The Colorado Rockies have returned to Earth. The San Diego Padres have disappeared from the top and the San Francisco Giants are taking this "Us against the World" thing seriously.

 

The National League West, considered by some to be the best division in baseball from top to bottom, is providing some drama this season, but it's just not the story everybody expected.

 

There has been a big twist in the plot. There is no plot. The only thing thickening is the nacho cheese in the laps of the jaw-dropped fans who can't believe what they are watching.

 

It seems the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers are the only teams living up to the expectations and keeping this talented group from looking like a bad pay-per-view boxing match on a Saturday night - over-hyped and over-priced.

 

The three other teams in the division have losing records.

 

I bought it all back in March and bragged about it to anybody that would listen. This is the best division in the game I said. Well now, I want my $49.95 back or at least half of it. Call it buyer's remorse. I'm still looking for the truth in the NL West advertising.

 

It's only May. But we've been waiting for this division to start play since the Rockies and Padres needed an extra day to determine the NL Wild Card. We want a knockout. What we have received so far is Butterbean boxing or a bad night of Lucha Libra, Mexican wrestling. It's good for a laugh, but deep down inside we know it's not the real thing and it can get much better.

 

And maybe it will. It has to.

 

Any fool, even this one, will agree that one month does not a season make, and that's the good news. This soap opera will keep our attention in one way or the other. There is no way the Padres and the Rockies are this bad. Can the Diamondbacks be this good? How big will the Joe Torre factor in Los Angeles get played up in the media? And speaking of the Dodgers, what is wrong with Andruw Jones?

 

What hasn't gone right for Arizona? Ace Brandon Webb and Dan Haren have been as advertised and the bullpen has not missed a beat since trading closer Jose Valverde. Offense is not an issue this year, in large part because young players Chris Young, Stephen Drew and Justin Upton are a year older and more experienced.

 

Their team slogan last year was "Anybody, anytime." This year's should read something like "We are not fooling anybody with our wide-eyed act this year because we are a good team, professional athletes and have the ability to beat your team with anybody, anytime."

 

 

 

Granted, it's not exactly catchy and would probably look ugly on a t-shirt but remember these guys used to wear pinstriped uniforms and Barney the Dinosaur purple as the primary color.

 

A few things have been as expected. The brochure I read said the Giants can pitch and so far it's true. Tim Lincecum and company are legit. Barry Zito, on the other hand, has been as productive as the other famous Barry that once wore the orange and black this year and that guy has basically been forced into retirement. Zito to the bullpen and now he's back in the rotation? Maybe there are a few more twists to come in this novella.

 

 

The Giants are expected to finish last in the division this season and maybe that happens, but it looks like they are not going to the basement without a fight.  The offense is ranked 19^th in batting average in the Major Leagues with a .252 mark. By comparison, the Padres are second to last in the category with a .230 batting average. The Giants pitchers boast a 4.02 ERA, good enough for the eighth spot in the National League. The Padres are right behind them at 4.16.

 

Lincecum and his teammates are either deaf, determined, or just hard-headed. They refuse to listen to all the negative talk about their team and the whole weakest offense in the game label that once was the biggest knock on this team is not on their radar anymore. It still exists. It's just not on the radar.

 

The Giants are in third place behind Arizona and Los Angeles.

 

The Padres might want to learn a thing or two about resilience from their Bay Area neighbor. A big issue for the Padres has been an erratic bullpen and an overall lack of speed on the bases or on defense. Ace Jake Peavy is 4-1 with a 2.22 ERA but a Cy Young Award winner performing up to his ability is not a surprise.

 

Needless to say, the bottom of the standings is not where the Padres expected to find themselves after a month of play. Nobody expected it. And the "last-place Rockies" just doesn't have the same ring to it as the "2007 National League Champions" but that's the reality for now. Losing shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to injury and the fall of young closer Manny Corpas has not helped.

 

Inconsistent play can even make champions look like ... the opposite of champions.

 

The story is just unfolding and there is plenty of baseball to be played. Here's hoping for some fun in the NL West sun. The first month is not what we paid for. The last month better be free of charge.

