Races Coming Down To The Wire

As of now, five of the six divisions in Major League Baseball have at least one team within 5 games of the division leader. The only team that has basically wrapped up a spot in the playoffs is the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. So how will the divisions shake out? Here is how the ultra-competative American League divisions will finish:

American League East: As of now, baseball's best story has been the Tampa Bay Rays, who somehow own a 3 game lead on the defending World Series Champion Boston Red Sox and a 6.5 game lead on the New York Yankees. Either way, it looks like the American League Wildcard team will come out of this division as well, although the Minnesota Twins are just 2.5 games behind Boston in that category. However, it would be hard to pick against Tampa Bay and Boston. The Yankees own a weak pitching staff, and pending the seriousness of Joba Chamberlain's injury, would have no go-to guy on a pitching staff that ranks in the bottom half of the American League in every single pitching category. New York needs Chamberlain if they want any kind of shot at going to the playoffs for the 14th consective year.

On the other hand, Tampa Bay ranks in the top 3 in the American League in every pitching category except quality starts, where they rank 6th. And although they are young, the Rays are not going away anytime soon. This team is for real and has a legitimate shot at a World Series title this season. They should win the AL Wildcard in a worst-case scenario. The Rays have a great chance to win their first ever division title because of the way they pitch and play defense. This team makes very few mistakes in the field, they have made the fewest errors in baseball, which is frustrating for opposing teams that get little to hit against an excellent pitching staff. In order for the Rays to complete their fairytale season the way they want it to, they need some of their slumping bats to come around, BJ Upton's and Carl Crawford's specifically.

As the dog days of August roll on and September gets closer, the experience and balance of the Boston Red Sox will pay off. The Red Sox rank in the top 4 in the AL in every pitching and hitting category except for WHIP, where they rank 6th. Now that Manny Ramirez is in Los Angeles, this team has no distractions and has the look of the same focused team that first won the AL East in September, and then the World Series in October. So in the East, look for Tampa Bay and Boston to make the playoffs, with the Red Sox winning the division crown for the second consecutive season.

American League Central: The AL Central has two teams perched atop the division that most experts picked to finish third and fourth, respectively, in the division at the beginning of the year. The Chicago White Sox currently have a 1 game lead on the Minnesota Twins. The question is, how are the Twins in this position? They traded baseball's best pitcher in Johan Santana in the offseason, and currently rank in the bottom half of the AL in every pitching and hitting category except batting average (3rd), runs (5th), on-base percentage (6th), quality starts (5th), and saves (6th). The Twins are a young team, and were supposed to be a few years away from contending in what was supposed to be a division dominated by the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians. The Twins are in striking distance of the division crown because of timely hitting. They lead the Major Leagues in batting average with runners in scoring position with a .313 mark. This young team is proving they can handle the pressure of a division race and are giving the White Sox a run for their money.

Meanwhile, the White Sox are tough to pick against. They just acquired Ken Griffey Jr to play center field for them. The surprise player of the American League, Carlos Quentin, currently leads the league with 29 home runs. In fact, Chicago has hit the ball very well and this is a team just three years removed from a World Series title. The White Sox rank in the top half of the AL in every hitting category except stolen bases. However, their achilles heel lies in their pitching staff. The White Sox rank 5th or worse in every pitching category except for quality starts, where they rank second. For right now though, it is tough to choose against Chicago, the team more experienced for the rigours of the dog days of August and the pennant run. Look for the White Sox to win the AL Central crown.

Favorites?

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim already owned baseball's best record when they acquired two-time Silver Slugger and Gold Glove first baseman Mark Teixeira on July 30th. The trade puts the Angels, currently 69-41, as the favorites to win the 2008 World Series. They Angels are baseball's most balanced team. They have one of baseball's best bullpens and starting rotations, great defense, speed in their lineup, and now with the addition of Teixeira, a power hitter besides Vladimir Guerrero. However, can this team bring home what would be the second World Series championship in franchise history?

