Around The Majors- Wednesday

News, notes, discussion, rumors, AFL. Lots to do here on a Wednesday.

LCS
I'll be talking about the Rockies at length tomorrow, but the Indians are getting fantastic starting pitching from their secondary starters Westbrook and Byrd, and their unbelievable ability to get big hits with two outs has been seemingly unparallelled. Many will question Terry Francona's decison to go with Wakefield over a clutch Josh Beckett, but consider that in postseason play, pitchers going on 3 days rest only win 36% of the time, it was likely not worth the risk. Had Wakefield won and Beckett would be going for a series lead rather then to save Boston's season, Tito would have been praised. FOX has to be rooting for Boston, becaus as my Dad told me, nobody's gonna give a damn about Colorado-Cleveland; except for myself and my fellow readers, and I will continue to give you my best Rockies coverage considering I'm the #2 Rockies blogger on sportingnews.com.

-Joe Torre's status is still up in the air after meetings, but it seems that pitching coach Ron Guidry will not be invited back, according to ESPN's Buster Olney. Guidry did a nice job with Chien Ming Wang, but that's about it. What does make sense is that minor league pitching coach Dave Eiland is the favorite to take over, considering the influx of young pitchers the Yankees will have in 2008. Not the sexy move like hiring a Leo Mazzone, but the right one.
-Alex Rodriguez just completed a 3 day meeting with agent Scott Boras about offseason strategy. My crack staff here at SOS decoded the meetings into this brief message: $$$$$$$$ or @#!^% you!!
-Baltimore has hired former Florida coach Rick Kranitz as their pitching coach.
-In another large roid raid, the NYPD found over 7.2 million bucks worth of HGH at a pharmacy in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, enough for one million doses (insert Dr Evil voice here).
"It's hard to believe that all the growth hormone we found was meant for the people of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn," Said investigator Mark "painfully obvious" Haskins.

Rumors
-Joe Girardi nixed talks that he would replace Joe Torre, said the New York Daily News.
-Arizona would like to bring back Tony Clark, according to the Arizona Republic.
-Aaron Rowand's price tag could be as much as 6 years at 84 million, according to the Kansas City Star.
-The Phillies, Twins, Angels, Dodgers and Astros are all interested in dealing for Garrett Atkins, said the Philadelphia Daily News.
-The Angels don't want A-Rod at 30 mill a year, said the LA Times.
-San Diego wants to sign Andruw Jones to a 1 year deal, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
-Joel Skinner (CLE 3B coach) and John Farrell (BOS pitching coach_ are both candidates for the Pirates managerial job. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
-The YES network could keep A-Rod in The Bronx, said the New York Post.
-Seattle is interested in Jon Garland, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
-Joe Mauer will undergo surgery to repair a sports hernia, said the St Paul Pioneer Press.
-Baltimore claimed Roberto Novoa off of waivers. (Baltimore Sun)

Arizona Fall League
Yesterday, Braves catching prospect Clint Sammons homered and drove in 5 as the Peoria Javelinas pounded Mesa 9-1. Braves 2B spect JC Holt drove in 2 for the Javelinas.
Pirates star CF prospect Nyjer Morgan, who is expected to start in center for Pittsburgh next year drove in 2 runs as Phoenix edged the Peoria Saguaros 3-2. Indians OF Trevor Crowe, Reds OF Christopher Dickerson, and Royals 1B Kila Kaaihue each drove in 2 as Surprise stomped Scottsdale 10-1.

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."

Around The Majors- Wednesday

It's playoff time, and if Monday night's thriller is any indication of the October excitement we're gonna have, then it's gonna be a wild ride. The Mets won't be on this ride known as the postseason, but they will keep manager Willie Randolph but the rest of the coaching staff could be a different story. As heralded as Rick Peterson is, the staff faltered down the stretch and he could pay for it with his job. Another Met that was key to the collapse was Tom Glavine, he'll be declining his option for next season and rumors are already starting that he could head to either Washington or back to Atlanta. Speaking of the Braves, GM John Schuerholz has told CF Andruw Jones that they will not be resigning him, and he will head elsewhere. Jones batted a paltry .222 in 2007, his worst year since becoming a starting player 10 years ago, all spent with Atlanta. In managerial news, Jim Leyland had his contract extended by the Tigers until 2009, and Cards skipper Tony LaRussa will take some time to decide whether he'll return to the Cards in 2008. Carlos Pena and Dmitri Young were named the comeback players of the year, congrats to them and their terrible teams.

Division Series Notes
- The Red Sox will be without supersub postseason pitcher Tim Wakefield because of a back injury, and will carry a 3rd catcher in Kevin Cash instead. Jon Lester will be used in long relief. Their opponents the Angels will be without both Bartolo Colon and Gary Matthews Jr. Reggie Willits will be in CF and Erik Aybar replaces him on the LDS roster. Adam Eaton will be off the postseason roster for the Phillies after a 10-10 season with an ERA of 6.29. Hamels, Kendrick, Lohse, and Moyer will start for Philadelphia.

Divsion Series Picks
Angels vs Red Sox
The BoSox are banged up, but the Angels are a good matchup for them. John Lackey has to pitch at Fenway Park in game one, where he has a lifetime ERA of over 7. But if the Halos can manage a win in Boston, they could easily take the series with their MLB leading home record and some Rally Monkey mojo. The Angels will have to scratch and claw for every run they get, and their bullpen hasn't been that great as of late. Neither has Boston's pen, but a deeper staff will win them the series in 4.
Indians vs Yankees
Everyone is concentrating on A-Rod, but the pitching will have to do much more with the series. The Indians have a clear advantage over the Yankees in the starting staff, but if New York gets a lead after 6, the Joba Rules have been lifted and it's him and Mariano Rivera for the finish. Both lineups are really talented, but a psychological edge shouldn't be discounted. Not only do the Yanks have that experience factor, they're also 6-0 this year against the Tribe. But SOS, the Yankees never faced CC Sabathia? Cleveland never faced Chien Ming Wang, and Joe Borowski has been trouble this season. I'll take the Yankees in 5.
Diamondbacks vs Cubs
Both pitching staffs have been excellent this year, but the deciding factor could be keeping Carlos Zambrano away from the Wrigley mound. His road record is sensational, and he'll be throwing games 1 and 5 on the road in Phoenix. The depth in the starting staffs also go the Cubbies way, with Doug Davis and Livan Hernandez going after Brandon Webb. I think this will be the tightest series, with Chicago winning in 5.
Phillies vs Rockies
Both lineups are fantastic, and both clubs have incredible momentum. High octane baseball and lots of homers will be on the menu, but none of the Rockies have been there before. The Phillies bullpen has been terrible, but they have guys like Tom Gordon and JC Romero who have climbed the mountain before. But sometimes inexperienced power arms like the ones Colorado have in Ubaldo Jimenez and Franklin Morales could be the difference. This is really tough to call, so i flipped a coin and have the Rox in 5.