 

Think Mets vs. Yankees. Think about Chien-Ming Wang vs. Johan Santana at Yankee Stadium. Now think about Wang and Santana on the same team.

 

The prospect of the dynamic duo in pinstripes sure does look a lot better now than when the subject came up during the winter. It's never going to happen. If there was ever a time to reinforce how important it was for the Yankees to go after, then fail to get Santana this offseason, this is it. If there was ever a time to look back on the immediate past and shake your head, now is the time.

 

The Yankees could have had Santana from the Twins but didn't want to part with Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy? I'm not going to say "I told you so" but that doesn't mean I'm not going to think it.

 

Santana is 3-2 with a 2.91 ERA in seven starts. His presence on the mound makes batting instructors nervous and his teammates feel at ease. He's a two-time Cy Young Award winner and there is little doubt the Mets believe he is going to win every time he steps on the mound.

 

Kennedy is 0-2 with an 8.37 ERA and now back in the Minor Leagues. For all of his promise and obvious talent, Hughes is 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA and on the disabled list. I've never been a big fan of how the Yankees always acquire big names, trade the farm, and pay the most money for players because they can, but I've never hate them for it either. That's how the Yankees operate and that's how it worked for them in the past. If other clubs had the means, I'm sure they would operate the same way. But changing the philosophy and deciding against acquiring Santana because the club wanted to keep the organization's top pitching prospects was a not the best idea in this case.

 

 

Yes, the season is young and so are Kennedy and Hughes, but that's part of the issue at hand. The two Yankees pitchers are so young I don't believe anybody really knows how good they are going to be in their careers. There are people who have "hope" they will be great pitchers and people who "believe," "project," and "envision" these youngsters as superstars one day, but there are no guarantees.

 

Santana is a guaranteed winner. The Yankees should have acquired him and added another big name to the team no matter the cost. Wang is 6-0 with a 3.00 ERA. Two aces in the Bronx sounds pretty good right now doesn't it?

 

Will Hughes and Kennedy rebound? I'm sure they will. Will either ever be Santana? Likely not. Will the young duo get their act together in time for the talented (and aging) Yankees roster to put together another championship run? That's the real question.

 

The good news for Yankees haters (a group which does NOT include yours truly) is that the window is closing. Jason Giambi is 37, Johnny Damon and Bobby Abreu are both 34, Hideki Matsui and Derek Jeter will be 34 next month. Mike Mussina is 39 and Andy Pettitte is 35. Even Alex Rodriguez is on his way to 33 although he shows no signs of slowing down.

 

The great Mariano Rivera is 38 and Jorge Posada is 36. Speaking of Posada, his contract along with the club's failure to acquire Santana is coming back to haunt the Bronx. Posada has been a solid catcher for years but a four-year deal for a catcher that age was a huge risk. It's easy to say that now, but the reality is that aging and Father Time waits for no man, not even Posada. The veteran is on the disabled list with shoulder problems and when he returns (whenever that is), there is no guarantee he is going to be the same.

 

I can hear the Yankees rebuttal now. "But wait, we have Melky Cabrera (23), Joba Chamberlain (22) and Robinson Cano (25)."

 

Yes you do. Cabrera is doing his part but how's that .154 batting average and four-year deal looking for Cano these days? Chamberlain is an obvious talent and appears destined for great things. But let's just reserve judgment for a season or two until he becomes who he is going to become on the mound. Pitchers change. Sometimes they get better with more experience. Sometimes they don't.

 

What won't change, barring injury, is Santana. He is who is he is and what he is right now is a Met. Think about that when he faces Wang.

ARLINGTON - The numbers are down for Royals catcher Miguel Olivo. So is his playing time, as is the prospect of cracking the lineup on a regular basis.

He says he doesn't want to be traded. He just wants to play - everyday.

His manager doesn't blame him.

"How would it be for anybody? It's difficult," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "It's a difficult transition when you are used to coming in and strapping it on everyday. He wants to feel a part of it. It's a difficult proposition to get a guy at the end of the season looking back on it and see 'Hey it was a good place for me to be.''"

