The Game of Baseball

Just like each season when teams rise up to make believers out of those that don't think they can do it, this season has been filled with teams that - well, just plain are bad. Looking at the morning standings, you will find that there are 15 of 30 teams under .500, exactly 50 percent. The glaring number in the National League is 9, with the NL Central having the most at 4, including last years NL Champion Astros at 65-68. The NL West has three, and the NL East sits at three as well. Then there is the AL, where the West has just one team under .500, the Central two, and the East two.

A couple of things stand out about some of these teams that are nowhere near contending for anything other than sparse crowds at their home stadium the final month of the season. Out of the 15 teams under .500, the best last place team in any division has to be the Colorado Rockies, who are 10 games under .500, and are actually only 6.5 games back of the wild card in the NL. On the flip side, the Kansas City Royals under Buddy Bell are a staggering 36 games under .500, and are 34.5 games out of the division lead and 30 games back in the wild card race. Next in line for the worst of the worst is the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who enter Thursday's play at 52-81, 29 games under .500, and 27 games back of the Yankees.

As said earlier, the NL Central has the distinction of having the overall worst combined records in the league. The Cards lead the division at 70-61, and Cincy is second at .500 at 67-67. Things tend to get ugly after that. The Astros are three games under even at 65-68, the its the Brewers at 9 games down at 62-71. Then the combo of the Cubs and Pirates, who just got done with a series at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, sit at a combined 107-160. That's 53 games under .500 combined if you are scoring at home. Chicago is 25 games under .500 at 54-79, and the Pirates season could not end soon enough at 53-81, 28 games under the even mark.

Your worst record, yet best home record mark goes to the Brew crew, who are 13 games over .500 at home at 39-26 at Miller Park. Problem is, they are just 23-45 away from home. On the other side, the team who plays worst in front of their faithful followers are the Cubs (27-36) and the Royals (29-37). The road is usually a nightmare for bad teams, but the Marlins (who are just two games below .500 anyway) are the best road warriors at 30-37. Bad on the road - just ask the Pirates, who have won just 17 times away from PNC and lost 48 times. Try these numbers for size: 1-6, 0-6, 2-5, 1-5, 4-3, 0-6, 2-5, 3-4, 1-5, 3-3. Those are the Pirates road trip records this season. They have actually managed to win three series on the road, and even swept the Giants in San Francisco back in June. The other two road series wins - Milwaukee (2 of 3 in July) and Atlanta (2 of 3 in August).

So while your team may be gearing up for a playoff run in September, take a moment to remember your fellow baseball fan brethren in other cities that have to endure seasons like the Pirates, Royals, D-Rays and 12 others. And if your one of those fans in one of those cities that the team is going nowhere - just remember - spring training 2007 is just six months away.

Posted by Matt Loede at 6:33 AM | Permalink | Comments

The American League Central has been the shocker division of baseball the entire season. The Cleveland Indians, a team that was supposed to contend, sits firmly in 4th place, while the Royals are bringing up the rear, to really no ones surprise. What is surprising though is the race that is destined to take place in September as the Tigers, Twins, and White Sox fight it out for likely two spots in the post season. With the recent collapse of the Red Sox, it seems likely that not only the division winner will have October baseball, but the wild card will emerge from the division as well.

As of 8/30, the Tigers hold a five game lead for the division lead over the White Sox, and a 5.5 game lead over the Twins. Detroit has been reeling over the last month, and even recently has lost seven of their last 10. About the only thing that has recently saved the Tigers was taking two of three at home over the White Sox last week. They then took that momentum and lost the first two in Cleveland, before winning Sunday. Their much anticipated series with the Bronx Bombers in New York got off to a wet start on Tuesday as the game was postponed. In August, their four starters other than Kenny Rogers were 4-11, with an ERA of 5.70. That will not get it done in September. Nevertheless, the Tigers still have control of the division, and at 82-49 have the best record in baseball. If they happen to fall, it will be the biggest collapse in Detroit sports history.

The White Sox are in the lead in the wild card race, a half game ahead of the Twins after winning two straight to overtake the Twins for the lead. At 77-54, Chicago is going to go nip and tuck the rest of the way with the the Tigers and the Twins and are going to have to play even better baseball then they have been in order to deserve a shot to defend their title come October. Don't forget last August the Sox went 12-16 and were being chased by the Indians before they went 19-12 in September and eventually rolled to a World Series title. The team is also getting Jim Thome back, and his 36 homers and .294 average will be a big lift.

As for the Twins, they have been the scrapping, never say die team that just won't go away and is giving both the White Sox and Tigers nightmares. Despite getting shut out by the Royals 2-0 on Tuesday, you already now that the Twins will find a way to make September interesting when it comes to the divisional and wild card race. The Twins lineup, not known for its power, could be one of the most consistent in baseball, with the starting nine boasting an average of .287. The team is 51-21 since June 8th, and its hard to believe they will have many nights like Tuesday the rest of the way.

"You're looking at two teams with mid-70 wins and one team with more than 80," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "It's three good teams getting after it, and that's why it's gonna be fun." And that is why watching the AL Central throughout the month of September will be the most fun the Major League Baseball has to offer.

