Earlier this year I wrote a post about how several Major League Baseball teams were opting for a retro look with their alternate uniforms. This week we saw several teams turn back the clock and wear uniforms specially designed to match the ones from the old days.

Chicago Cubs



The Cubs commemorated the 60th anniversary of their first broadcast on WGN with these pinstripe-less threads. You can see that the Cubs' current design has been around in some incarnation for many years.

Atlanta Braves



The Braves opposed the Cubs in these uniforms from 1948, which also happens to be the last year the Braves won the pennant in Boston. It was the second of only two they won in Beantown, but that Billy Southworth-helmed team featuring star third baseman Bob Elliott and the "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain" pitching staff was a special one.

Baltimore Orioles



They did it! They did just what I suggested on this blog! They celebrated the 25th anniversary of their last World Series title by wearing throwbacks with elastic waistbands! The Orioles organization has made a lot of mistakes in recent years, but this is one thing they definitely got right.

San Francisco Giants



The 70's was not a good decade for the Giants, but the 1978 team that these uniforms are a tribute to was memorable for being in first place most of the year until tailing off in August and finishing in third. Like the Orioles, it's good to see a team that doesn't ignore the elastic waistbands in their uniform history.

San Diego Padres



The Padres remembered the 30th anniversary of the first squad in franchise history to finish with a winning record by donning these throwbacks that actually feature the full team name. The Padres prove why I keep bringing up the elastic waistbands though, because these uniforms would be more accurate if they had them.

Cleveland Indians



Unlike the alternates that only had a retro feel to them, these are actual replicas of the 1978 Indians' uniforms (minus, all together now, the elastic waistbands). Why they'd want to honor that sixth-place team led by Andre Thornton I'm not sure, but the uniforms themselves don't look half bad.

Why do I love throwbacks so much? Why am I such a stickler for accuracy? Why do I want to remind everyone that the goofy elastic waistband uniforms ever existed? I guess it's just the sports history buff in me. No matter how ugly some teams' uniforms used to be, there's something about seeing them that stirs up my romanticism for baseball. That's another reason America's Pastime is my favorite sport; it's the only one that has that effect on me. Here's to the future and the eternal remembrance of baseball's rich history.

A new baseball season is just around the corner, and right now every team has the chance to make this year something special. Some teams don't look poised to make much noise, but there are surprises every season. Is there reason for you to have hope? I say there is. Whichever team you root for, here's why you'll be seeing your guys play in October.

AL West:

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. After making the Playoffs last year they added a big bat in Torii Hunter and bolstered one of the AL's best rotations with Jon Garland. It's pretty hard to imagine them not repeating the feat this year.

Oakland Athletics. OK, so Billy Beane gutted the team during the offseason. If you've ever read Moneyball though, you know never to underestimate that guy. He can unearth hidden gems like nobody's business. Some of these no-names are going to surprise everyone and lead the A's to glory.

Seattle Mariners. They found ways to win last year, there's plenty of talent on their roster, and they just added Erik Bedard. With another ace developing in Felix Hernandez, this team is much to be feared.

Texas Rangers. True, their pitching staff is full of guys who looked bad last year, but many of them have shown that they were capable of better in the past. When they all bounce back this year the Rangers will leave their division rivals in the dust.

AL Central:

Chicago White Sox. The last three times the Red Sox won the World Series the White Sox won the pennant the next year. Since the BoSox won the World Series last year it looks like the ChiSox have this year's pennant wrapped up.

Cleveland Indians. They came within one game of the World Series last year, and most of the same players are returning. You know they've gotten hungrier, and this time they won't accept anything less than an American League pennant.

Detroit Tigers. They were in the Playoff hunt most of last season but tailed off at the end. This offseason they've added a proven veteran in Edgar Renteria and two young stars in Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. How can the rest of the American League not be trembling?

Kansas City Royals. After three straight 100-loss seasons they only lost 93 last year. Clearly they're on the rise. With several promising youngsters and some solid veterans in the mix, this is the year the Royals finally break through.

Minnesota Twins. OK, so they traded Matt Garza and Johan Santana. The good news is they got some young guys in those deals who are going to surprise everyone with breakout years. Those Twins executives are a crafty bunch, and they know what it takes to get their team into the Playoffs.

