Round The Bend 10.22.08

It is hump day here at LSWTF, let's see what's in store for us today…

• Our predictions on tonight's Game One of the World Series
  
• A discussion about fantasy players and keepers
  
• Our choices for the various MLB award winners
  
• Determining where we shall move to if this election is stolen once again
  

JackGonzo: Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen and welcome to the show

It seems slow this week now that baseball is finally at a close and no one really caring about the NBA

PhillyFan: Good morning

Phillies tonight :)

9:47 AM Dews: Good morning all

Crack?

JackGonzo: That is the one plus, World Series action tonight, Hamels v Kazmir

PhillyFan: I think dews is a closet crackhead

JackGonzo: Topic One, World Series game one thoughts, any bold predictions from the bleacher bums?

9:48 AM Dews is secretly Tracy Morgan from Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

Dews: ohhh, secret is out....

JackGonzo: I'm brian fellows!

Jeff has left

9:49 AM Jeff has joined

PhillyFan: He left for more crack

Dews: <-- Plenty of crack now

JackGonzo: Now we know Dewey no longer has an interest in this series, but who hits the first home run of the series?

PhillyFan: nice

Burrell

Dews: Crawford

9:50 AM Lefty Lefty matchup

jacks it

JackGonzo: I'm gonna go with the obvious pick...first inning, and what may be the Rays only run of the evening, Upton off Hamels

Dews: 1 - 0 Rays first inning

SayHey: Im going to pick the Phillies for game 1

Hamels is unstopable right now

Dews: against NL teams, sure

9:51 AM now he plays the big boys

SayHey: He proved himself in interleague

JackGonzo: which reminds me I need keepers

SayHey: Ill submit mine by the end of the week

Dews: same here

still waffling on Crawford or Granderson...

JackGonzo: clone kept Puljos, Ichiro, Russell Martin, Cliff Lee and Youkl

9:52 AM SayHey: Im screwed on my pitcher keeper

PhillyFan: So everyone is goin for a tampa bay guy to hit a homerun?

Dews: yup

PhillyFan: i pick te whole team of philly

Dews: first inning

PhillyFan: *the

Dews: crack?

just occured to me I don't even know who is starting, Kazmir for Tampa?

9:53 AM JackGonzo: you do that

SayHey: Kazmir

JackGonzo: Our other favorite Pine seater from Philly is keeping Morneau
Matt Holiday
Dempster (AKA, Cum Dumpster)
Lincecum
Roy Halliday

SayHey: Im keeping:

9:54 AM Mark Teixeira, Adrian Gonzalez, Carlos Quentin, Brian Roberts, and a pitcher to be named later

Dews: Tentatively I'm keeping:
Markakis
Arod
Miggy Cabrera
Granderson
Johan Santana

may switch Crawford for Granderson though...

9:55 AM JackGonzo: though I have zero clue as to how I lost the championship, this is the toughest year for me in regards to keepers

Dews: same here Gonzo

SayHey: My keepers are thin, hence why i got 9th place

9:56 AM JackGonzo: I desperately want to keep Kuroda, but I know in the end I won't. Same goes for Loshe, Franklin and Soria

So tenatively...

9:57 AM Mauer, Wright, Pedroia, Webb and one fifth player

9:58 AM which will have to be decided on Jeter, Ellsbury, McClouth, Pena, and Alexei Rameriz

Dews: Jeter???

JackGonzo: Shortstops are hard to find

at least constant ones

9:59 AM Dews: from the group, McClouth or Ramirez I'd think

SayHey: Jeter? really?

Dews: 2b eligible right?

Alexei I mean

JackGonzo: Yes, which is why he's leading, he's currently listed as 2nd, ss, and cf

But even if he disappeared in the playoffs, love Ellsbury

10:00 AM SayHey: He isnt bad

Dews: nah, but there is a possibility that people have figured him out

September call-ups can have enormous stats some years, but don't necessarily extrapolate well

JackGonzo: Hell, there's still Sphan from the Twins I have

and I could shock the world and keep Milledge

10:01 AM Dews: yuck

Josh has left

Dews: that would bea shocker

SayHey: Im thinking of keeping Joba

Or even David Price

Dews: Joba spoda start next year, but I dunno about Price yet

JackGonzo: want your blotter report of your fantasy team to look like your college's?

Price would be a no brainer for me

SayHey: Yeh, which is why im deciding my pitcher after the WS

Dews: I don't think so, he hasn't proven anything yet

10:02 AM JackGonzo: I'm just looking at his body of work in the minors and now majors

SayHey: Well, my pitching is badly thin

Dews: even on draft day, some people liked his stuff, but the fastball is a bit to straight

JackGonzo: each level he has gotten better

SayHey: Yeh, he has been dominant thus far

All in big games

JackGonzo: against the best talent

Dews: fixable, but this takes time to really determine a pitchers long term worth

this is why I hate keeping pitchers

SayHey: I agree

10:03 AM JackGonzo: but like you said, you're thin on pitching

Dews: me?

I did fine on pitching

you can always find pitching

and I've got Santana going into next year

SayHey: Im not keeping Nathan or Beckett, so it leaves me with very little choices

Dews: consistency in the lineup killed me

SayHey: I disagee, pitching is difficult to find

10:04 AM JackGonzo: you're not keeping Beckett?

Dews: Vasquez and Greinke beg to differ

SayHey: No

Terrible year and is always hurt

JackGonzo: buying that he can't overcome the injury?

SayHey: Vasquez was shit in August and Sept

Greinke is a fluke

Dews: final numbers on their seasons show productve fantasy pitchers

10:05 AM thats all that matters

SayHey: I agree with you on that.......but I can name maybe 10 dominant pitchers

Dews: true there, there just always seems to be a few bargain guys

SayHey: Or 10 worth keeping

JackGonzo: I don't need dominant, I need consistant

dominant will slip when you least want them to

Dews: of those 10 every year though, 3-4 fall off a cliff somehow

10:06 AM JackGonzo: consistent will do the same thing game in and game out

Dews: Tim Hudson is one of those guys, typically, but even he got hurt

JackGonzo: Well, this was obviously topic numero dos, now to tres...

SayHey: Cliff Lee was another I wish I had

10:07 AM JackGonzo: Who would be your MLB award winners?

Dews: great Bargain example there SayHey

Cliff Lee for Cy in AL (closely followed by Halladay), Lincecum for NL Cy

SayHey: Lee in the AL, Lincecum in the NL

10:08 AM Dews: Sabathia for MVP in NL,

not sure about AL

SayHey: Pujols MVP, hell, Pedria maybe in the AL

JackGonzo: If Sabathia is able to get MVP in NL, then I now who pick

10:09 AM Dews: he fits the definition of what the Most Valuable player to a team is

JackGonzo: now pitching yes, Lee AL Cy, Lincecum NL Cy

Dews: he put that team on his back and got them into the playoffs

JackGonzo: MVP...Manny for NL,

Dews: ahh yea

JackGonzo: yes but they were in contention

Dews: that would be a compelling case too

though, less time served

JackGonzo: the Dodgers were a 500 team without Manny

10:10 AM SayHey: Manny took them to the playoffs

JackGonzo: bigger hill to climb in less amount of time

Dews: kind of telling the best two players in the NL were both members of the "Big Boy" league before hand...

