I guess the main reason I haven't written lately is because there hasn't been a compelling sports story that really made me jump up right away.  I guess a good writer is one that can write a good piece even when they aren't all that inspired.  Good thing I don't claim to be a great writer.  So I figured I'd just touch on a bunch of  subjects at once.

- The World Cup was great overall.  I applaud Italy for winning through a tough draw and being the the best team in the end.  The whole Zidane-headbutt incident is a tough one to call for me though.  I don't really condone Zidane's actions but what the Italian player supposedly said was unacceptable.  I just believe that there is a time and a place to deal with that.  Zidane could've and might have cost his team the chance to win the World Cup.  For Zidane two wrongs don't make a right, but I can't say that I blame him all that much.

- For my Astros, it has been more up and down.  I like the acquisition of Aubrey Huff, but I think they're still a bit short.   I just can't see one more second-half comeback.  Then again, I coudn't see them coming each of the last two years.

- I couldn't help but notice that the headline on mlb.com tonight had "Don't Look Now, but Here Come the Braves."  Obviously, they can't think they can come back to win the division because the Mets are the class of both the division and the league.  I still don't think they have enough to come back for the Wild Card, either.  Name me one hitter in that lineup that really scares you other than Andruw Jones.  Chipper just doesn't put fear in me anymore.  LaRoche and McCann are nice, but just aren't the types of hitters that carry teams.  The bullpen is held together with Krazy Glue, led by some guy named Ken Ray.  They just don't have it this year.

- While we're on the topic of the Braves, since when is the name Diaz pronounced Dye-Az?

- I, for one, really enjoyed the All-Star Game even though it didn't have nearly the usual offensive fireworks.  You could tell just by watching that this game meant more to everyone involved, especially the National League, which makes it harder to #### that they (namely Trevor Hoffman) gave it up.

- Keeping with the All-Star theme, I love the Home Run Derby.  I look forward to it every year more than pretty much any event of its type, but this year something was missing.  Maybe it was the lack of a really great round.  Don't give me Wright's first round of Howard's second round.  Wright's round lacked style.  He had substance with 16 homeruns, but can you point to any one homerun that wowed you?  Howard had a few monstrous shots, but only 10.  You have to get closer to 12 or 13 now with 6 or 7 in a row being majestic.  I'm hoping it's not dying much in the way that the Slam Dunk Contest is.  Maybe it's just a down year.  We can only hope.

- While I'm at it, the Slam Dunk Contest is dying.  No matter how many times last year Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, or anyone else tried to exclaim, "THE SLAM DUNK IS BACK!!" I don't believe it.  I think they were just trying to convince not only us but themselves that it was back.  Nothing last year was all that great.  Sure Nate Robinson was kinda neat and a great story, but it just wasn't like it was.  Kobe Bryant, Steve Francis, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter.  Those guys made the slam dunk great.  I know it's not basketball season, but I had to get that off my chest.

- I'm not one of the ones that is following Barbaro's condition on a day to day basis, but I do hope that his doctors are able to get him healthy and let him finish his life like he should.  For those who don't understand the draw to the story, I'll let you in.  We are drawn to him because the only way we view him is by his accolades and attributes within the "field of play" or track in his case.  He doesn't pop off to the media, doesn't trash teammates or demand a trade.  He just goes about his business and was the best at what he did.

I guess that's all I've got to entertain you people for today.  Hopefully some anti-Barbaro will say or do something stupid or we'll see or hear something amazing in the world of sport.

 

I guess the main reason I haven't written lately is because there hasn't been a compelling sports story that really made me jump up right away.  I guess a good writer is one that can write a good piece even when they aren't all that inspired.  Good thing I don't claim to be a great writer.  So I figured I'd just touch on a bunch of  subjects at once.

- The World Cup was great overall.  I applaud Italy for winning through a tough draw and being the the best team in the end.  The whole Zidane-headbutt incident is a tough one to call for me though.  I don't really condone Zidane's actions but what the Italian player supposedly said was unacceptable.  I just believe that there is a time and a place to deal with that.  Zidane could've and might have cost his team the chance to win the World Cup.  For Zidane two wrongs don't make a right, but I can't say that I blame him all that much.

- For my Astros, it has been more up and down.  I like the acquisition of Aubrey Huff, but I think they're still a bit short.   I just can't see one more second-half comeback.  Then again, I coudn't see them coming each of the last two years.

- I couldn't help but notice that the headline on mlb.com tonight had "Don't Look Now, but Here Come the Braves."  Obviously, they can't think they can come back to win the division because the Mets are the class of both the division and the league.  I still don't think they have enough to come back for the Wild Card, either.  Name me one hitter in that lineup that really scares you other than Andruw Jones.  Chipper just doesn't put fear in me anymore.  LaRoche and McCann are nice, but just aren't the types of hitters that carry teams.  The bullpen is held together with Krazy Glue, led by some guy named Ken Ray.  They just don't have it this year.

