While most of the world is focused on Michael Phelps as he attempts to win eight gold medals, I am more interested in seeing how well the US Olympic baseball team will fare in Beijing. Can manager Davey Johnson and a diverse collection of career minor leaguers and top prospects shock the world to take home the Gold?

Well, things did not get off to a great start today. Team USA lost its opening game earlier this morning, falling 8-7 to Korea in a wild game that went back and forth. This was not a good start, as the field of eight will be cut to four after every team plays each other for the first time.

Cuba is the favorite and the opening loss hurts, but Team USA has several young, talented players—Dexter Fowler, Matt LaPorta, Steve Strasburg and Casey Weathers, most notably—and could prove to be a nice surprise.

Fowler is one of the top prospects in the Colorado Rockies’ system, and was enjoying a fine season when he left for China.

LaPorta, who was the highest-profile prospect included in the CC Sabathia deal, has 40-homer potential.

Strasburg, the only amateur on the roster, will take the hill in game two against the Netherlands. The San Diego State phenom is perhaps the favorite to be selected with the number one overall pick in 2009.

Weathers is a potential All-Star closer for Colorado. A first-round pick out of Vanderbilt in the 2007 First-Year Draft—along with college teammate David Price—he has an explosive fastball, which allows hit to dominate when his command is on.

It truly is a shame that this may be the last year for the baseball and softball in the Olympics—though the MLB is trying to prevent that from happening. So, hopefully this group can come out on top.

Here a few more profiles of the aforementioned players and other top prospects on the US team to keep an eye on. These profiles come from an article that I wrote when the US roster was announced back in July.

Brett Anderson: LHP, Oakland Athletics—

Anderson, 20, came over to the Oakland Athletics in the deal that sent Dan Haren to the Arizona Diamondbacks this offseason. The southpaw, one of two Oakland prospects headed to Beijing, threw a scoreless inning in the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium. He has been effective since joining the deep Oakland farm system, going 9-4 with a 4.14 ERA, 80-to-18 K/W ratio and opponents’ batting average of .238 in 13 starts in the California League before getting promoted to Double-A. He is now pitching for Midland in the Texas League, where he is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in four starts.

Anderson, selected by the Diamondbacks in the second round of the 2006 First-Year Draft, has shown strong command over a fastball that sits in the low-90s, in addition to a slow curve ball, his strongest offering, and a changeup. He is the son of Oklahoma State head coach Frank Anderson, who has an excellent track record of developing college pitchers.

Click here for a full scouting report on Anderson, courtesy of Melissa Lockard, who ranked him the third-best prospect in the Athletics’ farm system in her pre-season rankings.

Dexter Fowler: OF, Colorado Rockies—

Fowler broke his wrist last year, ending his campaign 65 games into his season in the California League. The speedy outfielder, who has plenty of tools but needs needs to cut down on his strikeouts, has made a full recovery and is enjoying a fine campaign in the Texas League. He is batting .331/.427/.505, for a .933 OPS for the Rockies’ Double-A affiliate, the Tulsa Drillers. The 22-year-old Atlanta native has even flashed some surprising power—he had combined to hit only 14 homers from ’05 through ’07—by hitting nine balls into the seats. He currently ranks second on the circuit in walks, third in on-base percentage, fifth in batting average, sixth in OPS and ninth in stolen bases.

Fowler, who was elected as Mid-Season All-Star by Baseball America, is a potential star who will benefit from playing in Coors Field when he reaches the show. Like many of his teammates on the US roster, he played in the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium.

Matt Laporta: INF, Cleveland Indians—

LaPorta will forever be linked to CC Sabathia. The former University of Florida star was the key prospect involved in the deal that sent Sabathia to the Milwaukee Brewers for three months, the blockbuster deal of the ’08 trade deadline season. LaPorta has the offensive skill set, though, to reach a point where that tidbit becomes just a site note on his player profile page on the Indians’ website.

The seventh overall pick of the 2007 draft after a standout career for the Gators, some scouts compare him to a right-hander version of Travis Hafner. At the time of the deal, he was among Double-A leaders with a .978 OPS, batting .288/.402/.576 with 20 home runs and 66 RBIs in the Southern League. Moving to Cleveland, he may have the opportunity to switch back to the infield, where is expected to play with Team USA. He has the skills to turn into a plus defensive first baseman. The 24-year-old also has strong enough arm strength—he was once clocked at 88 MPH in the Cape Cod League All-Star game a few summers ago—to remain in the outfield, but will hit enough to remain at first base.

In his first 10 games with the Indians’ Double-A affiliate in Akron, he is batting .237/.250/.342/ in a small sample size. Some scouts project him to hit for 30-plus homers in the majors. Although the Brewers were criticized for selecting him, as a college senior, so early back in the ’07 draft, he has truly emerged into a legitimate hitting prospect. Look for him to make his debut in Cleveland when rosters expand in September.

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Stephen Strasburg: RHP, San Diego State—

Strasburg was the only amateur player selected to the US team. He is coming off a dominant season in which he captivated the nation with a 23-strikeout performance against Utah on April 11. The sophomore right-hander was dominant on the mound all spring for the Aztecs, going 8-3 with a 1.57 ERA, 133-to-16 K/W ratio and opponents’ batting average of .181 in 13 starts. The local San Diego product, who turned 20 this week, is a lock to go in the first round in 2009, thanks to a devastating four-seam fastball that has hit 100 MPH on the radar gun.

Taylor Teagarden: C, Texas Rangers—

Teagarden is an excellent defensive catcher with plus arm strength, which will allow him to stick in the majors even if he does not turn into even a league-average hitter. He was drafted out of the University of Texas in 2005, falling to the third round. He then missed a large chunk ’06 season following Tommy John surgery, which hindered his development offensively. He had solid bounce back year in ’07, finishing the season with a line of .294/.357.529 in 115 plate appearances at Double-A. He was tearing up the California League before his promotion, making the jump after posting a 1.054 OPS with 20 homers in 81 games.

In 2008, Teagarden has spent most of the year at Triple-A Oklahoma, where he has struggled at the plate. He is batting only .235/.349/.404 with six homers. While he needs to cut down on his strikeouts—241 strikeouts in 214 career minor league games—the local product is still one of the premier defensive catchers in the minors. In what he referred to as a “whirlwind of a week,” he went from the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium to playing in the Metrodome, where he made his major league debut. In his brief stint with Texas—which also has rookie catcher Max Ramirez—he went 1-for-6, breaking up Minnesota starter Scott Baker's bid for a no-hitter with his first career home run, before getting shipped back down to Triple-A on Monday. The demotion allowed him to be included on the USA roster.