It's been quite a change for Olivo. While with the Marlins in 2006 and 2007, Olivo averaged 125 games played per season. This season, he has appeared in 13 games but with John Buck as the team's regular starter, the Dominican Republic native has only made six starts behind the plate. Olivo has also seen action as the team's designated hitter and the club is considering using him at first base. Left field is also an option.

"I'm not playing a lot but when I get in there I do my job and do the best I can," Olivo said. "It's a big change for me because I 'm used to playing. Now we have two first-string catchers. When I got here there was John Buck and now he is playing more than me. I understand. But when I got here nobody said that to me."<p>

The lack of playing time could be taking a toll on Olivo. He went 0-for-5 against the Rangers on Tuesday and does not have a hit in his last 11 at-bats. He is still hitting .233 with three home runs and eight RBIs. Six of his 10 hits this season have gone for extra bases.

"He's done a great job, he's has some very productive offensive games," Hillman said. "Overall, I'm pleased with what he has done. He brings great energy to the table. He's a great worker with a great attitude. He wants to play more and I'll never fault anybody for wanting to play more. He's open and honest. We talk about that. I encourage him to talk about that I want the guys to keep it perspective and he's been very good job with that."

Olivo could be too honest. When asked about his lack of playing time, Olivo said he is not ruling out playing for another club if the right opportunity presents itself. For now, he is content in his new role and wearing a happy face. He realizes if he does not take advantage of his opportunities when given he's not going to play anywhere.

He trains and prepares as if he is the everyday starting catcher.

"We'll see what happens. Maybe the team will trade me. I don't know," he said. "They have said I could play some other position but I'm a catcher. I don't want to do a bad job in another position that I don't know."

"It's a new team, new thing for me," he continued. "I've never been through this. I talked to my lawyer and they say maybe things will change but nothing has changed. This is very hard for me but things change and you have to adjust."

Hillman wants a resolution that benefits the team as a whole. Olivo, even in a part-time role, is an important part of the team.

"He makes our club better being here," the manager said. "That's why we went and got him and that's why we want to keep him. We'll see if we can keep him happy with the playing time and see how it shakes out."

 

 

Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson was fired today and there is some speculation about the job security of Rangers manager Ron Washington among the media-types in these parts.

Neither should come as a surprise considering the nature of this what-have-you-done-for-me-lately business. It's always the manager/coach that takes the heat (or credit) whether it is deserved or not. That's just how it is in sports and that's not going to change anytime soon.

 Ask me and I still think it's too early to change leadership in Texas. The pitching has been inconsistent, the defense has been horrible and the offense has struggled. Look at the Rangers lineup on a nightly basis. Look again. Then look at the lineups in the rest of the American League West. I don't think anybody expected the Rangers to compete for a title this season, but  the way the team has been losing this year has just been ugly. It has people wondering about the direction of the club and its manager. It's too early to raise the white flag. Then  again, nobody asked me.

 

Giants starter Barry Zito has been sent to the bullpen and the jokes about the highest paid reliever in history have started. That's too bad. Zito is obviously off his game. I think he has been prone to "thinking too much" on the mound in the past, but those problems should be behind him. He's too experienced for that stuff. Send him to the disabled list or a gym. His arm strength is gone and it is nowhere to be found. Maybe all of those innings pitched while with Oakland are catching up to him. Who knew not missing a start all those years because he was so durable would come back to haunt him 

Is Rangers shortstop Michael Young playing out of position? Is Ian Kinsler? So far, the answer is no. So far ...

Say what you want about Rangers GM Jon Daniels and his history of trades but leave him alone when talking about the Josh Hamilton and Edinson Volquez deal. Hamilton is leading the Rangers and MLB in RBI. Volquez is 4-0 for the Reds.

Yankee fans should be a tad worried because Alex Rodriguez is on the disabled list. This guy always plays hurt and never misses a game. He plays every contest like it is his last so the fact that he is on the DL is a huge deal. Then again, Alex could be wising up in his old age (33). Rest now, play later. I still can't see agreeing to go on the DL as an easy decision for him.

MLB.com's Tom Singer. Look him up.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are on top of the division and playing great baseball. I wonder if fans are showing up at the park to watch. It's not a surprise anymore. These guys are good.

Making an issue about the decision of Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder to go vegetarian is just in poor taste.

