New York Yankees at Boston, not suprisingly, accounts for two of those, on April 22 and July 8, from Fenway Park.  The Yankees have one other Sunday Night appearance, April 15 vs. the Angels.  The two-time defending American League Champion Texas Rangers host Chicago in the April 8 SNB opener.

The World Series Champion Cardinals also have three appearances (May 20 and July 15, in addition to Opening Night April 4).

ESPN’s first seven Sunday Night games will feature at least one playoff team and several of MLB’s biggest stars will be on display, including the Angels’ Pujols; the Yankees’ Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano; Boston’s Adrian Gonzalez, Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury; Texas’ Josh Hamilton; Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria; Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard and Chase Utley; St. Louis’ Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman; Dodgers slugger Matt Kemp; Atlanta’s Chipper Jones and Brian McCann; Chicago’s Paul Konerko; and Washington’s Ryan Zimmerman.

This season will also mark the debut of analyst Terry Francona, who joins play-by-play commentator Dan Shulman and analyst Orel Hershiser in the Sunday Night Baseball booth. Sunday Night games are also available via ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3 and ESPN Mobile TV.

ESPN Radio’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcast team will again be play-by-play commentator Jon Sciambi and analyst Chris Singleton.  ESPN Radio, entering its 15th season of MLB coverage, will also broadcast a game of the week each Saturday during the regular season, the State Farm Home Run Derby and All-Star Game, and every Division Series, League Championship Series and World Series game.

The Sunday Night Baseball schedule as selected to date follows (all telecasts begin at 8 p.m. ET).  Game selections for the remainder of the season will be made three weeks (June and July 1, 22 and 29) or two weeks (August and September) in advance.

ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball Schedule
Date     Teams (all telecasts at 8 p.m. ET)
April 8     Chicago White Sox at Texas
April 15     L.A. Angels at N.Y. Yankees
April 22     Yankees at Boston
April 29     Tampa Bay at Texas
May 6     Philadelphia at Washington
May 13     Angels at Texas
May 20     St. Louis at L.A. Dodgers
May 27     Washington at Atlanta
June 3-July 1     TBD
July 8     Yankees at Boston
July 15     St. Louis at Cincinnati
July 22-Sept 23     TBD

Due to overwhelming response, here is an extended list, 11-20 top MILB players to follow.

A few things. A lot of these guys were considered for the top ten. The selection process is difficult because, whether you know it or not, there are numerous minor league players using Twitter. That led to adding an Honorable Ten list.

Reminder about how this was decided: frequency, interaction, humor, overall just compelling feed. Interacting with their fans/followers was big in deciding. Tweet frequency counted a lot as well. Humor matters. Every single guy that made these lists had a way with a joke or making fun of themselves. When their personalities shine through, the flow of the content is fun and interesting to read. For guys trying to make it to the big leagues, they experience a lot of transition and adversity. Every player named in the Twitter Ten and Next Ten shares a fascinating look into the unique life of baseball.

Starting with #11, a player whose use of Twitter gives him an important connection to fans. After being so protected by his team, that connection has been meaningful.

11. Bryce Harper @BHarper3407 – Washington Nationals
12. Cody Decker @Decker6 – San Diego Padres
13. Tyson Gillies @TysonGillies21 – Philadephia Phillies
14. Thomas Neal @TdaddyNeal – Cleveland Indians
15. Will Middlebrooks @16WMBrooks- Boston Red Sox
16. Mike Trout @Trouty20 – Anaheim Angels
17. LV Ware @LV_Ware – Atlanta Braves
18. Deck McGuire @deckmcguire – Toronto Blue Jays
19. Ryan Tatusko @RyanTatusko – Nationals
20. Michael Crouse @_crouse_ – Blue Jays

Honorable Ten Mentions:

1.Bryan Harper @BHarp45 – Nationals
2. Chris Swauger @cswag8 – St. Louis Cardinals
3. Matt den Dekker @UpperDekker – New York Mets
4. Bryan Longpre @BryanLongpre- Blue Jays
5. Jack Murphy @JackMurphy219 – Blue Jays
6. Justin Fitgerald @jfitgerald31 – Giants
7. Trent Mummey @trentmummey7 – Baltimore Orioles
8. C.J. Cron @CCron24 – Angels
9. Jordan Comadena @Funky2414 – Houston Astros
10. Kellin Deglan @keldegs – Texas Rangers

Drew Cumberland – The future is full of possibilities for Cumberland and the Padres needn’t have worried about losing the infielder.

There wasn’t much doubt he’d remain with the team that drafted him in . After a forced early retirement due to a condition that caused concussion symptoms, such as migraines and blurred vision, Cumberland hadn’t played in 2011. He received clearance to continue his career, but the Padres, understandably, left him exposed. There was no reason to assume he’d return.

His minor league career had so far proven him to be a solid defense man and hitter, despite a history of injuries. The Padres will continue to develop the 22-year old, but with a new aspect involved. The question is whether or not he can be an everyday major league player in the future with a condition that could cause a number of issues.

Pat Venditte - A reliever who can pitch lefty or righty, Venditte is a valuable asset in a number of situations. But his Yankees possibilities might not be endless. Rule 5 eligibility was perhaps the best thing for him, but he went unselected. The Yankees aren’t hurting for bullpen arms, but he could be an extra option late in the season. Venditte, who is 26, has proven himself to be tireless and teachable, no matter what happens.

But after two years at Double-A Trenton, an opportunity to face more advanced hitters would be a valuable one.

Brad Meyers – The Yankees selected the RHP from the Nationals, the team that drafted him in 2007. Meyers has consistently achieved, logging an impressive number of innings every season since his debut. He pitched at three levels – -Harrisburg, Auburn, and Syracuse- finishing at Triple-A Syracuse with a 2.43 ERA in nine starts. In an interesting move, the Yankees decided to convert Meyers from a starter to a reliever, deepening their organizational pitching. Meyers has an opportunity to continue the excellent results he posted in 2011. By giving him spot starts and using him in long relief, he learns more about the kind of pitcher he is and whether he’s comfortable in a relief role.

Should he be offered back, no telling whether the Nationals would convert him back.

Jordan Danks – Danks was left exposed, but remains with the White Sox, his exclusion from the 40-man a bit surprising to begin with.  The twenty-five year old is a highly touted outfielder, but more than that, in his second stint with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights he improved in several areas. His total RBI (65) was up from 2011, as were walks (57), but he tends to strike out a lot and he only hit 14 home runs, a very slight improvement from the previous season.

He’s got the potential to develop a bit more power and could certainly be a late-inning replacement

But as the cleanup effort continues and attention moves away, the things that bound the community — like youth baseball — may take years to be reborn.

“Pitch In For Baseball” has for years been helping to fix that.  The charity’s efforts, with the support of heavy hitters like MLB, Little League Baseball, the IBAF, USA Baseball and others, have helped thousands of kids get back on the field or, in many cases, experience the game for the first time.

“In these situations, kids tend to feel no one cares about them,” said David Rhode, PIFB Executive Director.  “We have the opportunity to say there are people who care about what has happened, and who are ready to help.”

PIFB is the central organization for collecting and redistributing new and “gently used” youth baseball and softball equipment to needy communities both in the United States and around the world. The goal is to spread the game by providing kids with the proper equipment to learn and pay the game.

The recently-completed Japan effort, supported by the Major League Baseball Players Trust, included a delivery of equipment, including bats, baseballs, gloves, catcher’s gear, batting tees, helmets and equipment bags, and a visit by Milwaukee Brewers pitcher and Ishinomaki native Takashi Saito.

Takashi Saito meets the Kazuma team

“I am honored to represent my fellow Major Leaguers in presenting the equipment to the youth of Ishinomaki,” Saito said in a statement.  “I am truly grateful for the support the players have pledged to my native land, and on behalf of all players I can say we look forward to doing more in the future to help recovery efforts and to ensure that people around the world don’t forget that so much more needs to be done before life returns to normal.”

Closer to home, the PIFB team was able to move even more quickly in Joplin.  Former major leaguer Dan Smith, who pitched for for organizations in a 12-year pro career, including stints with the Red Sox and Expos, and lives in Joplin, contacted PIBF for help.  Rhode’s team worked with the Joplin Little League and within two weeks, the shipment was on its way.