Casey Weathers: RHP, Colorado Rockies—

Weathers is perhaps the highest-profile prospect making the trip to Beijing. The Rockies selected him with the eighth pick of last June's draft out of Vanderbilt University, which produced two first-round pitchers, including number one overall pick David Price. As a senior and a relief prospect, many predicted him to make a fast track to the majors, but he is still pitching in Double-A Tulsa. In 39 appearances with the Drillers, the 23-year-old converted outfielder is 2-1 with a 2.82 ERA and 45-to-24 K/W ratio.

Blake DeWitt was finally shipped to the minors this afternoon.

DeWitt, who got off to a nice little start and earned Rookie of the Month after a solid May, has provided the Los Angeles Dodgers absolutely nothing at a key offensive position, batting .257/.324/.364 with only five home runs. So, if you are scoring home, that leaves the rookie infielder with a .688 OPS, one of the lowest marks at his position in the majors. It was actually not a poor debut for the former first-round pick, considering that he posted a .306 on-base percentage in Double-A—the highest level that he has reached prior to joining the Dodgers—in 2007.

All the while, Andy LaRoche has been available, even auditioning at multiple positions while rehabbing in the minors before rejoining the Dodgers on June 10. LaRoche, who has battled injuries over the past two years, has been regarded as one of the best third base prospects in the game for some time. He has a great approach at the plate and 20-homer-plus power potential, but the organization has done everything that it can to prevent him from getting a real shot, until DeWitt’s struggles hit a breaking point. Sure, he has not posted great numbers in his brief time at the highest level, hitting .217/.348/.316 with only three homers in 152 career at-bats.

However, that is too small of a sample size to justify overlooking LaRoche, who posted a .987 OPS with 18 homers before getting called up last summer. For some reason, Ned Colletti, who has made some horrendous personnel decisions (Juan Pierre, anyone?) in the recent past, does not see him as a major player in the Dodgers’ future, and short-term, success.

According to the Los Angeles Times, LaRoche is on the trade docket yet again. Perhaps this is in his best interest, because he has the skill set to flourish with another franchise.

Los Angeles added another player to block him, sending two minor leaguers to the Cleveland Indians for Casey Blake on Saturday. Blake, who has been among the most productive hitters with runners in scoring position so far, adds another temporary fix for the Dodgers, who are looking to take the division crown in the wide-open, lowly National League West. The soon-to-be potential free agent cost the club minor leaguers Jonathan Meloan and Carlos Santana. Currently batting .293/.368/.470, he should certainly improve the Dodgers’ offensive attack the rest of the way, with the acquisition prompting a demotion for DeWitt, a fan favorite.

Still, though, why would Colletti, after failing to land a shortstop for injured star Rafael Furcal, add Blake when he has a potential impact corner infielder in LaRoche?

Blake is an average defender, only adding another aging veteran, along with 40-year-old Jeff Kent, to an infield defense that has struggled since losing Furcal. The Dodgers rank 19th in the game in defensive efficiency—the rate at which balls put into play are converted into outs—and the veteran infield is not going to help improve that mark, by any means.

LaRoche will get his chance, potentially turning into a star. It is clear now, though, it will most likely not be in Los Angeles. If he does, indeed, become an impact run producer after being dealt, Colletti will hear about it for years.

Update: LaRoche was optioned to Triple-A on Sunday as well.

The Rays, coming off a seventh consecutive loss on the road on Thursday, have struggled to score runs all season. It is no secret why they are in the American League East mix for the first time ever: an up-and-coming pitching staff and an excellent defense. In fact, the club ranks in the middle of the pack—including 17th in the majors in runs scored—in nearly every offensive statistical category.

Against southpaws, the numbers get even worse. With several struggling left-hander sluggers leading the offensive attack, Tampa Bay is hitting only .246/.326/.400 in 1021 combined at bats against lefties.

This is a legitimate concern for the Rays, who are looking to hold of the Boston Red Sox and surging New York Yankees.

Initially, reports linked Tampa Bay to the pair of Pittsburgh Pirates outfielders likely to be shipped, Jason Bay and Xavier Nady.

The Pirates’ asking price for each outfielder, however, is reportedly way too high, scaring off a number of organizations attempting to upgrade.

Odds are, if a team pursues either Bay or Nady, they will have to pay an inflated price, because each hitter is currently sitting with a plus-.900 OPS.

Nady’s value, in fact, has never been higher, as he has posted an impressive line of .330/.383/.535 and .919 OPS.

Bay has been been productive as well, hitting 22 homers with 57 RBIs and a .921 OPS in a nice bounce back season.

Pittsburgh may end up waiting to receive compensation picks if they do strike a deal, as one executive labeled their asking price “outrageous,” but it may came down as the trade deadline looms.

Tampa Bay general manager Andrew Friedman is great at finding value, buying low and selling high. This makes it unlikely that Bay or Nady will be acquired, as he will never bid on a player when his value is at its ultimate peak.

Instead, Friedman has reportedly shown an interest in Cleveland Indians infielder Casey Blake, who would see the majority of his innings in the outfield if a deal does, in fact, occur.

Blake, 34, adds value as a supplemental player in an offense, at a reasonable price of $6,100,000. He has been one of the few offensive bright spots for the Indians—who have received almost nothing from sluggers Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez, and conceded their season by trading ace CC Sabathia—by putting up a slash stats line of .287/.364/.464 and turning into Babe Ruth with runners in scoring position. In fact, he has been perhaps the most clutch offensive player in the game to this point, hitting .398/.500/.711, for a 1.211 OPS, with ducks on the pond.

Considering the Rays’ recent woes of cashing in on RBI opportunities, this seems like an ideal match. Odds are, though, Blake’s performance with RISP will regress back to his career levels. Still, Tampa Bay has shown an interest, as well as the Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins and New York Mets, according to the Dallas Morning News.

Again, Friedman will strike a deal only if the price is right. With the help of Gerry Hunsicker and the rest of the management group, he has put the Rays in a position to sustain this success well into the next decade. He is too smart to jeopardize this by becoming myopic to appease the media or a growing fan base.

