To start off this article, I would just like to say a few things to the Florida Marlins. Thanks a lot for making me look bad guys. I try and give you so props and you go and lose six straight. Real mature guys.
Who's Hot
Boston Red Sox
The Sox are really playing great baseball right now. They swept their series against the Yankees this weekend and have won 10 in a row heading into an early week series with the Indians. Jacoby Ellsbury had arguably the play of the week in baseball with his stealing of home in last nights game and they are scoring a ton of runs, averaging nine over their last six games. Obviously it was huge for them to beat the Yankees because any game won within the AL East this year is going to be huge with Boston, New York and Tampa expected to contend (and the Blue Jays looking good early)
HONORABLE MENTION: Toronto Blue Jays (14-6); St. Louis Cardinals (13-6); LA Dodgers (13-6)
Kevin Youkilis
Yooooook has been smoking hot over the Red Sox winning streak hitting safely 13 times in eight of the ten games. His season average sits at a solid .439 and he has also racked up 5 bombs and 13 RBI's. His walkoff jack in the 11th during the first game of the series with the Yankees was huge and he is driving this team right now by hitting and scoring runs.
HONORABLE MENTION: Albert Pujols .343, 7 HR, 25 RBI; Ian Kinsler .359, 7 HR, 20 RBI
Roy Halladay
This one was tough but I'm taking Halladay over Chad Billingsley. Halladay has been huge in helping the Blue Jays take the lead in the AL East with four wins in five starts. In those five starts he has sat down 32 and accumulated a 3.75 ERA. The ERA could be lower but I'm taking Roy on the fact that he has pitched great to help get Toronto where they are right now.
HONORABLE MENTION: Chad Billingsley (4-0), 2.05 ERA, 26 K's; Zack Greinke (4-0) 0.00 ERA, 36 K's (really hard not to pick him)
Who's Not
Florida Marlins
How can the Marlins not be mentioned again this week? Only this time it's a bad mention. Thanks a lot for making me look bad guys. You go 11-1 and then have the chance to really open a sizeable lead in the NL East but nope. You drop six in a row this week to move to 11-7. Lucky for you, you are still in 1st place but if Matt Lindstrom continues to impersonate the Washington Nationals and give up seven runs in the 9th inning of a game you lead, well things are going to look like this often. Killin me.
DISHONORABLE MENTION: Washington Nationals (4-13); Tampa Bay Rays (7-12)
Jimmy Rollins
Maybe Jimmy is still feeling the effects of those balls from the JUGS machine in the Dick's commercial. Rollins is really struggling, hitting less than his weight at .159ish (games are going on right now). He only has five RBI's and one homer in 17 games this season. Not sure what's wrong with him but the Phillies will need him to pick things up to get out of the NL East again.
DISHONORABLE MENTION: Geovany Soto .128, 0 HR, 2 RBI; Ken Griffey Jr. .192, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 11 K's
Justin Verlander
Four starts for one of the Tigers top pitchers and no wins. His ERA sits at 9.00 but he has struck out 25 so that is one positive sign. However, he has only pitched 21.0 innings in those four starts and has given up the same number of ER's. Look for him to get better, the signs are there with the K's but it may not be for a little.
DISHONORABLE MENTION: Oliver Perez (1-2), 9.31 ERA. 15 BB, 20 ER in 19.1 IP; Chien-Ming Wang, on the DL
STANDINGS
AL East
1. Blue Jays (14-6)
2. Red Sox (12-6)
3. Yankees (9-9)
4. Orioles (9-10)
5. Rays (7-12)
AL Central
1. Tigers (10-8)
2. White Sox (9-9)
3. Royals (9-9)
4. Twins (9-10)
5. Indians (7-12)
AL West
1. Mariners (12-7)
2. Rangers (8-10)
3. Athletics (7-10)
4. Angels (7-11)
NL East
1. Florida (11-7)
2. Phillies (9-8)
3. Braves (9-9)
4. Mets (8-10)
5. Nationals (4-13)
NL Central
1. Cardinals (13-6)
2. Pirates (11-7)
3. Reds (10-8)
4. Cubs (9-8)
5. Brewers (8-10)
6. Astros (7-12)
NL West
1. Dodgers (13-6)
2. Padres (10-8)
3. Giants (8-9)
4. Diamondbacks (7-11)
5. Rockies (6-11)
Who's Hot
Boston Red Sox
The Sox are really playing great baseball right now. They swept their series against the Yankees this weekend and have won 10 in a row heading into an early week series with the Indians. Jacoby Ellsbury had arguably the play of the week in baseball with his stealing of home in last nights game and they are scoring a ton of runs, averaging nine over their last six games. Obviously it was huge for them to beat the Yankees because any game won within the AL East this year is going to be huge with Boston, New York and Tampa expected to contend (and the Blue Jays looking good early)
HONORABLE MENTION: Toronto Blue Jays (14-6); St. Louis Cardinals (13-6); LA Dodgers (13-6)
Kevin Youkilis
Yooooook has been smoking hot over the Red Sox winning streak hitting safely 13 times in eight of the ten games. His season average sits at a solid .439 and he has also racked up 5 bombs and 13 RBI's. His walkoff jack in the 11th during the first game of the series with the Yankees was huge and he is driving this team right now by hitting and scoring runs.
