Tuesday Update

The two worst teams in the AL could end up playing large roles in the Wild Card picture this week:

• The league-worst Royals meet the Wild Card-leading Twins for three games starting tonight. The Royals are throwing staff ace(?) Mark Redman (5.85 ERA) up against youngster Matt Garza (6.59 ERA), who is coming off of his first successful major league start. Since the All-Star break and more importantly the emergence of third baseman Mark Teahen, the Royals haven't been as dreadful as many people give them credit for. True, their pitching is still abysmal most of the time, but the lineup has some interesting pieces in David DeJesus and the aforementioned Teahen. Teahen hasn't been merely good since his return from Omaha, he's been incredible. Since his callup, Teahen is hitting .324/.401/.585 and posting a fielding RATE of 109. Not all is depressing in KC.

• The Devil Rays are by all accounts a horrible team, although the discarding of Russell Branyan and callup of Delmon Young are steps in the right direction. Once retreads like Travis Lee and Greg Norton are excorsized from the roster, the team can really start to look towards, say, not losing 100 games every year. The White Sox host the D'Rays tonight as Casey Fossum takes on Freddy Garcia. The White Sox pitching woes have kept them a game behind the Twins in the Wild Card to this point, and things aren't looking too rosy for Ozzie's Sox. Care to field a guess on who possesses the lower ERA between tonight's two starters? A hint: it's not Freddy Garcia.

Monday Update

• David Wright had a good day today, notching an RBI in a Mets win over the Phillies. However, Wright hasn't enjoyed many good days at the plate since his torrid first half. Looking over the splits, the discrepancy between Wright's first-half numbers and his numbers since the All-Star break is glaring. Pre All-Star, Wright posted a line of .316/.386/.575 with 20 home runs. Since then the Mets' third baseman is hitting .241/.331/.358 with only two home runs. Essentially, a third of Wright's production has been shaved off. Since posting a 1.049 OPS in June, Wright has steadily declined, case in point being his .563 mark in August. Around the trade deadline much was made of Bobby Abreu's atrophied skillset and the home run derby's effect on his power numbers. It appears David Wright may have the same problem to a much greater degree. Wright hasn't been horrible in the on-base department, but his .358 slugging percentage since the break speaks volumes about his power struggles. Wright's difficulties lead me to wonder why we heard so much about the "failure" that was Alex Rodriguez and his .694 OPS in June. Could be the salary, but still...I'd rather be a Yankee fan than a Mets fan right now.

• The Red Sox have their backs against the wall tonight as they head to Oakland for the first of three. Tonight has bad news written all over it for the Sox considering Jon Lester has been scratched and is being replaced by emergency callup Kason Gabbard. True, Lester hasn't been good in a few starts, and the rest is probably a good call after taking into account the hopelessness of the Red Sox' situation. Boston will have its hands full against Esteban Loaiza tonight. The usually horrible Loaiza has been strangely outstanding of late, heading into tonight hoping to finish August without a loss. Loaiza has held hitters to a .229 batting average in the last month, ceding only 1.77 earned runs per nine innings. After stringing together three months worth of atrocious pitching and effectively scutting the A's chances every fifth day, Loaiza's hot streak has helped the A's take a strong hold of the AL West playoff spot.

Sunday Update

• The Cardinals have an opportunity to put even more distance between themselves and the pack in the NL Central tonight. The Reds suffered a defeat at the hands of the Giants for the third straight day. With a win, the Cardinals will move three games up on the Reds and seven up on the third-place Astros. Tonight's assignment isn't the toughest, as the Cubs are throwing yet another rookie on the fire in the guise of Les Walrond. I'm rooting for the 29 year-old Walrond tonight not only because he's been an organizational soldier for forever and a day but because he is a former Kansas Jayhawk. I've been waiting all year for the Cubs to call Walrond up to assist their depleted pitching staff, and it appears today is the day. Walrond has been decent if a bit wild in the minors this year, and he hasn't been too horrible tonight. He's a lefty with a pretty good curveball and a low-90's fastball that lacks movement. Walrond has given up two runs in just over two innings thus far, although the runs came on an egregious Jacque Jones error out in right field. I'm also rooting vehemently against the Cardinals because Tony LaRussa is using Preston Wilson in the leadoff spot tonight. Tony LaRussa: complete idiot.

• The Phillies picked up another ancient but useful part today, stealing Jeff Conine from the Orioles for cash considerations. The Orioles had no use for Conine, so it was nice of them to let him finish up with a contender. The Phils aren't weak at the corner outfield spots, but they could use some depth off of the bench to counteract Charlie Manuel's regularization of the uber-horrible Abraham Nunez. At this point in his career Conine is suited perfectly for this sort of role, and the Phillies are certainly the better for this acquisition.

Saturday Wrapup

For the second straight day, things didn't go all that well for the top two teams in the AL East.

• The Yankees lost to the Angels, bringing their season mark to 3-6 against Los Angeles. The Yankee hitters did an admirable job of playing catchup all day but the New York pitching proved too abysmal to overcome. Cory Lidle had his first disaster as a Yankee, leaving in the 4th after allowing five across the plate. Aside from recent callup Brian Bruney, the New York relievers were miserable as well. Four Yankee pitchers allowed seven runs in four and a third innings, allowing twelve baserunners in the process. It looks like the Yankees' pen problems can be traced back to the lack of rest that last weekend's monster series in Boston allowed for. Normally accountable pitchers like Ron Villone and Mike Myers have been horrid of late, today being the most recent example. Matt Karstens is scheduled to start tomorrow for the Yankees, but I don't think the bleeding will stop until the team gets a day off to rest their weary arms.

•  Fortunately for the Yankees, the Red Sox are in a vessel in a similar state of disrepair. However, the Red Sox' boat has already taken on about five and a half games of water. For the second straight night, the Red Sox failed to defeat a fairly mediocre Seattle team. The Red Sox didn't crush the ball by any means today, picking up seven hits and three runs. It was the pitching that was most frustrating for the BoSox, however, as they surrendered the lead on three different occasions en route to a 4-3 loss. David Wells, who seems to be rounding (har har har) into playing shape, gave Boston seven good innings but Mike Timlin let the M's back into the picture on the shoulders of an Adrian Beltre home run and a sacrifice fly. The 40 year-old Timlin has looked weary of late, perhaps because of last weekend's marathon series. No matter how you slice it, the Red Sox and Yankees are both struggling. Thanks to a fairly plush cushion of five and a half games, however, the Yankees don't have nearly the cause for panic that the Sox do.
  

The Angels and the Mariners are most likely not playoff-bound. However, they aren't bad teams in any way, shape, or form. Teams with good bullpens and decent lineups can and will turn out to be pretty darn annoying to the contending teams as we move into the final month of the season.

Friday Update

• The huge - nay, gargantuan series of the weekend starts tonight in Chicago where the Twins will try to flip the AL Wild Card over and take the lead over the White Sox. Tonight it's 'Advantage: Twins' with the steady Brad Radke throwing against Javier Vazquez. Vazquez has often been shaky this season as his 5.13 ERA suggests. His performances against the Twins haven't been pretty by any account, as he's racked up an ERA of 6.87 in six career starts. Watching Vazquez work, it's apparent that he is a decent enough pitcher. He gets many strikeouts, generally issues few walks, and has great movement on his fastball. His problem area has been the gopher ball, as he has given up more than one per 9 innings for five straight seasons. The Twins' lineup is not overly power-centric, but Justin Morneau and Torii Hunter are both in the midst of hot streaks and could do some harm to Vazquez if he doesn't work down in the zone. Brad Radke, a 33 year-old in what appears to be his last season, has enjoyed a successful and resurgent campaign in 2006. After an abysmal start to the season, Radke has righted both his own ship and the team's, using his pinpoint control and mean change-up to put up another year of league-average or better performance. Wracked by injury, Radke is clearly not the same pitcher he has been, as his .303 BAA and 4.8 K's per 9 IP suggest. However, he's been an important a cog as any in a Minnesota machine that could very well be playoff bound.

Thursday Wrapup

A quick rundown of today's happenings:

• The Twins kept pace with the White Sox, beating up on Kris Benson and the O's to remain half a game back in the Wild Card. Rookie Boof Bonser threw his finest game thus far, going 6+ with only two runs allowed.
• Much thanks to Bill Hall and Prince Fielder's home runs, Tomo Ohka survived a rough start against the Rockies as the Brewers pulled off the sweep with a 12-6 victory.
• The Cubs absolutely annihilated Cole Hamels and his Phillie phriends, hitting four home runs and scoring 11 times. Hamels didn't register a strikeout in what was an ugly 2+.
• Pittsburgh took the first of a four game series, coming from behind against the desperate Astros. Wandy Rodriguez was decent but the Houston offense couldn't solve Pat Maholm. Maholm is one of a few good young arms up in Pittsburgh (Gorzelanny, Duke, Snell).
• The Cardinals once again proved horrible in a 6-2 loss to the Mets. The loss means that with a win tonight in San Fran, the Reds will move into a tie for the NL Central lead. Marquis was bad in this one, as he always is.
• Having become irrelevant in the AL West race, the Rangers salvaged the final game of four in Tampa Bay. Robinson Tejeda was strong for the second straight start. There's always '08.
• Kansas City hung tough with Cleveland for most of the game but lost 8-4 thanks to an ugly showing by bullpen-er Ambiorix Burgos. Indians' youngsters Andy Marte and Ryan Garko enjoyed solid nights, going a combined 5-of-8 with four RBI.
• The Giants are staying hot, beating Cincy 3-2 in the 6th. As mediocre and geriatric as San Fransico is, a series sweep would bring them even with Cincinnati.
  
• Jarrod Washburn just exited in the 7th after striking out 10 Yankees and yielding only 2 runs. The M's lead 4-2.
• David Ortiz' 46th homer stands as the difference in the Boston-Los Angeles matchup, 2-0 in the 7th.

• The Mets stayed busy, DFA'ing recent pickup Ricky Ledee after picking up Shawn Green. Ledee was bad - this makes sense. Lastings Milledge was sent down to AAA. Michael Tucker is bad - this does not make much sense. Ramon Castro, one of the better backup backstops in the bigs, heads to the 60-day DL, replaced by Kelly Stinnett.
  

