MVP is not a word that has been added to the title of David Ortiz, yet. While Fenway has been rocked by the chant many times, the writers have yet to award Big Papi the recognition he most exemplifies.

            Fifteen walk-off hits as a member of the Red Sox should prove that Papi is the most valuable player in baseball. Unlike anyone else in the game, he routinely wins games simply on his own. When the game is tied late in the game, Ortiz is the last guy on the face of the planet that an opposing team wants standing at the plate. Albert Pujols? Alex Rodriguez? Derek Jeter? Sure, Jeter is scary in the postseason, Mr. November, but Ortiz does it all year long. If the game is up for grabs, Big Papi takes it for the Red Sox. That seems pretty valuable to me.

            Fifteen is just his number of walk-offs, which means that they are only at home. Game winning hits is not a stat used in many players’ repertoire, but Ortiz’s demands it. Last year’s American League MVP was Alex Rodriguez. While A-Rod has plenty of defining stats, Ortiz has defining moments. This season, Ortiz has no competition, boasting 5 games that he has won with a single swing of the bat.

            On Monday, he hit two home runs, the second of which came off of Cleveland closer Fausto Carmona in the bottom of the ninth. The Red Sox were down 2 runs, he was the fourth batter of the inning. Sure enough, they managed to get two men aboard, and with Manny Ramirez coming up next, Eric Wedge opted to pitch to Ortiz with two men on than load the bases. Then, almost like clockwork, shocking no one, David Ortiz blasted a 2-0 fastball over the deep centerfield wall, driving home the three winning runs, making it the 5^th win you can credit directly to Ortiz this season. Nobody else can say that.

            So, the knock on Ortiz is that he does not play defense. Well, if DH is a position, then it should not be treated any differently than a position in the field. It looks to me like it would actually help him. He has exactly one error this year. He definitely is not hurting his team with his defense. This is opposed to Alex Rodriguez, who has been struggling mightily at his position. With the Red Sox league leading defense this year, I think Ortiz is doing just fine with his defense.

            Big Papi for MVP should not even have to be said this year, but there it is. Not only is he having a monster season, leading the majors in home runs, RBI, and game winning hits, the voters know that they owe him. It will be almost impossible to keep Ortiz from walking off with the MVP award this year. Remember the Faith. Hokie Hi. Zc

Hokie Pokie

            Two teams, two seasons. Both in the AL Central, with new managers who brought a team picked to be mediocre at best to the best record in the game. Through 92 games, or how many games have been played to far this year, the AL Central leaders of 2005 and 2006 have the exact same record, 62-30. So, what’s the difference? The 2005 team, the Chicago White Sox, went on to win the World Series. Now they trail the 2006, the upstart Detroit Tigers, yet most still hold the Tigers as the underdog whereas the White Sox were hailed as favorites last year.

            Does playing in the same division as last year’s champion really make a difference? While the White Sox are still a great team, maybe even improved from last year, they are not ahead of the Detroit Tigers. At this point last year, the White Sox had established themselves as the team to beat from their amazing record, a .674 winning percentage through the first half and slightly into the second. However, this year the media and the general public simply refuse to recognize that the Detroit Tigers are the American League’s best team right now. If they have a misstep and fall into second, that’s fine, you can say they are no longer the favorite, however, right now, they are a second coming of the 2005 Chicago White Sox.

            Last year’s Champs had two things that amounted to the sudden jolt of wins and a World Championship: They got a new, enthusiastic manager that changed the whole approach and they got suddenly better results from the starting rotation. The team ERA went from 4.91 in 2004 to 3.61 in 2005. And even while scoring nearly 100 runs fewer than the previous year, the White Sox of 2005 won 16 more games than in 2004.

            This season’s upstart team has been the Detroit Tigers, also gained the insight and change a new manager can bring. Jim Leyland, former manager of the Pirates and Florida Marlins, brought a winning mindset to a very young team. He has milked the talent, while using veterans like Pudge Rodriguez and Kenny Rogers as an example. He has stated his mind to the media, a la Ozzie Guillen, and his pitching staff has been key. Even though the Tigers offense is still looking to get it together, the young pitching combo of Robertson, Bonderman, and Verlander is ruling the American League. The Tigers ERA from last year was 4.51, while this year it has dropped to 3.54. Now the Tigers are looking to add a left handed bat to make their offense even more potent.

