And we thought Ryan Howard had a terrific second half as a rookie last year, hitting 19 homers and driving in 52 runs in 67 games after the All-Star break. This year he leads the majors in second-half homers (20) and RBIs (54) in just 45 games, and on Tuesday, Howard tied Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt for the Phillies' single-season record for home runs with his 48th in a 10-6 Philadelphia victory. There are 29 games left on the schedule, so there's little doubt that Howard will eclipse the mark set by Schmidt in 1980. The only question is, how many will Howard hit by season's end? Could he hit 60? He's on course for 56, but 60 is within reach, considering he was good for 10 last September. Maintaining this year's torrid second-half pace through the end of the season would give him 61. If the 26-year-old first baseman were to finish with at least 60, he would be the youngest man ever to reach the plateau. Five others have done it -- Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds -- and the youngest to hit 60 to this point is Roger Maris. He turned 27 on Sept. 10, 1961, 16 days before he hit No. 60 and three weeks to the day before he surpassed Ruth's single-season record. Howard tuns 27 on Nov. 19. He could celebrate his birthday as one of six players to ever hit 60 home runs.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 11:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The American League wild-card berth seems all but certain to go to the second-place club in the AL Central, but the National League's wild-card spot is very much up for grabs and sometimes it appears no one wants to win it. Cincinnati currently leads the wild-card chase, but nine other teams are less than six games behind the Reds. The gap has closed with the Reds losing the final three games of a four-game set with San Francisco over the weekend. The Reds managed to score just two runs in those three games against a Giants club that has won seven of its last 10 games to move back into the mix. The Giants are just two games behind the Reds in their pursuit of a playoff spot. Despite their surge, the Giants aren't the hottest club among the wild-card candidates. That distinction goes to the Florida Marlins, who have won eight of their last 10 to move to within three games of .500 at 63-66 and trail the Reds by three. Recent fades left the Giants and Marlins looking more like playoff pretenders as the season moved deeper into August, but now, none of the other wild-card contenders are winning at a pace that matches these two surprise teams. Could the baby Marlins or elderly Giants really hold on through September? It seems more likely the resurgent Phillies, 16-9 in August since trading away Bobby Abreu, Cory Lidle, David Bell and Rheal Cormier, will come out on top. Ryan Howard is the leader in second-half homers (18) and RBIs (50), and Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and David Dellucci have been solid performers. Plus, the Phils have added Jamie Moyer and Jeff Conine in August trades. Then again, the Padres and Astros are too talented and too close to a playoff spot to rule out. Do any of these teams want to win this thing?

Posted by Thom Henninger at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer went 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs in the Twins' 11-2 rout of Baltimore Thursday night. It was the 14th time the 23-year-old star has had at least three hits in a game -- he had a five-hit performance against the Dodgers on June 27 -- and Mauer pushed his average to .361 on the season on Thursday. Yes, he's on course to become the first American League catcher ever to win a batting title, and those chasing him for the AL lead may be close to conceding. Second behind Mauer is the Yankees' Derek Jeter, who trails by 26 points at .335. There are two other marks that won't be secured as easily, but they are in reach for Mauer. The highest single-season batting average by an AL catcher is .357 by Mickey Cochrane for the 1930 Philadelphia Athletics, so that 76-year-old record is on the line. So is the all-time single-season batting mark for a big league backstop -- the .362 average posted by Mike Piazza for the Dodgers in 1997. The last 5-6 weeks of the season will be a grind, especially for a catcher, but Mauer could be the guy. He'll have to improve upon his .324 average in August during the final month if he's going to creep ahead of Piazza's all-time record.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Don't look now, but the Yankees are charging hard down the stretch with another postseason berth on the line. They were three games behind the Red Sox in the American League East at the All-Star break, and faced life without Hideki Matsui, Gary Sheffield and Robinsin Cano for much of the second half. The games aren't played on paper, of course, and the Yankees have posted an impressive 26-13 record since the break. Not only have the Yankees taken a commanding 6.5-game lead over the Red Sox, aided by a five-game sweep of their division rival at Fenway Park, they are now threatening to post the best record in the American League. Detroit has been well ahead of the pack nearly all season, but the Tigers are in the midst of a 5-10 slide since August 8. That has allowed New York, 10-7 over this same stretch, to move within four games of Detroit for the best record in the AL. Finishing with the best record would guarantee home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Playing at home in Games 6 and 7 of a postseason series has been critical to postseason success over the last 20 years, so a lot is at stake, especially if New York and Detroit were to meet in the playoffs. Will the Tigers reassert their position atop the AL, much as the White Sox did after going 12-16 in August 2005 before winning the World Series? Or will the young Tigers wilt and the Yankees' recent experience in pennant races prove too difficult to overcome?

