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Just two years ago, the Rockies took the league by force in September, putting together a seemingly out-of-nowhere run which didn't end until the World Series. In that famous month they went 20-8 -- including a downright insane run of 14-1 to end the season -- which spawned the nickname "Rocktober." This year? Well, they've begun the month winning seven of eight games. Here we go again? Time will tell, but it certainly appears to be Rocktember.
- 1. Yankees | Record: 90-50 | Previous Week: 1
The Bombers have some kind of karma going in the Bronx. Tuesday's win, on Nick Swisher's homer in the ninth, was their 13th walk-off victory of the season, the franchise's most since 1978. Seven different Yankees have had a walk-off hit, and six have had a walk-off homer. At 90-50, the Yanks are 40 games over .500 for the first time since finishing the 2004 season 101-61. - Ed Price - 2. Cardinals | Record: 83-57 | Previous Week: 2
The biggest question remaining for the Cards is if John Smoltz can build up enough endurance to be a viable fourth starter in the playoffs, or if they have to turn to someone like Kyle Lohse or Todd Wellemeyer. Smoltz's 28:1 K:BB ratio in St. Louis is unreal, but it might not help the Cards much if he can't pitch out of the fifth inning. - Pat Lackey - 3. Angels| Record: 82-55 | Previous Week: 3
Bobby Abreu has been credited for helping bring a more patient approach to the Angels hitters. Last year they ranked dead last in the AL in pitches per plate appearance. This year they are fifth. - Jeff Fletcher - 4. Dodgers | Record: 83-57 | Previous Week: 5
It's not as bad as it would seem for the Dodgers, who have been treading water since the break. They still have the best ERA in the NL in the second half. Clayton Kershaw will miss a start with a bruised shoulder (he ran into the wall while shagging flies in batting practice), but it's not serious. - Jeff Fletcher - 5. Red Sox | Record: 80-58 | Previous Week: 6
David Ortiz on Tuesday hit his 269th homer as a designated hitter, tying Frank Thomas for the all-time record. Ortiz has homered 42 times while playing first base and once as a pinch hitter. - Ed Price - 6. Phillies | Record: 78-58 | Previous Week: 4
Boy, Philadelphia could use Raul Ibanez hot again. His two homers Tuesday matched his total for the previous 35 games (124 at-bats), and his three hits came after entering in a 14-for-89 (.157) slide. But maybe his entire season is built on facing the Nationals; he has pummeled Washington for a .463 average, eight homers and 20 RBI in 13 games but in his other 97 games has hit .252 with 22 home runs and 62 RBI. - Ed Price - 7. Rockies | Record: 79-60 | Previous Week: 11
The schedule from here on out looks pretty favorable. They have 15 games against teams with losing records. They do have to play the white-hot Cardinals three times, but that's going to happen in Denver. They also have three games each against the Giants and Dodgers. If they take care of business against the weaker teams, they'll control their own destiny in both the NL West and wild-card races. - 8. Rangers | Record: 78-60 | Previous Week: 7
Tommy Hunter, Neftali Feliz, Julio Borbon ... the youth just keeps on coming for the Rangers. The future is extremely bright for Ron Washington's club, but we need not start looking ahead just yet. The Rangers are only two games back of the Red Sox in the wild-card race. - 9. Tigers | Record: 75-62 | Previous Week: 9
The Twins crept up into the race temporarily, but now the Tigers seem to have everything back under control after a six-game winning streak (which was broken Tuesday night). Now we'll see if Jarrod Washburn's knee feels a bit better than the last few weeks after his missed rotation turn. - 10. Giants | Record: 76-63 | Previous Week: 10
As usual, the Giants went on the road last week and had some problems. Even though they gave up nine runs in six games, they only won three of them. Fortunately for them, only nine of their remaining 23 games are on the road.- Jeff Fletcher - 11. Marlins | Record: 73-65 | Previous Week: 15
With Rick VandenHurk having come out of Tuesday's game with back stiffness, Chris Volstad could return to the Florida rotation on Sunday. The Marlins are 4-4 in VandenHurk's starts and have a winning record behind just two starters: Josh Johnson (20-8) and Ricky Nolasco (15-11).- Ed Price - 12. Rays | Record: 72-67 | Previous Week: 8
Wade Davis, who on Sunday held the Tigers to one run in seven innings in his first big-league start, will stay in the rotation instead of Andy Sonnanstine. Having allowed eight runs in 2 2/3 innings Monday, Sonnanstine -- sent down earlier this year -- goes to the bullpen. - Ed Price - 13. Mariners | Record: 72-67 | Previous Week: 14
There haven't been many offensive things to brag about for the Mariners, but Jose Lopez has quietly had a nice year. With 22 homers, he has increased his homer total four years in a row. Got a shot at 100 RBI, too. He's still only 25 years old. - Jeff Fletcher - 14. Braves | Record: 71-67 | Previous Week: 13
Garret Anderson needs 19 hits to reach 2,500 for his career. Anderson has a .327 career on-base percentage, and the only 2,500-hit players with a lower mark were Andre Dawson (.323), Brooks Robinson (.322), Bill Buckner (.321), Rabbit Maranville (.318), Willie Davis (.311) and Luis Aparicio (.311). One reason for the low OBP: Anderson has been hit by a pitch just nine times in 8,917 plate appearances.- Ed Price - 15. Twins | Record: 69-69 | Previous Week: 12