Who knew watching Tampa Bay could be so much fun?

Cheers to the wonderful people at The Make-A-Wish Foundation for making my niece's dream come true and allowing to meet every princess her heart desired on a recent trip to Disney World. Jeers to the people that scowled or made comments as she and her little brother and mother used a special path for special needs children to get to the front of the line for rides and events. Keep in mind that the only thing tougher than hearing "We are a 'Wish' family" is actually having to say it.

Boooooo

 

 

 

 

 

I'm wondering if Miguel Tejada is going to play for his team in the Caribbean Series next year or in the World Baseball Classic next spring. He's upset with how the birth certificate interview went down and he partly blames his country for it. He is known as Pelotero de la Patria, or ballplayer of the country, on his island so it's kind of a big deal if this guy is mad at the country. Here's what he said about the Dominican Republic when asked about the recent media backlash on the island.

 

"I really don't care what Dominican people think. You know why? Because they are involved in this situation, too," he said. "These guys got my birth certificate because somebody from the Dominican gave it to them.  He didn't find it by himself."

 

"I don't play for the Dominican. I play for Houston," he continued. "That's the people that I really want to care about. The Dominican, they can think whatever they want to think. That's my country but at the same time, they are the ones that are involved in this because that American guy went to my country and he let him go through my personal stuff. They are not supposed to do that. In my country, they let him do it."

HOUSTON -- Now that Miguel Tejada's correct age has been uncovered, the Astros shortstop has a weight off his mind. But that doesn't mean he appreciates the way it came to light.

Tejada said he believes his family was misled by ESPN, suggesting the network had indicated a camera crew that went to the Dominican Republic was affiliated with the Houston Astros. He also expressed displeasure with the way a recent interview was presented and the way it was conducted recently in Philadelphia.

Tejada says that during that interview, ESPN reporter Tom Farrey surprised him with a copy of his birth certificate while on camera. Tejada reacted by walking out of the interview.

"They called me about two days before the interview and told me it was going to be more about baseball," Tejada said. "When I got there, I thought it was about baseball and they throw me a 98 mph fastball inside."

"E:60," an hour-long investigative show on ESPN, plans to air its report on Tejada on Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT.

Tejada said he was particularly disappointed with how his family was treated.

"They went to my father's house," he said. "They got the camera everywhere in my father's house. I don't know what they tried to find. They interviewed my father, and they interviewed people from my neighborhood and everything. They [ate] in my father's house. They make my sister cook for them. That's why I feel mad. ... I had an enemy inside of my father's house, and my family treats you nice. And look at what they did to me. My family is really mad right now."

ESPN spokesperson Mac Nwulu on Monday, told of Tejada's reaction, defended the network's approach to the overall package.

"We've been working on this story for several months," Nwulu said. "Throughout the process, and to all interview subjects, we've represented that we're working on a larger story about Miguel Tejada, which is exactly what the 'E:60' piece is. We are comfortable that all our questions and practices were appropriate in the pursuit of this story."

The document presented in the interview revealed the shortstop was born on May 25, 1974, not May 25, 1976, as listed in the Astros media guide. He is 33, not 31. Tejada revealed his age to club officials and the local media soon after the interview. The wrong birth date has been listed for Tejada in baseball circles since he signed with Oakland in 1993; all of his personal legal documents have his correct age.

Tejada said he changed his age as a teenager from 19 to 17 to give him a better chance at pursuing his dream as a professional baseball player.

"When they signed me back in '93, I was a young kid," Tejada said. "I really wanted to sign with professional baseball because I thought that was the only way I thought I could help my family. That's the way that everybody did it back in those days. My coach told me that's how we are going to do it, and I followed him."

Before Major League Baseball began verifying dates of birth and other information, it was not uncommon for some players from Latin America to give a younger age.

"My age has nothing to do with what I do on the field," he said. "In Houston and the Orioles and Oakland, they just worry about what I do on the field, how I play on the field. I don't want to bring it up because I don't think the team is really paying attention to that. It's not like I did it when I was a free agent. I did it a long time ago. It's not even on my mind every day. What I've got on my mind is play baseball and winning games. Enjoy baseball."

Houston general manager Ed Wade said Tejada's age revelation "has no effect on our club."

