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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: Not a bad week for the best team in baseball. Adding Mark Teixeira was a stroke of brilliance, filling the need for a big bat and providing protection for Vladamir Guerrero in the lineup.  With Tex in the lineup, the Halos outscored their opponents 34-15 in their five wins this week. The offense is now averaging 6.5 runs since Teixeira came on board.

Lowlights of the Week: No team is perfect, as the Angels showed Sunday in New York. Despite Teixeira’s dramatic eighth inning go ahead grand slam against the Yanks, things completely fell apart in the bottom half of the inning. Three errors led to six runs in the inning for the Yankees. The Halos gave up 10 unearned runs in all, tying a franchise record. Not exactly the way you want to say goodbye to Yankee Stadium.

The Week ahead: Home stand continues with two more against the O’s before a Weekend series against the Yankees.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Highlights of the Week: Manny-mania has officially hit LA. The wacky left fielder made quite an impact at the Ravine this weekend after being acquired from the BoSox. He homered on both Saturday and Sunday against the D’backs, and helped the Blue split their four game set and remain one back of the division lead. In three games with LA, Ramirez is batting a staggering .615 (8-13) with two homers and five RBIs. Considering how well he’s swinging the bat, does he really need to cut his hair?

Lowlights of the Week: Juan Pierre isn’t happy with the outfield situation, and Dodgers fans shouldn’t be, either. Andre Ethier should be on the field with Manny and Matt Kemp.

The Week ahead: Manny-mania hits the road with a six game roadie against the Cardinals and Giants.              

This Week’s MLB Power Rankings (July 29-August 5) with the team’s current standings and their rise/fall since last Week’s rankings:

1. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (70-42) (no change): With the division title pretty much a given, its time for them to start working on securing home field throughout the playoffs.

2. Tampa Bay Rays (66-45) (no change): Their 43-16 home record is the best in the AL.

3. Chicago Cubs (67-46) (no change): A sweep in Milwaukee restored some order in the division.

4. Boston Red Sox (64-49) (no change): Jason Bay is a nice player, but the Sox will soon find out that he’s no Manny.

5. Minnesota Twins (62-50) (+3): Francisco Liriano’s return to the rotation will only strengthen their bid for a playoff berth.

6. Milwaukee Brewers (62-51) (no change): It’s never a good thing when guys on the same team are fighting each other in the dugout.

7. New York Yankees (61-51) (no change): The last thing they needed was Joba Chamberlain leaving a game with an apparent shoulder injury.

8. Chicago White Sox (61-49) (-3): Ozzie Guillen admitted that he sometimes tells his pitchers to throw at the opposition. What a surprise.

9. Philadelphia Phillies (61-50) (+1): They held off the Mets’ surge and are once again ruling the NL East.

10. St. Louis Cardinals (62-52) (-1): With the Brewers imploding in August once again, the Redbirds are in prime position to take over the Wild Card race.

11. Florida Marlins (59-53) (+1): Jorge Cantu (19 HR’s, 62 RBIs) has been a big lift for the Fish this season.

12. New York Mets (58-53) (-3): Just how serious is Billy Wagner’s injury? A second MRI should have the answer.

13. Texas Rangers (59-54) (+1): Don’t look now, but they sit only five games out of the Wild Card lead in the American League.

14. Los Angeles Dodgers (56-55) (+1): Brad Penny is set to make his return Friday against the Giants.

15. Arizona Diamondbacks (58-54) (+1): Mark Reynolds now has 23 homers and 73 RBI’s on the season despite a .251 batting average.

16. Detroit Tigers (55-56) (-3): Still hovering around .500, Jim Leyland’s boys don’t seem to have what it takes to put together a big run.

17. Toronto Blue Jays (56-56) (+1): Roy Halladay’s performance against the A’s just shows us how dominant he can be.

18. Baltimore Orioles (53-58) (+3): Aubrey Huff (.304 avg, 22 HR’s, 73 RBIs) is quitley putting together a great season.

19. Houston Astros (54-57) (+4): Not even Mother Nature can keep them from beating the Cubs again.

20. Colorado Rockies (51-63) (no change): Playoff contenders just don’t lose at home to teams like the Nats. That’s why this year the Rox aren’t in the playoff contender category.

21. Kansas City Royals (53-60) (+3): They are starting to make life difficult for some contenders in the AL.

22. Oakland Athletics (53-58) (-5): Seems like such a long time ago that this team was battling the Angels atop the AL West.

23. Cincinnati Reds (52-61) (-4): Adam Dunn survives another trade deadline!

24. Pittsburgh Pirates (51-61) (+2): Their best player heads out the door for more prospects.  Again.  Anyone wonser why these guys continue racking up losing seasons?

25. Atlanta Braves (61-51) (-3): Looks like they are starting another streak, this time of not making the playoffs.

26. Cleveland Indians (49-62) (-1): Cliff Lee looks like a lock for the AL Cy Young award.

27. San Francisco Giants (47-64) (no change): Tim Lincecum is one pitcher that the Dodgers and D’backs don’t want to see down the stretch.

28. Seattle Mariners (43-69) (no change): Last night’s win against the Twins, highlighted by a 10-run seventh inning, was something fans thought they would see a lot of this season.

29. San Diego Padres (43-69) (no change): Hey, at least the weather is nice.

30. Washington Nationals (42-70) (no change): First team to 70 losses on the season.  Finally, first in something.

Discuss:

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