- While we're on the topic of the Braves, since when is the name Diaz pronounced Dye-Az?

- I, for one, really enjoyed the All-Star Game even though it didn't have nearly the usual offensive fireworks.  You could tell just by watching that this game meant more to everyone involved, especially the National League, which makes it harder to #### that they (namely Trevor Hoffman) gave it up.

- Keeping with the All-Star theme, I love the Home Run Derby.  I look forward to it every year more than pretty much any event of its type, but this year something was missing.  Maybe it was the lack of a really great round.  Don't give me Wright's first round of Howard's second round.  Wright's round lacked style.  He had substance with 16 homeruns, but can you point to any one homerun that wowed you?  Howard had a few monstrous shots, but only 10.  You have to get closer to 12 or 13 now with 6 or 7 in a row being majestic.  I'm hoping it's not dying much in the way that the Slam Dunk Contest is.  Maybe it's just a down year.  We can only hope.

- While I'm at it, the Slam Dunk Contest is dying.  No matter how many times last year Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, or anyone else tried to exclaim, "THE SLAM DUNK IS BACK!!" I don't believe it.  I think they were just trying to convince not only us but themselves that it was back.  Nothing last year was all that great.  Sure Nate Robinson was kinda neat and a great story, but it just wasn't like it was.  Kobe Bryant, Steve Francis, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter.  Those guys made the slam dunk great.  I know it's not basketball season, but I had to get that off my chest.

- I'm not one of the ones that is following Barbaro's condition on a day to day basis, but I do hope that his doctors are able to get him healthy and let him finish his life like he should.  For those who don't understand the draw to the story, I'll let you in.  We are drawn to him because the only way we view him is by his accolades and attributes within the "field of play" or track in his case.  He doesn't pop off to the media, doesn't trash teammates or demand a trade.  He just goes about his business and was the best at what he did.

I guess that's all I've got to entertain you people for today.  Hopefully some anti-Barbaro will say or do something stupid or we'll see or hear something amazing in the world of sport.

 

I'm going to skip all the worthless pleasantries...let's go right to the National League!

3B David Wright, NYM (.322, 19, 70)

I don't think there is any doubt that this man is not only the future of the New York Mets, but the future of Major League Baseball.  Not only is he a premier hitter, but he plays an above-average third base.  Most hitters of his caliber are moved to another position to preserve his body and his bat, but not this guy.  He is too well-rounded.

RF Jason Bay, PIT (.281, 20, 63)

Good to see the home crowd get behind their star.  You could argue that Lance Berkman or Carlos Lee deserved the starting nod, but it's not like we're giving the spot to some over-the-hill, aging star like we see from time to time.  On top of that, it's always nice to see someone from a place like Pittsburgh get the starting job.

SS Jose Reyes, NYM (.300, 8, 41)

Wouldn't you know it, earlier tonight, Jose Reyes was taken out of the game after he got his hand stepped on as he slid into first base (which by the way, doesn't get you there any faster).  So his All-Star eligibility is in question, but we'll carry on as usual.  He was a guy that many wrote off because he was disciplined enough at the plate and had little pop.  Well here we are and he's hitting .300 and has shown pop as he is on pace for about 15 HR and 75 RBI.  And he continues to play a flashy, but yet solid shortstop.

CF Carlos Beltran, NYM (.283, 24, 65)

Those that doubted his abilities after last season and even early this season have been proved wrong.  He has shown that he is among the best pure athletes in the game.  I don't think he will ever be the player he was in the '04 playoffs with Houston.  He was ungodly then.  He will settle in to a nice place between that and what he was last year.

C Paul LoDuca, NYM (.292, 3, 26)

One of those players that was elected by the fans because he has good name recognition and it shows you that the pool of catchers is getting thin.  For once, the usual fan vote of Mike Piazza would have been a better fit, he has been solid with San Diego.  Hey, raise you hand if you remember when LoDuca hit 25 homeruns with the Dodgers! Oh...nobody?.....ok....

2B Chase Utley, PHI (.307, 16, 51)

Another good story o####uy who wasn't a real hot prospect but worked his way up and had to go through a couple cups of tea with the big club before sticking.  He has settled in nicely and looks to be in the mold of a 25 HR, 90 RBI guy year in and year out.  As a bonus, he is a nice, solid second baseman.

LF Alfonso Soriano, WSH (.274, 26, 55)

Those numbers aren't bad for someone who supposedly can't stand to be playing there.  Lately he has gone back on those statements and has said he wants to stay in Washington, but we'll see what tune he is playing when the Yankees come looking for a hitter in the offseason. 

1B Albert Pujols, STL (.315, 28, 73)

What can you say?  He is just the best hitter in the game hands-down.  Unfortunately for opposing pitching, there really is no end in sight because he is still young (alledgedly).  He loves St. Louis and I'd be willing to bet the fans there love him back plenty.

