Mike McCann's Field of Fotos

The Marlins are marking their 25th anniversary with this patch featuring their original fish logo backed in the team's inaugural team color, teal. That's first baseman Justin Bour sporting the patch on the team's current road uniform.

Yovanni Gallardo becomes only the third pitcher in major league history to win a 1-0 game, hit a homer and strike out 10 or more batters. He's the star of the game as his Milwaukee Brewers blank the Pirates 1-0 at Miller Park in Milwaukee. Gallardo matches the rare feat accomplished by Hall of Famers Red Ruffing for the Yankees against the Washington Senators, April 13, 1932, and Early Wynn for the White Sox against the Red Sox, May 1, 1959. ( This image of Gallardo is from 2015, when he pitched for Rangers. )

Giancarlo Stanton isn't the only Miami exile who has struggled since leaving South Florida. After emerging as a star with the Marlins, Marcell Ozuna found himself on the parade of moving vans last winter. His truck stopped in St. Louis, at Busch Stadium. Now playing alongside Tommy Pham and Dexter Fowler, Ozuna's slower-than-expected start -- including a 1-for-23 stretch -- left some Cardinal fans puzzled. With St. Louis on top of the NL Central, a few good games, like Friday's 3-for-5 performance, should help the newcomer bond with his new fan base. ( This image of Marcel Ozuna comes from the April 1st Mets/Cards game in New York .)

Already established as one of baseball's best catchers, Gary Sanchez checked off another career-first on Thursday. Batting in the bottom of the 9th with two men on and the Yankees down by two, Gary jumped on a Fernando Rodney pitch and planted it in the lower left-field seats. In a flash, "ballgame over, Yankees win." The first walk-off homer of his career. You tend to expect there will be many, many more. The Yanks end their homestand on a six-game winning streak. But now the competition gets tougher. After sweeping all four from the Twins -- who seem to revert to their downtrodden 1950s Minnesota Twins ancestry whenever they visit the Bronx -- the Yanks head for Anaheim and Houston with tough games on tap with the much-improved Angels and World Champion Astros. What better way to prepare then having one of your young stars rescue you after eight innings of listless offense? ( This image of Gary Sanchez is from the Yankees/Orioles game on April 5th .)

Generally, my Throwback posts spotlight memorabilia or other collectibes. But I'm bending the rule this week to share the cover of this year's Cardinals Media Guide. The photo was so impressive and the achievement so notable that I could not resist. It's Bob Gibson , dominating baseball in 1968 in what we remember as "The Year of the Pitcher." And maybe that was an understatement; maybe it was really "The Year of Bob Gibson." Unworldly stats -- 22 victories, 13 shutouts, 28 complete games (were there 28 CG's in the entire National League last year?) and a 1.12 ERA.  Cy Young Award and NL MVP. No matter which team you root for, take a moment and tip your cap to what Bob Gibson achieved 50 years ago.

The Yankees aren't the only AL East club infusing a contending team with exciting young talent. Several were on disaplay last weekend in the Bronx. Infielder Lourdes Gurriel Junior , 23 took a year to adjust in the minors after leaving Cuba. But after a couple of sizzling weeks with Double A New Hampshire where he hit .347, he was called to Toronto. Since then, he's impressed with his speed, defense and hitting prowess. And if you're wondering why his name is familiar, he's the younger brother of Astros 1st baseman Yuli Gurriel. Teoscar Hernandez took a slower path to success. Signing with the Astros organization in 2011 at age 18, he spent most of seven years in the minors. But he showed flashes in a September '17 recall -- and even more in his first 10 games this season. And there's more in the pipeline: Toronto's two top prospects, both the sons of longtime major leaguers, remain in New Hampshire -- for now. Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Juni...

Miguel Andujar has not just been the hottest Yankee over the last week. He's beginning to write his name in the team's prodigious record books. Last night, with a home run and double, he joined Joe DiMaggio (in 1937) and Mickey Mantle (1955) as the only Yankees under age 24 with extra base hits in seven consecutive games. To say the rookie 3rd baseman is on a tear might be an understatement. He's gone 15-for-29 with eight doubles, a triple and three homers over these seven games. These images, from Saturday's win over the Blue Jays, capture one of those doubles -- as it lands in the warning track. Keep in mind, Andujar started the season in the minors. Despite some impressive numbers, especially early in Grapefruit League play, the organization decided he needed more seasoning and named Brandon Drury the starter at 3rd base. But when Drury landed on the disabled list, Andujar arrived from Scranton -- and shows no sign of returing there.

