The Good: Quasi-rookie Hideki Matsui has caught on (.255 April, .394 June) and could have a huge second half. Second baseman Alfonso Soriano (22 homers, 25 stolen bases) is a stud. After a slow start (.204 April), Jason Giambi is hitting, too (.373 June). Catcher Jorge Posada (17 homers) is an overlooked All-Star. The rotation, with Mike Mussina (10-6, 3.26 ERA), Roger Clemens (8-6, 3.68), David Wells (11-3, with six walks in 127 IP) and Andy Pettitte (11-6, 4.63) means the Yankees are always in games.
The Bad: Injuries to Bernie Williams and Derek Jeter stole a lot of first-half heart from the club, and a monthlong swoon (lowlighted by Houston's tag-team no-hitter) made the club look mortal. The drama between The Boss and manager Joe Torre got old fast, too. Raul Mondesi has cooled after a fast start (.354 April, .204 June), Robin Ventura (.238) is on his last legs, no one knows what's going on with Jeff Weaver (136 hits in 110.2 IP, and countless blowups) and the bullpen has been so erratic (opponents are hitting .273 against the pen) that the Yanks added Mets closer Armando Benitez for stability. Yikes.
What's Next: The Yanks are 23-15 against the East. And with an unbalanced schedule, that's where it all counts. The pinstripes may be aging, but that's generally a good thing for a pennant race, as long as everyone stays healthy. Like it or not, they're the team to beat in the East, if not in the whole league.
The Good: Hoo, these guys can hit. Nomar Garciaparra (125 hits, second only to Ichiro), Manny Ramirez (69 RBIs), Bill Mueller (.400 at home, best in the AL), Trot Nixon (.315, 10th in the AL), Jason Varitek (.588 slugging percentage). There's no one to pitch around in that lineup. Boston's starting pitching, if not fantastic, is at least reliable enough to keep it in the game until the offense explodes. With Pedro Martinez (6-2, 2.36) at the top, Derek Lowe (10-3), John Burkett (7-4) and knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (6-4), the starters, coupled with that offense, have helped Boston win more one-run games (17) than anyone.
The Bad: The bullpen has been shaky (18-19, 5.11 ERA), which prompted the trade for closer Byung-Hyun Kim, and no one in Boston is real comfortable with the starters after Martinez, or maybe after Lowe. The team's offense would be a lot better if leadoff man Johnny Damon got on a little more. He has the lowest on-base percentage (.329) of any of the regulars. And there are questions about Ramirez's health going into the second half.
What's Next: Adding a front-line starter is their No. 1 priority because they're figuring they can't swing the bats like this all season. New GM Theo Epstein will trade, but he's not going to give up top-flight prospects. That may sit hard with some people who see this year as a great chance to dethrone the Yanks … or to, at the very least, grab the wild-card lead.
The Good: Carlos Delgado and Vernon Wells make the most formidable RBI tandem in baseball (97 and 84, respectively). Roy Halladay has won his last 13 decisions. Frank Catalanotto has been marvelous at the top of the lineup (63 runs, eighth in the AL). The two-headed catching duo of Tom Wilson and Greg Myers has been super-productive. And the Jays, overall, are in the running a good year or so ahead of schedule.
The Bad: But they're just barely in the running. In reality, they have an outside chance at the wild card and that's about it. The Jays are the Rangers with only slightly better pitching. Halladay is a one-man band up there. Only Cory Lidle (10-8, 5.96) gives some help, and he's not much.
What's Next: GM J.P. Ricciardi is stuck between staying the rebuilding course and trying to win now. He traded away expensive free agent to be Shannon Stewart for Minnesota's Bobby Kielty (who won't be a free agent for years), a clear sign the Jays are still looking ahead. Which is good, 'cause this isn't a team that can win now.
The Good: Outfielder and All-Star Melvin Mora is second in the league in hitting (.349), and no one hits righties better (.352). Sidney Ponson (12-5, 3.64) has been a huge name on the trade market, as has Jeff Conine (.285, 12 homers, 63 RBIs). Jay Gibbons (.282, 63 RBIs) and Tony Batista (16 homers, 61 RBIs) have been solid. Old-timer B.J. Surhoff (.322) is showing a little spunk, when he's healthy.
The Bad: The spring training death of Steve Bechler cast a pall over the season before it began. David Segui is gimpy again. Or still. The Orioles' pitching is just barely there (.281 batting average against), and if not for Ponson, Jason Johnson (7-4, 3.82) and Jorge Julio (18 saves), it wouldn't be there at all. Rodrigo Lopez (2-5, 5.65) is struggling in his sophomore year.
What's Next: The O's have had five straight losing seasons, and No. 6 lurks. This is a team waiting for more talent to arrive. Until it does, the O's are just hoping to avoid ending this season like they did last one, going 4-32 to end the season with 95 losses.
The Good: Everybody loves Rocco Baldelli (.304). He's full of vim (despite the .255 June), he can hit (forget June already). In fact, he's just what the Rays need. Like, eight more of him. Instead, they have Aubrey Huff (.304, 17 homers) and … who? On the pitching side, righty Victor Zambrano has some control issues, but he's a solid starter (6-4, 3.84, .213 average against), and the Rays have an All-Star reliever in Lance Carter, whom we won't comment on further. We will point out that the Rays have the No. 5 bullpen in the league, with a 5.90 ERA.
The Bad: The starters, though, have a 5.94 ERA, which is better only than Texas. There's just not enough talent in St. Pete, though the minor leagues have some. Ben Grieve has been a disappointment, and a bit of a distraction, too. Rey Ordonez was doing well before he hurt his knee back in May. At least his replacement, former Astro Julio Lugo, was found innocent of charges he assaulted his wife. Oh, yeah. That hair color of Lou's …
What's Next: The Rays are going to have to get on some kind of streak to avoid a 100-loss season. Like, 37-33 after the break. Doesn't seem possible, does it? The question is, how will Piniella handle it?
