Bleacher Report - Articles by Bill San Antonio

MLB Previews: Breaking Down the AL and NL East Divisions

Bill San Antonio — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 13:20:21 -0500

Consider this my official return to the website. Since August, when three-quarters of my NFL previews were published, I took some time off to learn a little bit about the journalism field as I began work on the Torch, the official student newspaper of St. John's University. I began covering soccer in the fall, and have since moved on as one of the paper's Men's Basketball beat reporters.

But enough of that. Baseball season is right around the corner, and I'm here to preview the Eastern divisions of both the American and National leagues.

American League East

1. Tampa Bay Rays

The defending American league champions deserve this preseason ranking. With a core of young position talent as well as a potentially lethal starting staff (also among the youngest in the majors), Tampa Bay will be very good for years to come.

Their primary concern will be the bullpen, where a few new faces will present themselves, and moving David Price to the rotation is a potential toss-up considering he climbed the minor league ladder last season, but Tampa Bay is simply too talented to finish anywhere below second place.

2. New York Yankees

The Bombers spent a boatload of money this offseason to acquire C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and then the bombshell in Mark Teixeira.

Although the recent Alex Rodriguez steroid leaks will haunt them in spring training and will spill over into the regular season, and the Yankees will be missing the leadership of Derek Jeter and Rodriguez throughout the World Baseball Classic, they could flip-flop with Tampa depending on how their bullpen works itself out. The health of Burnett is also a cause for concern, seeing as he has spent much of his baseball career rehabbing injury after injury.

3. Boston Red Sox

With a number of low-risk, high-reward contracts to the likes of Brad Penny, John Smoltz, and Rocco Baldelli, Boston adds even more depth to their pitching staff and another potentially lethal bat to their outfield. Their health and age are concerns, which kept them in second place most of last season and prevented them from advancing to the World Series for the second straight year.

If the likes of Mike Lowell, David Ortiz, Jason Varitek, and Josh Beckett can remain on the field instead of in the trainer's room, Jed Lowrie won't have to move to third base and the Sox won't have a defensive liability in Julio Lugo at short. With health, they can dominate both on the field and at the plate.

4. Toronto Blue Jays

Yes, the Jays lost Burnett (to the Yankees, no less). Yes, this team is very old and will have to scrap together wins to remain above water. But despite his (slight) drop-off last season, Alex Rios is a star and will be a prominent fixture in that lineup for years to come.

This is a pivotal time in the history of Toronto, as their personnel management over the course of the next few offseasons could spell disaster for years to come if J.P. Ricciardi doesn't eventually acquire youth. Doc Halladay will anchor a relatively young rotation (everyone basically had to move up a spot in the rotation with Burnett's departure), and so long as the kids follow his shadow, they will eventually blossom into starters who work well in succession of each other.

5. Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore is actually headed into a positive direction. The O's acquired Rich Hill a couple weeks ago, who struggled last season in Chicago and was eventually moved to the bullpen. Adam Jones now has a full season of big league ball under him, and Matt Wieters is the most talked about prospect in baseball right now.

Nick Markakis will eventually be a household name, as his offensive production and absolute cannon in right field will get him noticed. This team, however, is not ready to compete at the level of Tampa, New York, or Boston, but if all goes well it could finish at .500 or just below the 81-81 mark.

National League East

1. Philadelphia Phillies

A potentially great rivalry is building in the National League east. the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets are chasing each other once again, not just on the field, but in the papers as well.

The Boston-New York rivalry isn't what is used to be (think Pedro and Zimmer/Garcia/Posada, Manny against Clemens—but Joba/Youk? Please.), and a fresh spirit of hatred between Philly and Flushing has been brewing ever since Jimmy Rollins declared Philly the team to beat entering the 2007 season, following the season the Mets won it and came within a Yadier Molina home run of reaching the World Series.

If Chase Utley is really ready by April like Charlie Manuel said earlier in the week, and Ryan Howard can get off to a good start with the stick, this team is scrappy enough to pull games out. They do, however, still need a fifth starter.