A former major leaguer making an even bigger impact with PIFB is Roy Smalley III, who serves as president.  The All-Star member of the Twins and later the Yankees has utilized his substantial connections in the game as well as those of his father Roy Smalley Jr., who died in October and was also a former big leaguer, to the charity’s great benefit.

“Adding Roy Smalley III to ‘Pitch In,’ it’s like night and day,” said Rhode.  “He adds an incredible stamp of credibility.  Probably, a lot of athletes lend their name to something and don’t have much involvement.  I’m on the phone with him constantly; he is as passionate as can be about what we are doing, and has been a huge part of our success the past two years.  He connects us to the baseball industry in ways we couldn’t without him.”

While the distribution side and the success stories in outfitting kids across the world with equipment get most of the attention, the biggest surprise for Rhode has been on the collection part of the equation.

“The people who collect the equipment are the backbone of what we are trying to accomplish,” he added.  “There has been a tremendous impact that young kids have had, which we hoped for but it has exceeded anything we could have dreamed.  From Eagle Scout projects to Mitzvahs to community service, they are doing awesome work every day.  If we don’t have equipment in the warehouse, there’s nothing for us to talk about and do.”

Some of that equipment ended up in Iraq, dubbed “Operation Homerun: Baseball in Bagdad,” which presented an additional challenge.  It’s not as simple as filling out a FedEx form and shipping it off.  But it did show PIFB’s creativity in finding new ways to move the equipment — in this case via the military.

“We don’t always have the opportunity to go through normal channels,” explained Rhode.  “Sometimes it’s embassies, local post offices, transportation ‘off the grid,’ to ensure it gets there.”

People interested in helping with equipment or monetary donations, as well as those who want to alert PIFB to a need in their area, can contact the organization through its Website or Facebook page.

Our featured bloggers that provided us with the in depth Report Card series that has just concluded are back to give everyone an in depth look at what the off season holds for the major league teams they cover.  A look at what each team needs, what each team has already gained and lost, and some of the youth in each team’s system will be examined in these articles.  You can find all of the author’s information at the bottom of the article.

Key Departing Free Agents: outfielders Rick Ankiel, Jonny Gomes, and Laynce Nix; infielder Alex Cora; catcher Ivan Rodriguez; pitchers Livan Hernandez and Todd Coffey
The trio of outfielders resulted in a fair amount of Washington’s total offense during the 2011 season. Ankiel batted .239/.296/.363 with 9 HR and 37 RBI. His biggest value was his defense in center field, making him the likeliest of the three to return. Gomes came over in a July trade and struggled mightily at the plate. Nix, meanwhile, was the biggest surprise of the group, batting .250/.299/.451 with 16 HR and 44 RBI. The team is going to need to address the lack of outfield depth before the offseason concludes. Currently only Jayson Werth and Roger Bernadina are the only outfielders on the 40-man roster with any MLB experience.

Cora and Hernandez both provide a strong veteran presence in the clubhouse and leadership from the dugout, but neither perform at a level that warrants keeping them on the roster. Both will likely play elsewhere in 2012, despite Hernandez’s long public desire to remain a National. Rodriguez likely falls into this same category. He has stated he wants to play another two to three years but the Nationals have the depth to withstand him leaving. Coffey has been a serviceable reliever and could potentially return under the right terms.

Key Areas Needing Improvement: Center field, a bat off the bench, bullpen, potentially starting rotation
Center field, and outfield depth in general, is the team’s biggest need this winter. A search for a center fielder, ideally one who could also potentially leadoff, has been going on since at least this past July trade deadline. Denard Span and B.J. Upton have been the two options most commonly linked to the team, though Span is likely no longer an option based on recent comments by Twins GM Terry Ryan. Regardless of whom the team acquires for center field there will likely be a need to bring in at least one additional outfielder for depth purposes.

The team could also use an additional bat off the bench and another arm for the bullpen. There have been numerous rumors regarding the team’s interest in acquiring a starting pitcher, however this does not appear to be a pressing need.

Pieces Already in Place: Catcher, middle infield, third base, corner outfield, rotation depth
Wilson Ramos will resume the starting catching duties with Jesus Flores backing him up. One of the team’s top prospects, Derek Norris, will begin the season at Triple-A but could replace Flores should he be traded at some point this season.

Between Ian Desmond, Danny Espinosa, and Stephen Lombardozzi the team has a number of options to cover the middle infield. All three are young, cost controlled, and strong defenders. Depending on the progression of prospect Anthony Rendon one of the three could potentially be traded sometime down the road.

Ryan Zimmerman is clearly entrenched at third base. It is more likely that the team signs him to a longterm extension than looks to replace him at the hot corner. Werth’s contract will keep him in a corner outfield spot for the coming years and by the end of 2012 we will likely see Bryce Harper join him.

Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, John Lannan, and Chien-Ming Wang will lead the starting rotation. Ross Detwiler, Tom Milone, and Brad Peacock are expected to compete for the 5^th spot. The team has starting pitching depth which will work to their advantage this coming season. Strasburg, Milone, and Peacock will all likely face some type of innings limits this year.

Possible Trade Chips:
Either Flores or Norris could be dealt in the right deal. As could one of Desmond or Lombardozzi. First baseman Chris Marrero could also be available. Yunesky Maya, Tom Gorzelanny, and potentially Lannan could all be dealt under the right circumstances.

The organization also has additional pitching depth in the minor leagues that could be dealt in the right deal – and could potentially be necessary depending on who fills the center field void.

Already Completed Transactions:
Washington resigned Wang to a one year, $4 Million contract with the potential for performance bonuses. It was expected that he would be brought back for another season with the Nationals and it was no secret that Wang wanted to continue pitching in Washington. He provides a low cost option for the team with a high upside should he be able to remain healthy for the entirety of the 2012 season.

Minor Leaguer to Watch in 2012: Anthony Rendon
Rendon was the consensus top pick in last June’s Draft before the 2011 season began. His final collegiate season, however, was marred by a shoulder injury that limited him offensively and defensively. He slipped in the draft and the Nationals were able to take him with the 6^th pick. Rendon has been a third baseman for much of his baseball life and will likely spend much of the 2012 season at the position. However, with Zimmerman likely not going anywhere it seems likely that in time Rendon will learn to play another position – likely either second base or a corner outfield spot. He is expected to move quickly through the team’s minor league system.

Aaron Somers
District on Deck
@BlogFTBleachers

These report cards were written by twenty nine talented individuals across the internet that keep a close eye on the team they cover.  It was the first of our “Featured Blogger” series.  The second part, an Off-Season Outlook, will be brought to you the remainder of this week.  The same writers will return in the Spring to provide a 2012 Season Preview about the teams.

This year’s Featured Bloggers are listed below along with their website and the link to their Report Card:

American League East
Baltimore Orioles - Austin Gisriel, Seamheads
Boston Red Sox – Michael Lynch, Seamheads
New York Yankees – William Tasker, The Flagrant Fan
Tampa Bay Rays – Yossi Feins, The Rays Rant
Toronto Blue Jays – Peter DeMarco, Some Thoughts On Baseball

American League Central
Chicago White Sox – Terry Keshner, Planet Back
Cleveland Indians – David Henderson, Tribe Cards
Detroit Tigers – Nick Waddell, Seamheads
Kansas City Royals – Todd Fertig, I-70 Baseball
Minnesota Twins – Von Hendry, Seamheads

American League West
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – Bryan Grosnick, Roto Hardball
Oakland As – Jason Leary, Junk Ball
Seattle Mariners – Nick Waddell, Seamheads
Texas Rangers – Dan Edmonson, Chicken Fried Baseball

National League East
Atlanta Braves – Andrew Martin, Baseball Historian
Florida Marlins – Eddie Gilley, Eddie Gilley Blogspot
New York Mets – AC Wayne, Mets Public Record
Philadelphia Phillies – Matthew Buesing, Fire And Ice Sports
Washington Nationals – Aaron Somers , District On Deck

National League Central
Chicago Cubs – Robert Harris, Blue Batting Helmet
Cincinnati Reds – Gary Schatz, Full Of Schatz
Houston Astros – Michael Barr, Fan Graphs
Milwaukee Brewers – Paul Heinz, Paul Heinz.com
Pittsburgh Pirates – Ryan Sendek, Analysis Around The Horn
St. Louis Cardinals – Daniel Shoptaw , C70 At The Bat

National League West
Arizona Diamondbacks – Patrick Lagreid, Baseball On My Brain
Colorado Rockies – Michelle Hoag, Rockies Woman
Los Angeles Dodgers – Paul F Sullivan, Sully Baseball
San Diego Padres – Michael Metzger, Padres Trail
San Francisco Giants – Julian Levine, Giants Nirvana

Bill Ivie is the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com and the founder of i70baseball.com, an official Baseball Digest website covering the Cardinals and Royals.