Thursday Update

• Jermaine Dye absolutely exploded today, hitting two home runs and a double in the White Sox' 10-0 obliteration of the AL Central-leading Tigers. Although Jon Garland's complete game shutout might have been the White Sox' best individual performance today, Dye's big day is important. Having lost Jim Thome for a few games with some sort of leg injury, the White Sox needed someone to step into the #3 hole vacated by Thome. Dye accepted the invitation and more. What was an incredible 3-4-5 mix with Thome, Konerko, and Dye is only slightly less dangerous with the shuffling-in of third baseman Joe Crede. Crede, though normally a #6 or #7 place hitter, is no slouch. He and his .540 slugging percentage certainly can drive in some runs. Also looking up for the White Sox: Brian Anderson. After catching everything in his general vicinity but struggling to stay above .200 for the first several months of the season, his hitting is finally catching up with his glove work. Anderson's OPS has increased steadily with each passing month this season, rising from an anemic .572 May figure to the considerably more passable .797 and .801 in July and August, respectively. Chicago GM Kenny Williams should be commended for his persistence in sticking with the much maligned Anderson, even when the press was calling for a veteran import via trade. I still like the Twins' bullpen, but the White Sox have got some darn good hitters.
  

Wednesday Wrapup

• Matt Garza gave the Twins exactly the lift they needed today with six strong innings and his first big league win. Garza only struck out one Oriole hitter, but worked in and around the strike zone and only threw a total of 80 pitches. Regardless of the Twins' problems at the back end of the rotation, they possess something that few teams do: a serviceable bullpen. Tonight, Ron Gardenhire threw his 'big-game' guys at the Orioles, sending Pat Neshek, Dennys Reyes, Juan Rincon, and Joe Nathan to the hill. All of these guys have been more than solid this season, and they all possess ERAs below 2.44. Nathan is easily the most underrated closer in the bigs, ranking second to Jonathan Papelbon in WXRL while only earning half the accolades pitchers like Bobby Jenks (6th in WXRL) and Billy Wagner (7th) have garnered. The AL Central race is split between three teams with above-average bullpens. The White Sox have shut down set-up men Riske and MacDougal, the Tigers' Fernando Rodney and Joel Zumaya, and the Twins the reliable Nathan. The Tigers are by far and away the best complete team of the three, but if the Wild Card ends up being decided by the bullpens, I'm definitely not putting my money on Bobby Jenks and Co.

• As I guessed in the previous post, Mark Mulder didn't have a good night in New York. Mulder was shelled to the tune of nine runs in three innings. The Cards' bullpen kept them in the game, but the Mets pulled a second straight win from under the Cardinals, who should feel lucky they don't have any good teams nipping at their heels.
  

Wednesday Update

Two big-name starting pitchers, Mark Mulder and Gustavo Chacin, make their returns from the DL this evening. The Blue Jays are out of the AL picture, but the Cardinals still have some baseball to play between now and the postseason.

• The day began with the Cardinals only one game up on Cincinnati, trying to recover from a come-from-behind beating at the hands of Carlos Beltran. However, the Reds managed to fall to the Astros this afternoon, giving the Cards a bit of reprieve. All signs point to tonight's game being an ugly one for Mulder. The big lefty struggled all season leading up to his injury, pitching his way to a 6.09 ERA with the help of a mediocre 4.9 strikeouts per 9 innings. Mulder looked rusty in two Triple-A rehab starts, allowing 11 hits and issuing nine walks in eight innings of work. On top of all of this, Mulder's only previous experience at Shea stadium was a shellacking that resulted in six runs being scored over the course of five innings. This game certainly means a bit more for the Cardinals than for the Mets, who recieved some good news concerning Tom Glavine and their chances in the playoffs.

• Speaking of the Mets: New York acquired outfielder Shawn Green from the Diamondbacks for a Triple-A pitcher yesterday. Shawn Green isn't much of a hitter (.259 Park-Adjusted EQA), and he's a horrid fielder (91 RATE), but with Cliff Floyd's health remaining a question mark, Green represents a viable alternative to Endy Chavez/Michael Tucker. Looking forward, the Mets are only paying approximately half of Green's 2007 salary, and he's a guy who could be useful in a reduced role while Lastings Milledge rounds into form. If anyone loses in this deal its the Diamondbacks, who waited about a month too long to unload Shawn Green. Carlos Quentin is obviously now and forever the better player. More playing time for Quentin earlier in the season may have resulted in more runs scored, more wins, and a smaller deficit in the Wild Card race.
  
  

Tuesday Wrapup

• The Texas Rangers entered the week with an outside shot at a playoff berth, but have effectively dashed any hope by dropping two straight to the Devil Rays. The Rangers wasted a decent outing from Vicente Padilla tonight, failing to plate a single run against an atrocious Tampa Bay bullpen. Padilla, true to form, hit two D-Rays with pitches and allowed 10 hits but kept Texas in the game and headed for the showers with the score a three-all tie. Ron Mahay gave up a solo shot to Travis Lee to begin the 8th, putting the game out of the Rangers' reach. One thing that occurred to me in looking over this box score is the divide between good, young players and bottom of the barrel veterans that populate the Tampa Bay roster. Some of the more exciting young players in the AL reside in Tampa, with speedsters Rocco Baldelli (.289/.331/.452) and Carl Crawford (.313/.360/.495), prospects B.J. Upton and Ben Zobrist, and the hugely underrated Scott Kazmir. In several weeks the D-Rays could also bring the always psychotic Delmon Young into the fold. These youngsters are juxtaposed with some of the trashiest of the trashy. The bottom of the Tampa Bay lineup features Travis Lee, Russell Branyan, Damon Hollins, and Tomas Perez. Throw Johnny Gomes into the mix, and you've got yourself five regulars on the same team who are all struggling to stay above the mendoza line. In late August.

• The Twins and White Sox both shot themselves in the foot tonight with weak offensive showings. The White Sox were stymied by Kenny Rogers and Fernando Rodney, while the Twins had the displeasure of facing rookie Adam Loewen at his best. The Tigers don't look to be in any danger of coughing up their division lead, so Detroit and Chicago are going to battle it out for the Wild Card. Who will take the prize is anyone's guess at this point.

• I'm watching Jeff Karstens' debut, and I'm impressed. The 23 year-old Yankee isn't exactly a top-flite prospect, coming from the 19th round of the draft and posting fairly pedestrian numbers at every stop on the farm. Karstens really needs to work on making sure he keeps his fastball down in the zone, because when elevated, its a pretty easy pitch to hit, as Richie Sexson and Adrian Beltre can attest. However, his curveball is excellent and he doesn't seem to have any trouble throwing it for a strike. Karstens' track record says #4 or #5 starter, but his stuff projects favorably.

Tuesday Preview

• The AL Central/Wild Card race stays interesting today, as the White Sox have a much tougher draw than the Twins this evening.
• In a battle of two second-half stragglers, Mark Buehrle faces Kenny Rogers tonight in Detroit. After punching the White Sox around yesterday, the Tigers hold a 6.5 game lead and plenty of confidence. The White Sox are only half of a game up on the Twins and coming off of a fairly brutal series loss in Minnesota. It's fair to say that this game is big for the Sox and Buehrle, who is trying to dig up some of the success he has enjoyed at earlier points in his career. Though Mike Maroth's rehab is taking a bit longer than expected, the Tigers' pitching situation is looking good, with Rogers being the least effective of the bunch. Despite being the weakest link in the Tigers' chain, Rogers is still a useful pitcher who can be counted on to at least keep things close for five innings every time out.
• The Twins are granted a prime opportunity to leapfrog the White Sox with a series in Baltimore. Admittedly, Baltimore hasn't been shabby of late, taking two of three from both the Yankees and Blue Jays in the past week. Carlos Silva meets Adam Loewen in a matchup that could result in some serious runs being plated. Despite his generally ugly numbers, the 22 year-old Loewen has improved his ERA every month this season, and has shown the ability to pick up strikeouts at a decent clip (8.1/9 IP).
  

Monday Wrapup

• Houston did exactly what it needed to do for the first seven innings of tonight's game. Andy Pettitte tossed a good one, racking up 10 strikeouts in five and a third, and the offense provided a bit of pop with three solo home runs. Pettitte walked or struck out 14 of the 25 batters he faced, effectively taking the Great American (long)Ballpark effect out of play. Russ Springer and Chad Qualls worked the sixth and seventh with little trouble, but Qualls fell victim to the bandbox effect in the eighth. Rich Aurilia, all year a pleasant (.289/.341/.531) surprise, came up big for Cincinnati, rapping a Qualls delivery out of the park to tie the game. A bit later, Royce Clayton punched a single through the infield to give the Reds a lead that recent acquisition Scott Schoenweis would not give up. Obviously, this loss is huge for the Astros, putting them six back in the Wild Card. The win could turn out to be very important for the Reds, who have the Phillies (winners at Chicago), Padres (winning vs. LA), and Diamondbacks (trailing in San Fran) hot on their heels. For a Reds team that quite frankly isn't much good, every win is a huge step toward a postseason berth that they really, really do not deserve.

• After tonight's scuffle, John Gibbons might not want to be so blunt in dealing with his players.
  

Monday Update

• Tonight marks the beginning of a now-or-never series for the Houston Astros. Trailing in the wild card by five games, the Astros meet the Reds in the first game of three at the Great American (Long)Ball Park. The resurgent Andy Pettitte faces Bronson Arroyo in a matchup of AL-turned-NL starters. Pettitte suffered through an arduous first three months before finding his groove in July and August. Pettitte has really buckled down in his last four starts, allowing only 20 hits and five walks in 29+ innings. The Reds are always a threat to put runs on the board, and are helped considerably by the cozy confines of their home park. Pettitte will have to do his best to keep the ball out of the seats in this one, because the Astros hitters aren't the best in the world. In fact, the Astros are carrying not one, not two, but three replacement level hitters in their daily lineup. If Willy Taveras' .334 slugging percentage and Adam Everett's .288 on-base percentage don't make you cringe, look no further than Brad Ausmus' -15.0 VORP for some sadistic jollies. We know, he totally saved the day last year against the Braves...but c'mon - the guy is just bad.

Sunday Update

Some more transaction news:

• For some reason or another, the Tigers traded for Neifi Perez, sending minor-league catcher Chris Robinson to the Cubs. Admittedly, the loss of a 22 year-old catcher with an OPS of .705 at Single-A shouldn't set the Tigers back much, but in truth there is not enough space in an organization for both dignity and Neifi Perez. The Tigers chose to cut loose their dignity in return for Perez and his .266 OBP. Sure, he's cheap and pretty nifty with the glove, but current Tiger Omar Infante could could be described in this manner as well. Here's hoping Neifi Perez sinks the ship and the Tigers don't make the playoffs. Stupid Dombrowski...
  

