Miguel Cabrera might be the best player in MLB.

July is the month where things really take shape. Teams begin to fall out of the hunt, teams that are in it begin to look for acquisitions to help bolster their chances. And players individually are in the same boat. Either your season has sucked or it has been great. There is no much chance for a turnaround. With that being said we will take a look at the July positional rankings and see just who is still standing tall 4 months into the season.

CATCHERS
5. Jason Kendall (Royals) – Where did he come from and how did he get here? This guy is having a great season highlighted by the 5th best OPS at his position. It’s too bad his team isn’t going anywhere.

4. Russell Martin (Dodgers) – With his team in the playoff hunt, Martin is coming up big when it counts. It’s exactly what we’ve come to expect from him.

3. Mike Napoli (Angels) – The Angels always seem to have quality guys at each position. It’s probably why they are a contender every year….except this one.

2. Brian McCann(Braves) – The Braves have been red hot and McCann is always a big reason for their success. He’s got a .382 OBP and 51 RBI. Not bad for a catcher.

1. Joe Mauer (Twins) – Everything seems to be in order here. As long as Mauer is at the top of the list.

FIRST BASEMAN
5. Albert Pujols (Cardinals) – He’s not even batting .300?! That’s unheard of for him. However if these stats belonged to anyone else we’d be talking about how that guy “has arrived.”

4. Kevin Youkilis (Red Sox) – Has been carry the Boston Red Sox offense and is the first baseman no one talks about.

3. Joey Votto (Reds) – Welcome to the reason the Reds still have a shot at the division. Votto and a stellar pitching staff.

2. Justin Morneau (Twins) – He’s out right now, but when he comes back he could prove to be the difference in the Twins quest for another AL Central crown.

1. Miguel Cabrera (Tigers) – As a guy who has never seen anyone win a triple crown I certainly hope Carbrera keeps this phenomenal season up.

SECOND BASEMAN

5. Kelly Johnson (Diamonbacks) – He may be the only good thing left in Arizona after the salary dump.

4. Rickie Weeks (Brewers) – Welcome back to visibility Rickie.

3. Dustin Pedroia (Red Sox) – Stats aren’t flashy but they are always consistent. That’s what counts.

2. Dan Uggla (Marlins) – Nothing Uggla about his play at all….ok, that was an awful joke and I promise to make one like that again.

1. Robinson Cano (Yankees) – The rich get richer. Cano is batting .330 on the most powerful lineup in baseball.

THIRD BASEMAN
5. David Wright (Mets) – Quietly having a great year.

4. Evan Longoria (Rays) – Boy are the Rays glad they locked him up when they did. He’d be scary on the free agent market.

3. Ryan Zimmerman (Nationals) – With Strasberg down he is now the main thing to watch when you watch the Nationals play.

2. Scott Rolen (Reds) – He’s got to qualify for Comeback Player of the Year, right?

1. Adrian Beltre (Red Sox) – He’s got to qualify for Making People Rethink that He was Just a Product of The Juice, right?

SHORTSTOP
5. Alexei Ramirez (White Sox) – A shortstop people are going to have to start paying attention to.

4. Alex Gonzalez (Braves) – It’s odd the Blue Jays traded him but it’s great for the Braves.

3. Juan Uribe (Giants) – I guess he wasn’t left for dead.

2. Hanley Ramirez (Marlins) – An actually sub par year…by his standards.

1. Rafael Furcal (Dodgers) – Hitting a robust .318 and helping the Dodgers stay alive in the NL West.

LEFT FIELD
5. Josh Willingham (Nationals) – He has surprised everyone including this guy.

4. Brennan Boesch (Tigers) – Who? Really? Welcome to the big leagues, kid.

3. Matt Holliday (Cardinals) – Its amazing but Holliday has been the best hitter on the Cardinals this season.

2. Delmon Young (Twins) – Hitting .334 for a team fighting for first place. He could be a big difference maker.

1. Josh Hamilton (Rangers) – The Rangers should be crediting Hamiltons resurgence for their first place finish.

CENTER FIELD
5. Carlos Gonzalez (Rockies) – Hes good…..but he plays at Coors Field.