2. New York Mets

The Mets made the biggest bombshell moves of the division, signing Francisco Rodriguez to much less than he wanted and prying J.J. Putz from Seattle for pieces that were hurting the club anyway. The re-signing of Oliver Perez and Johan Santana's decision not to participate in the World Baseball Classic following knee surgery in the offseason mean that the Mets can have a potentially healthy front four entering April, and the signing of Tim Redding and Freddy Garcia to a minor league deal mean that the club has options at the fifth starter spot.

But where the Mets come out second-best are not because of the moves they made, but those they did not. The Mets could certainly use another top bat in the outfield, and Manny Ramirez is still on the market. The fans want him, the players want him, and it makes too much sense from an offensive standpoint for the team not to pull the trigger on a deal. The Mets will also struggle at second base, once again, this season. Orlando Hudson is still available, and is younger and more talented than Luis Castillo. This one's another no-brainer.

3. Florida Marlins

This team is hungry, young, and better than you may think. Yes, they traded Josh Willingham and Scott Olsen in a trade to Washington, which will make the Nats a better last-place team, and receiving Emilio Bonifacio in return signals the possibility of moving Dan Uggla, a defender with limited range and confidence issues at second base, over to first. After all, they did trade away Mike Jacobs to Kansas City for nuts and bolts.

But there's a spark of arrogance to this Marlins team that is well deserved after knocking the Mets out of the playoffs two years in a row. Look for the start of Cameron Maybin's career this season, as well as continued production from Jorge Cantu at third base.

The loss of Kevin Gregg to Chicago will signal the need for a new closer, a spot that currently belongs to team USA's Matt Lindstrom. Depending on Lindstrom's role with USA (middle relief) will depend on how ready he is to close come April.

4. Atlanta Braves

Tim Hudson's return from Tommy John surgery could equate a major trade deadline acquisition come July, as that is his expected timetable now that he has started throwing again. The Braves, after failing to sign Burnett, paid Derek Lowe $60 million and, more importantly, kept him away from the Mets (whose 3-year, $36 million offer went instead to Oliver Perez). The fourth year and extra $3 million meant that much in the offer, and as a result, Burnett is in Atlanta.

The Braves also acquired Javier Vazquez from Chicago in hopes that he could re-establish himself as a reliable starter in the National League. Expect a slight drop-off from Brian McCann coming off a career year even though he shed a great deal of weight this offseason, taking his conditioning seriously for the first time in his career, according to the catcher. Jeff Francoeur changed his swing as well and underwent a more baseball-like offseason conditioning program in the offseason. The swing, according to Francoeur, mirrors Mark Teixeira's, a former teammate, from the right side of the plate.

5. Washington Nationals

The baseball culture in the Nation's Capital has changed a great deal. The Nats are still bottom-feeders, but at least now they are doing something about it. They have become somewhat relevant in recent years with deals for Alfonso Soriano and the failure that was Jose Guillen's tenure there.

This offseason, they acquired Josh Willingham and Scott Olsen from Florida and recently signed power-hitting outfielder Adam Dunn to ta 2-year, $20 million deal. He should complement Ryan Zimmerman, the face of the franchise, and provide protection in an otherwise anemic lineup. Bottom line: Washington got slightly better, but is still years away from playing meaningful baseball. But at least now Major League Baseball takes them (slightly) seriously.

New York Giants 2008 Season Preview

Bill San Antonio — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 06:30:29 -0400

I should feel blessed to be a fan in the NFC East. Every division game should have a playoff atmosphere, mainly because three teams reached the playoffs last season. But looking to the New York Giants 2008 schedule, I feel that the competition will be a tremendous obstacle to my team's chances of returning to football in January.

New York's schedule features six games against 2007 playoff teams, including four within the NFC East against Dallas and Washington. The saving grace for one of these games is that the Week 5 match-up against the Seattle Seahawks is played after the Giants Week 4 BYE. This game could provide redemption for members of the 2005 and 2006 Giants teams if the Giants come away with the home win. Both seasons brought embarrassing losses in Seattle.