Playoff Picks

Colorado Rockies v. Philadelphia Phillies
This series will go to the team that out slugs the other team. The Rockies have a strong lineup lead by MVP candidate Matt Holliday, veterans Todd Helton and Garrett Atkins, and rookie Troy Tulowitzki. They are a great defensive ball club, and have an extremely good bullpen. The Phillies also have one of the best lineups in the National League. Their leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins is a game changer, while Chase Utley and Ryan Howard are just lethal to any pitcher they face. Both teams weakness lies in their starting pitchers. While the Phillies do have the advantage with Cole Hamels in game one, I wouldn't trust the likes of Mark Redmand (Rockies) and Kyle Lohse (Phillies). The Rockies bullpen has a shot at neutralizing the Phillies lineup, but the Phillies bullpen have been terrible against anybody but the Mets this year. I'm taking the Rockies, because they will beat up on any pitcher not named Cole Hamels and I don't like Brett Myers in a big spot. Rockies in 5

Chicago Cubs v. Arizona Diamondbacks
The Cubs have a significant advantage going into this series. To simply put it they have a lot of players on their roster who have been to the playoffs before, while the Diamondbacks are very young and inexperienced. If Brandon Webb doesn't win game 1 for the D'backs, it will be very hard for them to win the series. This will be a good learning experience for the Diamondbacks and I expect to see them in the playoffs for years to come, but the Cubs will ultimately win this series. Cubs in 4

Los Angeles Angels v. Boston Red Sox
This should be a very competitive series, because both teams have great pitching. The Angels showcase John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar, while the Red Sox send out 20 game winner Josh Beckett and Dice-K. Both teams also have very good bullpens anchored by 2002 playoff hero Francisco Rodriguez, and Boston sensation Jonathan Papelbon. The difference will be the in the lineups. The Angels do have a good lineup, but they lack the power that the Red Sox have. I'll take David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez over Vlad Guerrero and Garrett Anderson.
Red Sox in 4

New York Yankees v. Cleveland Indians
It is make or break time for A-Rod and the Yankees as the face CY Young favorite C.C. Sabathia and the Cleveland Indians. The Yankees will need Chien-Ming Wang to be spectacular in game 1 when he and the Yankees face Sabathia. If the Yankees fail to win game 1, you have to like the Indians chances with Fausto Carmona facing Any Pettitte. On the other hand, if A-rod hits like the MVP he was in the regular season, the Yankees will win the series. Since A-rod is in his contract year (well sort of), I think their is a little extra incentive for him to do well and lead the Yankees to the ALCS.
Yankees in 5.

Around The Majors- Monday

The American League is set, with Boston hosting the Angels and the Yankees visiting Cleveland. The NL had a lot of turmoil on the regular season's final day, including the Mets completing one of the largest collapses in sports history, getting tagged by the Marlins, while the Phillies got their first division title and playoff appearance since their NL Pennant year of 1993. New York was up 7 games with 17 to play, and they just didn't have that sense of urgency save their Saturday win. But in that 13-0 blowout win over Florida, they enraged the Marlins, who had zero reason to put out any kind of effort on the final day. Due to the brawl and melee that ensued the previous day, it gave the Fish a sense of passion and determination, and it seemed like everything was on the line for them. That couldn't be any more opposite then what it was. In Philadelphia, the fans were riled up, and the players had that vigor and enthusiasm, led by Jimmy Rollins. It's not just his numbers are fantastic and worthy of this year's NL MVP, it's his leadership, his day in and day out effort of giving it his all every day (he played all 162), and his courage to stir the pot at the beginning of the season. He proclaimed that the Phils were the team to beat in the NL East, and not only did he back it up, he riled up his team and an entire city starving for a winner.
Another team that badly want to taste October baseball is Colorado, who have reeled off 12 of 13 to force a 1 game playoff with San Diego, who have faltered down the stretch, particularly after the infamous Milton Bradley incident. Not only have the Rockies fed off stellar play from Matt Holliday and stud rookie Troy Tulowitzki, they've gotten good outings from their young starters Ubaldo Jimenez and Franklin Morales, and a stable back end of the bullpen with youngster Manny Corpas. This team could be dangerous in the long term, but they have to beat Jake Peavy and the Friars tonight at 7:30 on TBS and ESPN Radio. The Rox send hot starter Josh Fogg.
One game overlooked because of the pennant races was the final game of future Hall of Famer, Long Island native, and all out gamer and lifer Craig Biggio. He was the ultimate team player, constantly changing positions over the years, and always being a franchise cornerstone for the Astros. There are fewer and fewer players like this, and everyone should take a moment to realize what kind of player baseball is losing in Biggio.

