Around The Majors- Monday

Rocky mountain highs, BoSox blues, Torre turmoil and tomorrow's stars right now on ATM.

LCS
Like Jeff Suppan and Jeff Weaver last year, Josh Fogg is a mediocre pitcher stepping it up in a huge way in the postseason. The former Pirate threw six strong innings and Yorvit Torrealba hit a huge 3 runs jack to give Colorado a 3-0 series lead with a 4-1 win. Torrealba is majorly boosting his FA value this postseason, and the Rox will probably let him walk to make way for prospect Chris Ianetta. On the Arizona side, their inability to score runs seems eerily similar to what happened to the Cubs in the LDS. What goes around........
Big plus for the Red Sox, they hit Sabathia and Carmona. Huge minus for the Red Sox, Gagne came up empty and they only managed a split in the first 2 games at Fenway. Scouting reports on the Indians say that their lineup can't hit inside breaking stuff, that should bode well for Daisuke Matsuzaka as he faces Jake Westbrook at 7pm on FOX.
The Snakes rest their fate in rookie Micah Owings in Denver as he faces young star Franklin Morales of Colorado at 10:15 on TBS.

-What will happen to Joe Torre now that the sons of Steinbrenner are taking control? Fine out on Wednesday, there are so many ways this thing can go.
-New Reds manager Dusty Baker wants to bring a winning atmosphere to The Natti, and the Chicago Tribune wonders whether Baker will bring in former veteran free agents of his such as Michael Barrett, Joe Borowski, LaTroy Hawkins, Kenny Lofton and Moises Alou. The paper also reports that the Cubs and Mariners are interested in 32 year old Japanese pitcher Hiroki Kuroda, who would be a 3rd or 4th starter. He is under contract in Japan, though.
-Considering that Joel Piniero was probably the Cardinals' best pitcher this past season, it was wise of them to lock him up for 2 years at 13 million. On a sad note, OF Juan Encarnacion now has 20/400 vision after a foul ball struck him in his eye and his career is in serious jeopardy.
-What will actually happen when the list of players, many expected to be big names are released by George Mitchell's findings? Will this be a huge witch hunt? Will they treat stas they way they did to Barry Bonds? This is juicier than a burger from the new Real Deal Grill. I wonder if it can take a beating like Holyfield did.
-The NY Daily News reports that the Mets are interested in top flight hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo to fill that vacancy. New York will not make any other changes besides for the position held on an interrim basis by Ricky Henderson.
-The Baltimore Sun reports that the Orioles are likely to hire former Florida pitching coach Rick Kranitz to fill the role previously held by the fired Leo Mazzone.

Arizona Fall League Update
Angels Catcher prospect Ben Johnson homered and drove in 2 as Surprise defeated Scottsdale 9-6. Royals OF Chris Lubanski and Reds C Craig Tatum also drove in 2. Arizona OF Aaron Cunningham hit a 3 run homer in defeat for Surprise.
Houston OF Mitch Einertson hit a 3 run homer and Cards 1B Mark Hamilton drove in 2 as Mesa pounded Peoria 9-3. Yankees 1B Juan Miranda hit a solo homer in defeat.
Giants OF prospect Dan Oremeier leads the league in hitting, 3 players including Rays top prospect Evan Longoria and Texas star OF John Mayberry lead in homers, and 9 players including Longoria, Mayberry, Miranda, and Brewers 2007 first rounder Matt LaPorta lead the circuit in RBI's.

Around The Majors- Friday

Jeff Francis was excellent as Colorado won their 18th game in 19 tries as they beat Arizona 5-1 in game one of an NLCS that featured many more water bottles than good moments for the Snakes at Chase Field that barely sold out. Brandon Webb couldn't hold up his end of the bargain, and Herges, Affeldt, Fuentes, and Corpas sealed the deal. They play game 2 at 10:15 with Ubaldo Jimenez taking on Doug Davis.

ALCS Pick
Yes, Boston got tremendous pitching in their sweep of the Angels, but Ortiz and Ramirez were the only Red Sox producing on offense. The cleanup duo hit over .500 with 4 homers and 7 ribs, but the rest of the team in the series hit below .220. With Sabathia and Carmona, a hot nasty bullpen, and a team that fared so rediculously well with RISP and 2 out I'm gonna go with Cleveland. Obviously the Sprung hating Boston thing is definitely a factor, but Ortiz and Ramirez can't have slow pitch softball numbers when 3-4 of those games are going to be against the 2 Indian aces. Beckett faces Sabathia in a Cy Young showdown at 7pm.

-Frank Wren is the new GM of the Braves as John Schuerholz has stepped down. Read Thunder Thursday from yesterday to see my view on this subject on SOS2.
-Dusty Baker has interviewerd for the Reds managerial job, as has interrim skipper Pete Mackanin.
-Bobby Kielty is 9-29 with 2 homers lifetime off of CC Sabathia, sitting JD Drew for game one, and reducing the blood pressure in the Boston area immeasurably. "He was brought in here to give us some right-handed punch," Said Francona, what he was really thinking was that previous statement without the right-handed in Drew's case.
-The orginazational meetings to decide the fate of Joe Torre will be tabled until at least Monday, and Torre would likely return if he takes a pay cut according to the New York Post.The Post also says that Scott Boras could be looking for an A-Rod contract of 12 years 360 million. Torre could take a spot in the front office, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The MST also says that Torii Hunter will stay with the Twins if the offer is right.
-Yankees bullpen coach Joe Kerrigan will pursue other options in baseball, and the Leo Mazzone rumors may begin according to the Bergen Record.
-Roger Clemens has left the door open to come back, nobody cares.
-Nats pitcher Shawn Hill had surgery on his non throwing shoulder and will be ready for Spring Training.

Around The Majors- Wednesday

All eyes may be on the Yankees right now, but there's an NLCS preview and some rumors to get to. The season is still going on, though it sure doesn't seem that way here in the Big Apple.

