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[CNOTES]

Yankees midseason report: Treading water won't cut it

For the New York Yankees, another non-playoff season appears to be a strong possibility.

At least it does if the offense cannot pick it up consistently to support a pitching staff missing 80 percent of its projected rotation while using rookie starting pitchers in 45 games.

The fact that the Yankees are within striking distance in the American League East is because that while they've treaded water, no one ahead of them has become consistently hot.

However, no team can rely on that factor and eventually the Yankees will have to develop a hot streak. It will have to be one that goes beyond last month's four-game winning streak and stretch of 10 wins in 14 games.

If that is going to happen, the Yankees will need to hit better than a team that barely hits over .250 and improve on their struggles in many clutch situations.

That means Brian McCann will have to do better than the .239 average he has produced so far. It also means than when Carlos Beltran returns he will need to do better than the underwhelming .216 average.

To achieve all of that, the Yankees will also have to play better at home. They have won 18 of their first 41 home games, start the second half with an 11-game homestand and play a major league-leading 40 home games after the break.

Getting all those components to click is their mission and if the Yankees are going to be a playoff team, it must happen.

"It's a little surprising," hitting coach Kevin Long said. "Certainly you expect some of these guys in this lineup to perform and at the end of the day, at the end of the year you hope that those numbers are going to be where they should. I can tell you they're doing everything in their power to try and correct it and I'm doing everything in my power to try to correct it and we're just going to stay at it. There's no simple plan. The work is positive and we're working in the right direction. It's just been tough."

 

[CNOTES]

Blue Jays midseason report: Contenders or pretenders?

The Toronto Blue Jays had a brilliant May, going 21-9. The American League East is surprisingly weak.

They are two reasons that Toronto is still in serious contention for its first postseason appearance since 1993, in the pre-wild card era, when they won the World Series championship for the second year in a row.

After surging through May and winning their first five games in June to go to 38-24 and stand atop the AL East, the Blue Jays have sputtered at 11-23, including a 2-8 trip to lead into the All-Star break. Yet, surprisingly, they will return to competition within striking distance of first in the division. But first they must play much better than they have.

Their starting pitching, which lacks depth, must continue to be better than expected. The bullpen, a major disappointment, must make better use of the fastball instead of hanging sliders in situations in which even a good breaking pitch doesn't make sense. The hitters must find a way to solve left-handed pitching. The players must eliminate as many as possible of the silly mistakes that have infested their play.

"We've been within striking distance in a lot of games but we just haven't played good enough, that's the bottom line," right fielder Jose Bautista said. "I haven't played good enough and other guys, if you ask them, they'll probably tell you that they haven't played good enough. We haven't done what we did earlier on and that's why we've lost some of these games."

There have been injuries that have put such players as third baseman Brett Lawrie, first baseman Edwin Encarnacion and designated hitter Adam Lind on the disabled list. The Blue Jays plucked outfielder Nolan Reimold from the Baltimore Orioles on waivers, but after a quick start, he suffered a strained calf that put him on the DL. That's the way things have been going, but the slide started before the injuries.

There has been a tendency to blame recruits from Triple-A Buffalo for some of the mistakes. But the Blue Jays were playing well in May when center fielder Colby Rasmus was on the DL with a hamstring injury and Anthony Gose and Kevin Pillar platooned in his place. Gose made some vital catches Rasmus likely would not have made.

There were just too many examples of careless play from players who are supposed to be stars. Shortstop Jose Reyes has made some astonishing throwing errors. He also has let some ground balls get past him and, in one case, between his legs. He says he has a bit of a sore shoulder, but his footwork also could use some work on his throws.

Catcher Dioner Navarro, who was lauded early for his game calling, seems to have a tendency to call too many breaking balls when fastballs would be better.

Despite all this, the Blue Jays have a chance. And Bautista does not feel it is necessary to make a big trade to fortify the team.

"It would definitely help but I don't think it's a must," he said. "I don't think it's the only way we can become contenders. ...We managed to get up to first place and stay there for a while. We can definitely get back there. We just have to play the good baseball that we."

 

[CNOTES]

Rays midseason report: Murphy's law in first half

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The first half had been nothing short of an abject disappointment for the Tampa Bay Rays, picked by many to contend for the American League pennant and selected by others to at least play in, possibly even win, the World Series.

The Rays fell victim to what executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has repeatedly called an "imperfect storm" in the season's first couple months, with the starting pitching not performing up to its capabilities, the lineup failing to produce runs at its expected level and even the usually reliable defense showing cracks in the armor.

In short, everything that could go wrong went wrong for the Rays.

But lately, they've seemingly turned it around. Will it be enough?

The Rays have kept their hopes alive for the second half with a 20-11 record since June 11. But to make up for the ground they lost in the first 97 games, the Rays have to be on top of their game the rest of the way. They believe it's possible if they fully play up to their potential, however.

"We knew that we were capable of it. It just wasn't happening. We knew it couldn't last forever. It just lasted longer than we expected," Rays second baseman/right fielder Ben Zobrist said. "Now that it's going well, we can't look at the past and focus on that. We're just going to focus on the games that we have left and the fact that we're still close enough, within striking distance of the division."