In closing, I'll give my Fantasy Top 30 for this year based on the SprungOnSports points system.
1) Peavy
2) A-Rod
3) Rollins
4) Sabathia
5) Webb
6) Prince
7) Hanley
8) Lackey
9) Pujols
10) Harang
11) Magglio
12) Beckett
13) Holliday
14) Jose Reyes
15) Haren
16) Carlos Pena
17) Carmona
18) Penny
19) Ortiz
20) Smoltz
21) David Wright
22) Vazquez
23) Santana
24) Helton
25) Brandon Phillips
26) Halladay
27) Howard
28) Hudson
29) Bedard
30) Verlander

The State of the Mets

There are few words that could describe how the Mets have played for the past few weeks. The only one that comes to mind is bad. After being swept by the Phillies a few weeks ago, the Mets swept the Braves in Atlanta and went on to win 7 of their next 9 games against the Reds, Astros, and Braves. This is when all Mets fans thought that the team was going to pull off a big run and win the NL East. Then the Phillies came to town. All the Mets had to do was win one out of the three games to squash the Phillies hopes of winning the division. They got swept, and they have been on a free fall losing some brutal games to the Nationals and last night to the Marlins. As a Mets fan, I have lost most of my hope with this team. The only hope I have left is seeing what has happened in the past that 1. the Phillies always find a way to lose, and 2. the Cardinals and Tigers both struggled before the playoffs last year and both teams ended up playing in the World Series. It seems now that the Mets are finding every way to lose and let the Phillies and Braves back in the race (the Braves are only 4.5 out, and with the way the Mets have been playing, and with the Braves playing against the Phillies next week anything is possible).

Everyone on this team is to blame. Jose Reyes has been struggling for the past month and a half both offensively and defensively. David Wright can't make a routine throw to first base. Both John Maine and Oliver Perez have not been as effective in the second half. The bullpen is a mess. All these reasons and then some are why the Mets have struggled. Some blame has to be put on Willie Randolph and Omar Minaya as well. Minaya misjudged the free agent market this past winter, and let Chad Bradford go, and ended up paying Scott Schoeneweis the same amount of money Bradford. Any Mets fan will tell you he would rather have Bradford in the pen then Schoeneweis. Mets fans will also agree that they don't want to see Guillermo Mota on the mound in a Mets uniform any more, but Willie Randolph keeps putting him in big situations. It is just mind boggling to me. This team is a mess right now, and all Mets fans could hope for is a miracle.

Around The Majors- Tuesday Special

Just when you thought all the races were clear, right? The rest of the season now calls for cloudy with a chance of surprise, or for some Queens team disappointment and utter collapse. Let's get to the regular stuff done here at ATM today on SOS2.

Monday Recap
This was probably a game Detroit had to have. Cleveland scored 3 in the 8th to tie it and then won it 6-5 on a solo homer by Casey Blake off of Zach Miner. Johnny Peralta had 3 RBI's for the Tribe, who now leads Detroit by 5.5 games. The Tigers are now 3.5 games behind the Yankees for the Wild Card, New York held on to beat Baltimore 8-5. Abreu and Mientkiewicz each drove in 2. The Yankees are now 3.5 games behind Boston for the AL East lead, the Red Sox were shut down for one run over the complete game by Dustin McGowan as Toronto won 5-1. It was the Frank Thomas show for the Jays as he hit 3 homers and drove in all the runs. Javy Vazquez struck out 13 and Josh Fields homered and drove in 4 as the White Sox ripped the Royals 11-3. Minnesota scored twice in the 9th off of Joaqin Benoit as the Twins edged the Rangers 5-4. Figgins, Cabrera, and Kotchman each drove in 2 as the Angels nipped the Rays 10-7. Delmon Young drove in 3 for Tampa. Jose Lopez hit a big 3 run homer as the Mariners defeated Oakland 4-0.
BK Kim allowed 9 runs over 4 innings as the Braves mauled the Marlins 11-6. Jeff Francouer and Andrew Jones each drove in 3 for Atlanta. The Mets lead over Philly is now 2.5 as they committed 4 errors in a 12-4 loss to Washington. Church, Pena, Belliard, and Schnieder each drove in 2 for the Nats. Philadelphia had to slug and sweat as they edged the Cardinals 13-11. Ryan Howard homered twice and drove in 5 for the Phils. The Cubs kept their NL Central lead with 3 in the 9th off of David Weathers to win 7-6. Ramirez, Floyd, and DeRosa each drove in 2 for the Cubbies. Milwaukee stayed a game back as Yovani Gallardo threw 8 shutout frames in a 6-0 win over the Astros. The Giants scored 5 in the 8th to slither past the Snakes 8-5. Randy Winn drove in 4 for Frisco. San Diego now trails by only a game in the NL West as they got 2 ribs from Khalil Greene in a 3-0 win over Pittsburgh. The Pads lead the NLWC by 1.5 over Philly and 3 over the Dodgers.

News and Notes
- It's no secret that the Mets are in a state of peril. Pedro Martinez said that he probably won't play again if he suffers another serious injury. Carlos Delgado doesn't know when he'll return from a hip flexor injury. Willie Randolph said that he could go this weekend in Miami. Orlando Hernandez is day to day with a bunion on his right foot. Dinner will be served at 4:30.
- Apparently, towards the end of the season, rookies dress up in some odd costumes on plane rides. Dice-K Matsuzaka and his translator were dressed as Telletubbies. I'm not going to say which one he was, but you could email me (blueguy223@aol.com) for his name. Mike Lowell said he had to dress as a hobo on a team flight when he was a rook. On a recent Orioles trip, Fernando Cabrera was a gorilla, Jeremy Guthrie was a female nurse, and Kurt Birkins was a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.
- Big move for the Phillies as Cole Hamels went off the DL. The Yankees brought up Chase Wright and Tyler Clippard.

Tuesday On Tap
Billingsley and Francis go at Coors in the first of a twinbill. Team rejects David Wells and Mark Redman go in the nightcap. The AL Central showdown continues at The Jake, as Verlander battles Westbrook. Mike Mussina faces Baltimore, and John Maine gets the call to save the Mets in Washington. Jon Lester and AJ Burnett battle in Toronto, Floyd faces Meche in KC, and Harang and Zambrano is a duel to watch at Wrigley. Ben Sheets goes in Houston, Lackey faces Tampa, and Cole Hamels comes back against St Louis. Gorzelanny and Maddux duel in San Diego.

- ATM will be back tomorrow on SOS.

Around The Majors- Monday Express

Not a lot of time, so let's jetset.

