The Mariners and the streaking A's face each other six times in the last nine games of the season (Seattle leads the 2001 series, 8-5). When the schedule makers did their thing, those games looked like a surefire division decider. That won't happen.

Instead, a bit of history could be riding on those half-dozen games in late September.

And that's no fluke.

Consecutive games with at least one strikeout for Seattle center fielder Mike Cameron, a Mariners record. The streak ended Saturday. On Sunday he had four hits and eight RBIs in a 10-2 win over the Yankees.

"Anybody can beat us now." -- Twins pitcher Eric Milton on his team's recent woes.

Twins players since the All-Star break 1.   2.   3.   4.   5.   6. From Matt Donaghue, Minneapolis, Minn.   Got a Top Six list? Click here.

Canned skipper

Jimy Williams became the third AL manager slammed this season when the Boston Red Sox -- and by that, we mean general manager Dan Duquette -- pounced on the chance to fire him last week.

Williams, by far, was the most successful of the canned. Even after dropping six of the last seven games he managed, Williams left his successor, former pitching coach Joe Kerrigan, with a 65-53 (.551) team. By contrast, the Devil Rays dumped Larry Rothschild 14 games into the season after a 4-10 start (.286) and the Texas Rangers gave Johnny Oates a sort of mutual heave-ho after an 11-17 (.393) beginning.

In St. Pete, Hal McRae has improved the worst team in baseball, if only slightly. He was 40-71 going into Monday's game (.360). Jerry Narron, too, has been a slight improvement for the Rangers (43-53, .448).

Will Boston's Kerrigan, who already has hacked off closer Derek Lowe by essentially demoting him and also has raised some eyebrows by instructing his hitters to be more patient at the plate, be an upgrade, too?

Well, the last time the Red Sox changed managers during the season was in 1988. That was the year Joe Morgan took over for John McNamara after the All-Star break, won his first 12 games and the Red Sox went on to win the AL East pennant.

According to the Providence Journal, Boston has made five managerial changes during the season in the last 65 years and has improved every time. In fact, in terms of winning percentage, the new manager has increased the team's winning percentage an average of 102 points.

If Kerrigan's going to keep up that pace, he'll need to go (roughly) 29-15 in the team's last 44 games. That would give the Red Sox 94 wins.

And even that may not be enough to make the playoffs.

On top for the Yankees

Joe Torre has all but sent Chuck Knoblauch to the Bronx equivalent of Siberia. The former second baseman, former left fielder, former leadoff man is now on the bench, waiting for an uncertain future in the offseason while his jobs go to others.

Alfonso Soriano long ago took over for Knoblauch at second, after Knoblauch's much-publicized bout with wildness in the field. Shane Spencer has started the last six games in left and, before Monday's game, had 24 hits in his last 66 at-bats (.364).

And now Torre has put shortstop Derek Jeter into the leadoff spot, where Knobby has been for 104 of the team's games this season. Problem is, Knoblauch hit only .246 in those games as a leadoff man, with just a .334 on-base percentage. Jeter is hitting .339 in 14 games as a leadoff man (before Monday) with a .393 on-base percentage. Knoblauch is hitting .154 in August. Jeter is hitting .386. End of story.

And maybe the end of Knoblauch's career as a Yankee.

Jim Thome   The Cleveland Indians don't have a potential Triple Crown winner this season, but right now they have the leaders in all three categories: Average (Roberto Alomar, .346), home runs (Jim Thome, 42) and RBIs (Juan Gonzalez, 110) ... The guy many thought could be a Triple Crown winner is still second in home runs and RBIs (38, 109), but he hasn't hit over .280 in a month since May and is batting just .242 since the All-Star break. Boston's Manny Ramirez is still at .310 thanks to his torrid start, but a balky hamstring could hamper him down the stretch ... Speaking of balky Bostonians, that Carl Everett and his spitting, crotch-grabbing show against the Mariners last week was a piece for the highlight shows, wasn't it? Far as we can ascertain, the Red Sox let it slide, too, even though Major League Baseball rightfully fined the moody center fielder ... One reason Oakland is tearing up the league despite a .259 batting average (better only than two other AL teams) is patience. They're second in the league in walks (first in intentional passes and first in hit-by-pitch), which helps them score the fifth most runs in the league ... Baltimore Orioles first baseman David Segui was suffering from what was called "vertigo-like symptoms" last week -- a lot of dizziness and nausea caused by an inner-ear infection, evidently, which caused him to lose 14 pounds -- when he crushed a 448-foot home run to center field in Boston, a place reportedly not reached since Jim Rice went there in 1978 ... Seattle's Jay Buhner, according to the Seattle Times, may be ready to join the M's on their road trip at the end of the month ... How badly do the Minnesota Twins need Brad Radke back and healthy? The right-hander with the sore thumb may start Tuesday night for the sliding Twins, not a minute too soon. Twins starters are 3-7 since he hit the disabled list. One possible problem: Radke is 0-4 with a 6.75 ERA in his five starts since the All-Star break ... The Anaheim Angels gave skipper Mike Scioscia a deserved contract extension. With all those injuries, starting with Mo Vaughn in the preseason, the Angels are still in the race. Scioscia, though, should thank his lucky stars Dan Duquette isn't in charge in Anaheim ... According to one New York newspaper, the Yankees showed some interest in New York Mets third baseman Robin Ventura, but his hefty contract, his struggles at the plate and his so-so defense scared them away. Yep, that'd do it ... In the past two seasons, the Mariners are 12-7 against the Yankees, including a 6-3 mark this season ... If Pedro Martinez's side session, scheduled for Tuesday, goes OK, he should be back in the rotation this weekend against the Texas Rangers, his first start since June 26 ... If you don't think the Twins are finished -- and we're hoping they're not -- this is the strongest evidence to the contrary. Tampa Bay starters went 5-1 with a 2.01 ERA against Minnesota this season.

