Washington Nationals

Great news for fans of Chicago hockey. The annual NHL Winter Classic, played outdoors in a converted MLB stadium on New Year's Day, will feature the Chicago Blackhawks and the Washington Capitals at National's Park, home of the Washington Nationals. What a way to start the new year!

With the regular season for baseball now over and the playoffs underway, I thought it would be a good time to review the picks I made back in March when the 2014 Major League Baseball season opened. Here is what I wrote back on March 28.

Major League baseball is underway with its post season play so I thought this would be a good time for me to take a look at how my pre-season picks went for this baseball year and pick the World Series winner.

On August 19th St. Louis Cardinal broadcaster legend Mike Shannon had heart valve replacement surgery in St. Louis and the hope was he could return to the broadcast booth before the end of the season.  Well, that hope will become a reality as Shannon will be behind the microphone tonight just 36 days after his surgery.

It hasn't really felt that much like the dog days of summer as far as heat is concerned... not that anyone is complaining... but the dog days of the major league baseball season are well underway.

With the All-Star game behind us it is on to the second half of the Major League Baseball season.  It makes a good time to look back at my picks at the beginning of the season and see just where I am with my selections.

So we are down to only 8 teams left in the fight for a World Series title and all eight are in action today starting with the St. Louis Cardinals playing game 3 in Washington against the Nationals. The first pitch is set for 12:07 CT this afternoon. If you are planning on plopping into your EZ chair to watch the game you had best have the Major League Baseball Network as part of your TV package.