teams interested, but I left God to decide, and that’s why I signed with the Oakland A’s. I’m only coming back because I always loved baseball, ever since I was little kid. I have a passion for the sport, and I know I can still play.”

Image Courtesy of  JustASC / Shutterstock.com

The article Manny Returns to Baseball, Signs Minor League Deal with A’s appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

July 31^st is the date that many Major League Baseball teams are looking forward to: the trade deadline. This will be the last day teams can swap with one another to either bring in or get rid of some of their players in efforts to improve for the future. Depending on where some of these teams rank in the standings usually determines whether they will be shopping for players to bring in, or getting rid of them. Either way, the following teams are most definitely looking to make a big splash.

Buyers: The teams that just need one more piece to make that deep run in the fall.

Philadelphia Phillies: Already a World Series favorite, what more could the Phillies need? Well, since Brad Lidge went down, the closer role has been somewhat of a question mark. Ryan Madson and Antonio Bastardo did well as a stop gap, but they belong in the 7^th and 8^th inning. Heath Bell’s name has come up in rumors for Philly. Also, although their lineup is quite powerful already, they are looking to upgrade for the eventual replacement of Raul Ibanez in left field. Melky Cabrera, who is having a terrific year for Kansas City is a definite option for them.

New York Yankees: The Yankees have reportedly sent scouts out to many ballparks around the league throughout the past few weeks looking to find that one piece that can take them over the hump. They certainly will be in a tight race with Boston for the division lead come seasons end, and the roster they have now doesn’t really compare. Although Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia have done a wonderful job for now, who knows how long the veterans can keep that up. The Yankees have apparently been in talks about Ubaldo Jimenez from Colorado, but if they can’t land him expect them to go after someone else of that calibur. Also, with the struggles of Jorge Posada at DH, don’t be surprised if they go after an extra bat to be the Austin Kearns of 2010.

Atlanta Braves: Atlanta is in a tough position. They are one of the best teams in the National League, and yet really don’t have much chance of surpassing Philadelphia to take the pennant. Regardless, this is a playoff team with a lot of young talent. They should be able to find themselves in the playoffs, but might have to race to get there, which is where the deadline may come into play. A lot of pieces could be added to this team since the bullpen is the only spot that is flawless on the roster. Don’t expect them to shake up their team chemistry too much, but someone like Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran could find himself in a rental situation for the Braves.

San Francisco Giants: The 2010 World Series champions have been somewhat forgotten around the league, and yet they still find themselves with a sizable lead in the NL West. San Fran has been getting by with outstanding pitching, but the lineup is lacking. Not only did Buster Posey leave them with a gap behind the plate, but he was quickly becoming a force with the bat in the middle of their lineup. They might be another suitor for Beltran, but if not, they will surely try to pickup some power wherever they can find it.

Milwaukee Brewers: This is probably the most interesting team in terms of buyers. They probably already have made their big splash by landing former Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez, but apparently they’re not done. Again, offense is of priority here, especially in the outfield. Carlos Gomez just went down with a broken clavicle so General Manager Doug Melvin may look to add some depth there. Milwaukee is finding themselves in one of the tightest races in baseball, so they’re probably just one of the teams in the NL Central looking to make a buy.

**BONUS** Pittsburgh Pirates: Now this team is interesting. Nobody expected Pittsburgh to be in contention in August, and if you say you did, we all know you’re lying. Pittsburgh has claimed that this could be their year, and they might be willing to make a big deal so long as it doesn’t compromise their long term goals. As I said, don’t be surprised if every team in the NL Central makes a move. People might just be waiting for this team to implode, or might have genuine interest, either way all eyes will be on these Pirates.

Sellers: These clubs are packing it in, get rid of all of your over-performing short-term assets for some young talent.

New York Mets: Oh, the Mets. What can I say about this team? Realistically they haven’t been too bad this season. They’ve been hovering around .500 much of the year, and if they were in the NL Central too, they might find themselves as buyers rather than sellers. Alas, they are not, and it’s time to start thinking about who to move. “K-Rod” is gone and so is his gigantic contract, and supposedly the next to go will be Beltran. At this point, you would think they would be fielding calls for just about anybody, and yet that apparently is not the case. First year General Manager, Sandy Alderson has publicly insisted that star shortstop Jose Reyes is not on the trading block in his contract year. This is a bit puzzling considering the value they would be able to get for him right now, but maybe he is just trying to instill confidence in his players and ball-club. Maybe they really do think they can sign Reyes long term at years end. Regardless of whether or not he goes, more players are definitely on the way out.

