C:

BA: .298 HR:: 4 RBI: 10 R: 18 OBP: .463 SLG: .468

I would give this to Cincinnati Reds’ catcher Ryan Hanigan, but he’s only played in 22 games so far. Sure, Soto doesn’t have the at bats to qualify either, but he has played 33 games and the closest qualified catcher is the Pirates Ryan Doumit.

1B: Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals

BA: .324 HR:: 8 RBI: 29 R: 23 OBP: .429 SLG: .568

Is there really any other player you were expecting? Joey Votto or Derrek Lee? He is the three-time NL MVP for a reason.

2B: Mike Fontenot, Chicago Cubs

BA: .295 HR:: 1 RBI: 12 R: 7 OBP: .344 SLG: .386

Yup, that is right. There are two Cubs so far despite the fact they are in third place and are playing sub-.500 baseball. Although, this pick has much less to do with how amazing Fontenot has been and far more to do with how few decent second basemen there are to choose from. Let’s put it this way, the runner up is the Houston Astros’ Jeff Keppinger.

3B: Casey McGehee, Milwaukee Bucks

BA: .322 HR:: 8 RBI: 35 R: 20 OBP: .393 SLG: .559

McGehee is actually the best offensive third baseman in the National League while simultaneously being the worst defensive third baseman. Still, he is a an offensive force and that trumps his inability to throw the ball to across the diamond.

SS: Ryan Theriot, Chicago Cubs

BA: .319 HR:: 0 RBI: 14 R: 21 OBP: .349 SLG: .356

He may not be a power hitter, but he has the best batting average among NL Central shortstops and is a decent fielder. Really it is difficult to understand how the Cubs could be so bad with so many players on this list and more to come.

LF: Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers

BA: .338 HR:: 7 RBI: 29 R: 33 OBP: .418 SLG: 561

Braun more than just edges out the Cubs Alfonso Soriano. He has a batting average 18 points higher, OBP 46 points higher, and six more stolen bases (8 to 2) than his Cubs counterpart.

CF: Marlon Byrd, Chicago Cubs

BA: .340 HR:: 7 RBI: 25 R: 25 OBP: .368 SLG: .582

Byrd has been amazing this season and he should be starting for the National League in the All Star Game on July 13th.

RF: Kosuke Fukudome, Chicago Cubs

BA: .313 HR:: 5 RBI: 20 R: 19 OBP: .410 SLG: .504

Great OBP for a leadoff hitter and is on track to have a career power hitter (he might hit 20!). Seriously, the Cubs have five of the best position players in the division. It is ridiculous that we are battling the Pirates to keep third place.

SP: Jaime Garcia, St. Louis Cardinals

4-2, 1.42 ERA 1.06 WHIP 7.3 K/BB

Garcia is having one hell of a rookie season. I am sure he will come back down to Earth once he sees teams multiple times, but this is a nice start to his career.

CL: Francisco Cordero, Cincinnati Reds

13 Saves, 3.15 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 7.2 K./BB

His ERA, WHIP, and strikeout ratio are not remotely close to amazing, but his 13 saves are too impressive to pass up at this point in the season.

Here’s your summary of what happened over the holiday weekend in our respective Divisions:

AL CENTRAL – Not a lot of movement within the division, but bats beginning to heat up.

Detroit (44-37) won first game 11-9 in Minny before dropping the next two games 3-4 and 2-6. Bat .224 on their road trip and Jim Leyland complains of his starting pitchers pitch counts going into sixth innings.  I see visits to Dr. James Andrews in your future.

Minnesota (43-40) took two of three from the Tigers at home. Mauer won’t bat .400 with this performance. “Only” bats .333 for the holiday weekend.

Chicago (AL) (42-40) – won the hard games, including roughing up Greinke on Friday, only to lose 4-6 and 3-6 to split the series. Sox need to be winning these series if they are going to catch up and possibly pass the rest of the division.

Kansas City (35-46) manages a split with the Sox in one of the rare 4 games series this week. Defense and baserunning woes still surprising awful for a major league team.

