Cliff Lee was meant to pitch for the Phillies. How else do you explain his ridiculous string of starts since joining the team last month? In five games, Lee has a 5-0 record, a 0.75 WHIP, and a 0.68 E.R.A. In 40 innings, he has struck out 39 batters and walked just six, surrendered a grand total of zero home runs, and looked like a true ace while averaging eight innings per start. As if he weren’t contributing enough already, Lee is hitting .313, which, if it were over enough at-bats to qualify, would lead the team. The southpaw has truly made the most of his time in the City of Brotherly Love.
How ‘bout that?
How about Carlos Pe ña? Leading the American League in home runs but batting just .222, the Rays’ slugger actually has more homers (37) than singles (35). If he finishes the season with that dubious achievement, he’d become the third such player to do so, following Barry Bonds (2001) and Mark McGwire (1995, 1998, 1999, 2000).
How about Jim Tracy? Under his leadership since May 29, the Rockies have gone 54-28 – which translates to a winning percentage of .659 – and have nearly caught the first-place Dodgers, a team Tracy managed for five years during the first half of the decade. Considering that each of the last three teams Tracy managed (the 2005 Dodgers, 2006 and 2007 Pirates) lost more than 90 games, the Colorado skipper has to be feeling good about his job security right now.
How about the Blue Jays? After starting the season 27-14 and leading the favored Red Sox, Yankees and Rays in the American League East in mid-May, the Jays have tumbled to their current record of 58-67, an even 20 games back of the Yankees. There’s no joy in Toronto; the mighty Blue Jays have fallen to their usual fourth place.
Pujols watch
With 40 home runs and all the way up to 55 strikeouts, it doesn’t look like Albert Pujols will homer as often as he fans, but let’s take a moment to appreciate just how good this guy is. Besides being a triple crown threat every year, playing solid defense and leading the Cardinals to the playoffs in five out of eight (soon to be six of nine) seasons since arriving on the scene, Pujols has represented the city of St. Louis (as well as his native Dominican Republic) everywhere he goes – both on and off the field. In 2008 he won the Roberto Clemente Award, an honor given annually to the player who “best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team.” It is voted on by baseball fans and members of the media. A model of consistency, Prince Albert is having an excellent year. To top it off, Pujols is still four and a half months shy of his 30th birthday.
Keywords: Albert Pujols, Barry Bonds, Carlos Peña, Cliff Lee, Colorado Rockies, Dominican Republic, Jim Tracy, Los Angeles Dodgers, Mark McGwire, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Roberto Clemente Award, St. Louis, Toronto Blue Jays