AL East:

Baltimore Orioles. Their roster hasn't looked very good since they traded Erik Bedard and Miguel Tejada, but now that those guys are gone the rest of the team will be inspired to pick up the slack. No more relying on the stars, it's time for everyone to step up. This kick in the pants is going to give them the boost they need to make it an Oriole October.

Boston Red Sox. They're the defending champions. Why wouldn't you expect them to make the Playoffs this year? Besides, Boston's teams are invincible (at least that's what their fans always tell me).

New York Yankees. They're the Yankees. The idea of these guys missing the Playoffs is like the idea of Amanda Overmyer winning "American Idol". It's simply unthinkable.

Tampa Bay Rays. With a talented young pitching staff, a solid lineup and freedom from that "Devil" in their old name, the Rays are ready to sneak up on everyone. Their youthful energy will be enough to carry them past the aging teams in their division.

Toronto Blue Jays. Two words: David Eckstein. The Blue Jays finished 13 games out of first last year, but everyone's favorite scrapper easily adds that many wins to a team's record just by being on the roster. Don't believe me? Ask Tim McCarver.

NL West:

Arizona Diamondbacks. They had the National League's best record last year with a bunch of unknown youngsters. Those youngsters are all a year older, Randy Johnson is returning from injury and they've added Dan Haren to their rotation. There's going to be some fun in the desert this year.

Colorado Rockies. They shocked the world by winning the pennant last year, they've brought back most of their key players, and they now have an extra year of experience under their belts. In the words of Freddie Prinze: "Looking good!"

Los Angeles Dodgers. They're solid all around and they've added Joe Torre as manager. With all that Yankee mystique at the helm how can they lose?

San Diego Padres. They have a great pitching staff and play in one of the best pitcher's parks. Their mediocre offense is good enough for them to win behind these hurlers, so it looks like there's a Petco postseason in store.

San Francisco Giants. They have one of baseball's most promising starting rotations. This is the year they pull a 1991 Braves on us.

NL Central:

Chicago Cubs. It's been almost 100 years since these guys won the World Series. I'd say the law of averages is on their side. Besides, they made the Playoffs last year, so we know they've got some talent.

Cincinnati Reds. Dusty Baker always does well in his first year managing a team. He took the Giants to 103 wins and the Cubs to Game 7 of the NLCS. It's his first year in Cincinnati, so you can count on this team making the Playoffs in the weak NL Central.

Houston Astros. They've got a solid bullpen, a good lineup, and one of the game's best aces in Roy Oswalt. The rest of their starting pitchers struggled last year, but they'll get it together this year and the Astros will reclaim their division-winning ways.

Milwaukee Brewers. With all those big bats in their lineup scoring runs won't be a problem. With a healthy Ben Sheets and a determination not to let the division title slip away like last year, the Brew Crew is going to cruise past the competition.

Pittsburgh Pirates. OK, so it's been a long time since they've had a winning season. Still, they play in baseball's weakest division, they have plenty of youth on their roster, and there's been an overhaul in the front office. The Pirates are clearly no longer satisfied with losing, and new manager John Russell says he's looking to start winning now. A post-Bonds Playoff appearance? This is the year.

St. Louis Cardinals. Their starting rotation is full of guys who'll be great once they complete their rehabs and they finally got rid of that crybaby Scott Rolen. The Cardinals are the most classy organization in sports, so you know they'll find a way to get to the postseason.

NL East:

Atlanta Braves. They've brought back Tom Glavine to an already-strong pitching staff and they don't have any truly weak hitters in their lineup. It's starting to look a lot like the 90's again in Atlanta.

Florida Marlins. Did anyone see it coming in 2003? Did anyone (other than team president David Samson) think that youthful but unproven Marlins team was going to win 91 games? The Marlins are in the business of shocking people. They've been laying low the last few seasons just so no one will be gunning for them this year when they do it all over again.

New York Mets. They missed the Playoffs by one game last year. This offseason they acquired one of the best pitchers in baseball. As the only National League team that matters to ESPN, this Mets squad is back with a vengeance.

Philadelphia Phillies. They have a power-laden lineup playing in a great hitter's park. Their pitching is good enough not to allow the opposing team to outscore the offense, so it looks like the Phils are going to repeat as NL East Champions.