If I believed in curses, I'd apologize for hyping up the Twins last week. Since that happened, they have gone 2-4 against the White Sox, Indians and Blue Jays. They aren't dead yet, though, because they have a nine-game homestand beginning Friday. They begin with six relatively easy games (against the A's and Indians) and close with the division-leading Tigers. In fact, the only team with a winning record left on the docket is the Tigers, whom the Twins face off against seven times. - 16. White Sox | Record: 69-71 | Previous Week: 17
The Sox won five of six (before Tuesday night's loss) after virtually destroying their own season with a 1-9 stretch ... Alex Rios has gone 12-78 (.154) with 21 strikeouts and just one walk since the White Sox took his contract off the Blue Jays hands. His .406 OPS in the Pale Hose is downright embarrassing. - 17. Cubs | Record: 70-67 | Previous Week: 16
It's certainly going to be an interesting offseason in Wrigleyville. There hasn't been a more disappointing team this side of Queens, but some of the Cubs believe the same group could contend next year by simply playing better. There is new ownership in town, so are Jim Hendry and Lou Piniella safe? We do know the Cubs are stuck with Alfonso Soriano and Milton Bradley. No one is trading for those guys with their contracts. - 18. Reds | Record: 63-75 | Previous Week: 21
What you need to know right now is this: Kip Wells is in the Reds' starting rotation. Kip. Wells. The 32-year-old pitcher who's been with the Pirates, Rangers, Cardinals, Rockies, Royals, Nationals, and Reds since 2006 and who hasn't been effective because of blood clots and other arm injuries since 2003. In the Reds rotation. It's been that kind of year in Cincinnati. - Pat Lackey - 19. Astros | Record: 67-71 | Previous Week: 19
Miguel Tejada's .303 average is nice, but his on-base percentage is just .333 and with just 10 homers, it's likely he's going to fall short of 15 for the second straight season. His 103 OPS+ is still worse than any season he's had since 2000, save last year. And he's going to be a free agent after this season! - Pat Lackey - 20. Brewers | Record: 66-72 | Previous Week: 18
We can add the Giants to the list of clubs that their celebration shenanigans have angered. It's one thing to celebrate like that when you're in the playoff mix, but the Brewers are six games under .500 and don't have Ned Yost to act as a fall guy again. 2008 suddenly seems like it was a very long time ago. - Pat Lackey - 21. Padres | Record: 62-78 | Previous Week: 25
Give interim hitting coach Randy Ready some credit for the Padres' resurgence over the past six weeks. They were hitting .232 and averaging 3.7 runs under former hitting coach Jim Lefebrve, and they've hit .267 and averaged 4.5 runs since Ready took over. - Jeff Fletcher - 22. A's | Record: 62-76 | Previous Week: 26
Rajai Davis has emerged as a solid part of the A's future. Davis, who made the team as a backup outfielder, has played more and more as the season has progressed. He's hitting .303 with a .365 OBP and 31 stolen bases. - Jeff Fletcher - 23. Blue Jays | Record: 62-76 | Previous Week: 22
Toronto is under .500 despite out-scoring its opposition by 12 runs, and you don't have to be Pythagoras to know that's hard to do. In fact, the Jays and the White Sox (even in runs scored and allowed) could be just the second and third AL teams ever to have a losing record with a positive run differential, along with the 1918 White Sox. - Ed Price - 24. Indians | Record: 60-78 | Previous Week: 20
September callup Michael Brantley is an exciting talent. The 22-year-old rookie is hitting .364 with five RBI and two stolen bases since receiving his first promotion. In Triple-A this year he had 46 steals in 116 games. If he can continue to get on base with any sort of consistency, the Indians have to think about moving Grady Sizemore -- and his power -- down in the order, if only to the two-hole. - 25. Mets | Record: 62-76 | Previous Week: 24
The Mets' current rotation is Pat Misch, Bobby Parnell, Nelson Figueroa, Mike Pelfrey and Tim Redding. Combined big-league record: 80-125. That's almost the opposite of injured ace Johan Santana (122-60). - Ed Price - 26. Diamondbacks | Record: 61-79 | Previous Week: 23
Six straight losses and the nightmare continues. It's a shame how much the efforts of Dan Haren have gone to waste. He has a 2.78 ERA and a ridiculous 0.95 WHIP in nearly 200 innings. Opponents have a measly .248 on-base percentage against him. Yet his record is just 13-8. - 27. Orioles | Record: 56-82 | Previous Week: 27
Will there be another late-season fade? (Or is it a fade when you're already out of contention?) Baltimore hasn't had a winning September since going 18-10 in 2004. Since then, the Orioles have gone 10-18, 10-18, 10-19 and 5-20 in Septembers. - Ed Price - 28. Royals | Record: 53-85 | Previous Week: 29
Not near to the extent as Zack Greinke with the pitching staff, but Billy Butler does give the Royals someone to build the offense around. Next year, they really need to see something from the uber-hyped Alex Gordon, though. - 29. Pirates | Record: 54-83 | Previous Week: 28
On Monday, the Pirates set a North American sports record by losing their 82nd game, clinching their 17th consecutive losing season. On Tuesday, Zach Duke tied a major league record by giving up hits to the first eight Cubs he faced, putting the Pirates in a 7-0 hole after one inning. On Thursday, the Steelers' season kicks off and no one in Pittsburgh will remember what the Pirates did earlier this week. - Pat Lackey - 30. Nationals | Record: 47-91 | Previous Week: 30
The Nationals win the pennant! The Nationals win the pennant! No, really. The Gulf Coast League Nationals, a rookie-league team, won the GCL championship last week by capturing the one-game playoff, 5-4 over the GCL Marlins. The Little Nats went 36-19, led by center fielder
Eury Perez (.385), first baseman Brett Newsome (1.017 OPS) and right-hander Daniel Rosenbaum (4-1, 1.95 ERA). - Ed Price
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