All-Star Snubs

Well, not everyone's going to make the All-Star teams, and if these guys made it, another worthy player might have to be taken off the list, but these lists are still fun to make. Here's a look at the top five snubs from each team:

Morris Division

1) Justin Morneau, ARK - Morneau fell victim to Albert Pujols' equally impressive 2007 season and his popularity, but Morneau had a bit of a claim to the spot as well. Morneau is seventh in batting average (.333), ninth in slugging (.633), tied for sixth in RBI (66), tied for seventh in home runs (25) and ninth in OPS (1.024). Of course it didn't help him that Pujols was on top of him most of those categories, but maybe Morneau will be better remembered next season.

2) Erik Bedard, PHI - Bedard was *this close* to making the team this year. A tiebreaker sent D.C.'s Derek Lowe instead, but Bedard was just as worthy. Bedard is 8-3 (10th) with a 3.40 ERA (5th) for the first-place Endzone Animals. His 87 strikeouts in 98 innings is not too shabby either.

3) Greg Maddux, VAN - The old man can still pitch. Maddux is having a bit of a resurgence this year, but his lack of decisions has hurt his chances. Maddux is only 5-2 in 13 games so far this year, but his 3.39 ERA is good for fourth in the league and he's only allowed 11.3 runners per 9 innings (4th) and he leads the league in walks per nine innings (1.2). Maddux is also fourth in quality start percentage (.692).

4) Rocco Baldelli, CAR - Throughout his career, Baldelli has struggled to stay healthy, but now that he has, he is fulfilling the promise that many saw for his career. Baldelli is batting .310 on the season with 18 homers, 52 RBI, 58 runs scored, 6 steals, and an .868 OPS.

5) Scott Proctor, PHI - These guys always get overlooked, but Proctor, along with D.C.'s Joe Nathan and South Boston's Brandon League could have easily found a spot on the roster. Proctor may have been the best of the bunch. The Philly righthander has allowed only 32 baserunners in 50.1 innings and struck out 41, while compiling a 1.61 ERA. Proctor also has a 7-0 record, good enough for fourth on his team in victories!

Hanover Division

1) Mark Teahen, NWK - Newark is certainly well-represented on the team, but Teahen could have easily been another candidate. Teahen is batting .324 with a .988 OPS, 20 HRs, 66 RBIs and 62 runs scored. We won't feel too bad since Newark has eight representatives, we wont' feel too bad about it.

2) Josh Bard, HBK - Bard is having a great season as Hoboken's catcher/DH. So far, Bard has a .321 average, 50 RBI, and a .850 OPS. Bard would have liked to back up starter Joe Mauer, but Bard will have to wait one more year.

3) Gary Matthews, SAR - Matthews is the heart and soul of the Sardine City offense. So far he leads the team in average (.319), runs (41) and triples (5). Matthews also has 35 RBIs, 18 doubles, and a .832 OPS. Given the way Sardine City's offense has started though, it's understandable that the voters might have overlooked Matthews.

4) Jeff Francis, HON - Overshadowed by the more successful Jason Schmidt and the hot prospect, Jered Weaver, Jeff Francis has been having a great year for the Sharks and is one of the reasons the team is successful this year. Francis has accumulated a 10-3 record to go along with his 3.87 ERA. His low K total might turn off voters (49 in 109.1 innings), but you can't argue with the results.

5) Mike Mussina, MAR - Along with Scott Kazmir from Hoboken, these two are likely victims of poor win-loss records that voters love. Mussina, who is only 6-6 for Marietta, has a decent 4.06 ERA, but he has 98 strikeouts in 104 innings and has excellent peripheral numbers (1.6 BB/9, 11.5 R/9, 5.2 K:BB) indicating Moose may be in for a strong second half.

Plenty of more All-Star news and info is coming in a special edition of This Week in the DMBL tonight!

Reyes = triple threat

D.C. pounded on the Sugar Bears and suddenly the defending champions seem almost mortal. The Bushslappers won by a 13-4 score. Jose Reyes was 4-5 with another triple and 3 RBIs. Reyes now has a Deion Sanders-esque six triples in his last seven games and is now second in the league with 11 triples. Marietta's Wes Helms still leads the league with 13 three-baggers.

Honolulu and Vancouver slugged it out and the Sharks came out victorious with a 13-11 victory. Former Iron Fist Torii Hunter was 4-4 with 3 home runs and 6 RBIs. Both starters were chased early and Vancouver lost reliever Brian Sweeney for two weeks to injury. Kenny Rogers recorded his first career save after the Honolulu pen was spent. While the Sharks were scoring aplenty, the top of the order went a combined 0-17.

Carolina edged Sardine City 5-3 yesterday, but they lost starting second baseman Jose Vidro for two weeks. Mark Grudzielanek will take over. Rocco Baldelli hit his 18th homer of the season - easily a career best. In fact, Baldelli had 19 career homers in two years in the DMBL entering this season. Brian Fuentes picked up his 16th save.

Today are the last games before the All-Star Break. Rosters will be announced later today.

