1. RED
SOX: Have been transformed
into game's best defensive team.
Last week (3)
2. TIGERS:
Just too good so far to
catch in AL Central. (4)
3. WHITE
SOX: Went 8-2 in 10-game
stretch and lost a game to Tigers.
(1)
4. METS:
Three-game sweep at Fenway
Park is troubling. (2)
5. BLUE
JAYS: Now that A.J. Burnett
is healthy, race is on. (7)
6.
TWINS: If only they hadn't
waited so long to get started. (11)
7.
YANKEES: Anyone notice Mike
Mussina is an All-Star again? (5)
8.
ATHLETICS: Haven't quite
shaken Mariners … yet. (9)
9. REDS:
Bronson Arroyo has earned
the All-Star start. (8)
10.
CARDINALS: Starting
pitching is becoming a huge concern.
(6)
11.
PADRES: Like last, best of
a mediocre NL West. (15)
12.
MARINERS: Unexpectedly
creeping up the standings. (20)
13. DODGERS:
Slipping a bit since losing
Jae Seo. (14)
14.
ROCKIES: OF Matt Holliday
should start the All-Star Game. (17)
15.
GIANTS: Someone besides
Bonds needs to hit HR occasionally.
(16)
16.
MARLINS: If only they
hadn't waited so long to get
started. (13)
17.
RANGERS: Starting their
annual summer fade. (10)
18.
BREWERS: Bill Hall should
be an All-Star. (18)
19. ASTROS:
So far, Roger Clemens
hasn't made much difference. (12)
20.
INDIANS: How much longer
can Eric Wedge last? (22)
21.
ANGELS: Someone besides
Vlad needs to hit HR occasionally.
(25)
22.
ORIOLES: Russ Ortiz getting
job done with the bat. (24)
23. DEVIL
RAYS: Rocco Baldelli is on
a tear. (23)
24.
DIAMONDBACKS: Falling to
Earth in NL West. (19)
25.
PHILLIES: Prediction … Lou
Piniella manages here in 2007. (21)
26.
BRAVES: Oh do they miss Leo
Mazzone. (28)
27.
NATIONALS: The honeymoon
period in D.C. didn't last long.
(26)
28.
ROYALS: No longer
threatening '62 Mets' place in
history. (29)
29.
PIRATES: Freddy Sanchez
should be an All-Star. Jason Bay?
No. (30)
30.
CUBS: Dusty Baker can
begin packing the toothpicks.
(27)
FANTASY CORNER
PEDRO MARTINEZ, Mets: He gave
up six earned runs in three innings
against the Red Sox on Wednesday,
the sixth time he's allowed five or
more earned runs as a Met. In the
five starts that followed the
previous five times, he went 1-2
with a 3.27 ERA.
OLIVER PEREZ, Pirates: After
struggling to a 2-10 record in 15
starts, Perez was moved to the
bullpen for two days before being
demoted to Triple-A Indianapolis.
The plan now is for him to start for
the time being, and the Pirates will
wait to see if he regains his
confidence before deciding to bring
him back … and in what role. LHP Tom
Gorzelanny will start for Pittsburgh
in the meantime.
AL Extra Bases
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen
hopes to complete the MLB-mandated
sensitivity training before he
arrives in Pittsburgh to manage the
AL All-Star team. The training was
ordered after Guillen publicly made
derogatory and insensitive remarks
about Chicago Sun-Times columnist
Jay Mariotti. … Tigers DH
Dmitri Young hopes to return to
the team by late July. He underwent
treatment for alcoholism and
reported to the team's complex in
Lakeland this past week. Still
hanging over his head is a domestic
violence charge stemming from an
alleged incident in April with an
ex-girlfriend. … Although Aubrey
Huff, Jeromy Burnitz and
Matt Stairs remain on
Detroit's radar, the search for a
big left-handed bat to land in a
trade might lead the Tigers to
Philadelphia's Bobby Abreu.
NL Extra
Bases
The formerly contending Brewers
played five games in the past month
in which victories would have
carried them above .500. They lost
all five. … Former Rays C
Toby Hall and LHP
Mark Hendrickson will work
together in Dodgers games for the
time being. Although Hall is the
backup for C Russell Martin,
Manager Grady Little
intends to play Hall about
twice a week. … The Reds' success on
the field has led to more job
security for Manager Jerry
Narron and GM Wayne
Krivsky, both of whom had
the options exercised for 2008 this
past week. …