Posted by Matt Loede at 7:03 AM | Permalink | Comments

If the Cleveland Indians were even close to the team they were in 2005 when they contended for the AL Central crown as well as a wild card spot, one player that would be getting a lot more pub would be second-year centerfielder Grady Sizemore. All that Sizemore has done in his second full season with the Tribe is lead the leauge in runs with 107, doubles and 46, and extra base hits in 75. His 75 extra base hits are actually two better than David Ortiz, who dominates the headlines playing for a Boston team that is quickly finding itself getting ready for the fall without the shoe-in of playing any playoff baseball.

Monday Sizemore's talents were on display again in an Indians 6-4 win at Jacobs Field over the Blue Jays. All the 24-year old did was go 3-for-5, with two doubles, a homer and three runs scored. He is a main reason why the Indians, despite really having nothing to play for since mid-June, are a league best 14-5 since August 9th. Sizemore, who was an All-Star back in July, is hitting .296 with 20 homers and 59 RBI. He also has 18 steals on the season. Sizemore was a steal for the Indians, coming over in a deal for Bartolo Colon back in 2000, along with lefty pitcher Cliff Lee. His numbers have increased each year, as has his fan base.

Last season, his first full in the Majors, he hit .289 with 22 homers and 81 RBI. This year he is on pace to pass each of those numbers as the Indians look to finish this horiffic season on as high of a note as possible. There is hope that the Indians will be able to put 2006 behind them and come back bigger and better in 07. The team is already saying they will make moves in free agency, and with Sizemore and power hitting Travis Hafner, along with the solid bat of Victor Martinez, there is no reason to believe that the Indians won't be back to contending next season.

Posted by Matt Loede at 6:01 AM | Permalink | Comments

The Red Sox still seem to have that lingering hang over after last weekends wrap around series in which they lost five games to the division leading New York Yankees. Over the weekend, Boston was swept by possibly the worst team in the American League, the Seattle Mariners, at Safeco Field. The losses were not only demoralizing, but also continued to put them further behind the Yankees (6.5 games) in the AL East, and now are 5.5 games back in the Wild card race in the AL with 32 games to play.

Boston's season seemed to be right on track for a September that was going to be highlighted by a race for both the AL East and the Wild Card before last weekend. Since then, they have lost 8 of 10, and were swept by the now 61-69 Mariners for the first time since 1989. Not a good time to be getting swept by one of the worst teams in the league. "We've painted ourselves in such a corner, losing games we think we should win," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "We have to keep believing when it's not very easy to believe."

Things on the injury front are not good for the Red Sox as well, as slugger Manny Ramirez missed another game with a sore right knee, and pitcher Jon Lester will not pitch tonight against Oakland due to a sore back, and is heading back to Boston to have it looked at. Adding salt to the wound, catcher Doug Mirabelli and OF Wily Mo Pena also went on the DL after getting hurt in the Seattle series.
Don't forget if you think that Seattle was playing good ball before recently against the Yankees and Red Sox, they had dropped 11 in a row in a road trip that killed any chances of them being a contender in the AL West. Back to the Sox, now is the time they simply have to put the past week behind them, and get set for another big series as they travel to Oakland on Monday.

The A's lead the West by 5.5 over the Angels and 8 over the Rangers, and are playing some of the best baseball in the second half in the American League. If the Sox can get 2 of three in Oakland, that would be a good start as they close out a haunting August that may go down as one of the frustrating in team history. Sox fans are hoping for a September to Remember, but it may be too late.

Posted by Matt Loede at 7:53 AM | Permalink | Comments

You have to wonder the future of 44-year-old Roger Clemens will hold as the Astros are flailing away in trying to be a contender for the NL Wild Card spot. Friday, Clemens won his 347th game on Friday night in a 5-1 win over the Pirates. Coming back to the Astros was something that Clemens thought was the right decision. He and the Astros thought that they would be able to make another run like last year, when in the second half of the season they were just about unbeatable in making it all the way to the World Series. This season, the magic has simply not been there. Despite the Friday night win, Houston still sits a large 7 games back of the Cards in the NL Central, and are 6 games back in the Wild Card race. While there are plenty of games left (33), I don't see the Astros having enough to make it interesting down the stretch.

Back to Clemens. He won his 4th in a row on Friday night, and has permitted two earned runs or fewer in 11 of 13 starts.He has also been unbeaten in his last 6 starts since losing to the Reds back on July 25th. His numbers are staggering for someone that has pitched for 22 years, and someone who basically came in mid-season to try and help his hometown club. In three seasons now with the Astros, Clemens is 37-16, and has never looked better. I think that given the right circumstances, Clemens SHOULD come back for a 23rd season in 2007. Why not? If he can continue to pitch as well as he has been, give him all the concessions that he needs. Not to have to travel on trips he doesn't pitch on, allow him to leave the park early, and all the rest. He has deserved it. As for the Astros, it's going to take a miracle for them to get into the playoffs, but with Clemens throwing like he has been, they do have a shot. Albeit a long shot.