Will he stay, or will he go? That will be answered in at least a few days, said Yankees GM Brian Cashman. All the Pinstriped Honchos are meeting in Tampa to sort these things out. One of the potential Yankee managerial candidates is Tony LaRussa, and he's holding off on a return to St Louis depending on who they hire as GM, which is BS and really means that he wants the Yankees job and will take it if offered to him. I'm sure at some point St Louis will play hardball with him, but there may not be anyone better unless Torre does get canned. I'll have a full special report on the Yankees on Monday. You do not want to miss the Monday ATM.

Apparently, the Phillies decided that leading them to their first postseason in a decade and a half was enough to get Charlie Manuel an extension through 2010. The Tigers picked up Pudge Rodriguez's 13 million dollar option for next year which is smart considering the other available options at Catcher are weak, except for Jorge Posada who will hopefully not seriously entertain any other offers and come back to where he belongs. But he has a lot of leverage since he was the best backstop in baseball this season.

NLCS Preview
It's truly disgraceful that the Snakes can't sell out game 1, but the starting duels will be pretty darn good in the series, but especially in game one with Francis and Webb. Both bullpens have been exceptional, and the young Rockies hitters have done well, especially Troy Tulowitzki. The Diamondbacks have Chris Young stepping up in a huge way thus far this postseason, and it seems that Stephen Drew finally met his hype and potential in the Division Series. The Arizona pen has been excellent as well, but the momentum goes in Colorado's favor. Consider the trends as well: In every year since 2000, at least one Wild Card team has advanced to the World Series. Mets, Snakes, Angels, Marlins, Red Sox, Astros, and Tigers. With that said, Rockies in 6.

Rumors
-In the shocker of the century, Scott Boras wants A-Rod to become a free agent so Rodriguez could get 300 mill and Boras could collect even more cheese. Thank you, New York Times.
-Boras is also pointing out that A-Rod is a ratings booster, which would be beneficial for YES, SNY, NESN, and the new Angels network. (New York Post)
-Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press urges the Tigers to take a shot at A-Rod.
-The search for the Cardinals GM is on. Arizona assistant GM Peter Woodfork, Indians VP Chris Antonetti, and Toronto's Tony LaCava are early candidates according to the St Louis Post-Dispatch.
-The Tampa Tribune discusses Rays coaches: "The Rays could name a replacement by the end of the week for bench coach Bill Evers, whose contract was not renewed. Rangers third-base coach Don Wakamatsu and former Nationals and Diamondbacks coach Eddie Rodriguez are candidates to fill the job."

NLCS: Rockies vs. Diamondbacks

I will start this off by saying that both the Rockies and Diamondbacks have really impressed me with their NLDS sweeps. The Rockies destroyed the Phillies, and the Diamondbacks just out-played the Cubs. The series will start on Thursday, and it should be a very exciting match up. Game 1 will be Jeff Francis squaring up against Brandon Webb in Arizona. This is a very important game for the Rockies to win because Francis is their best starter, and after him, the Rockies have a lot of question marks in their rotation, even though Jimenez and Morales pitched well against the Phillies. On the other hand, the Rockies offense is better than the Diamondbacks. The Rockies offense is really hot right now, and on paper they have a clear offensive advantage over the Diamondback at every position, with the Diamondbacks only having a better center fielder. Both teams have very good relief pitching, and both closers pitched very well in their respective playoff games. I'm expecting a this series to be one better playoff series, and both teams will show you the way baseball is supposed to be played. In the end the Rockies, lead by the trio of Holliday, Helton, and Atkins, will shock the world and advance to the World Series. Rockies in 6

Around The Majors- Sunday Playoffs Special

Two unexpected sweeps, two seasons on the brink, and one huge high profile job on the line. That's all right now.

The Colorado Rockies are climbing to new altitudes every game, as they've advanced to their first ever LCS with a rousing 2-1 win over a Phillies team that had the good pitching but the hitting disappeared into the Blake Street night as the city of Denver can rally around a baseball team for the first time. I don't know what's higher right now, Denver's elevation or the momentum-meter for the Rox. They're getting clutch hits from everyone, their bullpen has been outstanding, and their young pitchers Morales and Jimenez have looked tremendous. They've won 17 of 18, and they definitely have the hot factor to take this thing all the way. On the Phillies side, their nucleus of hitters will remain intact besides for Aaron Rowand who will be replaced by Jayson Werth. They have Hamels, Kendrick, and Durbin in the rotation and this team is certainly not going away.

Please don't notice the young Diamondbacks, they've been comfortable all season long with little fanfare. And they haven't gotten to the NLCS by accident. Their young core of hitters is growing in front of our very eyes. Chris Young, Stephen Drew, Justin Upton, and Mark Reynolds have been contributing and are all 24 or younger. Hudson and Byrnes are locked up, and Webb and co have held down the fort for their surprising bullpeb led by Tony Pena, Brandon Lyon, and Jose Valverde. The Cubs still have a very nice team that will be locked in dogfights with Milwaukee for years to come for supremecy in the NL Central.

It's a season on the brink for the Yankees, who usually thrive with the backs against the wall. It won't be easy against a young and hungry Indians club, especially since New York has shown little to no life at the plate. Maybe to light a fire under the team, George Steinbrenner said today to the Newark Star Ledger that Joe Torre will likely not return if they don't advance to the ALCS. Roger Clemens takes the hill to try to extend this franchise as we know it; a loss may put this franchise at a crossroads in terms or Rivera, Posada, and that A-Rod guy who has as many hits as me in postseason play. Jake Westbrook goes for the Tribe, 6:30pm on TBS.

Did Manny hammer the nail in the coffin of the Los Angeles Angels? The Halos got good pitching in the first two games, but clutch performances from Manny and Josh Beckett have been too much. A game 3 starter in Curt Schilling has Boston's playoff rotation deeper than OJ's legal troubles. Can young Cali Cool Jered Weaver mix up some magic for LA, or will it be another disappointing postseason for a team looking to get some of that 2002 Rally Monkey magic. Will the Sox show that killer instinct, or will a desperation-filled Angels club fill the Hollywood night with hope and one more game in Anaheim? Game 3 at 3 on TBS.