Game Action
Cleveland lost 4-3 to KC, their AL Central lead is 4.5 over Detroit who beat Minnesota. They meet tonight Rogers against Byrd. The Tigers are 2.5 back of the Yankees for the AL Wild Card, they got a 3 run jack from Derek Jeter to take 2 of 3 from Boston 4-3. New York is 4.5 behind the Red Sox, they send Phil Hughes to the hill in Baltimore against Daniel Cabrera, they beat Toronto 8-6 in 10. The Jays send Dustin McGowan against Boston and Tim Wakefield. Jim Thome hit his 500th career homer, a walkoff to lead the White Sox over the Angels 9-7. Volquez and Slowey duel in Minnesota, Texas got 7 RBI's from Michael Young in an 11-9 win over Oakland. 17 game winner Kelvim Escobar goes tonight against Tampa who beat Seattle 9-2.
The Phillies have won 8 straight against the Mets including a 10-6 win over New York where the Mets committed 6 errors and walked 11 batters. The Phils are 3.5 back, and they send Kyle Kendrick on the mound in St Louis, the Mets are in Washington. The Nats got shut out by Tim Hudson and the Braves 3-0, they pitch John Smoltz at home against BK Kim and Florida. The Fish got fried 13-0 against the Rockies, Todd Helton hit career homer 300. The Cubs topped St Louis 4-2, they play Cincy who beat Milwaukee to give Chicago a 1 game lead in the NL Central. Milwaukee pitches Yovani Gallardo in Houston. The Giants lost to now 18 game winner Jake Peavy and the Padres 5-1, Frisco faces Brandon Webb and Arizona. The Snakes beat the Dodgers 6-1 and own a 2 game division lead.

Transactions
The Indians recalled Jeremy Sowers, Washington claimed Enrique Gonzalez off of waivers.

Less than 2 weeks left, enjoy the games.

Around The Majors- Friday

The hour is late, so I'll just preview the weekend and tell you that the Cubs acquired Steve Trachsel from the Orioles in exchange for Pitcher Rocky Cherry and IF Scott Moore. The Cardinals got a bench player in Russell Branyan from the Phillies for a PTBNL.

Friday
Already today, in the first of a day/doubleheader Ross Gload drove in 3 as the Royals took out the Twins 9-4. Also Hunter Pence homered twice and drove in 5 as the Astros crushed the Cubs 6-1. Wandy Rodriguez threw six shutout innings for Houston.
Tonight, Boston sends 16 game winner Tim Wakefield to get out of their losing ways against Orioles prospect Radhames Liz. Cleveland looks to stay hot as the send Fausto Carmona to the hill against Mark Buehrle and the White Sox. Hughes and Sonnanstine are two youngsters going at it in The Bronx, and Seattle looks to break their 6 game skid when they pitch Jarrod Washburn against Jays starter Shawn Marcum. Meche and Baker finish the twinbill, Saunders faces the Rangers, and the Tigers have to combat Joe Blanton and the A's.
Brian Kendrick leads the red hot Phillies into battle against Sergio Mitre and Florida. Maine and Hudson open up a huge series in Atlanta, and Yovani Gallardo looks to keep the Brewers in the race as the play the Pirates. Anthony Reyes goes for the Cardinals against the Reds, Livan Hernandez faces Ubaldo Jimenez and the Rockies, and David Wells comes back to Petco as the Dodgers open up a huge set against San Diego.

Saturday
Ian Kennedy makes his ML debut against Tampa Bay and Jason Marquis and the Cubs face Houston.Batista and McGowan go in Toronto. Today's 4pm FOX games include the Mets taking on Chuck James and Atlanta, Kelvim Escobar and the Angels going up against the debut of Edinson Volquez, and a great Verlander-Haren duel in Oakland. Great young matchup in Boston as Garrett Olson faces Clay Buchholz. Vazquez faces Byrd in Cleveland, and Lowe faces Peavy at 10pm regional on FOX.

Sunday
Jake Westbrook has been hot as of late, he faces Jose Contreras and the White Sox. Pettitte battles the Rays, Weaver faces Burnett in Toronto, and Jon Lester returns to battle Daniel Cabrera and Baltimore. Robertson faces Gaudin in Oakland, and John Lackey battles Texas (8pm ESPN2) Glavine and Smoltz face off in Atlanta, Hamles goes in Miami, Gorzelanny faces Suppan, and Rich Hill faces the Astros. Billingsley and Germano go in San Diego, and Brandon Webb goes against Colorado.

Welcome To Citizens Bank Park

As a Mets fan, I have never experienced the fun in going to another stadium while the Mets were the away team. Monday night as the Phillies hosted the Mets, I was there, sitting in the upper deck with first inning drunk fans and a beautiful skyline to look at.
Citizens Bank Park, which opened in 2004, is very smartly planned out. Parking is very convenient and the outside view of the stadium is unreal. When you walk in, either through the right field entrance or the left field entrance, you see the field immediately. There is an abundance of room to walk around and enjoy the experience of the park. With a great amount of standing room and restaurants, you could go there three hours early and have something to do. The lit up Liberty Bell which swings after a home run is a very smart and entertaining idea. The bleachers are great and during batting practice you could never get so close to the players in the outfield as the wall is directly above the field in left. Overall it is a great ballpark and a fun place to visit.
The atmosphere as a baseball fan was great. Besides for the fact that it was playoff baseball in late August, the fans were really into it. There happened to be a large group of Mets fans there but as the game went on and I started to get cursed at, I decided to cover my Reyes shirt with my sweatshirt. I wasn't exactly in the mood to get beered. Constant cheers and being pumped up by the Philly Fanatic really shows that these fans are there to enjoy the baseball game. Even though the Mets lost, the bullpen crashed and burned and Pat Burrel decided to do a little more damage on the Mets, it was still an amazing and fun trip, well worth it.

Around The Majors- Monday

School has started, and that means that baseball's regular season is hitting the stretch run. The weekend brought some heavy impact and one team has pulled out some Donald Trumps to send a message. Yesterday's recap, today's news and notes, and what's on tap for today is what's going down today on ATM.

