Don't look now, but here comes the old reliables' (The Yankees and The Braves). In New York, after all the talk of Torre and the coaching staff being on the hot seat, and the team needing to makes this move or that one (this is an all star lineup already, right?), it is now becoming a two team race again in the AL East. It'll come down to the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, like it always does.
In Atlanta, the Braves limped into the break, losing their last two vs. Milwaukee. But, help is on the way. Look for Tim Hudson and Mike Hampton to be back in the fold by the end of the month. I've gotta favor the Braves if they get into a "heads up" with Washington in September.

Well, in case you guys didn't know before, David Wells is STILL a jerk. Anyone who compares a guy holding a TV camera within a ten foot vicinity of a Major League ballplayer to sexual assault of a woman is badly out of bounds. Kenny Rogers was no victim in this case, glad he decided to apologize. Hopefully, he will get the anger management help he needs.

The Florida Marlins continue to underachieve and disappoint. Good timing for the Cubs, who go into the All Star Break on a high notes. Now that the whispers for Dusty Baker's job have lowered, I'm starting to hear the calls for Jack McKeon to step down. Considering his age and the fact that he has already accomplished what he set out to do (a World Series Title in 2003), he will probably step aside at the end of the year, or sooner.

With the news that Toronto Ace Roy Halladay will be out for at least a month with a fractured tibia, coupled with the fact that the Red Sox and Yankees are both red hot, look for the Blue Jays to consider becoming a seller towards the trade deadline. I don't see them holding a fire sale, but Miguel Batista and Ted Lilly could be had for the right asking price



About the Author
john onan is sports writer/moderator for the online players union (www.theopu.com) and a football contributor for www.realfootball365.com
he can be reached at nay7201@mail.com