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A.L. East

Sporting News, The, July 21, 2006

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

LF/1B Jeff Conine hit .303 in June, but the Orioles still are looking for an everyday left fielder. They have tried rookie IFs Brandon Fahey and Ed Rogers in left, but neither has the skill to hit for average or power in the majors. When David Newhan returns from the D.L., he will steal at-bats from Conine and OF Nick Markakis.... RHP Russ Ortiz will be a stopgap starter for the next few weeks while top pitching prospects LHP Adam Loewen and RHP Hayden Penn get ready for the majors. Loewen has thrived in his first few starts at Class AAA Ottawa and may be recalled soon. FIRST HALF GRADES: Offense: C Offseason moves helped in center field and at catcher, but holes remain in left field and at first base. Pitching: D Hampered by an erratic rotation, the team has the second-worst ERA in the A.L. Defense: B Baltimore ranks among league leaders in double plays and runners caught attempting to steal.--Spencer Fordin

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BOSTON RED SOX

When OF Wily Mo Pena returns from the D.L., the Sox hope he can fill in at first on occasion. Releasing J.T. Snow left the team without a true backup for 1B Kevin Youkilis. With OF Gabe Kapler back in the mix, manager Terry Francona will have to be creative to get Pena's powerful bat in the lineup.... Nobody is looking forward to the second half more than CF Coco Crisp. He has been unable to regain the timing and feel he had at the plate before fracturing his finger in April. He has been overeager and moving his feet too quickly before making contact. FIRST HALF GRADES: Offense: B+ LF Manny Ramirez and DH David Ortiz have done their usual mashing, but C Jason Varitek has been a disappointment. Pitching: B The top of the rotation is strong, and the bullpen has a dominant closer in RHP Jonathan Papelbon. Defense: A SS Alex Gonzalez has been a stud, and the overall defense has been brilliant.--Ian Browne

NEW YORK YANKEES

Despite playing on a bad knee all season, C Jorge Posada has been productive for an offense that has been hampered by injuries. Coach Tony Pena has worked with Posada on his mechanics behind the plate--and he has responded by throwing out runners at a much higher rate than his career average.... The team views RHP T.J. Beam as a potential weapon in the bullpen. His fastball is nothing special, but his slider and changeup are impressive. FIRST HALF GRADES: Offense: B The team found a way to score after losing OFs Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui. Pitching: B RHPs Mike Mussina and Chien-Ming Wang have led the rotation while LHP Randy Johnson has been inconsistent. Defense: B Andy Phillips is an upgrade at first, but 3B Alex Rodriguez already has exceeded his 2005 errors total.--Mark Feinsand

TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS

3B Aubrey Huff attributes his dramatic turnaround at the plate to a change in his stride. After working on shortening his stride for months, he returned to the long stride he had used previously. Suddenly, everything feels right.... RHP Brian Meadows, a first-time closer, will remain in that role for now. Meadows caught manager Joe Maddon's eye earlier this year when batters were swinging through a lot of his pitches. FIRST HALF GRADES: Offense: B The Rays have decent power numbers but have hit for a low average. LF Carl Crawford and SS Julio Lugo are two of the A.L.'s top offensive players. Pitching: C Inconsistency has plagued the staff, though LHP Scott Kazmir has become an ace. Rookie RHP James Shields has been a nice addition to the rotation. Defense: B This area is improved. Athletic ability and speed allow the Rays to track down balls other teams can't.--Bill Chastain

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

While watching film, 38 Troy Glaus and hitting coach Mickey Brantley found the source of Glaus' recent struggles. He was standing farther from the plate than usual, which was hurting his ability to reach pitches on the outer half of the strike zone and causing him to lunge toward balls. That led to more flyouts.... During a stretch of poor starts, RHP Casey Janssen noticed he was collapsing his back leg when pushing toward the plate. The delivery flaw hindered his ability to pitch down in the strike zone. FIRST HALF GRADES: Offense: A The bats have carried the club all year. Pitching: C+ Toronto finally has its top three starters going at once, but the Nos. 4 and 5 spots have been troublesome. Closer B.J. Ryan has been great, but the bullpen has had its share of issues. Defense: B The infield defense has looked much better with Russ Adams at second base and Aaron Hill at shortstop.--Jordan Bastian

A.L. East

Sporting News, The, July 21, 2006

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