The other game against a playoff team is a Week 8 trip to Pittsburgh, never an easy trip for any team to make. But this game could bring the Giants success if the pass-rush is able to hold up despite the loss of Michael Strahan. Pittsburgh lost guard Alan Faneca, one of the team's most experienced lineman, to the New York Jets in the offseason. If the new Steel Curtain is unable to gel by this point, though it is doubtful by this point it won't, the Giants should easily take advantage.

After these games, one would think the season gets easier. The remaining teams, after all, did not reach the postseason. But the Giants feature games against playoff snubs Cleveland on Monday Night Football (Week 6, following the Seattle game) and a Week 17 showdown in Minnesota, not to mention two division games against Philadelphia, who is always tough.

There is always one game that is constantly overlooked on the schedule. It is a game that fans regard as an easy win, against a team that is truly underestimated. This is known as the trap game. Last season, the Giants fell into a trap set by the Minnesota Vikings at home, a game they lost 41-17. In that game, Eli Manning threw four interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns.

A similar game is visible on the 2008 schedule, against the Carolina Panthers. Carolina gives the Giants fits every time they match up, even though the Giants won their last meeting on the road 22-10 in 2006. This Carolina team has too many unknowns for comfort. I simply don't know how Jake Delhomme will recover from Tommy John surgery, how second-year receiver Dwayne Jarrett will dominate the red zone, or the contributions rookies Jonathan Stewart and Dan Connor will make. What I do know is that Carolina is on the rebound from a dismal 2007 and will look to make a run at the postseason once again and establish itself as one of the most dangerous teams in the conference.

There is an easy answer to the potentiality for losses. Remember, the Giants did win Super Bowl XLII, overcoming nearly impossible odds in one of the greatest David vs. Goliath match-ups in history. The Giants return every offensive starter from that playoff roster. If their offensive momentum can stay dormant for seven months and unleash itself against Washington in Week 1, they should have no problem winning 10 games. Mistakes by both Eli Manning and his receivers must be kept to a minimum.

This team is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. Key losses in the linebacking corps and secondary will put relatively young players in big positions very quickly. The Giants lost two starting linebackers in the departures of Kawika Mitchell to Buffalo and Reggie Torbor to the Miami Dolphins. Third year linebacker/defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka returns to the starting lineup after a broken leg suffered against the Detroit Lions in 2007. Rookie free safety Kenny Phillips should be eased into the starting role vacated by Gibril Wilson, who signed six-year, $39-million contract with the Oakland Raiders.

With plenty of visible tests for the Giants in 2008, we'll all know soon enough how well this team improved from the one that won a Super Bowl a season ago.

Manny Being Manny...With a Twist

Bill San Antonio — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:11:02 -0400

Scour the internet. Bleacher Report. MLB.com. Redsox.com. The Boston Globe. The Boston Herald. Every columnist, insider, fan journalist, and blogger will attest to the recent Manny Ramirez trade rumors as another example of 'Manny Being Manny'.

Every ground ball he doesn't run out: just Manny Being Manny.

Every mishap in the outfield: just Manny Being Manny.

Every argument with Kevin Youkilis: just Manny Being Manny.

Every cell phone break in the Monster: just Manny Being Manny.

From each of the above uses, it is obvious that 'Manny Being Manny' means one of two things: Either Manny Ramirez is one of baseball's great supervillians, tearing apart the respect and dignity of the game as we know it; or, he is a complete buffoon who is a total baseball liability until a bat is in his hands. Most believe the latter.

But Manny Ramirez might just be the biggest tease to come out of Boston since Diane left Cheers.

After telling ESPN Deportes that he'd accept a trade if Boston found a potential suitor, Ramirez stepped to bat against the New York Yankees and ripped a first-pitch Sidney Ponson fastball into right-centerfield, scoring Kevin Youkilis and striking first in the rubber game of their series.