Posted by Matt Loede at 9:59 AM | Permalink | Comments

The White Sox, left for dead just two days ago, suddenly found a pulse and decided to get back to doing what they do best, playing with their backs against the wall. Thursday in Motown, the Sox used a dominant pitching performance from Jon Garland and a big offensive day from Jermaine Dye to pound the first place Tigers 10-0. In getting their second straight over the kitties, the Sox stay within 5.5 of the Tigers, and maybe more importantly, are still in the lead in the wild card spot in the American League with a 0.5 game lead over Minnesota and a 4 game lead over Boston. The wild card right now though is the furthest thing from the Sox minds, as they are thinking AL Central title all the way, and with the two wins over the last two days, that prospect does not seem as far away as it did two days ago.

It was just Tuesday night that the mood in the Sox locker room was somber after Detroit's Kenny Rogers completed a 4-0 shutout win over Chicago. The win came just one day after a 7-1 Tigers thrashing, and those two games put the Sox 7.5 games back. How quickly things have comeback for the Sox though in the last two days, as Wednesday they bounced back with a 7-5 win, highlighted by Joe Crede and Dye homering. Things were not all better though, as slugger Jim Thome had to leave the game with a hammy injury.

Then on Thursday, Garland stepped up with maybe his biggest win of the year, putting a vice on the Tigers offense in getting his third career shutout against Detroit. "This was huge," Garland said. "After losing the first two, we had to salvage these two. Now, we've still got a chance." The Tigers have lost 11 of 16, and have to be scratching their heads on what happened the last two days after things seemed so under control after wins over Chicago on Monday and Tuesday. "We'll find out if we're good enough," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.
The Tigers have been the feel good story in baseball in 2006, but if things continue on their current pace, the Sox may be the ones feeling good come October and the Tigers may have to sit back and wonder "what happened?"

Posted by Matt Loede at 6:10 AM | Permalink | Comments

The wild wacky National League playoff race continues to heat up, as with Thursdays results you now have the Reds and Cards basically tied for the NL Central, while the Padres and Phillies continue to keep the heat on the Wild Card race. The Reds have rebounded nicely after a tough stretch, and are back on pace, winning six of their last 10, and taking advantage of the Cardinals, who have dropped three straight and six of 10. Cincy rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to score six runs in the last four innings to win out West, 6-3 over the Giants on Thursday. The Cardinals, playing the last of a series at Shea against the Mets, got down early 3-0, closed the deficit to 3-2, but then gave it right back and eventually lost 6-2.

On the wild card side, the Padres had the day off, they stay 1.5 games back, and the Phillies fell in Chicago 11-2, and are 2.5 games back. Despite that, both teams are still in solid shape with over a month left to continue their run at the wild card. The Cards confidence is a concern, as right now the team is 66-60, but after such a hot start in April and May, where they went 17-8 and then 17-11, the month of August has been so-so, going 8-8 and having been swept in both Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia. With a weekend series with the rival Cubs at the new Busch Stadium staring them in the face, the Cards must start to get more consistent or face the prospect of giving away the division and find themselves fighting for a wild card spot themselves.

Posted by Matt Loede at 5:55 AM | Permalink | Comments

Don't look now but the team that may be in the best shape for a serious NL Wild Card run might be the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies got their fifth straight win last night 2-1 over the Cubs, and now sit just 1/2 games of Cincinnati in the NL wild-card race. Philly is using a monster year from Ryan Howard, who belted his 44th homer last night, and a is hitting .292 with 113 RBI. Despite going 2 for his last 15, Howard's hit against the Cubs is just the type of shot that Philly has been coming up with lately.

In winning 8 of their last 10, the Phillies have won with offense (11-4, 13-0, 12-10), and done it as well with pitching (3-0, 2-1). No bat may be bigger though right now in the NL than that of Howards. His season has consisted of hitting usually between .281 and .292, and his power has been the saving grace on certain nights for Philadelphia. He has five two-homer games, and a slugging percentage of .617 to boot. If the Phils want to continue this playoff push, they will have to have that type of production from him down the stretch.

Secondbasemen Chase Utley's .318 average with 22 homers and 78 RBI is another huge boost for the offense. Last season you really saw the 27-year-old start to show signs of stardom, as he hit 28 homers and went over 100 RBI. He is quietly on pace for about the same this season. And last but not least there is shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who had the game-winning hit against the Cubs. He is 9 for his last 21 at the plate, and despite his average being down a bit from .290 to .278 this season, he is still a cog in the lineup for the Phillies.

The Phillies schedule down the stretch is not too bad, with no long trips out west and three showdowns with the 60-66 Marlins that could decide their fate. A weekend series at Shea against the first place Mets will be another big test for this team that is suddenly looking like a WC contender in the National League.

