According to some reports, the Nationals are looking to land the biggest fish in the Free Agent Market this year, and could be a ‘sleeper’ for Rangers starter Cliff Lee. From a need standpoint it makes complete sense for the Nationals to be in the market for Cliff Lee. Their starting pitching was awful last year and desperately needs an ace. Even if Stephen Strasburg wasn’t going to miss all of next season with an injury, this is a team that needed a starter, and on top of that a bona-fide star.

The Nats have taken a hit at the box office the last couple of seasons, and considering their performance on the field it is easy to see why. Making matters worse this year is the impending loss of Adam Dunn in Free Agency and the aforementioned loss of Strasburg. With Washington’s next great box office smash, Bryce Harper at least a year away, the Nationals would do well to acquire a star. The problem is there is at most 3 stars on the free agent market this year (if you don’t count Dunn), and the Nationals are considered long shots for all of them. Cliff Lee, Jayson Werth and Carl Crawford are all on their wish list, but they are on a number of teams wish lists. Outside of that, no one is really going to motivate the Nationals fan base to start buying their season ticket packages now. Even if Washington were to trade for a good starting pitcher like Matt Garza or James Shields, it wouldn’t energize the base (though either would be a huge upgrade to their rotation). So that means Lee could be a National right?

Now there have also been legitimate questions about whether or not Washington can afford Lee given their low attendance and T.V. ratings, but I don’t see that as a stumbling block. In this Field of Dreams scenario ‘If you buy him, they will come’ (also winning couldn’t hurt either, and it is certainly something they haven’t tried yet). Also outside of Ryan Zimmerman, most of the Nationals starters or significant contributors are at league minimum deals or entering their arbitration years. The three notable exceptions are Josh Willingham, Ivan Rodriguez, and Jason Marquis. But none are significant long term deals (though they could resign Willingham longterm), so they will have even more money when they become free agents next year. While it will eat up a significant amount of payroll, the Nationals can afford Lee if they want him.

Although the Nationals have the means and desire, I don’t think I’m quite ready to say that ‘Mr. Lee Goes to Washington’ will be a headline this winter. The two front runners for Lee’s services are the Rangers and the Yankees. Both teams present Lee a vastly better chance to win a title in 2011, as well as having the money to give Lee the $20 million a year that he wants. That seemed like a pipe dream for the Rangers when they acquired him as they were being bailed out by MLB. Since then they have a new committed ownership group in place and made quite a bit more in revenue down the stretch and into the playoffs than expected. Outside of those two teams though the suitors for Lee get a bit murky (everyone wants him, but not everyone can afford him) among the mid-large market teams (or those that can be):

Braves- Atlanta has plenty of pitching and needs bats more than another starter (also it would kill their budget)

Cubs- Chicago looks to cut payroll some this season. Any big free agent will likely be a bat (i.e. Dunn)

Phillies- Traded away Lee last year because they couldn’t afford him, and went out and added Oswalt, not really an option.

Mets- A wild card team, they could be interested, but they probably need to dump at least one bad contract first.

Reds- Despite having a hole in their rotation and a little money to spend, Lee isn’t an option as he is too expensive

Brewers- Milwaukee needs an ace, but they are likely going to be dealing Fielder this offseason, so they might look to rebuild

Cardinals- St. Louis needs to add another arm, but they are looking at more of a dependable starter than a $20 mil/yr guy. It would destroy their budget.

Dodgers- L.A. already locked up Ted Lilly to good money, I don’t see them coming anywhere close to this market.

Giants- Not only would money be an issue, but let’s be honest that rotation is not their problem going forward.

Red Sox- Could be another wild card, but their rotation isn’t an issue, and they would need to move Dice-K first to make it happen.

Toronto- Blue Jays could look to buck their rebuilding trend, but don’t know if they can afford him, would still put it at unlikely.

Orioles- O’s could afford him, and they need him, but might focus on adding offense and going for a younger/cheaper pitcher for their rotation.

White Sox- Unless they make a couple of moves they don’t have a real need for a pitcher and will also likely target bats this offseason.

Twins- Minnesota could be a wild card given their new stadium revenues, but still might shy away.

Tigers- Detroit always looks to make a splash in free agency, but their biggest needs (plural) are adding protection for Miguel Cabrera.

Angels- Anaheim wants Lee out of Texas, but with their trades for Scott Kasmir and Dan Haren these past two years, they will probably save their money for another hitter or two.

While some of those situations could change with a trade or two, it is easy to see how the Nationals get mentioned in the Lee sweepstakes. The reality of it is they still remain long shots to land the ace. The Nationals might have a solid corps of young players, but few are proven commodities going forward. Lee alone would not have made this team a contender last season, and the prospects are worse this year without Strasburg and Dunn. Lee might also be wary that Willingham, one of the Nats few proven pieces is also a free agent after next year (though it might not be in the best interest for the Nats to extend him). Unless Washington acquires a proven young hitter, whom Lee will know will be there in the future, it is hard to see him coming to Washington.