C Brian McCann, ATL (.338, 6, 27)

I'm impressed.  Not one but two NL catchers hitting over .300.  That's a minor miracle.  He has done such a good job of being a key hitter in the lineup and managing a pitching staff at such a young age.  He is much wiser than his years.

1B Lance Berkman, HOU (.316, 24, 76)

I'm biased because I see him play everyday, but I would honestly pick Lance Berkman for MVP of the first half.  He has carried this offense all season-long and he is the ONLY hitter that strikes fear in pitchers.  Not only that, but he has improved his skills at first to where he no longer resembles Elvis in his fat years over there.

1B Nomar Garciaparra, LAD (.359, 10, 49)

He is having a great year, sure, but he just isn't the same Nomar.  I don't get the chance to see him all that often, but he just doesn't seem to be the same hitter.  His number match those in his "prime" but something is different...comment to me if you can put your finger on it.  And don't just give me that injuries have slowed him down and such because that's obvious with his position switch.  It's something else...

1B Ryan Howard, PHI (.286, 28, 71)

I don't know that I've ever seen a more meteoric rise to stardom than the one that was taken by Ryan Howard.  From the minute he stepped on the field, he established himself as a premier slugger.  Very few men could unseat a player with as much history as Jim Thome but there was no doubt that given a choice, Thome didn't stand a chance.

2B Dan Uggla, FLA (.311, 13, 50)

Talk about coming out of nowhere.  Then again, that can be said about that whole team.  They have embraced the nothing to lose mentality and have run with it under Joe Girardi.  No one has benefitted more than Uggla.  I can also honestly say he is my favorite name in the major leagues.

3B Miguel Cabrera, FLA (.342, 14, 60)

His star just continues to rise the longer he is in the league.  It started with his unpredictable rise to stardom in the '03 Marlins World Series and it hasn't stopped from there.  He is just a hitter without any holes, including the intentional walk pitch as we have all learned.

3B Freddy Sanchez, PIT (.365, 5, 48)

A great story all around.  It's great to see a team like Pittsburgh get two guys, especially with the game being in their town.  It also shows that Phil Garner is willing to give a spot to someone who is having a good season under the radar rather than just one of his guys, which is what Ozzie Guillen decided to do.

3B Scott Rolen, STL (.335, 13, 54)

A nice comeback season for Scott Rolen.  His power doesn't appear to be all the way back yet, but he is heating up of late.  Even if he was a .220 hitter you could forgive him because he truly is the second coming of Brooks Robinson at the hot corner.  (I better watch my back for old-school Orioles fans for that statement.)

SS Edgar Renteria, ATL (313, 9, 35)

After an atrocious year defensively in Boston last year, he seems to have gotten re-acquainted with the National League quite well.  Not only has he gotten on the right track at short again, he is hitting line drives to all fields like he did for all those years in St. Louis.

OF Andruw Jones, ATL (.274, 19, 72)

Atlanta steadiest, most reliable hand continues to be there time and again.  He is just doing what he has been for the past few years.  He hits for power, runs well, and fields his position better than anyone in the game.  He is truly a complete player.

OF Matt Holliday, COL (.339, 15, 56)

He really had an impromptu breakout year last year.  He jumped on to the scene with little fan fare, and that's the way he likes it.  Under little scrutiny and pressure in Colorado he really shines without the bright lights always on.  Even when they have been, such as in the World Baseball Classic, Holliday has performed among the best the world has to offer.

OF Carlos Lee, MIL (.284, 25, 70)

El caballo continues to live up to his nickname by muscling balls over fences all over North America left and right.  He leaves something to be desired in the outfield, but when he hits like he does, who's counting?

SP Bronson Arroyo, CIN (9-5, 2.79)

Here is a guy that just never would go away.  He bounced around with a couple teams, being little more than mediocre before seemingly finding his niche in Cincinnati with their ailing starting rotation.  A lot of thanks for their hot start is owed to him.  He really is the anchor to that staff.

SP Chris Carpenter, STL (7-4, 2.88)

I don't think he'll ever been as good as he was last season, but he should settle in to number slightly less impressive than what he put up.  I think he is a solid ace, but he is not going to be Randy Johnson or Roger Clemens by any stretch of the imagination.

SP Tom Glavine, NYM (11-2, 3.43)

Just when you thought his former teammate Greg Maddux was going to be the last 300 game winner we see for a while, Tom Glavine goes out and has a year like this one.  His hot start has all but guaranteed his membership into the 300 win club which all but guarantees his membership into Cooperstown.

SP Roy Oswalt, HOU (6-5, 3.10)

Again, I'm biased, but I can honestly tell you that the number don't come anywhere near doing him justice.  The team does not score for him and it shows.  There are nights where I believe that he is the most unhittable starter in the majors today.

SP Brad Penny, LAD (10-2, 2.92)

After years of being a "thrower" with the Marlins and his early career with the Dodgers, he seems to have figured it out with LA this season.  He is probably the most important player in the Dodgers run to win the wide-open NL West.