JackGonzo: and the dude batted near 500 in the NL

10:11 AM SayHey: ROY- Clearly Longoria in the AL, not quite for the NL

JackGonzo: Is it though?

I think Alexei should get a voice

SayHey: Sure, but without Longoria, the Rays are not in the playoffs

JackGonzo: and technically Pedroia is elligable for the RoY

10:12 AM SayHey: Is he?

Josh has joined

Dews: even the Royals guy put up a god fight for ROY

Rays are a playoff team with Iwamura at 3b I think

JackGonzo: Yes, he keeps talking about how he wants to win back to back RoY honors cause he's eligable

Dewey: whoa, hello folks

fresh back from court

JackGonzo: welcome to the party pal

SayHey: Word

Dews: welcome back Dewey

JackGonzo: discussing our picks for awards

10:13 AM Dewey: k

which are we talking about now?

Dews: AL NL MVP, CY, etc

SayHey: I dont think Pedroia is eligable

JackGonzo: well we're pretty much in agreement in the cy youngs

Dews: for ROY?

SayHey: for ROY

For MVP......mos def

Dewey: I mean, he won it last year,

JackGonzo: though it pains me not to give it to webb who won 22 games

SayHey: Oh, this is true

Dewey: I think he's got the MVP in the bag

10:14 AM SayHey: I think he does also

Dewey: and I think Cliff Lee has Cy Young in the bag

Dews: Lincecum is prolly the guy that does not

JackGonzo: Yes, but according to their rules, he played a low enough amount of games last year which makes him technically eligable to win it this year

SayHey: Cant win that award twice

JackGonzo: no rule saying you can't

Dews: that would be awesome if he did

10:15 AM SayHey: Well, Longoria made his case

He is clearly the ROY

JackGonzo: Or is Soria?

Dews: how can you not vote a guy ROY though if he also wins the MVP?

Dewey:
Pedroia "I'm gonna win a second RoY"?

SayHey: Soria isnt eligable either, is he?

Was their closer last year

JackGonzo: thank you Dewey

10:16 AM Dewey: like Fernando Valenzuela

JackGonzo: I don't know, I just felt like saying his name, Soria

Dews: it is fun to say

SayHey: Rolls of the tongue

Dews: speaking of... this has been bothering me... quick baseball trivia for you all

10:17 AM what was the double play combo in Cincy that had Mookie to Gookie?

or something like that

SayHey: Gookie Dawkins and

Uhm

Crap

JackGonzo: I never paid attention to the Reds, blocked out 90

10:18 AM Dews: yea, its bugging me

Dewey: Reds are off my radar

SayHey: They have been off many radars

Although Edison Volquez has a good shot to win ROY

Dews: I was just thinking about it the other day, and buggd me I didn't know

Dewey: very true

10:19 AM Dews: yea no clear cut winner in NL

Dewey: alright, back to work folks

later folks

Dews: enjoy Dewey

SayHey: Later Dewey

JackGonzo: see ya dewey

Yes, I think I'd give Volquez NL RoY

10:20 AM saw him at least twice in person, nasty stuff

Dews: best watch him now before that bastard Dusty ruins him

10:21 AM JackGonzo: lol

Dewey: Dusty Baker...destroyer of worlds

SayHey: Which he will

JackGonzo: has he been fired yet?

Dews: and arms

SayHey: He already ruined Aaran Harang

Dews: that man shouldn't be allowed to coach anyone under the age of 40

JackGonzo: lol

Dews: Giants!!!

SayHey: Fuck........You!

Dews: haha

10:22 AM SayHey: Giants are going to be one of the youngest teams in baseball next year

Dews: oh sure, its called rebuilding, we're doin that too

SayHey: You've BEEN doing that for 10 years

We just started hah

10:23 AM Dews: right, you started right after winning the WS

SayHey: No, that is not correct

JackGonzo: snicker

you're right, they didn't win the world series

Dews: :)

SayHey: You can hate the Giants all you want

10:24 AM Well, we did go in 2002

Dews: I don't hate, they're in the same boat as me

JackGonzo: Hey I can like the Giants now, they have Ravashing Rick Rude as their manager

SayHey: Hey, our coach isnt dead

Hell, i dont even think he was juiced

JackGonzo:

SayHey: Speaking of which, Jose Canstrikeout?? thoughts on his rebutle and regrets?

10:25 AM JackGonzo:

Dewey: will we ever reach a point where we take anything he says seriously ever again?

Dews: Canseco used to be my hero when I was a kid, so this whole thing is very sad anyway

10:26 AM SayHey: I grew up with the Bash Brothers, I dont like it either

As of 2 months ago, he was writing a sequal to juiced......now he sorry for writing the first? What happened?

10:27 AM JackGonzo: someone threatened his life?

SayHey: I wonder if Bonds and Viagra boy cornered him in a back alley in Miami

Dews: Viagra boy doesnt have the stones to confront someone face to face

Bridget has left

Dews: even with Large-Headed one

SayHey: Litteraly........I think his nads are the size of a pea

10:29 AM JackGonzo: he still has nads?

10:30 AM Well the final topic of the day as usual comes to the current political scene...just a quick question, how does it feel to be living in un-real america?

10:31 AM SayHey: To be honest, its quite depressing

10:32 AM JackGonzo: Oh? But what about your nightly bible burnings and pissing on the American flag? You must LIVE for that?

SayHey: Oh, I never said I hated that part

Oh, and the weekly "wiping my ass" of the US Constitution

10:33 AM JackGonzo: Well, to be fair, at least you READ IT before you wiped your ass with it

10:34 AM SayHey: Oh, and regular torture sessions with people who look like terrorists

Dews: I always get a chuckle outta reading it before wiping

SayHey: LOL touche

Those buzz words like "Freedom",,,,HAH, so useless

JackGonzo: so where exactly do we plan to move if this election is once again stolen from us?

Dews: Thailand?

SayHey: Bill Maher like Australia

10:35 AM JackGonzo: We can't go to Australia

SayHey: Because when Palin comes looking for us, she will confuse Australia with Austria

JackGonzo: you think Dews is bad now...those hot Australians LOVE Americans

Dews: actually, the smart money would be China

accents?

someone say accents?

SayHey: Im always a fan of Canada

JackGonzo: something like that

10:36 AM course my favorite memory of Tiajuana was with a six foot blonde Aztec Australian co-ed wearing a supergirl shit

shirt

Dews: haha

SayHey: Jaw = dropped

Dews: too tall man

JackGonzo: for you, some of us don't have to constantly look up

10:37 AM Dews: just sayins...

JackGonzo: then, meerkats are small in stature, but make up for it in their coat

Dews: and by standing on our tip-toes

JackGonzo: What about heading over and invading the UK?