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BaseballDigest.com aims to keep up that tradition.  This season, we bring you a Report Card on each team in Major League Baseball from writers that cover that team directly.  At the bottom of each write up, you will find the writer’s name, website, and any other pertinent information.  

The Washington Nationals finished the 2011 season with an 80-81 record (one game was lost due to rain and never replayed), good enough for a third place finish in the increasingly tough NL East. The season certainly finished on a brighter note than it began, thanks in part to a mid season managerial change and the emergence and development of a number of the organization’s bright young talents.

Starting Rotation: B
Statistically speaking, the Nationals’ rotation would fall somewhere in the middle of the pack when viewing the respective rotations across baseball. Of starters to make at least 5 starts with the team during the 2011 season only Jason Marquis, Chien-Ming Wang, and Tom Milone finished with winning records. John Lannan was the only pitcher with double digit wins. Yet, there were numerous positive signs to come from the team’s starting corps – the healthy returns of Jordan Zimmermann and Wang, the development of Milone and Brad Peacock, improvements from Lannan, and the late season dominating appearances by Stephen Strasburg.

Bullpen: B+
The backend of the Nationals’ bullpen has developed into a strength – with closer Drew Storen and setup men Tyler Clippard and Sean Burnett. The trio combined for 47 saves, a 14-8 record, and 211 strikeouts in 220.1 innings of work. The emergence of other arms around these arms, however, is what really made the 2011 season a positive one. Cole Kimball, Ryan Mattheus, Henry Rodriguez, Ross Detwiler, and Todd Coffey all posted sub-4.00 ERA seasons and proved that they can be contributors moving forward.

BD Report Cards brought to you by Seamheads

Catchers: A-
When the Nationals flipped Matt Capps to the Minnesota Twins at the 2010 July trade deadline they knew there were getting something special in Wilson Ramos. However, I don’t think anyone expected Ramos to develop as quickly as he seemingly has after the 2011 season we’ve just seen. The catcher batted .267/.334/.445 with 15 HR in his first taste of full time at bats and has solidified himself as the team’s catcher of the present and future. Ivan Rodriguez, the man expected to share the at bats with Ramos heading into the season, struggled at the plate and could be allowed to leave via free agency this winter. Meanwhile, Jesus Flores, the team’s former “catcher of the future”, returned from injury and could give the team a valuable asset if he can return to his old form offensively.

Infield: B
The team’s infield looked solid through much of the 2011 season. Ryan Zimmerman (.289/.355/.443) put up respectable, though below career-norm numbers. Michael Morse (.303/.360/.550) had a breakout season while getting most of the at bats at first base but the question of where he plays defensively next year has not yet been answered. Danny Espinosa (.236/.323/.414) and Ian Desmond (.253/.298/.358) had decent years at the plate as well. Morse led the team with 31 HR and Espinosa added 21 of his own, though there isn’t much additional power production from the group.

From a depth standpoint there is some cause for concern, however, which drops the group’s overall grade a little. Beyond rookie Stephen Lombardozzi there isn’t much depth within the organization at any of the infield positions aside from first base (where Adam LaRoche’s 2012 return could push Morse into the outfield). Lombardozzi is known for his glove which could mold well with defensive standouts in Zimmerman and Espinosa.

Outfield: D
Jayson Werth was signed to a big contract prior to the 2011 season and he faltered terribly (.232/.330/.389) in his debut season with the Nationals. The fact that he still had the best showing in 2011 by any of the team’s outfielders is telling to just how disappointing the group was as a whole. Rick Ankiel (.239/.296/.363), Laynce Nix (.250/.299/.451), and Roger Bernadina (.243/.301/.362) all provided more value from a defensive standpoint than an offensive one. Yet, their respective roles with the organization for 2012 and beyond remains in question. .

Once again, depth – or more specifically a lack thereof – is a problem for Washington. Bryce Harper is the only true outfield prospect the organization currently has and he had a solid 2011 season, his first as a professional. While Harper is widely considered the top prospect in the minor leagues, there doesn’t seem to be a urgency by the Nationals to rush him to the Majors. He’ll see Washington during the 2012 season, but don’t expect that to be in April.

Top Offensive Player / Team MVP: Morse
The fact that Morse was the team’s top offensive player and/or Team MVP is really not much of an argument. He led the team in batting average (.303), on base percentage (.360), slugging percentage (.560), runs scored (158), RBI (95), HR (31), hits (158), and doubles (36). Morse had a career year in 2011, which he’ll hope to replicate during a 2012 season that holds a great deal of optimism for numerous Nationals fans. One thing to keep an eye on, however, is where Morse plays defensively. He was a much more effective hitter when playing first base rather than the outfield this past season.

Top Pitcher: Clippard
With no true standout performers among the team’s starting rotation, the pitcher who provided the most value to the club was easily Clippard. In 88.1 innings of work the right-hander posted a 3-0 record and 1.83 ERA with 104 strikeouts and 26 walks. He was vital in getting the ball to closer Drew Storen, which let Storen settle into the role full time in his first full season in the Majors. Perhaps most importantly, Clippard has been consistent over the past two+ seasons giving the Nationals a valuable weapon in the bullpen – a necessity for any potentially playoff bound team.

Aaron Somers
District on Deck
@BlogFTBleachers

Arizona Fall League play concluded on Thursday, ending what was a high quality showcase of talent.

Hardest to ignore was nineteen-year old Bryce Harper. Putting the capper on his first pro season, the Nationals top prospect came out swinging a hot bat for most of the schedule. He finished hitting .333 with six home runs in 93 at-bats.

The Nationals plans are still up in the air, but a stint at Triple-A, which he’s yet to experience, would give him more time to improve  defensive weaknesses. Harper’s acclimation to Double-A last season was impressive for several reasons. While he displayed the power that was expected of him, he showed an ability to bounce back from frustrating moments and consistently proved he could handle the burn of the national spotlight on him.

His participation in the Arizona Fall League gave him extra at-bats, allowing him to further prove his readiness to the Nationals brass. All eyes will be on him to have a strong spring, but the Nationals don’t appear to be hasty in putting their star prospect in a major league uniform before they feel he’s absolutely ready. Whether the Nationals are motivated to delay Harper’s arbitration clock remains to be seen. It wouldn’t be a shock to see him get some time in Triple-A, considering how protective the team has been of the teenager. A player that young, and with that much pressure on him, requires a tremendous amount of patience.

Here are a few thoughts on Harper, and other Nationals standouts in the AFL, by Nationals blogger David Huzzard:

On Harper:

“The expectations are so high it is hard to be impressed with a double, RBI single, and a walk, but Harper looks like he has filled out his frame.”

“His defense still needs work as he took a bad route on a fly ball that went just over his outstretched glove for a double, and had communication issues with his centerfielder in a different game. He continues to show great range and has the athletic ability to play outfield but needs to hone his instincts.”

“All the reports on [Matt] Purke were that he had lost velocity on the fastball, but when I saw him he sat around 94-95 and touched 97 once. He had trouble controlling his breaking pitch and was constantly missing low. He did have a good 15 MPH differential between the fastball and change, and he looked composed and confident on the mound and retired all three batters he faced despite control issues.”

On Derek Norris: He continues to show great plate discipline and power and has improved defensively. He did have a defensive miscue in the game I saw him in when he threw a ball into centerfield trying to throw out a base stealer. Other than that he called a good game and had no issue blocking balls in the dirt.

You can follow David at @Evolution33 and read his work by clicking here.

TOP PLAYERS IN AFL: Rangers prospect Mike Olt (Surprise Saguaros) led the the league in RBI (43) and home runs (14). Miguel De Los Santos led in wins (5, the only pitcher to do so) and strikeouts (40).