Sunday Recap
Detroit hit 3 homers and scored their 5 runs on 4 hits in a 5-4 win over Phil Hughes and the Yankees. Curtis Granderson led off the 1st with an inside thr park homer. Erik Bedard had a rare rought outing as the Twins blasted Baltimore 11-3 to complete the sweep. Bartlett, Redmond, and White each drove in 2 for Minnesota. Carlos Pena homered twice and drove in 3 as the Rays beat the A's 7-4. Tampa got 7 strikeouts from starter Andy Sonnanstine. Boston got 6 solid frames from Julian Taverez and walloped the White Sox 11-1. Pedroia, Ortiz, and Kielty each drove in 2 for the Red Sox. Cleveland got RBI singles from Hafner and Martinez in the 11th to edge Kansas City 5-3. Escobar outdueled McGowan as the Angels beat the Blue Jays 3-1. Byrd and Sosa each drove in 2 as the Rangers defeated Seattle 5-3.
The Reds scored 6 in the first and mauled the Marlins 9-3. Ryan Jorgensen had a first inning grand slam for Cincy. Padres starter Tim Stauffer gave up a team record 11 earned runs in a 14-2 loss to Philadelphia. Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth each drove in 4 runs for the Phils. Ty Wigginton drove in 2 as Houston beat the Pirates 5-3. Adam Wainwright pitched the Cardinals past the Braves 4-1. Colorado scored 6 in the 3rd to weather Washington 10-5. Holliday and Tulowitzki each drove in 3 for the Rockies. Randy Winn and Guillermo Rodriguez each drove in 2 as the Giants edged the Brewers 5-4. Ryan Braun had a 3 run homer for Milwaukee. Chris Young homered twice and drove in 4 as the Diamondbacks got a much needed 5-4 win over the Cubs. David Wells got the win in his Dodgers debut as Los Angeles defeated the Mets 6-2. Pierre and Kemp each drove in 2 for the Dodgers.

News and Notes
- One day after retiring Jeff Bagwell's number 5, the Astros fired manager Phil Garner and GM Tim Purpura. Bench coach Cecil Cooper will be the interrim skipper, and president Tal Smith will currently serve as the temporary GM.
- Alfonso Soriano will be back in the lineup tomorrow for the Cubs in a huge series against the Brewers, according to manager Lou Piniella.
- Phils ace Cole Hamels has started his rehab and hopes to be back on the 3rd of September.
- Redefining a comedy of errors, the AAA Syracuse Chiefs (Toronto) made 10 errors in one game, and almost won! They fell 12-10 in 10 innings to the Ottawa Lynx (Philadelphia).
- Pete Orr up, and Joey Devine down for Atlanta. Detroit placed both Gary Sheffield and Jair Jurrjens on the DL, and called up Zach Miner and Timo Perez in their steads.

Monday On Tap
In a makeup game, the White Sox got 5 runs in the 7th inning on 4 home runs to beat Tampa Bay 5-4. Delmon Young had a 2 run shot for the Rays.
At 7 on ESPN2, the Yankees send struggling Mike Mussina to the hill against Justin Verlander and the Tigers. Silva and Byrd tussle as the Twins and Tribe open a series at the Jake. Burnett and Loaiza go in Oakland, and the Angels and Mariners open up a huge series with Lackey facing Batista.
The Phillies need wins over the Mets, JD Durbin faces Brian Lawrence. Atlanta is in Florida, and Arizona and San Diego open up a bigtime series, Livan Hernandez goes up against Jake Peavy. Los Angeles sends Derek Lowe to the mound against Washignton, and Josh Fogg faces Barry Zito as the Giants and Rockies open up a set by the Bay.

- ESPN senior writer Jayson Stark told SprungOnSports the rational behind the Cubs' recent acquisition of Craig Monroe.
"They're 12-19 against lefthanded starters. And Monroe is hitting .302, with an .858 OPS, vs. lefthanders. So he's there to be a platoon piece in the puzzle. They're not bringing him in thinking he's going to be Mark Teixeira." Maybe not an impact piece, but someone who can definitely impact a tight NL Central race.

M.L.B. Live!

By now, unless you were stuck in a Utah mine you know that Barry Bonds broke the home run record. Now that the homer chase is finally over, all you fantasy junkies who own Barry wanna know if he'll actually care now that he's broken Aaron's record. ESPN Fantasy Expert Eric Karabell told SprungOnSports that Bonds still has plenty of motivation to succeed:
"I don't see a reason why Bonds will play more or less, then he has the last few months. He wants to keep playing, he want s 3,000 hits. I think his body will hold him back from homering three times a week. I'd expect the same production, the same day off, nothing to change."

Nothing to change, except nobody giving two pieces of vermin infested Angels ballpark food about the Giants and Nationals. They're playing a game, and Bonds has hit another home run, number 757. If the person who caught the ball is getting carried away by "security", call for help. You're getting kidnapped, the ball is not worth that much.

Whatever the Rockies took before today's game against Milwaukee, give me a year's supply. Colorado erupted for 19 runs off of the Brewers and wonderkid Yovani Gallardo and mauled Milwaukee 19-4. Garrett Atkins went 4-4 with a career high 6 RBI's for the Rox, who got 5 solid innings from Jeff Francis for the win.

The Phillies are turning it up a notch as they've won 3 straight with a 6-4 win over Florida. New acquisition Kyle Lohse won it, and returning closer Brett Myers saved it for Philadelphia, and was set up by Tom Gordon. That trio of additions on the mound could guide the Phils back to prominence in the senior circuit.

The Mets got a gigantic win tonight over the Braves 4-3 on a solo job by Moises Alou off of Rafael Soriano in the 8th. John Smoltz and Orlando Hernandez gave their teams' good start, but the Mets regained their 4.5 game division lead by winning the bullpen battle. Luis Castillo drove in 2 and Billy Wagner closed the door for his 26th save.

What do the Dodgers and a fat stripper have in common? They both haven't scored in the last 3 nights. Aaron Harang threw 8 shutout frames, Ken Griffey drove in the game's only run in the 3rd, and David Weathers shut the door on Cincy's 1-0 win over fast fading Los Angeles.