Washington Nationals. Most people didn't realize it, but they actually had a .500 record after June last year. With all that momentum going into this season and Manny Acta's new-school management techniques, this is the year the Nationals finally claim some Playoff territory.

To sum things up, it's in the bag. When baseball's postseason arrives your team will be there, ready to inspire millions with their heroics. Sit back, enjoy the season, and don't forget to buy the champagne in September.

The American League has widely been considered the stronger of baseball's two leagues for the past few years. Indeed, the AL Playoff races were wrapped up fairly uneventfully, with each team having a decent-sized lead and their clinchings being mere formalities by the time they happened. The most dramatic moment that clinched anything in the AL was the Orioles coming from behind to tie the Yankees and winning on a bases-loaded bunt in extra innings. This brilliantly-executed play assured us that the Yankees would be reduced to Wild Card winners rather than AL East Champs, little more than a small victory for Yankee-haters everywhere. Any of the four teams in the AL Playoffs (Angels, Indians, Red Sox, Yankees) will be favored to win the World Series once we know which one will be playing in it.

The National League is much poorer than its younger counterpart. The NL's best team finished with a 90-72 record (worse than any of the AL Playoff participants) and allowed more runs than it scored during the season. There's so much parity in the NL that no team finished more than 19 games out of first place. While there's no denying that the NL is the weaker of the two leagues, there is one thing it provides more of than the AL: excitement.

That 90-72 team, the NL West Champion Diamondbacks, came out of nowhere to win it. The Padres and Dodgers were most people's picks to win the division before the season began, but the D-Backs stayed above .500 all year and eventually took first place in the last two months. It still isn't quite clear how they did it. On paper they don't appear to be that great a team, but you can't deny their success. Now the question is if they can continue it against the Cubs in the Playoffs.

The Cubs themselves had a pretty exciting year. The Brewers got off to a hot start and looked like the only team that wanted to win the NL Central early on. The Cubs, despite spending a lot of money in the offseason, struggled during the first two months and looked destined for another disappointing season. After Lou Piniella had his now-famous confrontation with an umpire (once again I'll brag about it...I was at that game!), the Cubs suddenly started getting back on track. As their rise coincided with the Brewers' collapse, the Cubs eventually found themselves in first place in late August. Even when they had a 3½-game lead with six games left it wasn't over. They got swept in a three-game series with the last-place Marlins and the Brewers still had a shot. Fortunately, the Cubs got back on track and clinched the division title in their final series with the Reds. They now have a shot at winning their first pennant in 62 years and their first World Series in 99 years.

The NL East had one of the most memorable races in recent times. Going into the season most people picked either the Braves or Mets to win the division, and a lot of people picking the Braves had the Mets as the Wild Card. Those two teams battled for first place during the early months while the Phillies got off to a slow start. The Mets eventually took first place and it looked like they would never relinquish it. Then, with 17 games left and the Mets holding a 7-game lead over the Phillies, the unthinkable happened. The Mets went 5-12 to finish out the season while the Phillies went 13-4 over the same span. In the end the Phillies won the division by one game and the Mets were out of the Playoffs altogether.

Then there's the Wild Card. The Padres battled the Diamondbacks for the NL West lead most of the second half. When the Diamondbacks established themselves as the division leader the Padres looked like they'd end up settling for the Wild Card. Not so fast. The Rockies, who'd stayed around .500 most of the year but never stepped it up to make a real postseason drive, suddenly went on a tear. They won 13 of their last 14 games to force a one-game playoff with the Padres which would determine the Wild Card winner. What a game it was. Both teams fought the whole way, and it eventually went 13 innings. In the top of the thirteenth the Padres got a two-run homer which looked like it would clinch the game. The Rockies didn't give up though, scoring three runs in the bottom half to earn the title of NL Wild Card.

These NL Playoff teams are a motley crew. None of them made the Playoffs last year, and the one that made it most recently was the Cubs in 2003. It's hard to believe that one of these four is going to be playing in the World Series this year. The AL, on the other hand, has the three teams with the league's highest payrolls playing this October (Angels, Yankees, Red Sox), and only one that has some underdog appeal (Indians). Except the Indians, all were in the Playoffs as recently as two years ago, and all but the Indians have won a World Series this decade. Truthfully, once you get past the Indians it's hard to root for any of the AL teams.

