Cardinals Make Move for Holliday

The Cardinals currently lead the NL Central by a game over the Cubs and Astros, and are pushing hard to increase their lead. They've made several deals over the last few weeks, with the big blow coming today. Matt Holliday is coming over from the Oakland Athletics, and at a price. The A’s receive hard-hitting third baseman Brett Wallace, outfielder Shane Peterson and right-hander Clayton Mortensen.

First, let's discuss who the A's got in this deal. Brett Wallace was their #1 pick in the 2008 draft. His current position will likely change (probably to Left Field) before he hits the majors, but he has flown through minors. Playing 62 games with Triple-A Memphis he racked up a .293 batting average with 6 HRs, 11 Doubles, and 19 RBIs. According to MLB.com, however, "in 27 games in the cleanup spot between Quad Cities and Springfield, he went 38-for-100 (.380) with eight homers and 29 RBIs." They rank him as the 42nd best prospect in baseball.

Mortenson was a supplemental 1st round pick in the 2007 draft , and also went through the Minors quickly. He's struggle against hitters in the high Minors. He sports a record of 7-6 with an ERA around 4.4. His K/BB ratio is better than 2/1, though.

Shane Peterson was a 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft. Like Wallace, he bats from the left side of the plate and shows a lot of promise, though he's still probably a few years away from the Bigs.

On to St. Louis. Holliday was one of the most coveted trade targets of the off-season, and has been more or less a disappointment in Oakland. He is batting .286 with 11 HRs and 54 RBIs, all lower than his numbers this time last year. However he's been better of late, with 3 HRs and 11 RBIs in the last 8 games.

The bigger emphasis here may be on how the Cardinals look opposed to their line-up a month ago. Along with the Mark DeRosa deal, Holliday may give Pujols the protection he needs to avoid getting intentionally walked 3 times a game. The Cards have added power, OBP, some speed, and two smart baseball players. Those two additions (made primarily to protect Pujols) have most likely added 5-7 wins to the Cards total this year, assuming Holliday keeps improving on his poor start.

This should make the Cardinals the favorites to win the NL Central, a division which will almost assuredly only get one team in the post-season. They may have mortgaged a good chunk of their future in doing so, as Billy Beane rarely makes big mistakes when it comes to prospects. Overall, this deal is a wash. The Cards improved for today, and the A's improved for the future.

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Best Sports Video Games of All-Time; Sorted by Sport

Several bloggers around the globe have created their lists of the best video games of all time. However, these lists don't always give you the information you're trying to get. Instead of getting a list of the best overall, I will give you a list of the best games by sport, regardless of platform.

Football: Tecmo Super Bowl (NES)

Tecmo Super Bowl seems to be the proper way to start off this list, as it is often referred as one of the greatest games ever made, regardless of platform. This is one of those games, plain and simple, that everybody knows, and most everybody loves. Teams have a total of 8 offensive plays and 8 defensive plays to choose from, limiting possibilities slightly, but at the end of the day this game has reached a legacy status that will never die. A strong running game is the most dominating way to trample through the competition, as evidence by the crazy Bo Jackson runs. Don't worry, sports fans, even Bo is stoppable with a little luck and some proper planning.

Honorable Mention: Madden 2006, NFL Blitz


Basketball: NBA Jam (Genesis)

You can't throw alley-oops. You struggle to score 100 points in a game. But no other basketball game brings more joy (or makes you want to say, "BOOM SHAKALAKA!") than NBA Jam. Known just as much for its trademark sayings as anything else, this game was ahead of its time. On top of the high flying dunks, this game also allowed you to play as a number of celebrities. That list included Bill Clinton, P-Funk, Warren Moon and others. It also has a good list of power-ups that basketball games have mimicked ever since. It has next to no story (you can't even play for an NBA Championship), but if you and a buddy want to kill off a rainy afternoon, this is the game for you.

Honorable Mention: Double Dribble, NBA Live 2005, NBA Street


Baseball: Ken Griffey, Jr. Presents Major League Baseball (SNES)

This is truly one of the most intriguing games ever made. It had the MLB License, but not the MLBPA License; which in short means it has real teams and real stadiums, but not real players. They got creative with their player names, however. The Phillies have players such as R. Balboa and A. Creed (sound familiar, movie fans?) and the Detroit Tigers have Mo-Town singers such as A. Franklin and G. Knight. The Game Boy version, released a year later, had real player names. The game also was one of the first to feature a decent Home Run Derby, and had several intricacies among the different ballparks that mirrored the real ones. The game did have some flaws, but overall was a more-than enjoyable game, and ahead of its time as well.
Honorable Mention: Baseball Stars, MLB '09: The Show


Tennis: Mario Tennis (N64)

The game was marketed towards kids, but all ages have enjoyed this game over the years. The beauty of this game was its simplicity as well as the Mario legacy. We all grew up with Mario, Luigi, Yoshi and the rest of the gang, and Mario Tennis allowed us to take our favorite players to battle on the tennis courts, against each other or even on a doubles team. There were several different button combinations you could use to lob shots, hit power shots, and put spin on the ball. This game also saved stats and allowed you to take players back and fourth between the N64 and the Game Boy Color, a feature that has since been mimicked over and over by several game platforms. It also had a pretty impressive list of hidden courts to attempt to achieve. The game got very addictive, especially if you had 3 friends over, as all four could play at the same time.

Honorable Mention: Topspin, Topspin 2


Golf: Tiger Woods PGA Tour '09 (Wii)

A golf game on a system that was almost meant for golfing. Tiger '09 is by far the best effort EA has made in the Tiger series, albeit with a few bugs. The putting still takes a while to get down, but the online and multiplayer options are solid. Combine this with the fact that you have to actually swing a controller in order to swing your golf club, and this is hands down the most intriguing golf game ever made. It may still take a couple of attempts for the Tiger series to perfect the art (as this guy points out), but if you're an online player or host parties often, this is great option.

Honorable Mention: Hot Shots Golf, Fore!, Mario Golf


Racing: Metropolis Street Racer (Dreamcast)

Never heard of it? It's okay, it isn't one of the most popular games, and definitely on the least popular gaming system. But MSR packed more into a racing video game than any before it and any since then. It introduced the Kudos System (awarding points for stylish driving as well as speed) as well as the idea of DJs talking before songs start playing on the radio. It has 262 total tracks as well as a whole slew of awesome cars to choose from. Also, the internal clock on the Dreamcast was used to perfection. According to Wikipedia, if you live in England and go to a San Francisco race at 8a.m., the race will be held at night. The downfall to this game would be the difficulty level, but the fact of the matter is the shear size and intelligence of this game is unparalleled.

Honorable Mention: Mario Kart, Grand Turismo


Hunting: Deer Hunter (PC)

One of the most obvious choices in the lot, Deer Hunter was a hunting fan's dream when it was first released on Windows in 1997. The graphics were above average for video games, the subtleties were all their, and this was one of the first reasons 45 year old men spent 2 hours at one time in front of the computer screen. It improved over the years, and certain versions of the game can be found on PS2, XBox360, and even Cell Phones. As far as hunting video games go, the Deer Hunter series holds a clear edge to the competition. Fun Fact: In some versions, Big Foot can be seen in the background.

Honorable Mention: Duck Hunt


Extreme: Tony Hawk Pro Skater (PS1)

THPS made landfall in 1999, and Hawk hasn't looked back since. The game was a huge success, as it brought aspects to a video game that were once unimaginable. The ability to choose mid-jump what kind of flip or grab you wanted to do was inventive, and the Career Mode was more than entertaining. Everyone remembers trying to make the longest trick possible, racking up those points and dragging the run over the 2 minute time limit as long as possible, as this guy proved in a newer version of the game. The game could be simple enough, but provided hours of entertainment at a skill most people could obtain in a relatively short amount of time.