One Wells (David) may be on the outs, but Kip was outstanding as St Louis edged San Diego 2-1. Wells threw 7 shutout innings and outdueled Greg Maddux for the win.

Jose Vidro wanted to make sure that Seattle would get into a tie for the wild card lead. He homered and drove in 4, as the Mariners beat Baltimore 8-4. Jose Guillen also drove in 2 for Seattle.

The struggles of the Cubs continue. Carlos Zambrano got roasted for 7 runs in 5 and two thirds as Houston shredded Chicago 8-2. Roy Oswalt threw 6 shutout frames for the win, and Luke Scott drove in 3 for the Astros.

Detroit was silenced by James Shields over 7 innings as Tampa Bay defeated Detroit 7-1. Carlos Pena, Delmon Young, and Dioner Navarro each drove in a pair for the Rays, who pounded out 16 hits for the win.

Toronto put up 5 spots in the 3rd and 6th innings to steamroll the Yankees 15-4. Chien Ming Wang was beat up for 8 runs in 2 and two thirds as Roy Halladay and the Jays cruised to victory. Vernon Wells drove in 4, Frank Thomas drove in 3, and Hill and Zaun drove in a pair each for John Gibbons. Robbie Cano had 2 homers in the loss.

Around The Majors- Friday

The weekend is almost upon us! The baseball weekend will be previewed after a look at Thursday's games, a check of the standings, and the latest news and notes. That will be followed by Friday's freshest rumors, including the Mark Teixeira trade that could happen today! All today here on ATM.

Thursday Recap

Baltimore scored 4 in the 8th to beat Tampa Bay 10-7, completing the sweep. The White Sox edged Detroit 4-3 on a Zach Miner throwing error. (Tigers pitchers and errors? Where have we seen that before?) Manny Ramirez clocked two homers as Boston bested Cleveland 14-9, the Royals shut out the Yankees 7-0, and Nick Swisher homered twice as Oakland silenced Seattle 6-2.

A 5 run 6th pushed Pittsburgh past the Mets 8-4, the Reds beat the Brewers 6-5 in 10, Washington edged Philadelphia 7-6, and the Giants beat the Braves 4-2. Houston pounded the Padres 7-1, St Louis crushed the Cubs 11-1, Brad Penny won his 13th as the Dodgers defeated the Rockies 5-4, and Eric Byrnes' 3 run walk off blast gave the Diamondbacks a 7-4 win over Florida.

Standings

The Yankees have won 7 of 10 and are 7.5 games behind Boston in the AL East. Toronto has won 5 in a row, Baltimore has won 4 straight and 7 of 10, and Tampa Bay has lost 6 in a row and 7 of 10. Detroit leads Cleveland by 1.5 games in the AL Central. Minnesota has lost 4 in a row and 7 of 10. The Angels may have lost 7 of 10, but Seattle is now 4 games back in the AL West because they've lost 7 straight and 8 of 10. Texas has won 4 straight. The Mets lead Atlanta by 4 games in the NL East, Florida has dropped 4 straight games. Milwaukee's lead is now 2 games over the Cubs in the NL Central, Pittsburgh has lost 8 of 10 to drop into the cellar. Arizona has won 6 straight and 7 of 10 to go 1.5 back behind the Dodgers in the NL West. San Diego has dropped 7 of 10 to go 2 games back. Cleveland leads Seattle by 4 and the Yankees by 4.5 in the AL Wild Card. Arizona leads the NL Wild Card by a half a game over San Diego, 1 game over the Cubs, 1.5 over Atlanta, 2.5 over the Phillies, and 4 over Colorado.

News and Notes

- It was a rough night for Chase Utley, but it could've been much worse. Utley broke his hand when he was hit by a pitch in the Phils' 7-6 loss to Washington, but he'll only be out 3 weeks, according to assistant GM Ruben Amaro. Utley is obviously disappointed, but "As breaks go, it's not that bad of a break," Abraham Nunez will fill in for now, but the team will look for a second baseman before the deadline.

- Brad Penny left his start against Colorado with an abdominal cramp, but still picked up his 13th win.

- Curt Schilling threw 5 scoreless innings in his rehab start in AAA.

- According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN, the Nationals are close to signing Dmitri Young to a 2 year, 10 million dollar contract extension.

- Kerry Wood the reliever threw a scoreless innning for Mid A Peoria, and will pitch another rehab inning today.

- The Reds activated Juan Castro from the DL as they placed Pedro Lopez on it. Fernando Rodney will be going to the minors for rehab. The Royals recaleld Jason Shiell from the minors. The Mets optioned Joe Smith to AAA. Utley was placed on the DL, Joe Thatcher (recently acquired) was brought up by the Padres, and John Lannan was brought up by Washingto to start yestersday's game and got ejected.

Weekend Preview

Friday

The Yankees will host Baltimore in a suspended game. The Yankees scored 4 runs in the 8th inning to take an 8-6 lead. The Yankees are up with two outs in the top of the 8th with Derek Jeter on 2nd. Pettitte will faces Guthrie right after in the regularly scheduled match. Bonser faces Byrd in Cleveland, Garland faces Toronto, Robertson-Weaver in LA, and King Felix against Oakland. Moyer faces the Pirates, Hill in Cincy, Peavy in Houston, and Zito against the Marlins. (10pm ESPN)

Saturday

The Mets play 2 with Washington. El Duque pitches the first at 12, and Pelfrey goes at 7. Miller-Saunders, Maddux-Sampson, and Smoltz-Davis are the pitching matchups for the 4pm FOX games. Gaudin goes in Seattle, Clemens in Baltimore, and Halladay-Buehrle in Chicago. Jon Lester makes his 2nd start in Tampa Bay. Marshall-Harang in Cincy, Billingsley-Francis in Denver, and Willis-Cain in San Francisco.

Sunday

How about Santana-Sabathia to start your day! Wang-Cabrera in Baltimore, Dice-K-Kazmir, Vazquez against Toronto, and DiNardo-Washburn in Seattle. Bonderman faces Escobar in LA (8pm ESPN). Maine faces Washington, Zambrabo faces the Reds, Snell in Philly, Young-Jennings, and Gallardo in St Louis. The Dodgers get a look at Ubaldo Jimenez in Denver, Mitre-Morris, and Hudson-Hernandez.