The AL may be stronger. One of their teams may end up hoisting the World Series trophy at the end of this month. They may be representative of what great baseball teams truly look like. Why would we follow sports though, if there were never any excitement? If the same teams always won easily it would be boring to follow them. If you simply want to marvel at greatness, the AL is there for you. If you want thrilling races, determination and never-say-die dramatics, the NL is the far superior league.

We're down to the last two months of baseball season. The trade deadline has passed, and by now we (mostly) know who's in it to win it and who needs to start preparing for next year. The races are heating up, and several teams are still vying for one of those coveted eight Playoff spots. It's about time for baseball fans to start thinking about who they're rooting for in the quest for October. If you're a big fan like me, you probably also have a few teams you're rooting against. I don't know who's going to win, but here's what I'm hoping for:

American League West:

I'm pulling for the Mariners. They've been a surprise team all year, and there seem to be a lot of loyal Mariner fans out there even though you don't hear much about them. While they seem to have been playing above their heads all season (their pitching and run production have been mediocre at best), they deserve credit for staying in it this long. They surprised me last season too, as I predicted that they'd lose 100 games and they ended up finishing close to .500. While conventional wisdom says the Angels are going to win it (if I had to give an official prediction I'd pick them), I'm hoping Seattle has enough left to battle it out and overtake them for the division title.

Since the Angels are the only team posing a real threat to the Mariners at this point, I'm rooting against them. I just have a hard time getting excited about the Angels. Besides, they won the World Series in 2002 and the Mariners never have. While it's hard for me to imagine the Mariners winning the World Series this year, they deserve that chance to play for it a little more in my mind.

American League Central:

If my White Sox were still in the race there's no question I'd be pulling for them. As they are not, however, I'm pulling for either the Indians or Tigers. Both teams have fanbases that I think deserve a winner, and I really don't hate either one even though they're both division rivals of my Sox. I hope one of them wins the division and the other wins the Wild Card. It doesn't really matter which, though I think the Tigers look more likely to win the division.

The team I'm rooting against is the Twins. While they seem to have a fairly loyal fanbase and the underdog factor that comes with playing in a small market, I just don't like them. They don't interest me. Also, some of that underdog appeal has been lost since they've won four division titles in the last five years. Last year it looked to be a two-team race between the White Sox and Tigers in the Central, but the Twins came from behind to win it, relegating the frontrunning Tigers to the Wild Card. I don't want to see it happen again.

American League East:

I've never made any secret about the fact that I hate the Red Sox. The way their "history" and "tradition" get shoved down our throats has gotten rather sickening. That said, I'm rooting for them to win the East this year. Why, you ask? It's all because of the team I'm rooting against.

I hate the Yankees. I want to see them win even less than I do the Red Sox. They're a thorn in the side of baseball fans everywhere. No matter what, they always find a way to make the Playoffs. Even when they were mired in a slump earlier this year I kept saying they were going to be playing in the postseason. Now they're only a few games out in the Wild Card race and within striking distance of the Red Sox. I still think they'll find their way into the Playoff picture, but (as I often find myself saying) I hope I'm wrong. If they do it's likely that either they or the Red Sox will be the Wild Card, and the Playoffs will be much more enjoyable if we don't have to hear about a potential Yankees-Red Sox ALCS.

National League West:

This is a division where I don't feel very strongly. The Giants are the only team at this point that has no real shot of winning it. If I had to choose the team I really wanted to see win it I'd say the Rockies, but of the four contenders they seem to be the one that's having the most trouble breaking through. I also kind of like the Padres, so I'd have no problem if they won it. Neither team has ever won the World Series, so there's not much to hate about them.

While I'm not actively rooting against the Diamondbacks, they don't particularly excite me. I haven't found myself rooting against the Dodgers either, but they seem to have the most to root against. Big market, six World Series titles, fans that leave the games early...yeah, I guess if I'm rooting against anyone in this division it's the Dodgers. Still, it's hard to hate them completely when you have a father who grew up rooting for them on the side.

