? What I learned this week: - The favorites never win the HR Derby, but Ryan Howard will again next year. Dude has more raw power than I?ve ever seen, maybe since Reggie. - David Wright can?t stop competing at absolutely everything. Just like Derek Jeter, and that?s a good thing in NY. - Speaking of the Big Apple, I don?t remember Yankee fans talking about imbalanced schedules and weak divisions when they were beating up on the Rays, Jays and O?s, so why are they doing it in regards to the Mets? - The Pads and Dodgers look good, but the Giants are poised to make a run. Their pitching has to improve. - The Rangers new OF Jason Botts stands an amazing 8?7? tall. At least, that?s what he looks like rounding the bases. - The Boston Red Sox are home for 24 of the next 36 games, where the Sox have the best record in MLB since 2003. The Yankees are on the road 31 of the next 53. ? The Good, the Bad and the Ugh. - Good: White Sox MVP candidates. No fewer than 2, possibly 3 by the end of it. - Bad: All-Star jerseys. UgLee. They looked like a hot dog I wouldn?t buy. - Ugh: Philadelphia. All of it. ? Could things be any worse for the hapless Phils? Star pitcher Brett Myers slaps his wife, gets demoted. Things are unraveling even more, and to top it all off Ryan Howard hits 19 HR?s Monday night and no one gets on base in front of him. Unbelieveable. Bill Giles, Dave Montgomery and Myers need to get the story straight b/c Ol? Dave looks like he?s suffering from dementia. ? It?s interesting how the league determines the Natural Rivals in the new inter-league match-ups. It used to be that the Red Sox and Braves were ?natural rivals?, I guess because the Braves once played in Boston. But apparently the last guy that knew that died and now the Phils and Sox get together twice a year. Once Montreal moved to Washington the geography demanded the Blue Jays lost their rivalry with the new Nationals franchise. So now it plays out this way; Phillies-Red Sox, Mets-Yankees, Marlins-Devil Rays, and Nationals-Orioles. The East Coast bias is obviously in full-effect. ? Several Royals players and coaches will conduct two free 90-minute clinics for kids in local Little League programs. In a related story Gary Sheffield is spending some of his DL time conducting clinics on how to design a healthy, fully-legal workout program for developing strength and bat speed. ? Some Yankees fan wrote me a while back to say ?I read your column, good stuff, blah blah blah. Hey, you should say something about Robinson Cano,? so hear goes. For a second baseman he makes a pretty good left fielder. He looks like he?s playing ground balls with mittens on. I don?t want to hear about how he is the best hitting 2B in the AL, you think Brian Roberts wouldn?t be in that lineup? Or Ronnie Belliard? For my money, Jorge Cantu has the best bat at second in the Jr. Circuit. ? The more things change? Jose Canseco signs with an independent team, plays a game (0-3, 2K) and demands a trade that night. Then there?s word that he?s leaking more names to the press and giving names outright to the pathetic Mitchell Investigation. Just get this guy on the record, don?t pay him anything, and then lop his smarmy head off. Mimbo. ? Stop it with the Manny should have been at the All-Star game beause it?s disrespectful to the fans. You don?t pay his salary, John Henry and Tom Werner do. You don?t pay their salaries either, NESN and the licensing deal does. Believe me, if you stop watching, buying and going, no one is going to notice, because I?ll just buy your tickets. ? And while you?re at it, give your baseball cards to the greasy guy that owns the shop that no one goes into anymore and put your figurines on eBay. Time to grow up. ? Buy/Sell/Hold: We?ve been knocking these things out of the park so far. We gave you Francisco Liriano, Joel Zumaya, Matt Kemp, Russell Martin and Jon Lester. - Buy: Last week Dan Johnson, 1B, Oakland A?s. Missed this one, he hasn?t hit consistently yet. This week Derrek Lee, 1B, Cubs 14-46 since returning but the power numbers are down. You might be able to steal him from someone if you do it before he gets the pop back. Also, get some Giants SP, they?re playing the Phils. - Sell: Last week Jim Edmonds, CF/1B, Cardinals. 8-25, 1 HR, 7 RBI. Not a bad week for a guy with a concussion, but he?s on the back end. Anthony Reyes, SP, Cardinals. Since a 1-hit debut this season he?s winless and getting shelled. Find a Cardinals fan and trade him. - Hold: Last week A.J. Burnett, SP, Toronto Blue Jays. 1-2, 27.1 IP, 30 H, 11 ER24 K, 5 BB. Against Washington, Philly, KC and Atlanta. That?s not good. Livan Hernandez, SP, Nationals. If he gets traded to the Mets his value goes up big time. This guy is lights out when he cares and being paired with his half-brother El Duque could help. - Dump: Last week Kerry Wood, SP, Iowa Cubs. Season ending surgery. This week Detroit winning the AL Central. They can?t hold off the White Sox for very long, so they better beat the Royals now when they have the chance. Love it? Hate it? Want to know what makes me tick? Hit me up here: [email protected]