Gillick's name popping up in Mariners' rumored future
It appears that Microsoft executive and current Mariners minority owner Chris Larson wants a bigger piece of the pie in Seattle. But a more interesting rumor involves the return of Pat Gillick to the struggling franchise, Scott Miller says. 

Mishandled Mariners stumbling through nightmare season
This is not what the Mariners expected heading into this season. Just ask the GM, manager and hitting coach, who all lost their jobs in a 10-day span. Poor personnel decisions have caught up to this once-proud ball club, Scott Miller says. 

Moving Ichiro would be smart, but Mariners likely won't ship him
Trading Ichiro Suzuki might be the best way for the Mariners to begin a rebuilding process, but don't expect the Japanese icon to be going anywhere. He's just too valuable to the franchise, Scott Miller says.  

Weekend Buzz: GMs scoping dangling arms as trade deadline looms
Teams looking for pitching help are awaiting the July 31 trade deadline. There's plenty of potential arms out there, but none better than the Indians' C.C. Sabathia. But one question remains: Will he stay or will he go? Scott Miller asks in Weekend Buzz. 

Short Hops: Fundamentally sound Twins getting it done with what they have
Tell the truth, did you expect the Twins to fare this well after losing two-time Cy Young award winner Johan Santana? Scott Miller isn't surprised as nobody in baseball pays more attention to fundamentals than Minnesota. 

If I ruled the baseball world: Commish for a day
Hey, Bud Selig's an OK guy, but if Scott Miller had his shot at being the commissioner, you bet there would be some changes. From history lessons to making pitchers play again, baseball would change, for the better. 

Close to rare .400, Jones a chip off a unique block
Can Chipper do it? Can he be the first to hit .400 since Teddy Ballgame did so in '41? Jones has the tools and an amazing photographic memory, but the Braves veteran knows the odds are against him, Scott Miller says.  

Weekend Buzz: Don't expect another pink slip parade soon
Names and faces change in baseball. It's part of the game. However, the recent pace of head coaches losing jobs is unusual and the chances to see three firings in one week in the near future are unlikely, Scott Miller says in Weekend Buzz. 

Short Hops: K-Rod's payback will be sweet during free agency
Talk about saving your best for when it counts. Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez is piling up saves at a furious rate, which will help him pile up the free-agent dollars, Scott Miller says.  

Randolph's departure leaves Mets GM Minaya totally exposed
Leave it to the Mets. New York's bumbling front office adds another sorry chapter when it fires Willie Randolph in the middle of the night. The clock is now ticking on GM Omar Minaya, who no longer has anywhere to hide if his team continues to 'under-perform,' Scott Miller says. 

Mets front office puts worst foot forward with gutless firing
They could have done it last winter. Or last month. Or last week. Instead, the Mets waited until after the first game of a West Coast trip to fire Willie Randolph, a despicable act by a screwed-up organization, Scott Miller says. 

Weekend Buzz: In a divisional bite fight, NL West is toothless
Embarrassing, ugly, just plain bad. And that's just the Dodgers. The NL West is making every preseason prognosticator lose their lunch and is without a doubt the worst division in baseball. Whoever finishes atop this snail race will make a quick October exit, Scott Miller says. 

Short Hops: Pujols' absence means Cards' mettle will be tested
What are the Cardinals made of? Scott Miller says with Albert Pujols hurt it's a good time to find out, and even Tony La Russa's creativity will be tested as St. Louis tries to stay in contention. 

After 10 seasons of punchlines, Rays finally must be taken seriously
Model franchise? Tampa Bay? Scott Miller says after a wretched first decade, the Rays have found the right balance of talented youngsters, role-playing and fire -- and they're not likely to fade this time. 

Weekend Buzz: Mets' downward spiral reaching new lows
Can it get any worse? The Mets have to be asking that question after being swept in a four-game set by the Padres. Don't ask Scott Miller, who doesn't see much hope for New York or its manager in his Weekend Buzz. 

Short Hops: Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine entering Hall together would be fitting
Could it really happen? The one-time Braves trio that baffled hitters in the '90s might call it quits after this season. That would be fine by Scott Miller, who wants them to be enshrined together.  

The numbers don't lie -- next year could be this year
Stats mean more than anything in baseball. So with the Cubs off to as good of a start as their last champion 100 years ago, Scott Miller looks at the scorching Cubs by the numbers. 

Youth movement making organizations draft new blueprints
Following the 2005 draft, perhaps the best class ever, the road to the bigs looks shorter than ever. Scott Miller says the rapid success of teams like Arizona and Tampa Bay is putting increased attention on the draft.  

Weekend Buzz: Broken bats a growing concern for fans and officials
Attending baseball games may require more attention to every pitch than in the past. That is, if you want to avoid being struck by exploding maple bats -- an issue that needs to be addressed, Scott Miller says in Weekend Buzz. 