4. Colby Rasmus (Cardinals) – Getting the job done.

3. Torii Hunter (Angels) – Just keeps padding that Hall of Fame resume.

2. Alex Rios (Sox) – You think the Blue Jays are kicking themselves that they didn’t get anything for him?

1. Andres Torres (Giants) – Another under the radar player that’s getting it done in the city by the Bay.

RIGHT FIELD
5. Shin-Soo Choo (Indians) With a name like Shin-Soo Choo how can he not be good?

4. Nick Swisher (Yankees) – Doing well in New York, maybe he has stopped talking so much and started playing ball.

3. Jayson Werth (Phillies) – It will be interesting to see if he’ll be around in a week.

2. Corey Hart (Brewers) – Also could be wearing a different uniform next week.

1. Jose Bautista (Blue Jays) – He’d be getting more attention if anyone actually watched baseball in Toronto.

STARTERS
5. Jaime Garcia (Cardinals) – Dave Duncan is silly good.

4. Adam Wainwright (Cardinals) – Yeah, I’m sure Dave Duncan has nothing to do with the quality pitching in St. Louis.

3. Roy Halladay (Phillies) – 8 complete games. That’s amazing in this day and age. 40 years ago he would’ve looked like a wuss.

2. Josh Johnson (Marlins) – He’s got a 1.72 ERA. That’s pretty impressive.

1. Cliff Lee (Rangers) – This guy has been unhittable in the American League. Just wait until he becomes a free agent. It’s going to get expensive.

CLOSERS
5. Joakim Soria (Royals) – He’s saving for a team that cannot be saved.

4. Neftali Feliz (Rangers) – He’s getting division leading saves. The most important kind.

3. Rafael Soriano (Rays) – He’s been good for a few years. Let’s hope people are paying attention.

2. Heath Bell (Padres) – 29 saves and he can be unhittable.

1. Brian Wilson (Giants) – Boy they are doing it with more guys you have never heard of. But Wilson is getting noticed now.

Mike Cahill
Twitter

Jayson Werth is a big time trade candidate

10 Impact Players Could be Traded Before the July 31st Deadline

The second half of the baseball season has already began, and some top teams are already improving their playoff chances by acquiring new talent.

The Rangers acquired Cliff Lee, the Braves got Alex Gonzalez and the Angels just completed a deal with the Diamondbacks to acquire Dan Haren.
Here are 10 more impact players who could be moving before the deadline, and where they might be headed.

1. Jason Werth – OF – Philadelphia Phillies
Werth is an interesting candidate because the Phillies are in contention, and might be looking to acquire top notch talent of their own in Roy Oswalt. With Dominic Brown knocking on the door and Werth just a couple months away from free agency, the Phillies will likely try to use Werth in a three team deal (they are still looking to acquire talent, but most selling teams don’t want to trade for a soon-to-be free agent). There are plenty of teams looking for an outfielder, and I think that the Red Sox will ultimately end up with Werth.

2. Roy Oswalt – SP – Houston Astros
Oswalt has been on the trade block for a while now, and is the best pitcher left on the market. With the Astros high demands, the number of teams attempting to acquire his services will be limited. The fact that Oswalt has a no-trade clause and wants his option picked up will limit those teams further. At this point, I still believe that the Phillies will end up with Oswalt, after they unload Jason Werth.

3. Adam Dunn – 1B – Washington Nationals
Dunn is another player who has been widely speculated about for a while. With the Nationals slowly sinking out of contention (again) Dunn could be on the move. The White Sox could be among the suitors for Dunn’s services, and I think if the Nats decide to move him he will be Chicago bound.

4. Prince Fielder – 1B – Milwaukee Brewers
Fielder won’t necessarily be moved at the deadline, but the Brewers are out of contention, and Fielder will be due for a ton of money soon. Although the Brewers will want to deal Fielder, I’m not confident that they will get enough in return for his services. I think Prince will still be in Milwaukee following the deadline.