"There's no letting up right now," said Rays manager Joe Maddon. "We have to keep winning series, there's no doubt."

The Rays enter the break with a 44-53 record, almost 10 games behind the first-place Baltimore Orioles in the AL East. It's a winnable division with no one dominant team, which plays in the Rays' favor, but it's still going to be a steep uphill climb. In reality, it may be impossible.

It might become even more difficult if the Rays lose their ace.

Left-hander David Price has been the subject of intense speculation since last year's July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, and the Rays' dreadful start only intensified those rumors. His $14 million salary is high for Tampa Bay's low-budget operation, and he's only going to get more expensive in 2015, his final year of arbitration. Tampa Bay built its current roster primarily through shrewd trades, and Friedman undoubtedly recognizes the kind of haul he might get for a young star like Price, a former AL Cy Young Award winner who says he's pitching better than ever.

So, the biggest question for the Rays as they head into the All-Star break is the future of their ace. Will they deal him? What will they get? Can they contend without him?

That all remains to be seen. For now, the Rays will keep fighting to stay alive in the AL East, refusing to believe a playoff berth is out of the question until they are mathematically eliminated.

"You've got to believe that we're going to have a really good rest of the year here as far as the way that we've been playing for the last three or four weeks here going into the break," Zobrist said. "I definitely believe this team is capable of coming back."

 

[CNOTES]

Rated Plays As Of 07/13

*****.......................... 18 - 17.............................+2.03

DOUBLE PLAY...................23 - 20 ...........................+ 12.18

TRIPLE PLAY....................16 - 29 ............................-39.17


Date WLT Pct Net Units Record ( ALL SELECTIONS INCLUDING OPINIONS )

07/13/14 20-*9-*0 68.97% +*5445 Detail
07/12/14 17-*13-*0 56.67% +*1170 Detail
07/11/14 16-*14-*0 53.33% +*1070 Detail
07/10/14 13-*10-*1 56.52% +*1575 Detail
07/09/14 11-*17-*2 39.29% -*3545 Detail
07/08/14 13-*13-*2 50.00% -*55 Detail
07/07/14 13-*15-*0 46.43% -*1190 Detail
07/06/14 12-*18-*0 40.00% -*3230 Detail
07/05/14 14-*18-*0 43.75% -*2870 Detail
07/04/14 13-*12-*1 52.00% +*190 Detail
07/03/14 8-*10-*0 44.44% -*1400 Detail
07/02/14 19-*10-*1 65.52% +*4020 Detail
07/01/14 17-*12-*1 58.62% +*2460 Detail

Totals 186-*171-*8 52.10% +3640

 

[CNOTES]

Game of the Day: MLB All-Star Game

National League at American League (-107, 7.5)

Some of the faces will change but one theme remains the same for Tuesday's Major League All-Star Game: A retiring member of baseball's most storied franchise will command center stage for the second straight year. Retiring New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter gets the start at shortstop in his 14th and final Midsummer Classic looking to lead the American League to its eighth win in 11 years. Seattle ace Felix Hernandez draws the start for the AL against St. Louis right-hander Adam Wainwright.

Nike will commemorate Jeter's All-Star farewell with the launch of a commercial titled “RE2PECT” on Tuesday night that features a Who's Who of celebrities as well as opponents and fans paying homage to the future Hall of Famer. On the field, the AL will pit a stacked lineup featuring Miguel Cabrera, Mike Trout and Nelson Cruz against a top-heavy National League pitching staff with two 12-game winners and a pair of 11-game winners. Home-field advantage goes to the victor - no small matter since the winning league has taken home the World Series title for five straight years.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FOX

LINE HISTORY: Most books opened the American League as -110 home faves. The total opened 8 and has dropped to 7.5.

PITCHING MATCHUP: National League RH Adam Wainwright (12-4, 1.83 ERA) vs. American League RH Felix Hernandez (11-2, 2.12)

Hernandez was an obvious choice for Boston manager John Farrell after he went 8-1 over his last 12 starts and has allowed two runs or fewer while pitching at least seven innings in his last 11 outings. A five-time All-Star and former Cy Young Award winner, Hernandez's only loss during that stretch came in a 1-0 setback to Texas on June 13. Waiting in the wings is reigning Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer of Detroit - last year's AL starter along with a pair of strong left-handed starters in Oakland's Scott Kazmir and Boston's John Lester.

NL manager Mike Matheny of the Cardinals couldn't go wrong in choosing between Wainwright or Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, who has won eight consecutive starts and has allowed one run over his last 45 innings. Wainwright has pitched at least seven innings and yielded two runs in 15 of 19 starts and is 4-1 with six runs allowed over his last seven turns. Zack Greinke is well rested and could follow Dodgers teammate Kershawk to the mound for the NL, which has such depth that Cincinnati 12-game winner Alfredo Simon was a last-minute replacement.

TRENDS:

* Under is 8-0 in the past eight All-Star Games.
* The National League has won three of the previous four All-Star Games.
* The road team is 4-1 in the past five All-Star Games.

CONSENSUS: 63.64 percent of wagers on Consensus are on the American League.