            So, why not give credit where credit is due? The two teams had the exact same record through this point in the season, and they went through similar transformations. Why is this Tigers team any less promising that last year’s White Sox? They will have to make monumental history to miss the playoffs. They had the Major League’s best record at the All-Star break. No team with MLB’s best record at the break has missed the playoffs since the creation of the Wild Card. It is nearly impossible. The White Sox made a daring effort last year, almost losing their spot to the Cleveland Indians in the last series of the season. So, even if the Tigers do have a rough stretch, it is not the end of the world.

            Really, I cannot fathom how being 4.5 games up on last year’s World Series Champs hurts baseball’s best team. They have more home games than road games in the final part of the season, and it doesn’t matter to them where they play anyway, they are 33-15 on the road. This year’s White Sox have struggled in opposing parks, 24-20, and they have the bulk of their road schedule remaining.

            Over the last three days, the Tigers have the chance to show how strong they are in a series with the White Sox in Detroit. They increased their lead to 5.5 games by winning two of three from the Tigers with great pitching performances form Jeremy Bonderman and Kenny Rogers. Todd Jones, the closer proved up to the task and two “second tier” players came up with clutch hits. Craig Monroe and Marcus Thames, two guys who could be losing major playing time if the Tigers acquire Alfonso Soriano, had the two winning plays.

            Hopefully you can now see how odd it is that we are making the Tigers the underdog here. They seem to be a carbon copy of the 2005 White Sox, déjà vu, except apparently it has failed to register in the mind of America. If playoff experience is your cup of tea, remember last year as Tadahito Iguchi and Bobby Jenks came up big to take out the defending champion Red Sox. If these teams meet in the playoffs, it will come in the ALCS. Personally, I’d pick the new team. While every tiger’s stripes are different, unlike champions, patterns repeat all the time. Remember the Faith. Hokie Hi. Zc

Hokie Pokie

Midseason Baseball Checkpoint

This checkpoint comes at the halfway point, the All-Star Break. I will list all of the teams in their current division order, tell what moves you can expect them to make, and then rundown who I think will make the playoffs, starting with my favorite division, the AL East.

AL East

1. Boston Red Sox- I am almost scared we will be lured into a false sense of security because of the Yankees’ struggles, but they are only 3 games back while everyone is writing them off. Rumors have been flying about Bobby Abreu, John Smoltz, Ryan Klesko and others. Expect Theo to get at least one starting pitcher, probably not Smoltz, but a pitcher. Klesko could very well be brought to Boston for Rudy Seanez and a midrange prospect. An Abreu trade seems very unlikely.
2. New York Yankees- While injuries are their main problem, they cannot afford to wait until Sheffield and Matsui return, it could be September if then. Pitching is another big concern and nobody is injured their, just old. Randy Johnson looks shaky, Mussina is the clear ace here and he was not even an All Star. Jaret Wright has had one good start all season and Chien Ming Wang is not going to beat the contenders consistently. The Yankees will make moves, but they will not get the big names because they are insistent on holding their best prospects. There was talk of Bobby Abreu, but they want minor league star Philip Hughes, who is not going anywhere. Look for Jacque Jones or another midlevel outfielder to come to the Bronx.
3. Toronto Blue Jays- The 3^rd place team is hanging around behind the Yanks, just having gotten AJ Burnett back. They should get a boost and will likely make up ground on the idling Yankees over the next month, but they will be buyers in the trade market. Eric Hinske looks to be a spare part that they will try to move for either a starting pitcher or another outfielder.
4. Baltimore Orioles- They are fading fast, and will likely be passed by Tampa Bay soon. One bad thing is that Miguel Tejada looks like he is staying put, so they really do not have anything to offer anybody.
5. Tampa Devil Rays- This team has been playing well, getting another good starter to go with Kazmir in the emergence of Tim Corcoran. It appears they made their major trade this week with the Houston Astros, sending away Aubrey Huff for two very promising prospects. The only other deal I can see is the possible unloading of Julio Lugo in a small deal.

