major league baseball

Detroit's Justin Verlander has won the American League Most Valuable Player Award. Verlander, who won the Cy Young award last week, is the first starting pitcher to win the award since Roger Clemens did it with the Red Sox 25 years ago. Verlander received 13 first place votes to outdistance Boston's Jacolby Ellsbury, Toronto's Jose Bautista and the Yankees' Curtis Granderson...

Now, will he also be the MVP?

After earning a split with a dramatic ninth-inning rally in game two of the World Series, the Texas Rangers are now at home at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington for the next three games. A pair of righthanders with almost identical records will square off in game three...

Perhaps the darkest day ever for one of professional sports most respected franchises.

The recently completed Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft is an opportunity for franchises to stockpile talent for the future. But for smaller market franchises like the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Kansas City Royals, who rarely sign big-money free agents, it's even more important.

The Oakland Athletics, mired in an eight game losing streak, have fired manager Bob Geren. Former Arizona Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin has been named interim skipper.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are not for sale. Not yet, anyway. But if they do go on the block, count former Dodgers Orel Hershiser and Steve Garvey as two that might be interested. According to ESPN.com, Garvey and Hershiser are forming an exploratory ownership group...

His star catcher is done for the season, and San Francisco Giants General Manager Brian Sabean is still hot under the collar. Back on May 25, Giants catcher Buster Posey was lost for the season after a home plate collision with Florida Marlins' Scott Cousins.

A lot of people are proponents of Interleague play, in Major League Baseball. Others, like Terence Moore, of mlb.com, argue that Interleague play has ruined the mystique of the National and American Leagues. View Moore's column, courtesy of mlb.com, below.

One of baseball's most storied franchises has been taken over by Major League Baseball. Commissioner Bud Selig yesterday told Los Angeles Dodgers' owner Frank McCourt that he is appointing a trustee that will oversee the day-to-day operations of the club...

ESPN is televising three games as Major League Baseball opens the 2011 season this Thursday. At noon, the Detroit Tigers visit the New York Yankees (Justin Verlander vs. C. C. Sabathia.)

Barry Bonds' perjury trial resumes today and Jason and Jeremy Giambi are scheduled to testify. Meanwhile, more details concerning Kimberley Bell's testimony is coming to light and the judge in the case is pondering whether to allow testimony concerning Bonds' testicles.

Kimberley Bell, the former mistress of Barry Bonds, testified at Bonds' perjury trial today, saying that Bonds blamed steroid use on a 1999 elbow injury.

Opening arguments scheduled for today