Here's your weather report for the All-Star Game

It's looking like it's going to be a great night for baseball in Minneapolis Tuesday for the MLB All-Star Game. The forecast is currently calling for clear skies with a temperature of 64 degrees Fahrenheit at gametime.

The AL is presently a -107 fave with a total of 7.5.

 

[CNOTES]

Red-hot MLB All-Star Game total streak will surprise baseball bettors

When you think of All-Star Games, you're automatically drawn to images of high-scoring, highlight-reel action. Unless, of course, we’re talking about the MLB All-Star Game.

While other all-star showcases, like the NBA All-Star Game or NFL Pro Bowl, are known for their outpouring of offense, the MLB Mid-Summer Classic has displayed defense over the past eight years. And, totals bettors playing the under have cashed in each and every year in that span.

This season, the oddsmakers have cooked up a 7.5 total for Tuesday’s All-Star Game at Target Field in Minnesota. According to Michael Stewart, an oddsmaker with CarbonSports.ag, sportsbooks “look at past All-Star performances, the strength of the All-Star teams’ pitching staff and the stadium” when setting the total.

Last year, the American League blanked the National League 3-0, staying well Under the 8-run number set by oddsmakers. The year before, the NL shutout the AL 8-0 which just stayed below the 8.5-run total. In 2011, the NL won 5-1 with a total of eight runs. In 2010, the final score was 3-1 with a total of 8.5.

Books pegged the 2009 ASG with a 9.5-run number but the AL edged the NL 4-3. The two leagues produced that same score over 15 innings with a 10-run total in 2008. In 2007, the ASG finished 5-4 and just under the 10-run mark. And in 2006, the AL and NL combined for a 3-1 score which was well below the 10-run total.

Target Field has helped the Minnesota Twins produce a 47-42-5 Over/Under count at home this season and boasts the third highest park factor in the majors at 1.124 (a rating above 1.000 favors the hitter). Since opening in 2010, Target Field has transitioned from a pitcher-friendly park in 2010 and 2011, to a hitter’s park in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

MLB All-Star Games have posted an average of 4.78 collective runs between 2006 and 2013.

 

[CNOTES]

Indians midseason report: Average play, .500 record

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians went into the All-Star break with a record of 47-47. It's the 13th time this season they have been exactly at the .500 mark, and for most of the first half they haven't wavered more than three games above or below .500.

It will likely be a challenge for the Indians to mount a serious push for the postseason in the second half unless they start to get some consistent production from their injured and under-performing players. Two key players are currently on the disabled list: right-hander Justin Masterson and center fielder and leadoff hitter Michael Bourn.

Masterson is out with an inflamed right knee, but General Manager Chris Antonetti said the Indians expect him to be activated within a week following the resumption of play after the All-Star break. Bourn is behind Masterson in his rehab, and could still be sidelined for another couple of weeks.

Masterson has been one of the biggest disappointments on the team this year. A 14-game winner and All-Star selection last year, Masterson this year is 4-6 with a 5.51 ERA. It's hard to see the Indians climbing back into contention without a big second half from Masterson.

Antonetti said he is "exploring a lot of different things" in trade talks with other teams, but he is quick to add that the biggest need for the Indians in the second half is for the players being counting on to produce to start producing. In addition to Masterson, that list would also include designated hitter Nick Swisher, first baseman Carlos Santana, second baseman Jason Kipnis and utilityman Ryan Raburn, all of whom were important contributors last season.

Swisher has more errors than home runs, which is one reason he is being used more as a designated hitter than first baseman. The switch hitting Santana has shown some life lately, but he is still hitting just .189 against right-handed pitchers. Kipnis, like Masterson an all-star last year, is hitting just .255 with three home runs and 24 RBIs after hitting .284 with 17 home runs and 84 RBIs last year.

Raburn hit 16 home runs in 243 at-bats as a super sub last year, but this year he has hit just two home runs in 151 at-bats. With the exception of right-hander Corey Kluber, who had an all-star-caliber first half, the starting rotation has been in a constant state of flux.

So for the Indians to become a factor in the race in the second half, what they need most is simply better production from the players already on the roster. "I wish our record was better," said manager Terry Francona. "But I think the way we played (to get back to .500), the next two months, if we play good baseball, it's going to be very exciting."

 

[CNOTES]

White Sox midseason report: Consistently inconsistent

CHICAGO -- There are days the streaky White Sox look like contenders.

Then there are stretches like the four losses in five games heading into this week's All-Star break that leaves Chicago looking like anything but.

The White Sox flirted with .500 much of the season and their current 45-50 mark is eight wins better than at last year's break and six ahead of their pace after 95 games (39-56) in 2013.

Credit rookie Jose Abreu and left-handed pitcher Chris Sale for much of improvement and overachievement for a South Side team that lost 99 games last year.

Abreu, a 27-year-old first baseman from Cuba, tops the majors with 29 home runs and has twice been named American League rookie of the month and was also AL Player of the Month once. It's hard to imagine much White Sox success without him.

Sale's 8-1 record trails only Jose Contreras' 9-0 first half record in 2006 among best starts in White Sox history. Sale has a 2.08 ERA through 14 starts and has struck out 102 while walking just 16.