Rumors

- Sources say that the Braves have made a killer offer for Mark Teixeira. Atlanta has offered Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Elvis Andrus, and AA lefty Matt Harrison for jusr Tex. The Dodgers will now likely focus on pitching, and the Angels would only be able to offer 2 players. So it looks like the Braves will win out. If the Twins decide to sell, Carlos Silva and Luis Castillo would be dealt. Castillo would be of great interest to the Mets. The Marlins will not deal Dontrelle Willis. Arizona has shown mild interest in Adam Dunn. The Rockies are interested in Dan Wheeler. The Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Braves and Cubs all are interested in Royals right-hander Zack Greinke, but it is doubtful the Royals would trade him unless they were overwhelmed. The Dodgers have been replaced by the Indians as the front runners for Octavio Dotel. (Ken Rosenthal)

- Teixeira could go to the Braves or Angels. Both teams have made strong offers, and Atlanta is interested in Eric Gagne. The Rangers don't want to deal CJ Wilson, but could trade Ron Mahay. The Rangers want young pitching in return and the Braves' best prospects are two left-handers: Jo-Jo Reyes and Matt Harrison. Right-handers Joey Devine, Kyle Davies and Manny Acosta are also possible. The Angels are interested in Paul Konerko. Cleveland is interested in Kenny Lofton. (TR Sullivan)

- The Marlins could be softening their stance on Willis. Tony Gwynn Jr has been the subject of several rumors, but the Brewers have resisted in trading him for now. Russ Springer is not likely to be traded by the Cardinals, but Juan Encarnacion might. The Cubs are in serious talks to acquire Ryan Church from Washington. Boston is interested in Ty Wigginton. Seattle is interested in Willis and Jason Jennings. The Mets could get Jose Contreras, Sammy Sosa, Mark Grudzielanek, Wigginton, and Mark Loretta. The Yankees are interested in Salomon Torres. (Jim Molony)

Around The Majors- Monday

Today on ATM, a recap of Sunday's games, some news and notes, a look at the standings and wild card races, and the latest rumors.

Sunday Recap
Fausto Carmona improved to 11-4 as Cleveland edged the Royals 5-3. The Indians are 33-13 at home, the best home mark in the majors. Despite 2 homers from Jermaine Dye, Baltimore beat the White Sox 5-3. The Yankees are over .500 as they defeated Tampa Bay 7-6. Toronto bested Boston 2-1, Minnesota completed a 4 game sweep of Oakland 4-3, Mark Teixiera's homer in the 11th pushed Texas past the Angels 5-4, and Detroit outscored Seattle 11-7.
Atlanta and Buddy Carlyle beat Pittsburgh 5-1, two Miguel Cabrera home runs led the Marlins over the Nationals 5-3, and the Mets defeated the Reds 5-2. Milwaukee edged Colorado 4-3, the Cubs scored 6 in the 2nd to edge Houston 7-6, and the Dodgers beat the Giants 5-3 to complete the sweep. Justin Germano and the Padres shut out Arizona 4-0, and 2 Albert Pujols home runs sent the Phillies to their 10,000th loss as a franchise as the Cards romped 10-2.

News and Notes
- Ichiro bruised his knee yesterday against Detroit, but x-rays were negative. If you remember, Derek Lee broke his wrist 4 days after signing an extension with the Cubs. History will apparently not repeat itself in this instance.
- On the day of the Phillies' 10,00oth franchise loss, there was some good news. Tom Gordon was finally activated from the DL yesterday, and will provide some much needed bullpen help. Brian Sanches was optioned to AAA Ottawa. Freddy Garcia was transferred to the 60 day DL. The Dodgers placed reliever Chin Hui-Tsao on the DL, and recalled righty prospect DJ Houlton. The Mets actiavted starter Oliver Perez from the DL before yesterday's game and sent down Mike Pelfrey. Pittsburgh put Jose Bautista on the DL with a hand injury, and actiavted disgruntled reliver Salomon Torres from the DL. The Bucs also designated John Wasdin for assignment. Seattle activated starter Horacio Ramirez from the DL, Jake Woods was demoted to AAA Tacoma. St Louis placed Scott Spiezio on the shelf and brought up infielder Brendan Ryan. Toronto recalled Brandon League and sent down Jordan De Jong.
- On tap for today, Rich Hill and the red hot Cubs face Tim Lincecum and the Giants (7pm ESPN). Bush faces Owings as the Brewers and D-Backs open up a series of struggling contenders in the desert. Jorge Sosa faces David Wells as the Mets begin a set in San Diego. Brad Penny looks to get his 11th win as the Dodgers host Jaime Moyer and the Phillies.

Standings
The Yankees have won 7 of 10 and now trail first place Boston by 9 games in the AL East. Tampa Bay has lost 8 of 10 and fall to 20 games behind. Detroit may have won 7 of 10, but their lead is only half a game over Cleveland in the AL Central. Minensota has won 4 straight and 7 of 10 and trail by only 6 games. The Angels are 3 games clear of Seattle in the AL West, and Oakland has lost 7 straight to basically put themselves out of the race. Atlanta has won 4 straight and 7 of 10 to pull within a game and a half of the first place Mets in the NL East. Philadelphia is 5 games behind. The Cubs have won 3 straight and 7 of 10 to get to 3.5 back of the first place Brewers in the NL Central. The Dodgers have won 4 in a row to take a 1 game lead over San Diego in the NL West, and Arizona has lost 7 of 10 to go 3.5 back. Cleveland leads the AL Wild Card by 2 games over the Mariners, 5.5 over the Twins, and 8 over the Yankees. San Diego leads the NL Wild Card by 1 game over Atlanta, 2.5 over Arizona, 3 ahead of the Cubs, and 4.5 of the Phillies.

