PLAYER TO WATCH
Cliff Lee, SP, Seattle Mariners
The left-handed pitcher and former Cy Young winner is rumored to be on the trading block again. In the last two seasons, he’s pitched for three different ball clubs. He was very impressive with the Phillies last year, going 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in the postseason. With Seattle struggling — in last place in the AL West — it’s very likely that Lee could be traded for some offensive power to help the Mariners’ offensive woes.
STORYLINES
1. Saint Stephen » Tuesday night at Nationals Park was one of the great days in D.C. sports history. It might have been just a weekday home game against the Pirates. But rookie pitcher Stephen Strasburg electrified a sellout crowd with a 14-strikeout, no-walk performance in his major league debut. Pittsburgh scored its only runs on a two-run homer. That was all Strasburg was giving away. Just like that a franchise with no discernible identity had a face to sell the rest of the sport — and the country. All of that just one day after the franchise drafted fellow phenom Bryce Harper with the No. 1 pick. Oh, and the Nats swept the Pirates to claw back toward the .500 mark. The times they are a-changin’.
2. Rookies of the year » It seems like everywhere you look in Major League Baseball a team is bringing up a heralded rookie — and they’re all making an impact. We know about Stephen Strasburg. The Giants recalled catcher Buster Posey, 23, in late May and simply put him at first base for the rest of this season to get his wicked bat in the lineup. Florida this week brought up outfielder Mike Stanton, who — like his NL East counterpart Jason Heyward in Atlanta — is just 20. Now, Cleveland is joining the frat party. The Indians recalled catcher Carlos Santana on Friday. The 24-year-old, acquired in a 2008 trade, is expected to backstop the Indians for a decade. Best of all? He faces Strasburg on Sunday in a matchup of prospect titans.
3. Heating up » After starting off 9-14 in the month of April, the Los Angeles Dodgers (as expected) and Atlanta Braves (to most a surprise) are in control of their divisions. Atlanta is 26-12 since the early slow start, while the Dodgers are 27-10. The Braves’ big concern entering the 2010 season was their hitting, as they knew production would be there from their pitching. Thanks to the likes of rookie sensation Heyward and slugger Troy Glaus, the hitting has been keeping pace. But can Atlanta continue to produce with the Phillies breathing down their neck? The Dodgers on the other hand, looking to win their third straight division title under Joe Torre, could see major challenges with the Rockies, Padres and Giants within reach.
SERIES TO WATCH
Phillies at Yankees, Tuesday-Thursday
A rematch of last season’s World Series, but also two teams that find themselves in similar positions. Both currently sitting in second place of their respective divisions and fighting for a wild card spot. It’s no secret the Phillies have been struggling. Since May 18th, Philadelphia has produced one or zero runs an astonishing 10 times. Both teams are also in the top four in MLB payroll. Just another reason to tune in.
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