Pena, Cook, take honors

We'll have more on the trades as the dust settles later, but for now we're going to jump right into the Players of the Week...

Last season, Carlos Pena fulfilled a lot of the hype that he never lived up to. After 3 seasons spent as a bit player on three different teams, Las Vegas made Pena their number one pick in 2008. Pena went on to smack 53 home runs and drive in 137 runs with a 1.025 OPS. In 2009, Pena isn't enjoying the same monster year, but he's putting up a very good .274/.423/.557 line with 23 homers and 64 RBIs. This week, Pena takes the JR Cigars Smokin' Batter of the Week prize. Pena batted .474 with a 1.545 OPS, 3 homers, 5 runs and 8 RBIs.

Other top batters: Arkansas' Lance Berkman (.458/.500/1.042, 10 RBI, 4 HR), Newark's J.D. Drew (.393/.452/.857, 3 HR, 10 RBIs), Sardine City's B.J. Upton (.425/.581/.696) and Ryan Braun (.467/.500/.633), Marietta's Adrian Gonzalez (.364/.462/.773, 3 HR), and Hoboken's Marlon Byrd (.407/.467/.741, 8 R).

Aaron Cook has had a bit of a rough season this year with the Cutters. Despite his 9-7 record, he has a 5.47 ERA and 1.73 WHIP. It's about on par with his season from last year when he went 9-12 with a 5.72 ERA and 1.56 WHIP. But this week, cook was an All-Star. In his two starts, Cook went 2-0 with an 0.61 ERA and 0.82 WHIP in 14.2 innings. Good enough to earn the Falling Sand Pitcher of the Week Award.

Other notables: D.C.'s Erik Bedard (0-0, 2.13, 0.95 WHIP, 17 K), Newark's Randy Johnson (2-0, 2.02, 1.35 WHIP, 13 K), Blue Ridge's Ted Lilly (1-0, 2.08, 1.08) and Adam Wainwright (0-1, 2.57, 0.86) and Marietta's Ryan Dempster (0-0, 2.53, 1.41).

Rats send Hitmen sleeping with the fishes

The Rats finally put the Hitmen away yesterday. The two teams battled it out and it was pretty close for a while. Carlos Pena, hitting a homer in all four post-season games, hit a solo dinger in the 2nd to start the scoring. Aubrey Huff countered with one of his own to tie the game up in the 3rd. Pena got things started again in the 4th with a double. Justin Verlander gifted the Rat Pack with a run, by first balking Pena over to third, then scoring him on a wild pitch. In the 8th with the score 3-2 in favor of the Rats, Carlos Pena, once again, hit a double that scored Ichiro. Vlad Guerrero followed up with a 2-run single that broke the game wide open for Vegas. Carlos Lee hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 8th to make the score 6-4. Carlos Marmol retired the Hitmen in order to pick up the save and send the Hitmen to the golf course.

Las Vegas will now take on Vancouver starting Tuesday. Philadelphia and Newark will battle on Monday.

Vegas regains control

Las Vegas may have ceded the home field advantage after their loss Monday, but they got it right back after yesterday's victory. The Rats' Carlos Pena homered in his third straight game - a 2-run homer in the 7th. Also, Ichiro was 3-5 with a triple for the Rats. Meanwhile, Josh Beckett pitched 7 quality innings, limiting the Hitmen to only 5 hits, 1 walk and 2 runs, while striking out 6. The Rats will try to ice the Hitmen tonight in Hillsborough.

Remember this year we will start awards voting earlier. Take the time to vote for your top 6 pitchers and top 6 batters, as well as the top 3 rookies of the year. Phil Plantier has posted a handy-dandy guide to this year's top rookies, for those who don't know who's eligible.

Philly, Vegas stomp the competition

Philly leaves for D.C. after taking a firm hold on their series with the Bushslappers. The Endzone Animals left no doubt after shutting down the Slapper bats 4-1 on Saturday then 7-2 on Sunday. Brandon Webb pitched 8 innings and allowed only one run on 5 hits, then Matt Cain won the battle of the rhyming starters (vs. John Maine) by pitching 7 innings of 4-hit ball, allowing only 2 runs and 3 walks. Maine tried in vain to best Cain, but was slain to no gain...or something like that. The series picks up again on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Vegas took a firm stand in week one against their arch-nemesis Hillsborough with a 9-0 pounding of the Hitmen. A.J. Burnett pitched 7 innings of 2-hit, shutout ball, striking out 11. Meanwhile, Matt Holliday led the team with 3 RBIs and Carlos Pena hit a double and a homer. Game two is later today.

Shakeup in Hillsborough

The Hillsborough Hitmen shook up their roster yesterday after mediocre results in the first two weeks of the season. The Hitmen placed injured first baseman Dmitri Young on the disabled list and released Ryan Spilborghs and Bengie Molina. Spilborghs was 1-9 in four games and Molina was 1-10. The Hitmen picked up outfielder Ryan Ludwick, cut from Vancouver's roster before the season started to take Young's place. Former South Boston Gang backstop Ramon Hernandez was signed to take over catching duties, and DMBL veteran Mike Cameron will take over in the outfield.

Carlos Pena's 4 RBIs led the Rat Pack to a decisive 11-3 victory over the Plunkers. Tampa starter Jered Weaver was pounded for 7 runs in 1.1 innings. Every player in the Rat Pack lineup got at least one hit, and only two of them didn't have at least two. Starter Chris Young and reliever Francisco Rodriguez combined for 16 strikeouts in the game.

Philadelphia's 8-game winning streak came to an end at the hands of fraternal rival Carolina, 5-1 yesterday. Tim Hudson held the Animals to one run and four hits in 8.1 innings. Paul Konerko, subbing in for injured Ryan Garko, got his first hit of the season - a two-run homer in the fifth of Johan Santana.

Fausto Carmona rebounded from injury and a putrid start with a solid outing against Team Buddah yesterday. The Straphangers routed the Buddahs by a 10-4 margin. Kevin Youkilis hit a three run homer and Ryan Theriot hit a bases-loaded triple to lead the Sardine City offense.