Professional baseball rankings -- Week 20

*Number 1 -- SEATTLE MARINERS-(89-35) -- The Mariners beat the New York Yankees two out of three in New York this weekend, and they beat Boston two out of three in Boston, this past week. Seattle is 40-18 when playing at home and 49-17 on the road. In other words, they win wherever they play. They slaughtered the Yankees Sunday, 10-2. Outfielder John Cameron hit two homeruns and drove in eight runs to tie a franchise record. The original record of eight RBI's in a game by a Mariner was set in 1986 by Alvin Davis, and later matched by Mike Blowers, in 1995. Seattle leads the majors in runs scored with 723. Seattle is 17-0-4 in road series.

*Number 2 -- OAKLAND ATHLETICS-(72-52-) -- The Athletics are 28-9 since All-Star break. They swept the Chicago White Sox this weekend in Chicago. Jermaine Dye hit his 18th homerun of the season in a 8-7 win over White Sox Sunday. He went 2-3 with four RBI's and a double. Jeremy Giambi hit his 10th homerun and catcher Ramon Hernandez his eighth. Oakland leads the A.L. in team pitching with an ERA of 3.75.

*Number 3 -- NEW YORK YANKEES--(73-51) -- Newly acquired pitcher Sterling Hitchcock, formerly of San Diego, improves to 2-2 with the Yankees, with a 12-5 win over Tampa Bay Thursday. Paul O'Neill hit his 18th homerun, which was a grand slam, and David Justice hit his 14th. Pitcher Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez is expected back from the DL this Tuesday. Pitcher Roger Clemons wins Wednesday 10-3 over Tampa Bay. He is now 16-1. His ERA is 3.46. He is the first major league pitcher to go 16-1 since Baltimore's Dave McNally did it in 1969.

*Number 4 -- ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS-(72-51) -- The Diamondbacks have won nine games in a row. They swept the Chicago Cubs this weekend at home. Pitcher Randy Johnson improved to 17-5 with 5-3 win over Chicago Saturday. Johnson struckout 10. His ERA is 2.35. Luis Gonzalez hit his 46th homerun in that contest. Pitcher Curt Schilling won his major league leading 18th game Wednesday, against Pittsburgh, in 5-2 win. Arizona leads the Giants in the N.L. West by two and a half games.

*Number 5 -- HOUSTON ASTROS-(71-53) -- The Astros lead the N.L. Central by two games over the Chicago Cubs. Houston has won four in a row. They beat Pittsburgh on Sunday, 10-2. Pitcher Roy Oswalt improves his record to 10-2 with the win. He pitched eight innings, striking out 10 and issuing no walks. His ERA is 3.13.

*Number 6 -- SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS-(70-54) -- The Giants have the best home record in N.L. with a record of 42-23. They lost two out of three this weekend to Atlanta at home, though they did salvage a game on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball, 4-1. Pitcher Jason Schmidt earned the win. He is 9-7 now. He had seven strikeouts in the game. First baseman Andres Galarraga knocked in two runs against his former team. Slugger Barry Bonds has 54 homeruns on the year. He's on pace to hit 71.

*Number 7 -- CLEVELAND INDIANS-(69-54) -- The Indians lead Minnesota by four-and-a-half games in the A.L. Central. The Indians defeated Anaheim Saturday, 4-2, behind the pitching of C.C. Sabathia. He is now 13-4 on the year. He had six strikeouts and his ERA is 4.33. Bob Wickman earned the save to give him 21 on the year. First baseman Jim Thome leads the A.L. in homeruns with 42.

*Number 8 -- St. Louis Cardinals--(68-55) -- The Cardinals have won 11 games straight. Mark McGwire knocked in four runs Sunday in 9-0 win over Philadelphia. McGwire had a double, but no homeruns. Pitcher Matt Morris was the winner. His record now stands at 16-7. His ERA is now 3.20. Rookie Albert Pujols leads team with 28 homeruns, 92 RBI's and 72 runs scored. Unbelievable!

>*Number 9 -- ATLANTA BRAVES--(68-55) -- Pitcher Greg Maddux and the Braves beat San Francisco Friday 2-1. His ERA is 2.84. He allowed no walks. The Braves lead Philadelphia by one game in N.L. East.

*Number 10 -- CHICAGO CUBS--(68-54) -- The Cubs beat Houston Wednesday, 5-1. Pitcher Jon Lieber earned the win to improve is record to 16-5. His ERA is 3.29. Slugger Sammy Sosa hit his 44th homerun in a losing cause to Arizona Sunday. Cubs lost 13-6.

*Number 11 -- LOS ANGELES DODGERS--(67-57) -- The Dodgers beat the New York Mets at home Friday 8-3. Pitcher Terry Adams, from my hometown of Mobile, Alabama, improves his record to 9-5. Outfielder Marquis Grissom hit his 18th homerun in that win. Gary Sheffield hit his 26th and knocked in four runs. Outfielder Shawn Green leads the team in homeruns with 37.

*Number 12 -- BOSTON RED SOX--(67-55) -- They trail the Yankees in the A.L. East by five games now. Manager Jimy Williams was fired Thursday and replaced by pitching coach Joe Kerrigan. Reports have it that former manager of the Montreal Expos, Felipe Alou, was offered the job first. Kerrigan wins his first game as manager against Seattle Thursday, 6-4. Nomar Garciaparra hit his fourth homerun of the year also. Dante Bichette hit his 11th. Manny Ramirez leads the team with 37 homeruns and in RBI's with 109.