10:38 AM SayHey: Well, Eastern Euro's love a man with a pelt-chest

Dews: too depressing, its dark and rainy all the time

in the UK I mean

JackGonzo: The entire flight over we could cause a ruckus just singing ANARCHY IN THE UK

plus we'd be guarenteed at least one NFL game a year

10:39 AM Dews: hopefully it would be like the Miami vs Giants game

with the 30 foot tall Jason Taylor

JackGonzo: same accents with fewer animals that could kill you then australia

Dews: sold

JackGonzo: plus, Ireland is right there

10:40 AM Then that's the plan, if the Republicans steal this election we make a move to the UK and attempt to introduce those limey bastards to baseball

Dews: agreed, even though it apparently was invented there...

10:41 AM JackGonzo: cricket is not baseball

Dews: not cricket, there was an article on ESPN about it few weeks ago

JackGonzo: cricket is a nonsense sport that I have no time to learn

Dews: I know Cricket, I can put googly on a ball :)

10:42 AM JackGonzo: they can claim all they want, but we're coming over and taking over if need be

Dews: thats what we do best

JackGonzo: but we're done for the day, you folks go eat your lunch or whatever it is you do at this time

Dews: McCain and Palin wouldn't be far behind...

SayHey: Later everyone

Dews: later

Trade Deadline Looms

With the trade deadline tomorrow I came up with some major last minute trades that I would make if I were certain ballclubs. Yes, this list is going to shock you. It will probably make you shake your head and call me ignorant, retarded or just down right stupid. I went through all the teams that need something, want to give something away and everything in between and the following is what I have come up with.


Boston Red Sox trades Manny Ramirez, OF to the New York Mets for Fernando Martinez, OF; Jon Niese, P; Eddie Kunz, P; and Nick Evens, 1B.

Boston's Reasons-The excuse of Manny being Manny can only last so long. They may finally be ready to deal Manny and let him be someone else's headache, but only as long as it is in the NL. Sign him to the option, then ship his happy ass to NYC. They get quality prospects in return, and where they have a lot of great young talent there others are starting to show their age.
New York's Reasons-They trade the top half of their farm to Minnesota in the offseason for Johan, but their bats aren't as lively as they have been. They give up their remaining best prospects for the man who probably has the most natural talent in baseball and reap the rewards this year rather then later.

Houston Astros trade Roy Oswalt, P to the Philadelphia Phillies for Jason Donald, SS; Greg Golson, CF and Fabio Castro, P

Houston's Reason-Their team is starting to look like the Giants of last year and they need to replenish their prospects, especially after the Tejada trade. Oswalt has had a good career in Houston, but it's time to rebuild and not look at the past. They get three players who could be at the major league level next year, if not this year.
Phillies' Reason-Though their pitching has been decent, it does lack the playoff pitching experience. The Mets trade for Manny they need a veteran like Oswalt to be their rock next to Hamels. Donald and Golson weren't moving to the big league level for a long time considering what's in front of them so it doesn't hurt their depth all that much.


San Francisco Giants trade Barry Zito, P to the New York Yankees for Chris Malec, 3B; Austin Jackson, CF; and Chase Wright, P

Frisco's Reason-Barry is a huge dead weight for them right now, with a huge contract that may prevent them from doing a whole lot in the offseason. This team needs to continue their youth movement and these are three quality prospects. The only question is, could they actually get this much for Zito with how poorly he's pitched?
New York's Reason-The Yankees have a glaring need for starting pitching. It almost feels like 3 out of 5 starts are guys I've never heard of and keep getting rotated and given a shot. Zito has pitched well before and Giraldi may be able to fix whatever has caused him to forget how to play like a major leaguer and not Kevin Brown. It could work out beautifully or it could completely backfire, but it's the kind of big name splash the boss loves.

Cincinnati Reds trade Bronson Arroyo, P to the Texas Rangers for Tommy Hunter, P and Elvis Andrus, SS.

Cincinnati's Reason-They're one of many teams who are rebuilding, or in their case building over from scratch, and has shown some promise. Arroyo does not make or break that ball club so trading him to a team trying to make the playoffs could gain them some beautiful bounty.
Texas' Reason-I am a firm believer that with the offense they currently have the Rangers can make the playoffs, if they get quality pitching. Hell, with that offense they could win it all if they only had some pitching. Arroyo would be the first step towards that goal, but not the last one.

San Diego Padres trade Greg Maddux, P and Trevor Hoffman, P to the Texas Rangers for Chris Gradoville, C; Jordan Stewart, P; John Mayberry, OF; Paul Kometani, P; and Warner Madrigal, P.

San Diego's Reason-The fans would hate it, at first. Losing Hoffman who has been the face of the franchise since Gwynn retired is loved in San Diego. They need some prospects who actually work out though and they could get steals from Texas for Maddux and Hoffman. I think Maddux would even ok it, to get the shot at another ring.
Texas' Reason-Adding to quality veterans to your roster like Maddux and Hoffman when you're trying to win a title with a young team I believe raises your chances to the next level. Maddux has pitched in countless playoff games, having him being there and being a leader by example would be a great tool for the Rangers. It takes quality prospects, but like the man says to make money you gotta spend money.

Colorado Rockies trade Brian Fuentes, P to the Chicago White Sox for Miguel Negron, OF; John Lujan, P and Matthew Long, P

Colorado's Reason-They're out of the hunt and Fuentes isn't getting any younger. Giving him to a playoff team and reaping the rewards of prospects when you're in clear need of a few is a chance you shouldn't hesitate at. We all know you went to the World Series last year, but that seems more or a fluke right now then anything. Bottom line is, you're not going anywhere right now.
Chicago's Reason-Yes, they have Bobby Jenks, but who do they have in front of him? Chicago is playing out of their minds right now and should do what they can to give them some bullpen insurance before one of the other playoff teams do.

Oakland A's trade Justin Duchscherer, P to the St Louis Cardinals for John Jay, CF; Jess Todd, P; Bryan Anderson, C; Francisco Samuel, P

Oakland's Reason-Billy Beane and his Moneyball should never be question. Jay and Anderson are his type of hitters with some high OBP. Todd and Samuel show real promise in the minors, especially Samuel who could be their future closer (see below). The important thing is all four have a real chance of getting to the big league club THIS year.
St Louis' Reason-Their pitching right now is horrendous. No one knew how they were playing so well before the All Star game, but now the cracks are beginning to show. I think with a quality starting pitching like Duke they could regain their momentum and fight for a playoff spot, cause that's exactly what it's going to be in the NL, Thunderdome.

Oakland A's trade Huston Street, P to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Andy LaRoche, 3B and Scott Elbert, P.

Oakland's Reason-Street is still young, but they have a plethora of young pitching and Street has shown some durability issues. LaRoche is the big steal here, as he is probably expendable by LA cause of DeWitt and Blake now. He is though not enough for a one on one trade. Elbert has shown some promise like LaRoche could be traded and be on the big league club right away.