Posted by Thom Henninger at 1:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Toronto manager John Gibbons may be dabbling in the wrong athletic profession. The skipper -- and former big league catcher -- doesn't work in a sport with fingerless gloves and four corners. But maybe he should. Gibbons challenged former Jay Shea Hillenbrand to a fight in July after the infielder wrote on the clubhouse bulletin board that the "ship was sinking." Hillenbrand didn't take the bait but landed in San Francisco for his literary work in the clubhouse. On Monday night, Gibbons went to the mound to pull Ted Lilly after the left-hander squandered an 8-0 lead. The score suddenly was 8-5 with two on and one out in Oakland's half of the third inning. Reportedly Lilly held the ball behind his back when Gibbons asked for it, and heated words were exchanged. Canadian Press photographer Aaron Harris, who witnessed the subsequent skirmish, said Lilly was waiting for Gibbons in the tunnel leading to the clubhouse and the manager went after him. "Then the whole dugout emptied back there," said Harris. "It was mayhem down in the tunnel." Later Gibbons was seen with the team trainer, who reportedly nursed a bloody nose with a towel. The whole mess elicits visions of Billy Martin taking on Dave Boswell, Reggie Jackson and a marshmallow salesman. The tussles with Boswell and the marshmallow man cost Martin jobs with Minnesota and New York, respectively, and a lesser-known run-in with Jackson sparked another of his many dismissals with the Yankees. Does Gibbons have any chance of surviving his two fight challenges? Team president Paul Godfrey, in an attempt to downplay Monday night's incident, said he didn't think Gibbons or Lilly needed to be disciplined because they had worked out their differences later. But the Jays are 10 games out of first place in the American League East and this loss of control in the Toronto dugout could be the final straw that leads to Gibbons' firing at the end of the season.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (22)

The New York Mets may be facing October without 12-game winner Tom Glavine because of a possible blood clot in his throwing shoulder. Two other contenders, Oakland and Cincinnati, currently continue pennant races without their primary closers because of injury. Detroit second baseman Placido Polanco doesn't lead the Tigers in any offensive categories, but Chicago Tribune columnist Phil Rogers makes the case that Polanco's absence from the Detroit lineup with a separated shoulder could cost the Tigers dearly. Rogers identifies Polanco as a player who isn't flashy but does everything well, executes all the plays necessary -- especially when the game is on the line -- and is one of those "glue players" who holds a team together. "He does every little thing for this ballclub that a manager wants," Detroit skipper Jim Leyland told Rogers, noting that Polanco will turn every routine double play, lay down the necessary bunt, execute the hit-and-run and get the two-out base hit. "He's a manager's dream. I love him." Rogers points out that in five years with St. Louis and Philadelphia before he joined the Tigers a year ago, Polanco's teams averaged 87 wins a season -- something Rogers suggests is no accident. How about the notion of a glue player, someone who is so valuable because of all of the little things he does to keep a winning team going in the right direction? Rogers draws a comparison between Polanco and White Sox second baseman Tadahito Iguchi, saying they execute most elements of the game consistently and end up playing on winning teams because of their contributions. Who else qualifies as a "glue player" on today's major league clubs?

Posted by Thom Henninger at 2:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