Top pitching prospects Wade Davis, Jeremy Hellickson and, of course, David Price are not going anywhere. If the Rays are active in the next week, prospects along the lines of Jeff Niemann or Fernando Perez are more likely to be included in a package.

Davis and Hellickson have been drawn interest from other organizations, including the Colorado Rockies—who may no longer be sellers in the wide-open NL West. It is unlikely, however, that either prospect will depart.

Tampa Bay is also looking to add another arm to its bullpen, but there are stronger internal options—Price, who is 8-0 in the minors, most notably—in this regard.

The offensive need, on the other hand, is a different story. Justin Ruggiano, Dan Johnson and Chris Richard are putting up big numbers at Triple-A Durham, yet are unlikely to make a significant impact in the majors.

Ruggiano, who has spent some time with the big league club, is perhaps better suited for a fourth outfielder role at the highest level. Johnson is a left-handed hitter who has left a lot to be desired with his offensive performance in the majors, causing some to label him as a AAAA player. Ditto for Richard, who has 18 homers and a .902 OPS for the Bulls.

So, if the Rays remain pat without adding a bat, Jonny Gomes will likely receive the majority of at-bats against left-handers. Rocco Baldelli, on a rehab assignment with the Montgomery Biscuits, could potentially help the Rays out down the stretch as well.

This time last year, Friedman struck gold with his acquisition of Dan Wheeler, who has proved to be a key piece to the Rays’ bullpen puzzle. The deal went unnoticed at the time, for the most part, but has truly provided long-term benefits. It would be ideal for a similar trade to happen—this time involving a bat—but that is asking for a lot.

Rest assured, though, the Rays’ baseball operations department is on the phone nearly all day. Look for the franchise to make a couple of minor moves.

This story was originally posted on Scout.com.

To reach Tyler Hissey, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com.

To find out more on a certain prospect, click on the corresponding scouting reports from Scout.com. Each prospect is listed next to the organization that they play for.

Brett Anderson: LHP, Oakland Athletics—

Anderson, 20, came over to the Oakland Athletics in the deal that sent Dan Haren to the Arizona Diamondbacks this offseason. The southpaw, one of two Oakland prospects headed to Beijing, threw a scoreless inning in the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium. He has been effective since joining the deep Oakland farm system, going 9-4 with a 4.14 ERA, 80-to-18 K/W ratio and opponents’ batting average of .238 in 13 starts in the California League before getting promoted to Double-A. He is now pitching for Midland in the Texas League, where he is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in four starts.

Anderson, selected by the Diamondbacks in the second round of the 2006 First-Year Draft, has shown strong command over a fastball that sits in the low-90s, in addition to a slow curve ball, his strongest offering, and a changeup. He is the son of Oklahoma State head coach Frank Anderson, who has an excellent track record of developing college pitchers.

Click here for a full scouting report on Anderson, courtesy of Melissa Lockard, who ranked him the third-best prospect in the Athletics’ farm system in her pre-season rankings.

Jake Arrieta: RHP, Baltimore Orioles—

Arrieta, 21, was selected in the fifth round of the 2007 draft out of Texas Christian University, where he went 23-7 over his final two seasons and was twice named an All American. As a Scott Boras client, he scared off several organizations with his high asking price, dropping him several rounds. He has produced in the minors for Baltimore, though.

Arrieta, in fact, is enjoying a fine campaign in his first professional campaign, earning an invitation to the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium. In 20 starts for the Frederick Keys in the Carolina League, he is 6-5 with a 2.87 ERA and 120-to-51 K/W ratio. The right-hander, who has earned Carolina League Pitcher of the Week twice already this season, is leading the circuit in innings pitched (113.0) and WHIP (1.16). For his stellar first half, he was elected to the league All-Star team. He has a fastball in the 88-91 range, topping out at 93, which he can paint the corners with.

Arrieta is no stranger to international competition. While in college, he posted a 4-0 record and 0.27 ERA for the Gold-Medal winning national team in the ’06 World Championships in Cuba.

Click here for a Q&A with Arrieta, courtesy of Michael Hollman of InsideTheWarehouse.com.

Brian Barden: INF, St. Louis Cardinals—

Barden was one of two players selected from the St. Louis farm system, though top outfield prospect Colby Rasmus will miss the Olympics due to a knee injury. The 27-year-old shortstop has been a key offensive player for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds, batting .292/.358/.436 with nine home runs and 35 RBIs in 95 games. He was acquired off of waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks, who selected him out of Oregon State in the 2002 draft, last August.

Barden is clearly too old to be considered a “prospect,” and actually made the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day roster out of spring training in 2007. The veteran minor leaguer, who has a career OPS of .804 in seven professional seasons, also has the versatility to play three infield positions. He had an excellent May, earning organizational player of the month after hitting .377 with a .460 on-base percentage in 27 games.

Click here for an old scouting report on Barden.

Matthew Brown: INF, Los Angeles Angels—

The Los Angeles Angels have struggled to score runs at times. Angels’ third base prospect Matthew Brown, though, has done nothing but hit this season, posting a line of .331/.381/.603 with 20 homers, 63 RBIs and a .985 OPS at Triple-A Salt Lake City in the Pacific Coast League. The 25-year-old infielder, who has played nearly every position on the field, is ranked by Scout.com as the seventh-best third base prospect in the minors.

Trevor Cahill: RHP, Oakland Athletics—

Cahill is a polarizing prospect. He has posted strong numbers since the Athletics selected him out of a California high school in the 2006 draft, but does not have an overpowering fastball. In fact, the young right-hander, who gave up an academic scholarship to Dartmouth to sign with Oakland, relies more on his pitching intelligence and excellent command.

Cahill was a force in his first full campaign in ’06, going 11-4 with a 2.73 ERA and 117-to-40 K/W ratio in 105.1 innings pitched in the Midwest League. He picked up where he left off this spring after beginning the season in the California League, where he went 5-4 with a 2.78 ERA, 103-to-31 K/W ratio and .174 opponents’ batting average in 87.1 innings pitched. Cahill, selected a CAL Mid-Season All-Star, was then promoted to the Texas League, where he has flourished alongside Anderson in the Midland starting rotation. The 20-year-old has continued to impress, posting a 5-1 record and 2.25 ERA in his first six starts.

