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Jamie Moyer has become the oldest pitcher ever to record a win in Major League Baseball. Will he still pitch when he's 50 next season?

• Mercenary1177: "Congrats to Jamie Moyer... very few people actually make a living doing something that they really love... and NOBODY has done this at his age... hopefully he will not just hang around... and will know when to stop, before he gets to the point that too many athletes do these days."
• StrongIsland06: "How this guy is still pitching in the majors is beyond me. But kudos for still playing baseball at his age."
• jgreene382: "Jamie Moyer has faced 8% of all hitters in MLB history according to Olney/Elias... Anyone else having difficulty comprehending that one?"
• Heim618: "I seem to recall thinking Moyer would never last when he came up with the Cubs in 1986. Shows why I've never been a good GM in any sort of baseball. Congrats to Moyer on the record."
• TML954: "The amazing thing is he will take the ball again for his next start. I would need a month to recover from an effort like that."
• AsphaltAbuse: "I hope he gets one at 50 "



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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?

Which team is more likely to make it back to the World Series?

•  
  21%
  Cardinals
•  
  79%
  Rangers

(Total votes: 63,581)

Which of these players would you most want on your team?

•  
  6%
  Miguel Cabrera
•  
  17%
  Roy Halladay
•  
  6%
  Felix Hernandez
•  
  39%
  Albert Pujols
•  
  31%
  Justin Verlander

(Total votes: 64,564)

Which of these AL East teams is most likely to miss the playoffs?

•  
  30%
  Rays
•  
  54%
  Red Sox
•  
  15%
  Yankees

(Total votes: 38,308)

Which is the best team in the American League?

•  
  21%
  Angels
•  
  21%
  Rangers
•  
  21%
  Tigers
•  
  23%
  Yankees
•  
  14%
  Another team

(Total votes: 66,943)

Which is the best team in the National League?

•  
  10%
  Marlins
•  
  10%
  Giants
•  
  46%
  Phillies
•  
  8%
  Reds
•  
  26%
  Another team

(Total votes: 63,887)

People get hit all the time in baseball, but in the case of Ubaldo Jimenez hitting Troy Tulowitzki, it seemed like it was personal. Do you think Jimenez hit Tulowitzki on purpose? Did Major League Baseball get it right by handing him a five-game suspension?

• John1644466: "As a Rockies fan, I'm extremely disappointed in Ubaldo's actions. What a classless move."
• dubsworth9993: "Oh come on, that totally slipped out of his hand"
• buckeyekurt: "Tulowitzki shouldn't have made a move towards the mound and Tracy should be suspended for sounding and acting like a mental patient."
• redfan73: "I find it hard to believe that you immediately stepped off the mound toward the plate when you hit Tulo, but also didn't mean to hit him. Give me a break."
• coloradoxplant: No where near enough of a suspension. He targeted him. That is intent to harm. He needs to miss 5 starts.....not just five days."
• mcwellman: "Ridiculous - shouldn't have been suspended at all. People get hit in baseball all the time - no one can prove that he intentionally hit Troy. This is pathetic..."



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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)

• Rank 'Em: Who tops your National League MVP ballot?
• Rank 'Em: Where are the Rockies in your MLB Power Rankings?
• Vote: Who are your MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year picks?
• Chat: Cal Ripken, David Wells and Ron Darling, 2:30 p.m. ET

First it was Ndamukong Suh coming up on the outside (or right through the guard and center, as the case may be) to nearly swipe last season's Heisman Trophy. Now we've got Troy Tulowitzki making a late run in the NL MVP race. We don't know if the two things are related, but the Steelers might want to get in touch with Chris Fuamatu Ma'afala, just in case there's something afoot with the 21st letter of the alphabet.

Tulowitzki and the Rockies finally cooled off, sort of, Sunday against the Dodgers. Tulowitzku had only one RBI and struck out three times in a 7-6 loss in 11 innings. Nonetheless, the Rockies are just 1.5 games out in the NL West and Tulowitzki is hitting .371 with 14 home runs this month. But before we get to Tulowitzki's place in the NL MVP race, what is his place in Colorado's MVP race?

“

Tulowitzki is an absolute beast! If he could just stay healthy over a full season, he could win multiple MVPs. Hopefully, he picks up a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger Award this year, which he rightly deserves.

” -- jtrms45

• Rank 'Em: What does your National League Cy Young ballot look like?
• Dog Days polls: Reds | Phillies | Rangers | Red Sox | Tigers

Information travels fast these days. At least, it does most of the time. When it comes to Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright, on the other hand, it feels a little like the information is still traveling out of the "Gateway to the West" via covered wagon.

