To be known as one of the top players in the game in any era, you have to show your stuff in the Big Apple.

Miguel Tejada is showing the New Yorkers just how good he is this weekend in Yankee Stadium.

The A’s have a shot at sweeping the Yanks, the other contenders face tough tests, too, on Sunday.

Click below and see what I mean.

Tejada is a legitimate MVP candidate if the A’s continue on their roll and win the West.

Trust me folks the A’s wouldn’t be a .500 team without Tejada this year.

He is has come up with more clutch hits than any one else on the team and his defense has been superb, bordering on the spectacular.

His relay throw in the eighth inning Friday night, cutting down the lead run, may have been the biggest play of the season for the A’s.

Pay back for Derek Jeter’s play in last year’s playoff.

Why the team hasn’t made overtures to Tejada about extending his contract now is beyond me. The financial landscape isn’t going to change to the degree where whatever they signed him for today would be considered out of line after the next labor agreement is finalized.

Mark Mulder, who beat the Yanks in game one last October and then with shoddy defense gave it up in game five, goes for the A’s. The Yanks are slumping offensively and playing poor defense to boot.

The A’s aren’t intimidated in New York and Friday night’s win set the stage for the possible sweep.

Mike Mussina has simply been awful recently. You have to convince me something physical isn’t bothering the righty.

All of a sudden the Red Sox have to feel better seeing the Yankee rotation wobble. If Wells doesn’t throw better and El Duque has a new ailment, the Sox are back in business.

Johann Santana a tough lefty pitches for the Twins against Tim Wakefield. Boston’s pen better be ready because Wakefield will not go more than five or six. The Twins can take this series if Santana pitches the way he is capable of doing. A big if for young pitchers.

Just wait until Boston plays 15 in a row without a day off, their pitching will be a major albatross around their playoff hopes.

James Baldwin would like nothing better than beating his old team in Comiskey Park. Dan Wright falls into the good/bad outing class. Who knows what today will bring for either of these pitchers? Seattle is a better team so I’ll stay with the Mariners.

The Angels have their hands full facing Roy Halliday in Toronto. Halliday can handle any team in the league. Jarrod Washburn was not sharp in his last game and bears watching as he heads into crunch time as the ace of the staff. He’s never been there before so who knows how he’ll react.

The A’s are glad they won’t face Halliday this week.

Josh Fogg has a lot of confidence and Ryan Jensen has been tagged hard lately. The Pirates are scary today in Pac Bell. The Giants must be on egg shells watching Barry Bonds play, if he goes down with another injury, their hopes of making the playoffs go from about 70% to 40 %.

Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling, another close game. Schilling needs more runs and the Marlins will keep the game close.

Chuck Finley tries to stop the Cards slide once again. Pedro Astacio has been terrific for the Mets. New York needs this one, I’ll venture that they get it done in the heat in St. Louis.

The Reds are alive and kicking in the Central. They better win Sunday because Arizona comes in next, then Houston. At least they are showing some offense. Now if Don Gullett could pitch as well as coach they might have something.

Kevin Millwood is having a great season and the Braves don’t usually lose two in a row. Dave Mlicki can’t match zeroes with Millwood on Mlicki’s best day.

The Dodgers don’t want the Phillies to leave town. They get to beat up on the hapless Phils one more time Sunday.

Check your team’s schedule the Dog Days are beginning to bark.