=== Around the Majors - Wednesday, August 6 ===
By Eric Gold, MLB Editor
Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - To most people, the success of the Florida Marlins has been a surprise this season, but I truly believe they will be in the playoffs this year as the National League's wild card representative.
Entering play Wednesday night, the Marlins were in a dogfight with six other teams that are within 7 1/2 games of wild card-leader Philadelphia. However, I seriously think the Marlins will be the team to beat in September.
There are several factors for this reasoning. First, Florida has a solid underrated starting pitching staff that not only features the top NL rookie arm in Dontrelle Willis, but youngsters Mark Redman, Josh Beckett and Brad Penny are all reliable. Carl Pavano had a slow start this year, but he also has promise as his eight victories equal a career-best in a single season.
Redman, who already has three complete game this season, is three wins shy of his career-high of 12 set in 2000 with Minnesota. The lefthander's 2.92 ERA would easily be a career-best if the season ended today.
Beckett, who was sidelined earlier this season with an elbow problem, has rebounded nicely and has put together several quality starts recently.
It's obvious that Willis seems to be a leading candidate for NL Rookie of the Year and may even sneak in as the Cy Young Award winner also.
Second, Florida has consistently performed well at the plate this season and the team's .267 average is fourth-best in the National League. The team currently has three players hitting above .300 in Luis Castillo (.318), Ivan Rodriguez (.308) and Juan Pierre (.301). Mike Lowell, who has hit safely in 14 of his last 15 games, is the team-leader with 30 homers.
The third factor is one that a lot of teams do not have -- speed. The Marlins lead the majors with 123 stolen bases. Castillo, Rodriguez and Pierre have combined for 79 thefts. Steals aren't everything since the Tampa Bay Devil Rays are tops in the AL in that department. However, the Marlins disrupt other pitchers with hit and runs and constant movement on the basepaths.
Finally, the players seem to like Grandpa Jack as their manager. Since taking over the helm of the Marlins, Jack McKeon has led the club to a 45-29 mark. The 72-year-old McKeon, the 1999 NL Manager of the Year while with the Reds, has gained the respect of his players.
Florida's bullpen hasn't been especially strong this season, owning the sixth- worst ERA in the National League. However, acquiring Ugueth Urbina as a set-up man and having Braden Looper as a closer is bound to cause trouble for other teams. In fact, since coming over from the Rangers, Urbina's ERA is 0.77.
However, in the last eight games, the Marlins bullpen has pitched shutout baseball. In those games, relievers have allowed no runs on 10 hits with one walk and 17 strikeouts over 19 1/3 innings. The last reliever to allow a run was Looper on July 26 when Philadelphia's Jim Thome hit a three-run homer.
Entering play Wednesday night, the Marlins had won eight of their last 12 games on the road. However, the big problem for McKeon's club has been holding teams in check outside Pro Player Stadium. The club's 5.18 ERA on the road is fourth-worst in the NL.
The Phillies are currently in front in the wild card standings, but Larry Bowa's bullpen is in disarray and with Pat Burrell still in a slump, there's no telling if Philadelphia will be able to maintain its edge and hold off Florida. The Marlins have proven their worth, beating the Phillies eight consecutive times. Starting September 5, the Marlins will play their final 22 games against NL East opponents, including six against the Phillies.
KEEPING THE AL CENTRAL COMPETITIVE
It appears the Chicago White Sox aren't going to wilt in their pursuit for their first division title since 2000, as they have crawled within a game of the Kansas City Royals for first place in the AL Central.
On Wednesday, Jerry Manuel's club received an excellent pitching performance from Bartolo Colon in a 4-3 victory over the Royals at U.S. Cellular Field.
The White Sox received a big scare in the ninth inning when Carlos Beltran hit a three-run homer off Tom Gordon. However, Damaso Marte recorded the final two outs.
This is a race that could go down to the final day of the season, especially since seven of the final 10 games for both clubs are against each other. Wednesday's contest marked the last meeting between the clubs until September 19-21 in Chicago. The teams will also play a four-game series at Kauffman Stadium September 25-28.
Chicago has won seven of the last eight meetings.
"We look better off trying to win a division and not the wild card," White Sox slugger Frank Thomas said. "We seemed to have a late start, so our focus should be the division."
The pitching problems for the Royals are mounting. Kyle Snyder went on the 15- day disabled list Wednesday with tightness in his right shoulder. Jose Lima, who is 7-0 since being signed from the independent Atlantic League, is on the DL with a strained groin.
There's been talk of the Royals trying to sign veteran Kevin Appier, who was released by the Anaheim Angels earlier this year. Appier pitched for Kansas City from 1989-99.
Also, we can't count out the Minnesota Twins, who are barely behind the White Sox in the standings.
RELIEF ROLE REVERSAL
It's obvious the New York Yankees were eager to move reliever Armando Benitez, who was traded to the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday afternoon for relief pitcher Jeff Nelson. The Mariners received cash considerations in the deal, which came just six days after the non-waiver trading deadline.
This already marks the third team for Benitez this season, as he was traded from the Mets on July 16. Since his arrival in the Bronx, Benitez went 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA in nine games. That was a major improvement from his 3.10 ERA and seven blown saves for the Mets, although he did save 21 games for them.
Benitez, an All-Star this year, could be used as a set-up man or as a closer for the Mariners until Kazuhiro Sasaki returns from fractured ribs and a strained oblique muscle.
One positive for this in Seattle's terms is they're gaining years in the deal, as Nelson is 36 and Benitez is 30. However, Nelson, the Mariners' all-time leader in games pitched, gets an opportunity to return to the Yankees, as he pitched in pinstripes for five seasons with them (1996-2000) and was a member of four World Championship teams.
"He (Nelson) gives us that righthanded guy who can come out of the bullpen and get a righthander out like we have Jesse (Orosco) on the left side," said Yankees manager Joe Torre. "He gives us some more matchup opportunities. To me I think we have a lot more options going into the seventh and eighth innings."
Nelson, who was 3-2 with seven saves and a 3.35 ERA in 46 games this season, had blasted Seattle management for not making any moves at the July 31 trade deadline. Now he gets a chance to go back to a team rich in winning tradition.
"We certainly felt that Nellie was a good fit here, plus the fact that he's been here before," said Torre. "We've won with him here before, so there are a lot of questions that are already answered."
As for Benitez, he apparently never asked for a trade, but I'm sure with his past record of blown saves this season, Yankee fans aren't sad to see him leave New York.
"Hopefully it will be good for him too to kind of turn the page on New York, not that he asked for it because he hadn't," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said of Benitez. "We thank him for the short stint, but we look forward to Jeff Nelson coming in here and doing what he's done successfully for so long."
STAT OF THE WEEK
The Detroit Tigers, who have the worst record in the majors and are in danger of eclipsing their franchise-record of 109 losses, have a starting rotation that has been awful since the All-Star Game. Before the break, the Tigers starting staff had compiled an ERA of 4.82. However, since that time, Detroit's starters have posted a 9.00 ERA (84 runs in 84 innings) to push its overall ERA up to 5.39.