Posted by Matt Loede at 9:54 AM | Permalink | Comments

The Tigers have seemed to have one big problem this season in trying to truly establish themselves as the powerhouse in the AL Central - the ability to beat the Champion White Sox. All season long the Tigers have struggled with Chicago, going 3-9 against them going into a series at Comerica on Monday. Things though have taken quite a twist over the last two nights, as the Tigers seem to have finally found their stride against the Sox, beating them Monday 7-1, and then coming back with a shutout on Tuesday thanks to Kenny Rogers, as they beat them 4-0. That's 11-1 over the last two nights, putting the division lead back to 7.5 games, and the White Sox playoff hopes now clinging to a wild card spot.

Tiger fans were sweating going into this series. Their kitties had been swept last weekend in Chicago, and the Tiggers had lost 9 of 12 and saw the division lead go from 10 games to 5.5. Never fear though, as the last two days its been all about pitching, first Justin Verlander on Monday, then Rogers on Tuesday. While Rogers shutout was huge, Verlander's outing may have been bigger. He had been 0-3 with a 9.88 ERA this season against the White Sox before the win on Monday. "Against everybody else, I was doing well," Verlander said. "The numbers were drastically different against them. That was a team I had to focus on. I worked on not tipping my pitches, but the biggest adjustment was the pitches I made."

While beating the 2nd place team in your division is always big, the Tigers know that they have to keep things in perspective. "This doesn't set a tone against a team like that," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said after Monday's win. "It's two pretty good teams. The difference is, they have a trophy and we don't." That's true, but if the Tigers get this type of pitching in September, they will have a good chance to represent the American League for a shot at that trophy in October.
The two teams will spend another two games battling it out in Detroit, and then the final series of the year will take place in Chicago the second to last week in September. By then things could be all wrapped up in the AL Central, and the pressure could be on the side of the White Sox, who by then will be holding off a team or two for the AL Wild Card spot.

Posted by Matt Loede at 6:32 AM | Permalink | Comments

The New York Mets have run the gamet of emotions over the last few days, to the point where Tuesday nights comeback win meant more than just another game. After learning that Tom Glavine will only miss one start, instead of possibly having a career ending blood clot, the team has added a little swagger to their step as they get set for to be crowned the NL East champs and favorite to walk away with the National League Championship. Carlos Beltran led the charge on Tuesday, hitting a walk-off two run homer to bring the Mets back for an 8-7 win over the Cards at Shea Stadium in a possible playoff preview. "This is a potential playoff atmosphere," Beltran said. "Whoever wins this series is going to make a statement."

The Mets came out with the slightly louder statement on Tuesday. The game was highlighted by the long ball, as there five in total, and all but one run came via the long ball, but Beltrans was the biggest and loudest of the night. The day was also highlighted for New York with a trade, and word that the team had completed all the paperwork needed to build their new ballpark, a 45,000-seat stadium reminiscent of old Ebbets Field that's set to open for the 2009 season. Good, becuase Shea is one of the worst ballparks in baseball, and the Mets are in a city that deserves not only one, but two new stadiums. The trade was a solid one for the Mets, as they added even more pop to the lineup as they grabbed D'Backs right fielder Shawn Green for Triple-A pitcher Evan MacLane and cash. Green is a two-time All-Star and is hitting .283 with 11 home runs and 51 RBIs.

Add all those things together, plus the sigh of relief about Glavine, and it was about the best day the Mets have had in a long time. Oh by the way they are leading the NL East by 13.5 games over the Phillies, and with a 39-22 mark at home are now poised to be in even better shape for October baseball.

Posted by Matt Loede at 6:16 AM | Permalink | Comments

On a 4-game winning streak, things have suddenly become good again the National League Central as the Reds have climbed within 1 game of the front running Cardinals. Cincinnati and the Cardinals have had some roller coaster weeks - the Cards will win one, Reds lose one, and then vice versa. Its as if the two teams are playing a game of "I don't want it - you take it." Both teams made trade deadline deals that they felt were going to get them over the top to be able to at least claim the division, but so far the deals, while at times they have helped, have not distinguished any sort of advantage either way. Cincinnati is the hottest team in the Central right now, winning 7 of their last 10, while the Cards have slumped losing 6 of their last 10 to tighten the race.

The only solice for the loser of the division is that it appears they will have the advantage when it comes to winning the wild card. The Reds lead that race right now by two games, but any falter and the Padres and D'Backs will right there to pounce on the lead. The Giants and Brewers are still in the mix as well, though with a month and two weeks left in the season, it will be tougher to make up the 5 and 5.5 games those teams need. The Reds downfall, as has been documented all season, would be their pitching. With an ERA of 4.67, the team clearly is going to have to win games with their bats. The bullpen is still in a flux, and the trades to try and shore up that area took a hit this week with Eddie Guardado going on the DL. The Cardinals pitching staff is allowing on average of 4.56 runs per game, almost as bad as the Reds, but have more established starting pitching, a bullpen that does not quite have as much gas on it ready to explode, and an everyday lineup that hits better.

With all that said though, it is still going to be a tough, night in and night out race down the stretch, as with no more games between the two teams will it come down to a matter of who plays better against other NL competition. I still like the Cardinals to win it, but the Reds to sneak in as the NL Wild card.

