Articles written by James Lincoln Ray

The Phillies' 2011 pitching rotation of Halladay, Lee, Hamels and Oswalt is imposing, but even four aces doesn't guarantee a World Series championship.

Feb 2, 2011 - James Lincoln Ray

Roy Halladay and Dallas Braden are just the two most recent pitchers to accomplish perfection on the mound.

Jun 2, 2010 - James Lincoln Ray

By integrating Major Leage Baseball in 1947, Jackie Robinson forever changed a sport and a nation.

Apr 10, 2010 - James Lincoln Ray

Hoping to increase offense, the major leagues introduced a new, very tightly wound "live" baseball in 1930. Hitters loved the new ball. Pitchers loathed it.

Mar 31, 2010 - James Lincoln Ray

The Phillies trade of Cliff Lee to the Mariners for three minor leaguers will be a winner if one of these prospects becomes a major league star.

Feb 5, 2010 - James Lincoln Ray

Dogged by gambling scandals, corruption and growing dissatisfaction among its fan base, MLB owners decided to appoint a single Commissioner to heal the game's ills.

Jan 13, 2010 - James Lincoln Ray

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Albert Pujols, Tim Lincecum and the Phillies had continued success in 2009, while the Yankees made it back to the top

Jan 3, 2010 - James Lincoln Ray

Oliver Wendell Homes held that Congress could regulate speech that created a clear and present danger to cause the substantive evils that it has a right to prevent.

Nov 11, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

N.Y. won 103 games this year and then roared to their 27th title. Now, management must make tough personnel decisions if they want to create a new Dynasty in the Bronx.

Nov 10, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

The Yankees have always been associated with Republicans, but the team has a much better track record when there is a Democrat in the White House.

Nov 8, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Bobby Abreu couldn't find a job last winter, but a strong season in 2009 landed him a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels.

Nov 7, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Can the Phillies be the sixth team to come back from facing elimination and win the World Series?

Nov 3, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Maybe it was starting A.J. Burnett on short rest. Maybe it was just the Phillies incredible determination. Either way, the World Series is going back to Yankee Stadium.

Nov 3, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Both teams can hit the cover off the ball, but which team has the better offense?

Oct 27, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

The 1950 Philadelphia Phillies, whose youth and enthusiasm earned them the nickname the "Whiz Kids," were the surprise team of the season.

Oct 25, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

The Red Sox appear to be on the way down after an embarrassing loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

Oct 12, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

With the help of future Hall of Fame pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander, St. Louis won its first World Series title against one of the deadliest offenses in baseball.

Oct 10, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

After four straight years in the postseason doghouse, Alex Rodriguez has opened up the 2009 ALDS with a bang.

Oct 10, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Here are the top five Cy Young contenders, and a few more who have an outside shot at the award.

Sep 20, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Perhaps rattled by repeated steroid scandals, the Red Sox drop four straight games at Yankee Stadium for the first time in more than 20 years.

Aug 10, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Only twenty-four pitchers in major league history have won at least 300 games. Here is a brief history of the 300-win club, from Pud Galvin to the Big Unit.

Jun 9, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

One of the game's greatest pitchers joins the craft's most elite club.

Jun 5, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Formed by a local tavern owner and a future mayor of Boston, the Royal Rooters were a club of insane Red Sox fans who often directly impacted the outcome of Boston games.

May 30, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

The Yankees two highly paid free agent acquisitions are finally playing well in New York.

May 20, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Jose Canseco's 2005 book made some startling allegations about steroid use in baseball. Many of them have been proven to be true.

May 13, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

London is home to some of the most historic, most storied, and in some cases, the most raucous taverns in all of Europe.

Apr 8, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Stop listening to the negative baseball media and focus on some of the good things in baseball today.

Apr 7, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

In the past 50 years, Major League Baseball has added 14 new teams and drastically revised it's structure and standings.

Apr 7, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

No National League team has won back to back World Series since the Big Red Machine did it in 1975 and 1976. Can the Phillies do it?

Apr 7, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

The outfield is the best and deepest source for great fantasy baseball players.

Apr 7, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Gary Sheffield, arguably a future Hall of Famer, was cut by the Detroit Tigers on March 31st. Now he's a New York Met who's looking for a position and his 500th home run.

Apr 5, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Chase Utley of the Phillies is healthy and poised to put up some serious fantasy numbers. Take him first among second basemen.

Mar 26, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

The First Base position is the strongest and deepest in the fantasy baseball world. Here are the top 20 at the best position.

Mar 11, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Finally, a book that debunks the silly notion that the Red Sox long championship drought had anything to do with Babe Ruth.

Mar 8, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Get ready for your 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft with this cheat sheet of the 50 best players.

Mar 5, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

How did anonymous, confidential steroid test results of 104 MLB players end up in the hands of one IRS agent? Well, he stole them.

Feb 8, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Crafty pitchers have been 'doctoring up' baseballs for more than a century. It's all just part of the game.

Feb 1, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Here is a brief synpopsis of the Hall of Fame career of one of the game's greatest pitchers.

Jan 19, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Dizzy Dean's brief but brilliant career landed him in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.

Jan 16, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

The Baseball Writers Association of America voted Rickey Henderson, on his first ballot, and Jim Rice, on his final one, into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Jan 12, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

Rickey Henderson's long and storied career should earn him a ticket to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Jan 7, 2009 - James Lincoln Ray

The Yankees have already landed the two biggest free agent pitchers in baseball. Now, they are setting their sights on the game's most dangerous hitter.

Dec 19, 2008 - James Lincoln Ray

Five starting pitchers have inked deals worth more than $100 million. A few have not been worth the money. Here is a rundown of pitchers with eight figure deals.

Dec 13, 2008 - James Lincoln Ray

The New York Yankees, who struggled just to find healthy starters to put on the mound last year, are ready to sign one of the game's very best hurlers.

Dec 10, 2008 - James Lincoln Ray

Hitting .400 is indeed a rarity. Only eight players have done so since the dawn of baseball's modern era, which began in 1901 with the birth of the American League.

Nov 13, 2008 - James Lincoln Ray

The 2008 Philadelphia Phillies broke a championship drought that has lasted for 100 seasons in the City of Brotherly Love.

Nov 2, 2008 - James Lincoln Ray

You'd think the Boston Red Sox, a team with a $135 million payroll, could beat the Tampa Bay Rays, a team with a $43 million payroll. They couldn't.

Oct 21, 2008 - James Lincoln Ray

The Philadelphia Phillies franchise was established in 1883, but didn't win a National League pennant until 1915. It took another 65 years to win the World Series.

Oct 19, 2008 - James Lincoln Ray

The "Whiz Kids" were an exciting, energetic, youthful club that captured the hearts of Philadelphia baseball fans like no team before -- or perhaps since.

Oct 13, 2008 - James Lincoln Ray

The current favorites to meet in the 2008 World Series first hooked up in the fall classic almost 100 years ago.

Oct 11, 2008 - James Lincoln Ray