Sunday Preview

Though most of the media attention has been on the Yanks vs. Sox and tonight's matchup of aces, the AL Wild Card race is the closer of the two.

• The White Sox try to protect their two game lead and steal a series win from the Twins today in Minnesota. Unfortunately for Chicago, the unhittable Johan Santana takes the ball for the Twins this afternoon. The White Sox' offense was opportunistic enough to snatch a win yesterday against a formidable opponent in Brad Radke. The Twins made several errors, leaving Radke to fight through some tough situations and ultimately surrender three runs, two unearned. The White Sox may have to hope for the same kinds of opportunities to present themselves today, as Santana has been lights out in allowing only a .151 batting average against in August. Javier Vazquez gets the call for Chicago. Vazquez has a high ERA and has dealt with grief from Sox fans for his failure to live up to expectations. However, just watching one turn through the Chicago rotation gives credence to the claim that Vazquez is more effective than the mediocre Mark Buehrle and Freddy Garcia. Vazquez is decent on a fairly regular basis and downright nasty when he is hitting the corners of the zone with his shifty fastball. For evidence of his worth, look no further than his 4.30 FIP and the .322 BABIP that could be leading to the poor results many are wailing about.

Saturday Wrapup

Another fairly substantial waiver-wire move today:

• Jamie Moyer is heading to Philadelphia in exchange for minor-league pitchers Andrew Baldwin and Andrew Barb.
•  The Phillies solve their #5 starter problem with the acquisition, and in my opinion Moyer is still a fairly decent option at the back of the rotation even at 43 years old. Moyer doesn't throw any harder than 85 MPH anymore, but he has above-average command of the strike zone. Although his rising home run rate could be cause for some concern, he's posted a 4.61 ERA in the AL so I've got to believe he can be at least average in the NL.
  
• The Mariners get two right-handed A-ball pitchers in the deal. Baldwin is 23 years old, and looks fairly average pitching at a level he is a bit too old for. In 147 innings he has walked only 22 hitters but allowed 164 hits, yielding about 4 runs per game. Barb, a reliever, is only 21 years old and is posting substantially better numbers. Barb has racked up 71 strikeouts in 60.2 innings while allowing a scant 35 hits and a thin 2.23 ERA. One mustn't put too much weight on a pitcher's numbers in A-ball relief, but at least the M's picked up something for the nothing Moyer and his expiring contract would've become in the offseason.
  

Saturday Update

• The Yankees continued to pummel the Red Sox today, laying 13 runs on Josh Beckett and Co. en route to a 4.5 game lead in the AL East. The third game of the series moved at a quicker pace than the first two, finishing in a crisp 3:43. All kidding aside, it was another painful one for fans of good pitching, as Josh Beckett threw 64 pitches through three innings and ended up with nine(!) walks to his credit to go with his nine runs surrendered. Randy Johnson wasn't the model of efficiency either, walking six BoSox in what has become his sort of game: seven innings pitched, five runs allowed, and a win tallied. Johnny Damon once again made the Red Sox rethink their offseason thriftiness with a three-of-six, three double performance. Here are some numbers to chew on:
• Damon in '06: .297/.369/.513; 20 HR; 22 SB.
  
• Crisp in '06: .276/.329/.398; 6 HR; 16 SB.

Life is good.

Saturday Preview

Along with the hugely hyped series taking place in Boston this weekend, some interesting stuff is going down in the AL West.

• As recently as several days ago, the Angels and Rangers had effectively fallen out of contention for the Division title. However, thanks to the pesky Royals, both Texas and Los Angeles are still kicking, if barely. The A's were shut down by Luke Hudson in game one of yesterday's debacle in Kansas City, and stymied by Jorge de la Rosa in game two. In losing both games, the A's let their lead over the second place Angels slip to a surmountable 4.5 games.
• Things look good for the Athletics today, as they face the slumping Mark Redman (10.13 August ERA). I watched Redman's last start against the White Sox, and he was hitting his spots. Unfortunately for the Royals, the White Sox were hitting these same spots, resulting in an early exit for Redman. Slumping or not, Redman could be the cure to the A's offensive woes. Barry Zito goes for Oakland in the midst of a bad spell of his own. Still, I'll take a struggling Zito over a struggling Redman any day of the week.
• The Angels have a legitimate shot at the division if their young players can stay hot through the final few weeks of the season. Joe Saunders was shelled for the first time last week, but Mike Napoli could be emerging from his horrific .169/.325/.385 July, as he hit a crucial home run in a win last night. Howie Kendrick needs to continue his hot hitting, while Macier Izturis has to keep his batting average over .300 to be of any use offensively. The veterans (Escobar, Lackey, Guerrero, Rivera) have proven to be dependable but not good enough to warrant postseason talk. However, with the youngsters' help, the Angels could be well on their way to the '06 playoffs.
• Despite their relative proximity to first place (5.5 games), I don't think the Rangers have a shot at the title. Despite Mark Teixeira's recent improvement and the addition of Carlos Lee, it is unlikely that Texas can hit well enough to gloss over the fact that Edison Volquez and Robinson Tejeda are getting starts. The two are prospects, but not major league-ready, and certainly not pennant-race ready. But then again, the alternatives are Kip Wells and Jon Koronka...
  

Friday Wrapup

• The veteran managed to out-pitch the rookie today in the matchup between the Tigers and Rangers. Kevin Millwood put together quite a gem, allowing only one run in seven innings on a Dmitri Young home run. Zach Miner was good but not good enough, letting up two runs in six innings. Both bullpens were sharp, and the Rangers relievers pitched well enough to hold up a 2-1 advantage for the duration. This Detroit loss can be attributed to the over-aggressive nature of their hitters. The Tigers didn't manage to draw a walk, and only coaxed 128 pitches out of the Texas staff. The good news for Detroit: Chicago looks well on its way to a loss tonight. Chicago's inability to gain any significant ground on the division-leading Tigers is nearly as frustrating as the mediocrity that is so prevalent in the NL, mainly because the White Sox have the ability to be a great team, but are at this point merely good.

• In the NL, the storylines are looking familiar:
• Philadelphia gets poor starting pitching and loses to a bad Washington team.
• The Mets win, this time defeating Wild Card hopeful Colorado.
• The anemic Astros offense only musters two runs, wasting some good pitching in a loss.
• Cincinnati loses.
  

Friday Update

• Offseason acquisition Johnny Damon has been an absolute godsend for the New York Yankees this season. Damon is especially hot right now, having hit four home runs in his last eight games. This afternoon, Damon has responded to the Fenway boo-birds with a triple and a two-run homer. Damon may not be hitting the ball any further than he has in the past, but the short porch in Yankee stadium could be helping him out. Damon has 19 home runs, only one short of a career high, and is posting a career best .294 EQA. He has been very durable, playing 112 of a possible 119 games this season while fighting through a number of nagging injuries. With the addition of Bobby Abreu, the consistency of Damon, and the emergence of Melky Cabrera, the Yankees' outfield is among the best in the majors despite the loss of its two biggest offensive contributors.
• Eric Hinske is tearing apart the Yankees in his Red Sox debut. Hinske has three doubles in as many at-bats.
  

• The Cardinals signed Houston castaway Preston Wilson today, sending starting pitcher Anthony Reyes to Triple-A to make roster room. On hearing this news, I immediately wondered why the Cardinals needed two Juan Encarnacions on the team when zero Juan Encarnacions is clearly the optimum number of Juan Encarnacions. Looking at this in more depth, I found that with Edmonds' indefinite absence, the Cards need some outfield depth. However, I don't see the point of replacing So Taguchi's crappy .244 EQA with Preston Wilson's equally crappy .244 EQA. At least what little Taguchi is worth stems from an ability to get on base-Wilson's only contribution (besides the sideburns) is a home run every once in a while. I assume Mark Mulder is ready to make his return to the rotation in place of Reyes. No matter what transpires, a team who underachieves this consistently on the field and in the front office does not deserve a playoff berth.
  

Thursday Update

• In a pretty odd turn of events, the Reds and Cardinals found themselves engaged in quite the pitchers' duel this afternoon. Not only are both teams firmly entrenched in the top half of the Majors in Marginal Lineup value and VORP, but the starters they sent to the hill didn't look too promising. Cincinnati's Kyle Lohse threw seven great innings of one-run ball, thinning his ERA as a Red to a scant 2.33 in 19+ innings. I haven't seen enough of Lohse in Cincy to determine whether he's changed anything mechanically, but it seems like Lohse's 2006 may be a case for the "change-of scenery" phenomenon. St. Louis threw their own retread out there in Anaheim castaway Jeff Weaver. Weaver matched Lohse inning-for-inning, going seven and a third while allowing only one run on three hits. Weaver has made seven starts as a Cardinal, and hasn't been great, racking up a 5.54 ERA in 37 1/3 innings pitched. I believe Weaver still has good stuff and the ability to provide a fine arm in long relief. I don't think St. Louis and their weak rotation is the right place for Weaver, but the Cardinals pulled out the crucial victory with Weaver's assistance today. Scott Rolen provided all the offense the Cards needed, banging a solo shot and finishing the contest with a walk-off single. The Cardinals and Reds have no more head-to-head matchups remaning, and with St. Louis up by two and a half games, the Reds have some work to do.

Thursday Preview

• The Blue Jays dealt corner infielder/outfielder to the Red Sox last night. Hinske, a former Rookie of the year who is hitting .264/.353/.513 this season, is certainly a helpful player, but I don't know where he fits in the Boston lineup. Despite the loss of Trot Nixon, the Red Sox are especially strong at the corner positions, employing Manny Ramirez (56 VORP), Kevin Youkilis (22.6), Wily Mo Pena (15.5) and Mike Lowell (13.3). Depth is always good, but Hinske just seems to be filling the same role as he did in Toronto - a heavy-hitting, underutilized utility man. Hey, its a better idea than acquiring Javy "I'm horrible" Lopez.
  

