The key for Vasil is his continued success with his 94 mph sinker that produced a 51.4% ground-ball rate, which plays well in hitter-friendly Rate Field and compensates for his 19.4% strikeout rate.

The AL as a whole feels open. I see only five clearly better teams: the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Tigers, and Mariners. That puts the Royals somewhere near 50% to make the playoffs — and I’m ready ...

Here is a look at the first player the Phillies selected in every Draft (specifically, the Rule 4 Draft -- typically in June) ...

It's awfully hard to win a World Series without pitching, but this year it figures to be even more important than ever.