How 'Bout Those Red Sox?

Ortiz is at 15 home runs, 45 RBI. Buchholz is the AL's first 9-game winner. The team has won 4 in a row, and sits just a game outside of first place in the AL East. It's like the ball is sitting on a tee for the Sox bats, and the pitchers are throwing against cardboard cut-outs. Beltre fell over and STILL jacked one a few feet shy of the Mass Pike.

This team is on right now. Since this time last month, they are 21-8. They have only lost 1 series against Cleveland, and tied against the Royals. Drew just went down with an injury, Cameron isn't playing every day, Ellsbury is still dealing with his injuries, and Beckett and Matsuzaka have been questionable for 3 weeks now, yet this team is still rolling right along. They've quietly snuck right back into the hunt. It'll will be interesting to see how they play out this month, traveling to Colorado, San Fransisco and then back to The Chapel.

Til Death Do Us Part

With Opening Day under two weeks away, teams are tweaking their lineups, and getting themselves ready for The Show. From the looks of it, the Minnesota Twins are gearing up for Opening Day 2010 as well as Opening Day 2018. The Twins locked up perennial All-Star and MVP powerhouse catcher Joe Mauer for eight years and $184 million. Care to do the math? $23 million a year, plus a full no-trade clause throughout.

This year, Joe Mauer is the face of "MLB '10: The Show." Last year, Dustin Pedroia received the honor. Everyone's heard of the Madden curse, the stretch of a few years where whatever player was featured on the cover of John Madden's football videogame either got injured or had a career-worst year. Obviously that can be argued, but for the most part, it rings completely true. On the contrary, it looks like The Show has the opposite effect.

2010 -- 8-year, $184 million for Joe Mauer.

2009 -- 6-year, $40.5 million for Dustin Pedroia.

2008 -- $10 million in arbitration case, World Series ring for Ryan Howard

2007 -- 4th straight All-Star appearance, Gold Glove for Carlos Beltran

2006 -- 4-year, $50 million contract, not to mention 54 home runs (Red Sox record), 137 RBI and 5 walk-off hits for David Ortiz