Wednesday Wrapup

• Justin Verlander looked scared at times against a dominating Red Sox lineup tonight. Verlander walked seven Sox while only striking out two, and seemed like the was pitching around many of the hitters. In the decisive 6th inning, light-hitting Alex Cora filled the count on Verlander. Instead of challenging the obviously overmatched Cora, Verlander threw what looked like a concession pitch about a foot above the outside corner. This particular walk loaded the bases for Coco Crisp, who then doubled home two runs. Kenny Rogers has lost his steam, Zach Miner is obviously not a phenom, and the injured Mike Maroth is not a sure thing. If Verlander continues to struggle down the stretch, I don't worry about the Tigers ability to make the playoffs as much as I do their ability to stay in the playoffs for more than three games.

• The Astros were at their most frustrating this afternoon, failing to score a single run against Cubs' debutee Ryan O'Malley, who by all accounts doesn't have the greatest of stuff. The Astros were first-pitch swinging for most of the afternoon, hitting weak popouts all over the field and failing to support Andy Pettitte's absolutely beautiful one-run complete game gem. With Oswalt and Pettitte, the Astros have some serious curveballers. Both of these guys amaze me with their ability to put 20 miles per hour between their fastball and curveball. It's a wonder anyone scores on these kinds of pitchers.
  

Wednesday Preview

Looking at the Wild Card picture as it is currently painted, I'd say there are six teams remaining in the NL hunt and three in the AL:

• The NL picture is crowded, with six teams within four games of the leader.
• Cincinnati leads the pack, and is 2.5 back in the Central. With only two games remaining against St. Louis, I don't think the Reds will win the division. With the recent demotion of Elizardo Ramirez resulting in more weight on the shoulders of Kyle Lohse and Eric Milton, I can't envision the Reds holding onto their one game Wild Card lead. Griffey just isn't an offensive asset any more, and the bullpen is still bad despite Wayne Krivsky's silly re-shuffling experiments.
• Arizona is in a second place tie, one game back. In my mind, the Diamondbacks have as good a shot at the playoffs as any of their competitors. Arizona doesn't have a standout on offense, but they have oodles of depth because of the emergence of youngsters like Stephen Drew (.330/.369/.583) and Carlos Quentin (.250/.338/.567). Their starting rotation is similarly full of average performers (Miguel Batista, Livan Hernandez) who have been hot as of late. The D'Backs are relying on unproven players down the stretch, but they don't have to stay hot much longer to earn a playoff berth.
• San Diego, also one game back, is another team I'd certainly give a vote of confidence. Chan Ho Park is back in the fold, giving the Padres five serviceable starters for the stretch run. Despite questionmarks at a few spots around the diamond (Todd Walker, Khalil Greene), key players like Mike Cameron (.262/.343/.478) and Adrian Gonzalez (.300/.348/.509) have been able to carry most of the dead weight.
• Philadelphia traded their best player and subsequently gained ground in the playoff race. This makes sense when you recall how poorly the Phillies played for the first two-thirds of the season. The Philadelphia roster is stocked with goodies like Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, yet they lost and lost and lost. Thanks to Cole Hamels' emergence as a front-line starter, Ryan Howard's home run explosion, and both Brett Myers' and Jon Lieber's return to something above replacement level, the Phillies are playing up to preseason expectations and are only 2.5 games out.
• Colorado is three games out of the picture and somewhere they haven't been in quite a while: near the playoffs. A perennial loser, the Rockies have been discounted by many based on the organization's poor reputation and knack for being consistently horrible. The Rockies are better this year, propped up by a ridiculously strong rotation (Jason Jennings, Jeff Francis and Aaron Cook are all worth 40+ runs above replacement) and some good hitting from Matt Holliday (.327/.378/.570) and Garrett Atkins (.304/.381/.515). Unless Jamey Carroll (.301/.383/.400 in '06) becomes Jamey Carroll (.251/.333/.284 in '05) once more, forcing Kaz Matsui into the picture, the Rockies have a real shot at the postseason.
• Only four games out, the Astros deserve mention solely based on the potential strength of the Clemens/Oswalt/Pettitte triumvirate. However, with Oswalt facing injury trouble and Clemens unable to win for his life, I'm reconsidering my inclusion of Houston in the 'contenders' pile.

• The AL picture is a little more clear-cut, and features much better baseball as a whole.
• The White Sox lead by two games, and despite an egregious loss to the Royals last night, are my favorites to take the Wild Card. Mark Buerhle and Freddy Garcia showed that they just maybe aren't quite so horrible in their last starts, and its up to Jose Contreras to cement himself as the ace of the staff tonight against the Royals. If the pitching can be halfway decent the rest of the way, Ozzie's going to the postseason.
• The Red Sox are two games out and looking pretty shaky. Javy Lopez has, predictably, been a disaster in Beantown (.259/.259/.370) and David Wells is no longer a Major League-caliber pitcher. As Josh Beckett's struggles continue, the Red Sox playoff hopes look dimmer by the day.
• The Twins are three back and hanging by a thread. The offense hasn't looked impressive of late, and unless Johan Santana and Brad Radke make every start from here on out, I just can't see Minnesota edging out either of the Sox squads.

• Good midday matchup of young arms between the Brewers (Capuano) and the Pirates (Duke). Zach Duke has seemingly turned his season around, while Capuano makes up half of one of the more impressive 1-2 pitching punches in the bigs (along with Ben Sheets).
  

Tuesday Wrapup

• The Twins offense wasn't great tonight, but it didn't take much to get Minnesota the win with Johan Santana on the hill. The Twins' hitters managed only 4 runs, waiting until the 8th inning to tack on the final 3. However, Santana was absolutely lights-out, putting his fastball on the corners and throwing the most convincing and knee-buckling change I think I have ever seen. When Santana is on (most of the time), his change ranks up there with Mariano Rivera's cutter in terms of unhittable pitches in my opinion. Santana was downright nasty against a powerful Indians lineup tonight, tossing 8 efficient innings riding on the strength of 9 strikeouts. Despite fellow change-up maven Brad Radke's resurgence, the Twins could really stand for Santana pitching once every say, two days instead of every fifth. Everything rolled right for Minnesota today, as the White Sox and Red Sox both lost, putting the Twins 2 back in the Wild Card, a game ahead of the BoSox.

• Johnny Damon continued to rake this evening in the Bronx, smashing his 17th home run in the leadoff spot. Damon has been everything the Yankees paid for and more, refusing to sit out despite being nicked up all season. He's been the model of consistency most of the way for a Yankees team that has been anything but steady in the outfield in -06.
  

Tuesday Preview

Many of this week's crucial divisional series' kick off tonight. These series' can lead to a team rocketing back into contention or just as quickly falling out of the race altogether.

• The Wild-Card leading Reds have a chance to overtake the mediocre Cardinals and gain the NL Central lead in a three-game series that begins tonight. Cincinnati hands the ball to their #1 starter, Aaron Harang. Since June, Harang hasn't been great, posting a 4.14 ERA in 8 starts. Despite his middling results of late, Harang is usually a good bet to go deep into the game and provide a solid outing. Solid starts are exactly what Cincinnati needs from its top starters, considering the recent struggles of Bronson Arroyo and the barely palatable thought of a Lohse/Franklin #4/5 combo. The Cardinals have been horrible in the past few weeks, and are coming off a sweep at the hands of the NL's worst; the Pirates. Baseball Prospectus still gives St. Louis an 81% shot at the playoffs, based on the (de)merits of the rest of the league. Luckily for the Redbirds, Chris Carpenter gets the nod this evening. The 31 year-old Carpenter is similar to Harang in that they possess healthy peripherals and strong ERA's to match. Carpenter hasn't had much luck in August, and was roughed up by these same Reds less than a week ago. It seems like things have gotten so bad for the Cardinals that their only healthy, decent players these days are Carpenter and Albert Pujols. St. Louis needs to take advantage of the fact that these two will be penciled in the book tonight and pick up a win on an equally mediocre Cincy team.
  

Monday Wrapup

Two NL pitchers threw good games today in very disparate ways:

• Philadelphia rookie Cole Hamels continued his recent success by throwing 8 innings of 4 hit ball against the National League's best team, the Mets. Hamels struck out 9 Metropolitans without walking any. His fourth straight quality start lowered his August ERA to a miniscule 0.86. In the month, Hamels has struck out 27 in only 21 innings, while issuing only 3 free passes. No one has managed a round-tripper against Hamels during August. The Phillies are only 3.5 games behind the Wild Card leader, but realistically don't have much of a shot. If there's one thing the Phils can take away from a very disappointing season, it has to be Hamels and his recent surge.

• The Cubs are a team that is undoubtedly out of the playoff picture and merely playing for pride (Cub pride?) at this point. Carlos Zambrano shut down the Astros in his signature manner this evening, throwing tons of pitches, allowing next-to-no hits, and walking many hitters. The uber-competitive Zambrano, who ranks #3 in Baseball Prospectus' pitcher abuse points, threw 121 pitches and walked 7 'Stros but didn't cede a run. Zambrano and his hard-sinking fastball are masterful at initiating the groundball out, and he did a great job tonight, getting 12 of the 19 outs in play on the ground. This game may not speak to Zambrano's strength as much as to the Astros' horrible lineup. Houston is 4 out of the Wild Card, and can't buy a win (or a hit) despite some great pitching of late from Roy Oswalt, Andy Pettitte, and Roger Clemens. Cutting bait on Preston Wilson was a start, but Adam Everett and Brad Ausmus still kill the lineup nightly.
  

Monday Preview

I'll spare myself the rise in blood pressure and place the Yankees vs. Red Sox-centric week we're about to embark on aside for the moment; there are some exciting things happening out west.

• After losing a must-win game and failing to evade a season-crippling sweep at Chavez Ravine last night, the Giants roll into San Diego 7.5 games out of the NL West lead and 6.5 back in the Wild Card race. For all intents and purposes, they're done. San Diego, however, isn't. The Padres are 0.5 games back in the Wild Card and 1.5 games back in the division, and arguably field a better team than the squads they sit behind. On the weight of the playoff chase alone, this game holds intrigue. Throw some interesting pitchers in the mix, and we're set for a good one. Brad Hennessey returns to the Giants' rotation, taking the place of the elderly and recently deposed Jamey Wright. Despite being fairly effective (2.80 ERA) as a starter early in the season, the 26 year-old has pitched in long relief for the majority of the season. His peripherals aren't great because he only strikes out 4 per 9 innings, but if he can somehow keep his batting average-against low, Hennessey should give the Giants reason to think hopeful thoughts about their 2007 rotation. Clay Hensley goes for the Padres. Hensley, a 26 year-old rookie, has lent stability to a Padres rotation that has helped the team stay in playoff contention all season. Hensley's K/BB ratio doesn't look great (1.4/1) and he doesn't project to be more than a steady #4, but he has filled that role admirably for the Friars thus far in 2006.
  