"I don't think there is any kind of short-term impact on our club, and I don't foresee any long-term impact," Wade said. "He's still a premium player. We are happy to have him. He has a couple years left on his deal. I would like to see him play a lot longer than that in our uniform."

Tejada's contract with the Astros expires at the end of the 2009 season.

CHICAGO -- The National League's newest hero on the mound wears his game pants long, his jersey loose and his hat low, a fraction off center and to the left.

When he throws, his right arm slashes through the air after each delivery and then snaps back up like he is popping an imaginary whip. He's 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, and his name sounds like it came right off the cover of a comic book.

Cincinnati pitching sensation Johnny Cueto wears a red cap, not a red cape, and he isn't from the Planet Krypton, but his super efforts this season have gained national attention and out-of-this-world comparisons. He turned 22 in February.

"That's our little superhero right there," said fellow Reds pitcher Edinson Volquez, 24. "He has a lot of talent. I think one thing that helps him is that he doesn't know a lot about the players he is facing. When you know a lot about the team, there is lot to think about and you can get nervous. He just pitches like he pitches and doesn't worry about it. They don't know him either, so that's good, too."

That could change because Cueto's reputation is growing. In his big league debut, he gave up one hit and one run, striking out 10 hitters in seven innings against Arizona, and followed that start with eight strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings against Milwaukee. He gave up five hits and five runs against Pittsburgh is his latest start, taking the loss and evening his record at 1-1 with a 3.72 ERA.

Cueto throws strikes and has good control for a pitcher of any age. He went 16 innings and struck out 22 batters before he issued his first big league walk. He didn't reach a ball three count until his third start.

"Cueto is aggressive and that's hard to teach young guys," Reds pitching coach Dick Pole said. "He's not afraid to throw the ball inside to either handed hitter. That's something a lot of young guys don't do or know to do."

The approach has worked. Cueto was the 2006 and 2007 Reds Minor League Pitcher of the Year and went 12-9 with a 3.07 ERA in 161 1/3 combined innings with Class A Sarasota, Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville last year.

He is scheduled to start Saturday against the Brewers at Great American Ball Park.

"I've played in a lot of leagues. There is no pressure on my part," Cueto said. "I can pitch and I just concentrate on that. I'm enjoying this. I want to play for 20 years and keep getting better. I know I'm young. I still have a lot of games to play."

He's already come a long way.

Cueto signed with the Reds for $35,000 in 2004 following an early morning, 15-pitch tryout for Reds scout Johnny Armaraz in the Dominican Republic. Armaraz, now with the Braves, was on his way out of the country that day, but made a special trip to see Cueto pitch.

"He tried out at 7:30 in the morning and Johnny liked him," said former Reds pitcher Mario Soto, now director of operations for the Reds in the Dominican Republic. "What I know is Cueto has great stuff and he's a guy that is not afraid to pitch inside. That's one of the keys to big leagues if you want to be successful. That's a big plus when you are throwing 96, 97 mph with a good change and a slider."

In three seasons in the Minor Leagues, Cueto went 14-12 with a 3.28 ERA. He earned a spot in the rotation by dazzling the club during Spring Training. He posted a 2.08 ERA in his first four appearances in Grapefruit League play.

"I told my mom I wanted to play in the big leagues and I made it," Cueto said. "She always pushed me to play the game, always wanted me to go out and work out. Before I signed, she was always telling me to go to the stadium, 'Get up and go play.' 'Go run, go practice.'"

Cueto credits his family in the Dominican Republic and his new Reds family for keeping him grounded. The joke is that Cueto and Volquez are siblings because they spend so much time together. Veteran closer Francisco Cordero is the paternal figure of this Dominican group, always keeping an eye on the two youngsters and making sure they are doing the right thing. Cordero and Volquez were teammates with the Texas Rangers.

"[Cueto] looks young, but when he gets on the mound, it is like he is a veteran. He owns the mound," Cordero said. "He is a good listener. If he stays healthy, he can be a pitcher of the franchise. I tell him to keep working hard. People are always going to say things, but just believe in yourself and dedicate yourself. Don't get a big head."