SP Jason Schmidt, SF (6-4, 2.69)

He had the endorsement as an All-Star from Barry Bonds and it's easy to see why.  He is far and away the ace of that staff.  He is, in my mind, the only pitcher on the staff with real staying power as a solid major league pitcher.

SP Brandon Webb, ARZ (9-3, 2.72)

Other than Mariano Rivera, he is the most successful pitcher I have ever seen with one dominant pitch.  He has that hard sinker that breaks bats and the hearts of opposing hitters and fans.  He leads the league in divots taken out in front of the plate because of all the choppers hitting there.

SP Carlos Zambrano, CHC (7-3, 3.33)

The man that has turned out to the best of the Zambrano, Mark Prior, Kerry Wood trio, even if that is by default because the other two can't stay healthy long enough to register.  He just throws hard, harder, and hardest at the hitters and dares them to hit it.  Any pitcher that can survive doing that has my respect and admiration.

RP Brian Fuentes, COL (2-1, 2.36, 16 SV)

What he has been able to do in an environment that has typically eaten up closers is nothing short of amazing.  He just continues to get guys out and not be intimidated by the legend that is Coors Field.  Once you get over Coors Field, you've won half the battle.

RP Tom Gordon, PHI (3-3, 2.23, 21 SV)

He's done a great job resurrected a career that looked over once he could not get over the mediocrity hump as a starter.  He turned to the bullpen and has become a great setup man and spot closer being able to throw his nastiest stuff as hard as he can for one inning at a time.

RP Trevor Hoffman, SD (0-1, 1.09, 22 SV)

I have to give it to him.  I thought his career was just about over a few years back when he had all kinds of injury problems and surely the hitters would be able to time his changeup eventually.  Well, I'm not exactly nostradamus apparently.  He just continues to do what is asked of him and that's close games out.

RP Derrick Turnbow, MIL (4-4, 4.78, 23 SV)

This is the one selection that really gets to me.  So much more than the Mark Redman selection.  First off, just look at the numbers, decent, but no where near an All-Star reliever.  It would be different if he was his team's lone rep. but they already have Carlos Lee, who is a legit All-Star already.  If you MUST have a reliever here are some better choices: Billy Wagner, NYM (3-1, 2.27, 17 SV) This would make a 7th Met All-Star but that shouldn't be a deciding factor and they deserve it, they are obviously the class of the league.  Mike Gonzalez, PIT (2-3, 2.60, 13 SV) Not only does he have the numbers, the home crowd would love the team getting three guys in.  Kenny Ray, ATL (1-0, 2.72)  He may not be a recognizable name or a flashy closer, but he has been the guy that has held together the Braves shaky bullpen.  Takashi Saito, LAD (3-2, 2.03)  He has done a good job being a spot closer with Gagne out and what a good way to grow the sport by putting a lesser known Japanese player in the game.  Those are just four examples of better options and to think the five guys in the final vote theoretically were lower on Garner's list of options to be put on the team.

Well, that's it for my player-by-player analysis of the All-Star teams.  I hope you enjoy reading and the game.  Finally, as an Astros fan, here's to the National League breaking the streak.  Keep hope alive!

 

 

I, for one, really get excited about the MLB All-Star Game.  It is the only sport that has such a game that really matters.  Not in the sense that the outcome matters (no matter how hard MLB tries) but it the sense that people really want to watch.  It's in this game that you see one-on-one matchups of the greatest baseball players on earth.  You don't get that in any other sport.  I thought I'd take the time to go over all the selections and give my take on them.  I'll start with the obviously superior league, the American League.

3B Alex Rodriguez, NYY (.292, 19, 65)

Sure he isn't known for his prowess in the clutch, but you can't deny him this spot because he just continues to put up numbers.  He is well on pace for yet another 40 HR, 100 RBI season.  Not only does he put up numbers, but he has a great injury history.  You can count on him to be healthy.

LF Manny Ramirez, BOS (.310, 24, 65)

He leaves much to be desired in an outfielder, but he is about as consistent as a hitter could be.  People have learned to both love and hate his quirks, but I just don't know how much longer "Manny being Manny" is going to cut it as an excuse for strange behavior.

SS Derek Jeter, NYY (.348, 5, 51)

Even with a decline in power (not that the Yankees are lacking) he has been able to continue to be counted on to hit .300.  Beyond his numbers, he gives the Yankees a great leader in the clubhouse, which is sorely needed with a team full of characters and egos like the Yankees.

RF Vladimir Guerrero, LAA (.298, 17, 60)

Gone are the years where he played in relative anonymity, but it is easy to overlook his solid seasons because he had never had anything but in the Major Leagues.  Not only does he give you a run-producer in the lineup, but he continues to have one of the best outfield arms in the big leagues.