Honorable Mention: Excite Bike


Soccer: FIFA Soccer '08 (XBox 360)

Another great series of games put out by EA, FIFA Soccer is the cornerstone for soccer video games. With the only real competition being Pro Evolution Soccer, FIFA delivers excellent game play that everyone can enjoy. It does take a while to get the controls down (something true about all soccer games) but once you do, it's a real kick in the grass. With 621 teams and 30 leagues, it is near impossible to play as everyone, but your favorites are most likely included. This version was also the first to include the "Be a Pro Mode", where you can play as one player throughout the entire game and rack up individual stats. FIFA has some bugs still, but it is by far the best soccer game made to date.

Honorable Mention: Pro Evolution Soccer


Boxing: Mike Tyson's Punch Out (NES)

This one was the most obvious choice of the group. Everyone grew up playing Punch Out, and a very select few of us ever beat Mike Tyson in the Dream Fight. The first 1:30 of the 1st round Vs. Tyson was nearly impossible to get through, and even if you got through that he wasn't easy to beat. With several characters that we all still know the names of (Glass Joe, King Hippo to name a few) Punch Out reigns supreme in the video game boxing world. At one point, most people knew the cheat code to get to Mike Tyson himself, but try as we might, most of us failed. He is beatable, but you better play your best 3 rounds of Punch Out ever in order to beat him.

Honorable Mention: Fight Night 2004, Knockout Kings


Hockey: NHL Hockey '94 (Genesis)

There were several ways one could go for best Hockey video game, but NHL '94 was always in the lists for best hockey game ever. It doesn't have the greatest graphics, and you can't bloody people up in fights like you could in the '93 version of the game, but everything else in the game is pretty on-point. Most people knew the pass-from-behind-the-goal trick, and most people knew to stay away from a game against Pittsburgh. Other games have looked better, but as far as gameplay (you can play a full season and playoffs, or shortened seasons of both) and shear enjoyment, NHL Hockey '94 is the icing on the cake.

Honorable Mention: NHL '09, Blades of Steel

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Tour de France Update: Post Stage 15

As the tour heads into the Alps, the riders receive their second rest day in Verbier, Switzerland. It's a much needed rest, after four of the five longest stages of the entire Tour (three over 200 km), as well as stage 15's mountain finish. Rinaldo Nocentini captured the yellow jersey on stage 7 and only relinquished it on Sunday's stage 15 to Alberto Contador, while Lance Armstrong, Contador's teammate on Astana, moved into second. On Friday, Team Columbia-HTC's George Hincapie came within 5 seconds of taking the yellow jersey himself after joining the strongest breakaway group in any stage of this tour yet. Here's an update on each of the Tour's individual competititions, starting with the white jersey - awarded to the best young rider in the GC standings - and ending with the yellow jersey, given to the champion.

White Jersey (best young rider)
Current leader: Andy Schleck (Team Saxo Bank)

Recap: Stage 15 saw the first transfer of the white jersey since Tony Martin (Team Columbia-HTC) took it from Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) in stage 3, as Andy Schleck took the white jersey by finshing in second, a full minute and a half ahead of twelfth place Tony Martin. Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) also leapfrogged Martin with a third place finish at 1:10 ahead of Martin. As it stands now, Schleck has a 25 second lead over Nibali and a 41 second lead over Martin. Despite losing the jersey in the third stage, Nibali's teammate Kreuziger is still hanging around at a bit over 2 minutes behind Nibali after finishing 11th, just seconds ahead of Martin, in stage 15. Nobody else is truly in striking distance, though two other riders are within six minutes of the leader - Brice Feillu (Agritubel) and Peter Velits (Team Milram).

Outlook: The favorite here has to be Andy Schleck. The Luxembourg National Champion is defending the white jersey he won last year, finishing 12th overall in the Tour de France. Nibali and Kreuziger are also used to being in this position - Nibali wore the white jersey last year, while Kreuziger finished in second place behind Schleck. Schleck, however, is not just the best climber of the bunch, but one of the best climbers in the entire Tour, as evidenced by his strong finish on stage 15. Kreuziger, Martin, and Nibali simply won't be able to keep up with him in the alps, and he'll cruise into Paris in white.

Polka-Dot Jersey (King of the Mountains)
Current Leader: Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas)

Recap: The Polka-Dot Jersey has been the most contested of the individual awards this year, with no fewer than 7 riders holding it on at least one stage. Alberto Contador (Astana) was the first rider to hold the jersey, but he now sits in 8th with 52 points. Unlike the white jersey, the landscape of the King of the Mountains competition is far different this year. In fact, of the six riders who wore polka-dots last year, only two have even scored mountain points this year - Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step), 7th with 56 points, and Thomas Voeckler (Bbox Bouygues Telecom), 20th with 31 points. The winner last year - Bernhard Kohl - retired, David de la Fuente is not in this year's Tour, Sebastian Lang (Silence-Lotto) is riding but hasn't scored a mountain point, and Riccardo Ricco was banned for doping. Pellizotti leads by 8 points over the man he took the jersey from, Egoi Martinez (Euskatel-Euskadi). They have outpaced the rest of the field - Martinez has 101 points to third place Pierrick Fedrigo's 65 points. In fourth and fifth sit Brice Feillu and Christophe Kern (Cofidis le Credit en Ligne), the two riders who held the jersey before Martinez.

Outlook: The lead that Martinez and Pellizoti have built over their pursuers is nearly insurmountable. In fact, each rider has already scored more mountain points than the second place finishers last year (Carlos Sastre and Frank Schleck, both of Team Saxo Bank, who finished the Tour with 80 each - Sastre has since joined Cervelo). It is not inconceivable that they could be caught, as there are plenty of points to be had in the Alps, but even Alberto Contador is unlikely to pick up the 58 points he would need in order to pass Pellizotti - and that's assuming that Pellizotti and Martinez don't grab more points of their own. No, it is a safe bet that Pellizotti or Martinez is wearing polka dots in Paris, and my money is on Pellizotti, who is a very strong climber and has consistently performed well in the Giro d'Italia, which should prepare him for the upcoming Alps.

Green Jersey (Points Classification)
Current Leader: Thor Hushovd (Cervelo TestTeam)

Recap: Team Columbia-HTC's Mark Cavendish (GBR) and Thor Hushovd (NOR) are jockeying for the green jersey: Cavendish leads Hushovd in stages wins four to one, but Hushovd has the lead in the green jersey points, 218 to 200. The only rider other than Cavendish and Hushovd who has worn the green jersey was Fabian Cancellara (Team Saxo Bank) after stage 1.

Outlook: Cavendish and Hushovd won't be caught. There are simply not enough points available, and anyone even remotely close to them is, like Cavendish, a sprinter, and won't get points in the mountains. However, even though Cavendish is only 18 points behind Hushovd, it will be extremely difficult for him to pass the God of Thunder. There are only two flat stages left - stage 19 to Aubenas and stage 21 to Paris - and stage 19 ends with a category 2 mountain and a descent to the finish line - not the ideal stage for a sprint finish.