Abreu, Sale and shortstop Alexei Ramirez were set to represent the White Sox at this week's All-Star Game in Minneapolis. Sale was winner of the AL's Final Vote contest.

Even with Sale, the White Sox rank near the bottom of the American League in ERA (4.17), saves (19) and walks and hits per inning pitched (1.39). And 12 blown saves are tied for third most in the league. Closer Ronald Belisario (3-6) has struggled with a 6.35 ERA and just eight saves in 38 appearances.

Chicago stands 10 1/2 games behind first place Detroit, which seems poised to run away with the division in the second half.

So the only hopes for postseason lie with a wild card berth. And right now the White Sox are seventh in the wild-card standings, 6 1/2 games behind the co-wild card leading Angels and Mariners.

 

[CNOTES]

Twins midseason report: Upcoming homestand is key

The two weeks between the All-Star Game and the July 31 trade deadline will go a long way toward deciding whether the Minnesota Twins will be a buyer or a seller at the end of the month.

The Twins (44-50) improved significantly after three consecutive 90-loss campaigns and are 4 1/2 games better at the break this season than they were last year (39-53). At 10 1/2 games out of first place in the American League Central race, Minnesota appears on the surface as if it should be a seller. However, the Twins begin the second half with a season-long, 10-game homestand.

"This week was a big week for us," Twins second baseman Brian Dozier said. "Coming back from the All-Star break with 10 games at home, everything plays in our favor. We've just got to go out and win."

With the Tampa Bay Rays (44-53), Chicago White Sox (45-51) and Cleveland Indians (47-47) the opponents coming in during the stretch at home, the Twins could make up some ground between now and July 31.

"I know how the business side of it is, but it's our job to make those decisions hard," Dozier said. "I want to contend. I believe we can. We've got the people to do it. I'm not saying we may not need a couple extra pieces to do it, but we're going to be just fine."

The past month was disappointing for the Twins, who sat only three games under .500 on June 8 when they surprised the baseball world by signing veteran slugger Kendrys Morales to a one-year, prorated $12 million contract. At the time, the Twins were only five games behind the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central and 3 1/2 out of a wild-card spot.

"Why not the Twins?" Minnesota general manager Terry Ryan asked rhetorically after signing Morales.

By June 13, the Twins were just 3 1/2 games back in the division race and 2 1/2 out in the wild-card chase. However, a five-game losing streak that began June 24 in Anaheim set the Twins back, and by the end of it, Minnesota was nine games behind surging Detroit.

Another three-game losing streak in early July added another 1 1/2 games onto the Twins' hole, but a 5-2 road trip to Seattle and Colorado to end the first half provided a glimmer of hope.

 

[CNOTES]

Royals midseason report: Club hoping for surge

The Kansas City Royals entered the 2014 season coming off their best record since 1989. They replaced starting pitcher Ervin Santana with Jason Vargas and were counting on solid seasons from Danny Duffy and Yordano Ventura. They struggled through the first half of 2013 and then caught fire in the second half, finishing with an 86-76 record.

Expectations were riding high in Kansas City. Through the first half of 2014, plus a few games, the team has pretty much met expectations thus far. At the All-Star break, the Royals are 48-46 and in second place in the American League Central, 6 1/2 games behind Detroit.

The offense still has to jell. The Royals are fourth in the American League with a .264 average, but they’re in the bottom half in runs. They’re last in walks and home runs, by a sizeable margin.

“Most of our guys -- Moose and Hoz included -- are second-half guys,” manager Ned Yost said. “All the signs are pointing upwards for us.”

At this point, all Yost can do is hope that it holds true again this season. “As an organization, we’ve said that those are the guys who are going to carry us offensively. I have no idea (why they’re second-have guys). If I knew, I would have fixed it.”

Yost can count on a solid rotation and a lights-out bullpen. The Royals have a combined ERA of 3.78, good for third best in the American League. The starters have a combined ERA of 3.57. Wade Davis, who is used primarily to protect a lead in the eighth inning, is 5-2 with a 1.16 ERA. And Greg Holland is going to his second straight All-Star Game with 25 saves in 26 chances.

The Royals are counting on a repeat of 2013, when they went 42-27 after the All-Star break. That kind of production in 2014 will put them right at the 90-win mark.

And the Royals, who have the longest postseason drought in the four major American professional sports, will take their chances with that.

 

[CNOTES]

Tigers midseason report: Streaky season

Things look bright for Detroit the remainder of the season after the Tigers entered the All-Star break with their third-largest lead to that point in the season, 6 1/2 games over the second-place Kansas City Royals.

Manager Brad Ausmus confesses he'll now begin to take peeks at the standings after spending the first half professing he isn't all that concerned about who sits where early in the season.

"Now, I might take a cursory look every once in a while," he said. "But if we keep our house in order, everything should work out fine."

Detroit was streaky up to the All-Star break, opening 27-12 before going 9-20 to fall out of first place when Kansas City swept the Tigers in a three-game set at Comerica Park to take a 1 1/2-game lead that evaporated in a couple of days.