Pitching and defense win championships. The Angels have the defense part of that equation. However, history tells us that power arms dominate the postseason. Almost every single one of the greatest postseason pitchers were all power-pitchers. Carl Hubbell, Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Josh Beckett, Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, and Mariano Rivera all are power pitchers that are almost unhittable once the playoffs roll around. The Angels on the other hand, are loaded with finesse pitchers in their starting rotation. John Lackey (0-2, 5.07 ERA in last 4 playoff starts), Jon Garland (1-0, 2.25 ERA in 2 playoff starts), and Joe Saunders (no playoff experience) are three finesse pitchers in the Angel rotation that will likely struggle when the playoffs begin. One more side note: even though Garland pitched well in the 2005 playoffs, he had a career year that year, as his ERA was almost a full run lower than his career mark. His second stint in the playoffs, like Lackey's, likely won't be as fruitful.

The advantage the Angels have lies in their bullpen, which houses an abundance of power arms, including baseball's best closer this year in Francisco Rodriguez. K-Rod owns a 5-3 playoff record with a 2.76 ERA, 3 saves, and 39 strikeouts in 29.1 innings (11.98 K/9). By the way, K-Rod is having the best season for any closer all-time, as he is on pace to shatter Bobby Thigpen's record for saves of 57 this year. There is only one closer more feared come October, the greatest of all-time, Mariano Rivera.

Scot Shields, the Angels set-up man has been equally as effective in the playoffs. Shields is 1-1 with a 2.75 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 19.1 innings (8.39 K/9). The Angels will also be breaking in a rookie that has been absolutely lights out this season. Jose Arredondo is 4-0 with a 1.16 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, 11 holds, and 29 punchouts in 31 innings (8.42 K/9). Shields and Arredondo give the Angels likely the best pair of set-up men in the American League, a pair that uses pure power to dominate hitters. Shields will likely continue to be very successful in the playoffs while Arredondo follows his lead.

Another problem in the Angels quest for a World Championship lies in their offense. The Angels have very little beyond Teixeira, Guerrero, Torii Hunter, and Howie Kendrick. Hunter is the only proven playoff performer in that group. Teixeira has never played in a playoff game so there is no telling if he can live up to the pressure. Kendrick hit .200 in his only playoff series last season against Boston. Guerrero owns a .183 batting average, a .269 OBP, just 1 home runs, and only 7 RBIs, in 16 postseason contests. The Angels will not be able to win a World Series if their only offensive production comes from Hunter and Teixeira while all their other bats are silent. They need their table-setter Kendrick, and their big bopper in Guerrero to perform when it matters most.

While the Angels are a very, very balanced and talented team, they are not built for the postseason. Parts of their bullpen are the only part of their team proven to handle the playoffs, but that is only including two of their pitchers. Jose Arredondo, who figures to play a huge role in the playoffs, is unproven and has zero playoff experience. As does starter Joe Saunders and first baseman, who also will play major roles in the playoffs for Los Angeles. Those Angels that do have playoff experience have struggled, and they are the most important parts of the team. The Angels cannot win a World Series if Vladimir Guerrero, John Lackey, and Howie Kendrick do not perform. As of now, those three have yet to prove they can handle the postseason. Until they do, the Angels have little hope of a World Series title.

Who Got The Best of the Manny Deal?

In one of yesterday's most shocking trades, the Boston Red Sox sent enigmatic left fielder Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-way trade that also involved the Pittsburgh Pirates. Boston also sent reliever Craig Hansen and outfielder Brandon Moss to Pittsburgh, who, in return, traded left fielder Jason Bay to Boston. The Dodgers gave up third baseman Andy Laroche and pitcher Bryan Morris to the Pirates. This is how the Manny trade will impact each of the three teams:

Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers have instantly vaulted themselves to be the favorite to win the weak National League West. Manny Ramirez is one of the greatest right-handed hitters of all-time, and is turning in a fabulous offensive season even at the age of 36. Ramirez hit .299 with 20 home runs, and 68 RBIs for the Red Sox this season. He had a .398 OBP and a .529 SLG. He should instantly make a huge impact in a lineup that ranks 9th in the NL in batting average (.256), 13th in runs (450), 13th in OBP (.321), 15th in SLG (.376), and 14th in OPS (.697).