RULE 5 DEADLINE
The deadline has come and gone for teams to protect their players by adding them to the 40-man roster. One notable Yankees name now eligible to be Rule 5 drafted is switch pitcher Pat Venditte. Venditte pitched 90 innings for Double-A Trenton in 2011 and finished the season with a 3.40 ERA. But he’s up against a lot at this point, and that includes his age. At 26 the reliever has never played above Double-A, after being drafted by the Yankees in 2008.

While his velocity is better on his right side (88-90), his fastball velocity is not a strength and that likely hurt his chances of getting a chance to contribute at the big league level. Still, his curveball is effective on both sides. Teams are always looking for guys to bring up from the farm to add arms to the bullpen late in the season, so his value is there. A break from the Yankees is likely best;  a solid minor league career could increase his chances of getting selected by another team.

Epstein fired manager Mike Quade on Wednesday after just a little over one season in Chicago. The Sun-Times has the story.

Dodgers fans are ecstatic that the McCourts are selling. The LA Times has the full story.

The Detroit Tigers’ Justin Verlander was the most dominant pitcher in the game en route to 24 wins. Jose Bautista didn’t match his 54 home runs of a year ago, but had another 40+ home run season. Lance Berkman looked like his career was done in 2010, but he hit 30 home runs this season and is an NL MVP candidate. Jacoby Ellsbury was the king of the AL DL a year ago, but this season was a candidate for both the comeback player of the year and AL MVP awards.

Curtis Granderson had a bust out season, topping 40 home runs for the first time in his career. Teammate Derek Jeter picked up his 3,000th hit, while another, Mariano Rivera, broke the all-time record for career saves. Across town, Jose Reyes won his first batting title in what might be his last year as a Met.  Albert Pujols had an “off” year and still hit 35 dingers and Matt Kemp met and exceeded all expectations.  With all of that in mind, the finalists for the individual awards in each league should look something like this…

AL MVP – Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano (NY), Jacoby Ellsbury (BOS), Jose Bautista (TOR), Justin Verlander (DET)

AL Cy Young – Justin Verlander (Det)

AL Rookie of the Year – Jeremy Hellickson (TB), Ivan Nova (NY), Eric Hosmer (KC), Mark Trumbo (LA), J.P. Arencibia (TOR)

AL Manager of the Year – Manny Acta (CLE), Jim Leyland (DET), Ron Washington (TEX), Joe Girardi (NY)

AL Comeback Player of the Year – Jacoby Ellsbury (BOS), Melky Cabrera (KC)

NL MVP – Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder (MIL), Matt Kemp (LA), Lance Berkman (STL), Justin Upton (AZ)

NL Cy Young – Ian Kennedy (AZ), Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee (PHI), Clayton Kershaw (LA)

NL Manager of the Year – Kirk Gibson (AZ), Ron Roenicke (MIL), Clint Hurdle (PIT), Charlie Manuel (PHI)

NL Rookie of the Year – Freddie Freeman and Craig Kimbrel (ATL), Danny Espinosa (WAS), Javy Guerra (LA)

NL Comeback Player of the Year – Carlos Beltran (NY,SF), Lance Berkman (STL)

But baseball isn’t about the individual, it’s about the teams.

Early on the Indians, Royals, and Pirates played beyond expectation. In fact the Indians held first place in the AL Central for 85 days. The three teams would eventually fade, but the Arizona Diamondbacks did just the opposite. They were six games under .500 in mid-May, but played at a torrid pace the rest of the season to win the division title. Meanwhile Boston and Atlanta entered the final month of the season as virtual locks to make the post-season only to be eliminated on the final night of the season.

The LA Dodgers and the Mets had ownership and money issues, the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds were huge disappointments, and the Baltimore Orioles, despite much promise, finished last in the AL East for the fourth straight year. In the end the Yankees, Tigers, Rangers, Phillies, Brewers, and Diamondbacks captured their divisions while the Rays and Cardinals entered the playoffs as wild card entries.

What’s that? How did the Baseball Digest team do at predicting the post-season teams? Let’s take a look.

Well it appears, ahem, one person knew what they were talking about with the AL East. Yes, that would be me. Michael Maher, likewise, was the only one of our bunch who had the insight to pick the Tigers in the AL Central. He was also the only one to pick the Rays to win the AL wild card. Four out of seven dentist, er writers, chose the Rangers correctly in the AL West, while none of us had the Diamondbacks sniffing a title in the NL West.

Bill Ivie stuck his neck out picking the Braves to win the NL East, while everyone else selected the Phillies. Needless to say, his neck hurts. Bill’s beloved Cardinals didn’t win the NL Central as he had selected, but he was brought joy on the night of Game 162 when they made the post-season. Meanwhile Simon Sharkey-Gottlieb, Kirk Verner, and Matt Wilson all correctly chose the Brewers for the Central crown, but just like the NL West, no one got the NL wild card correct either. So the finally tally of correct predictions..drum roll please…four writers with 3 right each. Meanwhile Josh Landsburg, Mark Healey, and Bill Ivie…um, better luck next year. (In fairness, Bill did get 2 playoff teams correct, just in the wrong spots)

Michael Maher 3
Drew Sarver 3
Simon Sharkey-Gottlieb 3
Matt Wilson 3
Shai Kushner 2
Kirk Verner 2
Josh Landsburg 1
Mark Healey 1
Bill Ivie 0

Please check back after the league championship series for updated standings, and be sure to bookmark Baseball Digest to view all of our post-season coverage.

Drew Sarver is a senior writer  for BaseballDigest.com.  You can also read his work at his blog, My Pinstripes. He can be contacted at mypinstripes@gmail.com and can be followed on Twitter at @BD_Sarver and @MyPinstripes.

“I think at first, obviously, not that I was an all-star or anything, but I think it was realizing everyone had the equal ability that I did. And that every day wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. it took me a little while that first year,” he said before a game at Citizens Bank Park between the Nationals and Phillies.

Desmond was of the last class drafted by the now extinct Montreal Expos in 2004 out of Sarasota High School and was one of only four players the Expos drafted to make it to the majors. His upbringing in the very pro-baseball Sarasota, Florida was rich with opportunities to learn the game from guys who knew plenty. His fortune was spending most of his time taking tips from guys who are known for their vast knowledge of the game.

“There’s a lot of guys in that area that played pro ball, played in the big leagues that I got to know. Rich Dubee [Phillies pitching coach] was one of my mentors growing up. Me and his son [Michael] played together. Dewey Robinson who is a pitching coach for the Astros, Jim Bollinger…they were all so involved in baseball and they helped me a lot.”

He was assigned to the Gulf Coast League Expos playing in 55 games and finished the season hitting .228 with 27 RBI. The minor league atmosphere took some getting used to. Gulf Coast is a league where young players are just trying to get used to playing at a professional level, it isn’t the place for fanfare.  “You’re playing in front of no fans in the heat of the summer in the GCL. You’re struggling and grinding through it,” Desmond said. In 2005 the Expos became the Washington Nationals and he began the season with the Savannah Sand Gnats, before his promotion  to Potomac. Over the next four seasons he bounced between there, Double-A Harrisburg, and, finally, Triple-A Syracuse where he played 55 games before the Nationals called him up in September of 2009.

The new Washington era of baseball was on the clock to excite fans after the initial surge of excitement in 2005. But it was not going to be that easy and players such as Desmond needed a lot of help along the way.

“One of the knocks in the early years was that the Nationals were bringing in too many veteran guys. But at the same time, for us young guys it helped us tremendously. Not only could you get guidance from Dimitri Young, but you could get it from a scrappy player like Damian Jackson. He was there my first spring training. Royce Clayton, Christian Guzman…there was all different veterans, but all different types of makeup. So you could pick who you really liked and pretty much model yourself after anyone on the field, because they all had established big league careers.”

Before even getting to the big leagues, the versatile player bounced around from center field, second and third base, catcher and, finally, shortstop. It wasn’t until he signed professionally that he played shortstop regularly. He said he always knew he’d be a shortstop. It has not been an easy road at short and Desmond is still improving as a fielder. As a rookie in 2010, he accumulated 34 errors, but lowered that number to 22 in 2011 . This year has been important in showing that he’s capable of continuing to improve. He finished the 2011 season hitting .253 with 49 runs knocked in. But his late season surge was a step in the right direction.