Sunday Update

• Fausto Carmona finally worked his way through a 9th inning! Unfortunately for Fausto, he didn't pick up the save, as the Indians were holding a 13-0 lead over the Royals at the time. The Indians jumped all over Luke Hudson in the 1st for 11 runs in one of the more painful innings I've ever had the joy of watching. Hudson ended up getting 1 out and allowing 12 baserunners, raising his ERA from 4.65 to 6.39. Bad day.

• Jered Weaver stumped the Yankees for 6 innings today, yielding only 3 hits and 1 run (a Craig Wilson solo shot). Watching Weaver work, I noticed that his fastball doesn't have too much late movement or pure velocity. What makes Weaver so hard to hit is 1.) his delivery, which hides the ball and must add a few MPH to whatever he tosses across the plate, and 2.) his ability to throw strikes with all of his pitches. On a number of occasions, Weaver threw his breaking ball (slider/hard curve/slurve?) over the plate, freezing the normally prudent Yankees hitters. The Angels lead the Yanks in the 8th inning, and are threatening to do further damage against rookie Jose Veras.
  

• Given, today's game isn't over yet, but the Cardinals do not deserve a trip to the postseason in 2006. This team goes through two-week stretches of miserable pitching, followed by several series' in which they can't hit some of the worst starting pitching in the NL. Against the Pirates (the Pirates!) this weekend, the Cards have been at their most-punchless. Today they've been stymied by Paul Maholm, and are still scoreless through 7+ innings. Rich Lederer's most recent piece at the Baseball Analysts
  might tell us why. Since the All-Star Break, David Eckstein has been
  the second worst (qualified) hitter in the majors. His line is as
  follows: .230/.269/.230. If this is the guy hitting leadoff for your
  squad, start planning a vacation for October.
  

Sunday Preview

Some great young pitchers take the ball today, but I want to focus on a pitcher who has struggled a bit this season.

• The O's Daniel Cabrera came into 2006 as one of the hottest names in the game. Some phenomenal work in the World Baseball Classic coupled with Leo Mazzone's employ led to everyone in the business heaping praise all over the 25 year-old lefty with one caveat: he hadn't ever been able to throw strikes with any consistency (4.9 BB/9 IP in 2005). Leo Mazzone was supposed to fix all of this. However, when April rolled around and Cabrera's control was worse than ever, it sunk Baltimore's season pretty quickly. Cabrera was sent to the minors after a July 13th start, averaging nearly 8 walks per 9 innings(!). After spending a month as a member of the Triple-A Ottawa Lynx, Cabrera was called up and enjoyed what was easily his best start this season. Cabrera allowed 1 earned run in 7 innings, and most importantly, only walked 1 Blue Jay hitter. Today, Cabrera will face a very tough test: the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox lineup is filled with good hitters who take pitches and allow pitchers to run themselves into the ground. In 2006, the average major leaguer walks about 9% of the time. The Red Sox' three best hitters, Manny Ramirez (15%), Kevin Youkilis (13%) and David Ortiz (12%) all possess keen eyes. Even hitters like Mike Lowell and Mark Loretta who don't walk too often, manage to avoid striking out with any regularity. Cabrera has a chance to prove himself cured or fall flat on his face today, perhaps setting back his development substantially. As important as this game is for the Red Sox and their playoff hopes, it may be just as make-or-break for Daniel Cabrera and the future of Baltimore's pitching situation.

• This evening, two teams are faced with win or go home circumstances. I'm under the impression that the Mariners (vs. the Rangers) and the Giants (vs. the Dodgers) must win their respective games tonight to keep any rational hope of a playoff berth alive. Even with wins tonight, the cards are stacked against the two squads.
  

Saturday Preview

Several teams' playoff hopes hinge on young pitchers making their debuts today:

• Sitting 5 games out of the Wild Card lead, the Braves are in win or go home territory every day. This evening they hand the ball to Kevin Barry, a rookie who has only worked out of the pen up to this point. A 27 year-old organizational warrior, Barry has been mostly decent through his 10.2 innings of work this season. After making an impressive debut in Yankee Stadium, Barry has used his seemingly limited pitch repetoire to garner nearly 7 strikeouts per 9 innings. Because his stuff isn't all that deceptive, Barry tends to get a little too fine at times, trying to get calls on the corner of the zone and walking a lot of hitters (5.1/9 IP). Barry's minor league numbers point to him being a adequate emergency starter. With Horacio Ramirez out for the season and Kyle Davies not yet healthy, the Braves will need Barry to be better than the alternative (Shiell) in order for the team to make a trip to the postseason.

• Highly-regarded right-hander Jason Hirsh gets the call for the Astros today. After having fallen out of the race, the Astros have been the hottest team in the NL, going 8-2 in their last 10 games to pull within 1.5 games of the Wild Card. The 24 year-old Hirsh has modest potential according to PECOTA, but he is more of a scout's dream than a sabermetrician's. Though his batting average against is only .191, the 6-8 giant has walked 3.3 batters per 9 innings, and may find Major League hitters even more selective than those at AAA. Hirsh definitely has his work cut out for him today, as he faces the Padres' ace Jake Peavy, whose performance is finally living up to what his peripherals were hinting at all season.
  

Friday Wrapup

Looking through the box scores, there are a couple young pitchers you've got to feel for this evening:

• Adam Loewen hasn't had a great rookie season. His season got much worse against the Red Sox tonight. The Red Sox took out all of their pent-up frustrations on Loewen, posting 6 runs on 6 hits in just over 2 innings. Loewen got into the same kind of trouble many inexperienced pitchers do against teams like the Red Sox or Yankees: they pitch themselves into deep counts and end up allowing loads of walks or hits. This evening all of the Red Sox made Loewen and his Oriole brethren pay, as every Boston starter picked up a base hit. David Wells did the improbable and threw a good game. Watching his last several starts, I was convinced he would never be able to pitch effectively in the majors again. However, the Orioles lineup did much to cure Wells' ills, giving him a 7 inning, 9 hit, 1 run gem. The Red Sox gain a game and move within 2 of the first-place Yankees.

• Matt Garza was the other youngster with bad luck. First of all, replacing Fransisco Liriano is a pretty tall order to begin with. Earlier this evening, the 22 year-old Garza debuted at his fourth different level this season, an impressive feat. Unfortunately, Garza got the call against a very potent Toronto offense. The Jays launched 2 long balls and totaled 7 runs in 2.2 innings pitched. Much of Toronto's offense came from unlikely sources, showing off their lineup's versatility. Vernon Wells, the Jays' best hitter, went 1-for-5, but two run home runs from Reed Johnson and John McDonald helped Garza's ERA to a astronomical 23.62. If only the Blue Jays had a couple of decent pitchers at the back of their bullpen...
  

Friday Preview

Bunches of weekend series' get going tonight, and at this point the list of matchups without playoff implications is shorter than the list of key games, so I'll just look at a couple of tonight's good ones.

• In the last week or so we've seen some of this year's young pitching stars get a visit from reality. Jonathan Papelbon has blown each of his last two save opportunities, helping to speed the Red Sox' descent in the standings. Fransisco Liriano was battered by the Tigers and subsequently put on the DL for an indefinite amount of time. Jered Weaver has allowed 3 and 4 runs in his last two starts, respectively, and failed to notch a win in either. Tonight we could be witness to another meltdown. Coming off of some extra rest to face the potent White Sox is Tigers' rookie Justin Verlander. To this point in the season, Verlander hasn't been as consistently solid as his rookie counterparts, but has nonetheless thrown some darn good games, racking up a 2.79 ERA. Though Verlander hasn't shown much wear and tear coming down the stretch (1.01 July ERA), he is reaching his personal threshold of innings previously pitched. Often times, a 23 year-old might hit a wall when surpassing his previous innings limit. For their part, the Tigers have been cautious and used their large division lead to keep Verlander fresh and out of high-stress situations. Tonight he gets the call against Jose Contreras, who despite the media's insistence, still has great stuff. If his forkball isn't falling out of the zone low, Contreras is one of the best pitchers in the game.

• Later this evening, the Giants head to Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers. The Giants could use this series to jump back into the NL West race, while the Dodgers need to take at least 2 of the 3 games to stay ahead of the pack. Tonight the advantage goes to the Giants, as a personal favorite of mine, Noah Lowry gets the call. Lowry has struggled with the velocity on his fastball this season, leading some to believe that he is pitching injured. From what I've seen, his changeup is so incredibly devastating on its own that he can get by with a so-so fastball. If and when the fastball comes around, this 25 year-old is going to be phenomenal. It helps the Giants' chances that Mark Hendrickson is throwing for the Dodgers. Hendrickson, a Ned Coletti midseason pickup, has only managed to win one game in the Dodger Blue while reverting to his post-spring 2006 level of mediocrity. I liked the Maddux deal, and I think the Dodgers' rotation is the best in the (NL) West, but Hendrickson isn't a guy who should be counted on with any sort of regularity.
  

Thursday Wrapup

• The Twins shot themselves in the foot today, losing in embarrassing fashion to the Blue Jays. The Twins could only manage to string together 4 hits against Ted Lilly and friends, and left 3 runners in scoring position. This is the kind of game that the Twins cannot afford to waste at this point. Fransisco Liriano may not be back at any point this season, Brad Radke's health makes him a ticking time bomb, and youngsters Matt Garza and Boof Bonser can't be considered locks to perform well on any given day. The Twins' four most established hitters, Mauer, Cuddyer, Morneau, and Hunter, went a combined 0 for 13 tonight with 3 strikeouts, leaving a total of 8 men on base. The Red Sox and White Sox have their own problems, but the Twins can't lean on Nick Punto and Jason Tyner to lead them to the playoffs. What goes up, must come down...

• The Red Sox met their match once again in Kansas City tonight. The Royals won yet another(!) one-run game, pulling the season series even at three apiece. Curt Schilling worked deep into the night, but was hit hard for 11 hits, 10 of them for extra bases. Considering the Royals started Runelvys Hernandez (worst starter in the majors) tonight, I feel there is no way to explain the result of the game. Whatever magic the Royals are using, they should've whipped out a bit earlier in the season, maybe when they sat within 20 games of the division lead.
  