I won’t fully count out Washington just yet, but Lee would have to really be sold that this is the right fit for him, and the Nationals will have to open up their checkbooks big time for this to happen. As a Nats fan, I will say seeing Lee on opening day would be a huge boost for morale, but I won’t get my hopes up until he signs on the dotted line.

Normally I don’t care much that surrounds a team after a championship victory or a Super Bowl title. Maybe I don’t care because it isn’t my team, maybe because years of losing by the O’s, Nats and Redskins have left me bitter, or maybe its just because they turn into Academy Award acceptance speeches and I’m just praying for the music to start playing to cut them off. For whatever reason I felt differently watching the Rangers celebrate their victory with their fans last night, that will send them to their first ever World Series. I was transfixed by proceedings before me, and it wasn’t just on account of Craig Sager’s outfit.

The Rangers won, the Rangers won. Even when that last pitch was thrown I couldn’t believe it. I never in a million years, thought back in April the Rangers could win the American League. Sure they were a good team with, plenty of hitting. But their pitching didn’t seem likely to hold up this year. Well pitchers like Colby Lewis, and C.J. Wilson had huge years, and when the Rangers needed to go out and acquire a front of the rotation starter, they dipped into their deep prospect well and landed a big fish, Cliff Lee. Lee was only a rental player, and the Rangers financial situation was so bad that they needed the Mariners to pick up part of the tab, but Texas went for the gusto anyways. And for every cautionary tale of why you don’t trade away your prospects for an All-Star, Lee is the reason that you do. At the time it seemed crazy, Lee might help Texas get to the postseason (though the Angels collapse took care of that), but he wasn’t going to be able to pitch every game of the playoffs. Even once they got to the postseason, I asked myself if the Rangers did the right thing, they had to face the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees. And since Lee had to close out the Rays series, he wouldn’t be able to go until Game 3, but it didn’t matter, and wouldn’t pitch again until Game 7. But it didn’t matter because Texas dominated this series. With the exception of Game 5, the Rangers were in control of every single game. They might have ended up losing Game 1, but they sent a message they were legit.

While their season is far from over (though for me knocking off the Yankees is like the World Series), but the Rangers and their fans should celebrate what they have accomplished. This was no small feat, as Texas heads to their first World Series. We might think in terms of World Series titles, but winning American League pennants are impressive in their own right. Texas and their fans know what it is like to lose and not even be a contender, so to know that you are no worse than the 2nd best team in baseball, is a phenomenal turn around. The road ahead could bring even greater victory or stunning defeat, but either way the Rangers are a true winner in my book. They give hope to all sports teams and their fan bases, that no matter what your history, if built right you can overcome that and become winners.

A Guest Blog By Fanspeak Contributing Writer Brian Murphy

ALCS Preview: New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers

With a stunning 5-game series win by the Rangers last night, they will host the defending World Series Champions Yankees at home on Friday to kick off the American League Championship Series.  I had predicted the Rays to win the series, but noted that if Cliff Lee keeps his postseason success going, the Rangers have a chance.  That is what exactly he did, performing at a sensational level.  The Yankees do have the postseason experience over the Rangers, who won their first postseason series ever (Texas’ three previous playoff appearances ended with first-round losses to New York, in 1996, ’98 and ’99).  The Rangers and Yankees split the season series 4-4 with a couple of great one-run late-inning drama games, this series will be very tense and a lot of fun to watch!  Let’s break it down.

Pitching

Since Cliff Lee pitched a complete game on Tuesday night, he will not be the starting pitcher in game 1, as the Rangers hand the ball over to C.J. Wilson.  His opposing pitcher will be Yankees ace, C.C. Sabathia.  Both pitchers got a win in the ALDS, however Wilson went 6.1 innings pitching shut-out ball.  C.C. struggled a little more than usual but got the win anyway.   Sabathia has been the Yankees’ horse in the postseason and he is one of the most consistent pitchers out there.  Add Pettitte, the all-time winningest pitcher in postseason history, to pitch game 2 and that’s a tough 1-2 starters to face to start the postseason.  The Rangers are looking at pitching at Lee in game 2 or 3.  Lee dominated the Yankees when he was on the Phillies in the World Series last year and I can’t imagine he will slow down this postseason.  Phil Hughes will look to stay hot after his first postseason performance in which he was great.  If Hughes doesn’t go up against Lee then he will most likely face Colby Lewis who actually shut out the Rays in 5 innings but the bullpen blew the game and gave him a loss.  I would give Lee the edge over any Yankees pitcher in this series, but I like what Pettitte and Hughes can do in games 2 and 3.  The wildcard for the Yankees in pitching is A.J. Burnett, who has been announced to pitch game 4.  The inconsistent, erratic Burnett had a successful postseason last year but did not even pitch in the ALDS due to a horrible year.  If Sabathia, Pettitte, and Hughes pitch the way they have been, I don’t think there will be too much pressure on Burnett if the Yankees get a comfortable lead in the series.  If not, Burnett will have a huge part in deciding a crucial game 4.  EDGE: Yankees (by a smidgen!)

