The Cycle: Familiar faces in new places
In baseball, you develop a loyalty to your teammates. Players go in different directions all the time, but it's always odd to see a teammate, especially one that you've been close to, on an opposing team. It's even odder to have to compete against him.
I had played second base behind Greg Maddux so much that when I faced him the first time I was on the same page with him. I ended up going 3-for-4 against Greg because I knew him and his pitches so well.
Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson were brought up together in the big leagues and spent a lot of years together in Oakland. On Friday, the pitchers meet as opponents for the first time in their careers. They'll probably talk to their teammates about how the other pitches. It'll be interesting to see how that plays out.
Home run
 | Record: 14-6 | at |  | Record: 13-9 |
This could be a preview of the NLCS. Both teams have proven themselves to be winners, and St. Louis has really picked it up the last two weeks. The Cardinals are starting to heat up and have been getting good hitting up and down their lineup. Who's hot: Albert Pujols. The Cardinals first baseman has a nine-game hitting streak and has driven in eight runs in his last six games. His approach to hitting is simple: He has the perfect swing with his bat coming through the zone consistently, but he also uses the whole field. He really doesn't have a cold spot where pitchers can pitch him consistently. He has great plate coverage but also hits the inside pitch very well. Who's not: Adam LaRoche. The Braves first baseman is hitting .143 (2 for 14) over the last week. Marcus Giles and Chipper Jones are the only ones who have hit consistently in the Atlanta lineup. Marquee matchup: Mark Mulder (2-1, 3.10) vs. Tim Hudson (2-0, 0.96) on Friday. Both are off to good starts with their new teams, and that's not surprising at all. Prediction: Cardinals win two out of three. | ||||
Triple
 | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Record: 13-9 | at |  | Record: 13-8 |
You have the best team in the AL West going up against a team that has been the best in the AL Central the past few seasons. Kelvim Escobar returned to the Angels' starting rotation last week and that's a big boost for them. Minnesota, which is not off to the start it expected, will have to pitch well to win this series. Who's hot: Vladimir Guerrero (.360) and Garrett Anderson (.300). That's a tough tandem to deal with right in the heart of the Angels' order, especially with two good hitters in front of them in Darin Erstad and Chone Figgins. Minnesota's Jacque Jones (.390) has gone hitless just once this season. Who's not: Michael Cuddyer. The Twins third baseman is hitting only .200 for the season and has just two hits in his last 19 at-bats. Marquee matchup: Bartolo Colon (3-2, 3.73) vs. Johan Santana (4-0, 3.55) on Sunday. This duel could decide the series. It'll be a good test for Santana to go up against the Angels' lineup. We'll see if the Twins' good pitching stops the Angels' good hitting. Prediction: Twins win two out of three. | ||||
Double
 | Record: 11-10 | at |  | Record: 8-12, T-4th NL Central |
On Friday, we will be treated to one of the best pitching matchups in 50 years. Two of the best pitchers of all time – Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens – go head-to-head. This will be the first time that two 300-game winners will face each other since Aug. 4, 1987, when Steve Carlton faced Don Sutton. The last time this has happened in the NL was July of 1892 (Tim Keefe vs. Jim Galvin). Maddux and Clemens should both a get a standing ovation before the game even starts for what they have meant to baseball. They have two completely different styles, but have plenty in common. Both are at the end of their careers, and both are still pitching effectively. In a lot of ways, the Cubs are just hanging in there in what appears to be a weak NL Central. The Astros have lost five in a row, but as we saw last year, they are capable of getting hot. They need bigger performances out of Jeff Bagwell and their big bats in the lineup. Houston misses the injured Lance Berkman a lot, as the team has scored the second fewest runs in the NL. Who's hot: Derrek Lee. The Cubs first baseman has one of the best bats going in the NL. Normally a career .230 hitter in April, Lee is creaming the ball with a majors-best .430 average and 27 RBIs and an NL-leading seven home runs. Who's not: Houston's Jason Lane (2 for 18), Willy Taveras (3 for 18), Craig Biggio (3 for 17), Morgan Ensberg (3 for 17) and Chris Burke (3 for 16) are all hitting under .200 over the past week. Marquee matchup: Greg Maddux (0-1, 4.50) vs. Roger Clemens (1-0, 0.32) on Friday. Clemens is pitching lights out right now and is continuing to be Roger Clemens. Sunday also features a great matchup between Mark Prior (3-0, 0.95) and Roy Oswalt (3-2, 3.25). Prediction: Astros win two out of three. | ||||
Single
 | Record: 8-14 | at |  | Record: 14-7 |
The reason I'm interested in this series is because I want to see if the Orioles can continue their winning ways. They're not only the biggest surprise in the AL East but they're also the biggest surprise in baseball. I know you usually wouldn't call this a big series, but I really like what I'm seeing out of Baltimore. They're leading a very tough division, even though they're getting by on just enough pitching. But their lineup is unbelievable. It's the best lineup in the AL right now. Melvin Mora is starting to get hot, and Sammy Sosa has fit in well with his new team. Miguel Tejada is incredible and Brian Roberts is the biggest surprise in baseball. He's the leading candidate for AL Player of the Month. George Steinbrenner would flip his lid if the New York Yankees don't make the playoffs. Right now, the Orioles are playing like a playoff team, not the Yankees. Who's hot: Eduardo Perez, Devil Rays. He's hitting .400 in his last five games and .345 for the season. Who's not: Carl Crawford, Devil Rays. He's 1-for-18 in his last four games. Marquee matchup: Dewon Brazelton (1-4, 5.53) vs. Bruce Chen (2-1, 3.62) on Sunday. Chen has been a pleasant surprise so far for Baltimore. Prediction: Orioles win two out of three. | ||||