Overall, Cahill, who also was added to the US roster for the Futures game, is 10-5 with a 2.64 ERA and .178 opponents’ batting average in 119.1 innings pitched.

Click here for a scouting report on Cahill, courtesy of Melissa Lockard.

Jeremy Cummings: RHP, Tampa Bay Rays—

Cummings, a career minor leaguer, has one goal left in his professional career—to reach the majors. Cummings, who began the 2008 season in Taiwan, is perhaps inching closer to that dream with every start. After signing with Durham as a minor league free agent in May, he has been one of the most effective starting pitchers in the International League over the past two months, going 7-3 with a 2.95 ERA and 63-to-20 K/W ratio in 76.1 innings pitched.

Cummings has come a long way since the St. Louis Cardinals selected him out of West Virginia University in the 1999 draft, but if he can continues to pitch effectively, his dream of the reaching the majors may just come true after all; if not with Tampa Bay, an organization stacked with pitching prospects, then perhaps another franchise in the future.

Jason Donald: INF, Philadelphia Phillies—

Jason Donald (AP)

After a solid but unspectacular collegiate career at the University of Arizona, Donald has shown some surprising power since the Phillies selected him in the third round of the 2006 draft. He has built off a nice performance in the Florida State League—.300/.386/.491—at the end of last season, proving that he is a legitimate prospect by performing in Double-A. He has perhaps exceeded expectations with Reading in ‘08, posting an .884 OPS with 14 homers and 53 RBIs through his first 84 games in the Eastern League.

It remains to be seen if Donald—who has a rocket arm—is athletic enough to remain at shortstop at the highest level, because his range is below-average. Nonetheless, he is an intriguing prospect who has made marked improvements to his game and may turn into more than just a utility player in the majors if he can continue to produce.

Click here for a scouting report on Donald, courtesy of Chuck Hixson, who named him the 11th-best prospect in the Phillies’ farm system.

Brian Duensing: LHP, Minnesota Twins—

Duensing is command specialist who does not blow scouts away with his stuff. He has effectively gotten hitters out, though, since the Twins selected him out of the University of Nebraska—where he missed two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery—in 2005. Although he has been consistent at nearly every stop along the way, he had his finest campaign in '07, going 15-6 with a 3.07 ERA and 124-to-37 K/W ratio combined between Double-A New Britain and Triple-A Rochester.

Duensing is 5-10 in 22 International League starts in ’08, as opposing hitters are batting .270 against him. The record is still a bit misleading, however. The crafty southpaw has registered a 4.18 ERA—while not spectacular, it would perhaps be good enough to put him among league leaders in wins in the IL if he was afforded Livan Hernandez’s run support—and has posted a high BABIP and a decent K/W ratio.

Duensing has battled through several up and downs already, at 25 years old. So, although he does not have a high ceiling and profiles more of a back-end starter in the majors, it would not be a surprise to see him make his debut in the near future.

Brad Weiss ranked him as the 33rd-best prospect in the Twins’ organization in his pre-season top prospect list this November. Here is an old scouting report on him, courtesy of Weiss.

Dexter Fowler: OF, Colorado Rockies—

Fowler broke his wrist last year, ending his campaign 65 games into his season in the California League. The speedy outfielder, who has plenty of tools but needs needs to cut down on his strikeouts, has made a full recovery and is enjoying a fine campaign in the Texas League. He is batting .331/.427/.505, for a .933 OPS for the Rockies’ Double-A affiliate, the Tulsa Drillers. The 22-year-old Atlanta native has even flashed some surprising power—he had combined to hit only 14 homers from ’05 through ’07—by hitting nine balls into the seats. He currently ranks second on the circuit in walks, third in on-base percentage, fifth in batting average, sixth in OPS and ninth in stolen bases.

Fowler, who was elected as Mid-Season All-Star by Baseball America, is a potential star who will benefit from playing in Coors Field when he reaches the show. Like many of his teammates on the US roster, he played in the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium.

John Gall: OF, Florida Marlins—

Gall is 30 years old, so the prospect label clearly does not apply to him. In fact, he was a College World Series hero at Stanford before the turn of the century. A Triple-A mainstay, he was elected to the Pacific Coast League All-Star team following an excellent first half at Albuquerque. He is currently batting .313/.370/.496 with 12 home runs. The journeyman has been clutch as well, posting a .384 batting average and .987 OPS in 112 at-bats with runners in scoring position. With his prolific production and the opportunity to hit with runners on, it is no surprise that he is among circuit leaders with 74 RBIs.

While Gall is a nice organizational bat, he is most likely not going to have an impact on the Marlins’ march towards the postseason.

Mike Hessman: INF, Detroit Tigers—

Mike Hessman (AP)

Hessman is a big, burly third baseman who is having a monster season for the Toledo Mud Hens. The 30-year-old infielder, in fact, is leading the International League with 30 homers, sitting fourth in the circuit with a .958 OPS as well. He is batting .264/.394/.567, was elected to the league All-Star team and is coming off an ’07 campaign in which he won the league’s Most Valuable Player. Regardless, it is unlikely that he will stick in the majors for good—he has eight career homers in the bigs in a brief cup of coffee with the Atlanta Braves and Tigers— in the future, though he will get a shot if he continues to mash.

Mark Anderson of TigsTown.com decided to give Hessman another look in this article.

Kevin Jepsen: RHP, Los Angeles Angels—

Drafted out of a Nevada high school in the 2002 First-Year draft, Jepsen was one of the most effective closers in the Texas League before earning a recent promotion to Triple-A. The 24-year-old right-hander racked up 11 saves, striking out 35 while posting a 1.42 ERA in 25 appearances. For his performance, he was named to the league’s All-Star team.

With Salt Lake City, Jepsen has limited hitters to a .211 batting average, posting a 2.79 ERA in 12 appearances. However, he did not even crack the top 20 in nearly every Angels’ pre-season prospect list.

Brandon Knight: RHP, New York Mets— Knight is another journeyman, hanging onto the dream at 32 years old. He nearly retired at the end of 2006, has spent three seasons in Japan and was drafted (’95) long before steroids were on the radar as a major issue in baseball. Through it all, though, he has remained effective at the minor league level, currently sitting with a 5-1 record and 1.60 ERA in 39.1 innings since he signed with Triple-A New Orleans on May 21. Still, his claim to fame is perhaps being included in a trade for former major leaguer Chad Curtis, making it unlikely that he will ever latch onto to a consistent role in the majors. However, a Gold Medal in the Olympics will make all of the struggles worth it, he says.