National League Central:

I'm a Cubs fan. Take a wild guess who I'm pulling for. Is this finally "next year" for the Cubs? We can always hope, but the Cubs have to make the Playoffs first. It's a shame that the they're contending in a year where the team they're battling for first is the Brewers. After all, Brewers fans haven't had much to cheer about in recent times. It's not that I hate our friends up in Milwaukee, it's just that they're blocking my team's path to the Playoffs. If the Cubs can overtake them for first I hope the Brewers win the Wild Card. I could even live with it if they won the division and the Cubs won the Wild Card, but it's cooler to say your team is the division champion.

The team I'm rooting against is none other than that bunch who won the World Series last year. While the Cardinals admittedly look horrible this year, teams that you count out can come back to bite you. While I'm not too worried about the old Redbirds I still root for them to lose every game...just in case.

National League East:

One of my favorite teams in this division has always been the Phillies. Of the 30 Major League teams they're one of seven that hasn't made the postseason since the switch to the three-division format. They're right in the thick of things, so hopefully this year we'll be able to cross their name off that list.

There are two other contenders in this division, and they're known as the Braves and Mets. I've hated the Braves ever since they won the 1995 World Series, and the Mets I hate just because they're from New York. While I don't hate either of these teams as much as say, the Yankees, I can't really root for either one in good conscience. The truth is though, that these two teams currently look like the ones to beat in the National League. If Philly's going to pull it off it'll be an uphill battle.

To sum up, my ideal Playoffs look like this:

National League:

West: Colorado
Central: Chicago
East: Philadelphia
Wild Card: Milwaukee

American League:

West: Seattle
Central: Detroit
East: Boston
Wild Card: Cleveland

I know that they likely won't look this way (especially the NL), but what's a pennant race without something to hope for?

My nightmare Playoffs look something like this:

National League:

West: Los Angeles
Central: St. Louis
East: New York
Wild Card: Atlanta

American League:

West: Los Angeles
Central: Minnesota
East: New York
Wild Card: Boston

It's almost scary how much more realistic my nightmare scenario looks, but that's just life when you root for the underdog.

Anyway, that's what I'm hoping for. How about you?

I love the middle of summer. The weather is warm, the days are longer and best of all, baseball season is in full swing. While the World Series is usually an exciting climax, it doesn't take long for me to start anticipating the beginning of the next season during those winter months. I simply love the game of baseball. No matter what's going on with MLB the game itself always has a place in my heart.

This time of year is a great one for me. I can turn on the TV just about any day and find a ballgame on some channel. Even when I don't claim teams as my own I usually enjoy watching them. Here in Virginia I can see most Orioles and Nationals games on the local channels, Braves games on TBS, and best of all, Cubs and White Sox games on WGN. Heck, you could even include every other Yankees and Red Sox game on ESPN. It's nice being a cable subscriber. Simply put, this is my time of year. Baseball is on top, and there aren't any other sports to distract me from it (unless you count those minor and non-team sports that I don't follow).

Unfortunately, I seem to be alone in feeling this way. Everywhere I go I hear people counting down the months until football season begins. I'm a football fan too, but the pennant races are a lot more exciting to me than speculating about something that's a month off. I must've been born in the wrong era. Back in the old days baseball was the National Pastime and the "boys of summer" were a highlight of our country's most cherished season. Now it seems that fall and winter is the time of year when sports fever is at its peak, because football has replaced baseball as our country's favorite sport. It's not as much fun being passionate about a game when there's no one to share it with.

Even if I'm the only one, I love this time of year. I love October too, since the postseason is what all the teams are playing for, but July and August are when the real contenders in baseball start emerging and there are still plenty of games to look forward to. The baseball season is a six-month epic, and it's also sports' ultimate journey that makes the final destination rewarding. Hope is still there for some teams that eventually won't make it, and the uncertainty is still there to make it exciting for the teams that eventually will. Maybe it takes a special type of person to appreciate it fully, but I can't help but love it.

I know that when we reach the second half of September I'll probably be eagerly anticipating the postseason. I'll probably be dying for the final game of the season to get here so I can concentrate on the Playoffs. At that point the games are the most exciting, because there's far less margin for error. One thing I'm learning more and more as I get older though, is that you need to appreciate the present. Any given moment in time is unique, and you'll never get it back once it's past. While it's easy to dismiss this time of year as one where nothing much is happening in sports, it's also one I know I'll miss in a few months. If other people want to wait for football they can do so. I'll be loving every minute of this summer.