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The Double G Sports Expert Panel and it’s baseball writers have once again been polled to come up with our Major League Baseball Power Rankings for July.

This is our fourth installment of our power rankings this season, for last months rankings, click here .

As usual there was some movement up and down the rankings. The Yankees and Rays were fortunate enough to hold onto the top two spots.

The biggest jump this month was the Chicago White Sox. Ozzie Guillen had his club jump ten spots up to the 8^th overall ranking for July.

The Minnesota Twins suffered the biggest fall, dropping ten spots to 15^th overall.

For this months full rankings, visit Double G Sports .

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The sports world was rocked yesterday morning as the news of the passing of New York Yankees long-time owner George Steinbrenner hit the air ways.

Baseball lost an icon when Steinbrenner suffered a massive heart attack at his Tampa, Florida  home on Tuesday morning. Yankees fans all across the country talked about their memories of the long-time team owner who brought them seven World Championships.

Steinbrenner, known across the sports world as “The Boss,” is the greatest owner in sports history. Never before have we seen an owner mean so much to his team and its sport. I’m not sure we ever will see another quite like Mr. Steinbrenner.

ESPN and every other sports talk show I heard yesterday was all about George Steinbrenner. That includes The Nosebleeds with myself and Travis Williams. Travis and I were joined by Lisa Latino, The Yankee Princess, as we talked about our memories of The Boss. Click here to listen to our thoughts.

George Steinbrenner led an incredible life. One full of the pursuit of perfection. Filled with hard work, The Boss never settled for less. You can read all about his life in the latest book about him, Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball.

Continue reading this reflection at Double G Sports.

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When Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano received an invitation to participate in this years Home Run Derby, the All-Star was surprised and excited.

He did not think twice about it. Cano accepted the invitation and had every intention of participating. Then the Yankees stepped in. The problem however is that it seems the Yankees stepped in without Cano knowing.

When it became public knowledge that Cano would be a participant in the home run hitting challenge, Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long became concerned. Long made it known to the media that he would prefer Cano not participate. The batting coach stated the derby puts an exhausting strain on your body and could do damage to a players swing.

Yes, there are plenty of examples of players going down hill after participating in the Home Run Derby. Just last year we saw six of the eight participants numbers drop in the second half of the season. Detroit Tigers Brandon Inge who hit 21 home runs in the first half, hit just six in the second half. Adrian Gonzalez of the San Diego Padres   hit 16 home runs in the second half after belting 24 before the All-Star break.

In 2008, Houston Astros   first baseman Lance Berkman   had a monster first half in which he hit .347 with 22 home runs. After participating in the derby, Berkman hit just .259 with seven homers in the second half of the season.

Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau   had participated in the home run derby twice in the past four years and both times his second half numbers dropped drastically.

One of the more well known examples of this is Mets third baseman David Wright in 2006. The star third baseman batted .316 with 20 homers in the first half and participated in the home run derby, finishing second overall. In the second half of the ’06 season, Wright batted .305 but hit just six home runs the rest of the year.

Continue this article at Double G Sports .

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This article was written by Double G Sports contributing writer Marc A. Spallino.

With the Mets trailing the Atlanta Braves by only three games in the National League East , the Mets faithful are feeling cautiously excited.

The performance of the starting rotation is one reason contributing to the team’s success. Mets ace Johan Santana is historically a second half pitcher, but it seems that he has gotten off to an early start this season.

Coming off a complete game shutout Tuesday night against the Reds, Santana will have one more start on Sunday July 11^th before the All Star break. The Mets Ace will square off with their division rivals, the Atlanta Braves.

The series could not be more important to the Mets as they look to possibly move up into first place going into the break.

One other reason fans are feeling good is the Mets consistency. In previous years, the Mets were either on fire or down in the dumps. This 2010 season, the Mets have proved that they do not need to go on ten game winning streaks in order to be successful. But more importantly, they are winning series.

Another confidence booster has been the performance of Angel Pagan and Rubin Tejada. Pagan, who has been filling in for Carlos Beltran in center field, has been just short of brilliant. He is batting .300 with 6 home runs and 30 RBIs. What more can you ask for?

Ruben Tejada, who is a shortstop by trade, has been filling in for the injured Luis Castillo at second base and has also performed better than expected. Tejada is batting .221 with an on base percentage of .299. This has surely shocked Mets fans and most likely shocked the Mets coaching staff.

Mets fans surely have a lot to be excited about. But can anyone blame them for being cautious? After all, the past couple seasons have been heartbreaking.

For more Mets news, visit Double G Sports . Your stop for all things NY and NJ sports.

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The All-Star break is approaching and that is usually when trade talks start heating up. Rumors are flying around all over the place: chat rooms, internet blogs , news reports, etc.