Hitting

It’s no surprise that the Rangers slugging lineup won the ALDS for them.  Nelson Cruz was the stud of the ALDS, hitting .400 with 3 HR’s.  Hitters like Kinsler, Andrus, Young, and Guerrero also provide a lot of pop and make-up one scary lineup for opposing pitchers.  If there is one lineup that can possibly match-up with the Rangers, it is the Yankees.  The Yankees big guns (Teixeira, Rodriguez, Posada) were a little below par in their ALDS series to what is expected of them.  The role players of the Yankees were the ones that stepped up.  Granderson batted .455 and Swisher and Cano each batted .333 in the ALDS.  I think in order for the Yankees to keep up with the high-octane offense of the Rangers, players like Cano, Granderson, and Swisher need to continue hitting consistently well.  This is a tough call but I think the Rangers sport the advantage as of now because of the way they hit against the Rays in 5 games.  EDGE: Rangers (again, by a smidgen)

Prediciton

I did not include the bullpen in the above break-down but I would have to give the edge to the Yankees.  Kerry Wood looked the the 20-strikeout ace of the past in the two games he appeared in, and if Joba Chamberlain and David Robertson pitch well, there’s no need to worry about the 9th with Mariano Rivera coming in.  Darren Oliver looked great for the Rangers, however their closer Neftali Feliz didn’t look automatic versus the Rays as he gave up an earned run in one of his save opportunities and isn’t comparable to the best closer of all-time in Rivera.  Overall, this will be a long, grind-em-out series with pitching being the key because both teams have stellar lineups.  I just think with the Yankees postseason experience and the way they got their swagger back against the Twins in the ALDS after a shaky end of the regular season, they should be able to handle the Rangers.  Texas needs two victories when Lee starts to have a chance to win this series, and if they do watch out with that lineup!

YANKEES IN 6

A Guest Blog By Fanspeak Contributing Writer Willypops

Certainly the major sports news topic in recent days has been the no-hitter tossed by the Phillies Roy Halladay against the Cincinnati Reds in Game 1 of their National League Divisional Series matchup.  I’ve listened to quite a bit of debate on where Halladay’s feat ranks against previous individual postseason  performances.  Since I’m a “mature” sports fan, I always like to look at how things used to be.  Indeed, I’ve posted a few  blogs here on fanspeak under the heading “Nostalgiaspeak” (found under the “More” tab).  So I think it’s only fitting that I take a look at some other past outstanding performances in MLB postseason play.

I took a cursory look at the information on Baseball Reference.com, limiting my review from 1940 to the present.  Not that I go back that far – I was born in 1953.  And not that there is any other particular significance to 1940.  I just thought, what the heck, 70 years is a pretty good sampling.  I also limited my review to one-game pitching performances.  I realize there have been individual at-bats (World Series-ending homers by Bill Mazeroski in the 1960 and Joe Carter in 1993 and Bobby Thomson’s 1951 playoff game  ”shot heard round the world”) or great fielding plays (catches by Willie Mays and Ron Swoboda) that were truly spectacular.  Numerous players have put up amazing numbers, either hitting or pitching, throughout a particular postseason or series.  But I think that it’s the single game, dominating pitching performance of the nature of Halladay’s, that stands out above the rest.

Taking a look at Halladay’s no-hitter, it almost seemed effortless.  The only thing that kept him from throwing a perfect game was an 5th inning walk on a 3-2 count.  He almost always pitched ahead in the count and rarely even went to three balls in any count.  It didn’t seem like any extraordinary fielding plays were needed to preserve the no-hitter as is often the case.  In short, it was a brilliant performance.  What is truly amazing is the fact that this gem was thrown in his first-ever appearance in the postseason!

In the debate over whether Halladay’s no-hitter was the most spectacular individual postseason performance, the first comparison drawn is to Don Larsen’s perfect game for the Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series.  Before Halladay’s game, it was the only no-hitter ever thrown in postseason play.  With the Series knotted at two games apiece, there was some question if Larsen would even be given the start in Game 5.  He had only lasted 1.2 innings in his previous Game 2 start.  But Manager Casey Stengel decided to go with Larsen and the rest, as they say, “is history”.

But no-hitters aside, there have been plenty of masterpieces thrown in the postseason.  There’s one game in particular that some people are suggesting was even more impressive than Larsen’s or Halladay’s.  That is Jack Morris’ performance for the Twins against the Braves in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series.  It was a 10-inning, complete game, 1-0 shutout.  While he did give up 7 hits, it is argued that to go out in the 7th and deciding game and pitch 10 innings of shutout ball, giving his team the opportunity to clinch the series in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the 10th, puts his performance right up there for consideration as the best postseason performance ever.

But going back a bit further in history, a compelling argument could be made for another 10 inning, complete game, 1-0 shutout.  It also occurred in the 1956 World Series, in Game 6, one day after Larsen’s perfect game.  Unheralded Clem Labine got the start for the Dodgers with his team now trailing the Yankees in the Series, three games to two.  Similar to Morris’ game, Labine scattered 7 hits and kept the Dodgers in the game.  What was really impressive was the fact that he had to out-duel Bob Turley of the Yankees, who himself pitched 9.2 innings of shutout ball until Jackie Robinson hit a single to drive in Junior Gilliam to give the Dodgers the win.  The win kept the Dodgers’ hopes alive, although the Yankees did prevail in Game 7.

