Rarely is an athlete paid the outpouring of tributes that erupted after Tony Gwynn died last week. Every word spoken about the Hall of Fame hitter was effusively positive. No one had a bad word to say about Gwynn. How could anyone? Excuse me, but I have a bad word to say about Gwynn.

He was dumb.

At the age of 54, which he was when he died June 16, would Gwynn have jumped off a bridge? Would he have sealed himself in a garage with the car motor running? Would he have placed a shotgun under his chin and pulled the trigger?

He would not have committed any of those suicidal acts. Gwynn killed himself nevertheless. The Hall of Famer’s method, however, was more benign and subtle than the ways people intent on killing themselves usually do it.

Gwynn killed himself with smokeless tobacco.

Maybe it’s unfair to talk about …

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Masahiro Tanaka is on pace for the greatest rookie pitching season since World War I.

Mark Fidrych in 1976, Fernando Valenzuela in 1981, Dwight Gooden in 1984—by October, Tanaka in 2014 could be the new go-to reference for immediate success to start a career.

His most recent start, on Tuesday night against Toronto, is indicative of his rookie campaign thus far. The Yankees began a three-game series trailing the Blue Jays by 4.5 games in the division; they turned to their new ace in the first contest, and Tanaka didn’t disappoint. After surrendering a home run and two singles in the first inning, Tanaka pitched five scoreless frames, allowing just two more runners to reach scoring position and striking out 10 for the fifth time this year. The best offense in baseball could hardly even make contact, and three runs of support were enough for Tanaka, who earned his league-leading 11th win.

Just 14 starts into his MLB career, Tanaka is the heavy favorite to …

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The Tampa Bay Rays have turned into pumpkins. The clock has struck midnight on them this season, and they are guilty of not keeping track of the time. When midnight struck, their glass cleats shattered, and they joined the rest of the pumpkins in Charlie Brown’s pumpkin patch.

In baseball terms, it’s mind boggling that a team that drafted Evan Longoria in 2006 and David Price in 2007 could show such puny production from subsequent drafts. It’s true that the Rays selected Longoria with the third pick and Price with the first and with the exception of the draft after those two haven’t selected higher than 17th since, but their choices in recent years leave much to be desired.

In the drafts from 2008 through 2013 the Rays selected 294 players. Only five of those have played in the majors, none with significant playing time or performance. Only three have played for the Rays. One has played for the Cubs and one for the Marlins following trades.

If not for a disabling injury, one of those players might have become a regular member of the Rays’ lineup. Tim Beckham, a second baseman, was …

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