Toronto's Halladay is the wild card for teams looking to gain an edge in the season's second half
Monday Extra: Baseball holding a parity party
As we hit the All-Star break, it's remarkable to see the parity in baseball. There are legitimately 21 teams in contention for either a division championship or wild card berth, leaving only nine on the outside looking in.
Who's out at this point? Our list shows the Blue Jays, Orioles, Royals, Indians, Athletics, Nationals, Pirates, Diamondbacks and Padres. And until last week, that list didn't include the Jays or Pirates.
More on parity: There hasn't been a repeat World Series champion in this decade and the Red Sox (2004 and 2007) are the only team to even win two. There's been 10 different National League representatives in the last 11 years (only the Cardinals have gone twice). That bodes well for Joe Torre's Dodgers, who haven't won an NL pennant since 1988.
And what a story October could bring. How about the Dodgers bringing Manny Ramirez back to Fenway? Or how about Torre taking a team into the new Yankee Stadium? Safe to say Fox would sign up for either of those scenarios.
The Phillies, of course, figure to have something to say about that as they try to become the NL's first repeat World Series champion since the Big Red Machine went back-to-back in 1975-76. They've already fired one salvo by closing in on a free agent deal with Pedro Martinez.
And there's a big fish out there to be reeled in that could tip the balance of power even more in the Phils' phavor.
When Toronto General Manager J.P. Ricciardi came out last week and said it was possible that ace Roy Halladay could be available at the trade deadline, the phone lines and blogospheres around baseball instantly starting burning up. Halladay is owed $15.75 million next year and becomes a free agent after the 2010 season.
You figure anybody trying to make a deal for him will be interested in getting a long-term extension done. Most people assume Ricciardi will not trade the franchise's most beloved player within the division to the Yankees or Red Sox. But there are other logical candidates.
The Phillies seem to be at the top of the list. They could use an ace to take some of the heat off Cole Hamels and aging Jamie Moyer, as well as save stress on the bullpen. And they have lots of prospects to deal as you have to believe the Jays are going to want a Bartolo Colon-type deal (the Indians got Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee and Brandon Phillips from Montreal for their ace in 2002).
Who else might be in the Halladay hunt?
Nolan Ryan is exerting more influence with the Rangers now and loves how Halladay is an absolute horse on the mound. The Angels have lots of prospects to deal. The Brewers already struck a similar deal last year with CC Sabathia and you wonder if they might try it again. The Cardinals could get involved. How would Halladay look in San Francisco with Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum? Or in his hometown of Denver?
Tough dilemma for the Jays. No playoffs since 1993 and no apparent hope this year after a 27-14 start because of a brutal record against the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays.
Who else might go?
The Indians have a similar situation with Lee that the Jays have with Halladay. Do they deal him now and try to get a boatload of prospects, or hang on to him and risk losing him for nothing after 2010? And if you trade Lee — or, for that matter, Victor Martinez — are you telling your fans you're toast this year and next year, too?
Teams needing a bat
(Meet the Mets, Greet the Mets) will certainly be looking at either Oakland's Matt Holliday, Washington's Adam Dunn or perhaps Toronto's Alex Rios as trade targets. The Red Sox are known to covet Martinez, who can catch and play first base.
The Orioles might be willing to part with Aubrey Huff and Brian Roberts. See if the Astros stay close enough to make a run or decide they can deal Miguel Tejada. And perhaps Nomar Garciaparra could help a contender rather than doing nothing of note in Oakland.
The Pujols watch
No one has won a Triple Crown since Carl Yastrzemski did it for the Red Sox in 1967. No one has done it in the NL since Ducky Medwick pulled the trifecta for the Cardinals in 1937. This could be the year.
Cardinals fans will have one eye on the NL Central standings and the other on Albert Pujols' stats. Pujols hit the break fourth in the NL in batting average at .337 and leads the league in home runs (32) and RBIs (87).
Skippers in trouble
The Indians gave old friend Eric Wedge a vote of confidence for the rest of the season. Unless they have a big second half, it may be Wedge's last half season after seven years at the helm.
Have to wonder how long Jerry Manuel will last in New York, or if the Mets give him a Sabres-style mulligan because of all their injuries. The Nationals are headed for 100-plus losses in what has to be Manny Acta's final season. Cecil Cooper could be in trouble in Houston.
You have to wonder about Ron Gardenhire in Minnesota. And the talk keeps building that Lou Piniella is losing his fire in Chicago as the Cubs look destined to make it 101 years and counting with no championships.
Mark your calendars
The schedule makers don't have much sense for drama in the AL East. The Yankees and Red Sox meet just three times in September, in Yankee Stadium on Sept. 25-27. They play seven times in August, four in the Bronx (Aug. 6-9) and three in Fenway (Aug. 21-23).
Things are dramatically different elsewhere:
• The Angels and Rangers meet seven times in the season's final 2 1/2 weeks (four in Anaheim).
• The Cardinals and Brewers meet nine times starting Sept. 1 — including the final three days of the season in St. Louis.
• The Marlins close with three games in Philly.
• The Dodgers and Giants have home-and-home three-game sets in mid-September.
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