Saturday, Aaron Judge's home run against the Blue Jays drove in Brett Gardner. I caught this unusual "high five" between the tallest Yankee and one of the shortest on their way back to the dugout. The Bronx Bombers won the game 9-1 and went to take three out of four this weekend.

April 22nd is chock full of Yankee history. Take a look at this photo of Masahiro Tanaka. I'll bet the first thing you notice are the pinstripes. And it was on this date in 1915, that the Yankees donned their signature pinstripes for the first time. And while they weren't quite the Yankees, New York's newly minted American League team played its first game on April 22nd, 1903. Jack Chesbro started for the Highlanders, while fellow future Hall of Famer Wee Willie Keeler walked in the 1st inning  and moments later, scored the very first run in club history. The Yankees lost to the Washington Senators 3-1. April 22nd, 1956: Don Larsen, who that October would pitch the only perfect game in World Series history, grabbed the headlines by hitting a grand slam in a 13-6 victory over the Red Sox. April 22nd, 1959: Whitey Ford pitched all 14 innings and struck out 15, as the Yanks blanked the Senators 1-0 in Washington. Moose Skowron homered in the top of the 14th for the gam...

Now in its second season, Atlanta's Sun Trust Park appears to be more fan friendly than its rather bland predecessor Turner Field. Thanks to my frequently travel partner Dennis, it's this website's first look at the newest stadium around the majors. Taking many of its architectural cues from ballparks in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Baltimore, this baseball-only park serves up views of the surrounding neighborhood. There are plenty of advertising opportunities and ways to celebrate team history. I especially liked the way that previous pennants and titles are honored on the right field light stands. There are plenty of restaurants -- the Delta Sky 360 Club gets Dennis' endorsement for a first rate food buffet, soda, beer and wine included with your ticket and one bonus I don't recall from eateries at other parks: your parking is rolled in. So it's dinner, beverages, parking and the a field box seat behind home plate. All, in his case for $130. A bargai...

...you share it with Donnie Baseball. Don Mattingly earned that nickname while starring for the Yankees during the 1980s. A hard-hitting and defensively superior 1st baseman. he might have been on a Cooperstown track. In 1987, he set a major league record with six grand slams and tied Dale Long's mark of homers in eight consecutive games. But back problems from 1990 on changed the course of his career and sapped his power. Though far from the player he'd been during his glory days, he starred in the only post-season series of his career, the 1995 ALDS between the Yankees and Mariners. After a few years away from the game, he coached under Joe Torre, and followed him to the Dodgers before succeeding him as the L.A. manager. Dropped by the Dodgers after three division titles but no trips to the World Series, Mattingly is now in his third season as the Marlins skipper -- a job made far more challenging by ownership's offseason teardown. Also getting their cake and candle...

I was actually looking for an image of Curtis Granderson in his Yankee days -- he became the first to have a three-home run in the current Stadium on this date in 2012 -- when I found this one of Yoenis Cespedes  in a pre-game interview. Then a rookie with the A's, he went on rock 23 home runs and hit just under .300 while finishing second for AL Rookie of the Year. He's come a long way since -- through Detroit and Boston, before dropping anchor with the Mets.

Tuesday at Citi Field, the Nationals were dressed for the occasion. Not your typical April conditions, with a the gametime temperature of 43. Decked out in some very special reds to go with their road grays, the Nats players modeled some face masks, skintight caps, knitted hats and hoodies that might find their way into the team's souvenir line as "perfect Christmas gifts."  Hardly anyone would expect to see this gear in the course of a game on April 17th. Hoodie-clad Bryce Harper tries to stay warm on the bench, while Matt Wieters caps his cap. Finally, 1st baseman Ryan Zimmerman is either ready for speedskating or perhaps a role in the next Spiderman movie. Sure, these images are fascinating, and in an odd way, fun. But baseball needs to get real. Winter in the midwest and northeast doesn't automatically end on opening day, whether that's April 10th or March 30th. And while this year's conditions are far from normal, you can't depend on m...

Top of the 2nd inning Monday night at Yankee Stadium. Already up for the second time in the game, Aaron Judge jumps on a Caleb Smith pitch... There... Is... No... Doubt. It soars toward the right field seats. Not only does Judge watch -- so do all the Marlins near the flight path. While it didn't quite land in The Judge's Chambers, the fans were happy to show their delight in the Yankees budding superstar. "All Rise" time, indeed! But what happened to the British style barrister wigs? Of course, there's also a post-blast high five from teammate Giancarlo Stanton. And it more was more than just another highlight reel clip for Judge. It was authentic history, as Aaron Judge reached 60 career home runs quicker than anyone in baseball history. It was his 197th game as he reached a number made famous by the Babe, who established the Yankees' slugging tradition. It was one of three hits on the night by Judge, who raised his batting average to .351. Wi...