Knight can fill any role, writes Gillian Rich.

Mike Koplove: RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers—

Koplove is a reliever for the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas 51s. The 31-year-old has posted a 3.26 ERA and 40-to-16 K/W ratio in 37 appearances so far, using his unique arm angle to fool keep hitters off balance. He had a few effective stints in a six-year tenure with the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2001-’06, going 6-1 with a 3.36 ERA in 55 games as one of the strongest setup-men in the game back in his career-best campaign back in ’02. He spent most of last year at Triple-A Buffalo in the Cleveland organization, before signing with Los Angeles in December.

Matt Laporta: INF, Cleveland Indians— LaPorta will forever be linked to CC Sabathia. The former University of Florida star was the key prospect involved in the deal that sent Sabathia to the Milwaukee Brewers for three months, the blockbuster deal of the ’08 trade deadline season. LaPorta has the offensive skill set, though, to reach a point where that tidbit becomes just a site note on his player profile page on the Indians’ website.

The seventh overall pick of the 2007 draft after a standout career for the Gators, some scouts compare him to a right-hander version of Travis Hafner. At the time of the deal, he was among Double-A leaders with a .978 OPS, batting .288/.402/.576 with 20 home runs and 66 RBIs in the Southern League. Moving to Cleveland, he may have the opportunity to switch back to the infield, where is expected to play with Team USA. He has the skills to turn into a plus defensive first baseman. The 24-year-old also has strong enough arm strength—he was once clocked at 88 MPH in the Cape Cod League All-Star game a few summers ago—to remain in the outfield, but will hit enough to remain at first base.

In his first 10 games with the Indians’ Double-A affiliate in Akron, he is batting .237/.250/.342/ in a small sample size. Some scouts project him to hit for 30-plus homers in the majors. Although the Brewers were criticized for selecting him, as a college senior, so early back in the ’07 draft, he has truly emerged into a legitimate hitting prospect. Look for him to make his debut in Cleveland when rosters expand in September.

Click here for a scouting report on LaPorta and the rest of the prospects included in the Sabathia deal, courtesy of Chuck Murr.

Lou Marson: C, Philadelphia Phillies—

Marson, one of two catchers on the USA roster, is one of the premier young backstops in the minors. His name has surfaced in trade rumors, but do not expect Philadelphia to move him.

Marson, 22, has been a key cog in the Reading Phillies’ lineup, batting .322/.438./.431 with five home runs and 46 RBIs in 89 games. He is a solid defensive catcher with an above-average arm as well, making it likely that he will turn into a capable major league catcher by century’s end.

Click here for a scouting report on Marson, courtesy of Chuck Hixson.

Blaine Neal: RHP, Detroit Tigers—

Neal is the closer for the Toledo MudHens, for whom he has picked up 24 saves for while posting a 1.31 ERA in 34.1 innings pitched this season. The 30-year-old journeyman has posted a 5.08 ERA in 113 career appearances in the majors.

Neal and a teammate will be heading to Beijing, writes Paul Wenzer.

Jayson Nix: INF, Colorado Rockies— Nix batted .125 in a brief stint with the Rockies earlier this season. The former sandwich pick has spent the majority of the year at Colorado Springs, though, where he has posted a line of .300/.371/.583 with 15 homers and 46 RBIs. He was a key producer for Team USA at the World Baseball Cup in November, helping the US end their 33-year championship drought at the event. The 24-year-old second baseman was awarded with the Richard W. “####” Case Award given to the USA Baseball Athlete of the Year.

Nate Schierholtz: OF, San Francisco Giants—

Schierholtz is enjoying a nice season in the Pacific Coast League, where he has posted a line of .309/.355/.552 with 13 home runs and 62 RBIs. The former second-round pick also is among league leaders with a .908 OPS. Schierholtz took the roster spot belonging to Rasmus, who is expected to be out for at least a month with a knee injury. He batted .304/.316/.402 in 39 games in two stints in the majors in 2007. While he has flashed excellent power, he needs to cut down on his strikeouts and improve his plate discipline.

Click here for a scouting report on the San Francisco prospect.

Jeff Stevens: RHP, Cleveland Indians— Stevens went 5-1 with 2.51 ERA with one save in 17 appearances with Double-A Akron before earning a promotion Triple-A. In 25.0 innings in the International League, he is 0-2 with a 4.32 ERA, 36-to-13 K/W ratio and .182 opponents’ batting average. The 24-year-old was originally drafted by the Cincinnati Reds, who sent him to Cleveland as the player-to-be-named later in the Brandon Phillips trade. The organization thinks that he can make an impact in the bullpen at the major league level, making it likely that he will make his debut in the majors sometime in the near future.

Stephen Strasburg: RHP, San Diego State—

Strasburg was the only amateur player selected to the US team. He is coming off a dominant season in which he captivated the nation with a 23-strikeout performance against Utah on April 11. The sophomore right-hander was dominant on the mound all spring for the Aztecs, going 8-3 with a 1.57 ERA, 133-to-16 K/W ratio and opponents’ batting average of .181 in 13 starts. The local San Diego product, who turned 20 this week, is a lock to go in the first round in 2009, thanks to a devastating four-seam fastball that has hit 100 MPH on the radar gun.

Taylor Teagarden: C, Texas Rangers— Teagarden is an excellent defensive catcher with plus arm strength, which will allow him to stick in the majors even if he does not turn into even a league-average hitter. He was drafted out of the University of Texas in 2005, falling to the third round. He then missed a large chunk ’06 season following Tommy John surgery, which hindered his development offensively. He had solid bounce back year in ’07, finishing the season with a line of .294/.357.529 in 115 plate appearances at Double-A. He was tearing up the California League before his promotion, making the jump after posting a 1.054 OPS with 20 homers in 81 games.

In 2008, Teagarden has spent most of the year at Triple-A Oklahoma, where he has struggled at the plate. He is batting only .235/.349/.404 with six homers. While he needs to cut down on his strikeouts—241 strikeouts in 214 career minor league games—the local product is still one of the premier defensive catchers in the minors. In what he referred to as a “whirlwind of a week,” he went from the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium to playing in the Metrodome, where he made his major league debut. In his brief stint with Texas—which also has rookie catcher Max Ramirez—he went 1-for-6, breaking up Minnesota starter Scott Baker's bid for a no-hitter with his first career home run, before getting shipped back down to Triple-A on Monday. The demotion allowed him to be included on the USA roster.

