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Philadelphia Phillies
Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels will serve a five-game suspension for intentionally throwing at Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper. Does Hamels deserve to be punished for his actions?
Good intention?
Cole Hamels used an old school way of welcoming 19-year old rookie Bryce Harper to Major League Baseball by purposely throwing at him.
Fans' take on Cole's suspension:
- rustyburg: "Haha...5 game suspension for Cole...that's MLB knowing they had to do something, but doing nothing at the same time. 5 games essentially means the Phils push back Hamels next start one day."
- Jaysfan724: "Suspension was deserved, only gets his start pushed back one day...no big deal all around, that's baseball, lets move on. "
- evilgom: "I can't believe he's suspended for admitting it. So zimmerman gets away with it because he didn't admit? What a great way to teach our children. Go MLB."
- RG3s Socks cannot be banned: "i dont think he was suspended for hitting him on purpose. he was suspended because of his stupidity"
- tempdaddy05: "Lesson learned for anyone who wants to play in the MLB. The truth gets you suspended and lying puts in you in record books."
Join the conversation or respond by signing in or creating a profile and blogging.
Opening Day -- well, Opening Night, really, and we technically already had one of those in Japan, but who's counting? -- is finally here, as the Cardinals will take on the Marlins tonight in the first stateside regular-season MLB game. It's bound to be an exciting season with so many players having changed teams, but has the power structure been altered significantly?
Vote: Pick each division and pennant, and the winner of the World Series
Rank: Baseball's best teams? | Top players in the game?
World Series repeat?
The Cardinals prevailed over the Rangers in the 2011 World Series, but St. Louis lost its biggest gun this past offseason ...
Best player?
... which is a pretty big loss, considering he might be one of the best players of all time.
Odd one out?
The Red Sox missed the playoffs last season after an epic September collapse. Will they be on the outside looking in once again?
AL's best?
Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols were probably the two biggest additions to teams in the American League, meaning the balance of power could shift.
NL's best?
Likewise, the addition of Jose Reyes to the Marlins could give the team a huge upgrade -- offensively with new third baseman Hanley Ramirez, and defensively at shortstop.
Speaking of dream seasons going awry in Philadelphia ... Michael Vick wasn't talking about the Phillies when he put an end to "dream team" talk, but the sentiment would still apply if the Cardinals win Game 5 at Citizens Bank Park. Will Roy Halladay save the day for the Phillies and officially start the clock on the Albert Pujols watch?
- "Whatever happens in the game ... the Phillies fans that are there (including me) have to be 100 percent supportive of the team and be going nuts the whole game to utilize home-field advantage to its fullest extent." -- SN commenter Mja10178
- "I am a Phils fan. I say good on the Cards for making it a series and roughing up two very good pitchers. Smart money says Halladay at home. But all bets are off. I agree ... if the Cards can beat Halladay tomorrow then they deserve the series. Beating Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, and Roy Halladay, good on 'em." -- SN commenter winallen
The best counter to Roy Halladay?
As recently as July, SN rated Roy Halladay as the best pitcher in baseball. But if not Halladay's equal, is Chris Carpenter the best counter among NL playoff aces?
How do you define adversity?
Few crowds make life tougher for visiting teams than those in Philadelphia, but is the pressure on the team picked by so many to win it all?
Root, root, root for the home team?
Do you want to see a Phillies pitching staff touted as one of the best of all time pitch deeper into October?
The long goodbye for Albert Pujols?
We'll go through this all over again if the Cardinals win, but if they lose, might this be the last time we see Albert Pujols in this uniform?
ALDS: Tigers vs. Yankees
Jose Valverde was perfect in the regular season, but is he second-best in this series?
Vote: Five questions for Tigers vs. Yankees
ALDS: Rays vs. Rangers
The Rays used one ace just to make it, but does starting rookie Matt Moore on the road make sense?
Vote: Five questions for Rays vs. Rangers
NLDS: Cardinals vs. Phillies
Albert Pujols' slow start turned into MVP-type numbers, but does pitching rule a short series?
Vote: Five questions for Cardinals vs. Phillies
NLDS: Diamondbacks vs. Brewers
Ian Kennedy won 21 games for Arizona, but do the Brewers have the depth?
