Kuzul

The Philadelphia Phillies should be the favorite to not only represent the National League in the World Series, but they should be the favorite to win the World Series title.

The Phillies have the best three starting pitchers in baseball: Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt.

They also have home field advantage up until the World Series where they have a record of 54-30.

They have an offensive lineup that is coming together and can hit with the best in baseball.

They also have experience. They made it to the World Series in back-to-back years and have won the NL East four-straight seasons.

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Clinching the AL Central Title 

The Minnesota Twins clinched the American League division title on Tuesday after beating the Cleveland Indians 6-4 and the Chicago White Sox lost to the Oakland Athletics 7-2. 

It was the sixth division title for the Twins in nine seasons, and the first in their new Target Field Stadium, which was built before this season. 

Tale of Two Seasons 

A team that entered spring training as the favorites to repeat as division champions lost All-Star closer Joe Nathan to Tommy John surgery before opening day, and they played two months without All-Star first baseman Justin Morneau. 

There are a bunch of new faces in the Twins lineup this year that are making some major contributions. Jim Thome, an eventual Hall-of-Famer, was signed in the offseason for $1.5 million. 

He has 25 home runs this season and won games for the Twins on many occasions. He can be that veteran leader who can guide the team in the playoffs. 

The Twins picked up infielder J.J. Hardy, as well as some in-season pickups with closer Matt Caps and pitcher Brian Fuentes to bolster their staff. 

At the All-Star break the Twins were a mediocre 46-42. The Detroit Tigers were at the head of the AL Central, and Minnesota could not produce offensively. 

They definitely turned it around the second half of the season. The Twins are 45-18 since the All-Star break and turned a close division race into a runaway. 

This division title is a little different from the last two seasons the Twins won the AL Central, mainly because it was not decided in game 163. 

Both in 2008 and in 2009 the Twins had to play in a one-game playoff just to see who would win the division. They lost to the White Sox in 2008 and beat the Tigers in 2009 to squeak into the postseason. 

“Considering we’ve been to game 163 the last couple years, I think it might work out a little bit better for us,” manager Ron Gardenhire said. “At least I know we’ll be rested for the first game, and that’s a nice thought that we can get some people healthy and kind of set things up a little bit easier than we have the last couple years.”

Best Record in Baseball

But the Twins (91-60) are not just looking to rest for the playoffs and get healthy for the postseason. They sit one game behind the New York Yankees (92-59) for the best record in the baseball, which will bring them home field advantage throughout the AL playoffs. 

The Twins’ 51 home wins are tied for the second most in baseball behind the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves, who both have 52. 

The Twins are 8-2 in their last 10 games, and their offense boasts the best batting average in baseball at .277 

Conclusion 

The Minnesota Twins who won the AL Central Tuesday, will also end the regular season with the best record in American League. 

The Twins end the season with games against division foes: the Indians, Tigers, Royals and then close the year against a competitive AL East Toronto Blue Jays team. 

On the other hand, the Yankees are battling the Tampa Bay Rays for the division title and still play Toronto who has always had the Yankees’ number. They also have a home-and-home against their bitter rivals, the Boston Red Sox. 

The difference between the competition level between the AL Central and that of the AL East will enable the Twins to surpass the Yankees for the best record in the American League and home field advantage. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Aroldis Chapman gets his shot

The Cincinnati Reds called up Cuban phenom Aroldis Chapman Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers, trying to strengthen their bullpen for a postseason run.

By bringing up Chapman this late in the season, the Reds are able to pitch him in the playoffs and display his stuff against opposing hitters who have never seen him.

The 22-year-old Chapman signed a six-year $30.25 million deal with Cincinnati in January. He was intended to compete for the fifth starter’s spot during spring training, but was sidelined by back spasms and never regained his full strength.

Struggles in Triple-A

He started the season in Triple-A Louisville. The talk around the season was when he would get sent up to the big leagues along with Stephen Strasburg.

Chapman struggled in Triple-A and received mixed results from many analysts. He went 5-5 in 13 starts with a 4.11 ERA. 