However, the acquisition of Manny also brings about so major question marks for the Dodgers. There are now five outfielders on the Dodgers roster that expect to be starting. Joe Torre has to find playing time for Andruw Jones and Juan Pierre without sacrificing playing time for young and talented Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier. Also, Torre must handle Ramirez well, as there is no gurantee that Manny will play hard at all. If he handles Manny wrong, the Dodgers could be in for a long last 2 months of the season. However, if Ramirez plays hard, the Dodgers have likely vaulted themselves into the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Pirates: The Pirates received four players from this trade. However, they did not receive an impact player that a team normally would acquire when the trade a player the caliber of Jason Bay. Sure, Andy Laroche will end up being a very good third baseman. But other than Laroche, the Pirates did not acquire any players that they can plug in the middle of their lineup or at the top of their rotation.

Instead, the Pirates acquired players that have very uncertain futures. Bryan Morris is a former first round pick, but is just a year removed from Tommy John Surgery. He is just 21 years old and has the potential to be a number 1 starter, but as he has already had Tommy John Surgery, there are no gurantees he will be able to stay healthy. This season in Single-A, Morris is 2-4 with 72 strikeouts in 81.2 innings, a 1.29 WHIP, and a 3.20 ERA. He could end up being a key member of the Pirates rotation in a few years, but he has just as good a chance of never living up to his potential. He has plenty of upside, but is a very risky prospect.

Craig Hansen is also a former number 1 pick that has struggled in his time in the Major Leagues. This season, Hansen is 1-3 with a 5.58 ERA, a 1.70 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts in 30.2 innings. When he was drafted, he was supposed to be the closer of the future for the Red Sox. He has never lived up to those expectations, but will be given another chance in Pittsburgh. He could end up being their closer if all goes well, but those chances are very slim.

The final player Pittsburgh acquired was outfielder Brandon Moss. Moss could be an average starting outfielder in the Major Leagues. In part-time duty this season, Moss was hitting .295 with a .337 OBP, a .462 SLG, 2 home runs, and 11 RBIs. He is not the type of player that can replace Jason Bay, and likely will end up being a fourth outfielder in Pittsburgh.

Overall, the Pirates likely acquired a solid starting third baseman, a future starter, a fourth outfielder, and an average reliever. They did not receive any sure-fire impact players to replace their only star, Jason Bay. In this trade, they went for quantity instead of quality in an effort to add depth to their farm system.

Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox gave up a lot to get Jason Bay. Jason Bay is a really good player, but he is no Manny Ramirez. The Red Sox will sorely miss Manny's presence in the lineup. He was a game-changer, and provided protection for David Ortiz as part of baseball best 3-4 combination. Now, teams can afford to pitch around Ortiz more because there is no hitter behind him that is of the same caliber as that of Manny Ramirez.

On the other hand, this trade is addition by subtraction for Boston. The Red Sox get rid of his awful attitude in an otherwise united clubhouse. The Red Sox improve themselves defensively as well. And even though Jason Bay doesn't make pitchers sick to their stomach when he steps up to the plate like Manny Ramirez does, he is still a solid hitter and will always give 110%. Bay hit .282 with a .375 OBP, a .519 SLG, 22 home runs, and 64 RBI.

This trade is similar to the one made by Red Sox GM Theo Epstein in 2004 when he traded away a popular icon in Nomar Garciaparra. Garciaparra was a cancer in another united clubhouse and trading him away allowed the Red Sox to focus on their goal and win the team's first World Series championship since 1918. This year's Red Sox are hoping that trading away Ramirez, who was very detrimental to the team's attitude, will allow them to focus on their goal of defending their World Series Championship. They have good reason to believe they will be playing for a lot in October.