Click here for a report on all of the catching prospects in the Texas organization, including Teagarden.

Terry Tiffee: INF, Los Angeles Dodgers— Tiffee made his major league debut four years ago with the Minnesota Twins. He has bounced around the minors since then, as he has does not hit for any power and has struggled to get on base consistently enough in the past. The 29-year-old has been a force for Las Vegas this year, though, hitting a league-leading .378 with a .415 OBP and .567 slugging percentage. For his performance, he earned an invitation to represent the Pacific Coast League at the Triple-A All-Star Game in Louisville last week. With Blake DeWitt blocking Andy LaRoche until recently—despite DeWitt’s .688 OPS—Tiffee will most likely not make an impact at the majors in the Dodgers’ organization.

Casey Weathers: RHP, Colorado Rockies— Weathers is perhaps the highest-profile prospect making the trip to Beijing. The Rockies selected him with the eighth pick of last June's draft out of Vanderbilt University, which produced two first-round pitchers, including number one overall pick David Price. As a senior and a relief prospect, many predicted him to make a fast track to the majors, but he is still pitching in Double-A Tulsa. In 39 appearances with the Drillers, the 23-year-old converted outfielder is 2-1 with a 2.82 ERA and 45-to-24 K/W ratio.

Weathers consistently sits in the 95-97 range with his fastball, even reaching triple digits on occasion. If he can continue to miss bats and improve his command, look for him in the next few years to turn into a high-impact closer for the Rockies, who are currently dangling soon-to-be free agent Brian Fuentes on the trade market.

To contact Tyler Hissey, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com.

C.C. Sabathia

C.C. Sabathia will face the Colorado Rockies tonight in his first start for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Milwaukee officially added the larger-than-life left-hander to its starting rotation on Thursday, sending three prospects—slugging minor league outfielder Matt LaPorta highlights the group—to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Sabathia. Thus, it is evident that the Brewers are making a run at this thing right now.

In the weaker league, anything is possible, and Milwaukee strongly increased its chances of reaching the postseason by adding a front-line starter to join Ben Sheets at the top of its pitching staff. Headed into Sabathia’s debut, the Brewers are 49-40, four games back in the NL Central. Their +10 run differential, however, indicates that they have been lucky at times so far this year, causing me to label the club as a pretender in a recent second-half prediction article.

While many are skeptical of the impact that a single pitcher can have on a team, there is no question that the addition of Sabathia, entering the inferior league, dramatically improves the Brewers’ postseason chances.

The Chicago Cubs—the club responded to the Sabathia trade by acquiring Rich Harden, the oft-injured Oakland Athletics starter—are still the favorite in the division. With the best record and run differential (+112) in the league, the Cubs’ playoff chances remain strong.

The St. Louis Cardinals are in the mix as well. St. Louis is 50-40, despite a +10 run differential and the absence of ace Chris Carpenter and a recent injury to slugger Albert Pujols, who is enjoying another MVP-caliber season. Dave Duncan, it seems, has done it again, turning pitchers such as Kyle Loshe and Todd Wellemeyer into effective options in the Cardinals’ starting rotation. Ryan Ludwick has been a nice surprise as well, earning an invitation to the All-Star game next week after a monster first two months. Ludwick has posted a .944 OPS, batting .290/.367/.577 with 17 home runs and 58 RBIs entering Tuesday night. He has struggled recently, however, and his high batting average on balls in play points toward regression for him in the second half.

While St. Louis still has a strong chance—as every team in the West currently boasts a sub-.500 record—to take home the Wild Card, its odds of reaching the playoffs for the first time since the Cards surprised us all to win the 2006 World Series undoubtedly took a hit with the Brewers’ acquisition of Sabathia.

Also boding well for Milwaukee and St. Louis, the Florida Marlins and New York Mets appear to be pretenders. This means that is more than likely that the Wild Card ticket will be punched from the Midwest.

Sheets has been a true ace for the Brewers to this point, going 10-2 with a 2.77 ERA, 97-to-26 K/W ratio, 1.11 WHIP and an opponents’ line of .235/.275/.388. However, the risk of injury has always been an issue with Sheets, who, like Sabathia, will bolt for free agency once the season ends.

However, with Manny Parra, Jeff Suppan—recently sent to the disabled list—Dave Bush and Seth McClung—the former Tampa Bay Rays starter who has struggled in a relief role—the Brewers have some decent arms at the back of the pitching staff as well. Parra has limited hitters to a .743 OPS, going 7-2 in 18 starts. While his 3.65 ERA is a bit misleading, he is a solid piece to the Brewers’ rotation, and will need to pitch effectively down the stretch. McClung is unlikely to remain effective, and could be moved back into the bullpen when Suppan returns.

Therefore, the Brewers’ staff will now ride the back of Sabathia, who immediately becomes one of the strongest starting pitchers on the Senior Circuit—perhaps outside of Johan Santana. If he can remain healthy enough to make around 16 starts, he could really make a save the Brewers from giving up a lot of runs, as he will now have the luxury of facing the pitcher every nine hitters.

Along with Fausto Carmona, Sabathia pushed Cleveland into the postseason in 2007, going 19-7 with a 3.21 ERA and 65.2 VORP to edge out Josh Beckett and his teammate for the American League Cy Young Award.

After a poor April, Sabathia has returned to his dominant self recently, lowering his ERA to 3.83. His 6-8 record is misleading, too, as he has posted a stellar 123-to-34 K/W ratio in 122.1 innings for the Indians, who have now thrown in the towel for this season.

Sabathia is only one pitcher, though, and it is easy for some skeptics to point towards Santana, who has been the Mets’ strongest pitcher but has not dominated the National League in the fashion in which many expected he would. Sabathia and Sheets will not be with the Brewers next year, so the summer is crucial for Milwaukee, which has not reached the postseason since the Paul Molitor and Robin Yount era. While the playoffs are certainly not a sure thing, Milwaukee has officially improved upon its pretender status with the addition of Sabathia, who will now get to swing the bat as well. Considering he nearly hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium a few weeks ago, perhaps he will give Micah Owings a run for his money as the best slugging pitcher in the game.

