1. WHITE SOX: Streaking champs making it
look easy again. Last week (3)
2. METS: Dodgers could use reliever
Duaner Sanchez (0.00 ERA in eight appearances). (1)
3. RED SOX: When Manny gets going, this
team will be really dangerous. (4)
4. CARDINALS: Albert Pujols on pace for
105 HRs, 247 RBIs. Think he can keep it up? (5)
5. INDIANS: Seven players in
double-figure RBIs already, led by Victor Martinez
(15). (2)
6. ASTROS: Roger Clemens, are you
watching? They're winning without you. (8)
7. GIANTS: Can Bonds flirt with Mendoza
Line while maintaining .500 OBP? (16)
8. ORIOLES: Leo Mazzone has turned Erik
Bedard (4-0) into the next Tom Glavine. (19)
9. REDS: Griffey on DL. Again. But Reds
keep winning, inexplicably. (18)
10. TIGERS: Mike Maroth (0.49) has been
practically unhittable. (17)
11. ROCKIES: Still hanging around the top
of NL West, but how long can it last? (11)
12. YANKEES: Still hanging around the
bottom of AL East, but how long can it last? (15)
13. BLUE JAYS: With A.J. Burnett's elbow
hurting, it's a $55 million uh oh in Toronto. (12)
14. ANGELS: AL West is looking like last
year's NL West, with Angels as Padres. (10)
15. CUBS: No Kerry Wood, no Mark Prior, no
Derrek Lee, no playoffs. (13)
16. ATHLETICS: If this team is to dominate
the AL West this year, it better get started. (7)
17. TWINS: Unless Johan Santana (0-3)
turns it around, this season is lost. (9)
18. BRAVES: Jorge Sosa (0-3 10.45 ERA)
really missed Leo Mazzone. (14)
19. BREWERS: Apparently, it was an early
season fluke after all. (6)
20. DODGERS: Starting to get healthy, but
can the veterans be productive? (21)
21. PADRES: A 5-4 road record only thing
keeping them near the NL West leaders. (22)
22. RANGERS: Phil Nevin (5 HRs, 17 RBIs)
experiencing resurgence after bad 2005. (25)
23. DEVIL RAYS: Best extended spring
training team ever (Huff, Baldelli, Lugo) (26)
24. DIAMONDBACKS: El Duque not lighting it
up in the desert. (23)
25. MARINERS: Ichiro (.253) battling worst
slump of his major-league career. (20)
26. PHILLIES: Jon Lieber (0-4) was
supposed to be the ace. Now there is none. (24)
27. NATIONALS: The timing for Jim Bowden
(DUI arrest on South Beach) could not be worse. (30)
28. MARLINS: SS Hanley Ramirez (.344)
providing he belongs in the bigs as a hitter. (29)
29. PIRATES: Sean Casey's broken back not
a result of trying to carry his new team. (27)
30. ROYALS: Buddy Bell replaced Tony Pena;
who'll replace Buddy Bell? (28)
FANTASY CORNER
LIVAN HERNANDEZ, Nationals: History says it
might be a good week to rest Nationals' ace. He's
scheduled to start Monday against the Reds (2-5 4.96
ERA lifetime) and Saturday against the Cardinals
(4-5 4.93 ERA lifetime). They're the only teams
with winning records vs. Hernandez.
LANCE BERKMAN, Astros: The Houston slugger
has fared well against the Dodgers (.319 against the
Dodgers) but has killed the Reds. His 29 homers in
85 games against Cincinnati are his most against any
team.
ICHIRO SUZUKI, Mariners: It could be a good
week for Suzuki to break out of his slump. He owns
a .356 lifetime average against the White Sox and
.389 against the O's.
AL Extra Bases
Royals
pitcher Zack Greinke , who left the
team during spring training to attend to emotional
issues, reported this week to Kansas City's spring
training facility in Surprise, Ariz. There is no
time table for his return. ... Indians LHP
C.C Sabathia, who has been out since
suffering a strained oblique muscle on Opening Day,
is on schedule to return to the rotation by the end
of the month.
NL Extra Bases
Braves
3B Chipper Jones (right leg, 15-day
DL) took batting practice and fielding practice this
past week and could be ready to return Tuesday
against Milwaukee. He's been out since April 9. ...
Mets fans' patience with Victor Zambrano
has worn thin. On Tuesday, in his second start of
the season, he allowed three home runs and the Mets
lost to the Braves 7-1. During the game, a video
board feature showing Mets players favorite movies
was shown. When Zambrano's face appeared, boos
filled the stadium, nearly drowning out Zambrano's
selection (it was "Braveheart"). ... Bonds revealed
to
mlb.com that he's playing with "12-15" bone
chips in his left elbow. Barry Bonds
downplayed the condition, but told reporters that he
would continue to play until it "blows up."
