Key September players

Sporting News, The, August 25, 2003 by Tom Gatto

Big performances from these guys will go a long way toward getting their clubs into the postseason.

1. Miguel Tejada, SS, Athletics Tejada's late-inning heroics were a big reason why he won the American League MVP award last year. His walk-off hits during Oakland's 20-game winning streak attracted national attention. This season is far different. Tejada entered the week as the A's RBIs leader with 75, a pace that should put him near 100 but will far short of the 131 he had in 2002. Since June 30, he has two home runs and 20 RBIs, and aside from game-winning hits in consecutive games against the Yankees, there have been few clutch efforts. Oakland can't afford that kind of letdown given the way the rest of the lineup is struggling. Maybe this 27-year-old free-agent-to-be won't match his stats from a season ago, but a strong September would help take some of the pressure off the lineup. That, in turn, might help everyone else start hitting and give the A's some confidence. Tejada's defense remains solid, and he wants to play every day, which is an indication of his competitiveness and leadership ability.

2. Wade Miller, RHP, Astros. With Roy Oswalt on the disabled list, Miller is the top starter in a young, thin rotation. That means he needs to be better than his 10-10 record and 3.99 ERA. His last three starts have been good, but just before those he was knocked out after two innings. Miller has a plus fastball and quality breaking pitches, and he hasn't missed a turn this season after losing part of 2002 to injury.

3. Pat Burrell, LF, Phillies. Burrell has been doing the cha-cha with the Mendoza Line most of the season, and he's nowhere close to his power numbers of previous years. Pitchers have plowed through the holes in his swing (he chases a lot of bad pitches); the only category in which Burrell will match his career totals is in strikeouts. A recent run of success may bode well for him in the final month, however.

4. Mike Sweeney, 1B/DH, Royals. Kansas City managed to stay ahead in the A.L. Central while Sweeney was on the D.L with back and neck problems, so his righthanded bat is most welcome as the games grow in importance. He drove in seven runs in last week's series with the Yankees, his only RBIs in the eight games after his return. He has been used strictly as a DH, which raises questions about his condition.

5. Byung-Hyun Kim, RHP, Red Sox. Now that he has a deep setup crew ahead of him, Kim should be better able to turn games into 8-inning contests. As it is, he is 9-for-10 in save opportunities since coming to Boston. Many American League batters are seeing his submarine motion up close for the first time, which gives him another advantage. A consistent Kim will help keep the Red Sox on the Yankee's heels.

6. Shigetoshi Hasegawa, RHP, Mariners. Seattle's "other" Japanese pitcher has been a true savior; he's 12-for-12 filling in for injured closer Kaz Sasaki, who's still not ready to take his job back. Hasegawa isn't overpowering, but he knows how to pitch and has terrific command. With he and Sasaki at the back end of the bullpen, the Mariners have a better chance of holding off the A's in the A.L. West.

7. Alfonso Soriano, 2B, Yankees. On a team of stars, Soriano might be the brightest. Problem is, he wants to hit balls to the moon, and his production has suffered--just three homers since the All-Star break. He also has just three stolen bases since the break. The Yankees' offense is lethal when Soriano gets on base and drives the ball. If he has a good last month, it could make the A.L. East race a runaway.

Senior editor Tom Gatto. E-mail him at tgatto@sportingnews.com.