Thursday Leadoff

• Today's best game is a matinee matchup between the Cardinals and Reds. The Cardinals hope to even the series at two games a piece while the Reds go for a series win and a spot 1.5 games back in the NL Central. The Cardinals send rookie Anthony Reyes up against Bronson Arroyo. After recieving so-so starts yesterday from their respective aces, both teams absolutely need strong performances from their starters. Reyes hasn't been great as a 24 year-old rookie, but he has lent a bit of consistency to a staff that doesn't have much to offer. Arroyo has been a very pleasant surprise for the Reds this season, turning in the majors' 5th best SNLVAR. Arroyo's peripherals aren't spectacular, or out of line with his numbers from several years ago. In my opinion, the most interesting thing about watching the Reds day-to-day is just guessing who they'll start at catcher. For some reason Manager Jerry Narron insists on a three-way platoon at the position, when David Ross should obviously be getting the call nearly every day. Ross has performed above-average defensively and contributed a .314 EQA to a lineup that has a few holes to patch on a nightly basis. Narron feels the need to trot out either Jason Larue or Javier Valentin two-thirds of the time despite their wretched offensive performances. Larue is batting a painful .187/.321/.310 while Valentin is hitting a robust .226/.285/.336. Admittedly, both are wizards with the glove, combining for 30 runs above average. I just wonder how many games David Ross' bat could've helped the Reds pick up in the Central standings...
  

Wednesday Rundown

• The Boston Red Sox are a good team by both record and reputation. They have a deep lineup stocked with two of the game's most notorious sluggers and a rotation led by one of the best pitchers of the last decade. The Royals are a bad team. They are the laughing stock of the big leagues because of their anonymous midwestern home and starting five that boasts Runelvys Hernandez. However, when these two teams get together, the tables always seem to turn. After tonight's Royals' win, the Red Sox lead the season series 3 games to 2 but have only been able to outscore the Royals by one run over those 5 games. Tonight's game was a nailbiter, and ultimately came down to Jonathan Papelbon blowing his second consecutive save, allowing a Mike Sweeney walk-off single in the bottom of the 9th. Josh Beckett threw a good game, going 6 innings and leaving with a win in hand. Manny Delcarmen and Mike Timlin allowed the Royals to threaten, but ultimately emerged from the 7th and 8th innings unscathed. Papelbon, however, had no such luck. Papelbon's wild success this season is a product of his ability to locate his fastball on the outside corner and keep pitches down in the zone. Papelbon threw strikes tonight, but left several choice pitches belt-high for Royals Esteban German and Sweeney to jump on. I don't forsee any sudden collapse in Papelbon's future, as unlike the fluky Derrick Turnbow, the Red Sox youngster can actually throw strikes consistently. However, mid-August is not a good time for Papelbon to fall into some sort of slump, and the Red Sox must dread the fact that they face the Royals 4 more times this season.
  

Wednesday Update

• The Braves did their best impression of the June version of themselves today, as the bullpen suffered a complete collapse in the 7th inning. Bobby Cox trotted out four pitchers in the frame while the Phillies were busy pounding out 8 runs on 6 hits and 4 walks. The Atlanta bullpen negated a perfectly good start by rookie Chuck James, who seemed to have defeated his control problems, walking none. The meltdown further proves the point that Macay McBride, Tyler Yates, and Chad Paronto are simply not major league material. Their ERA numbers look good, but a glance beneath the surface reveals the true nature of their ineffectiveness. McBride and Yates' walk/strikeout rates are pretty ugly, while Paronto doesn't have the best command himself (3.7 BB/9). Taking a glance down their bullpen, the only guy I would trust with a lead is Ken Ray, and he's no more than an average reliever on many a staff. This series proved what was creeping up on everyone already: the Braves are done for and the Phillies have a shot at the Wild Card. Only 3 games back, the Phillies have a staff ace in Brett Myers and a lineup with some serious pop. When David Dellucci gets the start, the 2-5 hitters in the Philadephia lineup are devastating. Dellucci's power/speed combo, followed by Utley's all-around skills, chased in by mashers Howard and Burrell. This Phillies team is certainly better than the Reds and Diamondbacks at this point.

• Some of the bigger names in pitching get the nod tonight, but the best head-to-head is undoubtedly found in the Twins-Tigers game. Jeremy Bonderman and Johan Santana will try to shut down the high octane offenses they'll face tonight while working through mini-slumps. Bonderman is coming off of a rough start against Cleveland while Santana is attempting to bounce back from a July that saw him post a 4.74 ERA. Santana's problem was the number of hits allowed, as he uncharacteristically ceded 40 hits in only 38 innings pitched. As Fransisco Liriano can attest, the Tigers are not the team you want to face if you are looking to miss some bats.

• A small transatcion tidbit: Todd Hollandsworth was claimed off of waivers by the Cincinnati Reds today. The Reds will send the Indians a player to be named later or cash for the rights to Hollandsworth. At 33 years of age, Hollandsworth is the definition of a 'spare part'. The former NL rookie of the year can still hit for power (.442 SLG) but his .253 OBP won't win him too many friends in Cincy. Hopefully the Reds won't see the arrival of Hollandsworth as cause for a cutback in Chris Denorfia's playing time, as the fourth outfielder has shown the capability to be better, younger, and cheaper than Hollandsworth. Moving Hollandsworth makes room for Franklin Gutierrez on the Cleveland roster. Gutierrez is younger than Hollandsworth, but his upside is essentially limited to eventually being 'the definition of a spare part'.
  

Tuesday Rundown

• The Yankees found themselves engaged in an extra-innings battle after Mariano Rivera failed to put away Paul Konerko and the White Sox. Bobby Jenks was dead-on tonight, throwing his hard curveball well enough that it was nearly impossible to hit. Luckily for the Yankees, the Red Sox failed to make up any ground, losing to the Royals. The Twins' win puts the Red Sox on the low end of the three-team Wild Card totem pole for the first time in quite a while.

• Jered Weaver looked a bit more like his brother tonight against the Indians in yielding 4 runs in 5.2 innings. Jered has got good stuff with an incredibly deceptive delivery, but unless he finds another plus pitch to put alongside his impressive fastball and slider his career may be similar to that of his brother. At this point I feel comfortable going on the record to say that the younger Weaver isn't quite the caliber pitcher that either Fransisco Liriano or Justin Verlander is.
  

• Over in the NL, the Reds proved themselves to be not totally useless, beating up on Jason Marquis (bleh) and the Cardinals to stay 3.5 games back. The Dodgers have relied heavily on ex-Braves tonight, getting solo shots from Rafael Furcal and Wilson Betemit to go along with a strong outing from Greg Maddux. As of now the Dodgers are up 3-2 in the 7th and well on their way to their 11th straight victory. With San Diego's loss, the Dodgers can pull within a half game of the NL West lead while keeping pace in the Wild Card for good measure.

Tuesday Leadoff

Some transaction news from around the league:

• The Indians signed starting pitcher Cliff Lee to a three-year deal today. The deal is fairly small as far as starting pitching deals go, running the Indians $14 million over the next three years (through 2009) with an $8 million club option in 2010. Lee is in his prime, and by all accounts a fairly average pitcher. He is left-handed, which helps his stock, but one strike against him is his decreasing K-rate. Lee gone from striking out over 8 hitters per 9 innings two years ago to ringing up under 6 per 9 this season. This is a low-risk investment by Cleveland, as Lee has proven durable and is a known commodity: the typical middle-to-back end guy who won't sink your ship every fifth day.

• In an attempt to bolster their outfield depth, the Mets added Ricky Ledee off of waivers from the Dodgers today. Ledee is the consummate journeyman/fourth outfielder type, and will surely do a better job than the man he is replacing (Eli Marrero). Most importantly, this gives the Mets a replacement level left-handed bat off of the bench in case Cliff Floyd gets into further injury trouble this season.
  

• Hear that? That sound is the entire state of Minnesota groaning collectively. Young stud Fransisco Liriano hit the DL this morning, expected out indefinitely with a 'left elbow injury'. Manager Ron Gardenhire says the injury has to do with a muscular problem, but details are hazy at best. In my opinion, the injury must be fairly serious for the Twins to put their best player on the shelf at the height of the Wild Card race. The Twins will turn to emergency starter Mike Smith in the short term and triple-A prospect Matt Garza should Liriano's injury prove more serious. Smith isn't good enough to keep the Twins in contention, but if the 22 year-old Garza comes in and blows everyone away as he has at every stop in the minors this season, (1.42 ERA at A, 2.51 AA, 1.85 AAA) Minnesota still has their hat in the ring.

A full schedule resumes tonight, with the most crucial games as follows:

• Cardinals (Marquis) @ Reds (Milton)
• Homers galore in this one.
• Yankees (Wang) @ White Sox (Garcia)
• The White Sox fight to play catch up with the AL East.
• Rockies (Kim) @ Dodgers (Maddux)
• The Mad Dog tries to stretch the streak to 11 games for LA.
  

Monday Nightcap

• The Tigers showed why they have the best record in baseball tonight, roundly beating the best young pitcher in the game. Fransisco Liriano was coming off of extra rest, but didn't seem all that rusty. He wasn't wild and didn't make all that many mistakes. However, the Tigers hitters were absolutely incredible tonight, bashing everything that came near the plate to put together a cool 10 hits and 4 runs on Liriano in 4 innings. The Twins position players did all they could to help the staff, as Mauer went deep and Morneau stroked two doubles. Unfortunately for Minnesota, the Tigers rocked the bullpen as well and finished the game on top 9 runs to 3. The Tigers are at this point completely ridiculous. Their lineup doesn't really have a weak spot, and their weaker offensive performers (Inge) provide spectacular defense. The bench is deep, with Omar Infante, Vance Wilson and Dmitri Young giving Jim Leyland some firepower from the bench. Most importantly, the pitching: Zach Miner was solid once again tonight, allowing 3 runs in 6 plus innings before handing it over to the reliable combination of Joel Zumaya and Jason Grilli. The White Sox also lost tonight, leaving three teams within 0.5 games of one another. The Wild Card may be too close to call, but I can guarantee the Tigers are the best team in the AL.
• Jeff Weaver was great tonight as the Cardinals made quite the statement, routing the Reds 13 to 1. New Red Ryan Franklin was predictably Ryan Franklin-ish, letting up 3 in just over 4 innings. If the Dodgers and D'Backs win tonight, the NL Wild Card will be a three-way tie.
  

