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Matt Whitener

Matt Whitener is St. Louis-based writer, radio host and 12-6 curveball enthusiast. He has been covering Major League Baseball since 2010, and dabbles in WWE, NBA and other odd jobs as well. Follow Matt on Twitter at @CheapSeatFan.

Breaking down baseball's crowded MVP scene

With the final month of the MLB season underway, the race for MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues is as heated as some of the divisional races.

MLB Power Rankings: Cards are wild as MLB heads in to homestretch

For the second consecutive week, there is not much change to report atop the board here. While the top six teams repeat in their exact same position, there is more to this than meets the eye.

The 10 biggest surprises of the MLB season

Over the course of the seven-month journey that the MLB season takes from opening day through the end of the World Series, any number of surprises are bound to occur.

MLB power rankings: A's take aim at Astros' AL West lead

Spoiler alert: At the top, there is not much to see. The top five teams from our last rankings have stayed solidly in the same positions, as have the bottom four.

MLB prospects we could still see in 2018

Who are baseball’s top prospects who could still make a name for themselves and make waves over the remaining MLB calendar? Although many of the game’s top prospects from the spring have already permanently dug their cleats into their MLB careers, there are still plenty of brimming talents in the minors looking to do so.

Which current major leaguers will have their numbers retired?

In the 79 years between when Lou Gehrig became baseball’s "luckiest man" and had his No. 4 retired by the New York Yankees and Aug.11 when the San Francisco Giants make Barry Bonds the next to receive the honor, hundreds of numbers have been officially retired across the game.

MLB power rankings: Red Sox running away from the pack

We're 17 weeks into the 2018 slate. Could we finally have a team that is pulling away from the pack? The Boston Red Sox remain in historic form into the second half of the season, and they have begun to finally create some distance between themselves and the Yankees and Astros.

Best moments from 2018 Baseball Hall of Fame inductees

This weekend, baseball royalty will make its annual convergence on Cooperstown, N.Y., to welcome the newest inductees to the game's most exclusive fraternity.

The player each MLB team needs to step up in the second half

Regardless of the condition that each ballclub is currently in, there is some part of the roster that has not gone according to plan. Whether it be a new

MLB power rankings: Haves, have nots emerge at All-Star break

As delegates of each MLB team celebrate the ceremonial halfway point of the season, it is a prime time to evaluate baseball's terrain with the rush of the second half ahead.

MLB power rankings: Red Sox, Yankees continue to dominate

At the midway point of the MLB season, one thing has become abundantly clear: There is a major class separation going on. Yet again (spoiler alert) the same three teams inhabit the top of our MLB power rankings, as the Astros, Yankees and Red Sox continue to set the tone of the American League.

Coming Attractions: MLB prospects who might be called up in July

June was a tough month for baseball’s top young talents. The rise of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has stalled  as the superstar prospect works his way back from a patellar tendon strain that has sidelined him for the past three weeks.

Decision points: Biggest challenges facing MLB's top contenders

With the July 31 trade deadline coming up soon, it is time to assess the biggest issue for each contender and what options are out there to address them.

MLB power rankings: O's, Royals looking ready to rebuild

As June speeds along, a very clear class system has begun to develop around the game. A trio of elites emerged in the Astros, Yankees and Red Sox, while on the other side of the coin there are upward of seven teams within reach of 100 losses this summer.

Do-overs: One player each MLB team would like to bring back

For many teams, the benefit that comes from landing the right guy for right now is offset by the potential cost of what could be sacrificed in the future.

MLB power rankings: Mariners make their case as best of the AL West

The recent weeks of MLB action have featured frequent battles among the heavyweights of the game. The Astros faced the Yankees, Indians and Red Sox in succession, while the Yankees tangled with the Angels in addition to the defending champs.

Best first-round MLB Draft picks by slot

The MLB Draft represents the opportunity to acquire a franchise-changing talent who can make or break the future of an organization. A look at the history of the top 30 picks in the MLB Draft provides stunning proof of how historical the depth of the first 30 picks has been.

Top 10 MLB prospects who could make an impact in June

The early going in the MLB season has been colored by breakout performances from a handful of precocious young talents. Ronald Acuna, Gleyber Torres, Scott Kingery and Jorge Alfaro have played key roles in the early pennant chase.

MLB power rankings: Braves, Phillies becoming beasts of the NL East

It is hard to believe that we have already hit the quarter mark of the MLB calendar, but it is not hard to believe that there are three teams on pace for 100 wins, with the surging Yankees, Red Sox and Astros all flying through their respective schedules.

Famous and obscure MLB records that could fall in 2018

Baseball is a game more defined by its legendary marks than any other. In many cases, a number can be thrown out without an introduction, and its significance is already known, such as: 56 4,256 511 2,632 Each number looms as large as the legend who accomplished it — DiMaggio, Rose, Young, Ripken.

MLB's underground kings: Players who need their due

The underground, as the defined by the illustrious Urban Dictionary , no less, is an "opinion that exists outside mainstream culture or society." In applying this to the current-day MLB landscape, there are a great many instantly recognizable names, such as Trout, Harper, Altuve or Kershaw.

MLB power rankings: The Yankees are coming

The beginning of the second month of the MLB season has been an eventful one, full of significant mile markers, power moves up the standings, as well as a handful of free falls.

The greatest MLB players from Mexico, past and present

The history of baseball has long been enriched with contributions of ballplayers from Mexico. From Cy Young winners and Rookies of the Year, to All-Stars and Hall of Famers in their homeland, here is a look at a handful of the greatest Mexican and Mexican-American ballplayers of all-time.

MLB power rankings: Mets, Blue Jays regain playoff form

As we return to our biweekly look at the Major League Baseball hierarchy, many things remain roughly the same. The Red Sox and Astros are still blazing through the American League, while the Mets continue to pace the NL side.