When considering other memorable World Series games, near the top of the list has to be the one-hitter turned in by Jim Lonborg of the Red Sox against the Cardinals in Game 2 of the 1967 Series, a 5-0 shutout win for Lonborg .  He took a no-hitter into the 8th inning, giving up a double with two outs in that inning.  His only other blemish in that game was a 7th inning walk.  Of course the Cardinals went on to win the Series four games to three, keeping the “Curse of the Bambino” alive.

Speaking of World Series 1-hitters, there was the performance turned in by Claude Passeau (who?) of the Chicago Cubs in Game 3 of the 1945 Series.  He pitched a 3-0 shutout against the Tigers, giving up the only hit in the 2nd inning.  He also walked a batter in the 6th inning who was immediately erased on a double play so Passeau only faced 28 batters that day, one over the minimum.  The Tigers went on to win that Series and what is additionally noteworthy is that it is the last time that the Cubs appeared in the World Series.

Another pitcher who tossed a 1-hitter in a World Series game was Bill Bevens of the Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers.  He threw it in Game 4 of the 1947 Series.  But this wasn’t your ordinary 1-hitter type of game.  For starters, Bevens lost the game on the only hit he gave up, a two-out, two-run, walk-off double by Cookie Lavagetto.  Why was it a TWO-RUN walk-off double you say?  It turns out that Bevens gave up 10 walks that day!  The Dodgers were able to manufacture a run in 5th inning on two of those walks, a sacrifice bunt and a fielder’s choice.  Nonetheless, the Yankees took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the 9th.  It was the first time (and the only time other than Larsen’s game) that a pitcher took a no-hitter into the 9th inning in a World Series game.  Two walks by Bevens set the stage for Lavagetto’s game winning hit.   The Yankees did however go on to win that Series in 7 games.

Some other impressive World Series pitching performances, albeit not quite up to the challenge of those games discussed above, include 2-hit shutouts thrown by Warren Spahn of the Braves against the Yankees in Game 4 of the 1958 Series and Whitey Ford of the Yankees against the Reds in Game 1 of the 1961 Series.  Additionally there was the Game 1, 4-0 shutout of the Tigers turned in by Bob Gibson of the Cardinals in the 1968 series.  While he did give up 5 hits, he struck out 17 batters that day.  A truly dominant performance.

In addition to Halladay’s no-hitter, there have been some impressive non-World Series performances as well.  Chief among those would be the Braves’ Kevin Millwood 1-hitter against the Astros in Game 2 of the 1999 NLDS, and Bobby Jones’ 1-hitter for the Mets against the Giants in Game 4 of the 2000 NLDS, which clinched that Series for the Mets.  And who can forget the 1-hitter tossed by Roger Clemens of the Yankees against the Mariners in Game 4 of the 2000 ALCS in which he struck out 15 batters.  Some have argued that, taking all factors into consideration, that stands as the most dominating postseason pitching performance.  Not being a Clemens fan, I of course would discount that one since we really don’t know how much “help” he had that day??

So, which one deserves to be considered the most spectacular postseason performance?  In my mind, I think that the two no-hitters and the Morris and Labine 10-inning complete game shutouts are the top candidates.  Two games are in the more current time frame and two were from a different era.  Three of the games were World Series games and Halladay’s was the first game of the postseason.  It all depends on how you weigh the different factors applicable to each game.  To me, a World Series game carries greater weight than a non-Series game.  Vitally important too, is what that particular performance meant to the pitcher’s’ team at that given point in time.  And I think you have to give great weight to how the accomplishment relates to baseball’s established standards of excellence (ie. no-hitter vs. 7-hit shutout).

Which is the best?  While Labine’s 10-inning, 1-0 shutout win kept his team alive in the World Series it does not equal Morris’ similar shutout that gave the Twins the title.  And although in most any other scenario, a no-hitter trumps a 10-inning complete game shutout, I think the fact that Morris performed his feat under the pressure of pitching in the 7th game of the World Series makes his accomplishment just a little more impressive than Halladay’s postseason-opening no-hitter.  I know that Larsen’s accomplishment “only” gave his team a 3-2 lead in the Series, but I have to go with his performance as being the best of the bunch.  After all, what is better than perfection?

A Guest Blog By Fanspeak Contributing Writer Brian Murphy

This is my preview for the American League Divisional Series.  The AL playoffs kick off Wednesday starting with the Rangers @ Rays at 1:37 and then the Yankees @ Twins at 8:37.