Nine Reasons Why Joel Zumaya Should Close

Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland announced that Fernando Rodney would take over for Todd Jones as the teams closer today. However, Detroit should be sending out Joel Zumaya in the ninth inning if they really want to have chance at making the playoffs. Here are nine reasons why Zumaya should be Detroit's ninth-inning man:

1. He Throws Over 100 MPH- Zumaya throws absolute gas. During an American League Divisional Playoff game against Detroit last year, New York Yankees third baseman and American League MVP Alex Rodriquez said he didn't even see Zumaya's 104 MPH fastball. Last year, Zumaya hit over 100 MPH on the radar gun 2

2. The Numbers Don't Lie- Rodney is 0-2 with 2 blown saves in 15 games so far this season. He also owns a 5.17 ERA and has walked 10 hitters in 15.2 innings so far. On the other hand, Zumaya has no record, but owns a 2.o4 ERA in 17.2 innings. The only blemish on Zumaya's season so far is the 16 walks he has allowed.

3. Detroit Wants To Go To The Playoffs- The Tigers currently sit 6.5 games behind both the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central and the Boston Red Sox in the race for the American League Wildcard. They cannot afford any blown saves by the struggling Rodney. Zumaya is a much safer bet to put the nail in the coffin in the ninth inning.

4. Detroit Can Develop Younger Talent- If Detroit plugs in Zumaya as the teams closer, it allows the 23-year old Zumaya a chance to get accustomed to the role he will likely fill eventually. It allows him to take his lumps but learn from his mistakes at the same time. Zumaya has the potential to be baseball's most dominating pitcher. Detroit should introduce him to the closer's role, where a dominating closer is something almost every team needs.

5. The Fans Love Him- The Tigers have played well below expectation so far this year, and if they continue to do so, they may have trouble bringing fans to the park. Zumaya could change that. He is very exciting and fans love seeing someone light up the radar gun with so much emotion. Zumaya is a very big draw for fans and could become an icon.

6. It's A Great Story (Part 1)- Zumaya grew up with very little money. At one point, his family was forced to sell their house and move in the Joel's uncle. Zumaya is a role model to underpriveledged children, and could give them hope to realize their dream if he plays a bigger role for the Tigers.

7. It's A Great Story (Part 2)- While helping his parents move away from the San Diego wildfires last year, Zumaya tore a ligament in his shoulder. By working his way back through tough rehab and staying focused, Detroit should reward Zumaya for the tough breaks he has gotten and the hard work he has put in to overcome them.

8. Intimidation- By having Zumaya lurking in the bullpen waiting for the ninth inning, it gives a sense of doom to an opposing team if they trail by the time Zumaya comes in the game. It is similar to the situations in Boston and New York, respectively. Both those teams have dominating closers (Jonathan Papelbon for Boston and Mariano Rivera for the Yankees), and it shortens the game for them, forcing opposing teams to win the game before the ninth inning rolls around.

9. He Is Lights-Out- Besides his 100-plus MPH heater, Zumaya owns a dominating slider. He has proven himself when he has been healthy and deserves a shot at closing. In 2006, the only full season of his career so far, Zumaya went 6-3 with a dominant 1.94 ERA. In addition, Zumaya had 30 holds, and allowed just 56 hits and 42 walks in 83.1 innings, all while striking out 97 hitters. Keep in mind, that was his rookie season and Zumaya was just 21 years old at the time. The Tigers should let him grow into the closers role where he can feel comfortable and return to his 2006 form.

A Great Day For The Yankees

Right before the New York Yankees 1-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox, the Yankees made a move that could really help them in the next two months. They sent 4 minor leaguers, one of them being their third best prospect in outfielder Jose Tabata, to the Pittsburgh Pirates for outfielder Xavier Nady and left-handed reliever Damaso Marte. This is just more bad news for the Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays, the two teams ahead of New York in the American League East standings.

The Yankees plan to use Nady mostly as a left fielder in the Bronx. Nady was having an excellent season in Pittsburgh, the best of his career, as he was hitting .330 with 13 home runs and 57 RBI. Nady also owns a .383 on-base percentage and a .535 slugging percentage. He could end up having a big impact in the bottom of a Yankee lineup that is in need of a right-handed power bat.