Rumors
- Dan Johnson is still getting interest from the Twins and Yankees. (Contra Costa Times)
- Angels owner Arte Moreno would be very hesitant to shell out 25 million a season for Alex Rodriguez. (LA Times)
- With the slowing developments of outfielders Brian Anderson and Ryan Sweeney, the White Sox might just not trade Jermaine Dye, they may even resign him to an extension. The Dodgers, Padres, and Mets have all shown interest in Dye but would be reluctant to deal top prospects. (Chicago Tribune)
- If Dye stays with the White Sox, it won't be because of a contract extension. (Daily Southtown)
- Zambrano is seeing the potential of a lot of green if Mark Cuban buys the Cubs. (Chicago Sun-Times)
- The Twins plan to keep Torii Hunter for the rest of the season and then offer him a contract extension. (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
- Pittsburgh could deal Shawn Chacon, Damaso Marte, and Salomon Torres before the deadline, but they'll be neither buyers nor sellers. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
- Torres walked in to the Pirates clubhouse and said that he wanted to stay for the rest of his career even though he asked for a trade last week. (Pittsburgh Tribune Review)
- With the improving play of Kevin Millar, his trade value is soaring for the Orioles. (Baltimore Sun)
- Reggie Sanders will likely be traded or released before the deadline. (KC Star)
- Cleveland manager Eric Wedge is expected to get a contract extension. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

Around The Majors- Monday

Baseball's at the break, but that doesn't mean that there's rest for the tri-weekly ATM posts! Today, a look at yesterday's games, a check of the standings, news and notes, a look at yesterday's All Star Futures Game, a preview of the home run derby and the ASG itself, and the latest rumors.

Sunday Recap
Detroit roughed up Dice-K and swept the Red Sox 6-5. A-Rod hit his 30th homer of the year as the Yankees blasted the Angels 12-0. Alex Rios drove in the game's only run in the 9th off of Paul Byrd as Toronto bested Cleveland 1-0. Javier Vazquez threw a complete game as the White Sox tamed the Twins 6-3. The Royals roasted the Rays 12-4, Texas edged the O's 2-1, and Seattle beat Oakland 7-3 in a game that had a benches clearing brawl.
The Reds edged Arizona 4-3 in 11, Washington scored 6 in the 6th to beat the Brewers 7-2, and the Pirates beat the Cubs 6-2. Houston defeated the Mets 8-3, the Cards shut out Zito and the Giants 7-0, and the Phils doubled up Colorado 8-4. The Dodgers snapped a 4 game skid with a 9-3 win over Florida. Brian McCann homered and drove in 4 as Atlanta edged the Padres 5-4.

Standings Check
Boston is 10 games clear of the Yankees and Jays, and Tampa has lost 9 of 10 to fall 19 games out. Detroit has won 5 straight to take a 1 game lead over Cleveland in the NL Central. The Twins are 8 games out. Seattle has won 3 straight and 7 of 10 to pull within 2.5 games of AL West leader Los Angeles. Oakland is 9 games out. The Mets are 2 games clear of Atlanta in the NL East, and the Phillies have lost 7 of 10 to fall 4.5 games back. Milwaukee has lost 7 of 10 and the Cubs are now only 4.5 back in the NL Central. Pittsburgh has won 7 of 10 and are only 9 games back. The Padres have a one game lead over the Dodgers in the NL West, while Arizona has dropped 5 in a row and 8 of 10 to fall 3.5 back. Colorado is 5.5 behind.

News and Notes
- The White Sox have signed highly rumored starter Mark Buehrle to a 4 year, 56 million dollar contract extension. Buehrle will likely not be dealt anymore, but has a salary kicker if he does get traded. There is a partial no trade clause, and Buehrle seems pleased, hugging manager Ozzie Guillen after the announcement was made in the ballpark yesterday.
- Kip Wells will move back into the Cardinals rotation after the break.
- The Phillies proved that good guys do finish first sometimes. With the Colorado grounds crew having trouble putting out the turf with heavy winds pounding downtown Denver, Shane Victorino and the entire Phils team went to help the crew keep things under control. Victorino later hit a 2 run bomb to help Philadelphia to victory.
- The Reds optioned Homer Bailey to AAA, and the Twins did the same with Carmen Cali. The Mets designated Rickey Ledee for assignment, and Oakland designated Dee Brown while activating Bobby Kielty from the DL.

All Star Game Festivities
- The World defeated the US 7-2 at the Futures Game yesterday at AT&T Park. World SS and Dodgers prospect Chin-Lung Hu had 2 RBI's and a steal in the win. Reds 'spect Joey Votto and Astro James Van Ostrand went deep in the World win. Snakes prospect Justin Upton and Ranger prospect John Whittleman each hit homers to account for the US runs.
- Justin Morneau, Vlad Guerrero, Magglio Ordonez, Alex Rios, Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard, and Prince Fielder will compete in the HR derby tonight. I happen to like one of the trio of Guerrero, Howard, and Fielder, but I see Howard successfully defending his crown tonight.
- I like the AL in the ASG, see the Braves of the previous 15 years, pick till they lose.

Rumors
- It appears that the White Sox will not have a fire sale with the recent resigning of Buehrle. It's more likely that they'll deal Jermaine Dye and Juan Uribe to San Diego for Khalil Greene and Scott Linebrink, or trade Jose Contreras to the Dodgers for a package including Matt Kemp or to the Phillies for a package including OF Michael Bourn. It looks like Carlos Zambrano could end up being the top free agent. (Daily Herald)
- Williams might even go into buy mode before the deadline, but don't be surprised if there's the start of a whole lot of John Garland rumors. (Chicago Tribune)
- Torii Hunter said that he'd consider the White Sox after this season. (Daily Southtown)
- Maybe the Twins should trade Hunter, but they should definitely acquire Ty Wigginton. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
- According to Andruw Jones, the Braves need another starting pitcher. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
- A potent lineup and the imminenet return of Juan Rivera has the Angels thinking that they may not need an impact hitter. (Riverside Press Enterprise)
- Cleveland is looking for some bullpen help. (Akron Beacon Journal)
- The Yankees may sign current Mexican League 1B Erubiel Durazo to help out at 1B for the Yanks. (Journal News)
- Tony LaRussa may not have a desire to return for the Cardinals next season. (St Louis Post-Dispatch)