5. Jose Bautista – OF – Toronto Blue Jays
To say the least, Bautista is having a career year for the Blue Jays. With 27 homeruns already, he becomes one of the more attractive bats on the free agent market if teams think he can continue his pace. The Blue Jays have already moved shortstop Alex Gonzalez, and will likely be shopping Bautista as well. Come next week, Bautista may be playing in San Diego.

6. Corey Hart – OF – Milwaukee Brewers
Hart is another outfielder having a career year. Hart is probably the first Brewer that will be traded this year. With Magglio Ordonez on the DL, the Tigers will be looking for another bat to stay in contention. If the White Sox do go out and acquire Adam Dunn, the Tigers will be forced to make a move, and might wind up with Hart.

7. Jorge Cantu – 1B/3B – Florida Marlins
Cantu can fill a couple different roles, and might ultimately end up being a bench player for a contending team. The Rangers have been pushing to get Cantu, and will likely get their man if they value him as a starter where others may see him as a bench player.

8. Ted Lilly – SP – Chicago Cubs
With the Cubs falling out of contention, Lilly is one of the more attractive pitchers on the market. While many teams likely will be in the market, I think that Lilly will end up in Detroit, even if they go out and land Cantu. Their pitching staff has been less than stellar this year, and Lilly would give them a better chance of hanging with the Twins and White Sox.

9. Cody Ross – OF – Florida Marlins
Although the Marlins may elect to keep Ross, who’s contract doesn’t expire for another year and a half, they will move him if another team is willing to give up enough for the Toy Cannon. Some rumors have recently linked Ross to the Braves, but I think he could be headed to Philadelphia if he stays within the division.

10. Lance Berkman – 1B – Houston Astros
Before today, I would have said that Berkman could be headed to Los Angeles, but I don’t see the Angels doing too much now that they have acquired Dan Haren. With the Nick Johnson on the DL, the Yankees could be players for Berkman, who could spell Teixeira at first and play DH while in the American League.

Brett Kettyle
Twitter

THE BOSS

The Boss, George Steinbrenner, is dead. It’s a sad time for baseball fans and sports observers alike. There were few with the fire and charm of Steinbrenner. It’s not every day you buy the most successful baseball team of all time and make them more successful than they had ever known. So in honor of George were are going to take a closer look at his top 5 moments in baseball and in American culture.

5. Steinbrenner on Seinfeld- One of the most iconic shows of the 1990’s featured George Steinbrenner…from the back of the head anyway. When George Costanza went to work for the Yankees we got to see the brilliant Larry David take on the role of Steinbrenner and turn his big thinking and business savvy into one of the most insane and animated impressions of all time. He traded George for chicken, had an obsession with Calzones and embraced wiping food on the jersey of The Babe. They took Steinbrenner and made him larger than life…like he already wasn’t?

4. The Countless Firings of Billy Martin – There is something to be said about a manager who can make a decision…even if that decision happens over and over again. George Steinbrenner knew Billy Martin was a good manager and so he kept hiring him back. The interesting thing was that the joke of it became more important than the firings themselves. For decades later people were still teasing that Billy Martin would be the next manager of the New York Yankees. But this was Steinbrenner: constantly unhappy with less than perfection, but always willing to admit when a mistake was made.

3. Joe Torre – It takes a brave man and a visionary to hire a manager who wasn’t very good as a manager and then telling him he could take over one of the most storied franchises in all of baseball. But this is what happened when the Yankees hired Joe Torre and all ole’ Joe did was bring the city of New York, and Steinbrenner, 4 World Series rings in the first six years. You could make the argument that the firing of Torre was one of the worst moves of his Yankee tenure but he certainly got mileage and results from Joe.

2. The YES Network – During Steinbrenners time he made one of the smartest business decisions: give the New York Yankees their own network. It was a move that hadn’t been done before and it has paved the way for networks now. It made the Yankees a brand once and for all and brought in more money than you could count. But it was a testament to the way Steinbrenner operated the Yankees. He thought they were larger than life and he approached it that way by having the arrogance to think the Yankees deserved their own network. They did.