That's the question facing three teams currently holding down playoff spots. All three lost key players to the disabled list over the weekend, and the two National League clubs may be most affected by those injuries. The Cincinnati Reds, who hold a one-game edge over Arizona in the wild-card race and trail St. Louis by 2.5 games in the NL Central, put closer Eddie Guardado on the DL Sunday with elbow tendinitis. The veteran lefty was one of a number of relievers acquired to bolster a terrible Reds bullpen, and he's been the best of the new arrivals. Guardado has converted eight of 10 save chances while posting a 1.29 ERA and fanning 17 in 14 innings. Second-year right-hander Todd Coffey, who had a 5.73 ERA through June and July but has recovered nicely in 13 August appearances, is one option. Another is rookie southpaw Bill Bray, a trade pickup from Washington who was a key contributor in July but has a 5.59 ERA in nine games this month. The New York Mets could lose Tom Glavine, possibly for the rest of the season after the 12-game winner felt coldness in his left ring finger after his start last week in Philadelphia. He will be examined for a blood clot, and if one is found and surgery is required, Glavine's season is over. The Mets already are without Pedro Martinez, who has a calf strain that will keep him out into September. Still, the Mets are all but certain of claiming the NL East crown, but losing Glavine could compromise their chances in the playoffs. Over in the American League, Oakland placed closer Huston Street on the DL Sunday with a groin strain. He was injured Friday, when the A's were beaten twice in a doubleheader with Kansas City. Despite the two losses, the A's have won 18 of 23 games since July 26 to take a 4.5-game bulge over the Angels in the AL West. They will attempt to maintain their lead while calling on the rest of a solid bullpen to pick up the slack. Street may be missed less than Guardado will be in Cincinnati. Yet, losing a key player in the heat of a pennant race becomes another factor in a team's chances.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 11:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A team doesn't go 17-1 since July 28 without playing good baseball, but are the Dodgers really that good? Maybe not. Their surge includes three wins over Washington, three more over the crash-and-burn Giants, five over the Marlins and three over wild-card-leading Cincinnati while in the midst of a 4-9 tailspin. Carrying the offensive load during the Dodgers' surge are J.D. Drew, Rafael Furcal, Kenny Lofton, rookies Andre Ethier and Russell Martin, and new arrival Wilson Betemit -- giving the team a balanced attack. Another recent addition, Greg Maddux, has been terrific in three Dodger starts, and nearly the entire Los Angeles staff has followed suit. The Dodgers have a major league-best 2.26 ERA and .211 opponent batting average since their 17-1 run began on July 28. The National League West is a weak bunch, and the Dodgers enjoy a 3.5 game lead over Arizona and San Diego going into Wednesday's games. They are playing two rookies who are handling the pennant race well, Ethier and Martin, and the new arrivals are making immediate contributions. Perhaps the Dodgers will emerge as the best team in the NL West down the stretch, but they'll have to prove it in their final 25 games against divisional foes.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Philadelphia Phillies appeared to be cashing in their chips for 2006 when they dealt Bobby Abreu, Cory Lidle, David Bell and Rheal Cormier before the July 31 trade deadline. But wait, the Phillies are staying in the National League wild-card chase, going 9-5 in August to inch closer to .500 and to within 2.5 games of the wild-card spot. Two Phillies are batting better than .400 in August -- Jimmy Rollins (.409) and Dave Dellucci (.421) -- and Dellucci as the primary replacement for Abreu has contributed five homers and 12 RBIs in 13 games this month. Ryan Howard is batting .390 with a team-best 19 RBIs in 14 August contests. He, Dellucci and Rollins have totaled 17 home runs, 44 runs scored and 48 RBIs in the Phillies' 14 games. Meanwhile, the pitching staff had a 4.90 ERA at the end of July, but without Lidle and Cormier, it has posted a 3.74 mark so far this month. Rookie Cole Hamels has been terrific in August, and the Phils just got Randy Wolf back after Tommy John surgery in July 2005. One could make a case that Philadelphia is the team to watch down the stretch. Considering Chase Utley, Pat Burrell, Brett Myers and Tom Gordon haven't been at their best this month, the Phils could be positioned to turn it on and secure the wild-card berth without the likes of Abreu, Lidle, Bell and Cormier. They received good news Tuesday. The soreness in closer Gordon's shoulder is nothing more than mild inflammation. Fear the Phils.