Posted by Matt Loede at 5:59 AM | Permalink | Comments

Sounds to me like Blue Jays manager Jay Gibbons should either A: get to anger management classes asap, or B: quit as manager of the Blue Jays and try his hand at becoming a pro wrestler. Either way, Gibbons has got to find a way to stop getting into or trying to get into fights with his players, the latest of which was a fight, or as they are calling it in the papers, an "altercation," with starting pitcher Ted Lilly. The incident took place in the Jays 12-10 loss to the A's on Monday, after Lilly was pulled after giving up 7 runs in less than three innings. The two went at it in the dugout tunnel, after it appeared that Lilly was mad that he was pulled from the game.

Normally I would take the side of the manager on this one, saying if a guy allows 7 runs in less than three innings, he should not complain about being pulled. In this case though, Gibbons has a history with such incidents. In July, Gibbons called out Shea Hillenbrand to a fight after the infielder wrote on the clubhouse bulletin board that the "ship was sinking." Hillenbrand declined to fight, and was later traded to San Francisco. Lilly said after the game that he "embarrassed the organization," but maybe its Gibbons who should stop embarressing himself and the team by looking to get it on with his players.

Gibbons it looks like got the worse of the incident, as he emerged with a bloody nose after the altercation with Lilly. He did say that despite the situation, Lilly would still pitch for him this year, and that the two "hashed it out" and that "everything is fine now." Maybe thats the case, maybe not, but whatever happens, upper management should seriously reconsider the hiring of Gibbons, and look at their options in the offseason in going in a different direction.

Posted by Matt Loede at 7:23 AM | Permalink | Comments

As if losing 4 straight to the Yankees isn't bad enough, the Red Sox did themselves one better on Monday, making Cory Lidle look like Cy Young and allowing the Yankees to squeak by with a 2-1 win and an improbable 5-game sweep at Fenway Park. For the Sox, this series defined who they are for 2006 - a team that has a lot of bark, but when push comes to shove, not a lot of bite. Their bullpen gave up run after run, their offense failed in big moments, and once the Yankees could sense going in for the kill, Boston simply had no answer. This is not to say Boston is a bad team. By all means, they are still one of the top teams in baseball, and in my opinion as things stand they are the 6th best team in the American League behind Detroit, New York, Minnesota, Chicago and Oakland. 6th best though will not get it done, and in Boston - where baseball is King, 6th best is simply unacceptable.

Do the Sox have enough to turn it around and get it done? Yes. With 6 weeks left in the regular season, Boston is now 6.5 back of the Yankees, and 4 back in the Wild Card race. Unlike football, being a wild card in baseball is no worse than winning the division, as its just all a matter of getting in, and that is what Boston has to concerate on at this point. Things as far as the schedule go are not exactly easy from the start, as the team heads west starting tonight for 9 on the coast, three each with Anahiem, Seattle and Oakland. The key to the schedule may be the last 15 games, which include 4 at New York, 3 vs Minnesota at Fenway, 4 at Toronto, and then two each at home vs Tampa Bay and then Baltimore.

Can the Red Sox do it? Can they make that run like a few years back when they broke the curse. Nothing would be a shock if the Beantowners would turn it around, but based on the last five days, they have put themselves in a very difficult position.

Posted by Matt Loede at 7:12 AM | Permalink | Comments

The Mets are clearly in cruise control in the NL East, but with pitcher Tom Glavine now having not only his season, but career in doubt with a possible blod clot, the National Legue is as wide open as ever. Don't believe me - just look at the pitchers in the starting rotation that the Mets are going to roll on on a nightly basis: John Maine , Steve Trachsel, Dave Williams, Orlando Hernandez , and finally Brian Bannister or Oliver Perez. Mets fans, can you say "uh oh." That would be the sound as the Mets take their final steps towards an NL East title, and what could end up being a very short playoff run if Pedro Martinez cannot get back on the mound and Glavine has to be shut down for the season.

Surley the offense is good enough to win some games, but everyone knows that once the playoffs roll around, its all about pitching, which is what the problem in New York will be. On a positive note, Martinez has what amounts to a strained right calf, which means that he should be good to go once the second season begins in Ocotber. But possibly the bigger question is: will he be 100 percent?

Pedro and Glavine were two of aces in the staff this year, combining to go 21-11, with 46 starts between them. Trachsel at 12-5 will be counted on heavily now as the true ace of the staff till Martinez comes back, and his starts will need to be wins in order for the Mets to avoid a serious slump. While Glavines overall health and future are more important than what the Mets may need on the mound right now, his medical situation could clearly not have come at a worse time for New York.

Posted by Matt Loede at 8:05 AM | Permalink | Comments

While the Cleveland Indians have been one of the biggest letdowns this season in Major League Baseball, one cannot overlook what DH Travis Hafner has done and the numbers that "Pronk" has put up. He is one of the bright spots this lost season for Cleveland, and yet with all the hoopla over teams like New York (Yankees or Mets), Boston, Los Angeles, San Fran, and others, Hafner has been mostly ignored. Take for example White Sox mouthy manager Ozzie Guillen, who bypassed Hafner for the All-Star game, despite taking what seems like half his roster.

