On to the roundup for the week...

Breaking News: OK. The AL just won another All-Star Game. I believe this makes 12 years in a row they have won it. Baseball is a cyclical game: when I was kid growing up in the late 60's and early 70's it was the National League that won every year. I am wondering how many of you stayed up to watch all 15 innings this past Tuesday. I thought it was a nice touch to have this years starters take their respective positions lined up with All-Stars from the past. It was good to see Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Reggie Jackson, Rod Carew, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, and a host of others. When I looked at the third basemen and saw Mike Schmidt, George Brett, and Brooks Robinson next to Alex Rodriguez, who already has 537 career home runs, I could only think that he is already the greatest third baseman statistically and is still playing!

The greatest clutch third baseman of all time, however, is George Brett. He had so many big games in the playoffs and World Series; Alex Rodriguez can only dream of being so clutch. Brett's Royals clubs always played the Yankees tough, and George flat wore out all the Yankees' starters, from Ron Guidry to Goose Gossage.

How about Josh Hamilton in the HR Derby! The kid smashed 28 bombs in the first round, some of which may have hit the Empire State Building, and he still lost to Justin Morneau! That was just technically, because we all know he won the thing based on the best round in the history of the contest.

So, once again the AL has home field advantage in the World Series, and I'm looking forward to another Red Sox/Mets match up!

Injuries:

No new injuries to report this week

Trades

As we go to press it looks like Joe Blanton will be making his way to the Phillies. More about that next week. [ed: After this article was submitted by the author, Blanton was indeed traded to Philadelphia, for prospects Josh Outman, Adrian Cardenas, and Matt Spencer.]

Got a fantasy question you would like answered in my column? Send it to me via
e-mail at mikek@creativesports.com. Until next week, I wish you the best of luck.