The Brewers also have a strong core of offensive stars—led by Prince Fielder and last year’s Rookie of the Year, Ryan Braun—and will not struggle to score runs. Not to mention, Milwaukee is catching the ball better than ever before, as they has improved defensively as a team as well. Moving Braun, a butcher at third base, to the outfield has helped alot, especially in the infield. Milwaukee, in fact, now ranks 11th out of 30 teams in defensive efficiency—the rate at which balls put into play are converted into outs.

Indians' Side:

The centerpiece for Cleveland is Laporta, the seventh overall pick of the 2007 draft out of the University of Florida. Some scouts compare him to a right-hander version of Travis Hafner—one of the reason’s for the Indians’ inability to score runs—in his prime. At the time of the deal, he was among Double-A leaders with a .978 OPS, batting .288/.402/.576 with 20 home runs and 66 RBIs in the Southern League. Moving to Cleveland, he will get to switch back to the infield, and he has the skills to turn into a plus defensive first baseman. He has strong enough arm strength—he was once clocked at 88 MPH in the Cape Cod League All-Star game a few summers ago—to remain in the outfield, but will hit enough to remain at first base. Look for him in the Futures Game next week at Yankee Stadium, as he is one of the strongest bats on the USA squad’s roster.

Even with surprise dominance of Cliff Lee— my mid-season pick as the Cy Young in the American League—the Indians have struggled to score runs, posting a -6 run differential as of Tuesday afternoon. At the time of the trade, the Indians had posted a 37-41 record, 14 games back in the Central. Slugging catcher Victor Martinez, yet to hit a home run, has been hurt, an unhealthy Hafner, with a .677 OPS, appears to be on the decline and Grady Sizemore is the only regular with an OPS above .900. Sizemore, though, has been one of the premier outfielders yet again so far, hitting .269/.372/.541 with 22 home runs from the leadoff spot—do not get me started on this, he should be batting third—while playing his usual excellent defense in center field.

To reach Tyler Hissey, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com.

From Chipper Jones to Dan Uggla, Milton Bradley to J.D. Drew, several offensive players deserve some serious consideration for their outstanding offensive production in the season's first 81 games, making the midway MVP selection in each league a difficult decision.

Several pitchers—such as John Danks, Justin Duchscherer, Jair Jurrjens and Tim Lincecum—were excellent in the first-half as well.

None of the aforementioned players, however, cracked the list.

So, without any more delay, here are my picks for the Mid-Season Awards.

American League

MVP: Josh Hamilton, OF Texas Rangers—Hamilton's teammate, Milton Bradley, has a higher batting average, OBP, slugging percentage and OPS, but the former number one overall pick has been more valuable to his team. First of all, he adds value with his defense in the outfield, unlike Bradley, who is the Rangers' full-time designated hitter. Second, the sweet-swinging slugger has been able to remain on the field, which has been difficult for him ever since the then-Tampa Bay Devil Rays selected him with the first overall pick, ahead of Josh Beckett, in the 1999 First-Year Draft. Hamilton, in fact, has played in 80 games, only 10 fewer than his season total in 2007, when he hit 19 home runs as a rookie for the Cincinnati Reds.

Plus, while Bradley only nearly has as many homers as his fellow slugger in nearly 100 fewer at-bats, Hamilton was one of the most productive hitters in the majors through in the first half in his own right. He posted a line of .312/.362/.565, for the sixth-highest OPS in the league. Not to mention, the 27-year-old is currently tied with Grady Sizemore for the circuit lead with 19 homers and is the majors’ leader in RBIs. In fact, with 79 RBIs, he is on pace to drive in 157 runs this season. With Ian Kinsler and Michael Young batting in front of him, he will get plenty of RBI chances in the second half, making it likely that he will get close to that lofty total.

With his tremendous arm and athleticism, Hamilton has been invaluable to the Rangers, who, despite a relatively thin starting rotation, remain in contention in the West. Texas is a pretender for 2008. In the near future, though—with Hamilton and several up-and-coming prospects—the club has a strong chance to make its first appearance in the postseason since the Juan Gonzalez era in Arlington.

Honorable Mention: Milton Bradley, Texas Rangers; J.D Drew, Boston Red Sox; Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees

Cliff Lee (Associated Press)

Cy Young Award: Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians—Scott Kazmir is ineligible because he missed all of April, though the Tampa Bay left-hander was the best pitcher in the league from May on. Kazmir, who posted the lowest opponents' OPS (.577) and a ridiculous ERA+ of 178 in the first half, has won seven of his 11 starts, guiding the Rays to the majors’ best record at the season's halfway mark.

Lee, though, has come a long way in the past year, going from the minors to perhaps starting the last-ever All-Star game at Yankee Stadium in less than 10 months. While the Indians' anemic offense has prevented the club from making a first-half push in the wide-open AL Central division, Lee and the rest of his rotation mates have done their part to keep the team afloat. It is hard to argue with his numbers so far: he is 11-1 in 15 starts, posting a 2.34 ERA, 177 ERA+ and .597 opponents’ OPS in 103.7 innings pitched. Many writers were skeptical of Lee's torrid start in April, but he has silenced the critics, limiting opposing hitters to a line of .237/.267/.330 while compiling a 90-to-16 K/W ratio. His surprise pre-midpoint performance has been of the season’s best stories..

Honorable Mention: John Danks, Chicago White Sox; Justin Duchscherer, Oakland Athletics; Scott Kazmir, Tampa Bay Rays Shaun Marcum, Toronto Blue Jays

Rookie of the Year: Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays—Since his call up from Triple-A Durham on April 12, Longoria has been invaluable to the best-in-baseball Rays, batting .270/.342/.529 with 15 homers and 47 RBIs. A Gold Glove candidate and a regular on the highlight-reel, he has also upgraded the team's infield defense by playing an excellent third base.

With his production at the plate, he is showing why he was dubbed the top prospect in the minors in numerous offseason publications, as he is leading American League rookies in nearly every offensive statistical category—extra-base hits (37), homers, slugging percentage and OPS (.871). His call-up has coincided with the Rays’ turnaround from a poor start. In fact, since the former first-round pick joined the club two weeks into the season, Tampa Bay is 44-27. This is not a coincidence, folks. Longoria, leading his team in homers and RBIs, has been one of the most productive hitters in a lineup that has struggled to score runs at times.