Yellow Jersey (General Classification)
Current Leader: Alberto Contador (Astana)

Recap: If you want to know who the contenders are to win the yellow jersey, and thus the Tour de France, look no further than the top of the stage 15 standings. The top eleven riders, with the exception of the surprising Bradley Wiggins (Garmin-Slipstream), were all considered threats to win the GC prior to the tour, including Alberto Contador (1st), Andy Schleck (2nd), Carlos Sastre (6th - Cervelo TestTeam), Cadel Evans (7th - Silence-Lotto), Lance Armstrong (9th), and Kim Kirchen (10th - Team Columbia-HTC). Each of the top 15 riders from stage 15 are in the top 20 overall. Contador, who leads by 1:37 over his teammate Armstrong, took the yellow jersey from Rinaldo Nocentini. Also within 2 minutes is Wiggins, who finished 124th in 2006 and withdrew in 2007, but is now third, just 1:46 back. Andy Schleck and the aforementioned Nocentini are each within 3 minutes, while Frank Schleck (Team Saxo Bank), Carlos Sastre, and Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream) are each within 4 minutes. Evans is 4:27 back, and Kirchen is 5:05 behind the leader.

Outlook: So far, the tour is shaping up in much the way we thought it would, with members of Astana holding 3 of the top 4 spots. They would likely have 4 of the top 5 if Levi Leipheimer had not crashed and broken his wrist, forcing him to withdraw. Contador and Armstrong are fairly solid bets to win at this point, and the biggest question is whether Astana will commit to one or the other in the Alps. Given how well they are doing, however, it may not be necessary - they each have great form, particularly Contador. Of those chasing them, Evans, Kirchen, Vande Velde, and Sastre are likely too far back to win without a virtuoso performance in the Alps, because it is unlikely they will make up any time to Contador or Armstrong in the last time trial. Wiggins has never had this much success, and it is unlikely he'll be able to keep up in the next few stages. Kloden, in fourth, is an Astana teammate of Contador and Armstrong, and will likely serve in a supporting role to them. So, that leaves fifth place Andy Schleck as the biggest threat to an Armstrong or Contador win. Schleck is one of the best climbers in the Tour, and if he can press Armstrong and Contador in the Alps, he could have a chance to wear yellow in Paris.

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Five Most Over-Rated Stories from the First Half

Every year, there are some stories that dominate ESPN and Blogs everywhere, that leave several of us scratching our heads. The following are the 5 stories that got the most hype for the least amount of reason, and why all five of them are dying right now.


5. The Chicago Cubs Season
Okay, the Cubs have not been good. They've not been anywhere close to as good as their payroll would lead you to believe. But despite their offensive deficiencies, they ended the 1st half of the season with a .500 record (43-43) and were 3.5 games behind the 1st Place Cardinals. They have plenty of time to catch the Cardinals, especially since Pujols is most likely going to get the Barry Bonds Treatment the rest of the year. I'm not saying they're going to get to the World Series, and I won't even guarantee they'll make the playoffs. But for as much bad publicity as this "terrible" team has gotten over the last two months (a time period largely spent without their best hitter, Aramis Ramirez) they are right in the thick of things in a weak NL Central division. Remember, no one cares how you get to the playoffs, it is what you do once you are there.

4. The All-Star Game
For the last seven years, the All-Star game has "counted" for something. On the face of the story, it seems to have worked. We had gotten to a point where All-Star players would rather have 3 days off in the middle of the season instead of playing in the Mid-Summer Classic. Putting some sort of emphasis on the game has clearly brought the star players back out, but the fact that the winner gets home-field advantage is not only absurd, it is almost irrelevant. It is absurd in the sense that whichever team has the better regular season record should be granted home-field advantage in the playoffs irregardless of extenuating circumstances. It's irrelevant based on the World Series winners since it happened. The American League has had home-field advantage since 2003, and has only won three of the six World Series Titles in that span (Red Sox - 2004, White Sox, 2005, Red Sox, 2007). One would imagine, if HFA was so important, the AL would have more than half of the victories since 2003. Let me tell you what I know about the World Series. The best team from both leagues doesn't always make it there, but the best team in the World Series almost always wins it. I know that sounds like a Madden-ism, but let me explain. Baseball is a lot different than other sports. If a team gets hot, they can be close to unbeatable (i.e. The Rockies two weeks ago.) But this doesn't apply in the World Series. There is too much focus on these seven games. If you're the best team, you're capable of taking 2 of 3 games @ home, and 2 of 4 on the road, plain and simple.

3. The Red Sox Starting Pitching
Oh, the depth! Please. As much press as the Red Sox have gotten for their starting pitching, they're really only a slightly above-average pitching staff. The Red Sox currently have the 7th best ERA in baseball, 2nd best in the AL. But they are less than .1 points ahead of the White Sox, and only .01 better than the Rays. They are 17th in innings pitched, which will eventually tax their bullpen. They are also a very mediocre 15th in BAA, making their players behind them work harder. On top of that, we've heard so much about Smoltz, (who is over the hill), Buchholz, (who is unproven) and Brad Penny (who they are trying to trade). Buchholz has all the talent in the world, but that doesn't always translate to big league success. There is a reason they've become a major player in the Halladay sweepstakes recently.

2. The New Yankee Stadium
"Deep fly ball...way back...It's gone!"
We have heard this about three times as much as we did at this point last year in Yankee Stadium. My question to you is: Who cares? Yeah, it is a terrible thing for Yankee pitchers on your fantasy team. Yeah, it may have ended Chen-Ming Wang's effective career. But really, it's not an advantage for either team playing at the stadium, and the fact that this story is getting this much press is ridiculous. An AL Ballpark in a hitter's era is giving up a lot of home runs? What else is new? Get over it, Yankee bloggers. It is officially a non-story.

1. Steroids
A-Rod. Sosa. Manny. The list goes on. This is why it should end. Jose Conseco estimated that 80% of players used steroids in the late 90's - early 2000's. What might be even more shocking is most of his thoughts published in his book "Juiced" have been proven correct. This means if you think a player may have been 'roids at one point, you're probably correct. "Innocent until proven guilty" doesn't apply in this situation. It is time the MLB came out with the list of players who admitted to taking Steroids on the Mitchell report, regardless of the short-term effects. If not, every time a good offensive player retires, his name will come up in steroid controversy. The MLB needs to wash their hands of this, once and for all.

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All Star Break: Team and Divisional Breakdowns. Part 3/3, West Teams

AL West

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Angels have gotten off to a much slower start this season than in years past, but still find themselves in 1st place in the AL West. They're going to have to keep it up this season though, as tougher competition has arrived in the West in the form of the Giants and Mariners. This added pressure, I believe, will help them if and when they do make the playoffs.

Recommendation: You need another starting pitcher, as you only have one w/ a sub-4.0 ERA (Weaver, 3.22). Your help won't come from the AL, as no one is going to deal you a player that may come back to haunt them in the playoffs. You might look across the state, however, and try to pry the most recent player with a no-hitter, Jonathan Sanchez, away from the Giants. They are in contention as well, however, so you'll have to pay for an arm like his.

1st Half MVP: Chone Figgins
The only player on the team with more than 100 hits and 60 runs, Figgins is the fire for this team. When he gets on base, things get interesting. His versatility is undervalued as well. He is a 3b-by-necessity this season, but has played all over the infield and in CF.

Texas Rangers
The Rangers are one of the biggest surprises thus far in the season. They were supposed to be good, but they weren't supposed to actually be competitive. The find themselves with a 48-39 record and just 1.5 games out of first place. Their offense is legit, but they need some pitching to make it to the playoffs.

Recommendation: You have no real limits here. All the top tier starters from Halladay to Doug Davis to Maholm should be in play, as well as a reliever such as Russ Springer or John Grabow.