Wainwright improved to 17-6 by giving the Cardinals sole possession of first place in the NL Central in Wednesday's win against the Reds. He also lowered his ERA for the season to 1.99, a number more familiar to the Taco Bell menu than MLB pitching statistics at this point on the calendar. And yet when the ballots, so to speak, went out to SportsNation this morning, Wainwright wasn't even in the same area code as first-half star Ubaldo Jimenez.

Then again, while Jimenez has fallen off the ERA pace recently (and here is where we mention perpetually overlooked Josh Johnson and his MLB-best 1.97 ERA), the Rockies ace does still spend half his time in Coors Field. Is that enough to offset Wainwright's surge?

Jake (Ottawa)

Rob, is Mat Latos in the running for the Cy Young? Take away his first 4 starts of the season and he has a 1.72 ERA, .170/.239/.247 slash line and .90 WHIP, all tops in the MLB. Not to mention he already leads the NL in OBA/OOBP/OSLG with all starts considered.

Rob Neyer

We're not allowed to take away those first four starts, are we? (If so, I'll take back my brilliant decision to release Latos from my fantasy team.) He's a dark horse Cy Young candidate, if only because of all the other viable candidates. Full transcript

• Rank 'Em: Do the Padres crack the top five in your MLB Power Rankings?
• Vote: Will the Padres hold their lead in the NL West?

The standings say the San Diego Padres own the best record in the National League as play begins Monday, riding a four-game winning streak out of the All-Star break to some breathing room in the NL West. The statistics say no team in either league has allowed fewer runs than the Padres, fueling the best run differential in the National League.

Is SportsNation -- which ranked the Padres behind the Yankees, Rays, Braves, Rangers and Red Sox at midseason -- selling San Diego short or showing sage skepticism?

Arguing for the prosecution ...

• "The problem with the Padres is their total lack of offense. Other than AGon, they have nobody (and I mean nobody) that strikes fear in opposing pitchers, and while the Pads have gotten by with stellar pitching in the first half - it'll be tough for that to continue." -- SN commenter Hendo_Rules

And arguing for the defense ...

• "Seriously, the Padres have been the most consistent NL team the whole year and have never had a losing streak go further than 3 games. Not to mention having the best run differential in baseball behind only the Yankees and Rays. It's just odd to me that all the "experts" preach about how important pitching and defense is and how it wins championships, so the Padres are the best pitching team in the majors and are tied for the best fielding percentage in the majors as well but all anybody wants to talk about is how they dont hit ...? -- SN commenter cjohnson20

Mark (San Diego)

Are the Padres [going] to move Adrian Gonzalez in the off season if a contract can't be agreed upon? It would seem to be the smart thing to do. They could probably get a huge package in return.

Jayson Stark

That's what I think almost has to happen. They're not going to be able to sign him. And they certainly can't trade him now, when they're in first place. But this winter will be a time to establish once and for all that he's not signable (by them, anyway). And once that's out there, I think even the people in San Diego who love him will understand that they have to deal him. Full transcript

• Rank: Where do Ubaldo Jimenez's struggling Rockies rank?

We're on record as considering Pedro Martinez's 2000 season as perhaps the finest pitching performance of all time. Consider: In the midst of the steroid era, in the AL East, in a hitter's park, Martinez put up a 1.74 earned run average. That's good for a 285 ERA+, meaning he was almost three times as good as the league-average ERA. Pretty crazy, right?

It's early yet, but Ubaldo Jimenez might have a chance to better that mark. Jimenez gave up two runs Sunday, which means his ERA soared to a magisterial 0.93. That's good for an ERA+ of 484, which means he's almost five times better than the league average. All this in Coors Field in a division that has a number of good hitters. (Adrian Gonzalez, Manny Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval can put a pretty quick dent in a pitcher's ERA, don't you think?) Ubaldo (we think we can refer to him by his first name, considering the last Ubaldo in the majors was Ubaldo Heredia in 1987) throws a 100 mph fastball that seems to move about three feet, which would make him a rather good pitcher if that were the only pitch he had. Unfortunately for National League hitters, he has about five more.

Bob Gibson's 1.12 ERA, achieved during the so-called "Year of the Pitcher" (1968, when only six players hit better than .300), is the modern record low for a starter. Could Ubaldo challenge that mark? He certainly has a head start.

Marty (Stratford, CT)

Did analysts see Ubaldo Jimenez's mad skills as he came through the minor league system, or has this year come as a surprise to you guys?

Jayson Stark

There's been a buzz about Jimenez for years. What's propelled him to this level this year is that he's finally commanding his whole repertoire, and especially his fastball. Lots of fun Ubaldo talk in this week's Rumblings and Grumblings, by the way. Full transcript

Jack (NY)

Halladay vs. Jimenez? Halladay has a much lower xFIP.