On the next play, Manny became Manny, as he ran through a DeMarlo Hale stop sign at third base and was nearly thrown out at the plate on a Mike Lowell single.

Ramirez for so long has crippled the Boston Red Sox with his antics and attitude. Every incident, however, quickly becomes water under the bridge because Manny continues to do what Manny does best: hit.

With Ramirez' bat in the lineup, the Red Sox have reached the playoffs in four of the last six years, and have won two World Series championships. Manny was even the MVP of its first championship in 2004.

Manny Ramirez is no fool. He knows his value in New England, which is why Red Sox management has been held hostage by the slugger ever since he arrived in 2001. He'll hit his 25 and drive in 100 and do just about whatever he pleases, so long as he is able to mash.

If you don't like it, fine. Manny is more than willing to be Manny somewhere else. Because that's what it means for Manny to be Manny. If you're not on board with his antics, he'll show you what you're going to miss once he's gone.

So, get lost in the aura of the cell phone calls, the Johnny Damon cut-offs, and the game of 'the ball is lava' (see photo) he played during a game against the Los Angeles Angels.

Hate on his locks or his baggy pants or the way he looks at every home run he hits with defiance as he walks those first few steps out of the box for dramatic effect, often with hands raised to the heavens. Because the second you complain about Manny Ramirez, he'll bat an eyelash at Sam and Coach behind the bar and walk out at closing time with Frasier. He'll crush another fastball in a Red Sox win and make you forget about hating on the man.

Because it's just Manny being Manny.

Johan Santana, Mets Take Cards' Series at Shea

Bill San Antonio — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 11:18:27 -0400

Johan Santana earned his ninth win of the season in the rain today as he held the St. Louis Cardinals to one run—an Albert Pujols home run in the seventh—to put the New York Mets, however briefly, an extra game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies for first place in the National League East.

Santana threw a complete game, walking one and striking out five in surrendering six hits. He threw 118 pitches on a day when the Mets had just one other available pitcher, left-hander Willie Collazo, who was called up today after last night's starter, Brandon Knight, was designated for assignment.

New York's offense ignited today after a five hour and nine minute, 14-inning affair last night, which left everyone, including CW 11 announcers Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez, a little sluggish.

No one looked more sluggish than St. Louis starter Kyle Lohse, who lost today for the first time since May 8. Lohse surrendered three home runs to Mets' hitters, a season high. Lohse is 12-3 for the season.

Every Mets' starter contributed with a hit. Fernando Tatis continued his hot streak with three extra-base hits, including a home run in the sixth. David Wright went 3-5 with a home run and two RBI.

After taking this series against St. Louis, New York travels to Florida. John Maine will start against Ricky Nolasco tomorrow. St. Louis departs to Atlanta for a four-game set against the Braves, which will begin tomorrow night.

MLB All Star Game: What is and What Should Never Be

Bill San Antonio — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:42:54 -0400

Let me say this: I love the MLB All-Star Game. I love the history, I love the Home Run Derby, I love the hitter vs. pitcher match-ups we rarely see.

But some things, I just cannot deal with.

Even though the All-Star game festivities create a great deal of good for baseball in terms of revenue, television ratings, and merchandise and ticket sales, it does just as much bad for the organizations once the players return to their respective teams.

Some moves made by managers, and even those argued by fans and radio hosts, pose abominations to the game itself.

For instance, the whole "Mariano Rivera should have started the game for the AL" debate makes no sense whatsoever.

Rivera has not started a single game throughout his Yankees career. He is a closer, and will not start a game for the Yankees any time soon. Under no circumstances should something happen in an All-Star Game that would not normally happen in a regular season game. His job is to save games, not start them.

The two-day event has had a negative post-mortem effect upon its participants in the past. After David Wright put on a show at the Home Run Derby in Pittsburgh, his numbers with the New York Mets—particularly those with runners in scoring position—plummeted. Bobby Abreu was almost immediately traded to the New York Yankees following his Derby showcase.