1st Half MVP: Frank Fancisco
There are a lot of players that could be deserving of the honor for this team, but Francisco's been nearly lights out as a closer. His 2.28 ERA is more than good, and with an all-offense, no pitching team, it's a luxury to have a light's out closer.

Seattle Mariners
The Mariners have exceeded pretty much everyone's expectations, including their own most likely. At four games over .500 and 4 games back, they are leaps and bounds ahead of where they were at this point last year (37-58). This is in large part due to their pitching staff, but their offense will need to step up if they're going to continue contending.


Recommendation: Bench Griffey and find a corner OFer. Maybe Luke Scott can fit in here. Look, you've got a good story in Griffey, but good stories don't win pennants.


1st Half MVP: Washburn, Bedard, and Hernandez
For the first time, we've got multiple winners for the 1st half MVP on one team. But really, all three of these guys are deserving. Washburn has the highest ERA on the team, sporting a 2.96 ERA. They need to stay healthy, but with a little offense this team could be scary.

Oakland Athletics
Oakland has gone in the wrong direction this year. They had high expectations after trading for Matt Holliday and signing Orlando Cabrera, but neither move has paid off. The A's should be sellers again, but you never know with Billy Beane.

Recommendation: It is time for Billy to sell off his assets and build for the future...again. Get what you can for Holliday, and you might even consider dealing Dallas Braden. Also, whenever the contracts of Mark Ellis, Bobby Crosby and Eric Chavez end, make sure you don't talk to them anymore.

1st Half MVP: Dallas Braden
Braden leads the team in Wins, Innings Pitched, and ERA. Honestly, he's probably a number 2 starter at best, but on this team, he's the best player.


NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers
The best team in baseball has done just about everything. They have proven they can pitch, they can hit, and they can adapt to change. With Manny back, this team has just about locked up the best record in the NL by mid-July. The Dodgers made arguably the best Free Agent signing by bringing in All-Star 2nd Baseman Orlando Hudson late in the off-season.

Recommendation: You don't need much. However if you can pry either Doc Halladay or Cliff Lee away from their current clubs, you'd be odds-on favorites to win the World Series.


1st Half MVP: Juan Pierre
For years, we've heard how Pierre is over-paid. Some of those years it may have been true. This year, however, Pierre stepped in and stepped up when Manny was suspended. He is batting .328 with 23 steals, 39 runs and 25 RBIs on the season.


San Francisco Giants
The Giants are, in this blogger's opinion, the best story in baseball. They've not had a winning season since 2004, but are currently 10 games over .500 and have a good lead on the Wild Card spot. Their pitching has been dominant, and their offense has done just enough. They may be one player away from seriously contending for an NL Crown.


Recommendation: A corner outfielder with some pop would do this team a lot of good. Perhaps Luke Scott or, less likely, Alex Rios.

1st Half MVP: Tim Lincecum
I had a hard time not sharing this one between Lincecum and Catcher Pablo Sandoval. However, Lincecum has been dominant in every aspect. He leads the Giants in most pitching stats, and this 170 lb. man strikes fear into every batter that comes up to bat against him.

Colorado Rockies
The Rockies have been very good this season, but I personally think it's a mirage. The winning streak they went on was amazing, but they may have used it up a little too soon. They are nine games behind the Dodgers, two behind the Giants, and will still need to make some moves in order to stay competitive. Marquis has been amazing, but typically slows down in the 2nd half.


Recommendation: This is another team that could use some outfield help, and Luke Scott's name comes up here again. He would be a very solid addition for your team.


1st Half MVP: Jason Marquis
Marquis leads the team Wins, IP, and ERA. He will have to keep this up for the Rockies to make the playoffs.

Arizona Diamondbacks
A team with so much potential, and so few results. No one expected the D'Backs to contend with LA, but the Wild Card spot was supposedly attainable at the start of the season. With a record of 38-51, it's time to sell what you can. If you want to blame anything at all for this, blame the health of Brandon Webb.


Recommendation: Sell your good players, hold on to the great ones. Justin Upton and Dan Haren shouldn't go anywhere, for anybody. Most other players, including some starting pitchers, will draw some interest, and you should listen.


1st Half MVP: Dan Haren
If not for Mark Reynolds low batting avg. (.253) he would get a look here. But you cannot overlook Haren's performance to this point. Nine wins and an ERA of 2.01 nets you a lot of money when it's time for a new contract.

San Diego Padres
The Padres did not expect to contend this year, but 20 games out at the all-star break was more than they expected. The lack of health by starter Jake Peavy is a cause, but this team has too many holes at the moment, and may not contend for another three or so years.

Recommendation: Trade everyone you can, other than Adrian Gonzalez. No one else on this team is untouchable. Get a good haul of prospects, and hope they pan out in the next few years.

1st Half MVP: Adrian Gonzalez
His batting average is terrible (.250), but he leads the team in HR, RBI and Runs. He's the only piece to this puzzle that currently fits.

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All Star Break: Team and Divisional Breakdowns. Part 2/3, Central Divisions

AL Central

Detroit Tigers
Supreme pitching by starters Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson have carried this team to the top of a weak division. They've still got some holes, but seem to be patching up things rather well. Miguel Cabrera is a beast, but he's also the only regular batting over .275. They will have to get some better production in order to hold off the Sox and Twins.

Recommendation: You would be a dark-horse winner if you pulled it off, but a trade for Pittsburgh 2nd Baseman Freddie Sanchez makes a lot of sense, here. He could be a top-of-the-lineup kind of guy that could put you over the top.

1st Half MVP: Justin Verlander
The guy just wins. He leads the team with a 10-4 record, and leads the league with 149 strikeouts on the year. All of this came after a terrible start to the tune of a 9.0 ERA after 4 starts. He's back, and he's dominant.

Chicago White Sox

The White Sox have been a Jeckyll and Hyde team all season; two weeks with 2 wins followed by two weeks with 10 wins. However, they find themselves only 3.5 games behind the 1st place Tigers. They've got a chance to catch them and make the playoffs, but they're going to need some more help.

Recommendation: You need another solid starter. You probably don't have the pieces for Halladay, and I don't see the Indians making an inter-division trade involving Cliff Lee. That leaves a player such as Doug Davis as a move that makes sense.

1st Half MVP: Jermaine Dye
Dye leads the team in HRs (20), Runs (55), and BA (.302). If he is not on this team with this production, the South Siders would be in a real hole. He will need to keep up this great production if the Sox don't get any offensive help.

Minnesota Twins
The Twins are one of the feel-good teams of the year, just like every other year. Coach Ron Gardenhire finds a way to do more with less better than any other coach in the AL, maybe MLB. He's had some major help this year from catcher Joe Mauer. The Twins are going to have to defy odds to make the playoffs, however.

Recommendation: You could use some corner outfield help. A player with some pop and solid fielding. Who couldn't, right? If you could find a way to pry Matt Holliday from Oakland without giving up the farm system, you would be in great shape.

1st Half MVP: Joe Mauer
A no-doubter here. Mauer's hit more HRs in the first half of this season than he's hit in any other full season throughout his career. Oh yeah, his batting average is .373.

Kansas City Royals
Congratulations Royals, we've reached the all-star break and you're NOT in last place! Believe it or not, I think this is a sign of things to come. I can see the Royals contending in a weak division in the next couple of years. This year, however, you're sellers again.

Recommendation: Hold on to your great assets. If someone comes calling for Olivo or Bloomquist, listen up. If someone calls for Soria or Greinke, hang up the phone.