AL Central

1. Detroit Tigers- It would take some sort of disaster for this team to miss the playoffs, but they know they need to sure up their lineup to advance. Their pitching is sensational, and they have extra guys in the starters department. Their need is a solid left-handed bat. Mike Maroth could be the main chip dealt for that. Expect them to be active, trying to hold down the fort in the spectacular Central.
2. Chicago White Sox- The first big rumor involving the White Sox is just starting to be whispered. The favorite to represent the AL in the Series is looking to make a deal with the NL favorite. They Sox are reportedly shopping Javier Vazquez or Freddy Garcia, looking for top notch relief help. They say Brandon McCarthy is ready to step into the rotation. The Mets are ready to deal Aaron Heilman and one of their young pitchers, but will not let Duaner Sanchez go. In other reports, the White Sox have also showed interest in bringing Tom Gordon back to Chicago.
3. Minnesota Twins- As always, the Twins are not looking for a big impact player. They are playing with smaller toys, but they have a chance to make a move, and you likely will see them in a move or two. Torii Hunter has an outside chance of being traded. One sure thing is that they will look to trade starting pitcher Kyle Lohse. He has been kicked out of favor and lots of contenders are interested. For the right price, you could see Lohse with the Yankees, Red Sox or Mets.
4. Cleveland Indians- In a disappointing year, the Indians will still be active this month. They have several players of high interest to contenders looking to boost their lineup. With the return of Casey Blake, Todd Hollandsworth will likely be heading out to sure up someone’s outfield, possibly the Yankees. Another major name likely on his way out is Aaron Boone. The third baseman will likely be unloaded to make room for top prospect Andy Marte. The Brewers are a team interested in Boone’s services.
5. Kansas City Royals- Amazingly, in all of their turmoil, the Royals are once again a key player in the trade market. Many teams are looking to test the Reggie Sanders mojo of his past success in the playoffs. He is probably the best outfielder on the market. There are a countless amount of possibilities for Sanders. In addition to Sanders, you will likely see either Mark Grudzielanek or Tony Graffanino packing his bags. One of the infielders will probably be headed for a playoff contender in need of a boost.

AL West

1. Oakland Athletics- Barry Zito has been the subject of many rumors, but it appears he will stay in Oakland for the season due to the unpredictability of Rich Harden’s injuries. The A’s will likely be looking for a corner outfielder at a low cost and maybe an insurance pitcher. Their core right now will probably not change much.
2. Texas Rangers- It is the same story every year with the Rangers, except this year they are tied for first in a slumping division. They need pitching. The Rangers need relief and starting pitching, and do not really have top prospects to trade for it. Jerry Hairston will almost certainly be on the move again, and Vincente Padilla is not nailed to the floor either.
3. Seattle Mariners- While they are still in the race, they seem to be pretty content right now. A centerfielder would be nice for them and the way they would get it is starting pitcher Gil Meche, a pitcher of interest for many contenders like the Red Sox.
4. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim- While they have struggled with pitching injuries and are in last, they are just a whopping 3 games back and I still think they will win the division. No doubt, this organization will dabble and be very active in the market. They have Jered Weaver up now and he has been sensational. Adam Kennedy and Juan Rivera could be on the move. Most teams are begging them to trade Ervin Santana, but they would need to be overwhelmed. Torii Hunter could be a target for them.

NL East

1. New York Mets- This club is the best team in the National League. Their lineup is spectacular and needs no adjustment. However, if they plan on winning the World Series, they need a better starting rotation. They already got Orlando Hernandez, but now they are bidding on Javier Vazquez or Freddy Garcia and have also shown interest in Greg Maddux.
2. Philadelphia Phillies- Bobby Abreu and Tom Gordon are probably the two best guys available, but the Phillies will take this all the way to the deadline, because they do not know if they want to be sellers or buyers yet. The Yankees, Red Sox, Mets and Tigers all will place bids on Abreu, but it will likely take a good young pitcher to get him. The Yankees and Red Sox won’t trade theirs and the Mets don’t have any of good worth. I can see the Tigers getting Abreu if he goes, but if the Phillies have a good month, you might see a disappointment from all of those contenders. With a new rumor from about 5 minutes ago, Gotham Baseball is reporting that the Phillies are looking to clean house. Abreu is now rumored in talks with the Brewers while Pat Burrell is of interest in San Francisco.
3. Florida Marlins- While Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera were early locks to be traded, they now will likely stay in south Florida unless a team absolutely overwhelms the Marlins with top-notch prospects. I think Willis is staying put, period. But if the Angels want, they could put together a package including Brandon Wood that would lure Miguel Cabrera, but that is a low possibility with the prospects they have. Really, both guys would be going if the Marlins were not showing the promise they are. People can criticize their ways, but this organization does a spectacular job and could be in the World Series again by 2010.
4. Atlanta Braves- John Smoltz is the headliner here. As the Braves end their division winning streak, Smoltz could be on the move to bring in prospects. He could dramatically help a team here and several clubs have shown interest, including the Yankees, Tigers and Brewers.
5. Washington Nationals- They have just made a great deal in which they gave up the mediocre Gary Majewski and Royce Clayton to the Reds for two great hitters in SS Jose Lopez and OF Austin Kearns. This gives them the ability, because of the hitting an outfield spot that will be occupied by Kearns, to trade Alfonso Soriano. Everyone is interested in this. The Yankees desperately need him, but might not have the compensation to get him from Washington. Out of all the moves Detroit could make, this would be the biggest, and I do not doubt they are looking into it. Watch out for the Tigers, because they have the stuff to get him. Anaheim will also be a major player.