Everyone knows the Reds can hit. They are ranked in the top five in every offensive category, but pitching wins in the playoffs.

Chapman’s strenght as a reliever

The Reds moved Chapman into a relief role at Louisville last month and he looked like he was coming into his own. He went 4-1 with a 2.40 ERA in 26 relief appearances.

His fastball hit 103 as a starter, but Reds General Manager Walt Jocketty said the young lefty is consistently throwing harder as a reliever. Chapman struck out 49 batters in 30 relief innings and hit 105 mph on the radar gun.

After watching the game Tuesday night, Chapman looks like the real deal. He retired the Milwaukee side in the eighth inning. His first pitch was a 98-mph fastball. He hit 103 three pitches later, and four of his eight pitches hit triple-digits.

“We’ve got the Usain Bolt of baseball,” Reds starter Bronson Arroyo told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “There are probably less than ten guys that have ever walked the earth that have ever thrown that hard.” 

Chapman’s future as a Major League Pitcher

Chapman will help the Reds tremendously as they enter the postseason with only 30 games left in the regular season and a firm lead in the division.

He is a true starter, but Chapman will bode well as a relief pitcher, maybe a set up man with his unbelievable fast ball and nasty slider.

With Stephen Strasburg expected to miss 12-18 months will Tommy John Surgery, baseball fans should gear their attention towards Aroldis Chapman for the remainder of this season and beyond.

The Cuban phenom is young and has plenty of time to learn the ropes as a Major League pitcher.

He reminds me of David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays. Price is one of the premier pitchers in the majors and soon Chapman will be as well.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Former two-time CY Young award winner Tim Lincecum is currently suffering through a five-game losing skid.

The San Francisco pitcher’s downward spiral is taking all possible playoff hopes of this team with him.

The Giants are currently six games back of the NL West leading San Diego Padres with only 31 games left in the season.

Lincecum is stuck on his worst stint of his career, after a 6-0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.

He gave up four runs on five hits in six innings and has a 7.82 ERA in August. He finished 0-5 in the month of August.

“I’m pretty ready for September,” Lincecum said. “This has been one of those things you have to take with a punch and just roll with it. It’s not fun to go through. You have to fight through it. The last thing I want to do is give up or give in to what’s going on now.”

Since opening the season 5-0 with a 1.76 ERA, Lincecum has struggled more than any other time in his career. He hasn’t won since July 30, and is 6-9 with a 4.80 ERA in his last 19 starts.

The Giants chances to win the NL West are almost out of reach this late in the season. But they are only a half game behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL Wild Card standings.

Hopefully the month of September for the Giants ace is better than August. They will need Lincecum to pitch like the back-to-back Cy Young award winner he is capable of.

He has looked far too uncomfortable with his breaking ball, considering he has arguably the best change-up in the league.

The Giants just pitched him too hard the past two seasons.  He has thrown too many pitches at too young of an age with too slight of a frame, and the result is decidedly a less lively arm in 2010.

Lincecum also has the highest ERA (3.62) and highest WHIP ( 1.34) since his partial season as a rookie in 2007.

He has lost almost a full three miles per hour on his fastball this season. It is down to 91mph. Lincecum is only 5’11”, 170-pounds and his small frame is wearing with each lengthy start.

The Giants are in the midst of a pennant race and could easily win the Wild Card with the Phillies losing seven of their last eight games.

The pitching staff is what keeps the Giants going and Lincecum will need to find his stuff and add some more fire to his fastball if they have any shot of getting into the playoffs.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Brandon Morrow pitched a one-hit shutout against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday afternoon. Though Morrow did not complete the no hitter, some would say that his pitching performance is better than most of the perfect games and no hitters this season.

Morrow struck out 17 Rays batters and only allowed four total base runners: two walks, one error and the one hit from Evan Longoria that broke up the bid for the no hitter with two outs in the ninth.

Morrow’s gem Sunday afternoon ranks him second on my list of top pitching performances for the 2010 Major League season.

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