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 10:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Bobby Abreu batted .250 and slugged .313 in July before he was dealt by the Phillies to the Yankees on July 30. Since then, he's a .378 hitter who has slugged .511 for New York. His four extra-base hits in a Yankees uniform is one short of his extra-base total for all of July, and he's drawn five walks to give him a .451 on-base percentage in August. OK, the sample size is very small, but it's conceivable that Abreu will thrive by departing Philadelphia. Mike Schmidt found out how hard life can be in the City of Brotherly Love if fans believe you're not performing up to snuff. That certainly was the case for Abreu, who was under attack for his lack of power since winning the Home Run Derby at the 2005 All-Star Game. He also was criticized for showing too much patience and drawing too many walks for a guy who was supposed to be a run producer. In fact, Abreu leads the major leagues for most pitches seen per plate appeaance (4.49), and not far down the list are new teammates Jason Giambi (4.33) and Johnny Damon (4.05). He's part of a Yankees lineup that will wear down a starter with its patience, and there are plenty of run producers to clear the bases if Abreu is drawing walks. He's a cog in the wheel, rather than one of the key guys who has to be driving in runs to keep the Phillies in contention. That takes some pressure off Abreu, and perhaps escaping the glare of being a key scapegoat for a disappointing season in Philadelphia is enough to allow the 32-year-old right fielder to thrive. Coming to New York in the heat of a pennant race often has meant a lot of pressure for a new arrival, but maybe Abreu is finding New York the haven he's needed. He's young enough to have a few big years for the Yankees.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sometimes it's not enough to be the hottest young managerial prospect in the game. Marlins manager Joe Girardi found that out the hard way last week. His Marlins, stocked with rookies and Double-A and Triple-A prospects, seemed certain to challenge the Mets' modern-day, National League record of 120 losses in a season. Last Sunday, with Florida at 51-59 and on the fringe of the wild-card race, Girardi nearly was fired. In Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, a key ball-strike call went againt Marlins reliever Taylor Tankersley in the Dodgers' six-run seventh inning. Girardi, who had been ejected from Saturday night's loss, chose not to voice his objection. Instead, team owner Jeffrey Loria started a verbal assault of home plate umpire Larry Vanover. That ignited an exchange between Girardi and Loria seated in the front row, during which the manager reportedly told the owner to "sit the (bleep) down." After the game, Girardi and Loria had a private meeting -- before which Loria reportedly had ordered GM Larry Beinfest to can the skipper -- and front-office types started setting up chairs in the same conference room that had held meetings announcing former manager Jack McKeon's hiring and firing. Girardi's departure was averted during his closed-door meeting, but this wasn't the first time that he's butted heads with suits in the front office. It's hard to imagine Girardi getting fired after the impressive job he's done in his first year with the Marlins, but after Billy Martin's managerial debut that won a division title in 1969 for the Minnesota Twins, owner Calvin Griffth fired the headstrong manager. If the Marlins do a super-fade over the final weeks, will Girardi look as safe as he does today. . . which isn't necessarily all that safe?