Texas Rangers (90-72) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (96-66)

The Rangers travel to the Trop to take on the Rays, who had baseball’s best record in the regular season.  It will be interesting to see if the home-field advantage actually makes that big of a difference in this series considering Tropicana Field drew about 12,000 fans in a potential playoff-clinching game.  This is the playoffs though and the fans were rowdy two years ago in the postseason so I’d be shocked to see them not show up in large numbers.  Anyway, let’s analyze the two teams:

Pitching: The first game will be the best pitching-duel of the series as David Price takes on Cliff Lee.  Price was 19-6 with a 2.72 ERA and 1.19 WHIP this season.  He pitched one time against Texas this year going 6 innings, giving up 2 earned runs, and striking out 8 in a 6-4 win.  I will look to see the same type of outing from Price Wednesday against one of the most productive batting lineups in the AL.  Cliff Lee is the one pitcher on the Rangers that I can see winning a game in this series.  What he did in the postseason last year was just ridiculous and if he can repeat that, the Rangers can maybe scrap up a couple of wins.  Lee was 12-9 with a 3.18 ERA and 1.00 WHIP this year.  However, Lee has had a rough time pitching against the Rays this year.  He lost all 3 games he pitched to the Rays going 26.2 innings, giving up 12 earned runs, and 24 hits.  EDGE: Price

Game 2: C.J. Wilson (TEX) vs. James Shields (TB).  I give the edge to Shields here because he will be pitching at home and had relatively good success against Texas this year going 1-1 in 14 innings and only giving up 4 earned runs.  Wilson actually won in his only start against Tampa thanks to great run support, going 5 innings and giving up 3 earned runs.

Game 3: Matt Garza (TB) vs. Colby Lewis (TEX).  Yet again, I feel like Garza has what it takes to win this battle as he went 2-0 against Texas this season including a shutout in 7 innings in his last outing.  Lewis did not pitch against the Rays this season.

Game 4: Wade Davis (TB) vs. Tommy Hunter (TEX).  I’ll give the edge to Hunter in the battle of the #4 pitchers.  Hunter had a CG win early in the season against the Rays giving up only 1 ER.

Hitting: There are some All-Star caliber sluggers on both these teams with the Rangers featuring Kinsler, Young, Hamilton, Guerrero and the Rays featuring Crawford, Upton, Pena, and Longoria.  The Rangers were 1st in the bigs in batting avg (.276) and 5th in runs (787), whereas the Rays were a lowly 27th in batting avg (.247) yet 3rd in runs (802).  The Rays have what it takes to put up some high numbers but the Rangers seem more consistent.  EDGE: Rangers

Prediction: I think the Rays will be too much for the Rangers in this series.  They have better pitching and they are the Champs of the best league in baseball, the AL East.  It would be interesting if the Rangers can squeak out a win in Tampa in the first two games and then head to Arlington for two more.  RAYS IN 4

New York Yankees (95-67) vs. Minnesota Twins (94-68)

The World-Series Champs look to defend their 27th championship as they head to Minnesota for the ALDS.  The Yankees have beaten the Twins three times in a row since 2003 in the ALDS, however this is the first time Minnesota gets home field advantage.  It will be interesting to see how Target Field plays a factor in the stadium’s first playoff series in history.

Pitching: Game 1: One of baseball’s most automatic, consistent pitchers C.C. Sabathia (21-7, 3.18 ERA, 1.19 WHIP) will be dueling against Francisco Liriano (14-10, 3.62 ERA, 1.26 WHIP).  Liriano has shown signs of dominance in his career and had two decent outtings against the Yankees earlier this season going 0-1 in two starts and giving up 5 runs in 13 innings.  C.C. did not pitch against the Twins this season but has been one of baseball’s best and the Yankees’ ace. EDGE: SABATHIA

Game 2 and 3: The Yankees have not announced who their probables are for Games 2 and 3, but I assume Pettitte will go Game 2 if he is healthy and ready to go and that will leave either Nova or Hughes to pitch Game 3.  The Twins are pitching former Yankee-bust Carl Pavano in Game 2 and former relief pitcher Brian Duensing in Game 3.  With Pettitte’s unbelievable October and postseason track record, I see him having the edge in the game he pitches.  If Duensing goes up against the rookie Nova I would give the edge to Duensing.  Hughes could have a great game if he starts and throws his best.

Game 4: Nick Blackburn (MIN) vs. A.J. Burnett (NYY).  Blackburn is an impressive 2-0 in 2 starts against the Yankees, giving up 5 runs in 14 innings.  Burnett is just a mystery; will he pitch dominant like he did when signed by the Yankees or will he be the league leader in wild pitches and throw countless walks like he has shown this year?  Burnett is 1-0 against the Twins this year in 2 starts, giving up 2 earned runs in 11.2 innings, but I have just not been impressed with his consistency and lack of control.

Hitting: The Bronx Bombers sport another powerful lineup from top-to-bottom this postseason.  When fully healthy, they have the most dangerous lineup in the league with such All-Star caliber as Jeter, Cano, Teixeira, Rodriguez, and Posada.  It will be interesting to see if the clutch A-Rod of last postseason continues and if Teixeira can step up.  Don’t count out the Twins though as they were 2nd in batting avg (.274) and 6th in runs (772) this season with such sluggers as Mauer, Cuddyer, Thome, and Young.  The Twins can definitely put up some runs but it is hard to find a better lineup on better than the Yankees — the only question is can they prove it on the field? EDGE: YANKEES

Predicition: This will be a great back-and-forth, nail-bitting series that I think will be decided in 5 games.  Home-field advantage should play a key role and it will be interesting to see what the Yankees do with their starting pitcher situation after Sabathia.  Overall, I think the Yankees will continue their postseason success against the Twins and strive for their 28th World Series title. YANKEES IN 5

Torre Leaves Open the Possibility of a New York Return: While this might peak Yankees fans interest if they don’t win the World Series this year, Torre was talking about their cross town rivals the New York Mets. While it might sound shocking to some, Torre finished up his playing career and began his managerial career as a member of the Mets, so it is hard not to see how those ties run deep for him. All-in-all its a lot of speculation based on one radio interview while the season is still in progress, but I wouldn’t rule it out entirely. The Mets will obviously make a managerial change,  and have the desire and money to make a big splash. Torre would get the most out of that lineup and give the team instant credibility. While i’m not buying it yet, it will be an interesting story to watch this offseason.

