1. CARDINALS: With Albert Pujols around,
Chris Carpenter (1.98 ERA) is overshadowed. Last week
(8)
2. WHITESOX: Didn't look sharp in losing two
of three to Rays; Windy City brawl should ignite South
Siders. (1)
3. TIGERS: If Jim Leyland keeps this up,
he'll be Manager of the Year. (7)
4. METS: They weren't going anywhere with
Jose Lima in the rotation. (2)
5. RED SOX: Jonathan Papelbon (0.40 ERA, 15
saves) is an All-Star already. (4)
6. YANKEES: Year after year, Joe Torre's job
doesn't get any easier. (5)
7. REDS: Weathered a little slide; still in
there in the NL Central. (3)
8. BLUE JAYS: Anyone notice they're closing
in on the AL East's big dogs? (10)
9. PHILLIES: Cole Hamels (3.18 ERA) looked
good in first two starts. (9)
10.
ASTROS: Andy Pettitte (3-4 4.76) looks
alarmingly human right now. (6)
11.
PADRES: Khalil Greene (.273 in May) starting to
come around. (14)
12.
ATHLETICS: Closer Huston Street starting to
come around. (15)
13.
BREWERS: If they're going to make a run this
year, they'll need Ben Sheets (DL, shoulder). (19)
14.
BRAVES: Feasted on Marlins (6-1) past two weeks
to get back into it. (18)
15.
DIAMONDBACKS: Shawn Green really coming on, but
still only three HRs). (11)
16.
ROCKIES: Brad Hawpe (1.025 OPS), Matt Holliday
(.993 OPS) look like All-Stars. (12)
17.
RANGERS: Quietly hanging on in weakening AL
West. (13)
18.
INDIANS: With C.C Sabathia back, Tribe
beginning to climb in AL Central. (20)
19.
DODGERS: Brett Tomko (5-1, 2.88 ERA) very
comfortable in L.A. (16)
20.
GIANTS: Finally they can focus on winning games
and not the home run chase. (17)
21.
ORIOLES: Team ERA of 5.64 is very un-Leo
Mazzone-like. (24)
22.
CUBS: Kerry Wood's return kind of inauspicious;
Cubbies are doomed. (21)
23.
MARINERS: Ichiro back in a groove and over
.300. (25)
24.
DEVIL RAYS: Beating World Series champs in two
of three was big boost. (26)
25.
ANGELS: Unless Bartolo Colon comes back, it's a
lost season. (22)
26.
TWINS: Boof Bonser to the rescue! (23)
27.
NATIONALS: It's time to trade Alfonso Soriano.
(27)
28.
PIRATES: Roberto Hernandez still chugging
along. (29)
29.
MARLINS: The team's new rallying cry: "Wait
'til 2009!" (30)
30.
ROYALS: A 2-20 road record pretty much says it
all. (28)
FANTASY CORNER
DIONER NAVARRO, Dodgers: The 22-year old C was
batting .280 with two homers and eight RBIs when he went
down May 5 with a bone bruise in his right wrist. He's
eligble to come off the DL, but likely won't return for
at least another week.
RANDY WOLF, Phillies: The former 16-game winner
(2003) is scheduled to make his first rehab start in
extended spring training. If all goes well, he could
rejoin the Phils' rotation sometime around or shortly
after the All-Star break.
BUBBA CROSBY, Yankees: It just keeps getting
worse for the Yankees, who already were without Gary
Sheffield and Hideki Matsui before Crosby was placed on
the DL with a strained right hamstring. Barring a
much-needed trade for Washington's Alfonso Soriano, the
Yanks will give most of the innings to Melky Cabrera for
the time being.
AL Extra Bases
It's nice
that Orioles good-guy 3B Melvin Mora
got a three-year deal this week worth a guaranteed $25
million. But the no-trade clause might come back to
haunt Baltimore, considering Mora is 34. ... Oakland 3B
Eric Chavez lost about 10 pounds with a
stomach virus that kept him out of five games last week.
... The Tigers are off to their best start since going
35-5 in 1984. ... Boston 1B J.T. Snow
wants to be traded, and the Cubs, Giants and Angels are
possibilities.
NL Extra Bases
Barry Bonds'
aura of invincibility is gone. Rather than intentionally
walk the Giants DH Friday with two outs in the ninth
inning of a one-run ball game, the Athletics chose to
pitch to him, and closer Huston Street
struck him out to end the game. ... In the Dodgers' 16-3
victory against Angels on Friday, 10 different Los
Angeles players had at least one hit, and nine players
had more than one hit. Andre Ethier
went 5-for-5 with three RBIs. The 25 hits were the most
in a game since the team moved from Brooklyn. ...
Dodgers reliever Eric Gagne threw 21
pitches in a batting practice session Friday and could
return to the bullpen by June 1 if his minor-league
rehab assignment goes well. ... Even after a loss Friday
against Seattle, the Padres were 14-4 in May. They used
a 22-5 May record to win the NL West title in 2005. ...
Despite the fact that RHP Aaron Heilman
has a 1.42 ERA in 18 relief appearances, Mets manager
Willie Randolph continues to insist that Heilman will
remain in the bullpen, even though Heilman is itching to
start. Instead, the Mets are leaning on veteran flop
Jeremi Gonzalez (10.13 ERA in two starts) in
the injury absences of Victor Zambrano
(out for the season), John Maine and
Brian Bannister.
May 22,
2006
