Baseball
2008
Note: We have shifted our baseball
coverage to our blog, which allows for more
frequent updates.
Check it out here.
Baseball
2007
Weekly Power Rankings
June recap
May recap
April recap
Baseball
2006
Weekly rankings and notes
Sept. 3
Aug. 27
Aug. 20
Aug.
13
Aug. 6
July 30
July 9
July 2
June 18
June 11
June 4
May 28
May
21
May
21
May 14
May 7
April 30
April 23
April 16
April 9
2006 Overview
Division Previews, including Hot Players:
N.L. Central |
N.L.
East |
N.L. West |
A.L.
West |
A.L. East |
A.L. Central |
Baseball
2005
Playoff, World Series Preview
Weekly Power Rankings
First-half awards
Blue Jays "Gay Day"
Division Previews, including Hot Players:
A.L. East |
A.L. Central |
A.L. West |
N.L. East |
N.L. Central |
N.L. West |
Carnac Says
Our baseball seer
has the answers to all your questions.
Season of
Change
In a few
weeks all of our favorite players will take
the field in their home parks to start off a
very different new year. This year will be a
season of change. The hot players and teams
to watch.
2005
Spring Training Is Here
Thats right, your favorite
pitchers and catchers are now appearing in
the sunny South. And we're not talking
about another Titan Media film, either. It's
a great time of the year to be a baseball
fan.
Smoltz Comments on Gay Marriage
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First gays, then animals
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Smoltz loses a fan
2004 Baseball
Preview
LAS VEGAS -
Baseball 2003 was the best season ever. Scratch
that: it was the best post-season ever. Even better
than 1986. Seven playoff series. Three first-round
nail-biters; only one dud. Shocking late-inning
reversals in both league championship series,
continuing the two most notorious curses in sport.
All that topped off by a stunning six-game World
Series in which a fearless band of young upstarts
used clutch hitting and superb defense to triumph
over the Evil Empire.
Last years post-season proved, once again, that
even in this era of mega-market dominance, anything
can and will happen in baseball. Payroll is not
destiny. |
74 Percent in
Baseball OK with Gay Teammate
Other than the
Red Sox winning the World Series, one of the
surprises of the season was a survey that
found nearly
three-quarters of Major League Baseball players
wouldnt be bothered by having a gay teammate.
Gay Days Grow in
Baseball
A
number of baseball teams have been welcoming efforts
by their gay fans to create gay-themed events at
their ballparks. Major League Baseball, it seems, is
leading the way in reaching out to fans who are gay.
Related:
Blue Jays Gay Day
Gay Porn Story
Is No Big Deal
The media are in a lather because Cleveland Indians
minor league pitcher Kazuhito Tadano has apologized
for making a gay porn flick in his native Japan, but
the story is a big yawn to us.
The
Player Who Invented The 'High-Five'
Baseball
player Glenn Burke had all the tools to be a superstar
and some called him the next Willie Mays. He was also
the first to give a teammate the high-five. But Burke
was gay, and reaction to his orientation and then
injuries caused his life to spiral downward until he
died in 1995 of AIDS.
'Take Me Out' Is Wrong About Players
While he laughed at the play "Take
Me Out," columnist Jason Pgae says its portrayal of baseball players as
ignorant louts gets it wrong.
Related:
Play Review
2003
World Series
--Even normally jaded
South Beach got caught up in the Marlins.
Story
--In the End, the Fish Will Win It all.
Story
--Fish Fever:
High drama rekindles love of the game for
a fan |
|
Playoff Series Find Flaws and Gems
The 2002 World Series was an all-wild card affair.
This year, its just plain wild.
Book Excerpt
Hitting a Home Run for My Lover
"As
I rounded third base, I glanced toward Sam in the
family section. He was standing in the aisle, giving
me an ovation. It was as if I were back in Little
League, hitting the winning home run in front of Mom."
Related:
Book Review
Pitcher
Doesn't Like Gays
Colorado
Rockies relief pitcher Todd Jones has joined the
growing list of athletes who have said they don't like
gay people. Jones launched some zingers at gays
after being asked about the Broadway play, Take Me
Out.
Reaction:
l
Why no punishment for Jones?
l
Jones
is an idiot but doesn't deserve punishment
l
Gays as locker room
predators: a bogus issue
'Take Me Out' Is Wrong
About Players
While he
laughed at the play "Take Me Out," columnist Jason
Pgae says its portrayal of baseball players as
ignorant louts gets it wrong.
Related:
Play Review
The Player Who Invented
The 'High-Five'
Baseball player
Glenn Burke had all the tools to be a superstar and
some called him the next Willie Mays. He was also the
first to give a teammate the high-five. But Burke was
gay, and reaction to his orientation and then injuries
caused his life to spiral downward until he died in
1995 of AIDS.
Who's On Third?
The first third of the Major League Baseball
season is now in the books. Time to assess which of
three categories each team falls into: playoff locks,
playoff hopefuls, and the playoff hopeless.
Say It Ain't So, Sammy
Sammy Sosa used
a cork bat and it threatens to sully his reputation.
But should it?
What's So Wrong With Being Gay?
Judging by the reaction to
a gossip item about Sandy Koufax, one would have
thought the New York Post had accused him of helping
Saddam Hussein build weapons of mass destruction. The
Posts actual crime? Insinuating Koufax was gay.
Baseball 2003 Preview
Our annual baseball preview features a look at all six
divisions, including a hot player from each of the 30
teams. The Minnesota Twins
have all the pieces in place to win the World
Series.
Is Barry Zito Gay?
One cartoonist has fun with the notion that a Major
League Baseball player could be a switch hitter.
Brass Balls Awards, 2002
They're back
for their third season: Outsports' unique baseball
awards, The Brass Balls. They are awarded to the most watchable
baseball player at each position, based on the four
all-important criteria of (1) offensive performance,
(2) defensive skills, (3) face and (4) muscles.
Everything valued by the hardcore sports fan who walks
down the gay side of the street.
The
Gay Ballplayer Debate, 2002 edition
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Will fans accept a gay athlete? Pro vs. con
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Letters
from our readers
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Mindy Tanner:
Cowardice in baseball
l
Charlie in the Trees:
Billy Bean did the right thing
l
Randy Boyd:
Why Billy Bean is a lousy spokesman
l
Jim Buzinski:
We'll believe it when we see it
l
Cyd Zeigler: Jim Rome's Take
Sucks
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Bill Konigsberg:
Everyone tries to predict the unknown
World Series Preview
The Anaheim Angels vs.
the San Francisco Giants. One is the most balanced,
most complete team in baseball. The other is a
patchwork outfit riding a tremendous hot streak.
Talent versus luck. Wholl win?
Contract the Yankees
Columnist Bill Konigsberg has a
great idea: instead of taking aim at the
little guys, let's make baseball a happier place for everyone and contract the Yankees
Little League and Me
All
of us who ever played Little League can remember the
thrill of getting a hit or the embarrassment of
striking out. Mike McGinty relates what it was like
to be the worst player on his team, having to wear his
brother's jock and what lessons he learned 30 years
later.
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