1st Half MVP: Zack Greinke
Another really easy choice here. Greinke leads the team in Wins (10), Ks (129), ERA (2.12) and IP (127.1). He's the sole reason why the Royals can contend in coming years.

Cleveland Indians
Not much to say here. The Indians had high hopes coming into the season, and it just hasn't worked out. They've already traded Mark DeRosa, and you can most likely expect more trades to follow.

Recommendation: As much as a fire-sale seems to be in order here, hold on to CF Grady Sizemore, Catcher Victor Martinez, and SP Cliff Lee. You can build a franchise around these three, but not with the current supporting cast.

1st Half MVP: Victor Martinez
Martinez leads the team in Runs, RBIs and HRs. He's healthy, he's a horse, and he should be the cornerstone of this franchise for years to come.


NL Central

St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals are looking solid at this point into the season, and have only one man to thank for that. Albert Pujols makes this team work. From top-to-bottom, this team is 20x better thanks to him. Picking up DeRosa was a nice pick-up for the Cards, but he needs to get healthy. One more bat would make sense for them.

Recommendation: Matt Holliday makes a whole lot of sense here...and he will come cheaper than the other good option for them (Doc Halladay). Whether or not they feel they have the ability to get him financially is another story.

1st Half MVP: Albert Pujols
He leads them, and the rest of baseball, in pretty much everything.

Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers are doing well without solid pitching again this season. The offense is obviously going to be just fine. Gallardo has been solid, but he's going to need some help if the Brew Crew are going to make the playoffs.

Recommendation: Another arm is the best way you can go here. They won't be able to get Halladay or Lee, most likely, so look for a Diamondbacks pitcher (either Garland or Davis, not Haren) to bulster the rotation in the 2nd half.

1st Half MVP: Prince Fielder
Another 1st baseman in the NL Central is the 1st half MVP of the team. Prince leads the team in AVG, HR, and RBI, and is an absolute terror when he comes up to bat. He also just won the Home Run Derby - kudos.

Chicago Cubs
The North Siders have been below expectations all season. Part of this is due to injuries (Ramirez, Lee, Zambrano, Soriano and Bradley have all missed time, their 5 best hitters). But that's no excuse for how poorly they have played up to this point. That being said, they're only 3.5 out, and their best baseball HAS to be in front of them.

Recommendation: Get Healthy. Ryan Dempster broke his toe on the gate in front of the dugout in celebration (lol) and Soto is out for at least 2 weeks. If and when this team gets healthy, they could be dangerous.

1st Half MVP: Derrek Lee
Three NL-Central Teams, Three 1st half MVP 1st basemen. Lee has absolutely carried this team over the last month of the 1st half. He may have to keep it up if the injuries keep piling up for this team.

Houston Astros
The Astros are another "surprise" team so far this year, tied for 3rd in the NL-Central 3.5 games behind the Cardinals. Roy Oswalt has been his usual self, but Wandy Rodrigeuz leads this team w/ an ERA of 2.96. They are going to have to make a move or two to keep in the playoff hunt, however.

Recommendation: A player like Mark Teahen makes some sense here. He can play both 3b and RF, and is batting around .300 on the season. They may be in the Doug Davis sweepstakes as well.

1st Half MVP: Wandy Rodriguez
No 1st baseman here, though Lance Berkman is certainly deserving. Rodriguez has a W-L of 8-6 on the season, but has a Team Best ERA of 2.96. Without him and Oswalt at the top, there's no way this team is only 3.5 back.

Cincinnati Reds
The Reds look like their usual selves, starting off strong and fading in July. One could blame Head Coach Dusty Baker and his mismanagement of his pitchers, but they have had their fair share of injuries as well. Fans can only hope they get healthy, and possibly look into adding an arm.

Recommendation: Doc Halladay and Cliff Lee are likely not possibilities here, but this is another team that could be in on the Doug Davis sweepstakes. Any pitcher that doesn't allow a lot of fly balls would make sense here, as the Great American Ballpark isn't the largest field...A player with a high OBP would make sense here, also.

1st Half MVP: Francisco Cordero
The first closer chosen for 1st half MVP occurs here. Cordero has been simply lights out. His 1.75 ERA is very, very good, and once teams trail the Reds in the 9th, the game is essentially over.


Pittsburgh Pirates
Another All-Star Break, another seller's year for the Pirates. They are currently 9.5 games out, and have already started selling (Nyjer Morgan has been dealt to the Nationals of all teams). Look for this to continue in the near future. This team is still most likely at least 3 years from seriously contending.

Recommendation: Sell Sell Sell!!! Everybody outside of Zack Duke should be considered as a trade candidate. Build up the farm system with above average prospects and hope for the best.

1st Half MVP: Zack Duke
Duke leads the team in Wins, IP, and ERA. He's the lone bright spot for an otherwise lackluster ball club.

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Monday Top 10: NFL Offseason Storylines (That don't involve Favre or Owens)

Ok, lets get this out of the way first: I don't mind Brett Favre - I think he's a fine quarterback and has had a better career than most - but he's had more farewell tours than KISS. As for Terrell Owens, watching news coverage on him is like being forced to watch the mini-series 10.5 -A giant disaster, and yet mind-bogglingly silly. So, here are the 10 NFL storylines that have most interested me this offseason, in reverse order (because apparently it builds suspense).

10. Matt Stafford in Detroit
One of the pitfalls of being selected first overall is that you usually end up with a team with few prospects for the next season. There are certainly exceptions, as the Miami Dolphins proved last year, but new GM Martin Mayhew was promoted from within, while Miami went out and got Bill Parcells to run the team for them. The Dolphins also made the playoffs on the arm of a smart, accurate veteran QB, while the Lions, in Stafford, have a rookie with a strong arm and a tendency to make bad decisions under pressure and force his passes. This is a team that needed to improve its pass protection (2nd most sacks allowed in 2008), but didn't take an offensive lineman until the seventh round! This is a team that's pretty much in total rebuild mode, but thought it prudent to take a tight end in the first round! Given the state of the economy, Detroit residents could use something to cheer about - but it won't be the Lions, and Stafford will spend too much time on his ass due to a subpar line and an invisible running game. (30th in the NFL last season with the fewest rushing first downs).

9. Green Bay Switches to a 3-4 Defense
When Green Bay hired Dom Capers, they made the decision to switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense. This in itself isn't that big a story - more than one team switched its offensive or defensive scheme this offseason. What makes this a story is that Green Bay did not, as many teams might be expected to do, half-ass the switch in terms of personnel. Instead, the Packers went out and took the best 3-4 NT and the best 3-4 OLB in the draft in B.J. Raji and Clay Matthews, respectively, and had, perhaps, the best draft in the NFL (Mel Kiper certainly thinks so). Their draft consisted of two offensive linemen, two defensive linemen, two linebackers, a cornerback, and a fullback. If that's not drafting to improve your team's guts, then I don't know what is - they've certainly got the skill position players already in place. On paper, they now have the defense they lacked last season. In particular, their linebacking corps appears to be absolutely nasty - Aaron Kampmann, A.J. Hawk, Nick Barnett, and Clay Matthews.