D-back Shocker

In what seemed to be a series that favored the Cubs, the Arizona Diamondbacks totally outplayed the Cubbies in a 3 game sweep. The Diamondbacks lead by youngsters Stephen Drew and Chris Young will be playing in the NLCS against either the Rockies or Phillies. They showed all baseball fans, including myself, what they are capable of doing by beating the favorites to represent the National League in the World Series. If anyone told me before the season the Diamondbacks would make the playoffs, let alone advance to the NLCS, I would have laughed at him. I was wrong about the Diamondbacks, they are not an up and coming team, they are ready to win now. Congrats D-backs!!

Around The Majors- Wednesday

One city, two tales. One Central and one West tightens, while the others pull away. ATM back on SOS, let's roll.

Tuesday Recap
Cleveland's magic number is 5 as they beat Verlander and Detroit 7-4. Travis Hafner homered and drove in 3, and Joe Borowski earned his 41st save. The Yankees now lead Detroit by 4.5 in the Wild Card race, and only trails Boston by 2.5 in the AL East. New York got 7 shutout innings from Mike Mussina and blasted Baltimore 12-0. Doug Mientkiewicz homered and drove in 4 for the Yanks. Toronto scored 3 in the 8th off of Eric Gagne to beat the Red Sox 4-3. Russ Adams drove in 2 for the Jays, and AJ Burnett struck out 11 in 8 plus innings. The Royals scored 3 in the first to beat the White Sox 3-2. Billy Butler drove in 2 for KC. Carlos Silva pitched 6 solid and Torii Hunter drove in 2 as Minnesota tamed Texas 4-2. John Lackey struck out 10 over 8 innings to earn his 17th win as the Angels edged Tampa Bay 2-1. Chad Gaudin allowed 8 over 4 innings, and Raul Ibanez homered and drove in 5 as Seattle edged Oakland 8-7.
Jeff Francis struck out 10 over 6 plus as Colorado downed the Dodgers 3-1 in the first of a twinbill. In the second game, Todd Helton hit a walkoff 2 run homer in the 9th off of Takashi Saito to beat LA 9-8. Holliday and Spilborghs each drove in 3 for the Rox. Both teams are 4.5 back in the Wild Card. The Mets lost their 5th straight 9-8 to Washington. Ronnie Belliard homered and drove in 3 for the Nats. New York only leads the Phillies by 1.5 in the NL East, the Phils got 3 in the 14th off of Mike Maroth to outlast the Cards 7-4. They're also 1.5 back in the Wild Card race. Jo-Jo Reyes pitched 5 innings for his first ML win as Atlanta edged Florida 4-3. The Cubs have now fallen into a tie for the NL Central lead. Edwin Encarnacion homered and drove in 2 as Aaron Harang bested Carlos Zambrano in the Reds 5-2 win over Chicago. Milwaukee pulled up for the tie, as the got an Estrada grand slam in a 5 run 4th to pound the Astros 9-1. Ben Sheets left after the first inning, keep it here for the latest. Arizona kept their 1 game lead atop the NL West as Micah Owings threw a complete game 2 hit shutout in a 5-0 win over the Giants. Chris Snyder drove in 2 for the Snakes. San Diego kept pace as Khalil Greene drove in 2 in a 5-3 win over Pittsburgh.

News and Notes
- Orioles OF Jay Gibbons talked with officials from the Commissioner's Office to discuss a report he received performance-enhancing steroids and human growth hormone after both substances were banned by baseball. A company that gave HGH to well known athletes and entertainers has paid 10.5 million dollars in penalties and the copmany Specialty Distribution Services Inc., has agreed to cooperate with an ongoing federal investigation.
- Lou Merloni homered and drove in 4 as the Sacramento River Cats beat the Richmond Braves 7-1 in the AAA Bricktown Showdown Championship Game from OKC. This is the 2nd year that the champions of the International and Pacific Coast leagues have competed for the ultimate AAA crown.
- After Monday's poor start, Brian Lawrence was designated for assignment and Dave Williams will take his roster, and possibly his rotation spot.

Wednesday On Tap
In what's probably a must win for the Tigers, Detroit sends Nate Robertson to the hill against CC Sabathia and the Indians. First pitch is at 12:05. JP Howell and Ervin Santana play day at 3:35 in LA. Pelfrey and Chico go in Washington as the Mets try to stop the bleeding. Battle of lefties in Atlanta as Dontrelle Willis battles Chuck James. Andy Pettitte goes for the Yankees as they try to catch the Red Sox. Boston sends Clay Buchholz to Toronto against Jesse Litsch. The Cubs look to regain their outright division lead when they send Ted Lilly to the hill at home against the Reds (8pm ESPN). The Brewers send Dave Bush to Houston. The Phillies look to get closer to a postseason spot as Jaime Moyer faces Adam Wainwright and St Louis. Contreras and Bannister go in KC, Penny and Fogg in Denver, Zito-Davis in Phoenix, and Snell-Young in San Diego.

Fantasy Studs & Duds
Hitting Studs
1) Matt Holliday, OF, COL
2) Frank Thomas, 1B/DH, TOR
3) James Loney, 1B, LAD
4) Aaron Rowand, OF, PHI
5) Rafael Furcal, SS, LAD
Hitting Duds (min 24 AB's)
1) Ken Griffey Jr, OF, CIN
2) Jose Guillen, OF, SEA
3) Kevin Millar, 1B/DH, BAL
4) Alex Rodriguez, 3B, NYY
5) Hunter Pence, OF, HOU
Pitching Studs
1) Javier Vazquez, SP, CWS
2) Gil Meche, SP, KC
3) Mike Mussina, SP, NYY
4) AJ Burnett, SP, TOR
5) Aaron Harang, SP, CIN
Pitching Duds
1) Paul Maholm, SP, PIT
2) Daniel Cabrera, SP, BAL
3) Scott Olsen, SP, FLA
4) Anthony Reyes, SP, STL
5) Matt Morris, SP, PIT

