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Delgado's heroics may not be enough
With Todd Helton slowing down, it looks like baseball won't have its first .400 hitter since 1941. However, the game might see a feat it hasn't witnessed since 1967. Blue Jays first baseman Carlos Delgado is near the top of the American League in batting average, homers and RBIs and has a good shot to be the first triple crown winner since Red Sox Hall of Famer Carl Yazstremski, 33 years ago. Delgado says he has a better plan at the plate this season and his combination of patience and discipline allows him to see pitches better. Carlos told me he just tries to hit the ball hard and doesn't worry about honors like the Triple Crown or MVP. With his numbers, why should he worry? Despite Delgado's heroics, I don't think Toronto will catch the Indians for the A.L. wild card. Cleveland's run of five straight division titles will end, but the Indians are coming together in a sneaky way, and maybe being a playoff underdog -- instead of a division champ -- could relieve pressure and even help Cleveland get past the Yankees and over the top.
Arms controlThe Cardinals are coasting atop the N.L. Central, even with a hurting Mark McGwire, because they have consistent pitching. St. Louis should finish the season with three 15-game winners, Darryl Kile, Garrett Stephenson and Pat Hentgen. The last St. Louis staff to do that was my squad in 1985, which played in the World Series. Triple your pleasureFinally, Carlos Delgado may win the Triple Crown but Minnesota's Cristian Guzman is truly this season's triple threat. Guzman will almost certainly finish the year with at least 23 triples.Doesn't sound impressive? It should. No one has hit that many since the Indians' Dale Mitchell back in 1949! Ozzie Smith, a 15-time All-Star, is a baseball analyst for CNN/Sports Illustrated and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
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