THE OUTER EDGE

By James Floto

Major League Baseball's Week in Review: WEEK THREE

STANDINGS:

It's still too early to declare this an unusual season, but after having completed the first 10% of the 2001 season, there are clearly some interesting changes that are more than just one week phenomenons.

In the American League East, things are going pretty much the way they are "supposed" to. That is, most people selected the Yanks to take this division, with decent challenges from the Red Sox and Toronto. However, to this point, the Jays and Red Sox have spent most of the time in first, with the Yanks breathing down their necks but still not quite able to displace them. This morning, Monday, April 23, the Red Sox (13-6), after winning seven of their last 10, lead the Jays (12-7) by a game, and the Yankees (11-8) by two. This after the Bronx Bombers won two of three in a weekend series with the Red Sox. Baltimore (8-11) and Tampa (5-14) are living down to expectations.

AL Central? Cleveland seems to have recovered quite well from last year's miasma and this year's slow start, having won six in a row, giving them an 11-6 record. So how come they are 3 games out of first? Because those Twins just won't go away. Many thought Minnesota's hot start was a fluke and, indeed, they may not have enough depth to out-last the Indians over the summer's marathon, but after a 5-2 start, Minnesota has gone on to win 9 of 10, including 5 in a row. Their 14-3 (.824) record is the best in baseball. The White Sox (6-11) are the other big surprise in this division. Last season's defending ALC champs are floundering, scrapping with Kansas City (6-12) and Detroit (5-12) to stay out of the cellar.

Seattle is trying to run away and head in the AL West. Their 15-4 record is second in the majors to Minnesota and good enough to place them a fat 5 1/2 games over second place Texas (10-10), the biggest gap between a first and second place team this year by far. Anaheim is struggling along at 7-12, while the A's are a reverse surprise like Chicago, 6-13, a full 9 games out.

In the Senior Circuit things are just as odd. In the East, the Expos (9-10), although technically in second, have dropped 7 of 10 and are just a 1/2 game ahead of the Marlins and the Mets, a game ahead of the last place Braves. Not only is it odd that the Mets and Braves continue scuffling, but the first place Phillies are apparently for real. Going into the weekend they led the division with an 8-6 record, but over they swept their series with Atlanta, the first time in 24 years they have swept the Braves at home.

Last week we told you that if the Cubs continued their hot start we would take a look at them and so we shall. Last Monday the Bruins were 8-4; today they are 12-6, meaning they kept up their .667 pace. Houston (10-7) dropped to 1 1/2 behind Chicago, Cincy is in third with a 9-9 record, followed by the Brewers and Cards (8-10) and Bucs (7-10).

The NL West is the only division besides the AL East in which things are going as expected. This was assumed to be baseball's toughest division. It is. The Giants have won 2 of 3 in every series except one, to put them atop the heap with an 11-7 record. But the Rockies (10-8) and Dodgers (10-9) are breathing right down their necks, and Arizona (8-10) is only 3 games behind. These are the four teams in this division that were expected to contend, and, especially with the unbalanced schedule, the should close race should continue. Only the Padres (7-11) are probably out of the race already.

So, how about those Cubs? Just before the season began, their was a little riff in Baseball Weekly in which Don Baylor said there was a different spirit in the clubhouse this year, especially with the return of Kerry Woods. Let's make no mistake, as with the Twins, it is the Cubs pitching that is keeping them afloat, although Slammin' Sammy and his 6 homers and 18 RBI don't hurt. But the Cubs are batting a measly .246, 10th in the league and are 11th in runs scored with 76. But they have only given up 59 runs, 53 of them earned, which gives them a 2.96 ERA, best in the NL. They also have struck out 161 batters in 160 innings.

Sosa has been around .250 despite his power display, and only newcomer Bill Mueller (.329) and a revived Rondell White (.328; 7 trips to the DL in the past six seasons) are hitting well. They both have 3 homers and 6 RBI.

The starters are a bunch of veterans who all seem determined to finally have their career year, and have it the same year as their fellow starters. Kevin Tapani (3-0, 0.96) was 19-9 three years ago and at 37 is the old master of the staff (134-111 lifetime). 14-24 the past two years, many thought it was time to stick the proverbial fork in him to see if he was done. Apparently not. Julian Tavarez (2-0, 1.11) was part of the great Cleveland dynasty of the early '90s but has roamed around the past half decade. Furthermore, he has always been a reliever until this year. Jon Lieber (1-1, 3.00) has been the Cubs' inning eater the past two years, the kind of guy that makes you think, "Jeez, if only he were on a good team..." Maybe he finally is. Jason Bere is 3-0, 3.52 and may at last live up to the high hopes the cross town White Sox once had for him, especially after he went 12-2 in 1994. And then there is the young stud, Kerry Wood, apparently completely recovered from last year's surgery. Although he is only 0-1, his ERA is 3.52 and he has yet to give up more than three earned runs in any start.

Do the Cubs have enough hitting to stay in the hunt? Perhaps. They do have Hundley and Eric Young, who haven't done much yet, but probably will. If the veteran staff can keep pitching like they have and a couple more guys can step up at the plate, they just might remain in the race, maybe even win it. But I wouldn't count the Cards, Astros or even the Reds out yet.

NOTES

LEADERS

TEAMS: Texas leads the AL in hitting (.298), OBP (.374), Slugging (.517) and Runs (125). The Yankees, of all teams, lead the AL with 19 steals.

INDIVIDUALS

BATTING AVERAGE. AL: M. Ramirez, Bos, .417; Giambi, Oak, .413; D. Ortiz, Minn, .389; Konerko, Chi, .373; Stewart, Tor, .373.

NL: Pujols, StL, .375; L. Walker, Col., .369; Aurillia, SF, .361; Berkman, Hou., .348; Darr, SD, .339

HOMERS. AL: Delgado, Tor, 10; Quinn, KC, 8; Daubach, Bos, 7; J. Gonzales, Clv, 7; O'Neill, NY, 7.

NL: L. Gonzales, Az, 11; l. Walker, Col, 9; Bonds, SF, 8; R. Sanders, Az, 7; Sheffield, LA, 7

OBP. AL: Giambi, Oak, .554; M. Ramirez, Bos, .500; D. Ortiz, Minn, .476; E. Martinez, Sea, .476; Delgado, Tor, .472

NL: Larkin, Cin. .449; Biggio, Hous., .449; Burnitz, Mil, .446; Sheffield, LA, .439; J. Bell, Az, .438.

WINNERS; Radke, Minn, 4; Oliver, Tex, 4. LOSERS: Heredia, Mercir, Oak, 4; Armas, Mon, 4.

Strikeouts, ML: P. Martinez, Bos, 44; W. Miller, Hou. 40; R. Johnson, Az, 39; Schilling, Az, 38; Wood, ChiN, 32