Hafner had another unreal weekend as the Indians got two of three from Tampa Bay. On Friday, he went 2-for-3, a homer, three RBI, a walk and strikeout. Saturday - 1-for-4, another homer, and a RBI. Sunday, yet ANOTHER homer, his 38th, 2-for-5, a double and a RBI. Over the weekend, that would be 5-for-12, three homers, 5 RBI, and scored four times.

His numbers are worthy of MVP talk, 38 homers, 110 RBI, and an average of .306. He also has scored 91 runs. He won't be talked about in most national circles due to the lackluster season that the Indians have had after winning 91 games last year, but his numbers cannot be denied, and he should get some mention when the voters take second to think about the MVP of the American League.

Posted by Matt Loede at 7:42 AM | Permalink | Comments

I can't get over how badly the Red Sox have laid an egg over the last three days in losing the first four games to the Yankees at Fenway Park. Something tells me that the Red Sox players and management cannot believe it as well. The story all weekend long has been how inept the Sox bullpen has been, allowing 23 runs in the first four games, including the death blow by allowing the Yankees to come back and tie the game with runs in the eighth and ninth innings on Sunday night. Boston seems to have lost not only control, but all confidence when it comes to playing the Yankees, dropping six of the last seven games head to head with the Evil Empire.

Things have gotten so bad that even Red Sox teenage GM Theo Epstein came out to calm the fans after the Yankees won three straight. He said that the race in the AL East is far from over, and that people have to simply keep their cool. Maybe his tune changed after watching his team implode in the rain on Sunday night. The Yankees are simply a better team, and right now they can prove it by pointing to the scoreboard, which shows they have pounded the Red Sox outscoring them 47-25 in the first four games of the series. Boston has lost 11 of 15 games, and currently are out of the playoff picture. If things ended today, not only would they lose the East, but they would lose out on the Wild Card, as they are now 4 games back of that heading into Monday's game.

Can things turn around for Boston? Of course. Will they? I don't think so. The pitching has been lackluster, and most of the lineup, minus David Ortiz, seem to be going through the motions. Even Ortiz admitted after the game Sunday that things are not looking all that rosey for the Red Sox. "It's not fair. Those guys are not playing around," he said. "It's bad, but things can change. We've got five weeks to play and we have time to fix this up." If they don't Red Sox nation is in for a long winter indeed.

Posted by Matt Loede at 7:28 AM | Permalink | Comments

While the Reds were able to scrap out two of three from the Pirates over the weekend, they suffered a big loss in losing relief pitcher Eddie Guardado with tendinitis in his pitching elbow. He was forced to leave Saturday's game in the ninth after throwing to just two batters, and the team placed him on the 15-day disabled list. At 64-60, the Reds are still two games up in the Wildcard race, and 2.5 games back of the Cardinals in the NL Central. Guardado was a staple in the teams otherwise awful bullpen, with 8 saves and an ERA of 1.29. All year long the Reds problem has been the bullpen, and now after getting the deal done to get Guardado, they have to sit him and rely on a group of shakey pitchers in order to hang on for the wildcard and make a run at the Cardinals at the same time.

Of the 7 players that the Reds currently have on the DL, all are pitchers. Not a good sign. With three games against the Astros at home up this week, followed by four games in San Francisco, and then three in LA and three in San Diego, the Reds could be looking at an uphill climb to hang on to the wildcard lead. One key will be the starting pitching, which led by Aaron Harang has got to pick up the slack for the bullpen.

"I don't think anyone wants to go on the DL, especially in a pennant race," Guardado said. "But it's the best thing to do right now. I'll take the 15 days, or whatever it is, and get it right. Hopefully, we're still in it when we play in September." Those quotes do not sound like the closer has much faith in the others in the pen. Since Guardado was brought over from Seattle on July 6th he was eight for 10 in save chances and had a 1.29 ERA in 15 appearances. The Reds bullpen is still ranked 15th out of 16 National League teams with a 4.61 ERA this season. Manager Jerry Narron's words were about as promising as Guardado's when asked how the team was even going to make it to the ninth inning: "Whoever is alive down there in the ninth inning, I guess. I don't know," Narron said. "It'll be by committee."

In a season of tight races and ultra-important games come August and September, the blow of losing Guardado could be one that the Reds cannot overcome.

Posted by Matt Loede at 7:11 AM | Permalink | Comments

Well, the Yankees started the weekend off with a bang, handing the Red Sox not one, but two losses at Fenway on Friday. As predicted here earlier on Friday, they beat up Jason Johnson in game one with a 12-4 win, and then in game two, played a marathon 4:45 mintue slugfest and won 14-11 after coming back from a 10-5 deficit with 7 runs in the 7th inning. What a way to send an early message in games 1 and 2 of this 5 game series.

Mike Timlin was the goat in game two, allowing 4 runs, on 4 hits in 0.2 innings. Reliever Criag Hansen didn't fare much better, giving up 3 runs in 0.1 innings. Maybe the Red Sox can make some more last mintue trades for relief pitching before its too late. With the two wins, the Yankees now lead the division by 3.5 games, and if the weekend continues as is, I can see a 5.5 game lead after the series finale on Monday.

