1.
METS: Soaring into September with
visions of October glory. Last week (4)
2.
TIGERS: Small stumble against White
Sox, but still in control. (1)
3.
YANKEES: Big sweep of Red Sox
followed by hangover in Seattle. (2)
4.
TWINS: Johan Santana has become the
clear Cy Young favorite. (5)
5.
WHITE SOX: Jon Garland's resurgence
keeping them in it. (3)
6. ATHLETICS:
Esteban Loaiza's resurgence keeping them on top. (6)
7. RED
SOX: So much talent, so much promise … so
much for the season. (7)
8. ANGELS:
Jered Weaver finally loses, but Halos stay close to
A's. (10)
9.
CARDINALS: The NL's second-best is
still pretty bad. (9)
10.
PADRES: Sweep of L.A. turned the NL West
into a race again. (16)
11.
DODGERS: Could've created breathing
room; instead seem out of breath. (8)
12.
BLUE JAYS: Up next - Gibbons vs.
Lilly in steel cage match. (11)
13.
PHILLIES: Making unexpected push
back into contention. (17)
14. REDS:
Doing it with mirrors, but bad Cards deserve to be
caught. (13)
15.
RANGERS: Win Detroit series, lose
Tampa Bay series. Says it all. (14)
16. DIAMONDBACKS:
Won't make it this year, but young players are
promising. (12)
17.
GIANTS: Looks like we'll be spared
the spectacle of Bonds in postseason. (15)
18. INDIANS:
Travis Hafner will get some MVP votes. (18)
19.
BREWERS: Still hanging in there,
but too inexperienced. (23)
20.
ASTROS: Must begin late-season
surge immediately. (20)
21.
MARLINS: Miguel Cabrera is even
better than we thought. (24)
22.
BRAVES: Hard to envision a return
to glory in 2007. (21)
23.
ORIOLES: Will Manager Sam Perlozzo
get another season? (19)
24.
ROCKIES: Picked bad time for worst
road trip in team history. (22)
25.
MARINERS: Will Manager Mike
Hargrove get another season? (25)
26.
CUBS: Manager Dusty Baker almost
assuredly won't get another season. (27)
27.
NATIONALS: Alfonso Soriano should
get some MVP votes. (26)
28.
DEVIL RAYS: Only decent pitcher
Kazmir might be done for season. (28)
29.
PIRATES: Freddy Sanchez, batting
champion? Has a ring to it. (29)
30.
ROYALS: When a 10-spot in the first
inning isn't enough, it's time to quit. (30)
FANTASY CORNER
CHAN HO
PARK, Padres: The Korean right-hander underwent
surgery Wednesday to stop bleeding in his small
intestine, due to Meckel's diverticulum, and he is not
expected to return for at least four weeks, if at all
this season. Rookie RHP Mike Thompson (3-4, 4.40 ERA in
14 G, 13 GS) will fill in as San Diego's fifth starter
in Park's absence.
AL Extra Bases
Evidently, a
night in a Boston hospital to monitor an irregular
heartbeat didn't affect Ortiz at the plate. He homered
and doubled in last Sunday's loss to the Yanks, hours
after being released from Massachusetts General. …
Consecutive victories against the Orioles this past week
by Twins rookie pitchers Boof Bonser and Matt Garza
boded well for Minnesota's push to overtake the White
Sox in the AL wild-card race. … The A's are firming up
their hold on the AL West thanks largely to the
resurgence of RHP Esteban Loaiza, who shut out
Toronto on Wednesday and is 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA in
August. … Royals 1B Doug Mientkiewicz will
undergo surgery to repair a herniated disc and will miss
the rest of the year. He's a free agent at the end of
the season.
NL Extra Bases
Braves
pitcher Danys Baez underwent an emergency
appendectomy Wednesday. The procedure was laparoscopic,
which allows a quicker recovery time than an open
appendectomy, and the Braves are hoping Baez will be
available when he's eligible to come off the DL Sept. 8.
… The Cubs are openly touting RHP Carlos Zambrano
(14-5, 3.31 ERA; NL-leading 180 strikeouts) as a Cy
Young candidate. They have a point. … Marlins closer
Joe Borowski entered the weekend on the verge of the
second 30-save season of his career, his first since
2003 with the Cubs. … Colorado ended its slim playoff
hopes by going 0-6 on its recent road trip, the worst
road trip in team history.