*Number 13 -- PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES-(67-56) -- The Phillies defeat Milwaukee Wednesday, 8-6. Pitcher Omar Daal was the winner. He is 11-4 with an ERA of 4.59 now. Third baseman Scott Rolen hit his 15th homerun in that game.

*NUMBER 14 -- ANAHEIM ANGELS--(66-58) -- The Angels beat Cleveland Sunday, 4-1. Pitcher Jarrod Washburn earned the win. He is 11-6 on the year. He struckout seven and his ERA is 3.53. Closer Troy Percival earned his 35th save. Third baseman Troy Glaus hit his 33rd homerun in that game.

*NUMBER 15 -- MINNESOTA TWINS--(65-59) -- The Twins are dropping like a rock. They are 10-27 since the All-Star break. I can't believe they traded outfielder Matt Lawton for pitcher Rick Reed.

*NUMBER 16 -- SAN DIEGO PADRES--(61-62) -- The Padres beat Montreal Saturday, 4-3. Pitcher Bobby Jones improves his record to 8-14 with win. Not much improvement is it? Trevor Hoffman recorded his 31st save. Newly acquired Ray Lankford hit his 17th homerun. Mark Kotsay hit his ninth.

*Number 17 -- CHICAGO WHITE SOX-(60-62) -- They have lost three in a row. They beat Texas Thursday, 7-5. Pitcher Kip Wells won that game to improve his record to 8-9. Keith Foulke got the save. He now has 31 saves. Jose Canseco singled home the go ahead run in the seventh inning.

*Number 18 -- TORONTO BLUEJAYS--(58-66) - The Blue Jays win against Texas big Friday night, 11-3. Pitcher Esteban Loaiza earned the win. He is even at 9-9. His ERA is 5.16. First baseman Curtis Delgado hit his 35th homerun in that game. Jose Cruz Jr. hit his 22nd. Infielder Jeff Frye hit for the cycle in that game. He hit a ball for a double, but stopped at first so he could hit for the cycle. I'm against stuff like that. Run it out like your supposed too. Think of the team first, even in a rout.

*Number 19 -- FLORIDA MARLINS-(59-64) -- Pitching has fallen apart. The Marlins have lost seven in a row.

*Number 20 -- NEW YORK METS-(56-68) -- The Mets beat the Dodgers two out of three this weekend in Los Angeles, including on Sunday, 6-5. Pitcher Steve Trachsel improved his record to 7-11 with win. Catcher Mike Piazza hit two homeruns in the game to give him 29 for the year. He also had four RBI's. He has 73 RBI's for the season.

*Number 21 -- MILWAUKEE BREWERS-(53-68) -- The Brewers have won four in a row. They swept Cincinnati this weekend. Not really a big deal there. The Brewers won Friday 5-1. Jeromy Burnitz hit his 27th homerun in that game.

*Number 22 -- TEXAS RANGERS-(54-70) -- The Rangers won Sunday against Toronto 8-4. Alex Rodriquez hit his 37 homerun of the year and Rafael Palmeiro hit his 32nd. Mike Lamb hit his third in that win. It's a shame that a team with such a great offense, but no pitching, is 35 games out of first place in the A.L. West. They've allowed a major league leading 743 points to be scored on them.

*Number 23 -- COLORADO ROCKIES-(53-70) -- They lead the N.L. in hitting and look where they are -- 19 games out of first in the N.L. West and 21-37 when playing on the road. They did beat lowly Florida on Sunday, 6-5. Larry Walker hit his 31st homerun of the year. He's batting .350 with 101 runs batted in. Todd Helton is batting .335. He has 112 RBI's on the year.

*Number 24 -- MONTREAL EXPOS-(53-71) -- The Expos beat San Diego Sunday, 2-1. Pitcher Tony Armas Jr., improves his record to 9-11 with win. He had 10 strikeouts in 8-2/3 innings.

*Number 25 -- BALTIMORE ORIOLES-(53-71) -- They beat Boston two out of three this weekend. They won big Sunday, 13-7. David Segui hit his 10th homerun in that game. Cal Ripken Jr., went 2-5 with two RBI's. He has brought his batting average up to a respectable .275.

*Number 26 -- DETROIT TIGERS--(51-71) -- The Tigers beat Kansas City Sunday, 4-3. Pitcher Nate Cornejo wons his first for Detroit.

*Number 27 -- KANSAS CITY ROYALS-(50-74) -- The Royals beat Detroit Saturday, 8-4. Pitcher Jeff Suppan runs his record to 7-10 with win. Third baseman Joe Randa went 3-5 with two RBI's and his 26th double of the year. Raul Ibanez hit his 10th blast of the year. Mike Sweeney suspended 10 games for fight with Detroit's pitcher Jeff Weaver last week.

*Number 28 -- CINCINNATI REDS-(48-75) -- Pitcher Jose Rijo trys to make comeback. He pitched two scoreless innings Friday night in 5-1 loss to Milwaukee. That was his first major league appearance in six years. His last appearance was on July 18, 1995. He was the 1990 World Series MVP. He's had elbow problems bigtime.

*Number 29 -- PITTSBURGH PIRATES-(45-78) -- They have lost seven in a row. Brian Giles leads team in homeruns with 29.

*Number 30 -- TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS-(44-81) -- They actually beat Minnesota two out of three this weekend. They won Friday 9-4. Pitcher Tanyon Sturtze improved his record to 8-9 with win. He's their best pitcher.

See you at the game.