Though Josh Hamilton put up over 30 home runs at this year's Home Run Derby, conventional wisdom tells us that he will probably not be the same at the plate the rest of the season.

Wright's swing broke down. Abreu's production declined for Philadelphia, even if it was rejuvenated once he arrived in New York.

With Texas right in the thick of the Wild Card race, the Rangers cannot afford its star centerfielder to go into a major slump during the dog days. Texas needed every one of his 95 first-half RBI to start 50-46.

Brandon Webb threw over 100 pitches in his start this past weekend for the Arizona Diamondbacks and expressed his disinterest in participating in Tuesday's game. He attended the All-Star game, and even though the game went to extra innings, pitched in that game.

He is not only a candidate for the National League Cy Young award, but in the midst of a division race with his Diamondbacks. The organization cannot recover from losing its ace to potential injuries, no matter how few pitches Webb threw in the All Star game.

Scott Kazmir, Webb's American League counterpart, pitched for his Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, and pitched on Tuesday night. Granted, he was the last pitcher on the AL roster. But Tampa, more-so than Arizona, cannot afford to lose its young ace to injury.

Kazmir got the win in the 2008 All Star game. Let's hope his Tampa Bay Rays aren't charged with a loss.

All-Star Game: The Power of the Dollar Still Rules Baseball

Bill San Antonio — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:23:59 -0400

Fox, you've done it again.

Did you not hear the constant debate in the weeks leading up to the All-Star game of Yankees' closer Mariano Rivera possibly starting the game for the American League?

Have you not witnessed Rivera's intimidating slow jog into the game from leftfield while Metallica's 'Enter Sandman' blasts over the Yankee Stadium PA system over the last 11 years?

Did you fail to see those hitters shake in their cleats while Rivera took his warm-ups and jump when they first saw his cutter?

Apparently not because when Rivera entered Tuesday's All Star game with one out and a runner on in the top of the ninth inning, with Metallica's classic song gradually increasing in its intensity, Fox cut to commercial.

And just in case you missed it (or your head just exploded, such as in my case), T-1000 just wants to watch TV with John Connor, The Dark Knight opens in theaters July 18th, and those weird dancing lizards now groove to Santana's 'Black Magic Woman' as an attractive model walks along the beach.

As usual, Rivera did not disappoint in his first 2/3 inning of work, striking out one while Rays catcher Dioner Navarro gunned down Christian Guzman trying to steal on the back end of a strike 'em out-throw 'em out double play. Rivera also got a double play ground ball in the top of the 10th to keep the All-Star game tied.

It appears nothing has changed on the business end of Fox sports, even on one of the most historic nights for New York City and Major League Baseball. The company still sold advertising on the backstop to companies such as Taco Bell and Bank of America and even posted a short clip of 'Fringe,' a Fox television series premiering in the fall, in the bottom right corner of the screen during a crucial point in the 10th inning.

Major League Baseball has even provided other corporate sponsors for the event, advertising in the form of endlessly re-runned commercials throughout the pre-game special and game itself (hey-at least Spiderman 2 wasn't advertised on the bases tonight).

All this was fine until Fox crossed the line with Rivera.

Rivera is one of the most revered and respected figures in the game and his warm up tradition is one for the history books. On a night when over 40 Hall of Famers were in attendance, a night when George Steinbrenner made an appearance, and a night on which the All-Star game was to be played at the current Yankee Stadium for the last time, one would think Fox would follow through on tradition and history, instead of thinking solely with its wallet.

NFL: The Beary Best Destination for Brett Favre

Bill San Antonio — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 06:00:00 -0400

Brett Favre should only be playing for one team this year. This team needs him so much more than Favre needs it, and its chances of winning rest solely on his shoulders, where it should be.

That said—it's not the Green Bay Packers.