The Nationals are in the middle of trying to reshape their future. They’ve had the benefit of drafting and signing two of the best prospects in baseball history, with pitcher Stepehen Strasburg and outfield slugger Bryce Harper. They created a noisy buzz when they wooed Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth from the Phillies with a hefty contract. They’re adding pieces, developing talent, but they’ll need more.

“Ultimately, I want to win. I want to be part of a championship team and be a champion.”

The minors were a tough experience to appreciate, but at the end of that time Desmond saw those times in a very different light.

“Once I realized that pro ball was more about team camaraderie and road trips and bus trips and having roommates and developing that brotherhood, that makes the struggle so much easier.”

This season has certainly had its share of surprises: the Diamondbacks dominance in the west, Adam Dunn’s struggles just to get a glimpse of the Mendoza line and Jose Bautista proving that 2010 wasn’t a fluke, just to name a few.  On the other hand, some things have gone as expected: The Yankees and Red Sox will make the postseason, Mariano Rivera is still a dominant closer and Ozzie Guillen’s anger management classes haven’t had much of an effect, just to name a few.  Least surprising of all, though, may be the performance of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Most preseason predictions had the Phillies winning the NL East and it was easy to see why.  The group of starting pitchers was given all sorts of nicknames before even showing up to spring training.  The last time this happened was with the 1995 Mets and Generation K (which we all know didn’t go so well).  The question never seemed to be “would they win” but “how many would they win”.  So it’s easy to understand the lack of noise surrounding the team’s success so far this year.  A situation living up to expectations is rarely newsworthy.  What is surprising, however, is how little noise is being made about how good this team has actually been.

For starters (pun unfortunately intended), four members of the Phillies rotation boast ERA’s under 3 (Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Vance Worley).  Halladay and Lee have also amassed over 200 strikeouts already.  Worley is 11-1 with a 2.85 ERA and he’s just a rookie.  Hamels is 14-7 with a 2.60 ERA and also has a WHIP under 1, yet he’s almost an after-thought…a very dangerous after-thought.  So even though veteran Roy Oswalt may not have lived up to what some had hoped for him, the team doesn’t seem to be all that affected.

The bullpen, a seemingly weak area for the Phillies coming into this season, has found a couple truly dependable arms.  Ryan Madson has been an effective closer, saving 29 of his 31 opportunities (through Friday, September 9).  Meanwhile, lefty reliever Antonio Bastardo has gone from specialist to just plain special in his first full major league season.  Bastardo has an ERA under 2, a 0.81 WHIP, 66 K’s in 54.1 innings and has kept opponents to a .119 batting average.

The Phillies are on their way to the best record in franchise history.  After Friday night’s win (their 5th straight) the Phillies have 93 wins, 8 short of the franchise best 101 (1976 & 1977) and there are still 21 games to go.  In other words, the Phillies have never been this dominant in the franchise’s 122 seasons (129 if you include their time as the Philadelphia Quakers).

Perhaps what’s most impressive about this accomplishment is that they’ve done it when virtually every offensive player (not named Shane Victorino) is having an down season.  Furthermore, many important pieces of this team have spent significant time on the disabled list at various points in the season.  Still, the Phillies have been able to sustain their dominance since April.  Credit their pitching.  Credit their manager, Charlie Manuel.  Credit their GM, Ruben Amaro, for making some key moves prior to, and during, the season.  Really though, credit the team as a whole, as they find ways to win on a daily basis.

Once October begins, the Phillies regular season accomplishments will cease to mean a whole lot.  Many teams have coasted through the regular season only to make a quick trip back home to join their lesser counterparts.  All season long though, something special has been going on in Philadelphia and it shouldn’t be ignored.

Around the Division:

Atlanta Braves -  Brandon Beachy’s 142 strikeouts give him the most ever by a Braves rookie pitcher.  Jair Jurrjens was the previous record-holder with 139 K’s in 2008.  More impressively, rookie closer Craig Kimbrel notched his 41st save on 8/31, breaking Neftali Feliz’s record (40) set just last season, for most saves by a rookie.

New York Mets - Johan Santana is getting closer to making an appearance for the Mets this season, just to prove to fans that he does still exist.  Second-year first baseman Ike Davis will not need ankle surgery after all, however Jay Horwitz, the team’s long standing VP of Media Relations, is out indefinitely with a broken ankle of his own (and that WILL require surgery).  Horwitz has been the Mets PR guy for over 30 years, has only missed 3 games during that time and hadn’t missed a game in 21 years.

Washington Nationals - On September 3, rookie Tom Milone became the first pitcher to hit a home run on the first major league pitch he faced since Adam Wainwright did it for the Cardinals in 2006.  Stephen Strasburg looked sensational in dominating the Los Angeles Dodgers in his first major league start since last year’s Tommy John surgery.  Strasburg’s next start is Sunday, 9/11 against the Astros.

Florida Marlins - Hanley Ramirez will be out for the remainder of the season, closing the books on the young shortstop’s most disappointing season to date.  Ramirez will have surgery next week.  According to Larry Beinfest, the Marlins president of Baseball Operations, the surgery will be performed by Dr. James Andrews and will start out as arthroscopic surgery with a possibility that open surgery will be necessary.  Ramirez’s recovery time will depend on the type of surgery he ends up having.

Shai Kushner is a Senior Writer for BaseballDigest.com.  Email Shai at: BaseballDigestShai@gmail.com.  Follow Shai on Twitter at: @BD_ShaiKushner.

Most Impressive Team - Omaha Storm Chasers  No longer the Omaha Royals, the 2011 innaugual season of the Storm Chasers is a good ‘ol baseball story. Affiliated with the Royals since it’s inception in 1969, the newly named Pacific Coast League team begins a new era on the right foot as they head back to the playoffs after a twelve year absence. While the development of players is the point of it all, there was one really good reason why the Chasers success would be a sweet victory. 2011 marked Mike Jirschele’s 8th season as the Triple-A club’s manager and his 12th in the Royals system. They had never finished higher than third in his entire tenure, including last season, and when he arrived in 2003 they finished in 11th place with. The fact that the team had not been to the playoffs since 1999, gave young players a little something more to play for. With players like Mike Moustakas, Mike Montgomery, and Eric Hosmer on their roster at some point during the season, fans had many great reasons to support the team.

Most Impressive Manager - Andy Haines, Greensboro Grasshoppers – It was down to the wire for the Grasshoppers. They defeated the Kannapolis Indians in extra innings to become second-half champs of the Northern Division. Haine’s knows he has to help the development of players at a low-level. Excellence is not easily achieved. But the Grasshoppers finished with a 79-60 overall record and spent May and June notching victories. They have been a consistent team with excellent offense. Starting pitchers like James Leverton came through in the final stretch . It is not easy to manage at that level. But Haines understands the job and that’s the key. Now after a twelve-year absence, the Grasshoppers are playoffs bound.

Most Impressive Hitter – Paul Goldschmidt, Mobile BayBears, Southern League, Arizona Diamondbacks – Goldschmidt is exactly what the Diamondbacks need. The first-baseman is providing excitement Arizona baseball fans are lacking. Before his call-up, he was putting together a tremendous season for the Double-A BayBears. He led the minors with 30 home runs and 94 RBI. The twenty-three-year-old also worked an astounding 82 walks. His .626 SLG percentage is the league’s best to end the season.

Most Impressive Starting Pitcher -Matt Moore, Durham Bulls, International League, Tampa Rays – Strikeouts. That is the first word you likely think of when reflecting on Moore’s 2011 season with the Bulls and Double-A Montgomery Biscuits. His 210 K’s led all of minor league baseball. 163 of them were in the Southern League before his promotion. He went 4-0 for Durham with a 1.37 ERA in his final ten starts.

He was chosen to pitch the Game 1 opener against the Reading Phillies in Round 1 of the Eastern League playoffs

“Last season I struggled toward the end,” Jenkins said. “This year I definitely kept the momentum I had from the beginning rolling all the way to the end. That’s been huge for me.”

Jenkins, 23, understands the importance of proving consistency at the Double-A level, and, although he’s struggled at times, he’s shown he can bounce back and be relied on to pitch deep. In his second year of professional baseball, he has 16 starts for the Fisher Cats under his belt with roughly 10 of them quality. He’s averaged six innings per start. In the second half he showed up with a mixture of results. He’s walked a few too many, but has surrendered just four home runs since mid-July.