LA's Reason-Who would have guessed it in April that the Dodgers and not the DBacks would be sitting in first? The bottom line is Torre needs some pitching, especially one reliever and one starter. Street gives him a proven reliever. Torre has proven in the past he doesn't need thousands of prospects to succeed in the league.

Houston Astros trade Carlos Lee,OF to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Bryan Byrne, 1B; Rusty Ryal, 2B; and Alex Romero, OF.

Houston's Reason-To put it simply Carlos Lee is horrendous in the field. Yes, he'll hit every now and then but he has a short left field and couldn't stop a five hundred pound man from reaching the wall. They are in need of quality prospects, which is what Byrne, Ryal and Romero are.
Arizona's Reason-Their team is fairly solid, but missing some pop. They have the pitching in place, and the outfield is fairly solid, except in one spot. Lee would also give them a home run potential I'm not sure is really there right now. Bottom line is, if they want to join in on the Thunderdome they need to make some kind of move.

Toronto Blue Jays trade AJ Burnett, P to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Francisco Lizarraga, SS; James McDonald, P and Lucas May, C.

Toronto's Reason-They're out of the picture this year, but they do show some promise. I think Burnett is expendable for the Blue Jay and a young catcher is what they really need since both of their's are in their mid 30s. That of course means May is the key to this deal and could be a great player for Gaston.
LA's Reason-As I said before they need another starting pitcher to really make that final push and Torre knows Burnett fairly well from managing the Yankees. They can afford to lose May since no one sees Russell Martin going anywhere anytime soon.

Now the final big trade, and sorry Dews it is not Sherrill, the Os I don't think will be able to get the price their asking for.

Pittsburgh Pirates trade Jason Bay, OF to the Detroit Tigers for Jeff Frazier, OF; William Rhymes, 2B; Daniel Christianson,P; Casey Fien, P; Josh Rainwater, P and Jonah Nickerson, P.

Pittsburgh's Reason-They would need a killer bounty to trade Jason Bay and I think that is exactly what the Tigers could give them. The key to all six of these players are they are ready, next year or the year after that ready for the majors. The Pirates have a major youth movement going on and a move like this could give them some of those key people they need to succeed in the future.
Detroit's Reason-Sheffield isn't 100%, Thames hasn't been playing as well as he should and they're in a dog fight in the Central with the White Sox and Twins. I think Bay is a Leland type player and would excel big time with his first big opportunity to play in the playoffs. They once again give up a lot, but they get maybe the best player on the lower tier teams out there. As I have typed this the Tigers have traded Pudge to the Yankees for Kyle Farnsworth. Finally, the only pitcher ever to charge the plate is playing in Detorit, long live the Bad Boys.

MLB Power Rankings- Week 16

*George Sherrill, LSWTF All-Star MVP*

It feels like forever since I have posted my power rankings yeh? The riggers of a new 8 hour life, business travel, and actual deadlines has kept me quite busy these past weeks. But far from me to complain, the job is good, the people are great, and my sanity has never been healthier. On top of that, we had an allstar game last night. I, however, was unable to watch the entire game. I believe I turned the game off when Rock Solid Jonathan Papelbon proved to NYers that he is nowhere close to becoming the next Mariano Rivera. Yes, I refer to that brilliant inning in which he blew the lead. But I digress, on to what feeds you needs……..

1 (2) Chicago Cubs (57-38) – I haven’t seen this much flip flopping since 2004. This kind of power struggle between the Saux is what makes baseball so great. Soriano is healthy (So we think) and the Cubbies now have 2 phenomenal aces in the rotation; with the addition of Rich Harden. Way to stick it to the Brewers there!

2 (1) Boston Red Sox (57-40) – First off, Dustin Pedroia had no business starting that all-star game. I just needed to get that off of my chest. Second, Manny Ramirez needs to STFU. Im sick of his sob story “Oh, the organization this, the organization that”. They pay you 20 million/year to be one of the worst defensive players in baseball. Get over it. Outside of my Saux gripes, they simply cannot be stopped right now.

3 (3) LA Angels (57-38) – I know Angel fans will rip me for this one. Yes, they have an even record with the Sox, but look at your division? Not exactly playing the Yankees 19 times per year eh? I do feel that this team’s mid-season success is somewhat of a fluke. The major stars are playing Okay and not like a superstar. Give credit to that bullpen though. Simply unstoppable.

4 (4) Tampa Bay Rays (55-39) – I don’t think that 7 game losing streak will hurt this team in the long run. They only sit ½ game behind the Sox and but they need to get that offense moving again. They do need a right handed bat in that lineup. Luckily, the AL East has no dominant Lefty pitchers, which could explain a lot in Tampa Bay.

5 (5) St Louis Cardinals (54-43) – What I find funny is that the Cardinals are a team that doesn’t need to make a big trade to compete in the NL Central right now. They are lock, stocked, and loaded just about everywhere. Wainwright will be healthy soon and with the Cards success without him; consider him a “new acquisition” type.

6 (7) Chicago White Sox (54-43) – They are slowly creeping up in the standings and with validity this time. The Twins and Tigers are playing outstanding baseball and this only makes the Sox record that more credible.

7 (17) New York Mets (52-44) – Oh how things change in just 2 weeks. I wrote the Mets off along time and never saw this coming. Jerry Manual has all of NY forget about the Willie Randolph disaster and that 10 game winning streak helps. But they still have some major issues; Santana got ROCKED last night, Wagner is fizzling away, and the rest of the starters are struggling. I just don’t see the Mets keeping this spot, but who knows?

8 (8) Philadelphia Philly’s (52-44) – I question that Joe Blanton trade and I honestly believe the Phils gave up to much to get him. As bad as he has been he still pitches like an all-star against the NL. I don’t think they had a choice in the matter, they need pitchers who can eat innings and who better (that’s available) than Blanton?

9 (9) Minnesota Twins (53-42) – Francisco Liriano’s agent has now asked the players union to investigate the Twins. Apparently Liriano is to good in AAA right now and the Twins wont call him up. What bothers me with this is that the Twins don’t have shitty management and I truly believe they know what they are doing. All I know is that Liriano is sitting on my fantasy bench like a chump, but ya don’t see me complain about it, eh?

10 (6) Oakland A's (51-44) – No need to worry Oakland fan, your drop in the rankings just shows that the A’s play very consistent baseball. While others get hot or cold, the A’s keep pace. But the A’s need a hot streak and badly. The loss of Joe Blanton, in my mind, is a blessing to this team. In fact, Blanton was statistically one of the worst starters in the bay area. The problem still lies in the lineup. They need someone to hit, and soon.11

(11) Milwaukee Brewers (52-43) – That CC trade made so much sense its ridiculous! Sure, they lost Laporta but the Brewers OF is so young and talented, that he was expendable. CC has dominated in the NL but is he enough? The bullpen is still garbage and unless they address that need, they will stay in 3rd place for the rest of the season.

