Latest News Updates

Toronto Blue Jays at Texas Rangers Highlight MLB Schedule for May 25, 2012 (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

The 2012 MLB regular season is well underway with nearly two months of baseball already in the books. It is still a long road to October, but paths are already starting to take shape and many surprises have already occurred along the way. The beginning of the year brings promise but at this point in the season anything can still happen.

 

Royals-Orioles Preview (The Associated Press)

The Baltimore Orioles were happy to have a day off after a grueling stretch, but an off day probably isn't good news for the Kansas City Royals.

 

Will Smith shows why making your big-league debut at Yankee Stadium is less than ideal (Big League Stew)

The problem with the dream of making your first big-league start is that reality often has a tendency to get in the way. Such was the case for Will Smith on Thursday night. Not only did the Kansas City Royals left-hander make his major-league debut, but he did so at Yankee Stadium with Derek Jeter serving as his first batter. The results: Smith lasted only 3 1/3 innings in the Royals' 8-3 loss , giving up five earned runs and three homers as Ned Yost's plan to call up and start a lefty against the Yankees didn't produce its intended results. "I was nervous a little bit," Smith later  told MLB.com . "You're facing a future Hall of Famer to start your career in Derek Jeter. That was cool, but at the same time, you've still got to go out and make your pitches and get people out." Smith's fairy tale actually went according to the script for one hitter. Jeter grounded out to the shortstop for the first out of Smith's career. Smith's family — which had traveled from his hometown in Georgia to watch his debut from Yankee Stadium's fancy seats — looked like this:

 

Yankees give Royals rookie Smith a rude welcome to majors (The SportsXchange)

Left-hander Will Smith was a pedestrian 1-3 with a 4.01 ERA in nine starts for Class AAA Omaha this season before the Kansas City Royals purchased his contract Tuesday.

 

A-Rod homers twice in Yankees' win (The Associated Press)

NEW YORK (AP) On Tuesday night, after another mediocre game at the plate, Alex Rodriguez insisted he was ready to go on a tear.

 

Rodriguez's 2 homers lead Yankees past Royals (The SportsXchange)

NEW YORK -- Instead of offering a terse promise, Alex Rodriguez instead enjoyed a laugh.

 

Yankees 8, Royals 3 (The SportsXchange)

NEW YORK -- His power seemingly sapped for most of his team's first 43 games, Alex Rodriguez also had his pride wounded Tuesday night.

 

American League notebook -- Wednesday, May 23, 2012 (The SportsXchange)

Baltimore: RHP Jason Hammel is still penciled in to make his start Friday against the Royals despite problems with his balky right knee. Hammel missed a turn in the rotation earlier this month due to the knee, and he had fluid drained earlier this week. ... CF Adam Jones went 2-for-3 with a walk, extending his hitting streak to 15 games, a career long. He is 22-for-62 (.355) with six homers and 12 RBI during the streak.

 

Create-a-Caption: The Moose is loose! (Big League Stew)

At 22-21, the fourth-place New York Yankees aren't quite in Kansas City Royals territory just yet. Still, I look at this picture of a diving Mike Moustakas and can't help but wonder if the half dozen Yankee fans  are more terrified of the potential symbolism for their struggling team than they are concerned for the well being of the hustling Royals third baseman. So have at it, amateur Internet copy editors of the world. How should this caption read? Follow the jump for winners from our last C-a-C featuring the boys in blue:

 

Royals-Yankees Preview (The Associated Press)

After scuffling a bit in his first major league start in 19 months, Andy Pettitte appeared to recapture the form that helped him contribute to five World Series titles with the New York Yankees.