Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.You Oughta Know ...
That it's probably going to take some time to sort out the NL wild-card race. The Rockies, 34-15 since the beginning of June, are two games up on a mass of teams, including the Giants, the team they beat Sunday and the team that was leading the race just a few weeks ago.
There are six teams within five games of the wild-card lead, the same number of clubs that are more than five out, and it's hard to ignore any of them. The Cardinals, trailing Colorado by 2 1/2 games, added Matt Holliday on Friday, for example. And the Braves, who made a big trade of their own in acquiring Nate McLouth from the Pirates, have won eight of 11 since the All-Star break.
Atlanta took two of three from a Brewers team that is five games out over the weekend, and appears to be brimming with optimism.
"Confidence. I think everybody's really stepped up their confidence level, everybody's been playing so good," [Kelly] Johnson said. "It's also like a swagger, it's just a feeling being in the clubhouse. Everybody's a little louder, having a little more fun. Things like that. You can really tell."Buckle up, folks. It's not even August, but this race could involve more than two teams and go right down to the wire.
From the Trainer's Room ...
The Reds were swept in their second consecutive series, and, as Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News observes, are falling apart at the seams because of injuries. Pitcher Jared Burton went on the disabled list before Sunday's loss to Chicago. Fellow pitcher Micah Owings and right fielder Chris Dickerson could join him there soon.
Owings exited Sunday's game after three innings with tightness in his shoulder and Dickerson dinged his right shoulder on a diving catch.Numbers Game ...
John Smoltz fell to 1-4 on the season and saw his ERA rise to 7.04 in a 6-2 loss to the Orioles. Not quite the numbers the Red Sox were hoping for when they gambled on the veteran this winter, but there are few obvious explanations for the struggles. Smoltz certainly doesn't seem to have lost his touch, having struck out 28 and walked just five in 30 2/3 innings on the year.
"I'd walk away from the game right now if I didn't think I could do what I can do," Smoltz said. "There's no thought in my head of that right now."In Their Own Words ...
"It's all about staying together and protecting your teammates. If he did [hit Hudson on purpose], that showed me he took care of his teammate." -- Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez on teammate Burke Badenhop, who was ejected from Florida's 8-6 win over the Dodgers for plunking L.A. second baseman Orlando Hudson. Ramirez, who was hit by Jeff Weaver earlier in the game, complained last month about the lack of retaliation by Marlins pitchers this season.
Advance Scouting ...
If the Rays want to make a run in the AL East, Monday night would be a good time to start. The reigning American League champions will host a three-game series with the division-leading Yankees (7:08 PM ET), sending right-hander James Shields to the mound against A.J. Burnett. Tampa Bay is 6 1/2 games back of New York in the standings.
