Three Up, Three Down: MLB Week Seven

Lance Berkman is trying very hard to get back on this list again.

I'm not giving in, but I will continue to give him his due in the opening paragraphs every week.

So here you go Lance: your weekly props from me for hitting the living tar out of baseballs everywhere.

One thing is for sure, Berkman isn't as hot as Alfonso Soriano is at this point in time. That's right, no suspense this week. Alfonso Soriano, you are first up.

First Up: Alfonso Soriano, Cubs OF

Do you want to know how dangerous Alfonso Soriano is right now?

It looks like he hit a home run just about every game last week, and while he didn't, he averaged it.

He averaged one home run and two runs batted in per game last week. He hit two home runs each in consecutive games against the Pirates, and he's been rounding the bases so much, he hasn't even attempted to steal a base.

My question goes out to the Padres' and Pirates' pitchers. Why didn't you guys walk this guy? He is absolutely killing the ball, and you just pitch to him?

Oh that's right, he hits first, and you can't really walk the lead-off guy. I fully believe that is the reason the Cubs have kept him in that spot. His recent production has definitely resembled that of a three or four hitter.

But the reason he gets all those pitches to hit is because he bats lead-off. Pitchers must pitch to him because they don't like putting the lead-off man on base.

Oh yeah, Soriano also hit .516 last week.

Second Up: Cincinnati Reds

They won all six games they played last week, so you have to give them their due.

They were led by Adam Dunn, who homered in all three wins against Cleveland, including a walk-off shot in the bottom of the ninth on Saturday.

Brandon Phillips also hit two home runs, with eight RBI and four runs scored.

They got production from everywhere in the line-up, though. Corey Patterson hit .412 and Joey Votto hit two home runs, including a pinch-hit one on Sunday.

The most impressive part of their week might have been beating the Florida Marlins in three games. Also, hats off to the bullpen for getting the job done; they won every game by no more than two runs last week.

Third Up: Indians' Starters

This would have looked a lot more impressive if I had done it from last Friday to this past Friday, but I can't cheat like that.

However, the Indians' starting rotation has been lights out. They shut out Toronto for all but one inning in their four-game series. The lone run came off C.C. Sabathia last Friday.

The streak would continue on Monday in a doubleheader, where Cliff Lee and Fausto Carmona each pitched nine innings. Paul Byrd and C.C. Sabathia continued the streak further against the A's, with Sabathia throwing a complete game shutout.

Here is what the pitching staff did this past week against Toronto, Oakland and Cincinnati.

Fausto Carmona—16.1 Innings, .55 ERA, 1 W, 7 K

Cliff Lee—14.2 Innings, 3.07 ERA, 7 K

C.C. Sabathia—CG SO, 11 K Vs. Oakland

Aaron Laffey—7 Innings, 0 ER, Win, 6 K Vs Oakland

Paul Byrd—7.1 Innings, 0 ER, Win, 7 K Vs Oakland

Jeremy Sowers gave up the first earned run surrendered by an Indians stater since Sabathia gave one up last Friday against the Blue Jays. An entire week without an earned run? Yeah, you heard me correctly.

First Down: Detroit Tigers, Again

I hate to do this, but in a week that is slow for downs, there are a lot of Tiger hitters that are struggling.

Curtis Granderson—.190 AVG, 2 RBI, 1 R

Carlos Guillen—.210 AVG, 3 RBI, 1 R

Maglio Ordonez—.261 AVG, 1 RBI, 3 R

Gary Sheffield—0 for 10

Edgar Renterria—.235 AVG, 0 RBI, 1 R

Ivan Rodriguez—.222 AVG, 0 RBI, 0 R

Placido Polanco—.238 AVG, 0 RBI, 1 R

That is the Tigers' lineup for the most part, minus Miguel Cabrera, who has been hitting the ball well. Those seven Tigers combined for six runs batted in and seven runs scored.

Not good, not good at all for a lineup that was supposed to smash some records this year.

They've lost three of their last seven, including a sweep at the hands of Kansas City and two games out of three against Arizona.

We thought Detroit was on their way back a while ago, but their lineup continues to put up goose eggs, and it is starting to look like one that is destined to break more bad records than good ones.

The AL Central cellar-dwellers need a spark, and they need it soon, or they may not have enough time to get back in the race.

Second Down: Brett Myers, Phillies SP

Brett Myers is down, and he is going to try and "right" himself.

Myers got blasted again on Wednesday, this time giving up three home runs in the span of 4.1 innings. He gave up eight runs, six of them earned, and walked three.

It was Myers' eighth straight game giving up a home run, and his third game giving up at least six earned runs. He hasn't gone scoreless in any game, and hasn't not given up a home run since his first game of the year.

His WHIP was an insane 2.77 in that game, and tonight he will try and turn it around against the Nationals. He is apparently ready:

"I'm ready for this to turn around." Was the quote Myers provided about the game. I'm pretty sure you are ready to turn it around, but will you?

Third Down: Indians' Bullpen

Naturally, with the starters not giving up the runs, someone had to.

That would be the Indians' bullpen.

They blew three games last week, one by Rafael Betancourt, and the other a blown save by Masa Kobayashi. Jensen Lewis also gave away a tied game against Cincinnati with a bases loaded walk.

Betancourt had the roughest week. He gave up the three runs in extra innings against Toronto, then was yanked after recording only one out of a save chance against Oakland.

Kobayashi then became the favorite to get the majority of the save chances for the rest of the time Joe Borowski is out, but he too blew a game on Saturday.

Here is the comparison of the starting staff and the bullpen and their runs given up last week.

Starters: 59.1 innings, 11 runs, Nine ER

Bullpen: 10.2 innings, Eight ER

That is a very bad ratio for the Indians' bullpen. What was one of the best in baseball last year is getting used very rarely, and when it does, it isn't pretty. They sure do need their exciting closer Joe Borowski back.