The Cardinals opened up a 3.5 game lead in the NL Central on Friday with a win over the Cubs, and a Reds loss at home to the Pirates. The Pirates last week swept the Cardinals to give the Reds some hope, and now the weekend starts off with the Pirates handing the Reds a big loss.

By the way, can we officially hand the Mets the NL East title yet? Now up 14 on Philly, I don't think (not that there was much doubt) there is much left to play for in terms of that division. Now the Mets must hope they don't lose their edge as they head into the post season as a possible number one seed.

Posted by Matt Loede at 12:08 AM | Permalink | Comments

Since it is being hailed as the series of the century...I might as well give my two cents on the 5-game in 4-day series with the Yanks and Red Sox at Fenway:

Game 1:
NY - Wang vs Bos - Johnson

This is a total mismatch, and I look for a Yankees win as Jason Johnson does what he does best - gets beat up by a mad Yankees lineup for laying an egg to the Orioles yesterday.

Game 2:
NY - Ponson vs Bos - Lester

The Red Sox bounce back in game two with a win as Sidney Ponson can't go more than 5 innings and Lester handcuffs the Yankees.

Game 3:
NY - Johnson vs Bos - Beckett

The key game of the series...I am still a believer in Randy Johnson, and think that he and the Yanks get the best of him and the best of Beckett. Yankees 6 Boston 2.

Game 4:
NY - Mussina vs Bos - Schilling

What a great matchup with two pitching studs. Still think that Schilling is a man among men for what he has done over the years, I think he and the Sox will again bounce back to tie up the series. Red Sox 5 Yankees 2

Game 5:
NY - Lidle vs Bos - Wells

David Wells would like nothing more than to stick it to old friends Joe Torre and George Steinbrenner. But, despite his desire, his body is broken down, and the Yanks know his tendencies, so I give the 5th game to the Yankees, 9-5.

Overall, Yankees win the 5 game affair 3 games to 2. Not much will be settled, other than it will lead SportsCenter for 4 straight nights.

Posted by Matt Loede at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments

For a division that now looks like the A's are in total control of, you have to love the fire that the Rangers and Angels have shown over the past few games which lead to a massive fight/suspension. The high court of Major League Baseball handed down suspensions for managers Buck Showalter and Mike Scioscia, along with six others following two days of fun, old-time trouble between the two teams.

Texas pitcher Scott Feldman got the biggest penalty with a six games suspension. He plunked Adam Kennedy with a pitch Wednesday night in retaliation for two Rangers batters that were hit by Kevin Gregg and Brendan Donnelly.

What ensued was out of the Wild West, as Kennedy charged the mound, and suddenly it was a bench-clearing brawl. I for one am a fan of emotion in the game of baseball, as I don't think we see it enough, and trust me, when you see the footage of this, you will know that it was true emotion that was out there between these two teams.

While LA is 6 games back of the A's, and the Rangers 7, it looks like neither of these teams are ready to throw in the towel, which is why this fight and now sudden rivalry is a sight for sore eyes as the playoff race heats up. Let's hope for more battles out west between these two teams, and hope that at least one of them can make it a race come September.

Posted by Matt Loede at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments

The Oakland A's have won 9 of 10, and are 23-9 since the All-Star break, but even though those numbers may seem like a big push into October is coming, here is the first vote for a 4 game loss in the divisional series. Yes, the A's are a nice story, and a nice example of not needing a $180 million dollar payroll to make it to the postseason, but all in all, when you look at their lineup and what they will offer in a playoff series, this team will not make it very far.

They are building this AL West lead on the teams that they should beat, like the Mariners who they have now beaten 15 straight times. 14 of their 23 second half wins have come against the following teams - Baltimore, Toronto, Tampa Bay and Seattle. While Toronto is not all that bad, the other teams are, and that is the reason behind the recent surge of the A's. This is not a team built to go deep into the playoffs, and once the post season starts and teams like the White Sox, Tigers, Red Sox and Yanks are around (at least likely 3 of them will be), look for the A's to be a sacrifical lamb to a team steamrolling into the ALCS.

While red hot now, the A's are still only hitting .254 as a team, and Nick Swisher and Frank Thomas, each with 25 homers, will simply not be enough on offense to carry this team. Overall, a nice story that will come to an end in early October.

Posted by Matt Loede at 6:56 AM | Permalink | Comments

The entire baseball landscape in the AL East could change by Tuesday, as the world sets up yet another big series between the Yankees and Red Sox. This 5-game in 4-day series at Fenway Park could determine the remainder of the AL East, or could just start what could be a wild ride to the finish of baseball's most overexposed division. The Yankees lead the division by two games heading into a Thursday game with the Orioles, while the Red Sox rest at home after winning Wednesday over the Tigers to avoid a sweep.