In fact, Green Bay should not welcome Favre back at all. Aaron Rodgers only has a year left on his contract, and the organization used two draft picks on quarterbacks (Brian Brohm of Louisville and Matt Flynn of LSU) in April's draft.

The Green Bay Packers do not revolve around Brett Favre's decision-making. Bringing him back would just delay their evolution as a football team.

If Brett Favre wants to be released, the Packers should be willing to give it to him. They may be able (and more than willing) to trade him, but Favre's best fits lie in rival NFC teams who would jump at the chance to make themselves contenders and jump ahead of the Packers.

Green Bay should play the ultimate game of Russian Roulette with it's future-Hall of Fame quarterback—they should release him outright.

Thinking along the lines of the old-school quarterback, I may have the perfect fit for the ol' gunslinger. Let's face it, Favre would jump at the chance of playing the Packers twice a season. And there's one team within the NFC North with just as much history and prestige as the Green Bay Packers, and just as many problems to fix.

That's right—Brett Favre should be a Chicago Bear.

This may be wishful thinking on my part, but the move would send shockwaves around the NFL, presenting it with possibly the biggest storyline at the start of the season.

I can see it now. Cancel the jersey retirement ceremony on opening night. Put the grizzled veteran against the first-year starter on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. Start learning who those Chicago receivers are. Put Adrian Peterson on your Fantasy Football cheat sheet. Fear the Monsters of the Midway once again!

With no superstar-skilled position player on the offensive side of the ball, Favre could be the savior the Bears need to return to the playoffs.

Going to Chicago puts Favre just where he was last season with Green Bay. With few established targets and a stout defense capable of keeping Green Bay in games, Favre was presented with the challenge of resurrecting Packer pride.

However, he did more than that. He had a Pro Bowl season at age 38. He took Green Bay to the NFC Championship game. He made Greg Jennings and Donald Lee household names.

There would be plenty of challenges in Chicago. Receivers Muhsin Muhammad and Bernard Berrian have departed for Carolina and Minnesota, respectively, and the top targets include the speedy Devin Hester and aging tight end Desmond Clark.

Favre would have to develop targets such as Greg Olsen, Rashied Davis, Mark Bradley, and Mike Hass, turning them into Jennings, Lee, and James Jones. Favre would also serve as the last hope in Rex Grossman's development and mentor to Kyle Orton, or at least weather the storm until Chicago decides to draft a hopeful quarterback.

In Chicago, Brett Favre the guru and Brett Favre the Pro Bowler would both need to coexist for the franchise to succeed.

Unfortunately, FoxSports.com's sources report that the Packers will not grant Favre his desired release—so the above really is wishful thinking on my part.

If Favre were to return, at least for the time being, his destination in 2008 will remain in the hands of the Green Bay Packers. Whether that future is backing up Rodgers or suiting up in a different city next season, Brett Favre's legacy will not come to an end just yet. This story is far from over.

Rich Harden: The Fragile Ace in the Hole

Bill San Antonio — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:08:50 -0400

At this point in my baseball-obsessed life, I can say one thing with full confidence: If Rich Harden made 30 starts every season, he'd be the best pitcher in baseball. Better than Webb, better than Peavy, better than C.C., better than Beckett. The absolute best in the game.

But even Mark Prior thinks Harden is injury-plagued.

Each of the last three seasons, Harden has spent extensive time on the Disabled List, including two trips in 2007 with a strained right shoulder. His flashes of brilliance come in spurts—you know, in that time between DL trips when he steps on the mound to throw a pitch.

Tonight proved no different.

At home against a tough Philadelphia Phillies lineup, Harden thrived. Holding Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard hitless over eight innings, Harden shut out Philadelphia and struck out 11, lowering his season ERA to 2.15 and improving to 5-0. This Phillies lineup, mind you, is second in the National League in home runs (105), RBI (388), and runs scored (404).

Opponents are hitting just .196 against Harden this season.