One of my favorite places to find the latest rumors is MLBTradeRumors.com .

Here are the following moves and rumors from the Yankees and Mets that have popped up this past week:

Yankees

– The Yankees have been scouting Mariners starter Cliff Lee   but they claim it is just routine coverage of a pitcher on their free-agent wish list.

– CC Sabathia has said he would be happy to help recruit his friend Cliff Lee if needed.

– Dustin Moseley has been called up to the majors with Boone Logan being sent back down. I’m not sure this makes much sense. Moseley had an ERA over 4.00 in Triple-A so far this year. He did, however, have an opt-out clause in his contract and could have left the Yankees system if he was not called up. Logan had been pitching better of late.

Anyone else think they should have released Chan Ho Park or Chad Gaudin instead of optioning Logan? Count me as one!

– Catcher Chad Moeller cleared waivers and accepted an assignment to Triple-A. I give the guy credit; he must love playing the game. Outfielder Colin Curtis had been called up to take Moeller’s spot on the roster. Curtis has already seen some game action.

– Yankees have had scouts watching Arizona Diamondbacks starter Dan Hare n.

– Team President Randy Levine played the role of Captain Obvious this week when stating it is “highly highly unlikely” that both Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera   are not back with the team next season.

Mets

– The team has begun preliminary talks with teams regarding pitching help; this includes Seattle about Cliff Lee.

– Rumor has it the Mets won’t trade Jenrry Mejia for Lee unless they can sign Lee to an extension. Other reports say that’s not true. Believe whatever you want.

– Michael Barrett has signed a minor league deal with the Mets. This move adds catching depth, as Barrett could be a possible backup to Barajas . Or depth because the team plans on trading Josh Thole?

– The Mets have acquired outfielder Jorge Padilla from the Blue Jays in exchange for pitcher Clint Everts . Padilla was batting .330 with four home runs for Toronto’s Triple-A squad.

– The team is not actively pursuing a trade for a second baseman.

– Orioles Ty Wigginton said he would not mind playing for the Mets. The Orioles are reportedly asking for a young shortstop in return, however.

– Reports are saying Jenrry Mejia would not get a Lee trade done, but shortstop prospect Wilmer Flores could.

– The Mets have no interest in pitchers Kevin Millwood and Jake Westbrook, little interest in Roy Oswalt and Fausto Carmona , but could have interest in Ted Lilly. Lilly is likely the team’s top alternative to Cliff Lee. I said a while back that I would try to get Lilly if I was the Mets.

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Can everyone please stop talking about a rift between Yankees catcher Jorge Posada  and starting pitcher A.J. Burnett?

The fact is, Burnett is just not a $82.5 million pitcher. He is too inconsistent.

I was never a fan of my favorite team acquiring Burnett before the 2009 season. He did however tame my doubts a bit last season.

Burnett was his inconsistent self, but for the most part, he showed us how dominant he can be. The problem is, for him to be dominant, everything has to go his way.

Burnett is going through the worst month of his career.

In June, the right hander is 0-5 with a 11.35 ERA.

It doesn’t matter which catcher is behind the plate.

The Posada and Burnett talks were once again all over the Internet and talk radio. Well guess what, Francisco Cervelli caught Burnett yesterday. The result?

Burnett could not record an out in the fourth inning against the Dodgers, giving up six hits, six walks, and 6 runs in three innings.

Everyone needs to stop blaming Jorge Posada for Burnett’s problems. Burnett is the pitcher the Yankees paid $82.5 million to.

He is a big boy. Burnett is just not that good.

He is way too inconsistent to be trusted as a number two starter. Lately, he seems barely capable of being even a number five starter.

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Yankees closer Mariano Rivera almost had flashbacks to 2001 when he lost the World Series to the Arizona Diamondbacks. In that game, it all started with a bloop single.

Last night a 10th inning rally by the Diamondbacks started the same way. After center fielder Curtis Granderson gave the Yankees a 6-5 lead with a solo home run in the top half of the 10th, Rivera came out to work his second inning of the night.

Arizona shortstop Stephen Drew started the bottom half with a broken bat single off Rivera. Justin Upton then drilled a double down the left field line to put runners on second and third. Rivera intentionally walked the next batter to load the bases with nobody out.

There are not many pitchers who can get out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam and make it look easy. Rivera did just that, once again proving he is the greatest closer of all time. Mainly using his famous cutter, Rivera made quick work of the next three batters.

The Yankees closer got Chris Young to foul out behind the plate for the first out. With the first out taken care of, Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was feeling confident in getting out of the jam.

“There isn’t a human on the planet who can get out of that jam like Mo,” Rodriguez said. “Once he gets one out, then you’re like, ‘Well, now a double play gets us out of it.’ I thought the biggest out was the first one.”