C Ivan Rodriguez, DET (.306, 7, 39)

Just when you thought that Pudge had been passed over as even a solid offensive catcher he comes back and hits .300 again.  He no longer can be counted on for 20+ homeruns every season.  His real worth to a team is the way he keeps all baserunners firmly tied to the base they occupy and throwing out the ones who dare test him.  This year's selection is the 13th of his career.

2B Mark Loretta, BOS (.305, 3, 34)

I love it when guys like Loretta make it.  Usually it is a manager's pick for a person who has been solid, yet unspectacular for many years, but this year the fans recognized his worth to the Red Sox.  He has made a career of hitting at or around .300 and playing a solid second base.

CF Ichiro, SEA (.351, 6, 31)

Many wondered how Ichiro would respond to his down year last season.  Well, I'd say hitting .350 is a good way to come back.  You really get the impression that he just toys with pitchers and gets hits when and where he wants.  I've heard scouts say that he could hit 40 homeruns if he wanted to be that type of hitter, that's how good he is.

1B David Ortiz, BOS (.277, 29, 82)

I'm going to go ahead and make the jump and say that Big Papi is the best clutch hitter ever, that's right, I said it.  He just never fails.  And to think that MInnesota just couldn't find room for him on their roster.

C Joe Mauer, MIN (.391, 6, 43)

Wow!  I knew that Joe Mauer was going to be a good hitter, but this is ridiculous.  He has about as legitimate a shot as ever to hit .400.  I'll also be the first to admit that I wasn't aware of this until a few weeks ago when I looked up and he was hitting .390.  Just in incredible year for an equally incredible young man.

C A.J. Pierzynski, CWS (.326, 5, 28)

As abrasive as his personality is, you can't argue with his results.  He continues to be a solid number 6 hitter type with decent power and run-producing ability and he leads a pitching staff build on what was thought to be a bunch of number 2 or 3 starter types to a World Series.  Could be one of the more underrated players in terms of what he does beyond the box score.

1B Paul Konerko, CWS (.315, 21, 67)

Not much to say about Paulie.  He's just is a consummate professional who you tend to take for granted because he's not flashy and doesn't toot his own horn.  You don't realize how big he is to his team until you step back and look at the numbers.

1B Jim Thome, CWS (.293, 29, 75)

I think it's safe to say that his injuries are all healed well and are not a problem for him anymore.  He had a lot of question marks headed into the season, but worked hard and proved once again that he is among the premier power hitters in the game today.

2B Robinson Cano, NYY (.325, 4, 27)

He can be an adventure at second base, but then again, so was Alfonso Soriano.  Just when you thought the Yankees system had run bone dry, the churn out Cano who can be used just about anywhere in the lineup.  He has speed and bat-handling skills but yet he has enough pop to where you would feel comfortable putting him in the middle somewhere.

2B Jose Lopez, SEA (.278, 9, 58)

I love stories like this.  Jose Lopez is a player who was not a premier prospect coming up but specialized in doing a lot of things well even thought he did none of them outstandingly.  And they say playing hard and playing the game the right way doesn't pay off.

3B Troy Glaus, TOR (.246, 22, 57)

I'll be the first to admit that the .246 BA is a bit alarming, but Glaus has been just what the doctor ordered for Toronto.  They needed a masher in the middle of their order who would take big cuts and get big results and he has certaintly done that.  He has been a good compliment out there to Lyle Overbay who is a great line-drive, doubles, on-base guy.

SS Miguel Tejada, BAL (.315, 17, 60)

Tejada may have established himself as the best of the AL shortstop bunch not only for his bat, but for his steady increase in his dependability at shortstop.  He has worked his way into the discussion for the Gold Glove at short every year now.

SS Michael Young, TEX (.316, 6, 55)

Here's a man who does nothing but quietlly get 200 hits every year.  Not only is he all you'd ever want in a star player, he is a great teammate.  He would play anywhere on the field at any time if it was for the best interest of the Texas Rangers.

OF Jermaine Dye, CWS (.322, 21, 58)

We always knew he had the talent, we just needed him to stay healthy long enough to show it off.  Now that he is completely healthy, he is showing us why every team wants him and why the White Sox would point to him as the guy that makes the lineup go.

OF Gary Matthews, Jr., TEX (.331, 8, 43)

Here is a guy who shows that patience pays off.  He waited for quite some time to get his shot at an every day job at this level.  When the Rangers finally gave him that shot, he rewarded them with a steady bat and a premier glove in center field.

OF Alex Rios, TOR (.330, 15, 53)

Alex Rios is a lesson is persitence.  He fell on and off the Blue Jays top prospect radar many times.  Coming into this season he was battling for a starting job and was really on his last legs as the Blue Jays future after a mediocre year getting basically starters playing time last season.  He has proved his worth and here's to hoping he stays on top.