Vote: Five questions for Diamondbacks vs. Brewers
Fernando Valenzuela and Dave Stewart once pitched no-hitters on the same day. Cal Ripken Jr.'s lap around Camden Yards was special. But has any regular-season day in your lifetime topped the drama that unfolded last night in baseball? Evan Longoria channeled Bobby Thomson with a walk-off home run, Jonathan Papelbon wrote a fitting ending for a September collapse, the Braves and Phillies battled deep into extra innings and the Cardinals took care of business. Like Jose Reyes, hopefully you rested up in the afternoon.
- "What a night of baseball! Watched Strasburg pitch a gem. Watched the Braves collapse. Watched the O's rally to beat the Sox. Watchd the Rays rally to beat the Yanks. Don't you love technology?" -- SN commenter luvdc88
- "My Orioles weren't in the race -- and haven't been since I had more hair -- but even though I've watched sports of all sorts since the late 60s and have been in sports media since 1979, this was a night I won't soon forget." -- SN commenter joeypsinger
Does it get better than Wednesday?
Well, sure, if you're a fan of the Red Sox or Braves, but from the perspective of the rest of us, have there been better days of baseball?
Which dropped your jaw most?
The Rays rallied from seven runs down, but we'd still be playing baseball today if Jonathan Papelbon hadn't recorded just his third blown save this season.
Should we have seen Mariano Rivera?
Rays manager Joe Maddon thanked the Orioles for playing hard to the finish against the Red Sox, but did Joe Girardi owe it to the sport to use Mariano Rivera?
Did Carl Crawford have a play?
It wasn't Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, but as you watch the replay above of Robert Andino's game-winning hit, did Crawford have a play?
What about the Cardinals?
We can't overlook Albert Pujols and the Cardinals, but with Chris Carpenter out of the mix until Game 3 and the Phillies waiting, was catching the Braves the easy part?
The last wild-card race of its kind?
If Bud Selig has his way and adds an additional wild-card spot in each league, a day like Wednesday would be decidedly less dramatic. But is that a fair trade?
What about Jose Reyes?
Jose Reyes had to love last night's drama, if only because it let him off the hook for taking himself out of a game earlier in the day to protect his batting title.
We can understand if you don't want to take the time to grade your tech-support help on the other end of the telephone, but when we're talking about the dollars and emotion you've invested in sports, we think it's worth the effort. It's time for ESPN The Magazine's Ultimate Standings, in which SportsNation grades organizations on everything from ticket prices and stadium experience to the talent on the field, court or rink. Which team will end up on top this year? It depends on what you say.
Take part in the 2011 MLB survey
2010 MLB Ultimate Standings
1. Los Angeles Angels (Overall: No. 3)
2. Tampa Bay Rays (Overall: No. 6)
3. Colorado Rockies (Overall: No. 13)
4. Minnesota Twins (Overall: No. 14)
5. Atlanta Braves (Overall: No. 15)
Take part in the 2011 NFL survey
2010 NFL Ultimate Standings
1. New Orleans Saints (Overall: No. 1)
2. Indianapolis Colts (Overall: No. 4)
3. Green Bay Packers (Overall: No. 9)
4. Arizona Cardinals (Overall: No. 19)
5. Baltimore Ravens (Overall: No. 20)
Take part in the 2011 NBA survey
2010 NBA Ultimate Standings
1. Orlando Magic (Overall: No. 2)
2. San Antonio Spurs (Overall: No. 7)
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (Overall: No. 10)
4. Dallas Mavericks (Overall: No. 24)
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (Overall: No. 25)
Take part in the 2011 NHL survey
2010 NHL Ultimate Standings
1. Pittsburgh Penguins (Overall: No. 5)
2. Detroit Red Wings (Overall: No. 8)
3. Washington Capitals (Overall: No. 11)
4. San Jose Sharks (Overall: No. 12)
5. Chicago Blackhawks (Overall: No. 16)
- Vote: Was Cliff Lee wise to leave $30 million or more on the table?
- Rank 'Em: Who are baseball's best starting pitchers?
Cliff Lee deciding to return to the Phillies and spurn both the Rangers and Yankees came out of nowhere Monday night. But if you think the move caught everyone by surprise, well, you just don't know SportsNation. Consider this prophetic chat exchange from Monday afternoon while we try and track down Nelson for some lottery numbers.
Nelson (Puerto Rico)
HEY ROB! Doesn't this Cliff Lee Saga have a certain feel to it that tells you that a team who no one thinks can come out of nowhere and sign him, leaving the Rangers and Yankees dumbfounded?