Meanwhile, Marte is also enjoying a solid season for the Pirates. Marte is 4-0 with a 3.47 ERA a 1.16 WHIP, 5 saves and 15 holds. Marte has also struck out 47 hitters in 46.2 innings, good for a 9.06 K/9 ratio. Marte will not have the same role that he had in Pittsburgh, as he was a late inning reliever there. In New York, Marte will likely be a lefty specialist used only in certain situations. A potential problem with the acquisition of Marte could be his adjustment to the American League. The hitters are better, and the lineups are much deeper. If Marte can make the transition, he may turn the Yankees into World Series champions.

As for the Pirates, they got Tabata and three pitchers. Tabata, although ranked high in the Yankees farm system, was struggling with Double-A Trenton, hitting only .248 with 3 home runs, 36 RBI, and 10 stolen bases in 79 games. He has a lot potential, but also had a lot of run-ins with coaches in the minors. His potential may end up not being worth the baggage. However, Tabata is just 19-years old and could outgrow his immaturity. Overall, he is a very intriguing prospect, one that makes the deal worthwhile for Pittsburgh.

As for the three pitchers Pittsburgh acquired, 26-year old Ross Ohlendorf was the only one with major league experience. Ohlendorf was 1-1 with a 6.53 ERA last year in 25 games with the Yankees. He has pitched in the Minor Leagues throughout this season.

The other two pitchers Pittsburgh acquired have pitched well in the minors this year. 26-year old southpaw Phil Coke was 9-4 with a 2.60 ERA in 20 games with Trenton. 23-year old righthander George Kontos was 3-9 with a 3.77 ERA in 20 starts for Trenton.

As of now, this trade seems to be in favor of the Yankees. Nady and Marte figure to be big parts in New York's charge towards the playoffs. The three pitchers traded to Pittsburgh do not figure to be anything special and currently, the jury is out on Tabata as he is struggling in Double-A. In five years though, this trade may swing in favor of Pittsburgh if Tabata turns into a solid outfielder and any of the three pitchers become members of the Pirates rotation and/or bullpen. For this year though, it will be interesting to see if Nady and Marte can help bring a World Series back to New York for the first time since 2000.

National League All-Snub Team

After watching Tuesday night's Major League Baseball All-Star Game, these are the National League players that should have been selected to go to Yankee Stadium for the Midsummer Classic:

Catcher: Bengie Molina, San Francisco Giants- The two-time Gold Glove Award winner has continued to do a solid job directing a game behind the plate. Molina also has caught a respectable 33% of runners trying to steal. Molina has not been a slouch when hitting either. He owns a .279 batting average, a .307 on-base percentage, and a .399 slugging percentage. Molina has also hit 6 home runs while driving in 56 runs.

First Base: Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers- After starting off slowly in 2008, Fielder has really found his groove for the surging Brewers. Fielder is currently 13th in the NL with 20 home runs and has also driven in 57 runs while scoring 54 runs. Fielder is also hitting .275 with a .361 OBP and a .501 SLG as he is starting to regain the form that allowed him to hit 50 home runs this year. Had Fielder started his hot streak a few weeks earlier, he likely would have played in the All-Star game.

Second Base: Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds- Phillips is a tremendous all-around player, and if it were not for the tremendous years of Philadelphia's Chase Utley and Florida's Dan Uggla, Phillips would have played in the All-Star game. Defensively, Phillips has made just 4 errors for Cincinnati and at the plate Phillips is hitting .278 with a .321 OBP, a .474 SLG, 16 home runs, 62 RBIs, and 56 runs scored. On the basepaths, Phillips ranks 8th in the NL with 20 steals. The 27-year old is fast becoming a 5-tool player and is one of baseball's best young players.