1. Reggie Jackson – This move was a huge move at the time. The Yankees wooed one of the great hitters in the game away from a team where he was having success for the bright lights of New York City and one more important factor…money. This was important because it was the way the Yankees would operate up till and including current day. The Yankees have become the great purchasers of talent and it started back in the mid 70’s when free agency was just starting. Free agency would become the most important part of the Yankees blue print and allow Steinbrenner to show off the Big Apple swagger by taking what he wanted and never saying “please.” That’s the George Steinbrenner we will remember.

Mike Cahill
Twitter

Vin Mazzaro is NEXT for the Oakland A's.

Bud Norris has only thrown well this month hence his 5.97 ERA on the season, but he has a 3.07 ERA and a .95 WHIP in July. He gets the lowly Pirates this weekend and will face the marginal NL the remainder of the season. Do not look for Norris to be there in the end for you but get him while he’s hot.

Omar Infante should not have made the NL All Star team, although he is having a very nice season. He is hitting .332 on the season and .643 in the last week and he has all sorts of eligibility. If you need some help in the utility spot or perhaps you are in need of a stopgap at a thin position, take a look at the 2010 NL All Star.

J.P. Arencibia is a very good hitting catching prospect in the Toronto Blue Jays organization. He is currently hitting .319, with 25 HR, and 64 RBI on the season for Triple-A Las Vegas and he should be on the big league squad around the trade deadline. It looks like Arencibia might be able to help your team out at the end of the season and his stock will soon soar, so be sure to scoop him up ASAP.

Alfredo Simon is not owned in any league in Hotbox formats, which is mind-blowing since he is a full time closer, albeit for one of the worst teams in MLB. Simon should at least be on a roster at this point since he will get points and the Dominican big man has three saves in the last week.

I never thought I would ever recommend picking up Rodrigo Lopez but we are at that point of the season. He threw well against the Marlins (7 IP, 5 base runners), and faces the Padres and Giants, two offenses that do not exactly set the world on fire, in his next two starts. If he can escape with a 2-0 record consider yourself lucky, but give him a shot if you’re desperate.

Bill Hall is getting a lot more playing time than he should but that is great news for his production. Never the most consistent hitter but his pop has always been known since his monstrous 35 HR in 2006. He is hitting a respectable .286 in July, with 1 HR and 5 RBI, while getting on base at a .344 clip. Hall is eligible all around the diamond which will help him find his way in your lineup on a slow day.

Kyle Drabek threw a no-hitter last week, and it is possible he will be up before September, albeit a very small one. He is one of the best pitching prospects in baseball and might be able to help your team in the playoffs, so keep an eye on him or pick him up if you have room on your roster.

Vin Mazzaro is another one of the A’s new very good pitching prospects but is still behind Dallas Braden and obviously Brett Anderson. When both of them return from injury Mazzaro will likely be the odd man out, but Ben Sheets will likely get injured soon so be ready to pick up Mazzaro, who is 1-0 in 14 IP with a 2.51 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP this season.

Matt Anaya
Twitter

Joey Votto was barely an All Star but he's the NL MVP.

MLB Midseason Awards

NL MVP: Joey Votto
Votto ranks in the top 10 for just about every statistical category, and leads the National League in OPS thus far in 2010. He is second in the NL in Win Probability added and first in WAR. More importantly, Joey Votto is leading a resurgent Reds team that has surprisingly climbed to the top of the NL Central. While other division leaders have strong candidates (Martin Prado and Adrian Gonzalez) and Albert Pujols is having a terrific year, Votto deserves the first half MVP.

AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera
The AL has a number of strong MVP candidates: Cabrera, Alex Rios Justin Morneau, Robinson Cano and Josh Hamilton all come to mind. Cabrera has been phenomenal this year, as he is leading the Majors in two Triple Crown categories and is second in the other. The Sabermetric stats back Cabrera up too, as he leads the league in Win Probability Added. The Tigers are just a half game back in the AL Central, in large part to Cabrera.

