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#1
08-01-2008, 03:44 PM
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Handicapping the MLB pennant races after trade deadline
AL East
1. New York Yankees July ended with a report that Exxon Mobil shattered its own record for highest quarterly profit ever by a U.S. company. So the Yankees had company in the rich getting richer. In the last week of July the Yankees added Pudge Rodriguez, Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte all for Kyle Farnsworth and a grab bag of semi-prospects. 2. Boston Red Sox (wild card) The Sox couldn't have endured this much drama if Mary J. Blige was their everyday left-fielder. First, Manny Ramirez slaps Kevin Youkilis in the dugout, then he throws traveling secretary Jack McCormick to the ground, then he calls out ownership, then he begs out of a game against the Yankees. AL Central 1. Chicago White Sox Seems like just yesterday that Ken Griffey Jr. and Jim Thome were both finishing in the top five in home runs in the American League. Oh wait, that was 1997. (Also the last year Griffey played a postseason game.) The White Sox are gambling that the 38-year-old Junior and the 37-year-old Thome have two and maybe three months of thunder left in their bats. Griffey (15), Thome (20), Carlos Quentin (28), Jermaine Dye (25), a recovering Joe Crede (17) and Nick Swisher (15) give the White Sox six guys with 15-plus homers in their lineup. Throw in some surprisingly consistent starting pitching and the White Sox will welcome Griffey back to the postseason for the first time in over a decade. AL West 1. Los Angeles Angels This one-horse race will take on Secretariat at the '73 Belmont absurdity by the time September rolls around. Not only do the Angels have the biggest lead in all of baseball (12.5 games) and the best record (68-40), but by adding Mark Teixeira they are now the indisputable favorite to win it all. NL East 1. New York Mets Last year, Tom Glavine started the Mets' must-win on the last day of the season. He got one out and gave up seven runs against the Marlins. If Johan Santana and Oliver Perez continue pitching the way they did in July — combined 2.03 ERA — the Mets won't have to win on the last day of the season to squeak into the playoffs. At some point having David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado is going to matter, right? NL Central 1. Chicago Cubs In case anyone was deluded into thinking the Brewers were going to pass Chicago after acquiring CC Sabathia, the Cubs just broke off a four-game sweep in Milwaukee capped by Rich Harden's first win in the National League. (In four starts since being acquired from the A's, Harden has allowed only 14 hits and struck out 39 in 24.1 innings.) 2. Milwaukee Brewers (wild card) They won't hang with the Cubs, but with Sabathia and Ben Sheets on the hill and Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder at the dish, none of the other wild card contenders can match the Brew Crew's pair of 1-2 punches. NL West 1. Arizona Diamondbacks I know the seismic shift that signaled the arrival of Manny Ramirez in Los Angeles was supposed to separate the Dodgers from the D-backs once and for all, but Manny will have nine games against Arizona to learn first-hand that the Snakes' starting pitching is what will give them the edge. Brandon Webb (15-4, 3.04) leads the league in wins. Dan Haren (11-5, 2.62) leads in ERA, has a 5.6 K:BB ratio and a 0.96 WHIP. Randy Johnson has not only won his last four starts, he threw seven scoreless innings in his last two. And Doug Davis retired the first 20 batters in his last start. -FOXsports.com 
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