Carrying the Braves, every fifth day at a time...

The clock is ticking on the regular baseball season, and many fantasy leagues are heading into their playoffs even as these words are written. Trading deadlines have passed in the “bigs” with little happening past the trade of Mark Teixeira to Atlanta. However, this is the time where many leagues suffer with the annual pain and suffering of the dreaded dump trades. Sometimes dump trades have gotten so out of control that leagues have all but eliminated trading, while in other leagues the free spirit of trading lives on even though there will typically be at least one or two trades that rankle the more ornery or cantankerous members of the given league. Generally speaking it is the opinion of the Stock Exchange that change is good, and that means that trades are good. Too bad there was just not much action this season…and the real downer is that it seems likely that the off-season will be both quiet and unremarkable.

Well, quiet and unremarkable if you take the whole Alex Rodriguez signing with Boston out of the picture (and that one is a slam-dunk).

Where have all the great pitchers gone? Expect this question to haunt major league general managers for many seasons to come. With the looming off-season being described as a “nuclear winter” in the making, it is safe to believe that trading for young pitching will become all but impossible as more and more clubs decide to stockpile every arm they can in hopes of producing the next Curt Schilling or Johan Santana. Additionally, the fear of trading away a prospect that becomes the next coming will also make it extremely hard for clubs to be able to swallow dealing any pitchers at all. Hitters will still move, as will ugly contracts when a team is really willing to pay, but the days of free and easy trading are well and truly gone now. Dumps may happen in fantasy baseball, but no one is out of it for good in the bigs…kind if a shame because wanton trades would really spice up the baseball season for us here at the Stock Exchange.

Heading into September, things look good for the Red Sox to continue their winning ways, and a victory over the East looks pretty safe if they can play .500 ball against the Yankees, sweep the Rays, try not to lose their grip in the seven remaining games they have versus the Orioles, and finally by holding on to play strong against Oakland and Minnesota at home for their final six games of the season. The Yankees remaining schedule is only mildly more stressful than the Red Sox, but there is more on the line for New York than Boston. The Sox still have the best record in baseball, which leaves them in a good position for both the division and the wild card (which will not be necessary so no panic please). Meanwhile, the Yankees do still have to face both the Red Sox as well as the Mariners – and Seattle is both hot and the current leading contender for the American League Wild Card slot. Of course, New York also gets to enjoy another six or so against the Rays…so there will be some feasting for both AL East contenders. Meanwhile, the middle is muddied by the tense race between the Indians and the Tigers – expect that one to come down to the wire (watch out for the Twins, however, as they haunt both leaders in their division). Out on the left coast the  Angels are looking real solid, even if the Red Sox did own them recently, but those pesky Mariners are in the hunt as well and that makes for another race that will come down to the wire. The Athletics are probably out of the running, but stranger things have happened and they could surge in September – especially if the Angels or Mariners struggle.

On the National League side the picture is quite similar with the Mets mirroring Boston in performance and position. While Atlanta and Philadelphia are both threatening, New York still looks strong enough to hand tight until the end of the regular season. In the Central it is much like the American League as well with the Cubs, the Cardinals and the Brewers locked in a savage fight to the death. However, even with those three teams so close in their division, the West may well produce a wild card winner as well as their regular division winner – Arizona and San Diego both are playing pretty darned well right now even with a month and change left to muddy the picture still more. All in all, there are a lot of fun races to watch out there right now – and no sure things – so the fun and stress have yet to really kick in full blast.

Just something joyful to look forward to if you are a big fan of stomach knots and antacids.

Indeed, this is a fine time of year for baseball…the air is getting crisp in the good way (not that yucky snowing in April way), and teams are playing harder and better as they gel into true contending teams. The games are more exciting to watch because they feel like they mean more now, and ardent fans hold their breath every time a player gets dinged up on the field as they hope and prey that no one is hurt bad enough to be lost for the playoffs. Crispness, excitement in the air and football right around the corner – life is good.

It would just be better if there were a lot more deals to be made.

*sigh*

Excelsior!

THE GAINERS

Tim Hudson, Starting Pitcher, Atlanta Braves – Okay, so maybe he CAN carry Atlanta to the playoffs

David Wright, Third Base, New York Mets – Finally ripping it up like he should have been doing all along

Albert Pujols, First Base, St. Louis Cardinals – The home runs are finally coming in bunches – just in time!

Felix Hernandez, Starting Pitcher, Seattle Mariners – Still not the King, but he is working on it

Travis Hafner, Designated Hitter, Cleveland Indians – If he is going to save his season, it is going to start now

THE DECLINERS

Edgar Renteria, Shortstop, Atlanta Braves – Hard to blame the player when the manager let him play

Curt Schilling, Starting Pitcher, Boston Red Sox – Not really the same player he was, just shaky enough to scare us

Dontrelle Willis, Starting Pitcher, Florida Marlins – Needs to play for someone that does not break his spirit

Michael Young, Shortstop, Texas Rangers – 30 runs scored and he contributed almost nothing!

Roger Clemens, Starting Pitcher, New York Yankees – Cut off the head and the ego deflates

Questions and comments may be sent to Chris at chrismeyer@sportsgrumblings.com