NL Cy Young: Josh Johnson
Just a week or two ago, this was a sure bet to be Ubaldo Jiminez. But the NL ERA leader at this point is Josh Johnson, who has a 1.70 ERA while striking out more than a batter per inning. Johnson is first in the NL in FIP and WHIP and second in xFIP. Johnson has made 16 straight quality starts, and has allowed more than three runs just once this year. Some may point to his nine wins as a reason to give the award to someone else, but Johnson has done all he can to keep the Marlins in just about all their games.

AL Cy Young: Cliff Lee
This award was probably the hardest for me to pick. Surprisingly, Francisco Liriano leads the AL in both FIP and xFIP, but he hasn’t actually performed up to that level so far this year. Cliff Lee comes in second and third in those categories, respectively, but has better numbers to show for his 2010 campaign. If not for his first start with the Rangers, Lee would be a shoe-in for this award. However, he skimmed by some notable candidates (David Price, Jon Lester, Felix Hernandez) because of his solid secondary numbers.

NL ROY: Jaime Garcia
If you had Garcia over Jason Heyward and Stephen Strasburg you probably should become a psychic, because this came out of nowhere. Garcia has been great so far this year, with a 2.17 ERA and 3.29 FIP. Although his control can be spotty at times, Garcia has been great so far this year, and would be the NL ROY if the season ended today.

AL ROY: Brennan Boesch
Another surprising player, most would have selected Austin Jackson if they knew a Tigers outfielder was going to win. Boesch is currently hitting .342, and has shown solid power at the plate with 12 homers. Neftali Feliz has been great this year, but I will go with the guy who plays every day and has a greater affect on his team. Boesch leads Feliz 2.7 to 0.9 in WAR.

NL Manager of the Year: Bud Black
With three surprise division leaders, there is some stiff competition for NL Manager of the year. In the end, I have to go with Black, as many expected the Padres to be among the worst teams in all of baseball; instead, they are leading the NL West and have the National Leagues’ second best record (51-37).

AL Manager of the Year: Ron Washington
Both Jim Leyland and Ozzie Guillen may have their eye on this award, but Ron Washington has guided the Rangers into first place in the AL West. With a talented offense and respectable pitching (which just got a lot better with the addition of Cliff Lee) the Rangers are for real, and Ron Washington is my first half manager of the year.

Brett Kettyle
Twitter

The Mets were horrible last season, but things change.

From 1991-2005 the NL East was dominated by one team; the Atlanta Braves.

The New York Mets won the division in 2006, and seemed ready to stay on top with a great squad forming around Jose Reyes, David Wright and Carlos Beltran.

But a couple September crashes later, and the Phillies were starting a dynasty. With three straight division titles, a World Series win (and another WS appearance) the Phillies had become the team to beat in the NL.

In 2009, the Phillies won the division by six games. The Braves and Marlins battled for second. The Mets were a distant fourth due to pitching problems, and the Nationals really didn’t matter.

Many predicted similar results for 2010. The Phillies, led by Utley, Howard, Werth and the newly acquired Roy Halladay would be unbeatable, leaving the Braves and Marlins to battle for the Wild Card.

The Mets again looked like they were a little short on pitching, not to mention they had some holes in the lineup.

The Nationals looked like they were headed for another last place finish.

But things can change rather quickly in baseball.

In fact, the only team in the division that is sticking to its role is the Nationals, who still aren’t a factor even with Steven Strasburg on the team.

The Marlins, despite having their typical team of talented youngsters, top prospects and a few cheap veterans, have fallen off and currently sit in fourth place.

The most surprising changes come within the top three.

The Phillies, who, given the abundance of good teams in the AL East, were probably the surest bet to win the division, are wallowing in third place over five games behind the Braves. Injuries to key players have hurt the Phillies chances, and even Roy Halladay hasn’t been able to keep this team in the lead.

The Mets, led by impressive pitching from R.A. Dickey and Mike Pelfrey have surprised a lot of people and are currently sitting in second place (although with two recent losses to the Braves, they are now five games back).

