Independent league baseball has its charm on the baseball landscape. Colorful team nicknames, the Atlantic City Surf for one, a great place for reasonably priced baseball entertainment is another plus, but the biggest positive is the chance it gives former major leaguers seeking another shot at the big leagues a chance to show what they can do against good competition.

With that in mind, it is Lima Time today in Kansas City as the likeable righthander Jose Lima is back in the big leagues with the Royals after pitching for the Newark Bears in the independent Atlantic League this season.

Lima joins Brenden Donnelly and Ruben Sierra as recent graduates of the league making it to the show.

Lima pitches against Jerome Williams as KC tries to win the series against the Giants.

Known for his bravado on the mound, let’s hope Lima remembers who the Giants leftfielder or DH is when Barry Bonds comes up or else Lima Time will be short lived.

SF goes to LA next week for three with the Dodgers, then to Oakland for three with the A’s, home for three more with LA, then the A’s come in to finish the twelve game stretch with three more in Pac Bell.

We will know a lot more about the staying potential of all three teams after this set of games.

Bullpens are very important and the Dodgers have the strongest of the three, let’s see how many wins it translates into over the next two weeks.

Click read more for more on Sunday!Colorado has pressure today to win its first road series all year when they let Detroit off the hook Saturday losing to the Tigers 9-7, series now tied 1-1.

Arizona hit seven doubles in the Metrodome Saturday walloping Joe Mays and Minnesota 9-2. Minnesota has one pitcher, Kyle Lohse, who consistently throws well, every other starter on the staff has been less than stellar this past month. Joe Mays, not very good right now, Brad Radke right there with him.

Where is Eric Milton when you need him? The Twins better give Johann Santana a few more starts or else that wonderful bullpen will be worn out by August first.

If the Mets trade Armando Benitez they will have trouble winning many games the rest of the season. Their whole bullpen is on the DL and Benitez is the only sure thing Art Howe has going for him in the ninth inning.

The Angels are getting healthy and face Seattle this week. It is time for Kevin Appier, John Lackey, and Jarrod Washburn to step up in Seattle or else the Angels could fall into a double digit defict. The A’s will face a similar test beginning June 30th.

Garret Anderson is having the quietest MVP season in history. He needs some serious PR.

Melvin Mora, the former Met is still leading the AL in hitting. It isn’t a fluke because Mora has over 70 hits in less than 200 at bats.

John Smoltz came in with the bases loaded and no outs in the eighth in Seattle yesterday and surrendered one inherited run, getting the Braves out of a deep jam, thus saving the 3-1 win for Mike Hampton who pitched his best game in a month.

With his team down by two runs in the ninth, Mike Cameron tried to steal second base and was quickly erased by Javy Lopez.

Hello Mike, your run means nothing, where were you going?

Earlier in the game, not only didn’t Andruw Jones touch second base on his way past the bag the first time, he didn’t touch second as he attempted to return to first after Ichiro made a sensational catch in right field on the play. Doesn’t matter, once you go past the bag you have to touch it coming back, no matter if you missed it the first time. The Mariners noticed and he was out on the appeal play.

Where is Ruben Rivera when you need him?

Two hottest Yankees are, Jason Giambi and Hideki Matsui. The Yanks haven’t lost since the six pitcher no hitter and Joe Torre’s clubhouse speech.

For some reason I’m intrigued by the Red Sox and all their hitting. I think they have something special going on this year. Kevin Millar, Nomar Garciaparra, and Bill Mueller are a big part of my interest, they are gamers having big seasons.

Scott Hatteberg is fortunate that Frank Robinson didn’t see Ray King work on the A’s first baseman this past week. With two lefties still in the pen, Robinson let Hatteberg hit off a hard throwng righty in the critical eighth inning, end of story, Hatteberg didn’t miss his pitch and he smacked one just like he did last September when the A’s won their 20th straight game against KC.

Aaron Harang, John Halama, with either one as a starter Ken Macha has the bullpen on speed dial. Halama is one tough guy and his long relief stint Saturday was classic. Hold em right there and let your team get back into the game.

Texas is throwing Santos, Mounce, and Valdes at the A’s this week. If the Rangers are still in a hitting funk, it will be a long week for them.

Mark Texeira is coming on strong each day. He’s up to .239 and now has nine homers and 30 plus RBI’s.

Lefty Mark Redman goes against Texas today. With Zito, Mulder and Lilly on the horizon, it will be intersting to see how the Rangers hit this lefty today.

The A’s see Boston and Toronto a total of twelve times in August, a little different than their trip through the AL Central last summer which produced the 20 game winning streak.

Greg Maddux and Gil Meche two righties in Seattle tonight. I’m going to watch this one.

The Braves are crushing lefties and so are the Mariners (20-6), let’s see which righthander gets the job done tonight.

Two good baseball stories with less than storybook endings. Matt Morris, New York native, nursing a sore shoulder, waited his whole professional life to pitch in Yankee Stadium. Instead of being cautious and resting, Morris told the manager he was good to go. Morris only lasted a couple of innings before being removed after a long rain delay. Morris hadn’t thrown between starts and put this season in jeopardy by going out to fulfill his dream by pitching in the Bronx. Boston native Jeff Bagwell came home to Fenway with the Astros. Bagwell had gone 140 at bats without a homer, with his parents in the stands he homered over the Green Monster, fulfilling his life long ambition. Manny Ramiez retreived the ball which hit off one of the tall Coke bottles above the monster, but threw it back to the fans, depriving Bagwell of his souvenir. Now the bad news, Bagwell’s fourth inning error led to four runs, which iced the game for Boston. No Hollywood ending for Morris and Bagwell.

No cheap save for Smoltz Saturday, he retired Edgar Martinez and John Olerud with the game on the line.

Shawn Estes and Cory Lidle in Toronto. Blue Jays outscore the Cubs today and Carlos Delgado will do it all by himself.

Jimmy Rollins is out of the leadoff spot for the Phils who are still searching for their real offense.

Randy Wolf may be the best lefty in the NL.

June 15th used to be the trading deadline for the major leagues. Now July 31st is the day that makes players nervous.

It’s Father’s Day, go out and buy the old man a good baseball book.

He’ll appreciate it.