Alfonso Soriano is the straw that stirs the Cubs' drink as the tablesetter in the lineup.

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs have won 18 of 24 games since Alphonso Soriano returned from the disabled list on July 23. They begin a six-game homestand against the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals on Tuesday with a 5 1/2-game lead in the Central Division over the Milwaukee Brewers.  Soriano got the offense in gear yesterday with a 2 RBI double and the bats started clicking from there.  This Cubs offense can look sluggish at times but they always seem to surge when needed and ultimately win games.  Chicago is 8-2 in their last ten games and they show no signs of slowing down.  Ryan Dempster continues to impress as he picked up his 14^th victory of the season beating the Florida Marlins on Sunday 9-2.  The coaching staff had little worries that Dempster would make the team during spring training.  Dempster was recently quoted in the Chicago Tribune saying, "There was nothing said, but the way I looked at it was I thought I was a good starting pitcher before, and if I came into camp in shape and just showed I was ready to go, I deserved at least a shot to start the season there."

He went on to say: "Even in spring training, if you just do what you've got to do and get your work in, things play themselves out. And they tend to work out the way you want them to if you work hard. I'm just going to keep getting after it and try to do something special here in Chicago and get us to the playoffs."

I’d say he’s doing his part to contribute to the Cubs 6^th consecutive series win.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Andre Ethier was the super hero yesterday as he creamed a two-run walk off home run in the ninth inning.  This was Ethier’s second home run of the game and third RBI.  The outfielders for the Dodgers are very impressive when you can scribe Ethier currently batting .282, Manny Ramirez .316 and Jeff Kent .300 into your lineup card every day.   Ethier is playing some good baseball of late.  This was his second walk-off hit in six days.  The Philadelphia Phillies were his victim last Tuesday.  The Dodgers also swept the Phillies in a four-game series last week.  If they keep winning in impressive fashion with the bat maybe the pitching will follow.  Manny also hit a two-run home run in the 7-5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.  The Dodgers are currently tied for the NL West Lead with Arizona and 6.5 games back of Wild Card leading Brewers.

Arizona Diamondbacks

You can argue that the trade for Adam Dunn has not paid immediate dividends for the Diamondbacks.  Also Eric Byrnes is contemplating season-ending surgery.  Arizona is hanging on by the skin of their teeth lately, and I predict them being overtaken by the LA Dodgers in the NL West standings by next week.  However, outside of my pessimism the D-backs finished the road trip to Colorado and Houston with a 4-2 record, their second straight above .500 trip.

"We'll take that," Melvin said to mlb.com. "Anytime you have an over .500 trip and win two out of three in each city you'll take it.”

After an off day on Monday, the D-backs open a six-game homestand against the Padres and Marlins. They were a disappointing 3-4 the last time they played at home.

"We have to start playing better at home," Melvin said.

Randy Johnson (10-9) lost the game yesterday 3-0 versus the Houston Astros.  Johnson (10-9) is six wins shy of 300 with just eight starts remaining for him this year.

Milwaukee Brewers

The Brew Crew makes a return to their home field tonight after going 7-3 in their last ten games.  CC Sabathia is on the mound and the Brewers are eyeing the Wild Card very heavily as its been an uphill battle trying to catch the Cubs in the NL Central.  The Brewers have a newfound home field advantage.  This will be their 15th consecutive home sellout crowd.  Fans are excited about their Brewers and for good reason.  The Brewers have a chance to draw 3 million fans this season, a remarkable number for Major League Baseball's smallest media market. Last year, the Brewers set a franchise record by drawing 2,869,144 fans.  Second baseman and leadoff man Rickie Weeks exited Sunday's game with a sprained left thumb. He was replaced by Ray Durham, a switch-hitter who could hold down the spot should Weeks need some time off.

New York Mets

The Mets were able to overtake the NL East lead this week.  They’ve gone 8-2 in their last ten games and they used a current losing streak by the Phillies to catapult themselves to the number one position.  Johan Santana has gained confidence and a strengthened arm to blow by the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.  However, the inconsistent Mets lost to the Pirates on Monday afternoon 5-2.  The Mets bullpen was horrible again, which places the production squarely on Santana and the offense to win games.  The Mets acquired pitcher Luis Ayala from the Washington Nationals for Anderson Hernandez on Sunday.  Only time will tell if Ayala can make a splash for the Mets in the bullpen.

Colorado Rockies

The Rockies' 7-2 victory over the Nationals on Sunday to sweep a three-game series in Washington helped Aaron Cook remain tied with the Cincinnati Reds' Endison Volquez for second in the National League in wins with 15.  Brandon Webb of the D-backs has 18.  Cook became the sixth pitcher in Rockies history to record 15 wins in a season.  The win by the Rockies sent the Nationals to their 10th straight loss -- the franchise's longest skid since moving to Washington in 2005.  Colorado is surprisingly within striking distance of the playoff picture if their offense continues to be productive.  Garrett Atkins is back from strep throat and he looks good at the plate so far.  Atkins entered Sunday hitting .303 with 16 home runs and a team-leading 77 RBIs.

Philadelphia Phillies           

The fighting Phillies had a good 2.5 game lead on the rest of the NL East pack last week but the wheels sort of fell off in Los Angeles by getting swept by the resurgent Dodgers.  You can never count Philly out of the playoffs but confrontations between the star player Jimmie Rollins and management/fans has things in a somber mood.  This year the Phillies have a reversal in fortune.  The pitching is actually carrying the ball club this year lead by Cole Hamels and Jamie Moyer.  The Phillies rotation has a 3.96 ERA, which is sixth best in the National League.  Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, J.C. Romero and company head a bullpen with the second-best ERA, behind the Dodgers.  The manager Charlie Manuel said "I'm puzzled. I stay up late at night thinking about how we can get our offense going," Manuel said, before his team beat San Diego, 2-1, at PETCO Park on Sunday. "I'll listen to what anybody's got to say. Fans. Cab drivers. President Bush, anybody."  The team is hitting a meek .236 since early June. 

Florida Marlins

The Marlins lost the series finale to the Cubs 9-2.  With the defeat, the Marlins dropped two of three in their home series and went 5-8 in a 13-game stretch that saw them play the Phillies, Mets, Cardinals and Cubs.  Much has been blamed on reliever Renyel Pinto.  His set-up work has not been stellar which makes it impossible to get to closer Kevin Gregg.  Due to inexperience, the Marlins will play some of the veterans in the organization to get them over the hump this year.  The Marlins starting lineup and pitching rotation have no playoff experience.  But on their bench and in their bullpen, veteran guys like Wes Helms, Luis Gonzalez, Paul Lo Duca and Arthur Rhodes are ringers that should be used going down the stretch.