Monday Update

The first big move of the post-deadline trade season went down earlier. The Diamondbacks acquired Livan Hernandez, in return sending two double-A pitchers to the Nationals.

• In picking up Hernandez, the Diamondbacks are getting another middling pitcher to slot in alongside the many middling pitchers lurking behind Brandon Webb. The depth of the rotation is unquestionable, as any of these mediocre guys has the potential for a good game once in a while, and won't do too much harm every fifth day. With Brandon Webb's health in limbo, Hernandez represents a more practical alternative than say, Dustin Nippert. Livan has had a rough season tempered by a few good outings of late. He has become more and more hittable over time but he will still fight his way through 6 innings each time through the rotation. In the NL West, the Diamondbacks may not need much more than that to keep pace.
• Regardless of whatever financial details are disclosed later, the Nationals have to be pleased about getting Hernandez's contract ($7 million in '07) off of the ledger. Player-wise, the Nationals pick up two 23 year-old minor league pitchers. Garrett Mock hasn't been good in double-A this season, posting a 4.95 ERA and more walks than you'd like to see. Matt Chico is the other pitcher involved. Chico has been strong in 13 double-A starts in 2006, picking up more strikeouts than hits and walking less than 3 per 9 innings pitched.
  

In a move seemingly inspired by the Kyle Lohse experiment, the Reds are apparently going to try to squeeze a solid day's work out of Ryan Franklin.

• Franklin is clearly not a great pitcher, and at age 33, he wasn't a good pitcher earlier this season. Franklin hasn't posted a sub-5 FIP since 2002 and hasn't garnered a respectable K-rate since 2001. In other words, it's more of the same for the Reds. The Phillies get a player to be named later along with the good karma that goes along with ridding oneself of Ryan Franklin. In another bad-pitcher/Cincinatti Reds related story, Gary Majewski has been DL'ed, and according to cincinatti.com, he does indeed have minor league options left. Sounds like a good idea to me.
  

Monday Leadoff

There are quite a few series kicking off today that are chock full of playoff implications and drama. Atlanta and Philadelphia fight each other to stay alive, San Fransisco tries to turn things around at Arizona, and Detroit attempts to end Minnesota's foray into the playoff picture. However, the most intriguing series beginning today may include two of the most frustratingly mediocre teams in the hunt.

• The Cardinals travel to meet the Reds in the first of a pivotal four game set tonight. The Cardinals have tried their hardest to relinquish their NL Central lead, winning only 2 of their last 10 games. Somehow the Reds have failed to gain any ground despite their foe's missteps. Cincinnati seems to get great bullpen work...when they are behind, and great offense...right before the bullpen blows the whole thing up. Recent acquisition Gary Majewski's recent work out of the pen (11.32 ERA) should have Reds fans asking GM Wayne Krivsky some questions, namely, "Austin Kearns, for this?" Today's matchup isn't a sexy one, unless you enjoy watching the Reds score lots of runs. Jeff Weaver gets the nod for the Cardinals in what is probably his last chance to prove himself before Mark Mulder returns. Despite the change of scenery, St. Louis has not stopped Weaver from quickly becoming one of the more disappointing talents in recent history, as he has posted a 10.23 ERA in 5 starts with the 'Cards. Unheralded rookie Elizardo Ramirez goes for the Reds. Besides the cool name, the 23 year-old has a few things going for him. He's posted a favorable K/BB ratio (6.2/2.2) and FIP (4.04) in his rookie campaign. The Reds could use a good outing, because a sweep gives them a lead in the NL Central.
  

Sunday Update

• It appears the Brewers have cured the Cardinals of whatever was ailing them, as the Cardinals took the final two games of the series to snap out of a major losing streak. After today's 7-1 victory coupled with the Reds' loss, the Cardinals gain a full game on their small but not so tenuous lead (3.5 games) in the NL Central. Jeff Suppan was great today, escaping in the eighth and giving up only four hits and one run. Brewers ace Chris Capuano was strong as well, but wavered first and ended up with the loss despite his 7 K's in six innings. The Brewers' inability to take advantage of a struggling St. Louis club reinforces what was becoming even more apparent: the Brew Crew is out of it.

• Also in the NL, the Giants got a great start out of a young pitcher for the second straight day. 21 year-old Matt Cain beat up on the Rockies for seven innings this afternoon, racking up 12 strikeouts in the process. Cain has a great fastball: he relies on a ridiculous 96 MPH four-seamer that runs away from hitters and a two-seamer that at 92 MPH, has nearly unhittable movement. Cain's breaking stuff isn't plus-plus by any means, but he's already league-average at 21; just wait five years. Cain also helped his own cause with an RBI single in the sixth inning.
  

Sunday On-Deck

• The first of a plethora of games this afternoon is a seemingly meaningless matchup between the Indians and Tigers. The Tigers have basically sewn up a playoff spot, while the Indians are just auditioning youngsters and playing for their dignity. However, the story from this game is Wil Ledezma, Detroit's starting pitcher. Or rather, who he is replacing. The Tigers have made the judicious decision to sit Justin Verlander today in an effort to keep his innings down as the summer wears on. Prior to this season, Verlander had never thrown more than 130 innings over the course of a season. As of now, Verlander has tossed 135.1 innings in 2006 with at least 10 starts remaining in the regular season. He hasn't yet shown signs of fatigue, but this and the eventual move to a 6-man rotation (when Maroth returns) are the kind of prudent decisions that will keep the Tigers ahead of the curve.

• The best raw pitching duel of the day is in Toronto, where Jose Contreras takes on A.J. Burnett. The Blue Jays have all but fallen out of contention in the AL, and are getting pieces of their rotation (Chacin) back too late to make a difference. Burnett returned from his injury a few weeks ago, but has been unreliable at best. He has maintained a strong K-rate (8.3 per 9 IP) and refused to give any free passes (1.7/9 IP). To explain his 4.84 ERA, we must look at his batted ball info. Burnett is allowing more line drives and fly balls than in years past, and a greater percentage of those hits are clearing the fences than in previous seasons. However, the home run to line drive ratio has a tendency to level out over time, and we should expect to see his ERA deflate to somewhere under 4 in the near future. Unfortunately for the Blue Jays, this is probably a case of 'too little too late'.
  

Saturday Nightcap

There were several great outings from starting pitchers across the league today.

• Javier Vazquez was downright unhittable against the usually-powerful Blue Jays this afternoon. Vazquez went 8 innings, striking out 13 Jays and only allowing a Troy Glaus solo home run. With the win, Chicago overtakes the Red Sox in the AL Wild Card standings. Unless Boston cuts bait on David Wells and starts giving the ball to Kyle Snyder (or anyone else with a pulse) in his stead, I can't imagine the Pale Hose will relinquish their hold on a playoff spot.
  

• A matchup of undervalued young pitchers turned out to be an excellent one this evening as Noah Lowry went for the Giants against Jason Jennings and the Rockies. Lowry was especially impressive, throwing 9 innings and using an incredible changeup to befuddle the Giants' hitters and hold them to a single run. Jennings went 7 strong, failing to walk a batter and allowing only one run. The two were so evenly matched that neither will earn a decision. The game is currently in the bottom of the 11th with the Rockies up 2-1, Fuentes on to close. -EDIT- Bonds singles with two down in the 11th and everything is laid on Eliezer Alfonzo's shoulders. Fuentes goes upstairs with a heater to strike out the catcher, ending the game and putting the Giants 5 out of the Wild Card. Colorado stays 2.5 games down.
  

• In another as-of-yet unfinished game, the Rocket finally got some run support. The Astros have scored 9 so far for Clemens, who has struck out 5 through 7 innings while allowing 3 runs. Perhaps because of his subpar W-L record, attention on the Clemens comeback has really dwindled of late. The 44 year-old is proving ageless, accruing a microscopic 2.32 ERA.
  

Leading off (Friday)

• A number of NL teams head into this weekend facing make-or-break series. The Atlanta Braves are one of these teams. 4.5 games out of the Wild Card and looking up at 9 teams, the Braves shot at the playoffs seemingly couldn't get much longer (Baseball Prospectus gives them a surprisingly high 7.24% chance of making the postseason). Bobby Cox and friends could seriously improve those odds by pulling off a sweep of the floundering Cincinatti Reds. The Reds have repeatedly shot themselves in the foot, failing to pull away from the pool of mediocrity that is the National League (minus the Mets). Heck, with the way the Cardinals are playing, the Reds have had to try their hardest not to trip and fall into the division lead. The Reds traded in their offense for late-inning pitching help, and are paying the price, finding out the hard way that a sturdy bullpen does no good when you score only 7 runs over the course of a three game series. Tonight's game sets up well for the Reds as they send staff ace Aaron Harang to the mound against Braves' rookie Chuck James. Thanks to a vastly improved K rate, Harang has enjoyed his best season and earned 4.3 wins over replacement in 2006. After a brief honeymoon period, James has fallen back to earth, allowing 4 runs or more in three of his last four starts. James' achilles heel has been the longball (2.2 per 9 IP). James needs to keep the Reds sluggers in the park tonight, as anything less than a sweep will probably keep Atlanta out of any realistic Wild Card discussion.
  

Thursday Rundown

• Greg Maddux's bid for his first career no-hitter was spoiled in the 7th - not by the Reds, but by the rain. A rain delay knocked Maddux out of his first game as a Dodger after he threw 6 hitless, scoreless innings. Joe Biemel came on in relief and allowed the first Red to reach with a single. The Dodgers struggled to get runners on against Eric Milton, scoring their only runs on an Olmedo Saenz 2-run homer. The Dodgers lead 2-0 in the 7th with Cincinatti threatening. *EDIT* Jon Broxton comes on to sit the Reds down in the 7th and the Dodgers' shutout continues.
  

• There was no shortage of hits in Boston tonight as Jake Westbrook somehow managed to pull out a win while allowing 15 hits in 8 innings of choppy work. Westbrook allowed 3 doubles and 12 singles, but refused to work out of the strike zone, never allowing a walk. Westbrook has a decent sinker that results in a ton of groundballs, but it was apparent tonight that he's another plus pitch away from being anything more than average. Westbrook consistently hit his spots and stayed low in the zone with the sinker, but the Boston hitters knew what was coming every time and didn't seem to be too afraid of his slider. Josh Beckett brought his habit of allowing home runs on the road back to Fenway tonight and got pummelled for 7 runs in 6 innings. The loss, coupled with the Yankees' impressive win, puts the Red Sox back a game in the East.
  