HONORABLE MENTION: Albert Pujols .343, 7 HR, 25 RBI; Ian Kinsler .359, 7 HR, 20 RBI
Roy Halladay
This one was tough but I'm taking Halladay over Chad Billingsley. Halladay has been huge in helping the Blue Jays take the lead in the AL East with four wins in five starts. In those five starts he has sat down 32 and accumulated a 3.75 ERA. The ERA could be lower but I'm taking Roy on the fact that he has pitched great to help get Toronto where they are right now.
HONORABLE MENTION: Chad Billingsley (4-0), 2.05 ERA, 26 K's; Zack Greinke (4-0) 0.00 ERA, 36 K's (really hard not to pick him)
Who's Not
Florida Marlins
How can the Marlins not be mentioned again this week? Only this time it's a bad mention. Thanks a lot for making me look bad guys. You go 11-1 and then have the chance to really open a sizeable lead in the NL East but nope. You drop six in a row this week to move to 11-7. Lucky for you, you are still in 1st place but if Matt Lindstrom continues to impersonate the Washington Nationals and give up seven runs in the 9th inning of a game you lead, well things are going to look like this often. Killin me.
DISHONORABLE MENTION: Washington Nationals (4-13); Tampa Bay Rays (7-12)
Jimmy Rollins
Maybe Jimmy is still feeling the effects of those balls from the JUGS machine in the Dick's commercial. Rollins is really struggling, hitting less than his weight at .159ish (games are going on right now). He only has five RBI's and one homer in 17 games this season. Not sure what's wrong with him but the Phillies will need him to pick things up to get out of the NL East again.
DISHONORABLE MENTION: Geovany Soto .128, 0 HR, 2 RBI; Ken Griffey Jr. .192, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 11 K's
Justin Verlander
Four starts for one of the Tigers top pitchers and no wins. His ERA sits at 9.00 but he has struck out 25 so that is one positive sign. However, he has only pitched 21.0 innings in those four starts and has given up the same number of ER's. Look for him to get better, the signs are there with the K's but it may not be for a little.
DISHONORABLE MENTION: Oliver Perez (1-2), 9.31 ERA. 15 BB, 20 ER in 19.1 IP; Chien-Ming Wang, on the DL
STANDINGS
AL East
1. Blue Jays (14-6)
2. Red Sox (12-6)
3. Yankees (9-9)
4. Orioles (9-10)
5. Rays (7-12)
AL Central
1. Tigers (10-8)
2. White Sox (9-9)
3. Royals (9-9)
4. Twins (9-10)
5. Indians (7-12)
AL West
1. Mariners (12-7)
2. Rangers (8-10)
3. Athletics (7-10)
4. Angels (7-11)
NL East
1. Florida (11-7)
2. Phillies (9-8)
3. Braves (9-9)
4. Mets (8-10)
5. Nationals (4-13)
NL Central
1. Cardinals (13-6)
2. Pirates (11-7)
3. Reds (10-8)
4. Cubs (9-8)
5. Brewers (8-10)
6. Astros (7-12)
NL West
1. Dodgers (13-6)
2. Padres (10-8)
3. Giants (8-9)
4. Diamondbacks (7-11)
5. Rockies (6-11)
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