WYAWWS Award--The Worst Year After Winning the World Series award goes to the Florida Marlins. Their 54-108 season is one of the worst in major league history, not to mention the worst for a defending champion.

They belonged in a bus league with the Toledo Mud Hens, New Britain Rock Cats, Lansing Lugnuts, Hickory Crawdads and Quad City River Bandits (I'm not making any of these teams up!).

Although the champion hasn't been decided, the 1998 season has already been a great one for baseball. Who could have imagined that the number one story five weeks into football season would be baseball?

The home run race captured the country's attention as Sosa and McGwire went back and forth. It wasn't just a sports story, it was a national story that elevated baseball to its former status as America's game.

The owners officially made Bud Selig the commissioner, which shows at least a minimal concern for the future of the sport. And baseball is as talent rich as ever.

There was a perfect game, there was disappointment for the Cubs and Red Sox and a guy (Orlando Hernandez) got a start because his teammate (David Cone) was bitten by a dog.

There's not much more you could ask for except a 1999 season just as good...and an Astros championship.