IT’S APRIL 6, 1973, and the New York Yankees are celebrating Opening Day at Boston’s Fenway Park. Mel Stottlemyre, who would win 16 games for New York that season, was on the mound. But he wasn’t in his team’s batting order, something that neither he nor any other pitcher had ever experienced.

On that day, the Yankees inserted Ron Blomberg into their lineup as the first designated hitter in baseball history. Blomberg, who hit sixth in New York’s lineup that day, went on to bat .329 during the 1973 season. Read the rest »

THURSDAY WAS a good day for bad baseball teams. No, Major League Baseball didn’t give away victories, but the next best thing took place: MLB’s First-Year Player Draft.

Two of those poor teams, the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals, dramatically improved their minor league systems with productive drafts. Baltimore, with the fifth overall choice, acquired offensive help. The last-place Nationals went in a different direction one pick later, making a pitcher their top draftee. Read the rest »

THE 2007 Major League Baseball first-year-player draft is just four days away. A decade or so ago, most players chosen in the early stages of the draft were taken out of high school.

College players were viewed as inferior talents, because the belief was that they weren’t good enough to be drafted after high school. Read the rest »

IF ROGER CLEMENS doesn’t succeed with the New York Yankees this season, it won’t be because of his age. Now 44 and returning from his third retirement, Clemens may don pinstripes again this week. 

While there are a lot of talented young stars in the major leagues today, baseball is the one major sport that allows older players to continue to thrive. Look at some of the most significant occurrences of the last week. Read the rest »