Houston Astros: The Astros are not good, and haven’t been so for a few years now. It’s time to start thinking about the future, and although many people thought that future began with outfielder Hunter Pence, the organization has struggled mightily to put anybody around him. His days in Houston are probably numbered since they should be able to get some decent prospects in exchange. Also, starter Wandy Rodriguez has generated a bit of interest from a few clubs, and at this point nobody on Houston is off limits. They’ll take whatever they can get, its rebuilding time.

Chicago Cubs: Year in and year out the cubs have found a way to disappoint the north side of Chicago. They are not in contention this year, but do have some pieces that could attract some of teams who are. Carlos Zambrano seemingly has been on the block for a decade, but in his last year as a Cub he could, at the very least be a nice rental for a playoff team. Aramis Ramirez has continued to put up good numbers all throughout his time in Chicago, and though he makes a nice tandem with Starlin Castro on the left side of that infield, he won’t be around forever. Alfonso Soriano has probably the most untouchable contract in baseball, so though they probably would love to move him for a prospect, they probably won’t even be able to do that. Wrigley Field will become somewhat of a Flea Market for the next week. Buy at your own risk.

Tampa Bay Rays: What happened to the Rays? The same thing that happens to them every year. It’s sad to see such a talented team go down the drain because of financial issues, but those are the woes of the small-market team these days. Before the season began they got rid of most of their star players and reloaded with young talent. Unfortunately it didn’t workout all that well and they now find themselves in an impossible chase of the Yankees and Red Sox. Apparently James Shields could be shopped, and as he is arguably a Cy Young candidate this season, that could make for the biggest blockbuster of the deadline. B.J. Upton also might be on the block, and more than a handful of teams would be interested in his talents. I feel bad for Joe Maddon, but the Rays will get back to contention sooner or later, we just might not recognize many of the names of the roster when they do.

San Diego Padres: Lastly, but surely not least, we find the Padres. The only competition they have is for last place in the NL West with the Dodgers. San Diego might possess the biggest pitching commodity on the market in Heath Bell. Should they choose to get rid of him, they will be able to get some serious prospects in return, and have a hand in swaying the balance of power in whatever league they decide to deal him to. The Phillies will undoubtedly have interest, and if they can land him, every other National League team may as well hit the golf course already. Power-packed outfielder Ryan Ludwick could also be packaged will Bell, or moved in his own trade before July 31^st. No need for home runs when you’re 15 games out of the race.

The trade deadline is perennially one of the most fun times of the baseball season. Big time names should be on the move this season which surely will have serious implications come playoff time.

Images: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

The article MLB Trade Deadline: Buyers and Sellers appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Philadelphia Phillies (National League)

The Phillies are the best team in baseball at a winning record of 55-32. This is unsurprising, especially when one considers that the fact that the Phillies were arguably the best team in baseball coming into the season, due to there acquisition of Cliff Lee during the off-season.

What is surprising about the Phillies thus far is how the team has managed to keep the best record in baseball, despite the fair share of injuries the team has succumbed to since June 23rd.

Since June 23rd, when Jose Contreras went on the disabled list with a right forearm strain, the Phillies have had pitchers, Joe Blanton, Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson and Roy Oswalt all placed on the disabled list.

While Contreras, Blanton, Madson and Oswalt were only placed on the 15-day disabled list, Lidge’s injury will surely be more costly.  Lidge is expected to miss at least 60 days with what’s described as a right rotator cuff strain and right elbow pain.

Additionally, joining the list of Phillies pitchers who have been injured recently is Center Fielder Shane Victorino.  Thankfully for the Phillies’ Victorino injury is the least concerning; he is listed as day-to-day due to a jammed right thumb. Victorino is not expected to miss any time.

New York Yankees (American League)

It is very surprising that the Yankees own the second best record in baseball behind the Phillies at 51-33. Arguably, out of these 6 teams with the best overall records in baseball, it is the Yankees who have been the team most marred by injuries.

The Yankees have lost their captain and shortstop Derek Jeter, starting pitchers Phil Hughes and Bartolo Colon, and bullpen pitchers Pedro Feliciano, Rafael Soriano and Joba Chamberlain all to the disabled list.