The Tigers went into the break on a 17-6 spurt that included taking three of four from the Royals to take that 6 1/2-game lead. Detroit will have 71 games left when it resumes play July 18 at home against Cleveland.

"We've played much better the last three weeks," Ausmus said. "We hope to enjoy the time off and then come back and start over."

Spring training ended with the Tigers wondering who would replace shortstop Jose Iglesias, out for the year with shin splints in both legs. Rookie Eugenio Suarez, hauled up from Double-A after a brief test with Triple-A Toledo, has answered that question with solid defense and better-than-expected hitting.

The Tigers hit well until they hit their skid but outfielder J.D. Martinez emerged seemingly from nowhere and took a .346 average with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs into the break. The second portion of the schedule will show whether he's for real but his presence helped them out of their slump and made it much more difficult for teams to get through the middle of the Detroit lineup without difficulty.

"It seems like every team that does well has someone you don't expect to do well," Ausmus said. "There's always someone that steps up that plays well, hits well, pitches well."

Detroit's rotation has remained largely intact for the second year in a row, but bullpen reinforcements are expected due to inconsistencies at the back end. Closer Joe Nathan has 19 saves, but he also sports a 5.61 ERA and went nearly a month where closing a game for him was like closing your eyes and taking a swing at your hand with a hammer -- painful.

The Tigers have added veteran relievers Jose Veres and Octavio Dotel following the break in recent years to help them to the playoffs and some acquisitions such as that can be expected.

If teams figure out J.D. Martinez and take away Suarez's bat, Detroit could have problems down the stretch.

But the club should get immediate help with the return of Victor Martinez, who missed 11 of the club's last 13 games with a sore right side.

"He took some swings off the tee (July 13) and felt good," Ausmus said. "He's going to rest it the next four days. We'll come back Friday (July 18) and see how it feels."

With his club holding a 6 1/2-game lead with 71 to play, he should feel pretty good.

 

[CNOTES]

Tuesday, July 15

Game Score Status Pick Amount

National League - 8:00 PM ET National League +102 500 TRIPLE PLAY

American League - Over 7.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

 

[CNOTES]

Athletics midseason report: Setting up for run

They would never admit it publicly, but you have to know Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane and manager Bob Melvin aren't bothered at all to see the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hanging around in the American League West race.

The A's take the major league's best record 59-36 but just a 1 1/2-game lead in the West into the All-Star break. The competitive nature of the latter belies the common belief that the A's, bolstered by the acquisition of front-line pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel from the Chicago Cubs, already are setting their postseason rotation for the inevitable rematch with the Detroit Tigers.

Beane and Melvin went out of their way in the wake of the July 5 blockbuster to insist the A's have a lot of work to do over the final 10 1/2 weeks of the season just to qualify for the playoffs.

"The narrative that this was a postseason move," Beane claimed, "was a bit presumptuous."

A pitcher might be the driving force for the A's in the second half. But it won't be Samardzija or Hammel. Or even Sonny Gray or Scott Kazmir.

It's Felix Hernandez.

You see, if the Angels win the West ahead of the A's, relegating Oakland to the wild-card game, it's quite possible it would run into Seattle Mariners ace Hernandez in that loser-is-done, wild-card contest. With 18 career wins against the A's, one as recently as Friday night, that's an even scarier vision for Oakland than possibly seeing Justin Verlander again in October.

So when Beane insists the big trade was made with the regular season in mind, it's easy to see why. For a while there, he was watching a team with Jesse Chavez, Tommy Milone and Brad Mills composing a majority of his rotation attempting to hold off the red-hot Angels.

Now most teams will see some combination of Gray, Samardzija, Kazmir and Hammel coming at them in a three-game series. To say nothing of Coco Crisp, Brandon Moss, Yoenis Cespedes and Josh Donaldson.

Bring on the Tigers. Anybody but Hernandez.

 

[CNOTES]

Rangers midseason report: Few positives in injury-ravaged season

Texas manager Ron Washington pondered for several seconds the question just presented to him.

What has been the biggest positive to you in the first half about your team?

"Did you take the time to think about that question," Washington asked.

There have been very few positives.

A team that expected to be World Series caliber after acquiring first baseman Prince Fielder and left fielder Shin-Soo Choo has instead collapsed under the weight of a two-ton boulder called the disabled list.

Rather, the Rangers will feature something more closely resembling a Triple A-caliber team in the second half.

The Rangers, who lead the majors in disabled list uses and most players used, closed the first half with the worst record in baseball. Only 10 players who broke with the team at spring training remain on the active roster.

In the first half, Texas used an MLB-record 50 players, including 30 pitchers.

"It's much-needed time off," said shortstop Elvis Andrus. "Everybody needs three or four days off to clear our mind and have some fun."

Texas was 35-35 on June 16 after having taken two of three games from Seattle on the road, including beating All-Star right-hander Felix Hernandez. Since then, the Rangers have gone 3-21 and to the bottom of the AL West.

"Couldn't have imagined it," Washington said. "You put nine guys out there, they have to perform."

Instead of vying for a division title, the Rangers will be evaluating, young and older alike, to see who can help them next year and beyond.

The second half will be about player development on the big-league level.