9/11: How Sports Helped Fill The Void

I'm sure nobody will ever forget where they were six years go to this day. I was at school getting ready for class when one of my fellow students told me about the horrific news that a plane flew into one of the towers. I didn't believe it at first, because the total shock factor was tremendous. But when one of the teachers went down the hallway in tears, that's when I knew that our country would never be the same. That night, there were a lot of local TV stations that weren't operating because their signals were operated from atop the towers that were then no more. I live near Kennedy Airport in New York, and planes fly over my head constantly, but a sense of fear and sadness fell over me when I heard the loud whizzing of the fighter jets over my home. Our country would never be the same. Our nation as a whole didn't feel safe, but us as New Yorkers and as Americans came together with pride, honor, and unity. We didn't know how to deal with such a catastrophic day, but we knew that if we rallied together, that we'd pull through and persevere.
Obviously, the sports world came to a stand still. The Yankees or Mets didn't play, NASCAR postponed its race, and the NFL postponed its week 2 games. It's like the entire city of New York was stabbed right in the heart, we lost so many of our own. But the nation came together in support of the NYPD and FDNY. Even the Jet fans would agree that at that time that we were all patriots. Sports was obviously far from being even close to important, but the 2001 New York Yankees may have been the most important Yankee team of all time. It helped heal an entire city, and those Yankees were one of my favorite teams of all time. They brought New York together, and even the most heated of Yankee haters couldn't help but root for a team that brought America back to life.
When baseball came back to New York after the attacks, it breathed life into the city. After a week, people wanted a distraction and just a time allotted for normalcy be it 4 quarters or in that case 9 blissful innings. God Bless America was sung during the 7th inning stretch and still is at Yankee Stadium to this day, but baseball instituted this singing across the country, from sea to shining sea.
The Yankees made the postseason and played the A's at home in the division series. The city was as hyped as can be as the Yankees represented the resilient city. And resiliency was needed as they droped the first 2 games at home to upstart Oakland, facing elimination out west. In game 3, Mike Mussina was absolutely brilliant and Derek Jeter's defensive play is still a highlight shown in the anals of postseason history. The Yankees stared a deficit down, and fought back winning the series in 5 games. New York then faced Seattle in the ALCS, a team that won 116 regular season games. Their calm, cool, and composed nature about them was the embodiment of the New York spirit as they defeated the M's in 5 games to go to the World Series.
As you know, the Yankees were stunned by Arizona in an incredibly exciting 7 game series, but the city was brought to life by the Yankee story, and the city was nearly off the ground when Jeter and Tino Martinez hit huge homers in game 4, and Scott Brosius tied it up in game 5 and New York ended up with a win in 12 innings. That state of euphoria in which New York was under was the perfect remedy to the 9/11 ills, and more then filled the void of a city that needed a boost.
September 11th is a date that will never be forgotten in American history, but let us also not forget when one team lifted a city that was mercilessly brought to its knees. I hope everyone has a meanigful day, and God Bless America.

Around The Majors- Monday

I'll recap Sunday's action, go through news and notes, and we'll see what's on tap for today here on ATM.

Sunday Recap
Wilson Betemit drove in 4 and Hideki Matsui had 3 RBI's as the Yankees took 3 out of 4 from Detroit with a 9-3 win at Yankee Stadium. Roy Halladay and Jeremy Guthrie had a pitchers duel that needed extra innings to decide. Aaron Hill's sac fly off of Chad Bradford in the 10th gave Toronto a 3-2 victory over Baltimore. Sabathia and Shields also had a duel that went into extra frames, and a Joel Guzman single in the 12th won it for the Rays 4-3. Victor Martinez drove in 2 in the loss for the Tribe. Joe Saunders pitched a fantastic game as the Angels bested Boston 3-1. Julian Taverez took the tough luck loss. Johan Santana may have had his best career start yesterday, pitching a complete game two hit shutout while striking out a Minnesota record 17 batters as the Twins tamed Texas and Kevin Millwood 1-0. Marco Scutaro went 4-4 with a homer and 2 driven in as Oakland defeated KC 6-1. Jose Guillen drove in 5 as Seattle beat up Jon Garland and the ChiSox 11-5. Jerry Owens drove in 2 for the Pale Hose. Mark Teixeira homered twice and drove in 4 as John Smoltz struck out 12 to take over the all time Braves record in a 6-2 win over Arizona to salvage the last game in the set. The Giants scored 3 in the 7th to edge the Marlins 6-5. Ray Durham drove in 2 for Frisco. Carlos Beltran homered twice as the Mets scored 4 in the 8th to sweep Washington 8-2. Marlon Anderson and Shawn Green each drove in a pair for New York. The Pirates pushed across 7 in the 7th to fry the Phillies 8-4. Matt Kata hit a pinch hit 3 run double and Xavier nady drove in 2 for the Bucs. The Reds scored 2 in the 8th to earn a wild 7-6 win over the Brewers that saw a combined 6 homers. Phillips, Dunn, and Valentin each drove in 2 for the Reds. San Diego edged the Astros 5-3, the Dodgers beat the Rockies 4-3, and Cubs-Cards was postponed by rain.

News and Notes
- The White Sox resigned Jermaine Dye to a 2 year, 22 million dollar extension. Apparently, Chicago wants to reload rather then rebuild. Can't say that i agree with this plan.
- Double-A Montgomery pitcher James Houser tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance, and was suspended 50 games.
- Yusmeiro Petit was activated yesterday to lose yesterday's game for the Snakes. Cliff Floyd was moved to the retricted list by the Cubs, Joel Zumaya will give a huge boost to the Tigers off of the DL, and the White Sox inked Mike Myers as a lefty for the stretch run. Damion Easley was placed on the DL with a severe ankle sprain, Anderson Hernandez was recalled.