Additionally, two other notable players on the Yankees roster that have suffered injuries are bullpen closer Mariano Rivera, and third baseman Eric Chavez.

Out of all these Yankee Players, the most severe injury suffered is Joba Chamberlain’s. Chamberlain was diagnosed with a ligament tear in his right elbow and underwent Tommy John surgery on June 21st.

While Chamberlain had his fair share of struggles in the years past, this year he looked to be an integral part of the Yankees Bullpen. There is no doubt this will be a costly injury.

Besides Chamberlin, the other Yankee players to suffer severe injuries, includes, Phil Hughes, who had right shoulder inflammation, Rafael Soriano, who had right elbow inflammation, and Eric Chavez, who had a bone bruise on his foot; all three were placed on the 60-day disabled list.

The lesser injuries for the Yankees, but still ones they have impressively managed to play through, are Derek Jeter’s injury and Bartolo Colon’s injury.

Despite being the target of naysayers who have said he is getting too old, Jeter looked to be finding his old hitting form before he went on the disabled list. Colon looked to be having a come back year with a impressive record 6-3 after being absent from the league for the past two seasons.

Jeter and Colon were both put on the 15-day disabled list. While Colon is expected to return soon, Jeter has already returned.

The most recent Yankee to have injury problems is the all-important Mariano Rivera who is luckily listed as day-to-day at this point.

What is unsurprising about the Yankees is the fact that they are one of the best teams in baseball. It is unsurprising that the Yankees are one of the best teams because they have many superstars on their roster.

Despite their roster getting older and costly injuries almost every year, the Yankees always seem to be a juggernaut; year after year they somehow find a way to make the playoffs.

Ultimately, it should not be surprising that the Yankees are in the position they are in despite the injuries they have had been faced with. The Yankees have only missed the postseason once since 1996. Unsurprisingly, like usual the Yankees appear to be on their way to the postseason.

Boston Red Sox (American League)

The Red Sox are the third best team in baseball with a record 50-35. Despite not being as banged up as their archrivals (the Yankees), the team has still succumbed to its fair share of Injuries, which make their record surprising.

The notable pitchers on the Red Sox who have been injured this season, includes a laundry list of starting pitchers in John Lackey, Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester and Daisuke Matsuzaka, as well as bullpen pitcher Bobby Jenks.

Josh Beckett also missed 12 days with an illness but was not placed on the disabled list.

Additionally, position players Carl Crawford (center Fielder), Kevin Youkillis (third baseman), Jed Lowrie (shortstop) and Marco Scutaro (shortstop) have been injured as well.

Youkillis suffered the least significant injury on the Red Sox; he is luckily listed as day-to-day.

The most severe injury for Red Sox has been Matsuzaka’s.  Matsuzaka, who is out with what is described as a sprained right elbow, underwent Tommy John surgery on June 10th. Matsuzaka will not pitch for the remainder of the season.

Fortunately for the Red Sox most of their injuries have been to a lesser extent than Matsuzaka’s injury. Even so, despite this fortune it does not mean that these injuries have not or will not prove costly.

Lackey, Jenks and Scutaro are already back, after being placed on the 15-day disabled list earlier this season. Currently Buchholz, Crawford and Lowrie are all on the 15-day disabled list.

Wednesday it was revealed that John Lester will join Buchholz, Crawford and Lowrie on the 15-day disabled list. For the Red Sox sake, hopefully this current rash of injuries proves to not be costly.

More than injuries though, what makes the Red Sox record the most surprising is the fact they got off to a terrible start.

On April 15th the Red Sox were bottom dwellers of not just the American League East but also the entire League; at the time the Red Sox owned both the worst record in their division and the worst record in the majors at 2-10.

Since that day, the Red Sox have climbed out of the doldrums of being the worst in baseball, and have been arguably the best team.

The Red Sox are currently in great position in the American League. With the second best record behind the Yankees in the American League the Red Sox would make the playoff if it started today.

Despite their injuries and their awful start, it should be unsurprising that the Red Sox are in this position.

Like the Yankees, the Red Sox have a plethora of superstars this year and have been one of baseball’s juggernauts since the late 1990’s. The key to their success has been their ability to  to find a way to make the postseason.

Atlanta Braves (National League)

The Braves hold the fourth best record in baseball at 51-36. The Braves record is surprising because they have found a win despite their roster being one filled with many role players and very few superstars.