Third Base: Jorge Cantu, Florida Marlins- After a rough 2007 in which Cantu was sent to the minor leagues and eventually released, Cantu has had a tremendous season and is one of baseball's best stories. Although he has struggled defensively (14 errors), Cantu has been no slouch at the plate. He is hitting .291 with a .338 OBP, and a .493 SLG. Cantu has also racked up 18 home runs, driven in 58 runs, and scored 59 times for Florida. On arguably baseball's biggest surprise team, Cantu has been their biggest surprise.

Shortstop: Jose Reyes, New York Mets- It is extremely surprising to see one of baseball's most exciting players not be selected to the All-Star team. Despite some negative attention this year, Reyes is turning in an excellent season for baseball's hottest team. Reyes is hitting an even .300 with a .364 OBP, a .482 SLG, 71 runs scored (3rd in NL), 23 doubles, 11 triples, 10 home runs, and 43 RBIs. Reyes is vital to the Mets success, and as he has hit a hot streak, the Mets have been almost unbeatable. He is the table-setter and is currently 2nd in the NL with 33 stolen bases. Reyes is a very exciting player to watch, and it was disappointing to not see him selected to the NL All-Star team.

Outfielder: Carlos Lee, Houston Astros- After a slow start, Lee is another player that has turned his season around. Lee ranks 8th in the NL in home runs with 22 and 2nd in the NL in RBI with 78. Lee is also hitting .304 with a .353 OBP, and .550 SLG. Although the Astros have struggled, Lee is not the reason. He should have been an All-Star, as he owns better numbers than All-Star Ryan Ludwick and Nate McClouth. Lee is on pace for the best season of his career, and he should have been rewarded for that.

Pitcher: Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies- Cole Hamels may be the second-best left handed pitcher in the National League. His record may not show that, as he is only 9-6, but Hamels has been a true ace for a Philadelphia team that desperately needs one. Hamels ranks first in the NL in innings pitched with 150.2, 2nd in complete games with 2, 2nd in WHIP with a 1.01 mark, 3rd in strikeouts with 133, and 8th in ERA with a tiny 3.11 mark. Hamels does all this while pitching most of his games at hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park. Hamels deserved to be on the All-Star team more than anyone on this list, but he should get there in the future. He is only 24 years old and he should get better every year, a scary thought for every other team in baseball.

American League All-Snub Team

After watching Tuesday night's Major League Baseball All-Star Game, these are the American League players that should have been selected to go to Yankee Stadium for the Midsummer Classic:

Catcher: AJ Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox- Pierzynski is turning in another solid season for the White Sox and has been one of the main reasons the ChiSox have surprised many by being in first place in the AL Central. Pierzynski has done a fabulous job handling the White Sox pitching staff. The White Sox rank 2nd in the AL in ERA (3.56), 1st in quality starts (57), and 3rd in WHIP (1.27). Pierzynski has also been solid at the plate, as he hitting .287 with a .326 on-base percentage, a .430 slugging percentage, 7 home runs, and 35 RBI.

First Base: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers- The 25 year old Cabrera has turned in a very good season so far, although it has been slightly disappointing for a player of his caliber. Cabrera is still hitting .284 with a .349 OBP, a .489 SLG, 16 home runs, and 57 RBIs. However, Cabrera has played very little defense this year, as evidenced by his 12 errors. Although he is turning in a respectable season, the Tigers probably expected much more from Cabrera.

Second Base: Alexei Ramirez, Chicago White Sox- The 26 year old rookie from Cuba has been very impressive in his 69 games with Chicago. Had it not been for the terrific seasons of Boston Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia and Texas Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler, Ramirez likely would have been an All-Star. He is hitting .312 with a .322 OBP, a .459 SLG, 7 home runs, and 29 RBI. Ramirez has been a key element in the White Sox surprise run to first place and should make a case for AL Rookie of the Year.