“I stayed on top of my workouts this year, which really helps especially toward the later part of the season.”

The durable Jenkins stands 6-4 and is listed as weighing 235. And for all his arm strength, he put the focus on the lower half last off-season.

“I really worked on my legs. Which keeps me going throughout the year.”

The Fisher Cats roster included top pitching prospects the last two seasons with Kyle Drabek last year and Brad Peacock this year. Jenkins was part of a pitching staff that included Zach Stewart (now with the White Sox) and Henderson Alvarez, and Joe Carreno, all who have gone onto the big leagues. Carreno was the most recent Jays call up on August 19th.

Jenkins had his issues. He showed an inconsistent slider, a pitch that is considered one of his best, and one of the best in the Blue Jays system.

“It’s been hit or miss. We’ve focused on it pretty hard toward the end here. [Pitching coach] Pete Walker has helped me a lot with my grip. We got it to where it needs to be, I just need to locate it better.”

He also needed to find a grip that worked for him. Jenkins, who throws a fastball-slider-changeup, worked with Walker to achieve a more comfortable delivery.

“He showed me a grip that he used. I started using it and it’s been unbelievable. For the most part I wasn’t striding out a lot, so we figured out I tried to make my stride a little bit longer.”

The Fisher Cats had many challenges to overcome. Jays 2009 first-rounder Jenkins joined the team in June and did what he had to in order to succeed. But if him or anyone else wasn’t, there were other guys coming through. There were weaknesses, but others strengths shined during the tough times.

“You know, there was always someone to pick it up. We had guys go up to the big leagues. And now we have new guys coming in that have stepped right in and filled their spots. This has been an incredible team.”

In the early part of his professional career he’s already proving he has the ability. Manager Sal Fasano commented that he actually though Jenkins arm had gotten stronger as the season went on. Not easy, but there might be at least one reason for that.

“I guess I’m just fortunate that my size helps.”

The righty takes the hill for the Fisher Cats on Wednesday when the best-of-five series begins in New Hampshire. The series then moves to Reading for Game 4 and 5 (if necessary).

The baseball season is long.  Six months, 162 games, never more than a 3-day break, it’s a lot.  So it’s not surprising that some players lose a bit of focus as the season transitions from pennant race to postseason/offseason preparations.  In the division that houses the two winningest teams in the National League, this point of the season has come a little early.  It would take an epic collapse to keep the Phillies or the Braves from playing October baseball (this is still unlikely even though the 2007 Mets proved that it’s possible) .  Meanwhile, the Mets, Nationals and Marlins probably don’t look at third place as a goal worthy of bragging rights.  With five weeks remaining in the season, players might start wondering what’s in it for them.

Let’s take a look at five pitchers who may still benefit from showing what they can do, even though the standings might not be affected…

Brad Lidge, Philadelphia Phillies – The ups and downs of Lidge’s career would give most people motion sickness.  Lidge has been invincible in some seasons and quite vincible (it’s a real word!) in others.  His perfect 2008 for Philadelphia (48-48 in save opportunities, including the postseason), as well as being the man on the mound when the Phillies won the Word Series has earned him a special place in that city’s heart.  Of course, since that magical year, Lidge has been at best, injured, and at worst, awful.  Now, in his walk year, Lidge has only appeared in 12 games (just 9 innings) as September approaches, and has lost his closer role.  Lidge has performed well in his limited time and will have the postseason to show what’s he’s got left in the tank.  Many teams will be looking for new closers next season, and Lidge’s performance these next few weeks can go a long way in determining whether or not he’s a consideration.

Derek Lowe, Atlanta Braves – When the Braves signed Derek Lowe to a 4-year $60 million deal prior to the 2009 season they declared that the had found their ace.  Through the first 2 and a half seasons of that deal, Lowe’s results may not be ace-like, but he has been successful.  Lowe is 39-34 with a 4+ ERA during his tenure in Atlanta.  He is also going to be 39-years old before next year’s All-Star break.  The Braves will likely offer arbitration to two of their young starters, Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson (who may/may not be arbitration eligible), so the $15 million that Lowe will make next year might become an issue.  Atlanta’s decision to hold onto Lowe for the remainder of this season was likely based on his postseason experience and a desire not to shake up the successful flow of their rotation.  However a glut of exciting rookie pitchers (Julio Teheran, Randall Delgado, Mike Minor, etc.) will make Lowe, and his high salary, expendable coming into next season.  Lowe now has September and the postseason to either convince the Braves to keep him or convince other teams to spend high for his services.

John Lannan, Washington Nationals – Chances are you’ve heard about the Nationals pitching of the future (some of whom are in the present): Stephen Strasburg, Drew Storen, Jordan Zimmermann, Brad Peacock, just to name a few.  But one pitcher, John Lannan, is vying to be a senior member of this exclusive club, and he’s only 26 years-old (27 in a month).  The lefty starter has been consistent since joining the Nationals major league club in 2007.  However, he’s only been consistently mediocre.  This season, however, Lannan is on pace to achieve personal bests in wins and ERA.  As a back of the rotation starter with a $2.75 million contract, Lannan is something of a bargain.  He is arbitration eligible for one more season before becoming a free agent.  If Lannan continues to show improvement, the Nationals may want to consider him as a long-term answer to any #4/#5 starter questions.  However, with so many potential major league arms in the farm system, they may want to consider selling high on Lannan to bring in some offense.  Of course, a poor showing by Lannan will leave the Nationals with few options, and will likely leave Lannan out of the mix for the future excitement in D.C.

Bobby Parnell, New York Mets – While most Mets pitchers could make this list, Parnell may have an integral role in the Mets success next season.  Then again, if his inconsistency remains an issue, he also may not.  It’s not that he doesn’t have the “stuff”.  Parnell sports a mid-to-high 90′s fastball with some sink, as well as a nasty slider.  However, that’s about all that’s nasty about the righty reliever.  As the Mets try to figure out who their closer will be next season, they are looking in house at the young, talented and inexpensive Parnell.  However, for Parnell to take advantage of this opportunity he will to improve his control, his command and his consistency.  He will also have to develop the killer instinct that seems common to successful relievers.  Otherwise he’ll just end up as another name on the list of great throwers who never figured out how to pitch.

Chris Volstad, Florida Marlins – The 6’8″ sinkerballer debuted in July of 2008 and immediately impressed, going 6-4 with a 2.88 ERA that season.  Volstad showed enough in those 15 games (14 starts) to give the Marlins the idea that they had drafted another gem.  Unfortunately, his work since that season has been disappointing.  In 2009, the righty took a big step back, going 9-13 with a 5.21 ERA.  His 2010 season was only slightly better (12-9, 4.58) and this year, his worst so far at 5-11, 5.61.  While Volstad is not necessarily considered a key component to the future of Marlins starting pitching (relative to Josh Johnson, Anibal Sanchez and Ricky Nolasco), the team will need him to improve if they expect to match up with the other starting staffs in the division.

This is a tricky time of year for baseball.  While some of the divisions still have interesting races going on, the NL East has pretty much been decided.  It’s easy for attention to wane.  However, a closer look at some of the interesting story lines within each team reveals plenty to watch for in the seasons final weeks.

Shai Kushner is a Senior Writer for BaseballDigest.com.  Email Shai at: BaseballDigestShai@gmail.com.  Follow Shai on Twitter at: @BD_ShaiKushner.

There is little doubt that the story in the NL East this season has been pitching.  Eight of the National League’s top pitchers in wins come from this division, four of the top eight in ERA come from this division, four of the top six strikeout leaders come from this division, and in all likelihood the CY Young Award winner will come from this division.

But this may not be the story for long.

Even though many of the division’s most recognized names (like Chipper Jones, Ryan Howard, Hanley Ramirez, David Wright, Jayson Werth) might be having down seasons here are a batch of youngsters with whom you might want to get acquainted.

