Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.
You Oughta Know ... That you can add the Marlins to the list of fringe contenders fading away with three weeks to go in the season.
Florida wasted an opportunity to gain on wild-card leading Colorado, which lost in San Francisco, in an 11-6 loss to the Cardinals. The Marlins fell behind 4-0 in the first, but managed to take a 6-4 lead by the fourth inning, only to squander that lead in large part due to Ricky Nolasco's five-inning, seven-run outing.
Poor starting pitching has been a big reason why Florida hasn't been able to make a run.
NEW YORK -- The quote of the day on the Rays' lineup card Tuesday, as picked by manager Joe Maddon, was from 19th century biologist Thomas Huxley:
"The only medicine for suffering, crime and all the other woes of mankind, is wisdom."
Huxley was an early proponent of Darwin's theory of evolution, and 150 years later, Tampa Bay can also vouch for survival of the fittest in the AL East.
Since the Rays' playoff chances are virtually extinct.
Less than 51 weeks ago, Tampa Bay clinched its first-ever postseason trip, on the way to a pennant and a trip to the World Series.
Now the Rays are doing little more than playing out the string.
Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.
You Oughta Know ... That the Rays left their magic in 2008.
Fading Tampa Bay wasted a dazzling major league debut by Wade Davis, who allowed one run and struck out nine over seven innings, in a crushing 5-3 loss to the Tigers.
Davis' pitching helped the Rays carry a 3-1 lead into the ninth inning, but then the bullpen came unraveled. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon used five relievers in the ninth, three of whom -- Grant Balfour, J.P. Howell and Russ Springer -- failed to record an out in succession.
Tampa Bay Rays mananger Joe Maddon is still wearing those eyeglasses that make him look like Lizzie McGwuire's mom, but he has made an important change by dying his silver hair black. The change was made in preparation for a themed road trip, and because he totally hates his Mom. The story is being reported by MLB.com, ESPN, and the Associated Press because it is... news? Dusty Baker buys a sweatshirt, news at eleven!
Anyway, Maddon's hair is now as black as Tampa's chances to win the AL East and it becomes my job to report this in a way that does not involve any charming, Entertainment Weekly-quality human interest wordplay.
Joe Maddon is in favor of the change at the top of the Rays on-field leadership (d'oh!) in tonight's Dugout, after the jump.
ST. LOUIS – With organizations re-realizing the value of defense, it was appropriate that the MVP of Tuesday's All-Star Game was picked because of his play in the field.
Carl Crawford was awarded the Arch Ward Trophy for his leaping grab in the seventh inning, robbing Brad Hawpe of what would have been a tie-breaking homer to left.
"I don't think I've ever robbed a home run before," Crawford said, "so I picked a good time to do it tonight. It's definitely probably my best catch I've ever made."
"It's tough when you are facing closer after closer or No. 1 starter after No. 1 starter," NL third baseman David Wright said, "and everyone coming in for one ininng. We were fortunate to get that one inning we plated a couple. Then we're facing closer after closer and No. 1 after No. 1."
ST. LOUIS – In past All-Star Games, Roy Halladay would look around the clubhouse and wonder if he really belonged.
It's that same reluctance to be the center of attention that has made the past week so difficult.
Halladay, officially named the American League starter Monday, described it as a "coin flip" as to whether he'd still be with the Blue Jays after the July 31 trade deadline.
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
Before David Price took the mound Thursday, he said he was looking to rediscover his missing edge. "I just haven't had that edge, haven't had that mentality when I was out there," said Price. "I have to get back to the same way I was last year, the same way that got me to this point..."
For one night, at least, the 23-year-old lefty found what he was looking for.
MLB Power Rankings:Where MLB FanHouse's editors, writers and bloggers team up to break down the who's who and the what's what in the baseball world.
Well, I'll tell you one thing: baseball ain't boring, folks. At least if you're in the middle class anyway; the upper crust is (somewhat) starting to establish itself across MLB's ranks and the bottom portion of the league is certainly holding steady. But in the middle, well, goodness. We have a lot of would-be title contenders. How's your semi-crappy team faring in the all-important MLB FanHouse Power Rankings this week? Find out after the jump.
Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.
NEW YORK -- The quote of the day on the 
Starting Five
Tampa Bay Rays mananger 
ST. LOUIS – With organizations re-realizing the value of defense, it was appropriate that the MVP of Tuesday's 
ST. LOUIS -- American League pitchers didn't just retire 18 straight batters in one stretch Tuesday.
ST. LOUIS – In past All-Star Games, 
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