Cleveland (33-50) win 15-3 and 5-2 on the road in Oakland, before dropping Sunday’s game 2-5. In doing so, come a game closer from extricating themselves from the AL Cellar.

Division Standings

Team               GB

Detroit             —

Minnesota       2.0

Chicago (AL)    2.5

Kansas City      9.0

Cleveland        12.0

NL CENTRAL – Cards and Cubs advance at the expense of the Reds and Brewers.

St. Louis (45-39) bats ignite taking 2 of 3 on the road in Cincy, 7-4 on Friday, 2-5 on Saturday and rebounding to crush the Reds 10-1 on Sunday. Cards will be tough in second half.

Milwaukee (43-39) in dropping 3 of 4 to the Cubs look to be cracking at the seams. Ryan Braun seemed to state the obvious, the Brewers don’t have the arms to stick with the Cubs and Cards.

Chicago (40-39) – Spent the holiday winning a close game (2-1), losing a blowout (2-11) and winning in a rout themselves (8-2) on Sunday. We’ll see how adding Aramis Ramirez works to an offense that appears to have been sparked by the numerous I-Cubs contributions this month.

Cincinnati (40-40) – Micah Owings almost singlehandedly salvaged Saturday’s win for the Reds with a solid outing and a home run to help his cause.

Houston (39-41) – lose to the Big Unit and Lincecum 0-13 and 0-9 before throwing out Roy Oswalt to nail down the 7-1 victory on Sunday. Those two guys are good, but not that good. Houston…wait for it… you have a problem. Ha! Every time!

Pittsburgh (37-45) – lost 2 of 3 to the Marlins as the Marlins continue to surprise in the NL East with their stable of young arms.

Division Standings

Team               GB

Milwaukee      —

St. Louis           1.0

Chicago Cubs  2.5

Cincinnati        3.0

Houston           4.0

Pittsburgh        7.0

Here’s your summary of what happened yesterday in our respective Divisions:

AL CENTRAL – Poor Detroit, we picked up a game, Hossa and Kopecky, you got Ben Gordon.

Detroit (43-35) lost 5-1 to the feast or famine A’s. Cust and Giambi both strike out twice and deliver 2-run HR’s.

Minnesota (41-39) won 5-1 in KC. Mauer ready to overtake AL batting title with a few more plate appearances.

Chicago (AL) (40-38) won 6-2 in Cleveland. Jose Contreras dominant since returning from AAA.

Kansas City (33-44) lost 5-1 pulling “a Cubs” getting 12 hits and scoring only once.

Cleveland (31-49) lost 6-2 to the Sox. Jeremy Sowers seems to have caught “Javier Vazqcular” disease, which restricts a pitcher from being able to get out of the sixth inning.

Division Standings

Team GB

Detroit —

Minnesota 3.0

Chicago (AL) 3.0

Kansas City 9.5

Cleveland 13.0

NL CENTRAL – Really you’re all going to let the Pirates back into this race?

Milwaukee (42-36) lost 1-0 to the Mets at home. This blowout might signal a reversal of fortune for both franchises’ seasons. Watch out Brewers fans, for falling batting averages.

St. Louis (42-38) won in 10 innings at San Fran 2-1. Another ex-Cub helping STL, Bob Howry served up the game winning HR.

Cincinnati (38-38) – won 1-0 at Arizona. Jon Garland the hard luck loser as Johnny Cueto outduels him with 6 innings of one-hit ball.

Chicago (37-38) – Cubs won 4-1 in PIT, July looking much better. Good to see Randy Wells finally getting some deserved W’s.

Houston (37-39) – won 7-1 in San Diego. How is Geoff Blum batting 5^th for the Stros?

Pittsburgh (36-42) – lost 4-1 at home to the Cubs. Bucs don’t make trade and lose. Coincidence?

Division Standings

Team GB

Milwaukee —

St. Louis 1.0

Cincinnati 3.0

Chicago 3.5

Houston 4.0

Pittsburgh 6.0

Here’s your summary of what happened yesterday in our respective Divisions:

AL CENTRAL – Chalk Night in the Division, everyone who was supposed to win did.