Third Base: Mike Lowell, Boston Red Sox- The 2007 World Series MVP was surprisingly left off of this year's All-Star team despite the facts that Lowell plays Gold Glove-worthy defense and that Lowell has better offensive numbers than Chicago's Joe Crede and Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria (both were All-Stars). Despite missing 17 games due to an injury, Lowell is hitting .297 with a .360 OBP, a .507 SLG, 13 home runs, and 57 RBI. Lowell is one of the biggest reasons that the Red Sox enter the All-Star break ahead of Tampa Bay for first place in the AL East.

Shortstop: Jhonny Peralta, Cleveland Indians- Peralta has never been a player that hits for a high average, yet he has posted a decent .261 mark so far this year. Peralta is a power-hitting middle infielder and his numbers have backed that up this year. Peralta has hit 16 home runs and 25 doubles, which help give him his respectable .487 SLG.

Outfield: Jermaine Dye, Chicago White Sox- Dye arguably has had a better season than 2008 All-Star Grady Sizemore of Cleveland. He is 3rd in the AL with 21 home runs and 4th in SLG with .563 mark. Dye has also posted a respectable .361 OBP and has a .306 batting average. He has also driven in 56 runs and scored 56 for a White Sox offense that is 3rd in the AL in runs scored.

Pitcher: Daisuke Matsuzaka, Boston Red Sox- It was very surprising to see Red Sox manager Terry Francona leave Dice-K off the All-Star team. Matsuzaka has been very impressive in his second season in the majors. He has been vital to the Red Sox success this season, as he has posted a 10-1 record to go along with his miniscule 2.65 ERA. Dice-K has also struck out 77 batters in 88.1 innings, while allowing just 5 home runs. Matsuzaka is the most worthy All-Star candidate on the AL All-Snub team, and he is turning in a Cy-Young-Award caliber season.

A Shift In The Balance Of Power

Yesterday, the Oakland Athletics, owners of baseball's third lowest payroll, spent $4.25 million signing bonus on a 16-year old pitcher from the Dominican Republic named Michael Inoa. These are the same A's that only draft college pitchers and are notorious for tight hold on their wallet, as they have either traded or let high-profile players leave as free agents. Barry Zito, Jason Giambi, Mark Mulder, Tim Hudson, and Miguel Tejada are just a few of the players that no longer don Oakland hats because they were too expensive for the A's to keep. However, yesterday's signing may indicate a change in the thinking of the braintrust of the Oakland A's.

The Oakland A's 2008 payroll is roughly $48 million. The A's are giving the equivalent of 9% of their payroll to a 16-year old kid, someone that has an incredibly slim chance of even making it to the Major Leagues. Even if Inoa eventually makes it to the Major Leagues, it likely will not be until 2013 or 2014 at the earliest. If Inoa turns out to be a bust, the A's will end up wasting valuable money for a small-market team that cannot afford to spend like the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox.

The A's aren't the only small-market team that has spent large amount of money on young talent in Latin America. The Cincinnati Reds gave 17 year old Juan Duran a $2 million bonus in March. The San Diego Padres spent $5 million to sign 4 Latin ballplayers. The Reds own a payroll of $74 million, 18th highest in baseball, while San Diego owns the 19th highest payroll in baseball with a $73.6 million mark. However, while the millions of dollars that these small-market teams are handing out may seem high, they are spending much less than they would be if they had drafted the same players in the MLB Draft.

By allowing teams to sign Latin American players instead of sending them to the draft, it gives the small-market teams a chance to obtain the same talent that they normally can't afford by selecting a player in the MLB Draft. A player selected in the draft commands a much larger bonus than the ones handed out to Inoa and other Latin ballplayers. This allows small-market teams to compete with the big-market teams and make a run at the World Series. For the small-market teams to still have hope, they will need to hope that the big-market teams do not open up their wallets to try to acquire Latin talent.

So far, the ability and the success that small-market teams such as Oakland, Cincinnati, and San Diego have had in signing Latin ballplayers have helped level the playing field, as these teams cannot afford to sign big money free agents and draft potentially expensive high school and/or college players. Whether or not the Latin ballplayers signed by these teams turn out to be good Major Leaguers has yet to be determined. However, they give the small-market teams the oppurtunity to compete with the big boys in their quest for a World Series Championship. One day, the playing field may be leveled because of the Latin presence on small-market ballclubs.