Monday On Tap
Ortiz and Mitre do battle as the Giants and Marlins complete their series in Miami. Joel Piniero has been excellent in his stint with St Louis, he faces Ted Lilly and the Cubs in day action. The Braves need to get back in the NL East race, they send Tim Hudson to the mound against Phil Dumatrait and the Reds. Redding and Jennings go in Houston, and youngster Ubaldo Jimenez leads Colorado against Matt Morris and the Pirates. Big series in the desert as Doug Davis and the Snakes face Yovani Gallardo and Milwaukee.
Padilla faces Cabrera in Baltimore and Blanton faces Marcum in Toronto. Boston wants to keep it's lead in the AL East, they send Tim Wakefield against Scott Kazmir. The Mariners want to keep their WC lead, Horacio Ramirez goes in Minnesota against Matt Garza. Meche and Buehrle go in Chicago, and Phil Hughes faces Dustin Moseley as the Angels and Yankees throw down in LA (10pm ESPN)

Around The Majors- Monday

My extended summer vacation is over, and it's time to get back to last night's scores, standings, news and notes, and what's on tap today around the majors.

Sunday Recap
Andy Pettitte pitched wonderfully as the Yankees completed a sweep of Cleveland 5-3. Jason Giambi homered and drove in 2 in the win. Magglio Ordonez homered twice in an 8 run 2nd inning as Detroit pummeled Oakland 11-6. Ordonez drove in 4, Marco Scutaro homered and drove in 4 for the A's. Miguel Tejada hit a 2 run homer off of Eric Gagne in the 8th tied it, and a 3 run homer by Kevin Millar won it in the 9th as Baltimore shocked Boston 6-3. Manny Ramirez drove in 2 in the loss. Jeff Weaver pitched a 5 hit shutout as the red hot Mariners shut out the White Sox 6-0. Bobby Jenks pitched a scoreless 9th, and he's now retired 41 consecutive hitters which ties an all time major league record. Adrian Beltre homered and drove in 3 for the M's. The Angels completed a sweep of the Twins with a 6-2 win on Sunday. Jered Weaver pitched a solid game, and Chone Figgins drove in 2 for Los Angeles. Jason Bartlett drove in 2 in the loss. AJ Burnett got the win in his first start back as Toronto beat Kansas City 4-1. Lyle Overbay drove in 2 in the win. Texas trounced Tampa Bay 9-1 as Ian Kinsler and Marlon Byrd each drove in 2 runs. Kason Gabbard left in the 2nd inning with an injury.
A pregame ceremony celebrated Tom Glavine's 300th victory, and the Mets scored 5 in the 8th to maul the Marlins 10-4. Moises Alou homered twice and drove in 4, and Carlos Delgado and Lastings Milledge each drove in 2 for the Mets. Brian Giles homered twice as the Padres ripped the Reds 10-4. Khalil Greene drove in 3 for the Friars. Houston scored 4 in the 8th to defeat Milwaukee 6-4. The woes of the Dodgers continue as they were pounded by St Louis 12-2. Ryan Ludwick homered and drove in 4 for the Cards. Tom Gorzelanny pitched a 5 hit shutout as Josh Phelps homered and drove in 4 for the Pirates. Colorado beat the Cubs 6-3 as Troy Tulowitzki homered and drove in 3 for the Rox. Washington scored 4 in the 8th and 2 in the 9th to best the white hot D-Backs 7-6. Ryan Church and Jesus Flores each drove in 2 for the Nats. Ryan Howard's 3 run homer in the 5th lifted the Phillies past the Braves 5-3 as Jaime Moyer earned his 11th win.

Standings
The Yankees have won 3 in a row and 8 of 10 to get within 4 games of Boston in the AL East. Cleveland has lost 3 straight and are now a half game behind Detroit in the AL Central. Minnesota has lost 4 in a row and 7 of 10 to go 7 games back. The Angels have won 3 in a row and 7 of 10 to keep their 3.5 game lead over Seattle in the AL West. The Mariners have also won 7 of 10. Texas has lost 7 of 10. The Mets lead the Phillies by 3 and the Braves by 3.5 games in the NL East. The Cubs have lost 7 of 10 and are 1.5 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central. St Louis is 5.5 back. Arizona has won 7 of 10 and has a 3 game lead over San Diego in the NL West. Colorado is 5 back, the Dodgers are 6 games behind the Snakes. Seattle is a percentage point ahead of the Yankees for the AL Wild Card. Cleveland is 1.5 back, Toronto is 6.5 back. The Padres lead the Phillies by a game for the NL Wild Card, Atlanta by 1.5, Colorado by 2, and the Cubs and Dodgers by 3 games.

News and Notes
- Paul Lo Duca went on the DL yesterday, and his backup Ramon Castro left yesterday's game with back discomfort.
- Jay Gibbons will have season ending surgery for his torn labrum.
- Cliff Floyd went on bereavement leave, Daryle Ward was activated from the DL.
- Josh Hamilton was activated from the DL, Mark Bellhorn was designated for assignment. Adam Kennedy and Brandon League were both placed on the DL.
- On tap for today, the Giants and Pirates play a twinbill at 5 and 8:30. Cain and Lowry go for the Giants. The Astros and Dodgers play tonight at 10 on ESPN2, Oswalt and Billingley are the starters. Wakefield goes for Boston against Tampa Bay, Oakland faces Detroit, and Guthrie faces Wang in New York. Johan Santana and King Felix go in Seattle in a dazzling pitching matchup.

A Wild Week It Was

Forget what you see in the headlines. Bonds, A-Rod, Glavine- nothing compared to the week that was and has been so far. Eric Byrnes who has been better than a toasted bagel with cream cheese got a well deserved three year extension. Kerry Wood (that's right this is not a typo) pitched for the first time in over a year and not only was it a perfect inning, but he struck out a batter and didn't get hurt! Lets hear it for Mr. Wood. Not to mention the unrealistic feats of Ryan Braun. His twenty-first home run of the year was after playing less than seventy games and being called up in May. Thats pretty solid if you ask any baseball fan. Braun also has ten stolen bases and a .347 average. Hes on pace to have over one-hundred RBIs and if you dont think he is a Rookie of the Year contender, then you must think Chris B. Young deserves it, and I don't blame you. The guy have been flat out good. No other way to describe his play. With nineteen homers from the lead-off spot and seventeen stolen bases, Young has played and steller centerfield for the first place D-Backs and despite his .240 average, he is defenitly a contender for that prized award. On another D-back note, Justin Upton made his highly awaited debut this week and he was quite impressive and for all of those who thought he wouldn't be here until 2009, well you were wrong. Watch out, this guy will be taken in all of your fantasy leagues within about a week so get him fast before you miss out. Thats all for now. Eat, drink and sleep sports and untill next time, i'm Adam Ehrenreich

M.L.B. Live!