I have stated before that the Red Sox seem like a team that is just not as good as years past, but they can shut me and others up by taking 4 of 5 and taking back control of the division. The drama starts Friday as the teams play a 1:05 and 8:05 doubleheader. Game one seems like a total mismatch as Chein-Ming Wang at 13-5 goes against former Tigers and Indians reject Jason Johnson who is 3-11. Game two is a little more even as Sidney Ponson at 4-5 goes for NY vs Jon Lester who is 6-2.

Considering the Yankees lead could be as little as 1.5 games entering this series, it is shaping up to be the most hyped and watched series of 2006. Whoever comes out of the series with the division lead could very well lead it the rest of the way.

Posted by Matt Loede at 6:36 AM | Permalink | Comments

The game of the night had to be in St.Louis, as the struggling Cards stopped the bleeding, for at least one night - in beating the Reds soundly 4-0. Chris Carpenter pitched like an ace, going all 9 innings and allowing just 4 hits, not walking a batter and striking out 6 in throwing 107 pitches. The offense did enough, scraping a run in the 2nd on a Ronnie Belliard hit, then another in the 4th before putting the game away with a three-run fifth to go up 5-0. Chris Duncan went 3-for-5 with the big hit of the night - a two-run homer in the three run inning. Overall, the Reds have to be frustrated, as they had won 8 of 13 going into tonights game, yet now trail the division by 2.5 games. Lots of games to go, but give it to the Cards for making a statement.

Posted by Matt Loede at 10:38 PM | Permalink | Comments

The LA Dodgers are on the verge of running away with the NL West, and the team looks like it has all the pieces in place for an eventual showdown with the Mets in the NLCS. The team has won 5 straight, 9 of 10, and despite only being up 2.5 on the Padres, clearly look like the better team heading into the last month and two weeks of the season. Nomar is hitting .331 and has been about the best free agent pickup of the offseason, and Brad Penny is about the best pitcher in the NL at 13-5, with winning three straight. He is throwing the ball with about as much crispness as he was on opening day, and has won three striaght, shutting down the Giants, Rockies and Reds. Rafael Furcal is another player that is doing all the right things...hitting .287 with 29 steals. This team is looking strong, and look for them to increase their NL West this week with Florida, the Giants and Padres on the road and then a series next weekend in Arizona.

Posted by Matt Loede at 5:34 PM | Permalink | Comments

You have to love sports. Just 8 months ago, the city of Cincinnati probably wanted to invade the city of Pittsburgh after the Steelers knocked out Carson Palmer and beat the Bengals in a playoff game. Today, the fans of the Reds are paying thanks to the city of Pittsburgh. Why? Becuase the Pirates, the baseball team that resides in Pittsburgh, just did the Reds a major league favor in sweeping the first place Cardinals over the weekend in PNC Park. The sweep, combined with two straight wins for the Reds, puts the NL Central race at 1.5 games with plenty of games left till the playoffs in October. While in the end I think that the Cards are still the team to beat, you have to wonder what was going through their minds after the three games in Pittsburgh, lost by a combined count of 17-3. The next series at home for the Cards vs the Reds, and then in Chicago against their rival in the Cubs, could go a long way in determining who wins the division.

Posted by Matt Loede at 9:52 PM | Permalink | Comments

When you look at where the A's and Angels are, this should be a compelling race down the stretch. I think with Carols Lee and the Rangers, you have a team that is playing okay (they have won 4 straight and 6 of 10), but have struggled at home at 29-30 and are over .500 on the road at 31-28. You have to give the A's credit. They are not all that flashy (name more than two players in their normal starting lineup), and have not one player in the starting lineup batting over .300 (Jay Payton is hitting .291). But Zito, Haren and Blanton have bailed out the A's lackluster offense and is carrying the load. As for the Angels, Jared Weaver is 8-0, and despite the team being 4 back, they seemed poised to make a run in the last month and two weeks of the season. Vlad Guerrero is hitting .313 with 26 homers, and if he can carry the Angels down the stretch, I think they will catch and pass the A's for the division win.

Posted by Matt Loede at 3:45 PM | Permalink | Comments

With just about 50 games left, the American League Wild Card race should shape up to be a very good one. I would be concerned if I was a Red Sox fan, becuase it just seems like the dynamic that this team has had over the past few years is simply not there. They had to have some serious 9th inning luck to simply overcome the Indians two nights in a row two weeks ago in their home ballpark. I think that the Yankees have their number this year, and that it will be up to the Red Sox to try and settle for the WC. On to the White Sox, again, a team that may have a title hangover and a team that is always getting distracted by the words of their own manager. Right now they have the edge, but I would be worried if I was a Sox supporter this time around. That is why for now, I like the chemistry and the vibe from the Twins. Yes, they may have underachieved early in the season, but they have found the right stuff to turn it on when it counts. They have some big games still left on their scheudle with the White Sox, and I think that they have to feel that they are the ones hunting, and that the Red and White Sox are the hunted. That is why I will take the Twins to take the WC in the AL.

A swing and a drive....

Matt

Technorati Tags: baseball, mlb, white sox, red sox, minnesota twins, cleveland indians

Posted by Matt Loede at 4:39 PM | Permalink | Comments