1. TIGERS: Starting to look a lot like
the White Sox of a year ago. Last week (2)
2. YANKEES: Bobby Abreu
making big impact on lineup. (1)
3. METS: Easily the
class of the National League. (3)
4. TWINS: Would you
guess Justin Morneau has 30 home runs? (7)
5. RED SOX: What a
week. Jonathan Papelbon blows saves against Rays,
Royals. (4)
6. WHITE SOX: In the
middle of a 10-game stretch against Minnesota and
Detroit. (5)
7. CARDINALS: Somebody
has to win the NL Central, right? (6)
8. ATHLETICS: Bobby
Kielty helps A's stay afloat despite numerous
injuries. (8)
9. ANGELS: Stable
bullpen helps keep Halos close. (11)
10. RANGERS: Carlos Lee proving to be best
July addition. (13)
11. DODGERS: Greg Maddux
appears glad he is out of Chicago. (14)
12. REDS: Kyle Lohse the
answer? That depends on the question. (12)
13. BLUE JAYS: Someone
(John Gibbons?) will have to take the fall for a
disappointing season. (9)
14. DIAMONDBACKS: Livan
Hernandez gives boost to a rotation that needed one.
(15)
15. PHILLIES: Still in
the race, believe it or not. (18)
16. ASTROS: Still in the
race, believe it or not. (19)
17. PADRES: Still in the
race, but maybe not much longer. (8)
18. BREWERS: 13 pitchers
on their 25-man roster leaves bench thin. (16)
19. MARLINS: You can make
a case for Joe Girardi as manager of the year. (20)
20. MARINERS: In middle
of an 11-game road trip that could define playoff
chances. (17)
21. BRAVES: All good
things must come to an end. (21)
22. ROCKIES: Believe it
or not: They have allowed the fewest runs in
baseball. (23)
23. INDIANS: Tribe
already looking toward next season. (22)
24. GIANTS: Thank
goodness for them they're in an awful division. (24)
25. ORIOLES: Leo Mazzone
has proved even he can work miracles. (25)
26. NATIONALS: Did Jim
Bowden hide injury on reliever Gary Majewski before
trading him to Reds? (27)
27. CUBS: House cleaning
sure to come to the Friendly Confines. (26)
28. DEVIL RAYS: Joe
Maddon keeps smiling through the pain. (28)
29. PIRATES: At least
they're better than the Royals. (29)
30. ROYALS: Give them credit: At least
they've shown up for all the games (30)
FANTASY CORNER
MATT
GARZA, Twins: He might have gotten off to a
rough start, allowing seven runs in his first start,
but if you are looking for a diamond in the rough
late in the season, keep an eye on the young righty.
He dominated in the minors, and with the injury to
Francisco Liriano looking like it could linger until
the end of the season, Garza has the look of a
player who won't stay under the radar for long.
BARRY
ZITO, Athletics: He's projected to have two
starts against a couple of weak teams (Mariners,
Royals).
AL Extra Bases
Bobby Abreu's home run off
Jon Garland last Wednesday was his first as
a Yankee and it ended a stretch of 163 at-bats
without a homer - the longest drought of his career.
… Angels OF Vladimir Guerrero has his ninth
consecutive season with 25 homers. Only two other
active players have at least nine consecutive
25-homer seasons through this year: Atlanta's
Andruw Jones and Boston's Manny Ramirez.
… Red Sox DH David Ortiz received a shipment
of 41 lobsters as a gift from Maine Gov. John
Baldacci on Friday to celebrate the Red Sox
slugger's 41 homers. Ortiz had said in an interview
that he loves seafood but has never been to Maine. …
Oakland recalled Jay Witasick from Triple-A
Sacramento this week, but his equipment didn't
arrive in Oakland with him. So he had to borrow some
gear. He had to come out after one inning of his
first appearance, but not because he was pitching
poorly. Because the spikes he got from Justin
Duchscherer were too small. "I couldn't feel my
feet," he said
NL Extra Bases
The
Marlins made RHP Jeff Allison their first
draft pick, 16th overall, in 2003 and gave him a
$1.85 million signing bonus. Earlier this week, The
Boston Globe reported he was found unconscious in an
apartment in Medford, Mass., after an apparent
heroin overdose. Allison, 21, had a near-fatal
heroin episode in July 2004. He also has tested
positive for marijuana in baseball's drug tests and
has sought treatment for OxyContin dependency. He
has been on the suspended list since spring
training. … Kent Mercker, the Reds'
38-year-old reliever, on why he skipped a rehab
assignment when he came off the disabled list: "I
don't have much time left. Maybe hours. I don't want
to waste one bullet in the minors."
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