I'll go through some news and preview tonight's games, with some analysis from Joe Morgan in between.

Arizona made an excellent move, resigning Eric Byrnes to a 3 year, 30 million dollar extension. Not only is he batting over .300 with 17 homers, he's an excellent fielder and a fan favorite. Good move all around.

With the milestones that occurred over the weekend with Bonds and A-Rod, I asked Joe Morgan where they would rank among the greatest sluggers of all time:
"Well, they're definitely up in the top." He said. "You've got Babe, Aaron, Willie Mays, Frank Robinson. It's difficult to group them, because the game is different now. The parks are smaller, the balls are livelier, the pitching's not as good. These two guys definitely rank in the top 10." Who's your greatest slugger of all time??

Did you ever eat at Angel Stadium? The food vendors have violated vermin citations over 100 times over the last 2 years. The cleaning crews will now work after the game ends, rather then the morning after. 9 were found at Dodger Stadium and Petco Park- combined over the same time span.

Boston signed Bobby Kielty today, likely marking the end of the road for Wily Mo Pena. The Padres and Pirates are interested according to the Providence Journal.

The Seattle Mariners mascot Mariner Moose will not be in trouble after accidentally hitting Coco Crisp with a vehicle on Sunday, but not injuring him. GM Bill Bavasi apologized to the Red Sox almost immediately afterwards.

Former Major League manager Wally Backman resigned today from the independent Georgia Peanuts after numerous run-ins with umpires, feuds with a radio announcer, and a forfeit after not wanting to come back on the field after a brawl.

On tap for today, Seattle opens up a big series in Baltimore with Jeff Weaver on the mound for the Mariners. Nate Robertson pitches for Detroit against Tampa Bay's Jason Hammel. The Yankees and Blue Jays continue their series up north with Roger Clemens facing Josh Towers. Minnesota looks to climb back into the AL Central race as they send Boof Bonser to the hill in KC against Brian Bannister. Jake Westbrook and John Danks are on the mound as the Indians look to keep their division lead against the White Sox. Gaudin and Gabbard go in Oakland, and Tim Wakefield faces Joe Saunders in a big series in LA.
In the NL, the Phillies look to keep alive in the NL East as Jaime Moyer faces the Marlins and Rick VandenHurk. The Dodgers need to stop their slide in the NL West, they send Mark Hendrickson to the mound against Bronson Arroyo. The Braves have won 6 of 9 against the Mets this season, the 3 New York won were all by Oliver Perez, he faces Buddy Carlyle at Shea. Sean Marshall looks to get the Cubs back on track against Woody Williams and Houston. The Padres wamt to avenge their loss in St Louis, they send ace Jake Peavy against Anthony Reyes. ESPN's Joe Morgan spoke to SprungOnSports about the Cards' chances this season:
"I don't really think they have that good of a chance this season." Morgan said. "But the game's not over until it's over. Their starting pitching is not too good. But that's why they play the games. The games still have to be played."
The Brewers and Rockies are both well in the race, Chris Capuano goes against Jason Hirsh. Micah Owings and Arizona looks to keep their NL West lead, they face Tom Gorzelanny and the Pirates. Barry Bonds looks for home run 756 at home tonight as Barry Zito faces Mike Bacsik. (10pm ESPN2)

That's your M.L.B. Live

M.L.B. Live!

All the latest baseball news with SOS analyst Andrew Livingston.

SOS- The main topic that has to be discussed first is Barry Bonds, who hit 755 yesterday. What do you think of his historic yet controversial feat?
AL- First of all, congrats to Mr Bonds and his family. 2nd of all, Bonds is a product of our time, and that's it! We have to come to the realization that there will always be a question mark with this record, and nothing will change that.
SOS- So you're Ok with the fact that this record will be shrouded in controversy?
AL- The fact is that Hank Aaron was never beloved, and the media is making it seem like he was the most beloved player. In 20 years, they may legalize steroids, we don't know. We can't do anything about it, and we should just accept the fact that he owns the record. When more information comes out about the allegations, we'll deal with it then.
SOS- Firstly, in 20 years Barry Bonds will still be a controversial figure, but he may not be the home run king anyway. His heir apparent Alex Rodriguez smashed his 500th homer on the same day, coincidence or a sign of things to come?
AL- A-Rod bottoms out at 589, and a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. He needs at least another 256, that's a lot of home runs and you never know. On a side point, Soriano just came up lame on a rally ending play! Wow, he'll have to come out of the game.
SOS- Just when the Cubs are starting to gain some steam, and the Brewers seem to be running out of gas, but we could get to that later. A-Rod has been averaging 46 homers a year without any signs of slowing down, will he actually do it, or will his career be riddled with injuries like Junior Griffey?
AL- Well, a big issue is where A-Rod will end up. Will he stay with the Yanks, or will he sign elsewhere? After that happens, we'll get a better picture.
SOS- Do you think that he'll command over 30 million a year?
AL- No question. If he wants 30 million a year for Teixeira, he'll probably command 35-38 million.
SOS- There's no chance that Teixeira gets 30 million a season.
AL- Boras is pushing for it...............
SOS- What team would pay that kind of money?
AL- Well, who's the Yankees first baseman after Giambi? You always have to take that into consideration.
SOS- The Boss is taking the luxury tax into account. He's passed up on Pedro and Carlos Beltran in the past, I think that the Yankees aren't going in that direction anymore. Speaking of the Yanks, they're within a half game of the wild card after a win over the Royals.
AL- It's absolutely shocking. Seattle and Detroit keep losing, and New York keeps winning with solid pitching and great hitting.
SOS- I don't know if Seattle and Cleveland have what it takes for the long haul, and Detroit's bullpen is in trouble. They need Zumaya and Rodney back in a big way, especially since Todd Jones has been getting hit around as of late. The Yankee bullpen has been bad also, but their offense is compensating right now. The Cubs are playing well in the NL, and the Brewers are falling apart. What's their story?
AL- The Brew Crew have blown an 8.5 game lead in their division, and they're fighting in the clubhouse. Cordero can't pitch anymore, Hall and Hardy can't hit, I just don't get it. The only plus is Ryan Braun, ROY no question.
SOS- It's obvious that they need Ben Sheets back and quick.
AL- Very quick.
SOS- Let's talk about the NL West. Arizona comes out of nowhere to take the lead, San Diego and the struggling Dodgers are right on their heels, and even the Rockies are hanging around. Why are the Snakes being so successful right now?
AL- Webb is really picking up his game, and so are the rest of their starters. And now they've called up their 19 year old phenom Justin Upton.
SOS- They also picked up Jeff Cirillo and BK Kim. Who do you think comes away with the division and why?
AL- The Dodgers will have their hitters jell together and their players will get healthy.
SOS- That's all the time we have for today, try to come back soon Andrew. M.L.B. Live is done every day here on SprungOnSports.