Even as milestone approaches, Junior de-emphasizes achievement
The media attention has slackened on Ken Griffey Jr.'s longer-than-expected march to 600 home runs. Scott Miller finds that apropos for a future Hall of Famer who has consistently downplayed his success.  

Short Hops: Tigers still trying to find their groove
The runs aren't flowing, and neither are the Tigers. Jim Leyland is still searching for something that works, and if his hitters don't get it going, 'we're screwed,' he says. Scott Miller loves that kind of straight talk. 

Nats glad to see Guzman finally over injury hump
Cristian Guzman has come up short during his time in Washington, thanks mostly to a career-threatening shoulder injury. In '08, the shortstop's healthy and finally paying dividends for the Nats, Scott Miller says. 

Weekend Buzz: Volquez a gift from above for Reds
The Reds shipped Josh Hamilton to Texas and he leads the majors in RBI. They'd do the trade again in a heartbeat because it netted them pitching phenom and ERA-leader Edinson Volquez, Scott Miller says in his Weekend Buzz.  

Randolph leads way for trio of skippers on firing watch
Willie Randolph. Ned Yost. John McLaren. What do they have in common? Scott Miller says they are all on the hot seat, and Randolph's getting hotter after he put his foot in his mouth this week. 

Now an everyday player, Ankiel can let go of bad mound memories
The highlight reel doesn't lie: in the outfield, Rick Ankiel's arm doesn't betray him anymore. Scott Miller says now that Ankiel is an established everyday player, he doesn't have to dwell on his wild pitching past. 

With little power or speed, cellar-dwelling Padres don't have a prayer
How did the Padres (16-30) fall so far so fast? Let's start with a dearth of speed, power and decent middle relief. GM Kevin Towers is taking the poor start hard, and Scott Miller witnesses his displeasure. 

Come on, aren't you glad Lester never went anywhere?
Speechless? Don't worry, so is Jon Lester. Just 24, he's overcome lymphoma, won a World Series and survived incessant trade rumors. Now add a no-hitter -- 7-0 over the Royals. Scott Miller is impressed, to say the least. It's obvious the young BoSox are the AL East's unquestioned power. 

Weekend Buzz: Baseball in a sunshine state in Florida these days
He probably never thought he'd type both Florida teams 'are battling for first place' in mid-May, but Scott Miller says in Weekend Buzz that it's an irrefutable fact the suddenly potent Marlins and Rays are doing just that. 

Short Hops: Indians' pitching might tip balance in AL Central
Balanced or simply mediocre, the AL Central race looks as if it will be wide open for most of the season. But in his Short Hops, Scott Miller says Cleveland's pitching might be the difference maker. 

Torborg's cooler head helped save passionate Guillen's career
Ozzie Guillen's passion and loyalty can help or hurt him. In 2003, those traits could have ruined his chances to become a manager in the bigs. Guillen and Scott Miller recall that pivotal weekend in Florida. 

Weekend Buzz: Yankees keep getting Mo greatness from closer
There's a Yankee hiding out of the spotlight. Yeah, that's possible. Quietly, Mariano Rivera has yet to allow a run this season. As he keeps showing season after season, there's no closer quite like him, Scott Miller says. 

Yanks have pitching problems, but enough to go to the Wells?
It takes three outs to get out of an inning, but for the Yankees, that's a real problem. Scott Miller says despite New York's battery issues, there's no reason for concern ... yet. Oh, and no need to dig up David Wells. 

Short Hops: Big Papi's Big Pain has Red Sox in a predicament
How important is David Ortiz to the Red Sox? The slugger's right knee is killing him and they don't want to rest him. If they do, it could hurt the champs in the long run, Scott Miller says. 

Stuff guy Verlander hard-luck stuff guy right now
Justin Verlander sports a 1-5 record along with a 6.28 ERA for the season. While the stats dictate the Tigers ace is struggling out of the gates, there's plenty of evidence that shows he's not nearly as bad as he appears, Scott Miller says. 

Boston phenom Ellsbury too good not to be an everyday player
Jacoby Ellsbury is supposed to be the next big thing at Fenway, yet he's not in the lineup Tuesday. Scott Miller says for now, the phenom will have to share playing time in Boston's talent-rich outfield. 

Sheff stirs up changes for Tigers with request to play left
What's this? Gary Sheffield in left field? That's only part of a major lineup shakeup for Detroit on Monday. Scott Miller says the Tinkering Tigers are at it again as they try to snap out of their first-month funk. 

Weekend Buzz: At long last, Orioles taking flight
The Orioles have been awful for a long time, but if April is any indication, good times are ahead. Andy McPhail and manager Dave Trembley are breathing new life into the once moribund O's, Scott Miller says in his Weekend Buzz. 

Short Hops: Beane's juggling act has A's contending in AL West
Oakland GM Billy Beane must be a magician. After dealing away future All-Star Dan Haren for Dana Eveland and Greg Smith, the A's have no business rubbing shoulders with the Angels for the AL West, Scott Miller says.