Game on!

Welcome to the second half!

Hoboken took no time to get back in the swing of things, opening up with a giant-sized can of Whoop-ass® on Arkansas. The Cutters crushed the Falcons 11-4 in the first game thanks to a huge game from Hanley Ramirez (5-6, 4 runs) and Chris Duncan (3-4, 6 RBIs, HR). Jarrod Washburn notched his 10th win of the season. Game 2 featured more of the same, as the Cutters pounded out a 9-5 victory. This time it was Geoff Jenkins with the big game (3-4, 4 RBIs, 2 HRs).

D.C. and Las Vegas made a trade yesterday. D.C. parted with Matt Holliday, prospect Alex Gordon, and their first round pick in 2008 for reliever Chris Ray, first baseman Derrek Lee, and third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. It's a bit of a strange trade. D.C. already has one of the better pens in the league with Papelbon and Nathan both having great years, so it's unclear how Ray will fit in there. Zimmerman is an upgrade over Mike Lamb on that side of the platoon, but Esteban German has been crushing lefties this year. Derrek Lee, who will miss the 2007 DMBL season, will probably be an upgrade over Overbay next year, but how much? Lee's power numbers seem down in rehab so far. Holliday seems like a large price to pay for a deal that only marginally upgrades D.C. this year and only marginally upgrades them next year. Meanwhile, Las Vegas still believes in struggling prospect Alex Gordon, who can't seem to get on the right side of the Mendoza line in AAA.

Because of the special All-Star This Week in DMBL, there will be no edition this week. Next week's installment will feature players of the week from the two week span. New editions may possibly come on Sundays instead of Mondays from now on.