The Braves, after a four year hiatus are back on top of the division they once ruled. With strong pitching and an outstanding season from surprise MVP candidate Martin Prado, they have jumped out to a five game lead while winning a ton of games in their final at-bat.
It’s important to acknowledge that we are only at the All-Star break, but the entire landscape of the NL East seems shifted.

The Braves are for real, the Mets are competitors again and the Phillies juggernaut isn’t as impressive as they were hyped up to be in the beginning of the season.
While only time will tell who wins, I think the Braves have enough to hold off any charges the
Mets or Phillies make.

Brett Kettyle
Twitter

The All Star Game is in Anaheim this season but it's still a silly game.

Baseball’s Mid Summer Classic is upon us and it’s safe to say that the game is anything but a Classic. From the 1997 super steroid home run contest to the tie game years later, baseball has fallen far from the days of Teddy Ballgame and Pete Rose steamrolling Ray Fosse.

So how is a game that is the best All-Star game in sports such a sham now? This is fairly simple to deconstruct. With a few simple adjustments the game can go back to being something worth watching.

5. No Sunday Pitchers? – Really? So if Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, and Ubaldo Jimenez all pitch Sunday we can scratch them from the All Star Day roster? This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Where and for whom does this make sense? And what about a guy who starts on Saturday the way Cliff Lee did? He is now going to be ready to pitch because he has one extra days rest?

Look, pitchers in the All Star game throw 20 to 30 pitches tops. I understand not starting them or throwing them three or 4 innings but give me a break about not letting them pitch at all. This game is about showcasing the best of the best, not having them sit on the bench.

4. Every team gets a Rep? – So now MLB has made this game matter and with the fate of home field advantage at stake we have to sit through someone on the Astros who might not be deserving because every team needs a representative. I am a White Sox fan, and I personally have felt embarrassed in years past when an All Star was picked simply because he had to be, even though he wasn’t really that good. And there are times when it happens. I am all for expanding the rosters but only the true All Star caliber players should play.

3. Fans Vote? – Once again, this game has something at stake. I do not want the fans or anyone else voting on the All Stars. If I had my way it would be a vote by the sports writers or a committee that has been assembled to vote. Fans vote with their heart and not with their head. I love Derek Jeter but does he always deserve to be the starting All Star? I doubt it. Is Ichiro having one of the three best years in the outfield? I doubt it. These are the reasons why fans shouldn’t vote. And the benefit of this is something more: true pride. It’s an honor to be selected and it would feel even better to know you were selected and it had nothing to do with popularity.

2. No More Chris Berman – I’m going to put this at number 2 because it deserves it. The Home Run Derby is one of the reasons why all star weekend is awesome. However, it is the worst event to watch when Chris Berman is calling it. The same stupid, hokey lines year after year. Calling every home run call with the excitement of a Game 7 is painfully annoying and makes the Derby a “must mute” television event. ESPN is always trying to be ahead of the rest of the sports world so they should catch up with the fan base that can’t stand Berman doing the game. This by itself would make the All Star Game better.

1. It Counts? – Welcome to dumbest knee jerk reaction in the history of professional sports. In no way, shape, or form should the All Star game count for anything. At all. It’s an exhibition game and there is this tacked on importance that nullifies the last month of the season for teams that have wrapped up the divisions early. Home field should always go to best record. But leave it to baseball to ruin a perfectly good thing.

Mike Cahill
Twitter

Scary moment in Arlington...

According to SportsByBrooks.com, the unidentified man was transferred to a Dallas hospital and reportedly is responsive, moving and in stable condition.

Matt Anaya
Twitter

No, you're the man, Josh.

Going into Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels, the Texas Rangers had a 4.5 game lead in the AL West.

But the Rangers are one of those teams that are predicted to turn a corner every year, only to never have it happen.

This year, the Rangers are for real.

Their lineup, as always, is scary. The only two positions where you might say the lineup is weak are at catcher and first base. Even at one of those positions, first base, the Rangers have plenty of potential.