NL Central

1. St. Louis Cardinals- Pitching is the problem here. The Cards are in the market for a good starter, someone to fill in as a 4 or 5. They picked up Sidney Ponson before the season in hopes he would be the guy, but he was just released and picked up by the Yankees. While they have not made much noise yet, they are certain to make a deal for a bottom of the rotation starter.
2. Cincinnati Reds- The Reds have already earned the stupid trade award for giving up Kearns and Lopez to get Majewski, Bray and Clayton. While they made one stupid trade, they did make a good move to get Eddie Guardado to be their closer. They have been wheeling and dealing early and I would guess they are not done yet. Expect an infielder to be coming Cincy’s way.
3. Milwaukee Brewers- This is the year that the Brewers will finally be in contention to win the division and make the playoffs. It will also be a year that the Brewers look to buy at the trade deadline. With brother Mike Maddux as the pitching coach, Greg Maddux is being pursued by the Brew Crew front office as a number 4 pitcher. While the pitching just needs one more decent starter, the lineup is in need of another good bat. The Brewers are still on the fence on whether or not to bring Carlos Lee back next year. And apparently they are leaning towards not, because in rumors hot off the press, they are looking into Bobby Abreu, something that would likely involve sending Carlos Lee somewhere, possibly San Francisco.
4. Houston Astros- Houston has one problem: offense. They cannot give enough run support to the great pitching staff they possess. They have already given up prospects for Aubrey Huff. He should make a difference, but there will almost certainly be another trade where Houston acquires a bat. This could be a possible landing spot for Reggie Sanders.
5. Chicago Cubs- Jacque Jones, Greg Maddux and Todd Walker could all be on the move in this disappointing season. Jacque Jones has drawn interest from the Yankees, while Maddux has been talked about in many circles, most seriously by the Brewers. Todd Walker is a contract that the Cubs do not want to deal with, and they have reportedly been in talks with San Francisco about Walker.
6. Pittsburgh Pirates- Really, they do not have any pennant changing players to deal, but two pitchers are of high interest to teams looking for that bottom of the rotation pitcher or long relief man. The starter would be the now exiled Oliver Perez, sent to the minors after having a terrible stretch in May. A change of scenery might revive his stuff. Damaso Matre is the reliever of interest. After a good performance in the playoffs last year with the White Sox, many teams will make offers for his services, possibly even his former team.