12 (10) New York Yankees (50-45) – Let me just say that their 4 game sweep over the Rays was perfect timing for this club. I can see the Yankees threaten for 1st place, but not actually win it. Which makes for AWESOME baseball. They did get some good news over the weekend; Damon could be healthy ahead of schedule. But rotation is still murky, Joba has 1 win as a starter and he is the team’s best pitcher?? Come on…..?

13 (14) Texas Rangers (50-46) – “Your AL Starting 2nd baseman, IAN KINSLER” was all I could think about Tuesday. How was Kinsler not the starter in that game? It just shows that the voting system is seriously flawed and needs to be reformed. Outside of that gripe, the Rangers are playing good ball but they are defiantly playing for next year.

14 (15) Florida Marlins (50-45) – Hanley Ramirez is playing some outstanding baseball and shows us that he is the best SS in baseball. But the rest of the team is playing like garbage. This includes Uggla. The rotation just got knocked out since their ace, Andrew Miller, is on the DL. I can only see this team get worse from here on out.

15 (12) Arizona Diamondbacks (47-48) – At least I know that the Orioles would NOT be in first place in the NL West. So with one of the worst offenses in baseball, how does Arizona fix that problem? By trading for Tony Clark!! I don’t get it either. Needless to say, and Yes Dews, the NL West is the JV in the majors.

16 (16) Detroit Tigers (48-47) – FINALLY, a winning record!! But it’s going to take a lot more than a small winning streak to match up with the Twins and Sox right now. Maggs and Sheffield are off the DL and despite their ages, they are still dominant. But the sooner they address the pitching problems, the better.

17 (19) Toronto Blue Jays (47-48) – AJ Burnett still remains a mystery to me. He leads the AL in strikeouts, yet posts a God awful ERA and WHIP. If he can get to his 2005 self, the Jays could make the AL East that much more competitive. The offense lost a lot of steam when Wells hit the DL.

18 (13) Baltimore Orioles (45-49) – It was only a matter of time until the Orioles proved to us what I already knew. Last place!! The wind behind the sails is all but stagnant and I just don’t see things improving. Outside of Markakis and Roberts, nobody has hit consistently (And if I hear Luke Scott or Aubrey Huffs name mentioned, im just going to laugh). Speaking of Brian Roberts, he was most definitely an all-star snub. Dustin Pedroia my ass!!

19 (23) LA Dodgers (46-49) – You know things are bad in the NL when the Dodgers are 1game out of 1st place. God I hate the Dodgers!

20 (24) Cincinnati Reds- (46-51) – As the savior of this team, Jay Bruce, rides a 2-22 slump, the rest of the team has someone gone the same route. Johnny Cueto got slaughtered last night, Aaron Harang is on the DL, and the team as a whole is playing with no passion. Edison Volquez is the only thing good right now, but without run support, his efforts are pointless.

21 (22) Houston Astros (44-51) – Ive said it before and ill say it again, this teams pitching is putrid. And if Roy Oswalt hits the DL, it will be a laughing stock. Miguel Tejada is in a HORRIBLE slump on top of that.

22 (18) Atlanta Braves (45-50) – The Braves have not found a solution to their injury problems and it shows. A few sparks of offense is all but keeping this team out of last place. Well, that and the Nationals. I do think it’s the beginning of the end once the Braves trade Mark Texiera. So who will win this prize? Yankees or Red Sox?

23 (20) Pittsburgh Pirates (44-51) – This is the best Pirates squad we have seen in at least a decade so what does Pittsburgh do to celebrate? By putting Jason Bay and Xavier Nady on the trading block. Tampa Bay is drooling over Bay, which could lead to some interesting prospects. But eh, Im a purist. I like to see guys stick on one team for an extended period of time.

24 (25) Kansas City Royals (43-53) – Post All-Star game and they are not in last place? Bizzaro world indeed.

25 (26) San Francisco Giants (40-55) – It is not fun being a Giants fan right now but I did expect this. The Post Bonds era is going to test us Giants fans but we do see light at the end of the BART. Lincecum, Sanchez and Cain give us all a reason to smile, since they all have 100+ strikeouts right now. I will say that watching “Franchise” Dominate the Cubs was a fun fun thing to watch.

26 (21) Cleveland Indians (36-43) – The Indians made the right move by dealing C.C, but they got such little in return. Yes, Pete Laporta is a solid prospect, but he boils down to “potential”, a word I loathe.

27 (27) Colorado Rockies (40-57) – I wonder if they will trade Garrett Adkins. His stock is sky high right now and with so many needs to address, it would make sense.

28 (28) San Diego Padres (37-59) – Jake Peavy got ROCKED last night. But the good news is that Chase Headley is producing, giving some them hope for 2009.

29 (26) Washington Nationals (36-60) – The only glimmer of hope is that Ryan Zimmerman should be back within the next week or so. He could be the deciding factor in whether or not they lose 100 games or not.

30 (30) Seattle Mariners (37-58) – Erik Bedard is inches away from hitting the DL, but they did cut that salary leach, Richie Sexton, who in turn, went to the Yankees. Yeh, I don’t see that logic either.

MLB Power Rankings- Week 14

*Aramis Ramirez, LSWTF player of the week*

Please forgive my absence in not providing you all with the Power Rankings you all deserved last week. Its been a rather stressful past 2 weeks for the Kid, due in part by work and my transition into a new field starting Monday. My bits of advice to you all.....

1- Never check your bags while taking any kind of flight. TSA will ROB YOU BLIND!

2- Don’t piss off a TSA Officer. They will make your life a nightmare and you WILL miss your flight

3- Do not taunt happy fun ball

Any finally……

4- NEVER EVER WORK FOR TSA!!!!! I have given a name to my personal hell and it is the Transportation Security Administration.

But don’t pay any mind to my issues, its baseball time!! The AL is dominating the NL in inter-league play. The AL is making its mission to utterly humiliate another NL team in the all-star game and the World Series………On we go…

1 (2) Boston Red Sox (49-32) – Let us all welcome back Saux Nation to the top of the board. Terry Francona is proving to me that he knows what it takes to manage good baseball, for example: replacing a struggling Hideki Okajima as setup man with Manny Delcarman without hesitation. Oh, and Dice-K is back. Good times in the "Land of the Bland".

2 (1) Chicago Cubs (49-30) – They have way too much talent to lose to the AL cellar-dweller. Not only did they lose the series at Wrigley, but they gave up a boat load of runs (25) to a team that cannot score. However, the Cubs are minus their ace (Carlos Zambrana), their Superstar (Alfonso Soriano), and possibly the man with the oddest name in baseball (Kosuke Fukudome).

3 (3) LA Angels (48-31) – Some will argue that they deserve the 2 spot and I couldn’t agree more. But, the Angels are banged up and unlike the Cubs, lack the depth to compensate for missing stars. I’m mainly referring to Vlad and “the shits”. They may have one of the more exciting series coming up as they play the dreaded Dodgers. Go Angels!!

4 (5) Tampa Bay Rays (47-31) – The Rays are only ½ game behind the Sox!! YES, my prediction is slowly coming true; that being a wildcard bid. You and I know the Sox have the talent to swat away any Ray aggression, but no other team in baseball can say the same. Oh and the Rays managed to sweep the #2 best team in baseball Cubs and the Marlins.