Yankees Add a Game to Their Lead Over the Rays: In an emotional night in which the Yankees unveiled a statue honoring the late George Steinbrenner, the Yankees held off their division rivals 8-6. It was a big win for the Yankees who now have a 1.5 game lead over the Rays for the division. Not only did they win the game, but they did so behind rookie pitcher Ivan Nova. Nova didn’t have a great game by any means, but the fact that he was able to pitch well enough to set up the team to win, means that the Yankees still have Hughes and Sabathia throwing in this series (as well as Burnett but that could be a long shot for a win). While the bullpen allowed the Rays to get a little closer they hung on when it counted and got New York their 91st win. This series is a crucial one for New York and will go a long way to determining who takes the East and who ends up with the Wild Card.

Steelers Without Dixon, Resign Leftwich to Battle Batch: The news on Dennis Dixon isn’t promising as it looks like a torn lateral meniscus, which will keep him sidelined 2-5 weeks. The Steelers quickly resigned Byron Leftwich who was released over the weekend, who has missed the last two weeks after spraining his knee in preseason. Leftwich was originally supposed to be the seat warmer for Ben Roethlisberger as he sits out this 4 game suspension, but now his healthy return to the field is a priority with Dixon’s injury. If Leftwich can’t go Charlie Batch will start this Sunday against the Buccaneers. Batch came in for Dixon this past Sunday and the numbers were less than impressive, as the Steelers really had to play a vastly more conservative game than they would have liked. With a limited passing attack the Titans were able to stack the line against the run slowing down Mendenhall. While a full week of practice could allow Batch to be more active in the passing attack, the best thing for the Steelers will be a healthy Leftwich, who has the arm to allow the Steelers to go vertical. While the Buccaneers have been a surprise team this year, the real test will be week 4 at home against the Ravens. For the Steelers to have any chance of winning they will need some sort of passing attack to try to balance out the run game.

Yesterday the Yankees lost the third game of a three game set in Tampa, to drop the series to the Rays. While this game didn’t go into extra innings like the first two games, it still had its share of drama.

The Yankees jumped off to an early 1-0 lead in the first, only to lose it in the bottom of the 5th inning on one swing by DH Dan Johnson, whose 2-run home run gave the Rays the lead. The Yankees retook the lead in the 7th on a very controversial call. Lead-off batter Derek Jeter was apparently hit by a pitch, according to home plate umpire (and his acting). But the Rays and replay (as well as sound) argued (and showed) that the ball hit off the end of Jeter’s bat before it ever touched him. Rays manger Joe Maddon came out to argue the call and was eventually thrown out. According to reports Jeter later admitted that he knew the ball hit him, but did his job to get on base anyway possible. And honestly while it sucks for the Rays, it was a close play and Jeter’s acting worked. Next batter Curtis Granderson nailed a two run home run to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead. By the same token though Joe Maddon arguing the call might have worked as well, because the Yankees lead was short lived. The Rays came out in the bottom of the 7th and after a two-out single by Matt Joyce, Johnson once again gave the Rays the lead with one swing.

The Rays held on to win 4-3, which not only preserved their season series lead over the Yankees (8-6), but regained them a half game lead in the A.L. East. While the lead is slim, the Rays are peaking at the right time. They still have a 4 game set up in New York next week, but seem much more ready to handle the Yankees. New York meanwhile has been reeling of late and needs to figure out what isn’t working as the postseason is quickly coming upon them.

Although whoever loses the division will end up the Wild Card team (barring any major late season collapse), there is a lot at stake here. Not only does the division winner have homefield advantage in the first round, but whoever comes out of the East should have (though the Twins could overtake) homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. Even if it isn’t throughout the playoffs because of a late Minnesota push, the division winner would still have the opening series against the Rangers at home.

The Yankees can easily redeem themselves, and comeback and win not only the season series, but the division as well, but right now the Rays seem to be pulling away a bit. This series will go down to the wire, and is some of the best baseball you will see this season.

AL East: It is still a three horse race in the AL East, despite the Red Sox being 7 games out of first (in any other division they would be within a game and a half). Boston has dealt with a rash of injuries, and while they have stayed competitive, I find it hard to believe they can outlast the Yankees and Rays for the top spot (or the wild card). I wouldn’t write them off just yet, but it looks as though Boston will be staying at home this October. The Yankees and Rays are both likely to be in the playoffs, and it will just end up being a matter of who wins the division and who gets the Wild Card spot. New York still has some pitching woes, but with that offense I think they hold on to the division lead. Tampa is an impressive young team, but they are built too much on defense, speed and pitching (which is great). Their inability to add any bats at the trade deadline really make me question their chances to go far this postseason.