Rivera did not get a game-ending double play, but he did get the next batter, Adam LaRoche, to hit a weak pop-up to third for the second out.

Find out what happened next, continue this story at Double G Sports .

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The New York Mets will be adding a bat sometime within the next three weeks to four weeks. The team announced that center fielder Carlos Beltran will begin a rehab assignment tomorrow (Thursday) with Class-A St. Lucie.

Assuming there are no setbacks, Beltran would return to the Mets no later than July 15, the first game after the All-Star break.

Beltran has been playing in extended spring games since last month. General manager Omar Minaya traveled to Port St. Lucie earlier this week to watch Beltran play. After speaking with the center fielder and his rehab staff, it was determined his star player was ready for minor league games.

The Mets have said that when Beltran returns to the team he will play center field.

Angel Pagan has taken over the position while Beltran has been out, and Pagan is putting together a very fine season. The Mets need Pagan in the lineup.

But can they do that when Beltran comes back?

Pagan’s versatility may actually go against him in this situation. Because of Pagan’s ability to play all three outfield positions, the Mets will likely use him in a fourth outfielder role.

It will be tough, however, to take a .304 hitter out of the everyday lineup. Pagan also has 14 doubles, five triples, and four home runs this season while driving in 35 runs.

Pagan has batted in many spots throughout the Mets’ lineup, but lately he has been a fixture in the No. 2 hole.

Continue Reading This Article at Double G Sports .

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It’s a good thing the New York Yankees starting pitchers have been able to go deep into ballgames most of the season. It is, however, a long season, and the bullpen will need to step up and win some games for this club.

Do you feel confident they can? I sure don’t. Outside of Mariano Rivera , who is having yet another excellent season, the Yankees bullpen is full of question marks.

Rivera holds own the ninth inning. That’s not a problem. The veteran is 0-1 this season with a 1.11 ERA in 24.1 innings. He has converted 16 of 17 save chances while giving up just nine hits all year to this point.

The problem is, if a starter only goes five or six innings, how do we get to Rivera. Sure Joba Chamberlain is out there for the eighth, but can you even trust him anymore?

Chamberlain is the guy many believe is being groomed to replace Rivera whenever baseball’s greatest closer finally decides to retire. However, at 1-3 and a 5.34 ERA, I’m not sure he is ready for that. Chamberlain has lost something. He has lost his fire, his dominance. Sure he has struck out 35 batters in 30.1 innings, but he has also given up 32 hits and 18 earned runs.

David Robertson was a guy expected to carry the load in the bullpen. Last season he was dominant at times, and the Yankees hoped he could carry that over into this season. He has pitched a little better of late, but still not the Robertson we saw last season.

This year, Robertson is 0-2 with a 5.64 ERA. In 22.1 innings, he has given up 29 hits and 11 walks. Not the numbers of someone you can count on to win games out of the bullpen.

Sergio Mitre   and Alfredo Aceves are two pitchers the Yankees need to get healthy. These two guys could be the answers, but coming back from injury is never a sure thing.

Chan Ho Park   and Chad Gaudin   need to go. Just get rid of these two guys, Park is a disaster. After a great season for the Phillies last year, the Yankees thought they were getting a solid bullpen guy. NOT!

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All-Star voting is entering the final stages. Fans across the country are filling out their final ballots in hopes of their favorite players being named to the starting teams.

Baseball Bloggers Alliance, which I am a member, has asked each of its members to vote on our own All-Star teams. We are allowed to vote for the starter at each position. One for each league.

Now, as a Yankees fan, I could have voted for many of my teams players. There are a couple Yankees who got consideration and a couple did make my starting team in the American League. I did my best however to figure out who really deserved the starting spots in each league. I did my best to take out the popularity factor.

Some of the spots were tough to pick. The most obvious decision for me was second base in the AL. Robinson Cano stood out above everyone else at his position. The American League batting leader is having a tremendous MVP caliber season and deserves the start.

The toughest spot was first base in the National League. There are a handful of players that could start in that spot. Albert Pujols got the nod on my team for his consistent play year in and year out. This season he was pushed hard by players like Ryan Howard, Troy Glaus, Adrian Gonzalez, and Joey Votto.

You can see my full teams by clicking the links below, but I want to know what everyone else thinks? Should Justin Morneau start over the league leader in home runs and RBI at first base for the American League? Does Derek Jeter deserve the shortstop spot despite somewhat of a down year?

In the National League, can anyone challenge Hanley Ramirez for the starting spot at shortstop? Does Andre Ethier deserve a spot in the outfield despite being injured earlier in the year?

Use the links below to see my picks:

American League

National League

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