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A.L. West

Sporting News, The, July 21, 2006

LOS ANGELES ANGELS

RHP Brendan Donnelly has a sore muscle on the left side of his neck that prevents him from getting on top of his pitches. That, in turn, reduces his movement and hinders his command.... DH/OF Juan Rivera has been pushing his way into the starting lineup more often. Rivera is one of the club's few power threats and has begun to drive the ball to the opposite field with greater frequency.... OF Terry Evans, obtained from the Cardinals for RHP Jeff Weaver, is showing power during a breakout season in the minors. The trade also opened a spot in the rotation for rookie RHP Jered Weaver, Jeff's younger brother. FIRST HALF GRADES: Offense: D The club's aggressive style has backfired. The Angels have failed to get on base enough and have hit poorly with runners in scoring position. Pitching: B The rotation has returned to form after a slow start. The back end of the bullpen has been solid. Defense: D Too many errors have led to a large number of unearned runs.--Mike Scarr

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OAKLAND ATHLETICS

RF Milton Bradley (shoulder) is expected to return from the D.L. this week, and that will create a headache for manager Ken Macha. Bradley will be in the lineup every day, as will CF Mark Kotsay. LF/1B Nick Swisher deserves regular time, too, but OFs Jay Payton and Bobby Kielty were the club's most productive hitters in June and early July. The solution, barring a trade, might be playing Swisher at first base more often and platooning Payton and Kielty in left field.... 3B Eric Chavez was bothered by tendinitis in both forearms in the weeks leading up to the break, and the condition sapped his power. It didn't affect his defense, however; he remains a safe bet to win his sixth consecutive Gold Glove. FIRST HALF GRADES: Offense: C Every player has had a stretch in which he has stunk it up. Pitching: C+ LHP Barry Zito and RHP Danny Haren have been the club's most consistent pitchers. Injuries have ravaged the bullpen. Defense: B+ The A's rarely beat themselves; that's why they're in first place.--Mychael Urban

SEATTLE MARINERS

Newly acquired DH/1B Eduardo Perez will be counted on to hit lefthanded pitching. Incumbent DH Carl Everett is batting .159 against lefthanders.... RHP Travis Chick, acquired from the Reds last week for LHP Eddie Guardado, is a starter at Class AA, but some scouts project him as a power reliever. His main pitches are a sinking fastball and a slider. His fastball ranges between 89 and 93 mph.... With CF Jeremy Reed (broken thumb) out two months, the club will take a long look at OF Shin-Soo Choo. The Mariners like Choo's compact lefthanded swing but aren't sold on his defense.... LHP Jake Woods has been more aggressive early in the count, which helps explain his recent streak of 13 1/3 scoreless innings. FIRST HALF GRADES: Offense: C- The hitting has improved, but the M's have been shut out an MLB-high 10 times. Pitching: B New closer J.J. Putz leads a strong 'pen; the rotation has been inconsistent. Defense: B+ The infield, led by SS Yuniesky Betancourt, is one of baseball's best.--Corey Brock

TEXAS RANGERS

38 Hank Blalock spent time during a recent road trip watching Rockies 1B Todd Helton and Giants LF Bony Bonds hit. He watched how Helton and Bonds keep their heads still at the plate, and he has worked on doing the same throughout his own swing.... RHP Kameron Loe (elbow) wants to rejoin the rotation when he returns from the D.L. later this month, but the Rangers believe he's better suited for relief work.

FIRST HALF GRADES: Offense: C+ RF Mark DeRosa and CF Gary Matthews have been terrific. Home runs inexplicably are way down, especially from 1B Mark Teixeira, who hit his ninth the day before the break. Pitching: C RHPs Kevin Millwood and Juan Padilla have been solid at the front of the rotation, and LHPs John Koronka and John Rheinecker were nice additions to the back. RHP Akinori Otsuka has helped keep an erratic bullpen from falling apart. Defense: B Rookie Ian Kinder has proved he can handle second base, and the Rangers are among the major league leaders in double plays.--T.R. Sullivan

A.L. West

Sporting News, The, July 21, 2006

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