In 2004, Harden logged 189.2 innings in 31 starts, going 11-7 with a 3.99 ERA. The injuries began early the following season, and have significantly lowered his trade value. Oakland will need continued health and success of its ace to compete with the Los Angeles Angels and potentially reach October for the sixth time this decade.

New York Yankees: Robinson Cano's Struggles More than Skin Deep

Bill San Antonio — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:40:44 -0400

Earth to to Robinson Cano: Everyone knows you can hit.

That's why you have been compared to Rod Carew. It's why you were named after Jackie Robinson. It's why the New York Yankees are paying you $30 million over the next four years and gave you two club options.

So it's about time you start hitting.

They say you're a streaky hitter, and with the numbers you put up down the stretch last season, one can't disagree. To finish 2007 at over .300 with nearly 20 homers and 100 RBI is quite an accomplishment for someone who was hitting under .250 when the Yankees struggled to remain .500 in the first half.

This year, the Yankees can barely remain afloat with a new manager and key injuries early on. Once again, Cano is off to a slow start, at an even worse rate than last season.

At game 63 last season, Cano was hitting .274 and reaching base at a .311 clip. New York was 32-31 and enjoyed a 7-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks with Cano singling twice but contributing nothing to the final score.

Entering Tuesday night's game in Oakland, game 63, Cano is at .231 and sinking faster and faster. On the previous day, against the Kansas City Royals, Cano stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the 9th against Joakim Soria with the Yankees down a run.

With 1 out and runners at second and third, Cano watched two fastballs cross him for strikes one and two. Soria threw a breaking ball out of the zone and watched Cano chase it for strike three. Melky Cabrera then grounded out to end the game.

As a hitter struggles, he tries to do whatever he can to get a hit. He'll chase pitches, he'll change his swing; and in the case of Jason Giambi, he'll wear a thong and grow a mustache.

Cano's struggles aren't as flamboyant; he has forgotten simple baseball strategy. In Monday's situation, all the hitter has to do is hit a fly ball to score the run from third. He can even hit a ground ball to the right side to score the run. It doesn't help the batting average, and it doesn't look pretty in the box score, but it's an RBI nonetheless.

The struggles continue due to a change in Cano's gameplan. Most of the balls he has put in play over the last few weeks have all been to the right side—Cano's pull side. As a result, his shoulders and hips open too early and his ability to drive the ball diminishes.

In his frustration, his swings become more desperate and his nonchalant disposition becomes engulfed in his problems at the plate. If hitting coach Kevin Long can get him hitting the other way again, and taking the game as it comes, Cano's success should materialize. Changes in his batting practice routine should help things along.

One of the reasons Cano draws comparisons to Carew is because of his ability to hit the ball to all fields, something Carew mastered over the course of his career. Cano is now trying to find this ability as the Yankees fight to remain above .500 and possibly in contention with Boston and Tampa Bay. And even though the eight other hitters in the Yankee lineup are just as capable of providing the offensive spark the team needs, they'll need the bat of their young second baseman if they are to reach the playoffs.

Because he can hit.

NL West: Baseball's Worst Division?

Bill San Antonio — Sat, 24 May 2008 13:58:34 -0400

Going into Saturday’s games, the Arizona Diamondbacks stood atop the National League West standings with a 29-19 record. Packed with pitching from ace Brandon Webb to rookie flamethrower Max Scherzer, along with a young core of talented hitters, one could make a case for Arizona being the best team in baseball. The rest of the division, well, not so much.

Sitting behind Arizona are the youthful Los Angeles Dodgers, led by former Yankees skipper Joe Torre. Their problems can be attested to both their youth and veteran players.

Signing Andruw Jones to such a lucrative contract was clearly a mistake. Not only is the 31-year old centerfielder once again struggling at the plate, but his power numbers are down as well. He’s hit just two home runs in 133 at bats this season.

Matt Kemp could turn out to be something special amidst the talented youth on this ballclub. He has made things happen at the plate and on the bases, stealing 10 bases and accumulating 14 extra base hits in 153 at bats thus far.