Big smiles, on the other hand, are common, especially when the jovial Volquez is involved. Volquez and Cueto share an apartment near the ballpark in Cincinnati, and they also roomed together during Spring Training. Last winter, Cueto and Volquez worked out together at the Reds' Dominican baseball academy in Boca Chica, about 25 minutes away from Cueto's home in San Pedro de Macoris.

They say the extra work helped them earn spots in the Reds' rotation.

"I have my car, so I take him places, show him how to dress for trips, talk to the fans and things like that," Volquez said. "He's been playing here for four years, but he didn't know the life of a big leaguer and what to expect. He's smart. He learned quickly. Now, we just laugh all the time. He likes to play around a lot. He's funny. He's always kidding around. He's like my little brother. Cordero is the father. That's the joke."

Having "brother" Edinson around has made life easier for Cueto because he admits he gets homesick at times. Cueto is currently trying to bring his mother to the United States, but can't because of visa issues. She spent two months with him in the Minor Leagues last season. He also longs to see his longtime girlfriend and his infant son and daughter. Cueto, his parents, girlfriend, children and his four siblings all live together in the same house in the Dominican Republic, so not having family around is challenging at times.

"I want [mom] to be here," he said. "I made it to the 40-man [roster], then 25-man and she didn't see it. I'm here, but she is not. I'm going to keep trying to get her here. She can take care of me, cook for me."

In a perfect world, every member of Cueto's family would be with him in the United States. The notion might not be too far-fetched. Cordero's brothers live with him in Cincinnati and his family members, including his young son, visit him from the Dominican Republic often.

"Volquez, we are great friends, good teammates," Cueto said. "I met Cordero here. He's a good person. He watches out for me. He answers everything I ask him about everything."

Cueto's size and fastball have drawn early comparisons to another diminutive Dominican power pitcher, Mets starter Pedro Martinez, but Cueto said it's too early in his career to be mentioned in the same breath as his baseball idol. Cueto wears jersey No. 47, but sported no. 45 in the Minor Leagues in Martinez's honor.

"I don't know Pedro personally, but I can't wait to talk to him," he said. "People see me pitch and they say I can be like him. I'm just starting. I'm not Pedro Martinez."

Vicente Padilla still snarls on the mound. The scowl, the strut and the way he stares at the ground on his way to the dugout at the end of each inning are all the same as last year.

But this Padilla could not be any more different. The Rangers could not be any happier. Padilla is 1-1 with a 3.79 ERA after three starts this season. Last season, the first of a three-year, $33 million deal, he went 6-10 with a 5.76 ERA and struggled with a sore triceps muscle in his throwing arm.

"Everything is different," Rangers pitching coach Mark Conner said. "He's healthy, number one, and I think he is on a mission this year to prove that last year was a fluke. His pitching is more along the lines of what he did the year before."

In 2006, Padilla had a career year, winning 15 games and finishing with a 4.50 ERA. He signed the multiyear deal in the winter that followed but didn't live up to expectations the next season -- anybody's expectations.

He was at a loss at times. It showed.

"I think everybody has emotions, and I am no different," Padilla said. "You do get a little upset when you make a bad pitch or there is an error. You just have to let it go. I think before, I let it bother me more. What can you do about it? Nothing. You just have to keep going forward and get the next guy out. I let it anger me before."

The money also mattered.

"The contract affected me," he said. "It's a lot of money, and they wanted me to do the work, and I wanted to demonstrate that I earned that money and I was worth it. I wanted to be better than the year before. But you can't let that affect you or make you do things you don't normally do. I know that now."

What Padilla did was play while he was injured. He struggled with his command and velocity, posting a 3-8 record with a 6.69 ERA before being placed on the disabled list last June because of the triceps. His mental toughness was likely also being tested, as he was the first pitcher in Rangers history to lose eight games by June.

"He got the contract, and people were expecting big things. He tried to do that, but he was hurt," Conner said. "He finally admitted that after he had not pitched very well. I knew something was wrong. I think he wanted to show he could live up to the contract, but pitching while you are hurt is very difficult. You can't fault him for that, but you wish he would have said something sooner."