It's difficult to see exactly what the Rangers are at this point. If everyone comes back healthy next year, they should be expected to contend again.

If not ... well, the Rangers expect to know some of those answers to that hypothetical by the end of this season.

 

[CNOTES]

Angels midseason report: Depth a strength

After pitching a shutout during the Los Angeles' Angels 11-3 surge in May, left-hander C.J. Wilson issued the following response when asked about his team's early success.

"If we can play the next 50 games like we've played the last 15 games," Wilson said, "then that will be really, really good baseball."

Slightly more than 50 games later, the Angels are challenging the Oakland Athletics for supremacy in the American League West -- and, barring a total collapse, will do so for the rest of the season.

With first baseman Albert Pujols healthy and with outfielder Josh Hamilton focused, the Angels offense has emerged as one of the major leagues' best. Los Angeles enters the All-Star break leading the majors with 478 runs scored. The Angels also have amassed 883 hits, 300 extra-base hits and 101 home runs, totals ranking among the American League's best. Pujols, who suffered from plantar fasciitis last year, has driven in 29 runs in his last 29 games to enter the break with 63 RBIs, 20 home runs and a .274 average. Hamilton, who spent two months on the disabled list, is hitting .291. Shortstop Erick Aybar made the American League's All-Star team for the first time after batting .284 and leading the league's shortstops with 49 RBIs and a .985 fielding percentage.

Outfielder Mike Trout is, well, Mike Trout: 22 homers, 24 doubles, five triples, 69 RBIs, 105 hits, 64 runs, a .308 batting average, a .397 on-base percentage and a .601 slugging percentage.

"With as much depth as we have, we don't need any one player to carry it," Wilson said about the offense. "We just need everybody to get on base and pass the torch."

But the Angels offer more than potent hitting. Going into Sunday's road game against the Texas Rangers, the Angels pitchers have permitted opponents to bat just .236, the American League's fourth-lowest such average. The rotation's 3.75 earned-run average ranks third in the league, while the bullpen that has seen constant turnover has compiled a 1.68 earned-run average in the past 16 games while limiting opposing hitters to a .188 average.

The biggest factor, however, has been the contributions from unexpected sources. Outfielder Collin Cowgill (.277), first baseman C.J. Cron (nine homers), infielder-outfielder Grant Green (.324), right-handed starter Matt Shoemaker (7-2) and right-handed reliever Michael Morin (2.08 earned-run average) have played pivotal roles while such regulars as Hamilton, third baseman David Freese, outfielder Kole Cahoun and left-handed starter Tyler Skaggs spent time on the disabled list.

Right-hander Garrett Richards (11-2) has emerged as one of baseball's most dominant pitchers. Richards, in his second full major-league season, became just the fourth pitcher in team history to enter the All-Star break with at least 11 wins and 120 strikeouts and an ERA under 2.60. The others? Jered Weaver, Frank Tanana and Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan.

The Angels' balance has enabled them to rally for 29 of their 57 wins this season; those 29 come-from-behind wins lead the majors. That balance also reflects a new-found self-confidence and camaraderie.

"We had a tendency last year to let some teams just jump us out of the gate," Wilson said. "We'd be, like, 'Oh, my God. It's 3-0. What do we do?'"

Calhoun exemplified the Angels' esprit d'corps when he talked about being platooned with Cowgill.

"If I'm in the lineup, I'm going to do it that day," Calhoun told the Los Angeles Times. "If Collin is in the lineup, he's going to do it. We're not going to start some rivalry or talk about who should be playing. We're a team, and that's how it has to be."

Richards, rejected for the American League's All-Star pitching staff five times in a week, offered perhaps the best example of subordinating individual desire for collective success.

“How can I be mad about a personal achievement," Richards told the Los Angeles Times, "when we're playing such good baseball now?”

 

[CNOTES]

Mariners midseason report: a club on rise

SEATTLE -- The first 95 games of the Lloyd McClendon era might not have reminded Seattle's new manager of the recent Detroit Tigers teams that employed him as a bench coach, but neither did they remind Pacific Northwest fans of some recent Mariners campaigns.

McClendon's Mariners topped 50 games by the All-Star break, which is something none of Seattle's previous 10 teams could do. The manager found a way to keep the team relevant well into July and put off the NFL talk in the football-mad town for a few more weeks.

It is quite a successful run for the Mariners, who might have to pull off an even less likely feat in order to sustain it.

The Mariners undoubtedly need more contributions if they are going to stick around in the American League wild-card race -- if not get back into the hunt in the AL West. Second baseman Robinson Cano, ace Felix Hernandez and the bullpen have been about as good as anyone could expect, yet even their combined success wasn't enough to push Seattle into the running for the division title.

Seattle sits eight games behind the AL West-leading Oakland A's.

The key to the second half of the season is going to come down to the bottom of the batting order and the back of the rotation, two areas where the Mariners have significant deficiencies. After Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma and Chris Young, Seattle has plenty of question marks in terms of starting pitching. The Mariners are also looking for much bigger things from players such as shortstop Brad Miller, left fielder Dustin Ackley, first baseman Justin Smoak and designated hitter Corey Hart over the final 67 games of the season.