Rookie Justin Smoak is one of baseball’s top prospects, and although he struggled when first appearing in the majors, he may be figuring things out. He has produced a .291/.404/.500 line in June, and if the Rangers get that kind of production from him over the rest of the year they will easily have the top offense in baseball.

Second and Third base are both manned by all-stars. Ian Kinsler and Michael Young are among the best in the game. At shortstop, the Rangers are getting a terrific year from Elvis Andrus. In just his second season, Elvis is hitting .291, stealing bases at a great rate (21 so far) and playing excellent defense.

The outfield is stacked as well. The team’s fourth best outfielder, David Murphy, could start most places, but is shown up by Nelson Cruz, Julio Borbon and Josh Hamilton in Texas. Hamilton and Cruz have been monsters this year (although Cruz has logged significant DL time), with Hamilton among the league leaders in all three triple crown categories.

The most surprising part of the Rangers offense? Vladimir Guerrero. Seemingly washed up, Vlad has dominated since moving to Texas (from the Angels, no less). So far this season, he has a .327/15/60 line, and has easily been the best DH in the American League.

But the stacked lineup is only half the reason that Texas is for real. The pitching staff has been much better than in past years.

C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis have been fantastic. Both have sub-4.00 ERA’s despite being huge question marks entering the season.

If Rich Harden could get back on track, the rotation would have an excellent top three, and solid pitchers Scott Feldman, Derek Holland and Tommy Hunter filling out the bottom of the rotation.

What’s more, the team’s most exciting pitching prospect, Neftali Feliz, is pitching out of
the bullpen. So far this year he is 20-22 in save opportunities. With Darren Oliver, Darren O’Day, Frank Francisco and a rejuvenated Chris Ray pitching in the bullpen, the Rangers have a complete pitching staff.

All in all, the Rangers are finally for real. They have proven commodities mixed with exciting youngsters whom are taking the AL West by storm. The Rangers currently have the second best record in all of baseball, and I they won’t be letting go of the division lead anytime soon.

Brett Kettyle
Twitter

Eddy Jackson was not perfect, but he no-hit the hapless Rays.

I’m going to say it so that there is no mistaking what I’m trying to say: Edwin Jackson’s no hitter was very unimpressive. It’s amazing to me that in the hard to please sports world that we are talking about a no hitter like that as if it should have wowed anyone. The only thing that was really wowing about what he did was that he didn’t have his arm fall off in the ninth inning. Surviving that performance was more impressive then orchestrating it.

Edwin Jackson threw a no-hitter on 149 pitches and walked 8. His performance can easily be categorized as sloppy. To me, and I believe others in the sporting world, a no-hitter is the mark of a dominating pitching performance. A perfect game is the epitome but we understand how hard it is to be perfect, even for a day. So what a no-hitter is a game where the rights are many and the mistakes are few.

The last no hitter I remember vividly was Mark Buerhle’s in 07. Now I am a big fan of his for numerous reasons but with that being said, he exemplified what a no-hitter is. He faced the minimum. He walked Sosa but picked him off first. He made but one mistake and his dominant day was able to make up for it.

When you walk 8 guys that does not equal dominant to me. It feels at that point like the no-hitter was more the product of the Rays not being able to capitalize on mistakes made by Jackson more than by Jackson himself. It’s amazing to me that the media is so quick to celebrate the feat but not to judge the feat for what it was. It was a no-hitter than felt more like a sub standard pitching performance.

This is the same thing that has bothered me about Nolan Ryan’s career record 7 no-hitters. In 3 of them he had 4 walks or more. Certainly Ryan struck out a lot of guys in his very big career but strikeouts do not erase walks in the record books and he had two games where he walked 4 and 1 game where he walked 8. To me it’s a sloppy performance.

But like Ryan, Jackson will not be remembered for the amount of walks he issued. In the record books it will look just the same but we have to remember that not all things are the same. We have to hold ourselves to what the standard of a no-hitter is and not hold each one in the same regard. Nolan Ryan had some absolutely masterful performances in his career and so has Jackosn. I just don’t think Jackson’s no hitter counts as one.

Mike Cahill
Twitter