July has always been a key month during the baseball season. Throughout the years, the division leaders on July 4th are regarded as the favorites to win it all come October.

July 4th is also known for hot dogs, apple pie, fireworks and baseball. Also, this year Fox Sports has designated the A’s – Tigers game on Monday July 3rd as a special broadcast to the troops in Iraq.

In 2006 the entire month of July will be the acid test for the teams in the West. If the A’s are going to open up any ground on their pursuers they will have to do it against some of the top teams in the American League.

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With the season quickly approaching the mid point of the 2006 season, it’s time to see which teams are at the head of the class in major league baseball.

In New York, the Mets have stolen the front, back, and middle pages of the tabloids from the vaunted Yankees. The Amazins’ can rake with the best. This season’s NL MVP is coming from New York. Pick Carlos Beltran, David Wright, or Jose Reyes, you can’t go wrong. For me, Wright has been the most consistent even though Reyes may be the most exciting player in the game today.

Even with the boring and offensive Ozzie Guillen running amok, the White Sox still are the top team in the American League. The Sox throw the best pitchers at the opposition day after day. Jim Thome is the AL MVP, you can give him the trophy today.

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Jun 21, 2006

CLOSING OFF the upper deck has had one desired effect for the A’s: Season ticket sales have increased about 11 per cent, according to club president Mike Crowley.

That was one goal for the A’s. The other was to give fans an incentive to buy individual game tickets in advance, to even out the crowds. In recent seasons, there had been relatively few tickets sold in advance, which led to huge walkups for some games. That made it difficult for the A’s to know how many ticket sellers and concession workers to have for individual games.

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Batter Up June 18th, 2006

When the Yankees bring in new players they immediately become more effective major leaguers.

How come?

Is it the aura of playing the game where Babe Ruth, Joe Dimaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Lou Gehrig graced the diamond? Or is it the tradition of playing for a franchise that has dominated baseball for the past 90 years?

Whatever the answer most players who come to the Yanks become championship caliber players over night.

Is the same thing happening in Oakland?

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With about 100 games left in the 2006 baseball season things are no clearer now than they were when the first pitch was thrown on April 2nd.

The AL West is still a mystery.

The Angels are not playing good baseball. Perhaps the most disturbing sign for Angel fans is the lack of hustle exhibited by super utility player Chone Figgins this week.

The Angels are a team built on hustle. They play the game correctly. Not so this year.

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With the baseball season passing the one-third mark this week the strengths and weaknesses of the teams are coming into focus.

Texas still needs pitching. But this time the need is not in the pen. The biggest concern right now is team ace Kevin Millwood. The 65 million dollar man can’t pitch effectively in Arlington. Not good when you are the team’s number one starter and you aren’t getting past the sixth inning in your home ballpark.

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Hall of Fame righthander Jim Palmer, the Orioles top pitcher on their AL championship teams during the 60’s and 70’s understands the intricacies of baseball.

Palmer told me that the last three outs of a ballgame are the toughest outs to get.

I believed him until this year.

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It’s not just the specter of using steroids that has turned public opinion against Barry Bonds.

It’s not simply the idea that Bonds will pass the home run total of one of the great icons of American sports, the legendary Babe Ruth.

The real reason for the negative feelings is what Barry Bonds represents.

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Just when you think you have the division races figured out along comes interleague play to complicate matters.

The National league has a decided advantage when playing interleague games in their home parks because the big powerful American League teams lose the DH.

Bud Selig should actually do something that matters and declare that the DH can be used in all interleague games.

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Last fall the White Sox swept through the World Series beating the Astros in four games.

Has the balance of power shifted in major league baseball from the East to the Central?

The last time the Central dominated the American League for any period of time you have to look back to the Kansas City Royals-Detroit Tiger battles of the 80’s.

In the senior circuit the last real dominance from teams comprising the current Central Division saw the Reds and Pirates battling through the 1970’s .

The Central Divisions in 2006 are strong.

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