Subscribe to SI
Give the Gift of SI
Extra MustardSI On CampusFantasyPhoto GalleriesSwimsuitVideoFanNationSI KidsTNT

Ruling the roost

Cardinals finally knock White Sox from lofty perch

Posted: Wednesday July 20, 2005 3:59PM; Updated: Thursday July 21, 2005 12:57AM
Free E-mail AlertsE-mail ThisPrint ThisSave ThisMost PopularRSS Aggregators
MLB Power Rankings
Rank LW Team
1 2
St. Louis Cardinals
The white flags are up in the NL Central. "They don't ever lose," said the Cubs' Derrek Lee. "It's going to be tough, obviously. You almost don't concern yourselves with them. Scoreboard-watching now is kind of frustrating because they're playing such good baseball." Players watch the scoreboard?
2 1
Chicago White Sox
Winning the All-Star Game? Nice, but Mark Buehrle really liked whiffing the aforementioned Derrek Lee. "I think it's the first time I've ever gotten him out," Buehrle said. "I asked [catcher] Jason Varitek if he was telling him the opposite of what was coming."
3 3
Atlanta Braves
John Smoltz was philosophical about taking the All-Star Game loss. "The way I see it, I gave up one and [teammate Andruw Jones, who homered] gave us three. So the Braves finished plus two." Tony La Russa's gotta be feeling good about that.
4 5
Los Angeles Angels
For the second season his career, Darin Erstad has reached base four times via catcher's interference. The only other player believed to have accomplished the feat is Julian Javier with the Cardinals in 1963-64. Cosmic forces are at work.
5 11
New York Yankees
Gary Sheffield has done it all during the Yankees' recent surge. One thing he won't do, though, is play in next year's World Baseball Classic. Let's just say Sheff is a bottom-line guy. "My season," he said, "is when they pay me."
6 7
Boston Red Sox
Mark Bellhorn went on the DL with a sprained thumb Monday, seriously damaging his chances of breaking Adam Dunn's record of 195 strikeouts in a season. With 109 whiffs so far, Bellhorn was on pace to finish with 192 before the injury. But he's a gamer. We still have faith.
7 6
Minnesota Twins
Brad Radke got a letter on Dodgers letterhead suggesting he serve as Hee Seop Choi's pitcher in the Home Run Derby. Trouble is, the note really was sent by jokester Torii Hunter. Just in case Radke had forgotten about those three homers he gave up to Choi in a game earlier this season.
8 4
Washington Nationals
Forget that 1.07 ERA and those 33 saves. Meet Chad Cordero, fashion pioneer. Cordero's flat-bill cap -- pulled down low over his eyes to help him focus, he says -- is the geekiest look since Eric Gagne came back from the eye doctor. Will it catch on? Hey, the mullet taught us not to count anything out.
9 8
Baltimore Orioles
After collecting his 3,000th career hit -- and, yes, he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame -- Rafael Palmeiro got a plethora of congratulatory phone calls, including one from President Bush. "We had a nice conversation," said Palmeiro. Which means, we presume, it did not include the words "Iraq," "Supreme Court" or "Karl Rove."
10 9
San Diego Padres
They hit the All-Star break in first place for only the fourth time in team history -- and each of the other three times they went to win the NL West. But, man, how bad is this division? The Pods went 15-22 from June 1 to the break -- and gained ground.
11 15
Philadelphia Phillies
Here's this week's Philly-is-a-tough-place report. After Bobby Abreu's Home Run Derby display came this comment on a local talk radio show: "Typical Abreu. Forty-one home runs with nobody on base."
12 19
Chicago Cubs
Rookie Adam Greenberg was philosophical about being beaned by the very first pitch he saw in the majors. "If you're going to get hit in the head, you'd rather be in the big leagues than anywhere else in the world," said Greenberg, who suffered a concussion. "I know this is something I'll never forget." At least until that ringing in his ears stops.
13 14
Oakland Athletics
Out of baseballs at his home during the All-Star break, Rich Harden worked out with a ball autographed by Tim Hudson, figuring he could always get a replacement from his ex-teammate. If it were us, we'd keep it. In his next start, Harden came within five outs of a perfect game.
14 10
Texas Rangers
Just when we were starting to feel sorry for Kenny Rogers -- you don't often see a guy get booed before giving up a home run, as he did at the All-Star Game -- he has words with another photog while posting bond for the first run-in. There are guys in the Witness Protection Program who are less camera-shy.
15 13
Houston Astros
Lots of folks are just plain amazed by Roger Clemens, who at age 42 is 7-4 with a 1.47 ERA. Son Koby, 18, who signed with Astros last week, has a slightly different take. "He's not acting his age," said Koby. "It's just stupid."

Search