Freddie Freeman, 1B, Atlanta Braves – The only reason this 21 year-old (almost 22) slugger might not win the NL Rookie of the Year is because his rookie teammate Craig Kimbrel leads the majors in saves.  Freeman leads all National League rookies in: home runs, RBI’s, batting average, slugging pct., OPS, runs scored, and lists of accomplishments.  He also happens to have a stellar glove, a powerful arm and I’m sure it’s only a matter of time until he rescues some kids from a burning orphanage.  Chipper Jones has already declared Freeman to be the next face of the Braves franchise.  Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Freeman’s rookie achievements is that he’s done it all after getting off to a terrible start.  In April, Freeman hit just .225 with 3 HR’s, 8 RBI’s and a handful of skeptics.  However, strong showings in May and June erased much of the early-season doubt and a terrific July (.362/6/18) has turned just about everyone into a believer.

Mike Stanton, OF, Florida Marlins – An opposing minor league manager once described Stanton by saying, “He looks like a 15-year-old playing on an 8-year-old’s Little League team.”  Now, this manchild is threatening to lead the National League in home runs in only his second major league season.  Entering Thursday’s games, Stanton had hit a home run in four straight games, giving him 29 on the season and placing him one long ball behind NL leader Albert Pujols.  The 21 year-old (almost 22) outfielder will likely hit at least 35 HR’s this season.  That would put him in a group with Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, Frank Robinson, Hal Trosky, Mel Ott and Eddie Mathews as players with 35 HR’s at the age of 21. If he happens to make it to 40 HR’s this season, he would join Hall of Famers Ott and Matthews as the only players to hit that many before turning 22.   Even if Stanton falls short of these accomplishments, he has already done enough in his first 700 major league at-bats to suggest that fans will be enjoying his tape-measure shots for years to come.

Lucas Duda, OF-1B, New York Mets – From the moment Lucas Dude dons his uniform and walks onto the field, he just looks like a pro ballplayer.  His size and his swing look like elements of a slugger that could give opposing pitchers a handful of sleepless nights.  However, his early returns had anyone outside of the Mets organization sleeping easy.  A September callup in 2010, Duda had just 1 hit in his first 33 major league at-bats.  He followed that up, however, with 13 hits, 5 doubles, 3 home runs and 12 RBI’s in his next 37 at-bats.  His 2011 story wasn’t all that different.  Duda started off with just 4 hits in his first 20 at-bats, being used primarily (and unsuccessfully) as a pinch-hitter.  However, as injuries to Ike Davis, Angel Pagan and other Mets starters began to mount, Duda’s opportunities increased.  He took advantage, hitting a solid .283 in June and reaching .300 (with a .912 OPS) for the month of July.  When the Mets traded Carlos Beltran to the San Francisco Giants, the door was open for Duda to audition to be a part of the Mets lineup of the future.  While some may have feared that the added playing time may have exposed some of his weaknesses, Duda has seized the opportunity and shown an impressive ability to make adjustments.  Once deemed by scouts as having 5 o’clock power (power that impresses during batting practice but is gone by gametime), Duda is leading people to believe that he just might be ready for prime time.

Domonic Brown, OF, Philadelphia Phillies – This has been an odd year for the talented rookie outfielder.  The Phillies organization has done a terrific job of building the farm system in the past few years.  However, many of those players found themselves on other teams by the time they made it to the majors, having been dealt for important pieces in the Phillies pennant and postseason pushes.  The one player who has continuously survived that fate has been Domonic Brown.  While the Phillies starting pitching may have been much of the focus coming into this season, the most anticipated member of the everyday lineup could easily have been the rookie.  In an early Spring Training game, Brown broke a bone in his right hand, an injury that would require surgery and delay his ’11 debut until late May.  Brown got off to a pretty hot start but cooled off terribly in June.  In July, Brown began to show the promise and the consistency that had been expected of him, batting .296 with 6 HR’s and 12 RBI’s for the month.  As this year’s trade deadline neared, Brown’s name showed up regularly as potential trade bait.  However, GM Ruben Amaro said repeatedly that he had no intentions of trading the talented youngster.  When the Phillies finally acquired All-Star outfielder Hunter Pence from the Astros they chose to move four of their talented farmhands instead of including Brown in the deal.  While this kept Brown in the organization, it didn’t keep him with the big league club.  Brown was sent down to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make room for Pence.  While this may seem like a demotion, it’s actually an opportunity for Brown to play every day (as opposed to sitting on the Philadelphia bench) while learning how to play left field.  An outfield featuring Brown and Pence in the corner spots with Shane Victorino in center is a scary prospect for the rest of the division.

Wilson Ramos, C, Washington Nationals – Most conversations about the future of the Nationals revolve around their pitching.  Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Brad Peacock and Drew Storen are just a few of the talents giving hope to the historically unsuccessful franchise.  However, the one constant for all of these arms will need to be a dependable battery mate.  In his first full major league season, Wilson Ramos has given reasons to believe that he’ll fit that bill.  His stats may not be as impressive as the other young hitters on this list.  A .246 batting average with 9 HR’s and a .709 OPS is little more than pedestrian, even for a catcher.  But at just 24 years-old, Ramos is described by teammates and coaches as being beyond his years.  Ramos strong arm behind the plate has been evident since his time in the minors.  This year he’s thrown out about 35% of attempted base stealers, an impressive number to begin with, and likely to improve with experience.  Ramos will likely benefit from having catching legend Ivan Rodriguez as a teammate and mentor.

Pitching may be the magic word for the 2011 National East but these young hitters are already making a statement of their own.

Shai Kushner is a Senior Writer for BaseballDigest.com.  Email Shai at: BaseballDigestShai@gmail.com.  Follow Shai on Twitter at: @BD_ShaiKushner.

Overseeing all of it is manager Tony Beasley. He has remained a calm force in the center of the Bryce Harper storm.

On Sunday night, his club defeated the Trenton Thunder, putting their lead in the EL (Western Div.) at one full game on Bowie and 3.5 on Richmond.

They next face the Akron Aeros, who are hanging in there at 5 games back of Harrisburg.

Tony Beasley addressed several issues on Sunday:

On the team:

“I think the key for us the last few games has been pitching. We’ve pitched extremely well. That’s been the reason for our success lately. We’ve been able to get some timely hitting. We haven’t had offensive explosions. We’ve pitched well, caught the bell well, so, I think our pitching is key. We have to keep doing that to sustain our position. That will lead us to the post-season. Our backs are still against the wall. We’ve got to play well every game.”

“Tim Pahuta has had some big hits for us late in ball games. So has Tyler Moore. Chris Rahl has done it time and time again. Leonard Davis has been unbelievable with the bat lately. He keeps getting big hits for us. We’ve had guys step up in big situations. It’s good we have multiple places it can come from.”

“We have probably six or seven guys in the lineup that pose a threat and do something special at any time. That’s kind of what we’re hanging our hat on.”

On Bryce Harper:

“Oh, yeah. If anybody gets to meet him and know him, he’s a competitor, yes, as we all are.  As far as who he is as a person, he’s an unbelievably nice kid. He has a good upbringing and his head is on straight. He’s a solid individual. In the course of competing sometimes you get upset in the heat of the moment.”

“It’s sad because he’s a really nice kid. He plays hard. He expects to be successful. Anyone who wants to be great needs to have that type of mentality. I think that’s what separates him. If he didn’t expect to do great things, he wouldn’t be here at eighteen years old. I think it’s unfair what’s happened to him. During the course of any season, you can depict any guy as anything you want to. You can go with anything and portray a player however you want. You can report on what he does in the heat of the moment, but also report the other side.

“The other day he goes and does his appearance in the morning with hearing impaired kids and no one talks about those types of things. How he is with the kids, he signs autographs an unbelievable [amount of time]. After he stretches and after the games, he signs. He’s always available and he understands what comes with the hype and drama around him. He understands. And I think he handles it more professionally than seasoned vets who interview him sometimes. To me that’s disheartening.”

” I look up some games and I see a group of grown men who have come to boo an eighteen-year-old kid. That doesn’t make sense.  Why would you want that? I have  a son. And you want kids to be successful. And you think one would be more encouraging. I understand the mentality of the fan. But he should just be able to play and have fun and be embraced. I don’t see why he can’t just be embraced. He’s a special talent. I don’t know why he has to be so criticized. It’s sad.”

“I don’t think there’s a pitch he can’t hit. I think he gets overly aggressive in certain situations. He wants to do something great, so he may try to force something. Instead of relaxing and playing and letting his natural ability make things happen. But it’s normal. He gets in situations where maybe there’s guys on base and he wants to hit a three-run home run as opposed to getting a base hit or getting the RBI. That comes with time and age.”