M.L.B. Live!

Lots of movers and shakers over the last day or so. There were some pretty good players that changed teams via the waiver wire. I go through them, gauge their impacts, and go over what's gone down thus far today in the big leagues.

Waiver Wire News
Yesterday, Arizona made a couple of signings to possibly counteract the deadline dealings of their division foes in San Diego. They picked up a nice cog for their bench in Jeff Cirillo who was released by the Twins, and they inked BK Kim who was dropped by Florida. He'll provide help to their middle relief. Today they also picked up a usefull arm in Joe Kennedy, who was released by Oakland. To make room for these guys, the Snakes said goodbye to Brian Barden and Jeff DaVannon. The latter will find a home, Boston comes to mind as a team that needs a backup OF. Seattle designated Jason Ellison for assignment, and Toronto claimed IF Hector Luna.

Saturday Night Live
Alex Rodriguez finally hit career home run number 500 as the Yankees rolled the Royals 16-8 at The Stadium. He drove in 3, as did youngsters Robinson Cano and Wilson Betemit who has stroked the ball quite well since he's come over from the Dodgers this week. David DeJesus homered and drove in 3 in the loss. New York is now 2 games back of wild card leader Cleveland, who fell to Minnesota 3-2 in Minneapolis. Michael Cuddyer drove in 2 for the Twinkies. Shawn Marcum pitched 6 solid innings and Frank Thomas homered twice as Toronto tamed Texas 9-5. Joe Blanton outdueled Kelvim Escobar as Oakland bested the Angels 2-1. Dice-K Matsuzaka faces Jarrod Washburn at 10 eastern, be sure to catch this one. The Cubs scored 6 times in the 3rd off of John Maine to defeat the Mets 6-2. Ted Lilly struck out 8 over 7 and 2 thirds for the win. Barry Bonds continues his quest for 755 tonight in San Diego at 10 against Clay Hensley. The Snakes play the Dodgers in the quest for the NL West at 10 as Livan Hernandez goes against Derek Lowe.

Around The Majors- Friday

Today, Ill recap last night's games, take a look at the standings, go through the news and notes, and preview the weekend in baseball.

Thursday Recap
Jake Westbrook got his first win since April as the Indians shut out Texas 5-0. Eric Gagne debuted as Boston beat Baltimore 7-4. Both the Yankees and White Sox scored 8 runs in the 2nd inning, but Chicago prevailed over New York 13-9. KC and the Twins were postponed because of the Minneapolis bridge collapse. Vlad Guerrero homered twice as the Angels downed the A's 6-4.
Jose Castillo hit a 2 out single in the 11th to lead the Pirates past the Cardinals 5-4. Corey Hart hit 2 home runs, but the Mets dominated Milwaukee 12-4 in a game where manager Ned Yost got into a fight with Catcher Johnny Estrada. The Phillies clubbed the Cubs 10-6, and the Padres got 10 k's from Jake Peavy and 2 jacks from Morgan Ensberg to destroy the D-Backs 11-0. Washington beat Cincy 7-3, Colorado edged Florida 4-3, and Houston outlasted Atlanta 12-11 in 14.

Standings
Boston has won 7 of 10 and leads the Yankees by 8 games in the AL East. Baltimore has won 7 of 10 and Tampa has lost 7 of 10. Detroit has lost 8 of 10 and Cleveland has lost 7 of 10. The Tigers lead the Indians by half a game in the AL Central. The Twins are 6 back. The Angels lead the Mariners by 3.5 games in the AL West. Philadelphia has won 7 of 10 and are 4 games behind the Mets in the NL East. The Braves are 4.5 back and Florida has lost 8 of 10. Milwaukee has lost 7 of 10 and are now percentage points behind the Cubs in the NL Central. St Louis is 6 back, Pittsburgh has lost 7 of 10, and the Reds have dropped 5 straight. Arizona has won 8 of 10 and are one game clear of the Dodgers and 1.5 ahead of San Diego in the NL West. LA has lost 7 of 10. Cleveland leads Seattle by a game for the AL Wild Card, the Yankees by 3, and Minnesota by 5.5. The Dodgers lead the Cubs, Brewers, and Padres by a half game for the NL Wild Card. Philadelphia is a game back, Atlanta 1.5, and the Rockies are 2.5 games back.

News and Notes
- Phil Hughes will come back and start for the Yankees against Kansas City tomorrow, and Pedro Martinez allowed 2 runs in 5+ innings for Port St Lucie yesterday. I asked ESPN Fantasy expert Eric Karabell whether Hughes was worth the fantasy start, and when Pedro will actually come back to return for the Mets:
What's the ETA for Pedro, and is Phil Hughes worth the start on Saturday?
ERIC KARABELL- In some of my leagues I would start Hughes, yes. He's still a rookie, though, so be cautious. I can't stress enough how many rookies have failed to help fantasy owners this season. As for Pedro, I am pessimistic, I have to admit. I expect him to be on strict pitch counts for weeks, and when a guy goes five innings, all it takes is one mistake and it's a bad start. Pedro could start next week.
- According to a report by Fortune Magazine, the YES Network is up for sale, but the Yankees denied that and were only looking to see how much they could get. More on this topic as time goes by.
- Marlins young starter Josh Johnson will have Tommy John Surgery and will likely miss the entire 2008 season.
- Baseball's top prospect, Arizona OF Justin Upton was called up from AA yesterday when they placed Carlos Quentin on the DL, and was a defensive replacement yesterday. Upton will start in right field tonight.
- The Phillies placed Rod Barajas on the DL and brought up Clay Condrey. Atlanta optioned prospect P Jo-Jo Reyes, the White Sox activated Mike MacDougal, Elizardo Ramirez was optioned, Rodrigo Lopez was shelved, and Matt Kata was designated.