5 (6) St Louis Cardinals (45-35) – Sure, they got trounced by the Tigers, but they managed to give the Sox a beating prior to that. I don’t know where this team came from but they are amazing. The pitching isn’t sexy by all means but they manage to get people out. Oh, and ace Adam Wainwright should be back sometime soon. The weekend series with the red hot Royals should also make for some great baseball.

6 (7) Oakland A's (43-35) – Perhaps the most debatable shift of the week but I say bring it on. I know they lost the series with the Dbacks last week but the offense did put up 15 runs in one game. They also took the series vs. the Marlins and the Philly’s. BUT, my revenge shall be slow and painful for my counterpart, Doctor Jack Gonzo, as the Giants play the A’s this weekend. Vengeance shall be mine!! Muuuhahaha! Side note- To all of you doubters, The CC Sabathia trade rumors are flying in Oakland!!! My prediction: Mark Ellis, Daric Barton, Joe Blanton, and 3 other minor leaguers for C.C!!

7 (8) Chicago White Sox (43-35) – Jermaine Dye is a man beast! Or at least he is in fantasy when I play him. But the rest of the team needs to step up. Outside Dye and Quentin, nobody else is hitting the ball. Certainly not prize acquisition Nick Swisher (.232AVG), Jim Thome (.228AVG), or Orlando Cabrera (.273AVG).

8 (4) Philadelphia Philly’s (43-37) – Losing 8 of your last 10 games is simply unacceptable for a 1st place team. On top of that, your superstar Chase Utley is in the worst slump of his career (1-22 I believe). The Philly’s allowed themselves to be shutout TWICE in a row by Oakland and yes, this is bad news for a team that relies on offense; especially when they play the mother of all powerhouses this weekend, the Texas Rangers.

9 (15) Minnesota Twins (34-36) – The Twins are definitely the shocker team of the week winning 9 straight in a row. This includes sweeps over the Padres, Diamondbacks, and Nationals. JM’Squared (my moron nickname for Justin Morneau and Joe Maur) have been playing like champions during this streak and I have my doubts that the weekend series vs. Speed Racer and the Brewers will end it.

10 (11) New York Yankees (42-36) – Let us all welcome the Yanks back into the top 10. Joe Girardi has proven that he can keep his cool under adversity and make his team winners again. He can thank Joba for re-energizing the entire team though. Hell, even Damon, Jeter, Posada, and Arod are playing like their all-star selves. Heed warning Sox and Rays: The Yanks will make you earn the post-season.

11 (12) Milwaukee Brewers (43-35) – Did anyone but me manage to watch Prince Fielder hit that in-the-park-homerun? It’s funny to see a short fat man run, but that’s just me. The Crew found gold with Russell Branyan’s red hot bat and it looks like the rest of the team found theirs as well. Rickie Weeks is healthy and even though he can’t his for shit, he can still get on base and score runs. They swept the Jays and took 2 of 3 vs. the Orioles and Braves. Not to bad in a 2 weeks work.

12 (9) Arizona Diamondbacks (40-39) – Oriole fan has every right to give me crap for this one, but the Dbacks are a first place team. They might be a terrible first place team but they are there none the less. Micah Owings arm has turned into garbage as has the rest of the rotation not named Dan Haren. The offense is crap as well and this is with a now healthy Eric Byrnes (who has managed 1 hit in his last 12AB’s since his return from the DL)

13 (14) Baltimore Orioles (40-37) – Before you give me crap, know that you are a 4TH PLACE TEAM! No matter the argument, you’re one spot away from last place. So please don’t give me this “Any other league we would be 1st place” bullshit!!! That being said, you’re a damn good 4th place team. The offense re-learned how to hit as Brian Roberts and Nick Markakis have now put up good batting averages. Hell, even Luke Scott and Aubrey Huff found theirs. The only kink in the armor now is the rotation. They have stalled and it’s not pretty. Brian Burress leads the team with 6 wins; hardly all-star worthy.

14 (13) Texas Rangers (40-40) – Its panic time in Arlington and the good people of Texas should be worried. Josh Hamilton may or may not be injured (Fuck you Yahoo and your ambiguous player updates). If he did damage that knee of his, the Rangers will be in huge trouble. The Rangers lack the depth to compensate for his loss and its unlikely the pitching will get any better also. Their weekend series with the Astros followed by the Yankees will definitely test their metal.

15 (10) Florida Marlins (40-38) – We all knew their winning ways was too good to be true. Losing 4 straight is not a good thing, however, the Phills are sucking right now so it’s not panic time just yet. The pitching is still absolute shite and that’s an issue that needs to be addressed.

16 (18) Detroit Tigers (38-40) – They are so close to a .500 record they can taste it. After listening to the game last night my opinion is that they don’t deserve it. Sure, they are winning but the talent is playing well under their potential. Cabrera is mediocre and Ordonez’s batting AVG is 50 points lower than it should be. On top of that the pitching is non-existent.

17 (21) New York Mets (38-39) – I may have hated Willie Randolph but the way he was fired was complete bush league, even to my standards. I think the firing was too little to late as the Mets still struggle to play as a team. They lost 2 of 3 vs. baseballs rag doll team, the Mariners and the Rockies before that.

18 (17) Atlanta Braves (39-41) – It appears the injuries’ have finally crept up on the Braves as they struggle to keep pace in a weak division. Jair Jurrjen’s is the rotations saving grace right now as he has stepped up recently. Oh, is it just me or are these Mark Texiera trade rumors getting out of hand??

19 (12) Toronto Blue Jays (38-42) – “CITO SUCKS”……”CITO SUCKS”….”CITO SUCKS” is still and may always be the mantra in Baltimore. And yes, Cito Sucks is the new skipper. There is no doubt that Oriole fan loves this new move as it is surely to energize O fans when the Jays are in town. So far Cito Sucks is no better than John Gibbon’s as Cito truly is sucking. Shaun Marcum is out and long time Oriole John Parrish will take his spot. Oh happy days in Baltimore!!

20 (19) Pittsburgh Pirates (37-41) – It does appear that the Pirates are poised to reach .500 by the end of the season. Its just a shame that’s all they have to look forward to as they are 11 ½ games out of first. But Pirate fan has to be happy with the improvement, and resurgence of one time superstar Jason Bay.

21 (20) Cleveland Indians (36-43) – We can officially add Cliff Lee to the list of excellent pitchers in the Indian stable as he single handedly tore up the Giants. Sigh!! But the problem rests with the offense. Nobody is good right now and you know things are bad when Casey Blake is this team’s offensive spark.

22 (21) Houston Astros (37-42) – Props to the Astro’s for defeating the mighty Ranger offense. But, good news is overshadowed by retard news, as Shawn Chacon did his Latrell Sprewell impersonation by choke slamming GM Ed Wade. I wish I could choke clam someone right now and get away with it.

