A's play will go a long way

Benefits of win streak should carry over to postseason

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Tom, are the A's peaking too early? Their winning streak is amazing, but could all these comeback wins and the pressure to keep the streak alive wear them out by the time the playoffs come around?
--Richard, Tacoma, Wash.

I doubt it. It's more likely the A's have begun to think this is their year, playing with enormous confidence even while facing deficits. I think this streak makes Oakland even more dangerous come September.

I know you don't want to award the MVP with a month of the season remaining, but isn't it clear that Miguel Tejada is the frontrunner right now?
--Joe, Sacramento, Calif.

Well, no. One of the top candidates? Sure. But there's no sense handing out the hardware with one-sixth of the season still to play, especially since the league has so many deserving candidates (A-Rod, Soriano, Hunter, Giambi, Garciaparra, etc.)

Should the A's give Corey Lidle a start in the first-round of the playoffs? He's pitched so well lately, but it could be foolish to not use one of the Big 3, even on short rest.
--Ray, Phoenix

Tough call. Remember Lidle's Game 4 start against the Yankees in the 2001 Division Series? In case you've forgotten, he was tagged for six runs in 3 1/3 innings and took the loss. The only way Oakland might skip Lidle this year is if they're down two games to one, but it's tough not to give the ball to Barry Zito again.

Is the Twins recent poor play against the A's and Mariners an indication of things to come in the playoffs? Do you think Minnesota has enough to get out of the first round?
--James, Ann Arbor, Mich.

The A's are a brutally tough first-round draw for Minnesota, one the Twins probably can't survive without their starters throwing A games and without home-field advantage.

There was a lot of talk that the players didn't want to strike, and in some cases they didn't even know why they would strike. How true is this? And what role did it play in the settlement?
--Joel, Milwaukee

I think the players clearly had little interest in pulling the trigger on a strike and that played a huge role. There are many reasons the union was so hesitant -- it's made up of a very comfortable generation of players with little fight in them, fan backlash, the anniversary of 9/11, no great philosophical gulf on the bargaining table. And yes, while many players were well informed, many of them also had no clue what the taxation rates and thresholds were all about. This wasn't a "protest" issue such as a salary cap, funding the pension program or changing the arbitration system. It was about a very complicated mathematical formula that was better explained by economists than ballplayers. That kind of issue is tough to sell to the public when you decide to walk out.

Do you think the owners made a mistake by agreeing not to contract for another four years? Where will the Expos be next season?
--Jamal, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

No, holding off on contraction is not a mistake. Given the hurdles the owners ran into in Minnesota and in the state of Florida, there's legitimate doubt that they could eliminate teams without a lengthy court battle that would force them to open their books. I think the Expos will be back in Montreal next year, under the notion that a local buyer might be more interested with enhanced revenue sharing in place. But the team should have its bags packed for Washington.

What is wrong with Freddy Garcia? Are his problems physical, or is it his head? He has tremendous talent, but he's been in full meltdown mode for quite a while now.
--T.W. Grimson, Portland, Ore.

I suspected the wear and tear of his huge workload last year would catch up with Garcia this season. I don't know if it's simply a dead-arm period, but I still like the right-hander in a big game. Look for him to have a strong September.

Was trading Scott Rolen the best thing the Phillies could've done? I know Bud Smith pitched poorly this season, but he did throw a no-hitter last year. If he can regain his form from 2001 and join Vicente Padilla, Brett Myers and Brandon Duckworth, the Phillies' rotation could be the class of the NL East for a long time. Do you agree?
--Carl, Easton, Pa.

I'd put Randy Wolf ahead of Smith on that depth chart. Myers and Padilla look like legitimate top-line starters. So, yes, I think Philadelphia has to be excited about its young pitching. However, you have to still take the 3M Company in Atlanta -- Kevin Millwood, Jason Marquis and Damian Moss -- behind either Greg Maddux or Tom Glavine, depending on who's back with the Braves next year.

Very simply, who wins the NL wild card, and why?
--Justin, San Diego, Calif.

The Dodgers, because four of their final five series are to be played against the Rockies and Padres.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Tom Verducci covers the baseball beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com. Click here to send a question to his Mailbag.

 

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