Halfway through April, the Red Sox at 13 - 2 have the best record in the majors. Strong pitching, good defense and timely hitting have all factored in. And a little luck never hurts. In their Sunday win over the Orioles, J.D. Martinez was resonsible for the winning run. But it wasn't on a home run or booming extra base hit. Leading off 3rd base in the bottom of the 6th with the score tied at 1, Martinez raced home on a wild pitch from Baltimore's Dylan Bundy. That gave the Sox the lead for keeps in a game that ended 3 - 1 Boston. ( This image of Martinez is from the Red Sox/Twins exhibition game on March 7th. )

From June 2016, Victor Martinez of the Tigers is stylishly prepared for afternoon ball at Yankee Stadium.

It's been 62 seasons since a Yankee did what Aaron Hicks accomplished on Friday night against the Tigers. That was the season of Don Larsen's perfect game and Mickey Mantle's triple crown. While Hicks didn't match those legendary feats, he certainly reached into the rarities rack. Who else played for those '56 Yankees... Yogi (Berra), Whitey (Ford), Moose (Skowron), Ellie (Howard), Scooter (Rizzuto).... but none of them are involved in this story. With a second-inning inside-the-park homer and a 6th bomb into the right field bleachers, Aaron Hicks became the first Yankee since Hank Bauer to have such a combination in the same game. It might be easier to hit the lottery!

Cardinals 1st baseman Jose Martinez -- one of baseball's rare late bloomers -- had four hits, including a home run and six RBIs, in a 13 - 4 demolition of the Reds. Below, Twins 1st baseman Joe Maurer -- now in his 15th season -- reached 2000 career hits, driving in a pair of runs on a 7th inning single in Minnesota's win over the White Sox. He joins Twins legends -- and Cooperstown inductees -- Kirby Puckett and Rod Carew in that select circle. The image of Martinez is from the Cardinals/Mets game on April 1st; I saw Mauer in the Twins/Red Sox exhibition on March 7th.

...since Zack Wheeler pitched with such dominance. The Mets righthander, who missed two seasons following Tommy John surgery and was frustratingly ineffective in 2017, ruled Marlins Park last night. His seven innings of one-run two-hit ball, with seven strikeouts, set the table for the Amazins' 4 - 1 win over the hapless Marlins. And keep in mind, this was a night when Miami got a terrific pitching effort: rookie lefthander Jarlin Garcia didn't allow a hit over the first six innings. But in an effort not to overtax his arm, Marlins manager Don Mattingly lifted Garcia before the 7th. And the talent-challenged Miami bullpen couldn't finish the no-no, the shutout or victory. The Mets rallied tied things in the 7th, on a Todd Frazier's single off reliever Drew Steckenrider; Adrian Gonzalez gave New York the lead for keeps on a two-RBI hit an inning later. Bottom line: the Mets came from behind for the sixth time in 11 games, won their eighth straight game and raised th...

L.J. Mazzilli sports a famous family name. His dad Lee was the most popular Met during the organization's lean years  of the late '70s and then returned just in time to serve as a key bench player on the 1986 World Champs. In between, Lee played for several other teams, including a short stint with the Yankees. A third round draft pick in 2013, L.J. has yet to make the majors. After starting the season at Triple A Las Vegas, the Mets apparently no longer considered him a prospect. Perhaps the Yankees do. Tuesday, the two New York teams swung a minor deal, with the younger Mazzilli going to the Yankee organization for minor league outfielder Kendall Coleman . While the odds aren't great for L.J. to have a big major league career, thanks to the trade, he and his dad have already accomplished something interesting. They're apparently the first father and son to play in both the Yankee and Mets organizations. I can't think of any other family who checked off all...

Nick Williams -- seen here in a spring training game against the Orioles -- was the difference maker in the Phillies 6-5 Monday night win over the Reds. Sitting on the bench near a heater (as he told the post-game TV interview) through 7-1/2 frigid innings, he got the call from manager Gabe Kapler to pinch hit for reliever Luis Garcia. With a 3-1 count, Williams got a Kevin Quackenbush pitch he liked and CRUSHED it. A no-doubt-about-it 417 foot blast that landed in the center field bullpen to give the Phils the lead for keeps. It was a night for power and up-and-coming stars. Williams' homer was the Phils' third of the game, with the club's two top homegrown players Rhys Hoskins and Scott Kingery supplying the others. A nice rebound for Williams, who's one of several Phillies who seem to be perpetually auditioning for a job. A few days after making the wrong kind of headlines with his criticism of Kapler and GM Matt Klentak's reliance on analytics, Williams...