Rob Neyer

I still believe Halladay is the best pitcher in the National League. But there's certainly an argument here. Full transcript

• Vote: How many games will Ubaldo Jimenez win this season?
• Rank 'Em: Who are baseball's top five pitchers? | 1.12 ERA or 31 wins?

It's right there in the projected stats for Ubaldo Jimenez: 32-3. These days, 30 wins spread over two seasons will earn a pitcher a good chunk of change (we're looking your way, Mr. Suppan). And with pitch counts, five-man rotations and other factors, the idea of a pitcher winning 30 games in a season is almost unthinkable. Almost. Baseball has seen a 30-game winner (Denny McLain in 1968) much more recently than a .400 hitter (Ted Williams in 1941), but which would be more impressive to see again?

Meanwhile, two SportsNation commenters squared off as to whether Jimenez is doing it with smoke and mirrors or some of the best heat ever.

• "I was at the game today and saw it close up. What worked for Jimenez today wasn't so much his speed and/or off speed stuff. It was his location. Time and again, he pounded the inside corner with his fast ball. Beautiful pitches, right under the hands. When he missed the Giants were able to hit the ball hard, unfortunately right to the defense. It was a deceptive 4 hitter. ... From what I could see, his fast ball doesn't move much." -- SN commenter patklar
• "To claim that Jimenez's fastball doesn't have much movement just shows how little you've actually watched him this year. My advice is to watch every game this guy starts you possibly can, your seeing one of the best stretches of baseball that a pitcher has EVER had." -- SN commenter Shaz_Bag!

Alex (Denver)

So this is what everybody expected out of the Rockies. Are they going to stay like this for the rest of the year?

Jayson Stark

I still like the Rockies to win that division. They've barely had their team together all year. And if you count their bullpen health issues, they've actually never had their team together all year. That is one seriously talented group. And Ubaldo Jimenez is Bob Gibson! Full transcript

• Rank 'Em: Where does Bob Gibson's 1.12 ERA rank among single-season standards?
• Rank 'Em: Where does Ubaldo Jimenez rank among baseball's best pitchers?
• More from ESPN.com: Baseball Time In Arlington blog on Vlad Guerrero's resurgence

In the first 10 games of their existence in 1993, the Rockies gave up 58 runs. In his first 10 starts this season, Ubaldo Jimenez has given up ... seven runs. Where have you gone, Greg Harris?

Pardon us for getting excited about Jimenez, but along with Jason Heyward somehow managing to exceed his hype and Vladimir Guerrero returning to life, the Rockies' ace has been one of biggest stories in baseball through Memorial Day. He improved to 9-1 with a 0.88 ERA after Wednesday's start, bringing to mind numbers like 25 wins or Bob Gibson's 1.12 ERA. Nevertheless, one commenter looks at recent history and urges caution.

• "This reminds me of Josh Hamilton's RBI tear two years ago. There was all this speculation about whether or not he had a shot at Hack Wilson's all-time record of 191 or Lou Gehrig's A.L. record of 184. Turned out that he went into a swan dive after the All-Star break and finished with 130. Not to discount Jimenez's ERA thus far, but I predict he will be be doing incredibly well if he manages to keep his ERA below 2.00. Most likely he will finish in the 2.00-3.00 range, which, for a Rockies' pitcher, would be a huge season." -- SN commenter virtualmonk

Jeff (Somewhere out there)

Is Ubaldo on his way to a Bob Gibson 1968 season? ... The guy seems simply too good to hit

Jayson Stark

I don't know if this is his Bob Gibson season. It seems more like this year's version of Zack Greinke -- a guy with superior stuff who is finally ready to realize all his potential. I love watching Ubaldo pitch. If there's a guy in baseball with better stuff than that, I haven't seen him. Full transcript

Henry (Dallas)

Jerry, what do you make of Vlad? Were the reports last season about his no longer having the batspeed to be effective premature? It certainly looks like his power is back.

Jerry Crasnick

Henry, I talk about Vlad today in my Starting 9 on "spring training conventional wisdom gone wrong." Rangers GM Jon Daniels says he lost weight and got in better shape over the winter, and was determined to come back and prove people wrong. Hitting at Arlington Stadium never hurt a hitter's numbers, either. Vlad should be on his way to the All Star Game. Full transcript

Jeff (Evans, GA)

Jason Heyward seems to be carrying the Braves on his back this season while Chipper and McCann are both slumping. Are they going to have to step up or can The Kid really carry the Braves all the way to October?

Rob Neyer

He can't do it alone. But he might be the Braves' MVP this season, sure. And I still like their Wild Card chances. Full transcript