american league baseball

It happened. Finally. The Blue Jays' B.J. Ryan blew a save.But with the New York Yankees set to run out Joba Chamberlain against Toronto in his first major-league start Tuesday night, and with the Blue Jays' 20-10 record in May good enough for the team to gain all of one game in the standings, it seems like a good time for some perspective about Ryan.

If the Boston Red Sox have any designs on winning on the road this season, maybe they should first concentrate on hitting on the road. Either way, they haven't been doing much of either of late.

The Minnesota Twins continue to surprise, having won four of their first five games on this road trip to Detroit and Kansas City. The players, including first baseman Justin Morneau, say the team will prove they are better than the media rank them.

Dear Hiroshi Yamauchi:Your beloved Seattle Mariners franchise, recently seen as a model for how it's possible to salvage silver and gold from a scrap heap, has become an embarrassment.

The novelty of a no-hitter creates only momentary fame. And it carries no guarantees.But Boston Red Sox left-hander Jon Lester's no-hitter against Kansas City on Monday carries added significance. Lester, 24, is a cancer survivor who, only two years ago, underwent treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

With Jack Cust, it always seems like he's one hyper-crank, spin-out-of-your-shoes swing-and-miss from being shipped out to Ottawa, Yokohama or parts unknown.You might think the man earned a tiny measure of big-league job security with last season's bust-out performance, when he emerged from the bushes to lead the Oakland A's in all the key power and on-base stats.

Baseball's best story line is being written in a decidedly nontraditional market.It warms the heart to see how the plucky Tampa Bay Rays, who dropped "Devil" from their moniker this winter, are doing it -- with an intriguing roster mix, a nucleus of homegrown talent and a bargain basement payroll. In short, with a devil-may-care attitude.

The NBA is transitioning to a new, dramatically younger A-list, led by Chris Paul, Dwight Howard and LeBron James. So is the NHL, with Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. Even the San Antonio Spurs aren't really old -- just their deeds are.

The Yankees' Joba Chamberlain struck out Cleveland's David Dellucci, pumped his fist and let out a whoop.The Nationals' Elijah Dukes, feeling his Washingtons needed an emotional boost in the third inning, began rhythmic clapping in the dugout, and his teammates followed suit.

Jon Lester on Monday night accomplished a feat that eluded such Hall of Famers as Lefty Grove, Whitey Ford, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Early Winn, Dizzy Dean and Robin Roberts. The young Boston Red Sox left-hander took the mound in big-league baseball's oldest park and added a new chapter to his burgeoning legacy. He threw a no-hitter.