Rob Neyer (Monday afternoon)
Yeah, sort of. I just don't know who's got an extra $160 million laying around. Full transcript
Of course, as it turned out, the Phillies only needed about $120 million to tempt Lee, and who doesn't have that kind of change between the cushions on the couch? But in adding Lee to Roy Halladay, the ace they acquired after dealing Lee prior to last season, do the Phillies have the best rotation in the game? We just watched the Giants win a World Series with one of the best collective pitching efforts in recent memory, but is this even a debate?
“Uhhh sorry Giants fans. While I respect the hell out of your team and while I absolutely acknowledge you are the Champs, you still aren't the best TEAM in baseball. Three NCLS appearances, two world series appearances, and one championship in the past three years would probably put the Phils ahead of you.
” -- NJGiant99
“Wow, another pitcher who can't beat the Giants. Good luck with improving that team. I'm still taking Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner and Sanchez over them, just for a lot less.
” -- vusani
- Rank 'Em: Where do Gonzalez and Werth rank among MLB's best players?
- Vote: Is Gonzalez the best 1B in the AL East? | Was Werth's contract reasonable?
Baseball's hot stove always seems to flare up in spurts. Weeks of inactivity go by with rumors flying but few trades surfacing. Then, in the course of a weekend, everything can change.
The Red Sox's long pursuit of Adrian Gonzalez finally came to an end, as Boston will trade several young prospects for the chance to add a hugely important left-handed bat to its lineup. Gonzalez seems tailor-made for Fenway Park and instantly changes the balance of power in the AL East. Meanwhile, the Nationals made their biggest free-agent signing ever, inking Jayson Werth to a seven-year, $126 million contract. Werth is a big-time talent, but the Nationals may have overpaid in their pursuit of true relevance. Would you rather have the slugging excellence of Gonzalez or the five-tool consistency of Werth?
- "I'm not sure there's another hitter in the league better-suited to absolutely RAKE at Fenway park than Gonzalez. A left-handed slugger with power to all fields, especially left? Thank you very much Santa, your early Christmas present is appreciated." -- skidemon166
- "Too many years. Werth is a great player though. It will be worth it early in the contract. But I don't see good productivity coming from him when he's 37/38. I hope he doesn't take replacing Dunn into mind and try to put a lot of shot out of the park." -- GoMets210
1. Who would you rather have: Halladay or Lee??
Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee are in the news again. Halladay won his second Cy Young Award in a unanimous vote, and Lee is being courted by seemingly every contender in Major League Baseball. Which ace has the brighter future?
- "A well earned award for Halladay. Congratulations to Halladay, the Philadelphia Phillies team and their fans. With Halladay leading this staff the Phillies will be a contender for several more years." ." -- SN commenter shaqmvp32
- ALCS: Which team wins between the Rangers and Yankees? | Rank the lineups
- NLCS: Which team wins between the Giants and Phillies? | Rank the starting pitchers
- Vote: Which team wins it all, and which team are you rooting for?
- Chat: Jerry Crasnick takes your postseason questions, noon ET
It's not exactly a shock that the last four teams standing in the baseball playoffs are among the more statistically successful teams in the game this season. There's a reason the Pirates and Mariners aren't in this discussion. But in pitting strength against strength, the ALCS and NLCS offer two of the more intriguing matchups in recent memory.
The Phillies have their "H20" rotation with Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels, but is it really any better than Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez, the top of a Giants rotation that led MLB with a 3.36 ERA in the regular season? And while the Yankees led the sport in runs scored, do they really have an edge on a lineup that includes possible MVP Josh Hamilton, Vladimir Guerrero and the kind of aggressiveness on the bases that befuddled the Rays in Game 5?
Andrew (San Francisco)
Halladay vs. Lincecum on [Saturday]... How does that rate among the best marquee pitching match-ups in recent post-season history?
Rob Neyer
Recent? Gotta be way up there. I suspect there have been plenty of matchups between future Hall of Famers, if you go back far enough. Probably not many battles between the two most recent Cy Young winners, though. Full transcript
Ray A. (San Francisco, CA)
Do playoff pitching matchups get any better than the Giants and Phillies?
Joe Morgan
Well, only if you're going to go Koufax against Gibson. But I would say in this day and age it probably doesn't get any better. But pitching has dominated the scene. [In Rays-Rangers Game 5], Price against Lee. There are a lot of great pitchers this year with great seasons. There have been a lot of great matchups. Full transcript
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