Pedro Alvarez to join the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday in Chicago

Top prospect third baseman Pedro Alvarez will join the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night when they play in Chicago. The Pirates made the decision to recall Alvarez from Triple-A Indianapolis after suffering their ninth straight loss. The 23-year old Alvarez is a graduate of the prestigious Horace Mann School in the Bronx. He was the second overall pick in the 2008 draft out of Vanderbilt University.

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Book Review: Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend

Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend
James S. Hirsch
Scribner, 2010
640 pp.

Epic. The word describes both the career of Willie Mays and the new book penned by James Hirsch chronicling his life, "Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend". Clocking in at over 600 pages, it would be trite to call it in-depth. Hirsch reveals how the legend of Mays developed from his humble beginnings in Alabama playing in the segregated Negro Leagues to becoming the grand regality of Baseball's Hall of Fame.

While Mays' career has been well chronicled and documented, a few things are evident from Hirsch's work. A yeoman's job was done in researching this book. Countless interviews with teammates, friends and family as well as citations from newspapers both national and regional propel the story farther than Mays' lofty accomplishments on the baseball field.

What also becomes apparent as you get familiar with Mays, that while having no biological children of his own, he held a lifelong appreciation for the innocence of childhood. Mays was never too busy to make an appearance to speak and visit with the legions of kids that idolized his play. From playing stick ball with the Harlem locals and taking them for ice cream to making countless appearances at children's hospitals, Willie would literally give the shirt off of his back for a child in need.

While Mays has been distant and guarded in public during recent times, Hirsch allows baseball fans to get to know Mays through this insightful look into his life and career. While it might take you the entire summer to finish reading “The Life, The Legend”, it will give you enough time to digest the totality of the enigma that is Willie Mays just in time for the pennant races.

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George Washington's Mike Antonio is their highest draft pick since Manny Ramirez

With the 86th selection in the 2010 MLB draft, the Kansas City Royals selected George Washington High School shortstop Mike Antonio, making him the highest pick since Manny Ramirez was drafted 13th overall in 1991. To read more about Antonio and see video of him playing, click here.

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Boxing returns to Yankee Stadium with Foreman and Cotto bout

Last night marked the first boxing match at the new Yankee Stadium, and the last time since the 1976 fight between Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton that Yankee Stadium hosted a boxing event. Click here to read the recap and see photos of the light middleweight title match between Yuri Foreman and Miguel Cotto.

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Ken Griffey Jr. announces his retirement

ESPN.com reports that Ken Griffey Jr. announced his retirement Wednesday night. The 40-year-old Griffey Jr. was batting .184 with zero homeruns and seven RBI's in 33 games for the Mariners this season. He played 22 seasons with the Mariners, White Sox and Reds, retiring with 630 homeruns, which puts him fifth all-time. Griffey is also only a handful of players to play in three different decades, debuting in 1989 and retiring this year.

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