Thursday Update

• The Royals signed #1 pick Luke Hochevar this afternoon, ending the lengthy Boras-infused negotiations. Hochevar will join the 40-man roster immediately and probably make it to AA by the summer's end. Apparently the hard thrower from Tennessee gets a $3.5 million signing bonus along with $5.3 million guaranteed. I'd expect to see him in KC by next September at the latest.

• The Mets agreed to terms with shortstop Jose Reyes on a deal that will lock him up through 2010 with a club option for 2011. The Mets will control Reyes through his age-27 year for $23.25 million with the option on his age-28 season at $11 million. This is a great deal for the Mets, who won't actually pay that much (about $5.5M/yr) for what could be Reyes' most productive years, and can always cut bait if his career heads the wrong way. At 23 years old, Reyes has shown marked improvement every season, pushing his on-base percentage from .300 last season to .351 this year. PECOTA, Reyes' breakout 2006 campaign not-withstanding, says he'll be worth almost $40 million through 2010. By making preemptive moves like this one to secure their young core for the foreseeable future, the Mets are creating a team that could be a behemoth for quite a while.

• Rumors are coming out of Boston about a potential waiver-wire pickup: Javy Lopez. Lopez wanted a trade before the deadline, and is clearly unhappy being used as a part-time DH in Baltimore. Lopez has definitely regressed at the plate (.268/.316/.412), and he can't catch well anymore (85 Rate), but he'd certainly give the Sox more than they'll get from Mirabelli/Huckaby. He'd be a good pickup, and could certainly be a boost off the bench come October.
  

Leading off (Thursday)

• The Yankees aim to all but eliminate the Blue Jays with a win and a series sweep this afternoon. New York turns to brand new 5th starter Cory Lidle, who will have a familiar face behind the dish in Sal Fasano. Lidle has a tough assignment against a Blue Jays lineup that brings a league high 207.8 combined VORP into today's game. Lidle will look to follow in Chien-Ming Wang's footsteps by using his sinker to induce ground balls from Toronto's big hitters. Things may look tough for Lidle, but Toronto starter Shawn Marcum has the market cornered on bad draws today. The 24 year-old has shown that he's capable of racking up strikeouts, but his habit of giving up free passes (5.5 per 9 innings) could be exploited by an uber-patient Yankee team.
  

• Greg Maddux makes his Dodger debut as Los Angeles goes for the sweep of Cincinatti tonight. A win would bring the once-free falling Blue Crew only two games out of the NL Wild Card lead. Maddux's once unhittable fastball has finally become hittable (10.1 H/9 IP), forcing him to outsmart hitters and rely on his pinpoint control (1.5 BB/9) to get outs. Dodger Stadium should prove more spacious than the friendly confines, turning home runs into flyouts and lowering Maddux's ERA by quite a few points. Speaking of home runs, Eric Milton goes tonight for the Reds. Milton's been consistently mediocre this season, but needs to put together a few good outings to compensate for the underachieving Kyle Lohse joining the Reds' rotation.
  

• Some pretty interesting information from Hit Tracker:
  
• Of players with 10 or more home runs in 2006, these guys hit their blasts the furthest on average:
• Alex Rodriguez - 421.4 ft
• Jim Thome - 412.1 ft
• Jeff Francoeur - 409.8 ft
• These guys are at the bottom of the list, barely squeaking the dingers over the fences.
• Craig Biggio - 366.5 ft.
  
• Austin Kearns - 370.6 ft.
  
• Jeromy Burnitz - 373.7 ft.
  

Wednesday Nightcap

• The Cardinals brought their bats to to the ballpark tonight but left the pitching at home. Jeff Weaver and a host of relievers got knocked around by Philadelphia tonight to the tune of 16-8. Chase Utley didn't hit the ball too hard this evening, but came away 2-for-6 to extend his hit streak to 33 games. I've seen the stats on this but can't recall them off the top of my head: I know Utley is batting above .400 during the streak, and has been better than teammate Jimmy Rollins was in his 2005-06 streak. I'm wondering how Utley's streak compares to other 30+ game hit streaks in terms of runs over replacement. Utley doesn't seem to be hitting at a torrid rate or putting up gaudy power numbers, instead going about things in a more slow and steady way. On the losing side of the game, the Cardinals have now dropped 6 straight and 7 of their last 10. Cincinatti lost, so the St. Louis lead is still 3.5 games, but a rotation made up of Chris Carpenter and a bucket of prayers clearly isn't working out. The bullpen is (usually) good, the lineup certainly has the pieces (Pujols, Rolen, Eckstein), but when you're getting starts from a Weaver not named Jered, you're in for some beatings.

• It looks like the Dodgers have chosen to send Aaron Sele into the long relief spot in the pen while rookie Chad Billingsley will stay in the rotation for the time being. Should Billingsley falter or Maddux get sore, either the capable Brett Tomko or Sele will be there as a reinforcement. Should Nomar get healthy soon, the Dodgers look primed for a run in the NL West.
  

• The Mets demoted top pitching prospect Mike Pelfrey today, deciding to keep John Maine on the big league roster. Pelfrey's callup wasn't full of Liriano-style brilliance, but he showed his potential as a #2 or #3 starter and most importantly, didn't suffer any psyche-shattering shellings. The lanky right-hander finished with an FIP of 4.70 but walked over 5 per 9 innings. Once Pelfrey can develop another plus pitch to go along with a nasty fastball, he should be well on his way to some success in the Big Apple.
  

Update

• The Oakland A's got exactly what they needed today: a strong outing from Esteban Loaiza. Loaiza has been one of the worst pitchers in the AL this year, effectively penciling in a loss every fifth day on the A's schedule. He worked into the 6th today and earned a no decision, as Mark Kotsay singled in the winning run in the 8th. The A's are now 2.5 games ahead of the Angels after the series win.
  
• The Yankees have modified the lineup tonight, batting Bobby Abreu 3rd and Craig Wilson 6th. Jason Giambi gets the night off while Bernie is doing the designated hitting. So far, the lineup has gelled and the 3rd through 6th spots are a combined 8-12 through 6 innings. This sort of offensive firepower could be too much for any team to handle down the stretch.
  

Leading Off

The Wild Card races are turning out to be quite wild indeed, as every day seems to lend new intrigue to the situations in both leagues.

• In the AL, the four major contenders are all great teams. The Yankees and Red Sox are enjoying their annual sprint toward September while Chicago and Minnesota are making noise out of the AL Central. At this point it looks like Toronto's 3-7 slide has put them out of contention at 6.5 games back, but a team with two potential aces and an incredible lineup is never completely down and out. Here's how today looks for the teams involved in the AL Wild Card race:
• The Twins will rely on emergency starter Boof Bonser to replace a sore Fransisco Liriano this afternoon against the Rangers. In his first 7 starts, Bonser has posted a strong K/BB ratio but has given up over 2 homers per 9 innings. Carlos Lee could hit his first as a Ranger.
• Boston is involved in a matchup of strong rookie pitchers this evening when Jeremy Sowers leads the Indians against the Red Sox' Jon Lester. Sowers has pitched beautifully in his last two outings, but a suspect K rate (3.3 per 9 IP) and an abnormally low BABIP (.237) could mean he's due for a wake up call. The Red Sox will go without catcher and team captain Jason Varitek for the second straight night. Varitek was struggling at the plate this season (.243/.331/.411), but he hadn't been Doug Mirabelli-bad (.181/.259/.314).
• The Yankees send their stud groundballer Chien-Ming Wang against the Blue Jays tonight in an effort to put the Blue Jays further back in the rear view mirror. Wang will be supported by the Yankees' freshly revamped juggernaut of a lineup, now featuring the following on-base percentages from leadoff through the six-hole: .369, .427, .401, .384, .425, .388. Oh yeah, some of those guys can hit home runs, too.
• After narrowly escaping the jaws of a semi-revitalized Kansas City team last night, the White Sox go for the sweep at Kauffman Stadium. The White Sox will try to get a decent start out of Freddy Garcia, by all accounts the weakest link in a rotation that hasn't looked good lately. Garcia seems to finally be pitching like the fourth starter (at best) he's hinted at being for the past several seasons. Freddy still throws strikes, but his strikes don't miss bats quite as often, resulting in a .285 batting average against and a 5.12 FIP.
• The NL Wild Card race is shaping up a bit differently. Most of the league is still in the hunt, a fact that can be attributed to the sheer mediocrity of most NL clubs. While the AL race is exciting because of the high level of play, the NL can present just as much excitement. Teams like the Dodgers and Rockies are going on losing streaks, putting together a string of a few wins, and finding themselves only 4 games out of the lead. It may not be pretty, but it's fun.
• The Dodgers try to pull within 3 games of a struggling Reds squad tonight as staff ace Brad Penny gets the call against steady rookie Elizardo Ramirez at the Great American Ballpark. Despite the 70 pound discrepancy in size, the two pitchers are pretty similar statistically: they get quite a few strikeouts while allowing quite a few hits but minimizing damage by avoiding walks and home runs.
• Colorado and Milwaukee try to edge closer to the lead as they continue what has been a well-pitched series at Coors. Japan (Tomo Ohka) meets Korea (Byun-Hyun Kim) tonight in a matchup between two pitchers who are enjoying some under-the-radar success this season. With such a mishmash of shaky relief work from Turnbow/Kolb/Cordero, the Brewers need great outings from the rotation.
  

AL West Update

• The Angels and Athletics are playing another close one tonight, with LAA winning 3-2 in the 8th currently. Oakland edged out LAA last night on a two-run shot by Milton Bradley. Tonight an Orlando Cabrera single is all that stands between the two teams. Prospect Joe Saunders got the start in place of Bartolo Colon, and didn't disappoint, tossing 7 innings and yielding only 2 runs. If the Angels win tonight, the spread will be only half a game in what could possibly be the most exciting division race of all, accounting for the pitching talent that these two teams possess.
  

• Oh, I almost forgot...with a win tonight, the Yankees took the AL East lead by a matter of a few percentage points. I'm loving this.