| Tom Morris. 19th July, 2006 - 1:19 am
 Two weeks ago the American League appeared to be taking shape. Slowly, of course, yet almost as surely, as the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox positioned themselves for a spirited race to the finish line.
In the AL East the Boston Red Sox went on a torrid run to end the first half of play, but sat their tired behinds down at the All-Star break to find the Yankees only three games back.
And the AL West had begun to take the form of its unenviably uneventful National League counterpart. Mediocrity was beginning to rule, and 5-game streaks were just as likely to involve losses as wins.
By the time the second half of the season resumed last Thursday it was the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics fighting for pole position in that sluggishly slow-moving division. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim had become all but an afterthought to many. But not everybody.
I modestly predicted in last week?s Top Team Rankings the Angels would put together a mad stretch of wins, eventually stealing the West from the exasperated A?s and Rangers. They have started to prove my foresight true, my wisdom undeniable, extending their winning streak to seven with a 10 ? 5 thumping of the previously imposing Cleveland Indians. With Oakland?s loss to the Orioles yesterday the Halos now trail the A?s by 1/2 ?a-game, and will start turning baseball experts? heads any day now.
The Yankees decided to remind us all they were anything but dead in this division. Hideki Matsui out for the whole season? Pshawww. Gary Sheffield missing until late this year? Fuhgeddaboutit. Randy Johnson pitching like Jason Johnson? Who gives a rat?s ... OK, you get the drift. The Yankees must have really felt the sting of that ignominious 19 ? 1 loss to the Tribe a couple of weeks ago. They are 8 ? 1 since, thanks in no small part to a hasty sweep of the Champion Chicago White Sox this past weekend. Add another victory yesterday, and the Pinstripes are not only ?-a-game back of the Red Sox in the East, they crept within shouting distance ( 3 GB ) of the White Sox for rights to the AL Wild Card spot.
But let?s not stop there in this one-week shake-up; Minnesota continued the strong play they exhibited over the last 30 + games, and themselves inched closer to the White Sox for postseason bragging rights. They no doubt have the Yankees to thank, and can finally start to visualize themselves included in a gold-plated playoff picture frame. This whiff of success, pungent though it may be, may not last long for the upstart Twins, but for now it certainly stinks up the Minnesota clubhouse.
Whose lead, then, has not shrunk these past five days? Why, the Detroit Tigers of course. The Tigers got a little gift when their Chicago rivals got swept over the weekend, and they now hold a 4 ? game edge on Chicago. Anybody still doubting this teams? talent needs to check their eyeglass prescription. In the Standings Column, it says 62 wins, not 32. And that is 30 you read in the Loss Column. Yep. Get used to it.
OK. So six days into the second half of the season and the AL has started to change its complexion. What else is new. Three months ago the baseball season consisted of 162 games, and ?guess what? -- it still does. Anyone buying or selling his MLB shares based on less than a week?s worth of ball might want to consult with a new financial advisor. Next week we may have the same tune, alright, only being sung by different American League Idols.
We all know the Yankees and Red Sox?s leads ebb and flow with oceanlike regularity. Set your watch by it. Motor City?s baseball fans would be wise to take this increased lead with a grain of salt or two, just as White Sox fans need not act as if they were suddenly replaced by Cub-fan Southsiders. Relax. We?ve got a long way to go.
Oh, and LA/Anaheim/Orange County, CA Angels fans? This is definitely a good sign for your ballclub. Your team?s rotation looks strong and, if the team?s owner OKs an impressive trade or two for significant offensive help, everything may really come up roses after all. But let?s face it. The Athletics may be flawed, but never fatally so. Oakland doesn?t take themselves out of the postseason, they must be taken out. A seven-game winning streak does not a season make.
So let?s see what the next week yields. It all starts with a much-awaited clash between the Tigers and White Sox, in Chi-town, for 3 days of bottle-throwing, fist-clenching intensity. Starts in about two hours. Should be good.
Me. I can?t watch it. I am without my MLB Extra Innings baseball package for 15 more days, while I and my brother, sisters, parents, nephews, nieces and the rest continue to enjoy idyllic life at a relaxing house by the lake in upstate New York. Sound nice? It is. About as enjoyable as can be expected from a harrowing trip into New York Yankee fan territory. I have avoided barroom brawls thus far. Let?s hope I make it out alive.
As always, baseball fans, keep your mind in the game, and the game on your mind. |