OF Grady Sizemore, CLE (.297, 15, 42)

The Indians are so sure that he is the future for this team that they signed him to a 6-year extension in Spring Training this year after he had only played in a partial season in '05.  He has done what so many others have failed to do in that he is still producing in the year after his big pay day.

OF Vernon Wells, TOR (.312, 21, 64)

Wells is what I'd consider a tweener player.  Before this season, he was overrated as a franchise player, but yet underrated as a 2nd or 3rd best player on the team.  Now that some of the pressure ot always produce is off, he is proving that maybe he can be the face of this franchise.  He is also one of the last of a dying breed of true center fielders.

SP Mark Buerhle, CWS (9-5, 3.86)

He is having yet another solid season as the White Sox "ace" even without being overpowering, unlike most aces.  I agree with his selection, but the thought that Ozzie Guillen might name him the starter for the game might be a little much.  I just don't think he's that good among his peers on this team.

SP Jose Contreras, CWS (9-0, 3.31)

Oh, boy.  Did the Yankees ever miss with him or what?  In their defense, Jose seems to be pitching freer and more relaxed now that his family is in the states and it just so happened that they came over here after he had left New York.  All this guys does is win.

SP Roy Halladay, TOR (11-2, 3.02)

This is my pick to start the game for the AL.  If you project to what his stats would have been last season without missed time due to injury, we could be talking about one of the most dominant runs for a pitcher in a 3-year time period between '04 and '06.  His numbers would rival Pedro Martinez's numbers from the late 90's with Boston.

SP Scott Kazmir, TB (10-5, 3.29)

Can you imagine how much better the Mets would be if they had held on to Kazmir and you added him to that rotation this season?  As it is, Kazmir continues to be the only bright spot on a Tampa Bay pitching staff.  If only Tampa Bay had young pitching to rival their young hitters.

SP Mark Redman, KC (6-4, 5.27)

I realize his numbers are basically terrible, but Guillen was in a tough spot.  This was probably his last pick.  He had to have a Royal and he needed another pitcher.  Who else would you suggest. Elmer Dessens ERA is 3.83 but he's 4-7. Ambiorix Burgos has 14 saves but he's blown 8 and his ERA is up over 6.  I think I would've gone with Jimmy Gobble who is 3-1 with a 3.66 ERA is 30 appearances out of the bullpen and 2 starts, but I guess Ozzie was looking for starter.  And Redman did have a good month of June, and baseball is a game of what have you done for me lately? And, yes, I do realize I spent the most time in this article discussing Mark Redman.

SP Kenny Rogers, DET (11-3, 3.86)

What a difference a year makes.  Last year he almost was not allowed to play in the All-Star due to the cameraman incident in Texas and was booed by the fans in Detroit.  This year he very well could be the starter for the American League, PLAYING for Detroit.  He continues to amaze me.  This man is in his mid-40's but continues to find ways to get hitters out without overpowering stuff like Roger Clemens.

SP Johan Santana, MIN (9-4, 2.76)

If he continues with the trend he always has by having monster second halves, the American League needs to serve notice.  You get the feeling when hitters come to the plate with Santana on the mound, they just KNOW that they have no chance to hit him.

SP Barry Zito, OAK (8-5, 3.28)

Zito has put together a nice little comback year after a couple of seasons of uncertainty.  Just when you begin to question whether or not Zito has what it takes to have sustained success at this level, he has a year like this one and makes you realize anyone with a curveball that nasty can pitch in the big leagues.

RP Bobby Jenks, CWS (2-1, 2.56, 26 SV)

I don't know if there is a more intimidating closer going right now.  Between his triple-digit- fastball, his knee-buckling curve, and his mound antics, he has the hitter beaten before they ever step foot in the batter's box.

RP Jonathan Papelbon, BOS (2-1, 0.42, 25 SV)

He was once thought to be making a quick pit-stop in the bullpen before moving on to become the future of the Red Sox rotation, but he seems to have found a niche here as the closer.  There are still rumblings that the Sox want to see what he can do as a starter, but I don't know if you want to tinker with something that is going so well.

RP Mariano Rivera, NYY (4-4, 1.80, 18 SV)

Even thought it is used by plenty of closers in the Majors, Enter Sandman by Metallica will always signify that the game at Yankee Stadium that night is officially over.  I have never seen a man pitch so dominantly with just one pitch.  That cut fastball he has is the most unhittable pitch I have ever seen.

RP B.J. Ryan, TOR (1-0, 0.86, 23 SV)

Many questioned the money that the Blue Jays spent for a closer that had only closed for one full season and had been little more than a situational lefty before that.  After seeing his first half and his numbers to this point, I would go out on a limb to say that it was money well spent.

The AL seems to be stacked like a team that is built to win.  They have table-setters, power hitters, and power arms.  They seem to be well equipped to continue the streak of beating the National League.  The streak now sits at 9 years undefeated.