In some ways, McClendon kept the team in the postseason race through smoke and mirrors. Young and veteran outfielder Endy Chavez are among the players who performed far better than anyone could have expected, and the offense was more efficient than the sum of its parts -- particularly on the road.

"I've said it time and time again: On offense, we're going to be challenged some days, and it won't look good," said McClendon, whose team went through one eight-game stretch in July when it failed to score as many as four runs in a single game. "But I'll take the whole picture, and we'll be OK. I think all in all, we're going to be OK."

The good news for the Mariners is that most of the American League has deficiencies; even Oakland was hit by the injury bug as of late.

What might be even more pressing for the Mariners over the second half of the season is for the top of the rotation to keep up its torrid pace. Hernandez is off to one of his best starts. Iwakuma could get even better as he shakes off the rust of missing spring training, while Young already won more games than anyone could have expected when the Mariners signed him out of spring training in late March.

"What a godsend for this rotation," McClendon said if Young in June. "He's just been tremendous."

Chris Young and the young Mariners exceeded expectations so far, but McClendon has his work cut out for him if Seattle is going to keep it up.

"I think this organization has come quite far," McClendon said. "I think we've accomplished a lot, but in the end, we haven't accomplished anything. But I certainly think we're headed in the right direction."

 

[CNOTES]

Phillies midseason report: Slide to irrelevance continues

The Philadelphia Phillies' slide to irrelevance continues.

They were world champions in 2008, and National League champs in '09. They won 102 games as recently as 2011.

But they went 81-81 in 2012, 73-89 last season and find themselves with a 42-53 record and in last place in the mediocre NL East heading into the All-Star break.

They don't hit much. Their pitching is sporadic. Moreover, their team is ancient -- five regulars are 34 or older, and three members of the starting rotation are 33 or older -- so it appears things are going to get worse before they get better.

General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has already said they will be sellers at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, and closer Jonathan Papelbon has said he will waive his no-trade clause to go to a contender.

Second baseman Chase Utley and shortstop Jimmy Rollins, Phillies their entire careers, are more reluctant to leave, and can veto any deal that is not to their liking.

Left-hander Cliff Lee is another player who would appear to be attractive to a contender, though he has been on the disabled list since May 19 with a strained elbow. The 35-year-old Lee will make another rehab start July 14, and is scheduled to start against San Francisco on July 21.

Depending upon how healthy and effective he is, it looms as one of his last appearances for the Phillies, and others seem certain to follow him out the door. Nothing that happens between now and the end of the month will change that.

"That decision's already been made, things that they want to do," Rollins said, referring to the front office. "Regardless of how we play, they're still going to make their decisions for the future of the team, not just now. We go out there, we play ball, we win, good things happen. And if that makes things difficult, then it does."

 

[CNOTES]

Mets midseason report: Successful homestand redefines goals

NEW YORK -- Mets general manager Sandy Alderson seemed to be employing GM speak -- and/or just putting off the inevitable -- July 7, when he said New York would wait the end of their 10-game homestand on July 13 to decide what to do at the trade deadline.

"Look, let's see where we are at the end of this week," Alderson said.

Lo and behold, the Mets used the week to completely redefine their standing heading into the All-Star break.

The Mets cruised past the Miami Marlins, 9-1, on July 13 to complete an 8-2 homestand in which New York clicked in every facet of the game.

Right-hander Jacob deGrom's seven innings of one-run ball in the first half finale marked the eighth time a Mets starter pitched into the seventh inning on the homestand and lowered the composite ERA of Mets starters to 3.67.

"This game is always going to be about getting people out," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "Where we've hung in there, in all these close games we keep talking about, (is) because our pitching staff doesn't get blown out."

The Mets were doing the blowing out over the last 10 days of the first half -- during which they won five games by three runs or more -- thanks to a long-dormant lineup that busted out for 55 runs and 40 extra-base hits, including 10 homers.

The top half of the Mets' lineup -- right fielder Curtis Granderson, second baseman Daniel Murphy, third baseman David Wright, first baseman Lucas Duda and catcher Travis d'Arnaud -- combined to hit .291 on the 10-game homestand. In addition, the quintet accounted for 20 of the 26 homers the Mets hit in the final 25 games before the All-Star Break.

But it was the Mets' situational hitting and willingness to play small ball that really impressed Collins and has him believing the Mets can continue building momentum once play resumes on July 18.

Of the 55 runs the Mets scored on the homestand, 28 came with two outs.

"It goes back to the situational hitting that we talked about all the first half," Collins said. "It's about guys knowing what to do. It's about execution. And right now we're executing.

"So is it sustainable? Absolutely."

And in the finale on July 13, the Mets scored four runs in the eighth inning via four singles, three walks and two stolen bases.

"I think that for us to be successful, we can't necessarily sit back and rely on home runs," Wright said. "We've got to put ourselves in position to be aggressive and put pressure on the defense."

Armed with a solid pitching staff and a suddenly robust offense, the goal for the Mets in the second half is to put pressure on NL East co-leaders Atlanta and Washington. The Mets (45-50) will begin play July 18 seven games behind the Braves and Nationals -- a sizable gap, to be sure, but one the Mets feel they can make up after gaining three games in the standings during the homestand.