Drew Benefits From Papi's Injury

When Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz went down with a wrist injury on June 1, many in Boston were concerned that the Red Sox offense would not be able to score enough runs to compete in the ultra-competative American League East division. However, none other than Red Sox right fielder JD Drew has stepped in to fill Big Papi's large shoes as the Red Sox have not lost a step in their quest to defend their World Series title. Ever since Papi's injury, Drew has hit .337, with an on-base percentage of .462, 12 home runs, and 27 RBIs en route to an American League Player of the Month Award. Overall, Drew has risen his overall numbers to a .301 BA, a .408 OBP (3rd in AL), and a .570 slugging percentage(3rd in AL), along with his 16 home runs, and 51 RBIs. Drew also is now second in the AL in runs with 60. Drew has been a savor to the Red Sox season so far, however, with Ortiz out until at least after the All-Star break, Drew will need to continue his torrid pace to keep the Red Sox in the playoff hunt.

When the Red Sox first signed JD Drew in November 2006, many in Boston questioned his dedication to the game of baseball and wondered if he would be able to fit in and survive in ultra-competative Boston. In his first few months in Boston, Drew only confirmed what his doubters questioned as he struggled to adjust. However, Drew picked himself up in August and September to finish the season hitting a respectable .270 BA, a .373 OBP, a .423 slugging percentage, 11 home runs and 64 RBIs. Drew has picked up right where he left off in 2008, especially with Ortiz's injury, and is hitting better in every single category this season. Drew finally may be accustomed to be playing in Boston.

The Red Sox need and expect a lot from Drew if they want to be playing deep into October this season. If and when Ortiz comes back, Drew will have to slide back into the number 5 spot in the order, but he will need to continue the same production he has turned in throughout the season. For now, with Manny Ramirez in a slump for Boston, Drew will need to continue carrying the Red Sox as they attempt to chase the Tampa Bay Rays from first place in the AL East. If Drew can keep up his current pace, the Red Sox may enjoy another sweet taste of a World Series title in October this season.

Mr. Underrated

Maybe it's because playing on the West Coast doesn't bring him name recognition around the rest of the country. Maybe it's because he plays for the San Diego Padres, a team that has not gotten past the first round of the playoffs in their two trips to the promised land since their World Series run in 1998. Maybe it's because he plays in a incredibly weak lineup in which he is the only player with over 40 RBIs and just one of two with double-digit home runs. Whatever the reason is, Adrian Gonzalez is not known by the average fan even though he may be one of the best hitters in baseball.

In this year's All-Star balloting, Gonzalez is not in the top five vote-getters for NL First Basemen even though he is hitting a respectable .288 and is 4th in the Major Leagues with 21 home runs, despite playing half his games at cavernous Petco Park. Gonzalez is also tied for first in the National League with 68 RBIs, even though he is in arguably the worst lineup in baseball. Gonzalez deals with almost every kind of disadvantage a hitter can have. He plays half of the season in a gigantic ballpark, Petco Park, the hardest park to hit a home run in. The Padres lineup also offers very, very little protection, which in turn makes it much easier for opposing pitchers to pitch around Gonzalez, giving him a very small amount of good pitches to hit. Gonzalez plays in a hitter's worst nightmare and thrives.

Still, Gonzalez gets no love from fans. He has easily outperformed the likes of Derrick Lee (.291, 15 HR, 51 RBI), Prince Fielder (.272, 16 HR, 43 RBI), and Ryan Howard (.215, 20 HR, 68 RBI), all of whom are above Gonzalez in the All-Star voting. If Gonzalez played in the same ballpark as any of the three players above, he would probably be hitting well over .300 with about 25 home runs. Nevertheless, Gonzalez is still putting together a solid 2008 campaign and is on pace to finish with monster season of 41 home runs and 131 RBIs. Maybe once he does that, Adrian Gonzalez will finally be recognized by fans as one of the best hitters in baseball.