Mashing up motoring and marketing, I could not resist these specially detailed Toyotas on display. Each honors one of New York ballclubs. The Higlander in Mets orange, blue and white features Mister Met, the team name in script, their NY. The Yankees' Camry sports a painting of Yankee Stadium, the top hat logo, the Yanks interlocking NY and a generous share of pinstripes. Does your nearby Auto Show (Chicago, L.A. and Detroit) offer similarly customized vehicles?

Replacing an injured Lenny Dykstra, Ruben Amaro Junior goes three for four, including a home run, scores three runs and drives in three in the Phillies' 11 - 3 win over the Cubs at Veteran Stadium. That round tripper came in the 7th inning, when three Phils smacked round trippers: the others were by Wes Chamberlain. Amaro became a valuable fourth outfielder for the club the next few seasons -- including the 1993 pennant winners. The Stanford grad moved into the front office and succeeded Pat Gillick as the Phillies general manager -- before being fired in 2016. He's since moved onto the Red Sox and now the Mets as 1st base coach. The same day, Paul Sorrento of the Indians hit the first home run in Camden Yards history (off Orioles pitcher Bob Milacki). A year later (1993), Carlos Baerga became the first Indians player to hit home runs from both sides of the plate in the same inning! It was part of a nine-run eruption, as Cleveland crushed the Yankees 15 - 5. (The rig...

My first visit to Yankee Stadium this season was under conditions more fitting outdoor hockey. Thursday, with sunset approaching and the temperature sliding toward 40, the Yankees hosted the Orioles. And the players found various ways to cope with the cold. Orioles 3rd baseman Tim Beckham chose a mask, as did Yankee 2nd baseman Tyler Wade From the "just in case" file, Yankees 3rd baseman Miguel Andujar had the hoodie ready. But clearly, some folks tolerate the cold better than others. No sweater, heck, no sleeves for Yankee center fielder Brett Gardner. By the next homestand, let's hope we finally have some baseball weather here in the northeast!

There's been too much discussion about whether Giancarlo Stanton would be able to play left field at Yankee Stadium. He didn't have trouble Thursday night, when he raced to the wall to pull in a long drive by the Orioles' Anthony Santander. Not quote an "ice cream cone" image, but you can see the white of the ball peeking out of Stanton's glove. Job well done. It's easy to be an instant critic, but there's no reason to believe the athletically-gifted Stanton won't be able to learn left field in Yankee Stadium -- or any other park.

Matt Harvey turned in a very effective five innings Tuesday night. More efficient than spectacular, he kept the Phillies off the board -- while his opponent Ben Lively quieted the Mets bats. But it was a good and important first step for 2018. After his career was derailed by injuries, Harvey returned to health last season, but not top form. Beginning his "walk" year, this is put-up-or-shut-up time for the Connecticut native once hyped as The Dark Knight. The gimmicky nickname has been set aside for now. And his role is different. Harvey doesn't have to do all the heavy lifting -- co-aces Noah Syndergaard and Jacob de Grom form a brilliant tandem at the top of the rotation. If the Mets get more nights like Tuesday from Harvey, they'll take a big step toward contending -- and Harvey can then think about where he might land as a 2019 free agent. ( This image of Harvey is from the Mets/Yankees exhibition game on March 10th .)

Delayed a day, the Yankees home opener marked Giancarlo Stanton's first home game in pinstripes. But he didn't steal the show; the Miami exile struck out a cringe-worthy five times. All star catcher Gary Sanchez also went hitless. Aaron Judge had a nice day, but nothing to grab the tabloid backpages (two hits and two walks). So who stole the show -- in historic fashion? Bestowed a noble title by his native Curacao, Sir Didi Gregorius had a home opener for the ages. A pair of three run homers, plus a double and a two-RBI single. Add that up: eight runs driven in -- the most productive home opener for any Yankee batter ever. Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Berra, Mantle... You know the names. All beloved, all retired and displayed in Monument Park -- yet none of the legends did what Didi did Tuesday afternoon. Those eight RBIs were the most by a Yankee in 13 years -- Alex Rodriguez drove in 10 on April 26th, 2005, against the Angels. And the most in a game by any Yankee shortstop. ...

Wilmer Flores working that Dubble Bubble during Sunday's Mets/Cardinals game at Citi Field. With MLB officials working to reduce and elminate the use of chewing tobacco on the field, we'll see more of this moving forward. It's one change we can all be in favor of.