8. Oakland's Draft
If Green Bay had arguably the best draft in 2009, Oakland probably had the worst. One of the biggest needs of the Raiders going into the draft was offensive line, and yet, all three of their offensive selections in the draft were spent on pass catchers - two wide receivers and a tight end. If you want to know what's wrong with the Raiders, look no further than this statistic: Of the 13 offensive players the Raiders have picked in the last three drafts, just one of them has been an offensive lineman. Nine were skill position players (the other 3 being two TEs and a FB), including 6 (6!) wide receivers. The four WRs they took in the last 2 years combined for just 43 receptions and 6 TDs. In the second round this year, they had the biggest reach of the draft for safety Mike Mitchell. While saftey was actually a need for them, the fact remains that they did not address their need at O-line anywhere in the draft, and pass defense was what the Raiders did best last year anyway. Their passing game was one of the worst in the NFL last season, and though their rushing yardage was good, they were in the bottom quarter of the league in rushing TDs, rushing first downs, and fumbles. A speedster wide receiver isn't going to fix the Raiders' offense.

7. Donte' Stallworth's DUI Manslaughter
With the NFL's sudden strictness regarding off-the-field conduct, and their zero-tolerance drug policy, it is shocking how lightly they seem to regard players who are charged and convicted of driving under the influence. The NFL routinely looks the other way for first time offenders, and even Jared Allen only received a 2 game suspension following his third DUI. According to the Washington Post, in 2006, 14 NFL players were arrested on DUI chargers (with one boating while intoxicated, courtesy of Eric Steinbach). As bad as this is, the leniency given by the state to NFL players who have killed while driving drunk is even more stunning. In 1998, Leonard Little plead guilty to DUI manslaughter after he killed 47 year old Susan Gutweiler driving home from a party, and received just 90 days in jail. Stallworth did him one better, and served just 24 days of a 30 day sentence. Countless "normal" folks have been sentenced to 10 or even 20 years in prison for the same offense, but apparently high-profile sports figures are judged by a different standard.

6. Scott Pioli in Kansas City
More than anyone else they've lost - whether it be Charlie Weis, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, or any player - Scott Pioli will be monumentally difficult to replace. Winner of 2 straight Sporting News executive of the year awards, Pioli is, without a doubt, one of the best talent evaluators in the league. Whether the Patriots suffer from his loss is another issue for another day, but Pioli has already started to put his stamp on Kansas City, and he started by canning Herm "you play to win the game" Edwards. Pioli continued by making a number of significant free agency moves, many of which involved bringing in players he had experience with in New England, either as members of the Patriots or as division opponents. These moves largely served to reinforce a defense that was 31st in the league in yards last season, by adding experienced players like SS Mike Smith, LB Zach Thomas, and LB Monty Beisel. With their first two picks in the draft, Pioli shored up his team's defensive line by taking DE Tyson Jackson and DT Alex Magee with their first two picks. Perhaps his biggest move of the offseason, however, was a deal with his former team, sending the Chiefs' second round pick to the Patriots in exchange for QB Matt Cassel and LB Mike Vrabel. By all appearances, Pioli has put in place the building blocks to a successful franchise.

5. Mark Sanchez in New York
To some, he's the next Joe Namath. To others, he's the next... uh... I'm going to go with Browning Nagle. In any case, while he wasn't the first QB taken, he may be the one with the most expectations. Unlike Stafford, whose Lions are a perennial doormat for whom a .500 season would be a resounding success, Sanchez is being thrust into the toughest media market in American sports, and asked to lead a team that's made the playoffs 4 of the last 8 years. In addition, the simple fact that the Jets traded 3 players and their top 2 draft picks to move up and take Sanchez is a huge weight on his shoulders, and speaks volumes to their faith in him to be the arm and the face of their franchise. Sanchez, for his part, certainly hasn't helped matters by posing for GQ Magazine - before he's even played in an NFL game. One thing is for certain: If he succeeds, he'll be a star in one of the biggest cities in the world, playing the most popular sport in the United States. If he busts, however, he will do so spectacularly.

4. Josh McDaniels in Denver
Like Scott Pioli, Josh McDaniels left the Patriots and Bill Belichick for a team in the AFC West. McDaniels, however, does not have nearly the level of experience Pioli has. At 33 years old, McDaniels was a coordinator for just 3 years and a position coach for just 2 years before that. In contrast, Bill Belichick, his mentor, spent 6 years as a coordinator and 8 years prior to that in a variety of position coaching positions. While Scott Pioli has garnered press this offseason for the players he's added, McDaniels is mostly getting attention for the player he traded away - Jay Cutler. In an April 2nd trade, McDaniels sent Cutler and a 5th round pick to Chicago for Kyle Orton, the Bears' first and third round picks this season, and the Bears' first round pick next season. Regardless of the potential benefits of the selections they gained, Orton is a marked step down from Cutler, one of the most promising young QBs in the league. Don't let his 21-12 record fool you into thinking he's a good qB - in 2005, he was 0-4 when his opponents scored at least 20 points, and is 5-12 in his career. His career completion percentage is an abysmal 55.3. His career QB rating? 71.1. Cutler is known more for his arm strength than his accuracy, and he still beats Orton's marks in those statistics by more than 10 points and 15 points, respectively. There are some QBs who don't put up pretty numbers, but help their teams win - Ben Roethlisberger comes to mind. Then there are other QBs who don't put up pretty numbers, and whose teams win in spite of them. That is Kyle Orton. That isn't the full extent of McDaniels' head-scratching decisions this offseason however - this is a man who signed 3 RBs in free agency, then picked a running back with his first pick in the NFL draft. That simply does not compute.

3. Colts Coaching Changes
The coaching changes with the biggest potential impact on the 2010 season, however, did not involve the Patriots, but rather, another perennial playoff team - the Indianapolis Colts. While Tony Dungy leaving was not a surprise - he'd had a foot out the door for several years, and his replacement (Jim Caldwell) had already been designated - the impact of his departure likely won't be fully known for several seasons. This, in and of itself, would not have justified inclusion in this list had it not been for what happened four months later. In May, it was announced that Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore and offensive line coach Howard Mudd, due to changes in the NFL's pension plan, would also be retiring immediately. Though both have been since been hired in a consultant's role with the team, they had been considered among the best at their respective jobs in the NFL, and the shakeup could have an effect on the Colts' offense, one of the best offenses in the NFL this decade. Moore and Mudd will be replaced by Clyde Christensen, the former assistant head coach and receivers coach, and Pete Metzelaars, former offensive quality control coach, respectively. In addition, Frank Reich (best known for leading Buffalo to the greatest comeback in NFL history against the Oilers in the 1992 playoffs) has been promoted to fill Caldwell's old position of quarterbacks coach.

2. Michael Vick
Everyone knows the details, so I won't dwell on the events leading up to Vick's arrest, conviction, and imprisonment. Since he was released, however, the debate on what his fate should be has become even more polarized. Some think that he ought to be reinstated, and that he's served his time - after all, if Leonard Little is playing, why shouldn't Vick be able to? Others think that he hasn't been punished sufficiently, and some even think he should be banned for life. Now, whether he should be banned for life or not, I find it more than a little confusing that so much hatred and bile should be directed toward's Vick, who spent almost a year and a half in jail for killing dogs (the heinousness of which I am not debating), while Donte' Stallworth, who served just 24 days for kiling a person, probably receives about a tenth of the outrage that Vick does. Right now, it appears that Vick will be one of the biggest names in the new UFL.