Padilla is letting his actions do the talking this season. He began training for the season in January, in Nicaragua, and said that he arrived at camp in better shape than usual. He also began a light throwing program one month before the start of Spring Training.

"This year he came in with a new attitude," Conner said. "I watch him in between innings, and he's right there patting guys on the back. I think he feels better about himself. He looks that way."

The change is noticeable. Padilla laughs and jokes with his teammates more than he did in 2007. He will never be confused as a media darling, but he is also making an effort to be more available to the press corps.

"All of the pitchers came into Spring Training with the attitude that they were trying to help each other as much as they can, and that's what they have been doing. Padilla has been a big part of that," manager Ron Washington said. "Last year, he wasn't outward. The change in him ... I think you have to speak to him, because I can't speak for him, but I just see the change."

Padilla doesn't know what all the fuss is about, saying that it's easier to be in a better mood when you are not in pain. He laughs at the notion that he is a changed man, because he didn't realize he was seen as such a bad guy in the past.

"No matter how old you are or how long you play this game, you are going to learn something," Padilla said. "You can never know it all in this game. You can learn something every day if you want to pay attention to it. I see that. I know that."

ARLINGTON - The American League East's two most popular teams squared off in front of a nationally televised audience Sunday night. The teams with division's best record face each other Monday.

 

Who knew last night's Yankees-Red Sox match up would be trumped by today's Orioles-Blue Jays contest? Nobody. It hasn't happened.

 

Yet.

 

"That's the reality and that's been the way it has been, but you get tired of it," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "Ask those guys out there (in the clubhouse) and they get tired of finishing backseat to those teams. That's what everybody is striving for. The whole American League is good but obviously those two teams are going to be at the top.  You play them so many times, it takes a toll on you."

 

Want the spotlight to shift to Canada? Keep winning.

 

The Orioles and the Blue Jays sit atop the division with identical 7-5 records. Boston is 7-6 and Tampa Bay is 6-6. The Yankees are in last place with a 6-7 record. The Blue Jays are coming off a triumphant three-game sweep in Texas.

 

It's early, very early, but please excuse the Blue Jays for being in a collective good mood lately. Gibbons knows all about the predictions for the AL East and how his club is supposed to finish in the middle or back of the pack, he's just not ready to believe them yet. The way he sees it, every team in the division is capable of winning on any given night.

 

The Texans speaks with so much confidence, you almost want to believe him. His players apparently do.

 

"You read about teams that are supposed to lose 100 games, but nobody knows that," Gibbons said. "These are still professional clubs and you still have players on the team that have been good big league players. Baseball is not like football where if you are bigger and stronger, you can just overpower them. Anybody can win in this game and I think we are seeing that."

 

It's already been quite a ride for Toronto. The club went 1-2 against the Yankees to start the season and went on to sweep the Red Sox in the series that followed. The club came into Texas riding a three-game losing streak after being swept by Oakland.

 

"We are playing about .500 but we could be doing better," Blue Jays designated hitter Frank Thomas said. "I think it's early and a lot of the teams are close together. By the end of the month, you'll see teams pull ahead. Hopefully, it's us."

 

If big Frank hopes to get his wish, the Blue Jays will have to continue to pitch well. Toronto is currently fourth in the American League with a 3.60 ERA behind Kansas City (2.58), Minnesota (3.48), and Oakland (3.53). The club is third in the AL in strikeouts with 83, behind Boston and Oakland.

 

Former Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay along with fellow starters Shaun Marcum, Dustin McGowin and Jesse Litsch are among the league leaders in wins, ERA, and strikeouts.

 

"Our pitching is good," Gibbons said. "I think we have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball. That's a bold statement but I really believe it. Top to bottom, we didn't have as many holes to fill as we had in the past."

 

The return of injured closer B.J. Ryan on Sunday helped fill one gap. Ryan picked up the save in Arlington against the Rangers in his first appearance since last April by giving up a triple to Marlon Byrd, the first batter he faced, but recovering to retire the next three batters in order to seal the 5-4 victory in extra innings.

 

"It wasn't the prettiest thing ever, but the bottom line, we got it done," Ryan said. "You make some pitches when you have to, kind of back against the wall."