 

I don't even pretend to be a Pistons fan or anything, but I couldn't help but be taken aback by the fact that Ben Wallace is ready to sign a long-term deal with the Bulls.  Not only is Ben Wallace an all-star lock in the Eastern Conference, but he is only one of two players to ever be a 4-time winner of the defensive player of the year.  He was just so much more than that for the Pistons.

Ben Wallace was the man that originally gave the Pistons that edge...that little extra attitude that gave you flashbacks to the late 80's and early 90's and the Bad Boys in Detroit.  Sure, Rasheed Wallace added some ####e to the team, but Ben Wallace was the glue there.

I can understand his wanting to move on.  The Pistons are a somewhat aging team and their half-court, grind it out style is becoming somewhat passe.  Let's face it, they aren't going to be contenders any more than a couple more years, tops.  This next season isn't evne a lock considering the way they broke down late this year.  In the words of many a woman trying to get rid of a bad date, their "biological clock" is ticking.

The Bulls, however, are a team that could be a contender for the next 5-7 years.  They have a dynamic scorer in Ben Gordon who can close out games as well as just about anyone in the NBA.  The have a solid court general in Kirk Hinrich who controls the floor for the Bulls like a grizzled veteran.  Then the rest of the team is pieced together with a bunch of solid players found in the draft and out of the bargain barrel.  Guys like Chris Duhon, Luol Deng, Andres Nocioni, Othello Harrington, Jannero Pargo, Michael Sweetney, and Darius Songaila.  Add rookie Tyrus Thomas to the mix in the middle with Tyson Chandler, who is a player much in the mold of Ben Wallace himself.  He is a ####er who isn't relied on for much offense but will guard the middle and pull down every rebound in his reach.

This team is really going places.  I can't blame Ben for going, but his departure from the Motor City leaves the team without its leader (no matter what anyone says about Chauncey Billups) and its attitude.  I'm not a fan of the team, but I feel for their fans.

I've always said that the only reason that soccer has been dubbed "The Country's Fastest Growing Sport" is because they are judging it by the number of new players which is predominantly the 5 year olds that are playing because their parents want them to be involved and they are waiting until they are old enough to play baseball.

I gave soccer an honest shot.  I've tried to watch on those rare occasions ESPN televises an MLS game.  I've even been to and watched a few indoor soccer games when we had the Houston Hotshots in town.  None of it ever worked.  It was always the equivalent of visual Sominex.

The thing that always got me was at any given period of 15 seconds only 2 or 4 players really matter.  The only thing going on is the guy with the ball and the 1 or 2 guys guarding him.  Everyone else is just standing around waiting for the ball to come to them.  The ball is then passed to one of the people standing around which begins the 15 second cycle all over again.  Because of this fact, I have always contended that a soccer coach is the most useless profession on the face of the earth.  For this reason, I don't think that it makes sense for US soccer fans to be asking for the head of Bruce Arena for the disappointing finish to the World Cup.  What could he have possibly done to fix it?  This isn't the NBA where a bad matchup selection or a bad timeout could cost his team the game.  As I digress....

Then it happened.  It started on a rainy day in my city.  It was one of those days where you didn't feel like doing much and the rain reinforced that thought.  I passed an opening round game in the World Cup.  I stopped for a split second, realized I was watching soccer and began to change the channel when I realized that I didn't recognize the three-letter abbreviation for one of the countries playing.  One was ARG-obviously Argentina.  The other however was IVC and the flag next to it was generic, giving me no other hints.  I stopped and then after a couple of minutes deduced from the annoucers talking and my own memories of high school geography class that it was in fact the Ivory Coast.  Cote d' Ivoire.  I thought surely they would get stomped and were just tickled pink to be in the World Cup at all, among the best football playing nations in the world.  I quickly looked at the score and how deep they were in to the game and realized that wasn't really the case at all.  We were nearly 30 minutes into the game and Argentina had only a 1-nil lead over the small African nation.  Sure, that can be insurmountable in some matches, but the announcers couldn't stop praising the way they had played.  I just HAD to keep watching.

I watched every minute of that match from then on and did not move.  I watched these men on both sides sweat, bleed, and yell their way through 90 minutes of hell.  After Argentina's second goal near the end of the 1st half I began to wonder if maybe the talent differentiation had begun to be too much for the upstart team from the Ivory Coast.  They weren't having it.  They kept fighting and when Didier Drogba finally put the ball in the back of the net in the 82nd minute of the match, you would've thought that they had won the World Cup itself.  It is that kind of raw emotion that makes this the most popular sport worldwide.

The Ivory Coast ended up losing the game by that score: 2-1, but this game for the nation runs so much deeper.  Come to find out that the civil war being waged in that nation was for all intensive purposes stopped just so everyone could root them on to victory.  They ended up even winning a game, a 3-2 decision over Serbia and Monte####.  They finsihed the tournament 1-2, but I don't think anyone back over in Africa would be disappointed with the effort put forward by those young gentlemen. 

If this is the way soccer can affect a nation and bring them together, maybe it's time we gave it another shot.