AL Central: The Central has quickly become a two man race as the Tigers have fallen 9 games out of first place and don’t look like they can recover. The White Sox hold a slim lead in the division, but they desperately need to find some bats to supplement their quality pitching staff. I don’t know if Chicago has enough to hold off the Twins in the race for the Central. Minnesota is a more well rounded team, and could get a great September boost when Justin Morneau rejoins the team. While it is possible the 2nd place team could be in contention for the Wild Card, I really believe it is coming out of the East this year. I like the Twins to squeak this division out during the last week of the season.

AL West: This division race is pretty much officially over. If the Rangers don’t win this division it would be a major upset. The Angels are absolutely reeling right now and have fallen to 3rd place in the division (and under .500). The A’s could make a run, but they are really built for next year and the future. I would not be shocked if they close the gap, but I don’t see anyone overcoming the Rangers and their incredible offense.

NL East: Since the trade deadline this has become firmly a two team battle, as both the Mets and Marlins have fallen out of the race. The Phillies are in second place, but should get some key players back from injuries down the stretch, that should push them over the top. The Braves desperately want to win in Bobby Cox’s swan song, but will need to fend off a strong Phillies team. Atlanta might need to make a waiver wire deal to ensure their spot atop the East. Unlike in the American League, the Wild Card race is fairly wide open, so whomever loses the East could still be in the playoffs.

NL Central: The Central like the East is down to two teams, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds hold the division and are the better all-around team, but the Cardinals have the better star power plus the experience making them a safer bet down the stretch. Both teams could be looking for some outside help, but the Reds should be able to hold on to the division. They have a better farm system and will get some much needed extra arms to help close out the season. St. Louis isn’t fully out of it, but I don’t know if they have the offense to overcome the Reds (and right now their pitching staff isn’t too hot either).

NL West: The West is still fairly wide open as I think 4 teams still have a shot at the division. The Dodgers and Rockies still have a ways to go, but I wouldn’t count them out for late season pushes. The Dodgers were the most active team at the deadline bringing in 4 veteran upgrades. While the team hasn’t responded yet with too many wins, that influx of talent could help them in the closing weeks. The Rockies didn’t add any pieces at the deadline, but they are a young team that keeps getting better each week. Unless the Padres or Giants really run away with this division, I wouldn’t count out the Rockies if they are within 5 games in final two weeks. As for the Padres or Giants I got to go with San Francisco. They have better starters, in addition to a better lineup (though not by much). The Padres did add some bats at the deadline though neither has yet to significantly contribute. Both teams could still look at some waiver wire pickups, but I still think the Giants will end up on top.

Winners:

San Diego Padres: The Padres have had a great year this season, despite having one of the worst offenses in the league. San Diego began to address that with trades for Miguel Tejada and Ryan Ludwick. While they gave up solid prospects for them, they didn’t give up any of their top guys or anyone who could help them this season.There might have been better bats on the market, but Ludwick ended up being one of the best ones dealt. It remains to be seen if they added enough offense to go deep into the post season, but it was a productive deadline for San Diego nonetheless.

Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies added one of the top pitchers on the market and did so without giving up much in the way of talent (or money). Oswalt isn’t a true ace, but he is pretty close and should give Philadelphia a top of the rotation to match Atlanta, St. Louis and San Francisco. The Phillies did really well to get a lot of money thrown in, to ensure they have some financial flexibility next season. The fact that the Phillies accomplished this without giving up any of their top guys is even more impressive. Philadelphia would be higher if they added some bullpen and bench help, both of which have been issues for the team. But all around a solid deadline in Philly.

New York Yankees: The Yankees added Lance Berkman, Austin Kearns and Kerry Wood, and if this was 2006 would have had the best deadline of anyone. As it stands they added a platoon DH, a backup OF, and a middling bullpen arm. Given how talented the team is they didn’t need much, and they did strengthen both their bench and bullpen, so that is a plus. The Yankees also kept their top prospects which is a major plus (and unexpected). On the downside though I don’t think they shot high enough, especially when it comes to their pitching. With major questions in both their rotation and bullpen I’m not sure if Wood is the answer. The Yankees did well at the deadline, but by no means ensured another World Series title.

Kansas City Royals: The Royals sold a couple of redundant pieces and did a great job shedding salary and picking up some quality prospect depth. They didn’t receive any major young stars, but made some smart baseball trades. The Royals didn’t move any of their top players, which may end up being a mistake, but they will still have major value in the offseason if they want to revisit those discussions.

In between:

Los Angeles Angels: The Angels added two good players in Alberto Callapso and Dan Haren and did so at below market prices (esp. in Haren’s case). The problem is the Angels didn’t address enough of their needs, and probably didn’t do so early enough that they are pretty much out of the playoff hunt this season. The good news is Callapso and Haren are under team control for the next couple of years at solid contracts so they are winners for the future, but not pulling the trigger on bullpen/1B help will keep this team at home in October.

Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox are similar to the Angels, they are looking at a big deficit and didn’t do much to help their cause. While it is good they didn’t overpay, Boston is basically conceding this season to the Yankees and Rays, and that’s not good for business. They did pick up Jared Saltalamachia for some low minors prospects, so that could be a big deal for them going forward, but as it stands now Boston will be sitting out the playoffs.

Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers were one of the more active teams in the last week adding Scott Podsednik, Octavio Dotel, Ted Lilly and Ryan Theriot. Unfortunately I don’t know if they did enough to really get back into the playoff race. Dotel and Lilly are upgrades on the pitching staff, but might not be enough. Theriot is a bit of an upgrade over Dewitt whom he was traded for, but I wouldn’t say there is a huge difference. And Podsednik is a 4th outfielder. Without an impact bat Los Angeles isn’t going anywhere, and to make it worse Podsednik, Dotel, and Lilly will be free agents after the season meaning unlike some of the other teams on this list there isn’t any future value. The Dodgers also gave up some of there better prospects, meaning these deals could really come back to haunt them.

Arizona Diamondbacks: The D-backs got rid of Haren, Edwin Jackson, Chad Qualls and Chris Snyder unfortunately they didn’t get much in the way of return either. They did clean their payroll for next year and going forward (though I still don’t get the Joe Saunders acquisition) and given their level of play they needed to be a seller. I just question their return for Haren especially. In fact I think they got almost as much for Edwin Jackson as they did Dan Haren, and he isn’t half the pitcher Haren is (or has nearly as good of a contract). Arizona has a long rebuilding process, but unfortunately they didn’t add much in the way of assets to their fire sale.

Houston Astros: The Astros parted with two of their most veteran players and biggest stars. While it was necessary, the Astros had to kick in money and at the same time didn’t get major prospects in return. The best move the Astros made was trading one of those prospects (Anthony Gose), for a better and Major League ready player in Brett Wallace. The Wallace deal gives Houston a building block, but overall not nearly enough of a return considering what they gave up.

St. Louis Cardinals: The Cards did a great job strengthening their rotation, but did so at a fairly high cost of Ryan Ludwick. I’ve never been a Ludwick fan, but his loss does weaken their offense going forward. In addition to weakening their starting lineup the Cards didn’t add any bench or bullpen depth, two things that could have helped them going forward.

Dan Haren went from practically untouchable, to likely to be traded in about a week. Now, I think a deal will get done by the time Monday rolls around. While initial reports had the Yankees as the front runners, those have since turned out to be a bit premature. The Twins, Tigers, Cardinals, Dodgers, and Phillies are all highly interested in the right-hander, despite the fact that he has been struggling of late. The Yankees will probably remain front runners though since they have the easiest path to trade for Haren.

The Twins and Tigers are both on his no-trade list (as are the Rays if they get interested). Now that is not to say Haren won’t be dealt to those teams, just that the D-Backs will need to get his approval to complete a deal. Which is unfortunate for Arizona, since both teams can probably put together better deals than the Yankees. The Dodgers are problematic since they are in the division and would want the Diamondbacks to eat a chunk of change. While that would increase Arizona’s prospect package, it would be hard to swallow to face the Dodgers and you are paying the salary of the pitcher that is beating you. The Cardinals also would have a hard time fitting Haren in their budget, and they lack the farm system to deal for a pitcher like Haren. That leaves the Yankees as the team without any strings attached as they try to acquire Haren.

Haren won’t come cheap, as initial reports had the D-backs asking the Yankees for Joba Chamberlain, pitching prospect Ivan Nova and two other prospects. While the other two players were unknown, my guess is the Diamondbacks asked for two good prospects (possibly Zach McAllister and David Adams, the players rumored in the Cliff Lee deal). While the Yankees turned it down and in turn asked for a deal involving all prospects, my guess is Joba will need to be involved for a deal to take place. Chamberlain’s value has fallen well below the untouchable range, and New York should consider any deal that doesn’t include them giving up Jesus Montero. While I understand the Yankees are hesitant to give up on Chamberlain when is value is at it’s lowest, he is also no longer a rookie. His free agency clock is ticking and if you can get a player like Haren for him, who is signed for multiple years it isn’t a bad deal. Haren would also mean the Yankees would be out of the Cliff Lee sweepstakes this offseason (one would think), which would save the Yankees quite a bit of money over the next couple of years.

I still wouldn’t be shocked to see the Tigers or even the Twins get heavily involved even if Haren would have to approve the deal. Given the state of both franchise’s as team’s built to contend over the next few years, I don’t see why Haren wouldn’t agree to a deal to those cities. Another dark horse team that could get involved is the Rangers, they already traded for Cliff Lee, but he is an impending free agent, and the Rangers could use an ace going forward. While their farm system is a little weaker they have the young frontline pitching the Diamondbacks desire. It might not be as much major league ready pitching, but they have the most high upside arms in the minors. Fitting his contract in their budget might be an issue, but he makes a ton of sense from a talent standpoint (as well as selling tickets). A Lee-Haren front of the rotation could carry Texas deep into the postseason, and deliver the Rangers their first World Series title.