23 (23) LA Dodgers (36-42) – They moved up in the rankings only because everyone was that much worse. Before Dodger fan can rejoice, know that the future of your club is not looking so hot right now, that being Clayton Kershaw. Sure he is a kid, but so was Homer Bailey, and we all know what happened to him not to long ago.

24 (22) Cincinnati Reds- (36-44) – Cincinatti has a problem. No, its not the trade rumors involving Dunn and Griffey, its that top rookie prospect and former ROY candidate Jay Bruce is flopping. He started off molten lava hot and has since tapered off. But at least Edison Volquez is still good. I did manage to watch him destroy the Yankee bats last week.

25 (29) Kansas City Royals (36-43) – I don’t know how they did it, but they did it; 9wins in their last 10 games. Where the hell did that come from? Perhaps my motivational comment the other week? Oh, and I might have a new favorite rookie, that being SS Mike Aviles. The kid has some serious talent.

26 (24) San Francisco Giants (34-45) – Bring it on Oakland!! Im ready, and so is RED HOT Barry Zito (2 straight wins is as hot as Zito will get). Of course I’m kidding here. The Giants have slipped a tad but due to a crappy division, we still have a chance. We lost the series vs. the Tigers and Royals but managed to regain our composure by taking 2 of 3 vs. the Tribe.

27 (27) Colorado Rockies (32-47) – They almost proved me wrong by sweeping the Indians, but that was all for none as they ride another losing streak. This time the 4 game variety. The pitching is God awful and one time all-star no brainer, Todd Helton, is in an awful slump. But at least Barnes is back, which means hot hitting Jeff Baker, is benched.

28 (25) San Diego Padres (32-48) – Trevor Hoffman blew yet another save. When will Bud Black put on his pitching cap and replace him?

29 (26) Washington Nationals (31-49) – Id love to chalk their losing up to injuries so I will. It’s hard to win when the stars are out. But there is some reason for hope and that is the potential that Lastings Milledge is showing us. I could be a believer in this kid after all.

30 (30) Seattle Mariners (28-50) – You thought things were bad before then your wrong. King Felix is hurt and it looks like Erik Bedard might be also. The 2 crown jewels of the organization on the DL?? It could happen, and then what??

MLB Power Rankings- Week 12

*C.C. Sabathia, LSWTF player of the week*

Even Cal Ripken Jr. missed a game in his lifetime. My record for most consecutive “non-sick day” usage went to an end on Friday, so my apologies for not providing the quality Power Rankings that you all come to expect. But anyway, The Giants were in town for 4 games 2 weekends ago and I couldn’t have been happier. Not only was I the only Giants fan in our section, but I witnessed a rookie Giant grand slam, A phe-nominal pitching performance from one of our young guys, and of course, a shutout. But all didn’t end well for the SayHey Kid……

1 (1) Chicago Cubs (45-25) – The Cubs continue to dominate despite the loss of Alfonso Soriano. Reed Johnson is filling in just nicely as Soriano’s replacement, They managed to sweep the Braves and take 2 of 3 vs. the Blue Jays in interleague. Yes, a National League team was able to dominate the American League!!

2 (3) Boston Red Sox (44-28) – Boston claims the 2 spot. Why? Because the only baseball I was able to watch was the Sox vs. Reds this weekend. The Sox looked terrific; excellent pitching and hitting. As much as I hate Coco Crisp; he has played some great baseball lately. I did notice a kink in the armor; that being the bullpen. Okajima is showing his lack of effectiveness with inherent runners and Papelbon is looking more like Joe Borowski these days. But I have a feeling this will all sort itself out.

3 (2) LA Angels (42-28) – They were less than stellar this past weekend, dropping the series vs. a struggling Braves team. But they managed to gain more breathing room on Oakland in the standings. Casey Kotchman is proving everyday that he can lead this team; despite the struggles of bigger named superstars. Yeh, Im calling out Vlad (.273AVG, 10HR, 35RBI)

4 (4) Philadelphia Philly’s (41-30) – FINALLY, Philadelphia is living up to their reputation, with Eric Bruntlett plowing into Cardinal catcher Yadier Molina. To hell with the winning, I want guys carted off on a stretcher!! Ryan Howard had a decent weekend in which his batting average raised to .217. Way to Go Howard (Insert my witty “he is not a superstar” comment here). The Phil’s metal will be tested this week, as they are forced to match up with Red Saux Nation!

5 (5) Tampa Bay Rays (40-29) – The Rays are giving the Sox a run for their money. Despite a mediocre week and a half, they remain only 2 ½ games back of the Saux. My pre-season Cinderella team is making me proud, but hopefully they can survive this week’s series vs. the Cubbies.

6 (7) St Louis Cardinals (42-29) – I’m sorry A’s fans but the Cards have been on fire lately. They took 2 of 3 vs. the Reds and Philly’s, which is not an easy task. The Cardinals seems to do better when aces and superstars hit the DL, such as Todd Welenmyer (7 wins, 3.14ERA, 73Ks) and Kyle Loshe (8 Wins, 3.77ERA), Ryan Ludwick (.310AVG, 10HR 54RBI).

7 (6) Oakland A's (38-31) – I hope to nip this in the butt before the good Doctor wakes from his slumber. Yes, the A’s swept my Giants but yah know something, they were supposed to! After a tough series vs. the Yankees, they managed to rebound and sweep the Giants. Eric Chavez (.310 AVG, 1HR, 8RBI) is looking good in his return and if he can keep it up, the Athletics can only get better.

8 (9) Chicago White Sox (38-31) – Despite their terrible week (losing 5 of their last 6 games), they still managed to play better baseball than the Diamondbacks. The Sox looked like the Sox of old; bad offense, bad pitching, bad everything. They let the last place Rockies humiliate them in a homerun friendly park no less. This proceeded by a sweep to the Tigers. The bad news gets worse though as Paul Konerko may land on the DL.

9 (8) Arizona Diamondbacks (37-33) – The Dbacks would be a second place team in every division, so fortunately they are in the NL West. They had a decent week, taking 2 of 3 from both the Royals and the Mets but the offense still has no gas in the tank. Other than Connor Jackson (.305AVG 7HR, 35RBI) and Mark Reynolds (15HR, 45RBI), who else can carry the load??

10 (10) Florida Marlins (32-27) – The Marlins held their own, hence why they don’t lose a spot. They took the series vs. the Phil’s but somehow lost against the Rays. The pitching is getting a little better but they need significant improvements if they want first place.

11 (17) New York Yankees (37-33) – They are the best 3rd place team in all of baseball. They also managed to play some great baseball this week. Winning 2 of 3 from the Athletics and a sweep over the Astro’s, which included a 13-0 killing of the Stro’s (Sorry Gonzo). There is some serious news in NY however; Chien-Ming Wang could be out for the season with a foot injury.