Russell Martin is becoming one of the best all-around catchers in all of baseball.

Chad Billingsley and Jonathan Broxton, two of LA’s prized young pitchers, are still getting their feet wet in their young major league careers. Despite a sub-four ERA and 60 strikeouts, Billingsley has lost five of his first nine decisions. Broxton has conceded 10 earned runs in 19 innings this season. Even after changing managers in the offseason, the gap between the young Dodgers and their veteran teammates hasn't appeared to decrease. For the Dodgers to overtake Arizona, Jones, Billingsley, and Broxton need to step up.

In 2005, the San Diego Padres won the division with a slightly-above mediocre 82-80 record. Their ace, Jake Peavy, had a 2.88 ERA, giving up a total of 65 earned runs while striking out 216 batters in 203.0 innings. However, he only won 13 games and suffered 7 losses, due in part to a lackluster offense that still plagues the Padres today.

Third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff is hitting .274 and getting on base at a .303 clip, but he only has 19 RBI, despite hitting in the middle of the order. Power threat Adrian Gonzalez has 13 home runs and 39 RBI, leading the team, but he was hot at this point last season too. Just after the All-Star break, his production stopped almost completely, and Gonzalez could not recover, finishing the year at a .282 batting average with an OBP of .347.

At this time last season, the Padres had a record of 26-21 and led the division. From then on, they were 63-52 and missed the playoffs due to Game 163 against Colorado to decide the wild card.

Though the team was able to rally in spite of Gonzalez’s struggles, they were much deeper in offense than they are this year. Their outfield lacks power, and no one is a threat on the bases. San Diego’s offense looks lost. Losing Josh Bard doesn’t help in the short term either. The Yankees can attest to that.

Despite winning the National League pennant last year after a 20-27 start, the Colorado Rockies are once again bottom-dwellers in the West. Troy Tulowitzki is out until July, trade rumors swirl around Matt Holliday in left, and ace Jeff Francis only won his first game of the season on May 18.

Third baseman Garrett Atkins has been on a tear the entire season thus far, and Aaron Cook has logged innings, but the Rockies’ struggles may not turn around any time soon. Once Tulowitzki comes back, they could be too far behind to contend and he may not be the sparkplug he was for Colorado last year.

Up until his injury, Tulowitzki hit .162, with just 16 hits in 105 at bats. Francis has given up a home run in six of nine starts this season and must perform up to his ace status for things to get better.

Losing a player with the offensive magnitude of Barry Bonds is never a good thing. The San Francisco Giants lost the controversial slugger at the worst possible time. Not only is their offense anemic, but it is one of the oldest in baseball. Omar Vizquel is 41, Ray Durham and Rich Aurilia are both 36, Randy Winn is 34, Bengie Molina is 33, and Aaron Rowand is 30.

I include Vizquel in this because shortstop Brian Bocock is hitting .143, and despite how good people in the Giants front office think he can be, eventually Vizquel will return to the lineup. His defense is too good for him to sit on the bench, even at his age, and he’s proven each year that he can maintain that ability.

Vizquel won Gold Glove awards every year from 1993 to 2001 (not including the strike-shortened 1994 season), as well as one in 2006 at age 39. Though Bonds is 45, his bat is still dangerous enough for pitchers to plan their starts around him. The remaining hitters, age notwithstanding, are all players who, over the course of their careers, make pitchers pay for mistakes.

The other Barry, Barry Zito, started the season 0-8 and was moved to the bullpen on April 28. Since returning to the Giants rotation on May 6, Zito has won only once, all of this happening about 14 months after Zito signed a seven-year, $126 million contract with San Francisco.

But make no mistake, this is not a bad team. Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain are two of the best young pitchers in baseball, and the Giants have had success in drafting and developing pitchers. Unfortunately, good starting pitching doesn’t always equal wins. Last season, Cain gave up a little more than 3.5 runs per game and only had 7 wins. San Francisco averaged just 3.1 runs per game in games he started last season, and he lost 13 decisions.