Wright said nearly sweeping a four-game set from the Braves from July 7-10 -- the Mets won the first three games before dropping the finale -- has the Mets believing they can do more than just play spoiler come September.

"I think that Braves series gave us a lot of confidence," Wright said. "We know that they're both very talented teams and teams that have a lot of household names. And we might not be there yet. But we're playing very, very good baseball and we plan on giving them a run for their money."

With 19 games remaining against the Braves and Nationals, the Mets will certainly have the opportunity to make up that ground. They also play the sub-.500 Marlins and Phillies a total of 16 times, as well as 13 other games against the Padres, Cubs, Rockies and Astros, all of whom reached the All-Star Break with losing records.

The Mets have no margin for error in their pursuit of a long-shot playoff berth (they also hit the All-Star Break 6 1/2 games behind in the race for the second wild card). But if they can maintain the level of play they showed in ending the first half, they'll at least have offered signs of tangible progress this season -- at the least.

"My expectations when I came to spring training were pretty good," Collins said. "I knew we could compete. We had to do a lot of things right if we were going to compete, but I knew we could. And what we've shown the last 10 days is yes we can compete. Now, we've got 67 more games. We've got to go out and do it. We can't just talk about it. We've got to go do it.

"If we continue to play like this, September's going to be a fun month."

 

[CNOTES]

ationals midseason report: Injury issues seem to be over

The outlook for the second half for the Washington Nationals looks very bright -- even after the fourth inning July 13 in Philadelphia, when starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann had to leave with a biceps cramp.

"We're very cautious in that regard, with history, given radiating feelings of things with regard to elbows, stuff like that," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "We will monitor that over the break."

Washington had several regulars on the disabled list in the first half of the season, including third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, first baseman Adam LaRoche, left fielder Bryce Harper and pitcher Doug Fister. The Nationals are now almost back to full health.

With the rest of the roster back, the Nationals are in a good position in the National League East. They may have the best pitching rotation in the league and the bullpen has been among the best in the majors in the first half. If the lineup can produce at a moderate level, the Nationals should be able to win the East.

"With all the injuries that we've had, and if you were to tell us coming out of spring training that we'd have all those injuries and be where we're at, we'd feel pretty fortunate.

That being said, could it be better? Yeah, it could be better, but it could be worse. Overall, we feel OK," said Williams.

With his Opening Day roster once again intact, Williams has come up with predictable roles for his regulars and the bullpen -- and the results on the field have started to show that.

Plus the starting pitching could be among the best in the game. "Everyone seems to be throwing the ball well," said pitching coach Steve McCatty. "Everything has smoothed out; you are always happy when they are pitching at the level you expected."

Williams said the Nationals will plan to start Stephen Strasburg in the first game after the break, at home July 18 against the Milwaukee Brewers. Gio Gonzalez will start July 19 and Doug Fister will start the series finale July 20.

 

[CNOTES]

Braves midseason report: Inconsistency plagues team

The Atlanta Braves have demonstrated the ability to contend for a second straight Eastern Division championship. But the team's maddening inconsistency on offense has left fans frustrated and confused.

The Braves have stretches where they simply can't score runs, either by manufacturing them or playing long ball. First baseman Freddie Freeman, left fielder Justin Upton and catcher Evan Gattis have been steady. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons and third baseman Chris Johnson have been streaky at the plate.

Right fielder Jason Heyward and center fielder B.J. Upton have been disappointments, although Upton's average has climbed to a season-high .218 since being moved to the leadoff spot three weeks ago.

The second-base job was taken from veteran Dan Uggla by rookie Tommy La Stella. Uggla (.162) was given multiple chances to keep his job and the Braves tried Ramiro Pena and Tyler Pastornicky before giving La Stella a chance. La Stella has been adept at hitting to all fields and avoiding the strikeout; he's batting .282.

The offensive inconsistency has put great pressure on the starting rotation, which began the season without Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy, two starters who are out for the season with Tommy John surgery.

The starting rotation has been led by right-hander Julio Teheran (9-6, 2.71), who has established himself as the staff ace in his second season and earned a spot on the All-Star team. Free agent Ervin Santana (7-6, 4.01) was hot the first month, but has since been hit-or-miss. The surprise is veteran right-hander Aaron Harang (9-6, 3.53), who was added in the final days of spring training after he was released by the Indians.

The bullpen has been excellent. Craig Kimbrel (29 saves) continues to be among the elite closers in the game. The only hiccup has been lefty setup man Luis Avilan, who has taken a step back after an impressive rookie season. Avilan's ERA is 4.85 and opponents are batting .287 against him.

The Braves and rival Washington Nationals are lined up to go head-to-head for the division title in the second half. Each has had their time in first place during the first half, but neither was able to shake the other. The two clubs still play each other nine times, six of those in Atlanta.

Atlanta's schedule becomes much more difficult starting in late July, which could determine the Braves' fate. There are seven games with the Dodgers, three with Washington, three with Oakland, three with Pittsburgh and four with Cincinnati.