Arguably, the only two superstars on the Braves, includes a young and talented starting pitcher, Tommy Hanson, and the young and a talented right-fielder, Jason Heyward.

The Braves have several veteran players. These veterans include, Eric Hinske, Derek Lowe, Alex Gonzalez, Julio Lugo, Tim Hudson and Chipper Jones. Despite these players being past the prime of their careers, they are all valuable to a team have a lot younger players.

These players are no slouches either. During their careers all have had their fair share of success and brilliance.

What is also surprising is the fact that the Braves have been able to have success this season despite having a new manager. Last year it was Bobby Cox who was able lead the team to the post season; this season the coach is Fredi Gonzalez.

Despite Cox leaving it seems to be the same old Braves. It should be unsurprising that the Braves are doing as well as they are, because like the Yankees and Red Sox, they always find a way to play well and eventually make the postseason.

The Braves franchise owns one of the longest consecutive postseason streaks in league history at 14 consecutive years (1991-2005). Unsurprisingly, the Braves might be back to their winning ways.

San Francisco Giants (National League)

The Giants hold the fifth best record in baseball at 48-39. It should be unsurprising that the Giants are one of the best teams considering the fact that they won the World Series last season.

What makes the Giants record so surprising is how they’ve managed to compete despite injuries. So far for the Giants, most of the players on their roster who have been injured were all integral pieces of their World Series run last year.

These injuries the Giants have been faced with includes, the all-important and talented young catcher, Buster Posey who is out for the rest of the season and Jonathan Sanchez who was placed on the 15-day disabled list. Sanchez was an integral piece to the starting pitching staff last postseason.

The Giants have also lost starting second baseman Freddy Sanchez, backup second basemen Mike Fontenot, and third baseman Mark DeRosa to the 15-day disabled list.

At the end of the day, if a team is the defending champions like the Giants are, they should always be considered as a team that has a chance to win the World Series; this year is no different.

The Giants might be considered a surprise this year, because, like last year, their roster seems to be made up of a misfit cast of characters that other teams let go. This cast seems to work well for the Giants as they are a real contender and one of the best teams in baseball.

Tampa Bay Rays (American League)

The Rays hold the sixth best record in baseball at 47-39. What is surprising about the Rays is how successful they have been this year, despite getting rid of many important pieces of their roster that propelled them to the best record in the American League Eastern Division last season.

This past off-season, the Rays let both Rafael Soriano and Joaquin Benoit, who were key members of their bullpen last season, test the free agent market. Both Soriano and Benoit signed with new teams.

Also leaving this past off-season was the always-integral Carl Crawford (center fielder) and Carlos Pena (first baseman), as well as the talented young pitcher Matt Garza.

Crawford left as a free agent to the Red Sox during the off-season, while Pena left as a free agent to the Cubs. Matt Garza was traded to the Cubs during the off-season.

Despite these losses it is unsurprising that the Rays are one of the best teams in baseball and have one of the best coaches in Joe Maddon.

Additionally it should be unsurprising that the Rays are one of the best in baseball because they still have a lot of young talent in players such as, Evan Longoria, James Shields, and David Price.

The Rays also have a key veteran in Johnny Damon who has won a world series with both the Red Sox and Yankees.

Ultimately, over the past three seasons, the Rays have been as good as the Yankees and Red Sox; therefore, it should be no surprise that the Rays are one of the best teams in baseball.

Prediction

My prediction for the World Series this year is probably the same as most peoples. I predict the Phillies and Red Sox will square off in the World Series, in what would be almost a toss up in terms of pitching.

Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee would be better than Beckett and Lester, but not by much. Beckett and Lester could potentially win out in pitchers duals versus Halladay and Lee because the offensive bats backing them up are outstanding.

The Phillies bats are good, but I just don’t think they are anywhere near what the Red Sox Bats are.

All in all I think the series goes to seven games. If it does in fact go to a game seven the Phillies have the advantage. If there is a game seven I believe the Phillies will win.

To have a game seven and be able to throw out either Halladay or Lee on the mound is a huge advantage. Additionally, for any game seven, especially the World Series, all hand are on deck in terms of pitching; meaning, If Lee didn’t start a game seven he would surely come out of the bullpen for the Phillies. The same would go for Halladay if he didn’t start; he would come out of the bullpen and pitch.

Richard Paul Kane / Shutterstock.com

The article Top 6 Teams In Major League Baseball (MLB): Surprising And Unsurprising appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.