Mike McCann's Field of Fotos

A couple of earlier-this-season images from Citi Field: (Above) Mets rookie outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis chatting with manager Terry Collins behind the batting cage. (Below) Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman going over the fine points of his swing with teammate Matt Diaz.

One of baseball's most promising young hitters, Jesus Montero watches his Mariners teammate Ichiro Suzuki, who holds the record for most hits over his first 10 U.S. seasons. With Ichiro approaching his 39th birthday, will Montero soon grab the baton as the most feared batter in the Seattle lineup?

Fascinating article in today's Philadelphia Inquirer about the Phillies Triple-A center fielder Rich Thompson and what continues to fuel his baseball dreams. Drafted 12 years ago, he played just six games in the majors, coming to bat only once, during a brief 2004 call-up by the Royals. I caught the hustling Thompson in a May 2010 game at Lehigh Valley.

He's one of baseball's true icons -- one of its greatest catchers ever, most recognizable faces, and sports one of its most unique nicknames. May 12th is the birthday of Yogi Berra. Former teammates love seeing him at the annual Old Timers Game at Yankee Stadium. (Above), Mel Stottlemyre, who was the rookie pitching star on the pennant-winning '64 Yankees, managed by Berra. (Below) next to Whitey Ford, who threw so many clutch pitches that Yogi caught during the '50s and early-'60s. When these two teammates stand on the field at Old Timers Day, we're transported across the street when numbers 8 and 16 were cornerstones of the dynasty that formed the first baseball memories for many of us baby-boomers.

Shea Stadium's pigeon population apparently has settled in at Citi Field. Sunday, roughly a dozen of them were camped up under the overhang (isn't that the Pepsi Porch?) above the right field seats. No sign of Rod Taylor or Tippi Hedren yet.

How many times have you been to a game and thought a runner was safe (or out) when the umpire ruled it the other way? For all the jokes about umps having bad eyesight or slow reactions, they're spot-on the vast majority of the time. As we zoom in closer, the Diamondbacks John McDonald gets his foot on the base before the throw arrives. Have you ever wondered why no one ever describes the play as "safe by six feet?" That's how far the ball was from Mets 1st baseman Ike Davis when McDonald arrived.

Take a close look at the grip: that's R.A. Dickey keeping the Diamondbacks off-stride on a steady diet of knuckleballs. The Mets starter carried a two-hit shutout through eight innings. Dickey's  fluttering pitches caused a bounty of foul balls, and plenty of swings-and-misses. Or, in the case of Justin Upton (below), indecision as to whether or not to swing, Where's it going? Under the hands... Unhittable! With the retirement of the Red Sox' Tim Wakefield, Dickey now keeps the flame for generations of knuckleballers who've found success with baseball's most unusual pitch.

This is a day the Yankees and their fans could never completely prepare for: the post-Mariano Rivera era. Going after a fly ball in yesterday's pregame practice, Rivera stumbled on the warning track and fell awkwardly. An MRI revealed a torn ACL and meniscus, a serious knee injury that ends the season of the Greatest Closer of All Time. The spontaneity of sports is part of its appeal -- day to day, you never know what will happen. But this stunning news was as unexpected as any you'll hear. This sudden injury comes just seven-and-a-half months after he set the major league record for career saves. (Below, the historic pitch against the Twins for #602.) While long-ago Yankee Tommy Henrich was nicknamed "Old Reliable," Mariano has personified it. Has any player been as consistent as him over the past 15 years? In a game driven by statistics, Mo's are remarkable. Keep in mind, someone with a .333 average is considered a great hitter. A starting pitcher with a

It's always disappointing when one of the game's bright young stars gets hurt. And that's what we've learned about Evan Longoria, the Rays' terrific third baseman: a partially-torn hamstring will keep him out of action for up to two months. (These shots came from a July 2010 game at Yankee Stadium.) A playoff team three of the past four seasons, the Rays have a deep farm system -- but you don't just replace someone of Longoria's calibre in a snap.