NL West

1. San Diego Padres- The reason this team is here is consistent starting pitching. The rotation is deep and the major strength for the Pads. Hitting has been decent, but they would like to add another bat and a relief pitcher. The relief pitcher is probably the priority, and two experienced bench players are on the block for it. Ryan Klesko and Mark Bellhorn are both rumored to be on the move. Klesko has been mentioned in a deal that would send him to Boston for Rudy Seanez. Seanez has been absolutely terrible for the Red Sox, diabolically bad, horrifically horrible, like death wish bad. However, he is a former Padre who consistently contained the National League.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers- Still the widespread favorite to take the division, the Dodgers are getting great play from young players and Nomar Garciaparra. The will probably look to add a bat at either third base or centerfield, and a relief pitcher is not out of the question. They would be a possibility for Aaron Boone. Kenny Lofton and Cesar Izturis look primed to move, and they might even throw an offer to the Cubs for Aramis Ramirez. If the Astros decide to move Brad Lidge, the Dodgers might be on the phone.
3. San Francisco Giants- Lots of AL contenders will be very happy if the Giants have a bad month and fall out of contention. If this team slips out of reach of the playoffs, you will see a selling team that will unload Jason Schmidt, Matt Morris, and maybe even Armando Benitez. However, a few minutes ago I saw rumors indicating that the Giants are very close to a trade with the Cubs in which they would acquire Todd Walker to sure up the infield hitting. Also, they are looking into acquiring either Pat Burrell or Carlos Lee. I think a huge deal involving the Phillies, Brewers and Giants could be in the works.
4. Colorado Rockies- After making a good push in late June and getting within a game of the Padres for the division, they have lost 5 in a row but are still just 4 games back. If they do anything, they will be buyers, but they look content with lots of young talent and first contracts. Oh yeah, they have Todd Helton too.
5. Arizona Diamondbacks- Also 4 games back, Arizona is looking to acquire another pitcher and maybe another bat. Criag Counsell is the prize if you make a deal with the D’Backs. A good utility infielder with a very good bat recently, Counsell will be sought after by teams like the Reds, Angels and possibly Brewers.

So, after all of this, who do I think will end up with the best teams? Who will make the playoffs? I am making no World Series picks, because that seems to work out badly, but I will tell who I see making the playoffs.

American League

East: Red Sox

Central: White Sox

West: Angels

Wild Card: Tigers

National League

East: Mets

Central: Cardinals

West: Dodgers

Wild Card: Padres

Hokie Pokie

            Major League Baseball seemingly cannot understand how to do something in a simple fashion when it comes to the All-Star Game. Instead of having the fans choose all of the players, fans pick the starting position players through voting and the manager from the previous year’s World Series team from each league chooses the pitchers and the reserves. So, naturally, there is a great deal of politics and a fair amount of strategizing that takes away from the mid-summer classic, which is meant to please the fans. And due to all of this, plus the fact that the game ended in a tie 3 years ago, fan interest has declined.

            The American League manager this year is Ozzie Guillen, the much ballyhooed manager of the defending World Champion Chicago White Sox. He is not the first and he will not be the last, but he is somewhat corrupt in his picks for the pitchers. While he could not change the relief pitchers, taking the 4 best closers in the game in Ryan, Rivera, Jenks, and Papelbon, the starters for the AL will not be the best possible. Francisco Liriano and Justin Verlander were both snubbed while having fantastic seasons. Coincidentally, both play for division rivals of Guillen’s White Sox. Meanwhile, White Sox pitcher Mark Buerhle made the team with a good, but not great season going for him so far. There is also the inexplicable selection of Mark Redman, but that has no correlation to anything.

            He took two first baseman from his own team, Paul Konerko and Jim Thome. Thome should be on the team, but Konerko should have been passed up for Travis Hafner or Justin Morneau, two players also on division rivals, who are having far superior seasons. Ozzie Guillen simply decided he would take away from the game by snubbing guys he does not like.

            Francisco Liriano, Justin Verlander and Travis Hafner all had a chance to make the team in MLB’s “Last Chance Vote.” However, White Sox catcher AJ Pierzynski somehow made it from the American League, along with Nomar Garciaparra from the National League. Thankfully, National League manager Phil Garner has taken the higher road than Guillen, giving credit where credit is due. Actually, he snubbed his own best pitcher, Roy Oswalt, likely for rest reasons. All of these problems should not really matter to the All Star Game. The American League should take the prize awarded to the winning league, home field advantage in the World Series, another blunder of Major League Baseball.

            Among the players you will see: Ivan Rodriguez, A-Rod, Jeter, Loretta and Ortiz on the AL infield. Manny Ramirez is not participating due to nagging injuries. Ichiro, Vladimir Guerrero and Jermaine Dye will roam the outfield. For the NL: Paul Lo Duca, David Wright, Jose Reyes (3 Mets), Chase Utley and Pujols mind the infield. Pittsburgh player Jason Bay is the venue’s home player. He will start in the outfield along with Alfonso Soriano, and Carlos Beltran (4 Mets). Keep the Faith. Hokie Hi. Zc