NOTES: While defense was a problem for the Thunder and Senators in Sunday night’s game, it was the Senators that took the most advantage. They got 3 runs on 8 hits. They also worked six walks off the combined pitching of starter Graham Stoneburner (4) and Brad Halsey.

Harper exhibited the kind of patience Beasley is hoping to see more of. He held up on pitches out of the zone, using quick pitch recognition that led to 2 walks and 2 hits.

Erik Arnesen (8-3) pitched 7 innings of four-hit baseball. He struck out 10.

Photo by Reilly Sharp

The five chosen this time managed to play solidly through the July heat and into the final couple of weeks of their season.

Matt Moore, LHP, Durham Bulls, International League, Tampa Rays – For starters there’s that 0.88 ERA. Add to that his 8-1 record and that between July 22nd and August 12th he mowed hitters down in each of his five starts. Moore posted a 0.69 ERA for July,  striking out 49 batters in 30.2 innings. Highlight: His July 27th gem. Over 8 scoreless innings he allowed just 3 hits and struck out 13.

Gary Sanchez, C, Charleston Riverdogs, South Atlantic League, New York Yankees – Before going on the DL, Sanchez was putting together a productive season. In August he got 13 hits in 9 games, hitting.433 with 5 multi-hit games. Highlight: On August 3rd he hit two home runs and then did it again on August 10th.

Mike Trout, CF, Texas Travelers, Texas League, Anaheim Angels – Trout’s consistency through July and August was just more of the same. He hit .300 in July and is hitting .358 through the first two weeks of this month. He has a 9-game hitting streak going, with 13 hits accumulated. Highlight: On August 6th Trout went 3-3 with an RBI and a walk.

Greg Billo, RHP, Kane County Tigers, Midwest League, Kansas City Royals – While a pitcher’s record doesn’t always reflect his performances, in this case it does. Billo is 9-2 with a 0.75 ERA through the first two weeks of August. He finished July with a 1.19 ERA. In five starts he’s allowed just six earned runs. Billo has pitched deep into games, logging 55 innings in ten starts. Highlight: On August 10th he picked up the win against Peoria after pitching a seven-inning one-hitter.

Mason Williams, OF, Staten Island Yankees, New York Penn League – Through 10 games in August he has 18 hits, putting his average at .500. He finished July hitting .357, improving his average steadily throughout the season. Williams has struck out just once in his last five games. Highlight: On August 6th he got 3 hits, a walk, and stole two bases.

My eye on… Erik Arnesen, RHP, Harrisburg Senators, Eastern League, Washington Nationals: On August 14th against the Trenton Thunder, the big righty came back from a shaky first inning to pitch six scoreless innings . He struck out ten Thunder hitters by mixing speeds and attacking the strike zone. It was Arnesen’s 8th win of 2011.

Most fans keep a close eye on the names they know, but it is the names you do not know that start to become important in the stretch run.  Not just for the teams that are playoff bound, but those that are looking to their future as well.

Here are three offensive players and three pitchers in the National League that qualify for the Rookie Of The Year award.  If you are not watching these guys by now, it is time to start.

Taking a look at the offensive guys in the National League leads to a few names that may be worth examining.  Danny Espinosa of the Nationals and Freddie Freeman of the Braves have both clubbed over 15 home runs.  Darwin Barney of the Cubs is hitting .288 and has over 100 hits already this season.  The Mets Justin Turner can boast 20 doubles to his credit and Dominic Brown of the Phillies has a .393 slugging percentage in limited action.  Here’s the top three as I see it:

The Odds On Favorite For Rookie Of The Year
This is becoming a two-horse race but, in my opinion, Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves is pulling away from the competition.  Freeman may not lead rookies in home runs, but he has put up a respectable 15 dingers to this point in the season.  Add in a .296 batting average, .362 on base percentage, .474 slugging percentage, 55 runs batted in and 40 walks and you have a first baseman that is among the best in the league, not just one of the best rookies in the league.

The Runner Up
Danny Espinoza has been wrecking pitchers with power numbers that are impressive for a young man playing shortstop for any organization.  The Nationals’ shortstop has launched 17 balls out of stadiums this season while tying Freeman for the lead among rookies with 55 runs batted in.  Equally impressive is 12 stolen bases, showcasing that he is not a one trick pony and will apply some speed to his career as well.  His on base percentage is 86 points higher than his batting average, which would be very impressive if he was not hitting .228 meaning he is reaching base at a .314 clip.  His .422 slugging percentage places him second when ranked next to other rookies in the league.

He Deserves A Look
The Nationals have put together quite the young team and anchoring it all down behind the plate is Wilson Ramos.  Ramos is putting together enough of an offensive season to get himself some looks in the rookie races.  Hitting .248 with a .322 batting average and a .405 slugging percentage while parking 9 balls over the fence and driving in 34 runs can get you some press time as a rookie.  Back it up with a fielding percentage of .992 and throwing out 35 percent of would be base stealers and a lot of teams would like to have a guy like that on the roster.

What may be more impressive in the National League is the crop of rookie pitchers that will be vying for a Rookie Of The Year nod this season.  The obvious stats will see people talking about New York’s Dillon Gee and Atlanta’s Craig Kimbrel due to their dominance in wins and saves.  Stat heads will point out Josh Collmenter from Arizona and Brandon Beachy of Atlanta as an under-appreciated players due to the lack of punch in the obvious categories.   San Diego’s Cory Luebke may have the same problems on top of playing on a under-performing team that will keep him hidden from most fans’ eyes.

The Odds On Favorite For Rookie Of The Year
The Atlanta Braves may be cornering the market on this year’s award, depending on if it goes to an offensive player or a pitcher.  It is hard to argue against Braves closer Craig Kimbrel.  He does not just lead rookies, but leads the National League with 34 saves in 39 chances.  His sub 2.00 earned run average has earned him three wins and two losses in the five games that he did not save and has been dominant over his 56 innings pitched.  So dominant that he finds himself third in strikeouts by a rookie pitcher with 87, behind pitchers with more than 30 innings more than himself.  His 87 strikeouts far outweigh his 22 walks and he has only allowed one ball to leave the yard all season.

The Runner Up
Coming in second to a player of that caliber is not a bad effort and if it was not for the season Kimbrel is putting up, it is possible that Cory Luebke would turn a few more heads in San Diego.  A swingman pitcher who has appeared out of the bullpen 29 times and as a starting pitcher eight times, he is putting together a solid season for a team that is falling apart.  His earned run average is just over 3.00, has pitched in 88.1 innings, and has struck out 91 hitters on the season.  Only 22 walks to his credit and a measly six home runs shows that he can be dominant and stingy with the best of them and lands him second on this list.

He Deserves A Look
The New York Mets have struggled to win, been surrounded by rumors of trading their star shortstop and have faced financial ruin this season.  In the middle of all of that stands Dillon Gee.  He leads all rookies in innings pitched with 112.1, in games started with 18, and wins with 10.  His earned run average is under 4.00 and he has struck out 74 batters to only 46 walks.  The frustration with Gee is his hit batters, of which he has 11, and his home runs, he has surrendered 11 of those too.

Around the league there are pitchers and hitters that will look to capitalize on solid rookie seasons and avoid the Sophomore Slump.  While these players are showcasing themselves around the National League, it is important to take a look at one player that is not on this list that will mean something more to our i70baseball fans.  Here is our honorable mention.

Daniel Descalso by Erika Lynn

i70baseball Honorable Mention
The Cardinals have produced more than a few rookies this season, on the mound and at the plate, but it has been one player that has shown that he not only belongs in the big leagues, but also that he is getting better as the season goes on.  Daniel Descalso has built his average up to a respectable .262 while getting on base to a .339 average.  His power numbers are low but his value to the team, playing multiple positions and putting the ball in play on a regular basis, is mounting and he is becoming a typical Tony LaRussa type player for many seasons to come.

As the season comes to an end, keep an eye on these seven players and their impact on their teams and the league when the dust settles.  One of these players will take home a Jackie Robinson Award and etch their name into the history books.  The rest will attempt to build on a solid rookie campaign and make a career out of it.  Time will tell how well these names will become known.

Bill Ivie is the editor at I-70 Baseball as well as the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.com.
Follow him on Twitter here.