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A quick recap of how the local teams fared this past week…

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Highlights of the Week: The offense is really starting to click, scoring over eight runs a game in their five wins this week. Jeff Mathis belted two homers and drove in nine runs, including a 4-5, six RBI effort last Wednesday against the Tribe. Torii Hunter has also been on fire since returning to the line up from a short bereavement leave. In his last four games, the Gold Glove center fielder has gone 7-15 (.466 avg.), smacked three home runs and has 10 RBIs.

Lowlights of the Week: None I can think of.

The Week ahead: Two more in Boston before a four game series in the Bronx against the Yankees.
Los Angeles Dodgers

Highlights of the Week: Casey Blake has been a nice addition since being acquired last Friday from Cleveland. In three games with the Blue, Blake has gone 4-10 with two doubles and three runs scored, and seems capable of providing a boost at third. Pitching, as usual, was what backed LA’s trio of wins on the week, all coming in a sweep of the Nationals. Derek Lowe went eight innings on Saturday and gave up only one hit, while Clayton Kershaw followed up with six shutout innings for his first career victory Sunday afternoon.           

Lowlights of the Week: Hiroki Kuroda has been a completely different pitcher since the All Star break, and that isn’t a good thing. Including last night’s clunker against the Giants, Kuroda has allowed 12 runs over his last 9.2 innings, and now sits a disappointing 5-8 for the year.

The Week ahead: Home stand continues with two more against the Giants before a gigantic four game series against the Diamondbacks.

This Week’s MLB Power Rankings (July 22-29) with the team’s current standings and their rise/fall since last Week’s rankings:

1. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (65-40) (no change): They suddenly can’t lose to the Red Sox.

2. Tampa Bay Rays (61-44) (+1): Can the magical season last for two more months and end in a division title?

3. Chicago Cubs (62-44) (-1): Letting a couple of games slip away late against the Marlins shows the value of a healthy Kerry Wood.

4. Boston Red Sox (61-46) (no change): Will Manny still be in Beantown when the trade deadline passes?

5. Chicago White Sox (59-45) (no change): Six of their next nine are against the Twins and Tigers.

6. Milwaukee Brewers (60-46) (+2): They might have lost a tough one last night against the Cubbies, but the electric atmosphere at Miller is a sign of what’s to come down the stretch.

7. New York Yankees (58-47) (+4): Losing Jorge Posada for the rest of the season is a blow.

8. Minnesota Twins (58-47) (-2): Expect this scrappy bunch to be in contention until the very end.

9. New York Mets (57-49) (+1): John Maine left last night’s game against the Marlins with stiffness in his shoulder. Not good.

10. Philadelphia Phillies (56-49) (-1): Adam Eaton (4-8, 5.80 ERA) heads down to the minors. Took them long enough.

11. St. Louis Cardinals (59-49) (-4): Getting swept over four games by the Brewers could be their undoing.

12. Florida Marlins (56-50) (no change): Anibal Sanchez is set to make his first start in 15 months on Thursday.

13. Detroit Tigers (53-52) (+2): Everytime you think they are gonna run off a big win streak, they put up a stinker like Monday night’s.

14. Texas Rangers (54-52) (no change): All-Star Michael Young could miss up to a week with a fractured finger.

15. Los Angeles Dodgers (52-53) (+1): The Blue just can’t seem to ever get over that .500 mark.

16. Arizona Diamondbacks (53-52) (+1): No team wants to see Brandon Webb (right), Dan Haren, and Randy Johnson in the playoffs.

17. Oakland Athletics (53-52) (-4): Is Billy Beane done dealing with only a couple of days left before the trade deadline?

18. Toronto Blue Jays (54-52) (no change): A.J. Burnett’s 10 K performance against the Rays basically ensured he’s sticking around beyond the trade deadline.

19. Cincinnati Reds (50-57) (no change): Looks like Adam Dunn will survive this years trade deadline… again.

20. Colorado Rockies (48-59) (+4): 9-2 in their last 11 games.  Here they go again.

21. Baltimore Orioles (50-55) (-1): Their win over the Angels snapped a strange streak of 15 consecutive Sunday losses.

22. Atlanta Braves (49-56) (-1): Chipper Jones and Tim Hudson are both heading to the DL.

23. Houston Astros (49-56) (-1): Last nights win improved Roy Oswalt’s career record against the Reds to 20-1.

24. Kansas City Royals (48-59) (-1): They can still play a big role down the stretch by being the spoiler team, the only thing they ever get to look forward to in KC.

25. Cleveland Indians (46-58) (no change): Which member of the Tribe will be the next to go?

26. Pittsburgh Pirates (49-57) (no change): Trading away Xavier Nady very well may not be the final move the Bucs make.

27. San Francisco Giants (44-61) (no change): John Bowker is leading the team with nine round trippers. I guess Barry Bonds took all the power with him when he left Frisco.

28. Seattle Mariners (40-65) (no change): Who knew that the Eric Bedard trade would be the first step towards a disastrous season.

29. San Diego Padres (42-65) (+1): Greg Maddux finally picked up win No. 351 last night against the Diamondbacks.

30. Washington Nationals (38-67) (-1): Explain to me why a new stadium was built for them?

Discuss:

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