Outfielder David Murphy has gotten some publicity, as he is top among major league rookies with 52 RBIs. He has had numerous opportunities to drive in runs down in Texas, however, and needs to improve upon his .306 on-base percentage. Boston center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, an excellent defender, has swiped 34 bases in 38 attempts while hitting .272/.349/.389. He is leading AL newcomers with 54 runs scored, but the ’07 World Series hero has not been as productive as Longoria.

Honorable Mention: Joba Chamberlain, New York Yankees; Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox; Greg Smith, Oakland Athletics

National League

MVP: Lance Berkman, Houston Astros—This was easily the most difficult award to pick. Chipper Jones is flirting with .400. A pair of second baseman in the NL East, Chase Ultey and Dan Uggla, have combined to hit 46 homers already. Utley is also playing stellar defense at the keystone for a first-place team. And then there is St. Louis stud Albert Pujols, who has 17 homers and a stellar 1.123 OPS.

Nonetheless, Berkman is the Mid-Season Most Valuable Player on the Senior Circuit, in my eyes.

The Houston Astros are 10 games back in the NL central, perennially one of the weakest divisions in the weak National League. Thus, my selection may come as a surprise. Many people associate this award with winning. As a result, therefore, many writers fail to recognize the actual best performer—see Rollins, Jimmy, 2007. Berkman, however, had the strongest first half, as he put together one of the best 81-game performances baseball has seen in some time. The Houston first baseman, in fact, was an absolute monster during that stretch, batting .364/.444/.690 in 313 at-bats. He has also posted the majors’ highest OPS (1.135), OPS+ (198) and slugging percentage, is second in the NL in batting average and RBIs and third in homers (23). If it was not for Jones, who is leading baseball with a .394 batting average, Berkman would have a legitimate shot at the circuit’s Triple Crown, more so than Josh Hamilton in the other league.

Honorable Mention: Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves; Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals; Chase Ultey, Philadelphia Phillies

Edison Volquez (Associated Press)

Cy Young Award: Edinson Volquez, Cincinnati Reds—Volquez, who came to the Reds in the Josh Hamilton deal, had a breakout first half, going 10-3 with the best ERA (2.08 ERA) and ERA+ (214) in the National League at the midpoint. In 16 starts, the 24-year-old right-hander has posted a stellar 113-to-43 K/W ratio (those Ks ranks second in the league) while limiting opposing hitters to a line of .202/.308/.281 and only four homers. With such a strong nucleus of young stars—Jay Bruce, Jonny Cueto, Volquez and Joey Votto—the Reds should be a force in the Central for years to come.

Tim Lincecum was stellar in the first half as well, going 9-1 with 2.38 ERA, league-best 114 Ks and a 1.24 WHIP. The San Francisco Giants received a good amount of grief for selecting the right-hander so early in the 2006 draft, because of the then-University of Washington star's unorthodox mechanics. But Lincecum, who broke the Pac-10 record for strikeouts during a standout collegiate career, has silenced the critics with his tremendous performance over the past two seasons, emerging as one of the premier young starting pitchers in the National League. In 40 career starts, he is 16-6 with 264 punchouts and a 3.30 ERA.

Honorable Mention: Dan Haren, Arizona Diamondbacks; Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants; Ben Sheets, Milwaukee Brewers; Brandon Webb, Arizona Diamondbacks

Rookie of the Year: Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs—Odds are pretty high that this award will end up in Chicago at the end of the season, with Cub rookies Kousuke Fukudome and Soto the leading candidates in the race right now. Soto was better than his teammate in the first half, though, establishing himself as one of the majors’ most promising young catchers. The Pacific Coast League MVP in '07, his success from his September call-up in ’07 carried over in the spring. A late bloomer at 25, he finished the first half with a line of .281/.367/.513 for the first-place Cubbies. His .880 OPS is the highest rookie total in the majors, and he is second among the group, behind Longoria, with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs.

Fukudome has been a tremendous addition for Chicago, posting a .405 on-base percentage in the season’s first 81 games while playing above-average defense in right field. A versatile player with tremendous athleticism, he is leading rookie-eligible players with 55 runs scored and ranks second with 83 hits. Just like Akinori Iwamura, however, his power has not translated to the American game as expected, with deeper ballparks and advanced pitching. Plus, at 31, he is hardly a true rookie. He had an excellent first half, but, as a decent defensive catcher with above-average arm strength, Soto is more deserving of the award at this juncture.

Atlanta Braves rookie starting pitcher Jair Jurrjens is enjoying an excellent season as well. Jurrjens, who was acquired by Atlanta in the deal that sent Edgar Renteria to Detroit, offered a huge boost to the Braves’ rotation in the first half, going 8-3 with a 2.94 ERA in 16 starts. If he can continue to be effective the remainder of the summer, he will pose the biggest threat to the Cubs’ chances of producing a Rookie of the Year for the first time since Kerry Wood earned the award back in 1998.

Honorable Mention: Kosuke Fukudome, Chicago Cubs; Jair Jurrjens, Atlanta Braves

Major League Front Office of the Year: Tampa Bay Rays—While managers are important—Joe Maddon is a good match for the Tampa Bay clubhouse and has done a fine job guiding his team—personnel decisions make more of a direct impact in the standings and are far more important than any manager's “leader of men” qualities or abilities as an in-game strategist. With that being said, Andrew Friedman, Gerry Hunsicker, Matt Silverman and crew have done a tremendous job putting together a winning product on the field down in St. Petersburg, finding the right mix of young talent and quality veterans, such as closer Troy Percival.

No, I do not buy the “any team could be good if they got to pick early in the first-round for 11 straight years” mindset. First of all, look at the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have had the same luxury of picking early in the draft but are still miles away from relevance in the inferior league. Plus, in the Rays’ 2008 starting lineup, Longoria and B.J. Upton are the only former first-round picks selected by Tampa Bay. Granted, the trade of Delmon Young, the first pick of the 2003 draft, brought the club’s number three starter, Matt Garza, and starting shortstop, Jason Bartlett, to St. Petersburg. If anything, though, Friedman deserves credit for pulling the trigger on that risky deal, which has helped shore up Tampa Bay's infield defense and starting rotation.

Honorable Mention: Boston Red Sox

To contact Tyler Hissey, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com.