Detroit (43-34) won 5-3 in Oakland. Jason Giambi currently batting .197.

Minnesota (40-39) won 2-1 in KC. Twins pad fantasy stats with three holds and a save from their pen.

Chicago (AL) (39-38) won 11-4 in Cleveland. At one point Gordon Beckham was 6 for 6.

Kansas City (33-43) lost 2-1 with Brian Bannister the hard luck loser giving up one earned run.

Cleveland (31-48) lost 4-11 to the Sox. Indians’ Best Performance Last Night? Their Grounds Crew.

Division Standings

Team GB

Detroit —

Minnesota 4.0

Chicago (AL) 4.0

Kansas City 9.5

Cleveland 13.0

NL CENTRAL – Really you’re all going to let the Pirates back into this race?

Milwaukee (42-35) won 6-3 at home. The Brewers didn’t win this one, Johan Santana lost it.

St. Louis (41-38) lost again in San Fran 6-3. Randy Johnson now at 303 wins, Pujols homered twice. 30 HR and 32 K on the season for Prince Albert.

Cincinnati (37-38) – lost 6-2 at Arizona. Dan Haren beat them with 9K, and hitting his first career dinger.

Chicago (36-38) – Cubs lost 3-0 in PIT, wrap up an 11-14 month of June. Don’t look now Milton’s BA is up to .242.

Houston (36-39) – lost 4-3 in San Diego. Wee David Eckstein puts them away with the go ahead RBI in the seventh.

Pittsburgh (36-41) – won 3-0 at home to the Cubs. Maybe they should make trades more often?

Division Standings

Team GB

Milwaukee —

St. Louis 2.0

Cincinnati 4.0

Chicago 4.5

Houston 5.0

Pittsburgh 6.0

With the NL and AL Central leaders only surpassing the NL East-leading Phillies in winning percentage, no team can be said to truly “out of it” (Ok, the Royals, Indians and the Pirates are “out of it”). But as long as these 5^th and 6^th place teams have pitchers who are capable of putting it all together against our Chicago teams or the teams they are competing against in the Division and Wild Card races, they still matter.

Here’s your summary of what happened yesterday in our respective Divisions:

AL CENTRAL – Sox win while two teams in front of them both lose.

Detroit (42-34) lost 7-1 in Oakland to the surprisingly unathletic Athletics.

Minnesota (39-39) lost 4-2 in Kansas City against the Royals’ Luke Hochevar.

Chicago (AL) (38-38) won 6-3 on the road in Cleveland with a strong finish in the ninth.

Kansas City (33-42) won 4-2 at home with the help of the mighty Miguel Olivo’s bat.

Cleveland (31-47) lost 6-3 to the Sox. Following the trend of aging stars, Kerry Wood acquired by the Cavaliers. Indians receive prospect Daniel “Booby” Gibson in return.

Division Standings

Team GB

Detroit —

Minnesota 4.0

Chicago (AL) 4.0

Kansas City 8.5

Cleveland 12.0

NL CENTRAL – Harden pitches hard, Oswalt and Lincecum pitch harder.

Milwaukee (41-35) won 10-6 in New York. Mets downed by Wee Willie McGehee’s Grand Slam.

St. Louis (41-37) lost 0-10 in San Fran to the Giants. Lincecum pitches two-hitter. Next up: Randy Johnson and his 302 wins.

Cincinnati (37-37) – off day. Will play the dead last Diamondbacks. Never good when you might be 20 games back by the All-Star Break.

Chicago (36-37) – Cubs win 3-1 on the road, with Rich Harden striking out 9 in 7 innings.

Houston (36-38) – win 3-1 on the road against the Padres. Oswalt pitches a 2-hitter on a day full of them.

Pittsburgh (35-41) – lost 3-1 at home to the Cubs. Pull a “Cubs” getting 9 hits, only scoring one.

Division Standings

Team GB

Milwaukee —

St. Louis 1.0

Cincinnati 3.0

Chicago 3.5

Houston 4.0

Pittsburgh 6.0