Mighty Michael Young

The Mudcats ended Newark's 11 game winning streak yesterday behind the power of Rocco Baldelli. Baldelli hit two homers and drove in four to help the Cats stop the Sugar Bears 7-4. Starter Carlos Zambrano was shaky despite the 6-2 lead handed him. Zambrano walked nine in 4.2 innings, though he only allowed two hits. The bullpen, which had been so awful just one night earlier, proceeded to shut down the Sugar Bears. Almost all of the culprits from Tuesday's debacle contributed to the victory - David Weathers got the W and Scott Linebrink got the save, while Fuentes had to settle for a hold.

Vancouver's Michael Young decided to put his team on his back and carry them to victory singlehandedly. Young was 2-4 with 2 homers and drove in all 6 runs for the Fist, including a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth to give the team the lead. "I'm sick and tired of these chumps not hitting" said Young after the game. Vancouver only managed five hits in the game. Starter Greg Maddux, who pitched seven solid innings but got a no-decision, now stands at 2991 innings in his career.

Things got wild in Hoboken yesterday as the Cutters eked out a 12-11 victory over New Jersey. The Cutters got off to a quick 8-0 lead after three, but the Buddahs were not done. Team Buddah scratched and clawed to bring the lead down to 8-7, but the Cutters scored three more in the bottom of the seventh to open up an 11-7 lead. The Buddahs then rallied in the top of the eighth to tie the game at 11. After holding the Buddahs in the top of the ninth, the Cutters looked to be in position to win the game after two straight singles to lead off the ninth. But Mike Cameron hit into a double play, clouding the chances for the Cutters. Omar Vizquel came through, however, and singled in the winning run. Ichiro had his second straight 4-hit game and Mike Piazza also had four hits and moved into ninth place all-time with his 1942nd career hit.

First round of cuts

As the preseason winds down, several teams have started to make their cuts. Marietta let go of Gavin Floyd. Arkansas released several extra pitchers and two outfielders that they picked up only three days ago. Vancouver cut ties with Marcus Giles, a former Listach award winner. Only a few teams are at the 30-player limit, so expect more cuts in the next week.

Falcon catcher Chris Coste has gotten off to a hot start. Coste had a 4-5 day against Vegas yesterday and is now batting .386 on the preseason.

Speaking of the Arkansas-Vegas game, Falcon starter Ervin Santana pitched 10 solid innings, but ZERO strikeouts!! It's strange that a pitcher would go what amounts to a whole game without even one punchout, but it happened again. This time it was John Lackey against Arkansas. Nine innings, one run, but again, no strikeouts! It took Hoboken's Boof Bonser to show Lackey and Santana how it's done. Against Newark, Bonser pitched a complete game 2-hit shutout, with 11 Ks.

Only a few days after his last flirtation, Carolina's Rocco Baldelli again was one homer shy of the cycle! Baldelli was 3-4 with 3 RBIs against South Boston.

Some more pitching gems: DC's rookie hurler Anibel Sanchez pitched a complete game shutout, surrendering only 3 hits against Hillsborough. Philly's Brandon Webb pitched a 4-hit shutout of Vancouver.

New Jersey's Jack Wilson drove in 5 RBIs against fellow rookie team, Sardine City.

Day of Almost Cycles

The Hoboken Cutters won twice in extra innings yesterday. This despite the defensive deficiency of Hanley Ramirez. Ramirez had one error in the first game and another two in the second, giving him nine errors on the pre-season. The Cutters plan on playing a few games of "pepper" before game time today, hopefully giving Ramirez a chance to improve. Teammate and longtime Cutter Geoff Jenkins said it might be the result of a practical joke gone wrong. "It's part of our rookie hazing" said Jenkins. "We put some sulfuric acid on the glove the first game and he burned his hand a little. I think he's a little afraid of his glove now...the big pussy."

Sardine City's Raul Ibanez was one single away from hitting for the cycle against Hillsborough. Ibanez hit a double in the second inning, flied out in the fourth, hit a triple in the sixth and homered in the eighth. "If I had known that, I wouldn't have flied out in my second atbat" said Ibanez. Meanwhile, Carolina's Rocco Baldelli also almost hit the cycle, but needed a slighly harder to achieve home run. However, Baldelli did go 4-4 in the game. Baldelli has been trying to return from injuries that kept him out all last year.

Marietta's Jim Thome hit two homers in his game against Philly. Thome is also trying to return from a season lost to injury last year.

Vancouver's Fernando Nieve turned in another impressive start yesterday against Newark. Nieve pitched eight innings and allowed only three hits and one unearned run. "If he keeps this up, we might have to find a place for him in the rotation" said manager Darren Daulton. Nieve is considered a longshot to make the final roster.

Hillsborough's Juan Pierre swiped three bases against Vancouver catcher Victor Martinez to take over the league lead in stolen bases with five. Pierre and several other Hitmen have been given the green light to run as often as they can.

Another impressive Marietta Mighty Man rookie pitcher: Jeremy Sowers turned in a complete game win against Las Vegas, surrendering only one run and seven hits, but no strikeouts.

A Jaret Wright vs. Josh Beckett pitchers' duel? Must be spring training.