Posted by Thom Henninger at 11:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

On July 3, this writer commented on an 18-1 run by the Minnesota Twins, pointing out that seldom has such a surge had so little impact on a pennant race. While the third-place Twins moved 10 games over .500 in that stretch, Detroit, the American League Central leader, had gone 17-3 and the second-place Chicago White Sox had posted a 15-5 mark. Two weeks earlier on June 19, this writer wrote off the improved Twins as a potential playoff team, but this morning, they are the leader in the wild-card chase after Wednesday night's win over the first-place Tigers and the White Sox's loss to the Yankees. Minnesota is a half-game up on the Sox and 1.5 games up on the Red Sox in the wild-card standings. The Twins have used a major league-best 40-12 surge since June 11 to overtake Boston, Chicago, Toronto and Oakland in winning percentage, and now only the Tigers and Yankees have a better record in the AL. For years, the AL Central was a weak sister in the league, but right now three teams -- the Tigers (76-38), Twins (67-46) and White Sox (66-46) -- are at least 20 games over .500. Only two other clubs in all of the majors -- the two teams in New York -- are 20 games over. There's a good chance the AL wild-card team will come out of the Central, and it should be a good fight down the stretch between the Twins, White Sox and AL East Red Sox.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

That seemed to be the case Wednesday night when Yankees left-hander Randy Johnson took a no-no into the seventh inning against the Chicago White Sox. The Big Unit was rolling along, retiring the White Sox on seven pitches in the fifth and needing only six more in the sixth. He opened the seventh with a pair of sliders to go up 0-2 on Chicago second baseman Tadahito Iguchi, who then stepped out of the box and asked for time from plate umpire Brian Gorman. Johnson had started his delivery, but Iguchi got the call from Gorman and time was called. On the next pitch, Iguchi lined a clean single into left field and the no-hitter was history. Johnson wrote off the hit as a poorly located fastball, but Chicago Tribune columnist Phil Rogers suggested the non-pitch might have broken up the "locked in" Big Unit's rhythm. It certainly seemed that way, as Johnson didn't retire another batter. He walked Jim Thome on four pitches before giving up back-to-back doubles to Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye. The future Hall of Famer then left with a 7-2 lead. "Had plate umpire Brian Gorman not granted Tadahito Iguchi's request for time with Johnson starting his delivery, the guy might have stayed in his trance all the way until he had finished his third career no-hitter," Rogers wrote in Thursday's Tribune. "Let's do the math. In his first 74 pitches, he hadn't allow a hit. Then in a span of 12, he allowed three hits and a walk." Would Johnson have completed the first no-hitter of the 2006 season? That's a tough call. After all, he needed nine more outs. He was only two-thirds of the way there, but it's hard to deny how lights-out Johnson had been before Iguchi stepped out. For what it's worth, Johnson didn't react to Gorman's time call.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 9:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There's nothing like Wrigley Field for a ballpark experience. It's not just the ivy, the brick walls and the intimate feel of the place, but the joy of watching a game in relative peace, much like in days gone by. The organ music, a baseball mainstay for decades, generates background noise, but it's nothing that keeps fans from conversing with one another during the game. A little further south where the White Sox play, one tends to hear the entire history of rock music in the course of three hours at the ballpark. Sometimes it's impossible to hear the person sitting next to you talk, and conversation doesn't always come easy. A tour of a number of major league parks this summer has made me realize the park experience of the South Side team has become the norm all over the country. Blasting music continuously seems to be an attempt to create a playoff atmosphere and excitement, even when it's two also-rans playing a game of little consequence down the stretch. The assumption seems to be that the game isn't enough, that a constant bombardment of the senses is what the complete baseball package is supposed to be in 2006. Is this what fans want? More fans seem to respond to hokey conventions such as the noise-meter, the music jingle leading up to "Charge!" and the between-inning promotions, so maybe this is what they expect from their baseball experience today. As for the notion of creating a playoff atmosphere every night, even when the game is of little consequence in a pennant race, I say, let the game speak for itself. Good team or bad team, fans wouldn't be there if they didn't want to be.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 2:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Detroit rookie Justin Verlander will miss his Sunday start for what is being described as arm fatigue. This may be nothing serious, but it's something the Tigers should take seriously. Overwork at a young age has shortened the career of many promising pitchers, and Verlander is a favorite for Rookie of the Year honors at 23. He worked 130 innings between the minors and a brief debut with Detroit in 2005, undoubtedly the heaviest pitching load in his brief pitching career. This year he's on course to work roughly 200 innings, a danger zone for many young arms. For example, Cubs phenom Mark Prior pitched 234.2 innings in 2003, which includes the 23.1 frames he worked in two rounds of playoff action. Since then, he has been riddled with a variety of injuries, including arm trouble. It's impossible to confirm the workload is directly linked to injury issues, but it could very well be a contributing factor. Losing Verlander down the stretch could compromise the Tigers' playoff run, but more importantly, a heavy workload in his rookie season could compromise his career.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 8:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thursday night's action featured a terrific matchup, with Pedro Martinez of the Mets and Dontrelle Willis of the Marlins working a tight, low-scoring game into the late innings. Miguel Cabrera broke open a 1-1 tie with a bases-loaded, bases-clearing double in the bottom of the eighth for a 4-1 Florida victory. As well as Willis pitched, he retired the side only once all night and needed three double plays to earn his first win since July 7. The rally-killing double plays epitomize the recent karma of the Mets. Everything seemed to be going their way en route to a 42-23 start through June 15. Since an eight-game winning streak came to an end on June 16, the Mets have gone 22-20. In the last 10 days, they have lost two of three to both the Cubs and Marlins. Their lead in the National League East is safe, but they will want to be executing and winning in September much the way they were over the first two months of the season. They see a lot of Philadelphia, Washington and Colorado in August and their other NL East rivals in September. The Mets have plenty of time to show they are contenders and not pretenders for a World Series crown. On paper, this may be the best team the NL has to offer, but is it the best club on the field?

Posted by Thom Henninger at 9:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Alfonso Soriano and Miguel Tejada stayed put Monday afternoon, and on paper, Bobby Abreu may look like the only impact player to change teams before the July 31 trade deadline. But it may be right-hander Cory Lidle who makes the biggest contribution among the newest members of the Yankees. It's conceivable Lidle could be the top pickup of all players changing teams over the last few days. The Yankees are one of a number of contenders who are getting little out of their fourth and/or fifth starters. Starters other than Mike Mussina, Randy Johnson and Chien-Ming Wang have gone 2-3 with a 9.26 ERA in nine starts during July, putting a lot of stress on the Yankees' bullpen with a string of short outings. The 34-year-old Lidle, on the other hand, has won his last four starts -- beating Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Atlanta and Arizona. He pitched eight innings in both of his last two wins. Even more noteworthy may be Lidle's tendency to be at his best in August and September. He is 78-69 lifetime with a 4.54 ERA, but 31-16 (3.53 ERA) over the final two months of the season. Pitchers acquired by the Yankees -- from Kenny Rogers to Jeff Weaver -- have struggled in the pressure-packed environment of New York, but Lidle should be fine knowing he's not the staff anchor. He just needs to keep the Yankees' high-powered offense in games and he should get his wins.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 12:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)