1. Tom Brady's Knee
Perhaps none of these stories has the potential to impact the 2009 NFL season to the same extent as the recovery of the ligaments that are holding together Tom Brady's knee. Two seasons ago, Brady set the single-season record for TD passes with 50, besting his rival Peyton Manning's 2004 number of 49, and threw for an (at that time) third-most yards in a season in NFL history. His personal achievements, however, were eclipsed by the unprecedented success of his team, as the Patriots completed a perfect regular season and came within one game of the greatest season in NFL history, losing to the Giants in the Super Bowl. A healthy Brady means that the Patriots, with a traditionally strong defense and a couple of pro bowl receivers in Randy Moss and Wes Welker, are the odds on favorites to win the Super Bowl. By all accounts, Brady's knee feels good. But some questions still linger. First, some QBs in the past who suffered the same injury as Brady have often had difficulty returning to the same level they were playing at before (such as Carson Palmer). Second, one has to wonder whether the rapport Brady had with his receivers two years ago will return - and how long it will take to do so. Two years ago, when the Patriots started out 18-0, you could tell that something was clicking, that the entire team was constantly on the same page. Will a year without Brady - a year where they missed the playoffs, though probably undeservedly so - cause the team to fall out of sync? Or will they return to their old ways and steamroll through the AFC to their 5th Super Bowl appearance of the decade? Time will tell.

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Tour de France - Post-Stage 8 Update

Just over a third of the way through the Tour de France, things are starting to fall in place. The time trial separated the good teams from the bad, and now the first two mountain stages have separated the GC contenders from the specialists - with one exception. The current leader, by six seconds over favorite Alberto Contador, is Rinaldo Nocentini, an Italian rider with Ag2r-La Mondiale in his first Tour de France. Despite being relatively unknown to the casual fan, Nocentini is an experienced rider and has had success in the last few years, such as a second place finish in the 2008 Paris-Nice, ahead of a number of riders in this year's and last year's Tour de France, including Cadel Evans. While it is unlikely he will hold the yellow jersey for many more stages, it is remarkable for a rider in his first Tour de France to be wearing yellow this late in the race. Other notable storylines include Mark Cavendish's continued dominance in sprint finishes, as well as the success of 24 year old Tony Martin, who sits in 7th in the GC standings and is wearing the white jersey. Now, on to a review of the GC contenders through the first eight stages.

Alberto Contador (Spain)
Astana (Kazakhstan)

The 2007 Tour winner and clear favorite entering this year's Tour de France, Contador currently sits in second place, 6 seconds behind the leader. On stage 7, the first mountain stage of this year's Tour, he attacked from the leaders' peloton near the finish. While he only finished 9th in the stage, he gained 15 (or more, in some cases) over the rest of the GC contenders. Despite missing last year's Tour due to Astana's doping-related ban, he gotten right back on the horse (or bike, as it may be).

Lance Armstrong (USA)
Astana (Kazakhstan)

Armstrong, competing in his first Tour de France since 2005, apparently hasn't lost a step - he's just 2 seconds behind his teammate Contador in third. Both Contador and Armstrong are in this position largely due to Astana's dominating win in the state 4 team time trial, gaining 18 seconds on the riders from Garmin-Slipstream, 40 seconds on the riders from Saxo Bank, and 59 seconds on the riders from Team Columbia. Following stage 4, Astana riders held the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 7th overall spots, and they continue to hold 4 of the top 6 places. What remains to be seen is, if push comes to shove, which rider the rest of Astana will put their weight behind - Contador or Armstrong.

Levi Leipheimer (USA)
Astana (Kazakhstan)

Leipheimer finished third overall in the 2007 Tour de France (with 3 other top 10 finishes), and in fourth in the 2009 Tour, he rounds out Astana's trio of contenders - which is to say, riders of the caliber that would enable them to contend, because the odds of Leipheimer winning with Armstrong and Contador on his team are slim. Nonetheless, he is just 39 seconds back from the leader after 8 stages.

Christian Vande Velde (USA)
Garmin-Slipstream (USA)

Last year's 5th-place finisher, Vande Velde has quietly hung with the leaders, and with Garmin-Slipstream's strong second place finish in the team time trial, he's in good position at 8th overall to move towards the top of the standings.

Andy Schleck (Luxembourg)
Team Saxo Bank (Denmark)

Now that last year's winner Carlos Sastre is no longer with the team, Andy Schleck is the top GC contender for Team Saxo Bank. Just 24 years old, he won the white jersey (given to the best young rider) in last year's Tour de France, and also in the 2007 Giro d'Italia. He could very well win his second white jersey in the Tour this year, sitting second in those standings, but certainly his focus has to be on the yellow jersey, after finishing 12th last year. He is currently 9th, right behind Vande Velde.

Vincenzo Nibali (Italy)
Liquigas (Italy)

Another young rider at 24 years old, Nibali is Liquigas' hope for the GC, and rounds out the top 10 behind Schleck. He finished 20th last year, but has a lot of potential, and finished 6th in the Tour of California this year - one spot ahead of Lance Armstrong. Whether he has the team to make a serious run at the overall remains to be seen, and he has competition from within his own team as well in the form of Roman Kreuziger.

Frank Schleck (Luxembourg)
Team Saxo Bank (Denmark)

In 13th place, Frank Schleck is expected to serve primarily as a support rider for his younger brother Andy, but he's an excellent rider in his own right. He finished 6th overall last year and held the yellow jersey for 2 stages, won the Tour of Luxembourg this year, and came in second in the Paris-Nice as well.

Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic)
Liquigas (Italy)

Kreuziger, in 14th, is the other contender from Liquigas aside from Nibali, and is even younger than Nibali at 23. Kreuziger is one of the biggest up-and-comers in cycling, having won the Tour de Suisse last year and finishing 13th in the Tour de France.

Carlos Sastre (Spain)
Cervélo TestTeam (Switzerland)

Sastre is the defending champion, but he's by no means the favorite, and is just 16th right now. A good climber, he is nonetheless not the best time trialist (though he performed well above expectations in last year's Tour de France time trials), and on top of that, his new team offers him little support in his quest to repeat.

Cadel Evans (Australia)
Silence-Lotto (Belgium)

Evans has been the runner up twice, and surely would like to avoid that situation again. However, like Sastre, his team is not well equipped to support him in the mountains, and also hurt him in the team time trial. He is over 3 minutes back in 18th. He is a strong climber, but so are Schleck, Contador, and Armstrong (among others), and Evans is well back right now.

Kim Kirchen (Luxembourg)
Team Columbia-HTC (USA)

Kirchen, the two-time Luxembourg national time trial champion, finished in the top 10 in the Tour de France in both 2007 and 2008, and wore both the green and yellow jerseys in last year's Tour. He is a good all-around rider, but didn't have the power in the mountains to keep up with Sastre, Evans, and the Schlecks last year. He does have the support of one of the best (if not the best) teams in the Tour this year in Team Columbia-HTC, with experienced riders in George Hincapie, Bernhard Eisel, and Michael Rogers.

Denis Menchov (Russia)
Rabobank (Netherlands)

Menchov brings up the rear of the contenders, at 28 and over 5 minutes behind the leader. This year's Giro d'Itala winner and last year's fourth place finisher in the Tour de France, he lost a lot of time in both the individual and team time trials. His chances to win are extremely slim at this point, but a good performance in the mountains could get him back in the top 10.


Ranking Their Chances:
These are my rankings of the above contenders by likelihood that they end up with the yellow jersey in Paris:
1. Alberto Contador - If I were betting, I'd consider taking him over the field.
2. Lance Armstrong
3. Andy Schleck
4. Cadel Evans
5. Christian Vande Velde
6. Carlos Sastre
7. Kim Kirchen
8. Frank Schleck
9. Roman Kreuziger
10. Vincenzo Nibali
11. Levi Leipheimer
12. Denis Menchov

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All-Star Break: Team and Divisional Breakdowns. Part 1/3, Eastern Divisions

AL East

Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox enter the break leading the best division in baseball. They've done so, primarily, with unbelievable pitching, and Jason Bay. Big Papi coming on strong has been helpful, but they were a solid club before he remembered how to hit. They are a team with very few holes, and the current favorites to represent the AL in the World Series.