 

Well, I suppose if I'm not used to it by now, I never will be.  The only time the Astros have ever held serve for the whole season was '98 (the Randy Johnson year.)  Every other season they have one of two things happen down the stretch. A.)  They let one team hang around with them just long enough to cause their fans stress and to be bothersome to our celebration.  (The Pirates in '97 and the Cardinals in '01 come to mind first.)  Or B.)  We flounder around the .500 mark all season long before we wake up in August and September and realize that this whole baseball thing isn't so tough after all.  (This was the model for the '04 and '05 seasons and hopefully the model for this season because as I write this my Astros are 39-42.)  Two things amaze me about this team.  First, this is almost the exact same team that went to the World Series last year and people are ready to write them off.  If anything, they are improved over last year's squad.  Oswalt and Pettite are back.  We now have Clemens for the remainder of the season.  The addition of Preston Wilson gives us a run-producer in the outfield and allows us to rotate Chris Burke, Jason Lane, and Willy Taveras in and out of the lineup based on match ups and hot streaks.  Wandy Rodriguez has another year of experience to go along with Taylor Bucholz who has electric stuff.  The whole bullpen is returning along with the addition of another quality lefty in Trever Miller.  Berkman is an upgrade at first over the broken-down Jeff Bagwell.  (It pains me how his situation has played out.)  Biggio has found the fountain of youth, Everett is among the best in the game defensively at shortstop, and Ensberg is the other part of the dual cornerstone of this franchise offensively.  Ausmus is nothing short of a second pitching coach behind the dish, and even Eric Munson is able to give you SOMETHING with the bat from the backup catcher spot, which is something that neither Raul Chavez or Humberto Quintero was able to give you.  The next thing that jumps out at me is that this team is still right in the thick of things both in the Wild Card AND the division because of how watered down the National League seems to be this season.  For goodness sake, the Twins recently went on a streak of winning 13 out of 14 games and they gained all of a 1/2 game on the division-leading Tigers and White Sox.  Anyone who did that in the National League would have distanced themselves by no less than 6 games from the second-place team by now.  This team is in good position to make a run and most of this team has been struggling for the good part of the last month and a half of time.  Brad Lidge, Chad Qualls, and Dan Wheeler have all experience wild inconsistencies out of the 'pen this year while Trever Miller has been, well, Trever Miller.  Oswalt and Clemens have gotten minimal support while Pettite has not been able to avoid the big inning.  Preston Wilson has his average up around .290 now, but he doesn't seem to be hitting for much power these days.  Chris Burke is nice for average and doubles power, but he is not what we are looking for in a no. 3, no. 5, or no.6 hitter (all places he has hit in recent weeks.)  Jason Lane has been hitting his good share of homeruns and getting some RBI, but his average is dangerously close to the Mendoza Line, where he has been all year.  Willy T still swings at everything, Mike Lamb is useless against ANY left-handed pitching, something just isn't right with Morgan Ensberg and hasn't been since he returned from a minor shoulder injury, Biggio still swings at the breaking ball going down and away every time, Everett makes it more apparent by the day that he is just in the bigs for defense, Ausmus has seen his average drop over 50 points in the past month, and nobody pitches to Berkman, but somehow, this team is right in the thick of the race.  With the recent series against the Rangers in the books with the Astros winning two of three is any indication, things might be turning around now.  Sure, this team is flawed.  We need a run-producing bat and some relief help first and foremost.  Getting this done however is tougher than it would seem.  No one can say that Drayton McLane has been a cheap skate in recent years because he has put the money out there necessary to put a winner on the field and has given Tim Purpura (and Gerry Hunsicker before him) every opporunity to make the moves that need to be made.  However, you have to admit that adding another key piece may be out of the monetary question.  We have big money in Pettite, Bagwell, and Berkman.  After that we have good money in Oswalt and Wilson.  That's only five players and we have players like Ausmus, Everett, Lane, Miller, and Ensberg who are making real money as opposed to rookie or pre-free agent contracts.  To add another big bat or power arm would put us near the big spenders of MLB.  Also, the Astros don't exactly have a stacked hand when it comes to trade chips.  Any deal for a premier player would pretty much literally mortgage the future.  The deal would have to start with Troy Patton, Hunter Pence, maybe Taylor Bucholz, Charlton Jimerson, or Josh Anderson, with a solid-pro player thrown in like Dan Wheeler or Chad Qualls.  That's a lot to dump.  I know the future is now for this team and I have always been a proponent for the blockbuster deal, but that is probably too much.  I think the best course of action for this team is to acquire some cheap, solid bullpen help and call up Luke Scott.  He's a young, run-producing hitter who has hit at every level and I think it's time we give him another shot at the big leagues.  He has too many tools at the plate to be ignored at this point.  The team needs work, but I think we are far from abandoning this ship.  One thing is for sure...this team will be a fun one to watch.