Why is baseball such a great unpredictable game?

Barry Zito has a 6-0 lead in the fourth and the A’s lose the game 8-7 in ten scintillating innings.

The Red Sox score 25 runs Friday night, have a 9-2 lead in the eighth inning against the same Marlins the next day, then proceed to lose 10-9 in regulation.

The Yankees have the Mets down 9-0 in the sixth inning of game two (they already won game one 7-1 behind The Rocket) and barely hang on winning 9-8 with Mariano Rivera closing the game.

The Phillies who are charging in the East play 17 innings Friday finally winning 4-2 with three runs in the 17th, then get out to a 7-0 lead after four on Saturday, and barely hang on winning 8-5 over the Orioles.

The White Sox (yes, I told you to watch them) are down 6-4 to the Cubs in the eighth and rally to win 7-6.

The Diamondbacks, given up for dead in May, are within 2 games of LA for the Wild card in the NL.

The Padres (27-55), behind Tim Hudson clone Jake Peavy, knock off the Mariners (52-27) for the third time in four interleague games.

You never know what to expect and think about it, it’s just June 29th, we still have over half the season to play.

Click below for more.Back in 1950 when the Red Sox scored 29 runs in a game to set the all time record for runs in a single game, they scored 20 in their previous game against the lowly St. Louis Browns. So, this year they put up 25 against the Marlins on Friday, but only 9 the next night to split the two games. After scoring 34 runs in the two contests how do they stand? Well, 1-1. Now, that’s Red Sox baseball.

Albert Pujols is a legit triple crown threat in case you didn’t notice. This guy needs some PR because the west coast hasn’t heard much about him this year.

St. Louis just might ride its offense to the title in this run crazy world, but without Matt Morris in top form it just won’t happen. Morris goes against Jason Schmidt if the rotation holds up, and it is a mismatch for the Giants, if they have anything left after finishing the series today against the A’s.

Mario Ramos against Ron Villone Texas versus Houston, both lefties were obscure minor leaguers when the season started and now are coming off good games in their last start and pitching before a packed house on Sunday.

Houston has to feel better because Lidge to Dotel to Wagner resurfaced Saturday to carry Jeriome Robertson to anothe rwin.

Without Jeff Kent I don’t like the look of the Houston lineup, same old same old, Biggio, Bagwell, Berkman and not much else.

Forget about Juan Gonzalez in SF, there is no position for him. Rightfielders in Pac Bell have to resemble Roberto Clemente and cover tons of ground, the only similarity that Juan Gone has to Clemente is they are both Puerto Rican. Now, Carl Everett, he can cover the territory, but what a headache in the clubhouse.

Say good bye to Rich Aurilia in SF. Nefi Perez has so much more range at short it isn’t even close, but I wonder if his bat is good enough to play full time.

The scouts had to be impressed with Felix Rodriguez Saturday, his final pitch to Eric Byrnes, 95 and tight, was simply unhittable. If only Felix could find it on a regular basis.

The Tigers are 18-60, they are a real threat to the Mets 120 losses in 1962. It seems like a lock that they will have a few 20 game losers too.

David Bell and Pat Burrell are still getting booed in Philly, they just can’t shake those .200 batting averages.

Turk Wendell is a nut on the mound, but his ERA is still under one.

LA’s Paul Shuey has the best split I’ve seen since Bruce Sutter. If LA is serious about getting some hitting, Shuey could close for some contender or at least be a big help in the pen. Of course, that is what LA thought last year when they got him from Cleveland, and then Shuey couldn’t get anyone out.

Shuey would look very good in the A’s bullpen. Maybe the Dodgers would take a chance on Jermaine Dye if he looks healthy over the next four weeks.

Kerry Wood and Esteban Loaiza today. We will see just how good Loiaza is because Wood is terrific right now and will not give up many to the Sox. Loiaza will have to match Wood right from the start.

Nate Cornejo is a decent pitcher for the Tigers, but he hardly strikes anyone out (one or two per nine innings), not a good formula for success in today’s game. Miguel Batista, a free lance poet in his spare time, goes for Arizona. Shut out here?

How about Kris Benson in the Giants rotation? The Pirates are tired of waiting for Benson to pitch like an ace and would love to trade him. Seems like they did a similar thing with Jason Schmidt a couple of years ago.

How much longer will Lloyd McLendon manage Pittsburgh? Can you say August.

The Royals should hold onto Carlos Beltran until the off season. He will still have value and they might win some fans if they show some commitment to the season. Plus, they are still in this thing.

Coco Crisp has a great baseball name, but he still is hitting .206 leading off for the Tribe.

Just realized that the A’s have 40 of their last 68 games on the road.

Next homestand Oakland sees Seattle, Anaheim, Tampa Bay and Baltimore before the break. Split with Seattle, two of three from Anaheim, then sweep the Devil Rays, then two of three from the Orioles, looks like 9-4 heading into the break.

The Devil Rays and the Orioles can’t beat lefties right now, so Ted Lilly and company should shine over the next two weeks at home.

When Kevin Appier and John Lackey shut you down, then you have trouble on offense. Hey, LA, I mean you.

Bo Hart and Jim Edmonds, 8-10, 8 runs scored, 3 RBI’s, and 2 homers. Think the Cardinals have a decent one two punch to start the game, they led off the order last night against the Royals.

Sean Burroughs can swing the bat. He will be a major hitter within two years.

If you stop Bret Boone, you stop Seattle’s offense.

Claudio Vargas is the best pitcher right now on the Expos.

Kelvim Escobar tries to show the baseball world that being hit hard in his last game was a fluke and not the beginning of more inconsistent pitching, which has plagued him in the past.

Don’t get too excited about Yankee rookie Brandon Claussen, he did only pitch against the Mets.

I’ll bet Nomar leads the AL in hitting and Ichiro is second when it is all over.

Al Leiter will be scouted heavily tonight when he pitches against the Yankees. He is highly thought of, even though I think his best days are behind him. Sometimes being traded to a contender does help restart a career.

What ever happened to the Chuck Finley comeback? Maybe he could help the Giants also.

Brad Penny and Derek Lowe, I’ll bet the runs total in this game is under ten today in Fenway. The two teams have scored 52 in the first two games.

Pat Hentgen is courageous, but through as an every fifth day pitcher in the majors.

Miguel Cabrera, Marlins rookie, is the real deal.

Angels have a lot of fight left in them, they will make the second half interesting. I’m not counting them out by any means.

This week was the first time that the pitchers started to look fatigued. Now the run totals will soar as the middle relievers are used, no lead will be safe, teams will mount huge comebacks, there will be momentum shifts in many games, and the beauty of baseball will emerge.

It ain’t over until you get 27 outs, and you can’t run out the clock. That’s baseball.

Just ask the A’s and the Red Sox.