Am I the only one who can't wait for the Indians' starting pitching staff to be embarrassed in October? Their only threat is a rookie with an ERA close to 5. Whoever gets them is going to the ALCS, no doubt. Cedric Kekeke, Brockton, Mass. I think that the Detroit Tigers are in a mess right now. They need to get new players for next year. We need people that can play with the fundamentals of baseball and that know how to hit with a runner on base. Weaver keeps losing 3-1 ballgames. We need to get the pitching and hitting to be in rhythm with each other. Jon Mandel, Michigan Whatever happened to The Kids Can Play White Sox motto? Oh, yeah! Ken Williams traded it for a 300-pound loudmouth who's consumed cheeseburger rate is better then his ERA. Wells is driving himself out of everyone's wish list with his mouth, weight and back. Paul Goderis, Wilmette, Ill. When are the Orioles going to get the word? They can't seem to make up their mind on which direction they want to go. If they are going to play the kids, why is Mike Kinkade sitting on the bench all year and why is Mike Hargrove using Melvin Mora at SS when he has Brian Roberts (a kid) or Tony Batista (a shortstop) playing third base? If their owner were as smart as he is believed to be, he would hire a baseball man and run Syd Thrift and Mike Hargrove out the door and stop the Orioles from being a laughingstock. Bill Sawyers, Tazewell, Va. Well, it's about time the Red Sox fire that chump. I never liked Jimy Williams and by firing him, it just increases our chances of winning. The only thing we must do now is get rid of Derek Lowe! We have all we need in a closer with Urbina. With Pedro back, and Nixon hitting like he is we will be unstoppable. Look for Pedro and the Red Sox in the playoffs. Here we come, baby!! Wayne Souther, Kingston, N.H. Carl Everett, total jerk!!! ... He is the poster boy for the BUSH LEAGUE!!! Why do the Red Sox and MLB put up with his antics? Chris Hopson, Seattle Has the fact that that the Mariners are on pace to win more games than any team in history become so boring that everyone forgets to talk about them? The fact of the matter is that everything that happened that was supposed to swamp that team has helped them to become one of the best clubs ever. The '01 M's are an instant classic and if they were in a bigger market every move they make would be front-page news. Or has simply winning more than 70 percent of their games become boring? Wynn White, Pullman, Wash. Did John Hart forget that defense and pitching win championships? His cure is Rocker? His "great" decision has only hurt the organization and the Tribe will probably lose Wickman next year ... Great job!!! M. Fullerton, Dayton, Ohio The Twins are really choking and it is embarrassing. Why did they trade Matt Lawton for a used-up Met pitcher? Did they think they could have won the World Series this year? They should be guarding their young people to make a run at it in a couple of years. Tom Schissel, Los Angeles "Everybody" to blame for the Twins faltering? I don't think so. Manager Kelly, the "untouchable Mr. Kelly," has to be given another look. The batting orders, selection of relief pitchers, frequency of changes, failure to utilize pinch hitters, have ALL played major role in the "slump." Rollie Nielson, St. Cloud, Minn. I said it four weeks ago and I say again: The Twins need their MVP Guzman, BAD!! Reed for Lawton??? Trash!! Paul Damchik, Forest Lake, Minn. Knoblauch has had his chance. He is not mentally there for his team. Torre did the right thing in pulling the trigger. Give Spencer a chance. Chuck Shriner, Singapore I have been and always will be a diehard Twinkies fan, but jeez ... you lose Lawton, Guzman, and now Radke. Pleeeeeesse make a waiver trade for someone like Dmitri Young or someone who can put the bat on the ball. Reed for Lawton ... it seems to me they traded their heart and their soul for a shot at the big time. Chris Clement, Irving, Texas Got something baseball-related to say? Let us have it, and we'll post the best of your comments every week right here. Your name: Your e-mail address: Your hometown: Comment or question: (in 25 words or less)

 

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