1. WHITE SOX:
Ozzie could have saved us time by
taking this team to Pittsburgh. Last
week (3)
2.
TIGERS: Justin Verlander
will make many All-Star teams. (2)
3. RED
SOX: Series loss to Rays
just one of those summer things. (1)
4. METS:
Pedro's annual summer DL vacation
has begun. (4)
5.
YANKEES: Mike Mussina
should be an All-Star. (7)
6.
TWINS: There's still a
chance they could win AL Central.
(6)
7. BLUE
JAYS: There's definitely a
chance they could win AL East. (5)
8.
CARDINALS: Appear as
vulnerable as they have in recent
years. (10)
9.
ATHLETICS: Notice how talk
of trading Barry Zito has
evaporated? (8)
10.
PADRES: Got hot, but
couldn't shake Rockies in NL West.
(11)
11. BREWERS:
Closing hard on fading Cards, Reds.
(18)
12. REDS:
Hoping Eddie Guardado is answer in
bullpen. (9)
13.
ROCKIES: Have pulled close
in NL Wild-Card race. (14)
14.
RANGERS: Gary Matthews Jr.
is a nice player, but no All-Star.
(17)
15.
DODGERS: Still need one
more pitcher to take control of NL
West. (13)
16.
GIANTS: Need to get Jason
Schmidt signed to long-term deal.
Now. (15)
17. ASTROS:
Starting to get hot at the usual
time (midsummer). (19)
18.
MARINERS: Sort of just
hanging around the middle of AL
West. (12)
19.
ANGELS: Bartolo Colon's
shutout this week means trouble for
AL West foes. (21)
20.
INDIANS: They're talking
about retooling in Cleveland. They
should be. (20)
21.
DIAMONDBACKS: Fading in NL
West, but it's not too late. (24)
22. DEVIL
RAYS: Series win against
Red Sox is season's high point. (23)
23.
PHILLIES: Would Lou
Piniella make a difference in
Philly? (25)
24.
ORIOLES: This team, this
franchise, has become a sad parody.
(22)
25.
MARLINS: Thought they were
over the Triple-A blues? Think
again. (16)
26.
BRAVES: Wouldn't it be
something if they made a run at the
NL wild-card? (26)
27.
NATIONALS: Montreal
wouldn't have them back now at any
price. (27)
28. CUBS:
Would Lou Piniella make a difference
on the North Side? (30)
29.
ROYALS: Fire sale should
begin any minute now. (28)
30.
PIRATES: Now batting …
Captain Jack Sparrow? (29)
FANTASY
CORNER
MORGAN ENSBERG, Astros: The
slugging third baseman has never hit
a home run in 18 games against the
Marlins, but he'll have his chance
starting Thursday as Houston begins
its push for the NL Central title
with a four-game series in South
Florida.
KEVIN MILLWOOD, Rangers: The
2005 AL ERA champ skipped his
scheduled Friday start, but it was
more of an opportunity to rest for
the second half than anything. He'll
now have at least 10 days between
starts, giving his strained right
biceps time to heal.
AUBREY HUFF, Devil Rays:
He'll more than likely be traded,
probably to the Tigers, but keeping
him on your fantasy roster for the
second half is smart. Lifetime after
the All-Star break, he has batted
.303 (436-for-1,437) with 71 home
runs, 85 doubles and 239 RBIs in 377
games.
AL Extra
Bases
During Minnesota's recent 11-game
winning streak, the Twins managed to
make up only a game-and-a-half on
the AL Central-leading Tigers. …
Oakland's Frank Thomas pulled
into a tie Thursday with Mickey
Mantle on the all-time RBI list
with his 1,509th. … Royals All-Star
LHP Mark Redman began the
season 0-4 with a 6.88 ERA in his
first seven starts. In his past
seven starts, he's 6-0 with a 4.05
ERA.
NL Extra
Bases
Cubs RHP Greg Maddux (7-9)
heads into the All-Star break with a
losing record for the fourth time in
his career. … If you're wondering
why the Reds would acquire
35-year-old former Twins closer
Eddie Guardado from the
Mariners, consider that prior to
Guardado's arrival, Cincinnati's
relievers had a 5.28 ERA and 13
blown saves. … Isn't having an
All-Star home run contest in 2006
without St. Louis' Albert Pujols
a little like having an NBA dunk
contest in the 1990s without
Michael Jordan? Pujols, who
missed nearly three weeks this
season with a tweaked oblique
muscle, apparently was following La
Russa's advice when he declined the
invitation to participate in
Monday's slugfest. … Giants All-Star
RHP Jason Schmidt leads the
NL in ERA (2.69), and might be on
the verge of a contract extension.