Weekend Preview
Friday
El Duque and Carlos Zambrano duel at 220 in Wrigley in a possible playoff preview. Buehrle-Miller face off in Detroit, Wang faces the Royals, Halladay against Texas, and Sabathia-Santana in Minnesota. Jon Lester will battle King Felix in Seattle. Snell pitches against Cincy, Oswalt-Willis in Miami, Francis-Smoltz in Atlanta, and Kendrick-Gallardo in Milwaukee. Barry Bonds will try to tie the reccord in San Diego against Greg Maddux (10pm ESPN2). Billingsley battles the first place Snakes.
Saturday
Phil Hughes comes back against the KC debut of Kyle Davies. Maine-Lilly, prospect Aaron Laffey debuts against Matt Garza and the Twins, and Escobar-Blanton are all of FOX (4pm). Jimenez and Hudson battle at 7 on FOX. Vazquez-Bonderman, Kazmir against the O's, and Dice-K-Washburn finishes the AL. Hamels-Suppan, Pineiro debuting for the Cards, Harang goes against Matt Morris' debut, and Jennings-Mitre in Miami. Bonds goes against Clay Hensley, and Lowe faces Arizona.
Sunday
Meche-Mussina, Bedard in Tampa, and Carmona in Minnesota. Lackey faces Haren in Oakland, and Beckett-Batista in Seattle. Cook-James in Atlanta, Gorzelanny in Cincy, and Lowry-Germano in today's Bonds watch. Webb battles Penny in LA, and Tom Glavine goes for career win 300 at Wrigley against Jason Marquis and the Cubs. (8pm ESPN)

Thursday Rumors

First, a real trade. Pittsburgh acquired Cesar Izturis from the Cubs for a player to be named later. This could allow the Pirates to deal starting SS Jack Wilson. According to ESPN's Buster Olney, Toronto, St Louis, San Francisco, and Boston would be interested.

Rumors
- According to Milwaukee radio, the Brewers could be close to acquiring Adam Dunn from the Reds in exchange for Tony Gwynn Jr, reliever Matt Wise, and a minor league infielder.
- The Yankees are only using Kyle Farnsworth in the 8th inning to showcase him to other teams. It's possible that the White Sox will keep Dye, but unlikely. The Dodgers, Angels, and Padres are interested, with the Mets being a bit lukewarm. Seattle inquired about Andy Pettitte, but the Yankees aren't giving up on this season. The Yanks, Braves, Cubs, Diamondbacks, and Dodgers have interest in Zach Greinke. The Yanks could unload one of their relievers to get him. The Mets are interested in Roy Oswalt, Dontrelle Willis, and Javier Vazquez, but the White Sox want do deal Jose Contreras more. The Reds are trying to trade David Weathers. The Cubs, Dodgers, and Brewers are interested in Dotel, and there has been interest in Royals pitcher Jimmy Gobble. (Newark Star-Ledger)
- Matt Morris, Omar Vizquel, Randy Winn, and Dave Roberts could all by dealt by the Giants. The Red Sox are keeping tabs on these players. (Boston Herald)
- Brad Lidge will not be traded, and Boston will probably not deal for Kevin Millar. (Boston Globe)
- The Red Sox will probably not trade for Dye, but may trade for Damaso Marte. (Providence Journal)
- The A's will probably not make any wholesale changes. (Oakland Tribune)
- The Diamondbacks have asked about Dye and Bobby Abreu, but the price tag was minor league OF Carlos Gonzalez. Arizona declined. (Arizona Republic)
- If the Dodgers acquire someone, Andre Ethier is most likely to go. (LA Daily News)
- Detroit is reluctant to give up on Craig Monroe. (Detroit News)
- The Twins could acquire Dmitri Young. Minnesota may even put Joe Nathan on the block. Ty Wigginton and Kevin Mench could also be trade options. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
- The Dodgers, Indians, Tigers, Red Sox, and Braves are all interested in Octavio Dotel. The Cubs remained interested in Greinke. The Royals are also showcasing Reggie Sanders. (KC Star)
- Shawn Chacon could be on the trading block. (Beaver County Times)
- The Red Sox are interested in Eric Gagne and Rockies closer Brian Fuentes. (Denver Post)
- The Twins could be interested in Arizona players Conor Jackson and Chad Tracy. (East Valley Tribune)
- The Mariners may open the 2008 season against Boston in Japan. (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

MLB.com Rumors
- Baltimore wants to move Steve Trachsel and Jay Payton. The White Sox wish to move Tadahito Iguchi. The Angels are joining the Yankees, Braves, and Red Sox in their interest in Mark Teixeira. Cleveland is interested in Akinori Otsuka as are the Tigers, but top prospect Cameron Maybin is off limits. In addition to Wigginton, the Rays could deal closer Al Reyes, Carlos Pena, and Greg Norton. There is interest in Rangers Joaquin Benoit, Ron Mahay, Jamey Wright, Kenny Lofton, and Brad Wilkerson. There is yet to be much interest in Sammy Sosa. The Dodgers are interested in Troy Glaus. The Braves are interested in Young and Contreras. Arizona could be shopping Carlos Quentin. The Mariners could go after Willis. Rockies prospects Joe Koshansky and Ian Stewart could be used as trade bait. The Dodgers could deal prospect Delwyn Young for a pitcher. Juan Encarnacion, David Eckstien, and possibly Jason Isringhausen could be dealt at the deadline.