Recommendation: Get healthy. Matsuzaka and Lowell are big parts of the team, and the Red Sox as a whole are a better team when those two are on the field. Luckily, pitching depth is not a problem, and Youkilis can fill in over at 3rd periodically.

1st Half MVP: Jacoby Ellsbury
As good as reigning AL MVP Pedroia has been, and as well as Beckett has pitched over the last month plus, Ellsbury has been one of the peskiest players in the MLB. If he keeps up his first half numbers, he'll be a .300+ hitter with 90 runs scored and 75 stolen bases. Any time a player is on base that often with that much speed, it makes every batter behind him a better hitter.

New York Yankees
The Yankees have been good against everyone in baseball, except for the Red Sox (something like 1-47 on the season.) A-Rod is healthy, and currently top-10 in home runs, despite missing the first couple of months for surgery rehab. The world has finally discovered how terrible a pitcher Wang is, but that's okay. CC and Burnett are pitching well. What they need to worry about is Pettite's growing ERA.

Recommendation: You need more pitching. Halladay won't happen, he'll cost too much in terms of prospects the Yankees most likely don't have. Maybe another upper-tier guy such as Cliff Lee makes sense, but he's going to cost a bundle as well.

1st Half MVP: Derek Jeter
Love him or hate him, the dude can play ball. He's 17 out of 20 in stolen bases this year, has a .320 BA, and nearly a .400 OBP. Couple that with his solid defense and team leadership, and the Yankees would be a much lesser team without him.


Tampa Bay Rays
This team, once again, is flying way too far under the radar. They've got one of the best line-ups in baseball, and their pitching is beginning to come around. Maddon is pulling on the right strings lately, as the Rays won 4 of their last 6 entering the break.

Recommendation: With three relievers on the DL, it makes sense for the Rays to look for a guy with a closer mentality. One would think a guy like Joakim Soria makes sense, but he'll be costly. I believe you may find them take a flier on recently-released BJ Ryan as a low-risk, high-reward player.

1st Half MVP: Carl Crawford
Pena leads the AL in home runs, Shields has been a solid pitcher for them, but Carl Crawford sets the table. He will bat over .300 with 80 stolen bases for the season.

Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays really started out with some promise this year, but have been fading lately. Scott Rolen has been great, Doc Holliday has been amazing as usual, and they've had a few surprises that have helped them along the way. However, this team is nearing the end of their season as a contender, and it's time to look towards the future.

Recommendation: Trade Halladay. It's going to hurt, but his value is at its absolute highest right now. With a guy like Halladay, you should be able to completely re-tool your farm system. If you have trouble finding a trade partner (and remember he does have a full no-trade clause) then perhaps you could put a bad contract in with him.

1st Half MVP: Roy Halladay
No big surprise here. Arguably the best pitcher in baseball gets the nod. The only question remains, how long will he be a Jay?

Baltimore Orioles
Okay, let's just say it. The O's screwed, and they will be for a while. Not because of bad managing, bad personnel, or even bad players. They are screwed because they are in the same division with the Red Sox, Yankees and Rays. But, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Keep in mind, the Rays came from nowhere and went to the World Series last year. It can be done.

Recommendation: Follow the Rays' lead. Draft can't-miss guys, and hope they don't miss, and be careful with whom you pay a lot of money to. Eventually, the O's will be back in business.

1st Half MVP: Luke Scott
Brian Roberts is good. Nick Markakis may be even better. But Luke Scott has been the best player on the O's over the 1st half of the season. He leads the team in HRs and OBP, and he's batting over .300 on the season. Like it or not, he's the ideal trade chip for a team that needs to rebuild.

NL East

Philadelphia Phillies
The reigning World Ph'ing Champions have a lot to smile about right now. Not only do they lead their division, but the struggling Mets may be the least of their worries. They have 5 players going to the All-Star game (Howard, Utley, Victorino, Werth and Ibanez), and they don't look to be slowing down. Imagine how good they would be if Jimmy Rollins was the same guy that won the MVP in 2007.

Recommendation: You still need some help, and that help should be coming from North of the Border. Bring in Doc. It's going to cost you long-term, but it should make you NL Favorites for the next two years.

1st Half MVP: Raul Ibanez
Despite his recent injury, this guy is has been for real all season. He leads the team in BA (.314) and HR (22). Luckily for the Phils, they have they can afford to have those numbers slide a little bit in the 2nd half of the season.

Florida Marlins
Every year, the Marlins are the team that should finish 3rd in the NL-East (behind the Phillies and Mets), and every year, they find a way to make things interesting. They are currently 4 games out in the East, but will have to play good ball in the 2nd half to make the Playoffs, as the Wild Card winner currently looks to come out of the West.

Recommendation: There are a number of ways the Marlins could help their team for the 2nd half, but the one that stands out the most would be corner outfield production. If you think you're one piece away from being serious contenders in the playoffs, you might want to give Luke Scott a look.

1st Half MVP: Josh Johnson
A 7-2 record with a 2.82 ERA is enough to claim that Johnson is one of the best pitchers no one knows about. He'll need to keep it up for the Marlins to stay in contention, however.

Atlanta Braves
The Braves find themselves where they would expect to be at this point of the season, comfortably in 3rd place. They do have MAJOR holes, however. They have no speed (Francoeur was the leader on the team w/ 5 stolen bases), and their leading hitter, Brian McCann, has a sub .300 batting average. They will be buyers, however, in hopes of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2005.

Recommendation: You need to find some more offense. Personally, I don't think a Fancoeur-for-Church move was the best you could have made. You do have several options, however, but perhaps should start with looking at a player like Matt Holliday, who should come cheaper than he would have a year ago.

1st Half MVP: Jair Jurrjens
Okay, his record is a mediocre 7-7...but he is 2nd on the team in Innings Pitched (114) and had a team-high ERA of 2.91. He fronts a solid rotation which includes Javier Vasquez and Derek Lowe.

New York Mets
Okay, let's cut right to it. The Mets have played pretty terribly. But it's not completely their fault. Three of their big 4 (Beltran, Reyes, Delgado) have suffered injuries that resulted in several missed games. However, injuries happen to all teams, and they need to suck it up. The Mets aren't done yet, and 6.5 games out isn't impossible to overcome with 3 months of baseball left. They start off the 2nd half with a 4-game series at Atlanta...which sounds like a good place to start.

Recommendation: Get healthy. Once you get your starters back, you'll be in decent shape. You could use another starter, but don't break the bank for one. If any team out of the NL-West is to nab the Wild card spot, I can see this team being the one.

1st Half MVP: David Wright
Not only has he been the only constant in the line-up, he's proven to be a team leader. He leads the team in Runs, RBIs, and stolen bases, and has a .323 BA. His HRs are down this year, but his BA and OBP (.410) make up for it.

Washington Nationals
America's Team? Hope not. These guys are in a similar boat to that of the Orioles. You have some young talent, but not nearly enough of it to compete for your division. Nick Johnson seems to be a good player that the fans aren't crazy about, and a trade may be the best thing to happen for both parties.

Recommendation: Trade your assets (Johnson, possibly Dunn) and re-tool for the next few years. Hold on to young talent such as Nyjer Morgan and hope to be contenders in 2011.

1st Half MVP: Adam Dunn
No major surprise here. Arguably the best signing of the offseason, Dunn leads the team in HR, RBI, Walks, and (not surprisingly) Ks. He's a force to reckon with, however, and teams will always fear him.

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