 

The return of third baseman Scott Rolen, currently on the disabled list because of a broken finger, will bolster the Blue Jays offense although they seem to be doing just fine without him. Second baseman Aaron Hill leads the team in batting average with a .326 mark.  He also has nine RBIs, second on the team to Vernon Well's team-leading 12 RBIs. Wells is hitting .320 with three home runs. Matt Stairs is hitting .296 and Shannon Stewart is at .280.

 

"We have a good, complete team," infielder Marco Scutaro said. "We have young guys and some veteran mix. The most important thing for us is to stay healthy. We stay healthy and we can do something good this year."

 

That's the belief in the clubhouse. Don't be surprised to see players donning team t-shirts with a catchy slogan about teamwork, confidence, underdogs, and opportunity in the near future. Just call it a hunch. Bet on a lightning bolt or dumbbell somewhere on the t-shirt as well.

 

"This is such a good league," Gibbons said. "You could almost guarantee the Wild Card was going to come out of the American League East but that's not the case anymore. We have a good bunch of guys,  a bunch of gamers. We don't press. We will compete every day."

 

 

 

If anybody is plugged into baseball in the Dominican Republic, it's Angels coach Alfredo Griffin.

 

He's everywhere it seems. Griffin can be spotted at every Caribbean Series, either in the stands or in the dugout, and was a fixture with the country's club during the World Baseball Classic in 2006 as a coach. He's still a legend in San Pedro de Macoris for his big league career and will always be revered as one of the first famous infielders from the island.

 

He is the definition of "Soy Dominicano."

 

So when Griffin spoke about the Dominican participation in the upcoming World Baseball Classic in 2009 recently at Angel Stadium, people stopped to listen. Hopefully, his countrymen were taking notes.

.

"(Dominican Republic) will have time and they should be prepared this time around," he said. "The biggest problem is the timing of it. People go from Santo Domingo where they are relaxing, then go to Spring Training and then start playing games very quickly. The conditioning wasn't there and everybody knew that. That's why the pitchers were on such a low pitch-count. That made it difficult for our teams."

 

"Maybe the players have to get ready sooner," he said. "I don't know if it has to come from Major League Baseball or the players personally, but they have to be ready to compete this time around. We do that, we will do better."

 

The Dominican team finished the 2006 World Baseball Classic with a 5-2 record, losing to Cuba in the semifinals. They were considered the favorites in 2006, sporting a roster of All-Stars and up-and-coming players. Among the starters were Albert Pujols, David Ortiz, Alfonso Soriano, Miguel Tejada, Jose Reyes along with pitcher Daniel Cabrera, Francisco Liriano and Bartolo Colon.

 

The roster wasn't enough. Griffin is not guaranteeing an All-Star roster will bring home the trophy in 2009, either. He's wise enough to know anything can happen in baseball.

 

"In baseball, you really can't predict anything," he said. Every team has good players and if you look at the Dominican team, Manny Ramirez and Vladimir Guerrero didn't participate in the Classic and they are two of the best players in the game. I don't know what happens if they play."

 

"The Dominican team didn't have a lot of good pitching, either, "he continued. "There weren't that many good pitchers available. Japan played good baseball. Cuba played good baseball. That's why they won. I think if the Latin teams and the team from the United States prepare, they will be a lot better in the next one. I still don't think anybody was prepared or knew what to expect."

 

That should be different this time around. Ask Griffin and he'll likely agree that more intrasquad and game-type of simulation would benefit the Dominican team. The club simply did not see enough live pitching to be prepared for the stiff international competition. Hitters also seemed to be off the mark, at least by a week.

 

Just don't ask Griffin where the club should play. Griffin, like most of his countrymen, believe location of the tournament does not matter and scoffed at the notion of the proposed boycott if the Dominican Republic did not play host to a round.

 

"Those people talked without knowing what was going on and I didn't support that," he said. "I don't know anybody that did. If you want to make a case, present it and discuss it, maybe I can listen, but you just don't say our country is not going to play if we don't have a round in Santo Domingo. I don't agree with that thinking. There are other ways to handle the situation. Players knew better. They knew it was too early to say anything like that so nobody took it seriously."

 

Griffin should know. He's plugged in. As usual.