12 (14) Milwaukee Brewers (36-33) – The most underachieving team in baseball continues to play mediocre baseball. They took 2 of 3 from Astros but managed to lose 2 of 3 from the Twins. This team is still learning and will one day live up to potential, I hope. Apparently there are rumors going around that the Crew is interested in pulling off a trade for C.C. Sabathia. Here is my prediction: Rickie Weeks, Manny Parra, and Corey Hart for C.C. Sabathia. This makes perfect sense to me.

13 (13) Texas Rangers (35-36) – “Texas Baseball” is still alive and well, but what happens when the offense takes a day or 2 off (Which did happen over the weekend)? This team needs pitching in the worst possible way. If not for Vicente Padilla (8 Wins, 3.89ERA), this team would be have been considered dead long ago. I am shocked the Rangers have not entered the Sabathia sweepstakes.


14 (20) Baltimore Orioles (34-34) – The Orioles have become my newest unsolved mystery. You look at this team on paper and they are the worst team in baseball, yet on the field they look like a first place team….sometimes. But O’s fan must be happy either way with a .500 mark. Losing 2 of 3 from the Yanks and following that up with winning 2 of 3 from the Pirates shows me that this team can shrug off inter-division losses. The pitching was dreadful over the weekend BUT, the offense did manage to put runs on the board. Hell, even Brian Roberts (.285AVG, 5HR, 40Runs, 19SBs) managed to pad his stats a bit.

15 (16) Minnesota Twins (34-36) – Losing 5 of the last 8 games cannot help this team in the rankings, but who else has stepped up? The Twins need to fix what is broken (Pitching) quickly, especially with the Tigers gaining significant ground. The Twins face off against the Nationals, which is a must win series!

16 (12) Toronto Blue Jays (35-36) – A drastic drop indeed, but they cannot be 3rd place one week and drop to last place. Not in the AL East. It’s true they lost the series vs. baseballs best, but they also lost a series vs. baseballs worst team before that. Its only a matter of time until AJ Burnett breaks out of his slump and when that happens, the Jays will have 3 very solid starters.

17 (11) Atlanta Braves (34-36) – This was a painful drop in the rankings but injuries leave me no choice. Rafael Soriano, Mike Gonzalez, and John Smoltz (The teams 3 closers) are all on the DL. The bullpen is exhausted of consistent threats and it just seems this team will find it difficult to close out games, or hell, to hold onto a lead. But the offense is still blazing hot so who knows. Other teams have had success with more injuries.

18 (27) Detroit Tigers (32-37) – Yes, the record is still pretty bad but this team is FINALLY playing like the Tigers we expected. A 6 game winning streak (Including an extra inning walk off homer from Cabrera vs. the Sox) defiantly puts them above other teams. Sweeps over the Whitesox and Dodgers is not too shabby, and yes, they play the Giants this week. Woes’ me!! The pitching is still rocky but the offense more than makes up for it.

19 (22) Pittsburgh Pirates (34-36) – I never thought that I would have the Pirates ranked over the Mets, or hell, crack the top 20. But they deserve it. Hell, call me crazy but Xavier Nady (.314AVG, 10HR, 46RBI) should be a starter in this years all-star game.

20 (21) Cleveland Indians (33-37) – C.C. Sabathia with 2 VERY impressive starts? Unheard of!! But its true, he has thrown 2 brilliant starts. But all is still not good in Cleveland. The offense is still sluggish and the pitching is still on the decline. I hate to agree with some people, but the Indians need to dump C.C. while his value is still moderately high. Milwaukee does seem to be the best fit. As does Houston or Texas.

21 (19) New York Mets (33-35) – Ill admit, the record warrants a higher rank, but they have become the choke team of the NL. Wagner has blown 3 crucial saves lately (One against the Dback bastards). They managed to split a double header with Texas but that was a series sweep on paper. Carlos Beltran is putting up productive numbers for once (.271AVG, 8HR, 37RBI) but the responsibility should lie on the shoulders of Reyes and Wright, who are both underachieving. Oh, did anyone else know that Trot Nixon is a Met??? Learn something new everyday.

21 (18) Houston Astros (33-37) – The first rule when playing the Yankees: Don’t give up 13 runs. The Second rule when playing the Yankees: Don’t give up 13 runs!!! The Stro’s are riding a 4 game losing streak and it could not have come at a worse time. While lesser NL Central teams begin their winning ways, the Astro’s found a way to lose. This is not good. The pitching is dead now that Oswalt managed to earn himself the title of “Has Been”. Lance Berkman continues to make his case for MVP however, putting up staggering numbers (.360AVG, 19HR, 57RBI, 90 Hits).

22 (23) Cincinnati Reds- (33-38) – All is not good in Cinci. Boston came into their house and beat em, beat em bad. 9-0 is not the way to cap off a series. The Reds looked tired, demoralized, and sluggish. Griffey’s value declines by the day (0-13) so trading him might be a bit more difficult that originally thought. Yes, Edison Volquez is that good, but he isn’t winning games. But man, the kid can strike just about anyone out right now.

23 (18) LA Dodgers (28-32) – Ill finally admit it, the NL West is the AAA of baseball. First, I thought we were too good by constantly see-sawing with each other, but no, We suck!! Hell, at least the Dodgers are not immune. They ride a 5 game losing streak, including that sweep to the then, last place Tigers. Clayton Kershaw is starting to live up to the hype, but when you walk as many guys as you K, the stat becomes meaningless.

24 (24) San Francisco Giants (30-40) – The one series I didn’t want to lose, let alone get swept in, the Oakland A’s. Yes, I said it. But we were not all that bad and managed to keep games close. The sweep over the Nationals was AWESOME, as I was fortunate to attend game 2 of that massacre. Never fear Giants fan, “The Franchise” is pitching tonight vs. the Tigers game 1. Yes, Tim Lincecum (1.99ERA, 8 Wins, 92K’s)

25 (25) San Diego Padres (31-40) – If Adrian Gonzales (.293AVG, 19HR, 62RBI) was on a better team, I truly believe his RBI total would be in the 90’s right now. He is baseballs top 3 first basemen in the league, but the rest of the Fathers are closer to the bottom. The only bright spot right now is that Jake Peavy is back and healthy.

26 (26) Washington Nationals (29-42) – YES!!! The Nats swept a team. It just sucks that it was the Mariners. But a win is a win and this hopefully will build up some momentum going into Minnesota. The Nats finally found their swing and managed to beat the M’s with their offense.

27 (28) Colorado Rockies (28-41) – Brad Hawpe has made his presence felt since his return from the DL; A grand slam being one of them. Garrett Atkins is also picking up the slack in Matt Holliday’s absence. The pitching is still bad but does anyone expect a Cy Young winner in Colorado anytime soon. Not I.

29 (30) Kansas City Royals (28-42) – A nice little hot streak took them out of last place, and thank God for it. I really want this team to succeed. Beating the Dbacks 2 of 3 games is a nice step back into the race (Seeing how they are only 10 back, anything is possible). And Yes, we witnessed a Gil Meche win!!!

30 (29) Seattle Mariners (24-45) – Getting swept by the Nats at home earns you last place. That and this team plays with no passion or honor. That’s all I have to say about the Mariners.